cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrospun Gelatin/Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposite Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

Electrospun composite scaffolds were prepared by mixing gelatin with nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite (nanoHA) in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) solution. The fibrous composite scaffolds with nanoHA content from 0 to 40 wt% were compared in terms of structure and morphology via x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results show that dispersion of nanoHA in the scaffolds is uniform for 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% nanoHA content, but significant nanoHA agglomeration can be observed for scaffolds with 40% nanoHA. In order to study the effect of nanoHA content on mechanical properties at the nanoscale level, the fibrous scaffolds were pressed into dense pellets and tested by nanoindentation to determine Young’s modulus. Young’s modulus was found to increase linearly with nanoHA content, reaching unexpectedly high values of 10.2 ± 0.8 GPa. Results are compared with other polymer/HA composites including those made with polycaprolactone or collagen.
Modeling of 3-D Angle-Interlock Textile Structural Composites:

A model is developed to predict the in-plane elastic properties of compos ites reinforced with 3-D angle-interlock textile preforms. Straight yarn segments and microcells are utilized in a lamination analogy to predict the in-plane elastic constants. Numerical results for angle-interlock preforms are compared to preliminary test data available in the literature. The effects of varying geometric parameters, namely crimp in terchange, in three different composite systems are discussed and presented in the form of performance maps. In general, stiffer yarn systems exhibit greater ranges of variability in in-plane properties, while the plain weave geometry exhibits greater variability for a given material system. Transverse modulus is higher and Poisson's ratio is generally lower for the plain weave compared to the satin weave, while the shear modulus is generally unaffected by inclination angle. Preliminary experiments, while few in number, show agreement with the plain weave predictions, but agree less well...
Rate control of phosphorylation-coupled respiration by rat liver mitochondria

Abstract Liver mitochondria provided with an oxidizable substrate, ATP, oxygen, and an ADP-generating system (soluble F1-ATPase) were used to reevaluate the rate-controlling step(s) intrinsic to all of the processes of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The quantity termed “control strength” (C), previously defined as the fractional change in flux through a (system) induced by a fractional change in the concentration of an individual enzyme in the system, has been used to evaluate rate-influencing steps in this overall process by carefully defining the dimensions of the “system” under analysis. If the system is defined by a suspension of mitochondria provided with substrates, plus an extrinsic ADP-generating process (ATPase), the value of C of the latter for the overall process of phosphorylation-linked respiration is near 1.0 until the capacity of the mitochondria to phosphorylate ADP is approached, after which C for the soluble ATPase becomes zero as the maximum capacity for phosphorylation is attained. Carboxyatractyloside was found only marginally to inhibit respiration stimulated by ATPase, even when a large percentage of adenine nucleotide translocase molecules were immobilized. The relative lack of effect of carboxyatractyloside on phosphorylating respiration is explained by the readjustment of the concentration of one of the substrates (ADP) and an inhibitor (ATP), which results from inhibition of adenine nucleotide translocase. The residual blunted inhibition of respiration is explained by product inhibition of the ADP-regenerating ATPase, and not necessarily to any intrinsically mitochondrial intermediate process. The system being evaluated can be redefined to include only the processes intrinsic to mitochondria. This can be achieved by providing exactly comparable substrate concentrations to the mitochondria under comparable incubation conditions. Under these conditions, the adenine nucleotide translocase is the principal, if not the only, rate-controlling step in the overall process of oxidative phosphorylation until a new rate-limitation is attained (ATP synthesis). These data are consistent with the conclusion that, at intermediate rates of phosphorylation-coupled respiration, the extramitochondrial ATP ADP ratio regulates this process through its kinetic effects on the catalytic properties of the adenine nucleotide translocase.
FETAL HEMOPOIESIS IN DIFFUSION CHAMBER CULTURES

The growth pattern of fetal liver (FL), normal adult bone marrow (NABM) and regenerating (post Velban treatment) adult bone marrow (RABM) colony forming units (CFU) cultured in diffusion chambers (DC) was studied. When twenty CFU were implanted into DC the recovery of CFU after 4 days with FL, NABM or RABM was 133 +/- 7, 19 +/- 2 and 34 +/- 2 CFU, respectively. The transplantation fraction of CFU from NABM decreased from 10-4% on day 0 to 6-9% on day 4; that of FL did not change from the initial 6-2%. The growth rate of CFU derived from FL was substantially greater than that from NABM. The relative growth of FL and RABM CFU was clearly inhibited when the concentration of cells cultured was increased. Spleen colonies from FL cells before culture were larger (P less than 0-005) than colonies from NABM but after 7 days of culture there was no difference between the two groups. Histological examination of spleen colonies showed that after DC culture FL and NABM CFU were differentiating along the three normal pathways. These data suggest that intrinsic differences exist between fetal and adult stem cells in the in vivo diffusion chamber culture system.
Prognostic Factors for Patients with a Single Brain Metastasis Treated Primarily with Surgical Resection at a Single Institution

two-year actuarial survivals of 40%, 13% and 0%. This compares favorably to historical results for WB-RT alone (42% solitary) by RTOG-RPA classes 1, 2, and 3 with median survivals of 7, 4, and 2 months. Multivariate analysis revealed treatment volume, age, RPA classification, and marginal dose as significant prognostic factors (Table 1). Other variables, including the number of metastases, were not statistically significant.
The Class II Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase C2β Is Required for the Activation of the K+ Channel KCa3.1 and CD4 T-Cells

The Ca2+-activated K+ channel KCa3.1 is required for Ca2+ influx and the subsequent activation of T-cells. We previously showed that nucleoside diphosphate kinase beta (NDPK-B), a mammalian histidine kinase, directly phosphorylates and activates KCa3.1 and is required for the activation of human CD4 T lymphocytes. We now show that the class II phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase C2β (PI3K-C2β) is activated by the T-cell receptor (TCR) and functions upstream of NDPK-B to activate KCa3.1 channel activity. Decreased expression of PI3K-C2β by siRNA in human CD4 T-cells resulted in inhibition of KCa3.1 channel activity. The inhibition was due to decreased phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PI(3)P] because dialyzing PI3K-C2β siRNA-treated T-cells with PI(3)P rescued KCa3.1 channel activity. Moreover, overexpression of PI3K-C2β in KCa3.1-transfected Jurkat T-cells led to increased TCR-stimulated activation of KCa3.1 and Ca2+ influx, whereas silencing of PI3K-C2β inhibited both responses. Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and planar lipid bilayers, we found that PI3K-C2β colocalized with Zap70 and the TCR in peripheral microclusters in the immunological synapse. This is the first demonstration that a class II PI3K plays a critical role in T-cell activation.
Constrained shrinkage of highly oriented poly(methyl methacrylate) fibers

Constrained shrinkage of fibers is the primary method used to examine orientation in amorphous materials. During the test, fibers are constrained, heated, and the stress that develops is measured as a function of time and temperature. This article describes an apparatus developed to measure that stress and a series of experiments for melt-spun poly(methyl methacrylate) fibers fabricated under three conditions: (1) constant viscosity, (2) increasing temperature, and (3) increasing draw velocity. Results show that both the rates of rise and the decay of the fiber shrinkage stress have an Arrhenius relationship with temperature. Fibers fabricated at a constant viscosity have the same maximum shrinkage stress and rate of stress decay. As the processing temperature decreases or as draw velocity increases, for other parameters held constant, the maximum shrinkage stress increases. The rate of stress rise increases with decreasing processing temperature or increasing draw velocity. Maximum shrinkage stress also increases with increasing molecular orientation when measured by a different test, free heat-induced shrinkage of the fibers. However, it was not possible to correlate both of these results to rubber elasticity theory attributed to the high degree of orientation present in the fibers and high polydispersity in the starting material. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 4047–4056, 2004
A New Method for Delineating Tree Patches and Assessing Spatial Reference Conditions of Ponderosa Pine Forests in Northern Arizona

Multiscale spatial patterns of forest reference conditions offer insight on how historical and environmental processes have influenced forest stand dynamics. Yet, spatial information is often either unavailable or partial, because many studies provide nonspatial reference condition information, whereas others only report the local (i.e. observed at plot extent) spatial arrangement of trees. However, knowledge of multiscaled spatial patterns, including stand-, amongpatch-, and within-patch-level patterns, is needed to ensure that forest management strategies suit a wide range of objectives in ecosystem restoration. In this study, we propose a new framework for delineating tree patches based on common stand attributes. We found that patch reference conditions for presettlement ponderosa pine in northern Arizona ranged from 10 to 27 patches/ha, accounted for 62‐75% of the total historic stand basal area (m 2 /ha) and varied in size from 0.01 to 0.15 ha. Lastly, discussion was made on the importance of using a patch-delineation framework, such as the one proposed in this study, as a basis for quantifying stand- and patch-level patterns of reconstructed presettlement and current forest conditions and how this information should guide spatially explicit restoration management (e.g. thinning prescriptions).
Locally Refined Collision Detection of Large Scale Complex Polygonal Meshes in Distributed Virtual Environments

This paper presents a new locally refined collision detection approach for large scale complex meshes in distributed virtual environments (DVEs) where exact and interactive interference detection is required. Transmitting models with millions of polygons is time consuming in comparison with transmitting simple models. Even if the models are transmitted in progressive manner, the earlier received models are in low level-of-detail (LOD) because the models are refined globally. Increasing the accuracy of collision detection (CD) at the client still takes time because increasing the LOD of the model is a slow process. The new approach is composed of an AB-tree collision query algorithm and a new mesh refinement algorithm on a space partitioned mesh (SPM) representation. It deals with this problem by selectively refining the models at certain areas that are predicted to collide with other objects and transmitting the refined parts instead of the entire model from server to client. The accuracy of CD is increased quickly at the predicted contact areas. An interactive rate is guaranteed by reducing network response time and dynamically adjusting the complexity and the space cost of the collision query algorithm.
Using name-based mappings to increase hit rates

Clusters of identical intermediate servers are often created to improve availability and robustness in many domains. The use of proxy servers for the World Wide Web (WWW) and of rendezvous points in multicast routing are two such situations. However, this approach can be inefficient if identical requests are received and processed by multiple servers. We present an analysis of this problem, and develop a method called the highest random weight (HRW) mapping that eliminates these difficulties. Given an object name and a set of servers, HRW maps a request to a server using the object name, rather than any a priori knowledge of server states. Since HRW always maps a given object name to the same server within a given cluster, it may be used locally at client sites to achieve consensus on object-server mappings. We present an analysis of HRW and validate it with simulation results showing that it gives faster service times than traditional request allocation schemes such as round-robin or least-loaded, and adapts well to changes in the set of servers. HRW is particularly applicable to domains in which there are a large number of requestable objects, there is a significant probability that a requested object will be requested again, and the CPU load due to any single object can be handled by a single server. HRW has now been adopted by the multicast routing protocols PIMv2 and CBTv2 as its mechanism for routers to identify rendezvous points/cores.
Dual Band Proximity-Fed Stacked Patch Antenna for Tri-Band GPS Applications

A novel proximity-fed stacked patch antenna is presented to cover the new GPS band, namely L5 (1176 MHz, available after 2007) together with the L1 and L2 bands (1575 and 1227 MHz). High permittivity dielectric material is used to minimize the antenna size down to 1.2''times1.2'', implying an aperture size of only lambda/8timeslambda/8 at the L5 band. Quadrature phase feeding is employed to ensure RHCP radiation, with a broadside gain of 2 dBi. Because of its reduced size, the presented antenna can be used within a GPS antenna array or other tri-band GPS applications. The design procedures and employed tuning techniques to achieve the desired performance are presented
Online reference computation for feasible model predictive control

Online reference computation for feasible model predictive control is introduced. We consider N step constrained model predictive control problems. The constraint on the input is fixed. The constraint on the state is given by either a terminal state equality or a combination of sets which depend on an N step reference sequence. Assuming that the control problem at current time is feasible, we want to know the set of terminal states or new references such that the problem at the next time instant is still feasible. We first introduce the general problems and then provide the algorithms for the linear system case using reachability analysis.
Chronic isolation of carotid sinus baroreceptor region in conscious normotensive and hypertensive rats

We have developed a chronic technique to isolate the carotid sinus baroreceptor region in the conscious rat model. Our technique, when used in conjunction with other methods, allows for the study of the control of arterial pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output by the carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex in conscious, unrestrained rats. The performance of our technique was evaluated in two strains: normotensive Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Each rat was instrumented with an aortic flow probe and a catheter placed in the right femoral artery to monitor cardiac output and arterial pressure, respectively. The cervical sympathetic trunk and aortic depressor nerve were ligated and cut bilaterally, leaving vagus nerves intact. The right and left carotid sinuses were isolated using our new technique. We tested the open-loop function of the carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex system in the conscious rat after recovery from the isolation surgery. We found that changes in nonpulsatile carotid sinus pressure caused significant changes in arterial pressure, heart rate, and total peripheral resistance in both rat strains. However, the cardiac output responses differed dramatically between strains. Significant changes were seen in the cardiac output response of SHR, whereas no significant changes were observed in normotensive SD rats. We have found this technique to be a highly reliable tool for the study of the carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex system in the conscious rat.
Classification and Subtype Prediction of Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma by Functional Genomics

Adult soft tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors, including well-described subtypes by histological and genotypic criteria, and pleomorphic tumors typically characterized by non-recurrent genetic aberrations and karyotypic heterogeneity. The latter pose a diagnostic challenge, even to experienced pathologists. We proposed that gene expression profiling in soft tissue sarcoma would identify a genomic-based classification scheme that is useful in diagnosis. RNA samples from 51 pathologically confirmed cases, representing nine different histological subtypes of adult soft tissue sarcoma, were examined using the Affymetrix U95A GeneChip. Statistical tests were performed on experimental groups identified by cluster analysis, to find discriminating genes that could subsequently be applied in a support vector machine algorithm. Synovial sarcomas, round-cell/myxoid liposarcomas, clear-cell sarcomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumors displayed remarkably distinct and homogenous gene expression profiles. Pleomorphic tumors were heterogeneous. Notably, a subset of malignant fibrous histiocytomas, a controversialhistological subtype, was identified as a distinct genomic group. The support vector machine algorithm supported a genomic basis for diagnosis, with both high sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, we showed gene expression profiling to be useful in classification and diagnosis, providing insights into pathogenesis and pointing to potential new therapeutic targets of soft tissue sarcoma.
Sigmodon arizonae (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Sigmodon arizonae Mearns, 1890, is a cricetid commonly called the Arizona cotton rat. S. arizonae is a large species of cotton rat with brownish black dorsal pelage and silvery or whitish underparts. Ranging from central Arizona in the United States south to Nayarit in Mexico with a disjunct population along the lower Colorado River in southwestern Arizona and California, it is primarily associated with riparian corridors, but also is found in more arid habitats such as semidesert grassland. Two subspecies of S. arizonae appear to be extinct and a 3rd subspecies is imperiled. However, in the majority of its range, S. arizonae is considered common and is not of conservation concern.
Differential expression of sympathoadrenal lineage-determining genes and phenotypic markers in cultured primary neural crest cells

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) promotes the development of primary neural crest cells grown in tissue culture to the sympathoadrenal (SA) lineage. Independent studies have characterized the expression patterns of SA-lineage genes in developing chicken embryo; however, studies using cultured primary neural crest cells have characterized only the expression patterns of the catecholaminergic markers, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and catecholamines (CAs). To further explore the molecular mechanisms that control SA-cell development using the in vitro model system, it is crucial to define the expression patterns of both the catecholaminergic markers and the genes regulating SA-lineage determination. Accordingly, we defined, in the absence and presence of BMP-2, the temporal expression patterns of TH and CA, the SA lineage-determining genes ASH-1, Phox2a, and Phox2b, the GATA-2 gene, and the pan-neuronal SCG10 gene. Comparison of these data with the reported temporal and spatial patterns of expression in vivo demonstrate that the inductive steps of SA-lineage determination, including the specification of neurotransmitter identity and neuronal fate, are recapitulated in the neural-crest culture system.
Arabinogalactan proteins and arabinan pectins abound in the specialized matrices surrounding female gametes of the fern Ceratopteris richardii

Both male and female gametes of archegoniates are highly specialized cells surrounded by an extraprotoplasmic matrix rich in AGPs, which are speculated to facilitate development and gamete fusion through Ca 2+ oscillations. An additional layer, the egg envelope, forms around the egg periphery, except at the fertilization pore, and contains arabinose-rich polymers that presumably impart flexibility for the rapidly growing zygote and embryo. The abundant AGPs and arabinan pectins associated with the eggs of C. richardii not only are integral to development, fertilization, and early embryogenesis, but also may be involved in desiccation tolerance important to the survival of the reproductive gametophyte. A defining feature of gametogenesis in archegoniates is the deposition of a special matrix outside of the plasmalemma of both egg and sperm cells that displaces the primary cell wall away from the protoplasm. It is within this matrix that gamete differentiation occurs. In leptosporangiate ferns, maturation of the egg cell involves the deposition of a second specialized wall, the so-called egg envelope that surrounds the cell except at the fertilization pore, a narrow site where gamete fusion takes place. We provide the first conclusive evidence of the macromolecular constituents in the unique structures surrounding fern egg cells before and after fertilization. To test the hypotheses that the egg extracellular matrix contains arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) as does the sperm cell matrix, and that cell wall polysaccharides, especially pectins, are components of the egg envelope, we examined the expression patterns of AGPs and cell wall constituents during oogenesis in Ceratopteris richardii. Utilizing histochemical stains for callose, cellulose and AGPs coupled with immunogold localizations employing a suite of monoclonal antibodies to cell wall components (JIM13, JIM8, LM2, LM5, LM6, LM19, LM20 and anticallose), we demonstrate that AGPs, but not pectins, are abundant in the matrix around egg cells and degrading neck canal and ventral canal cells during archegonial development. A striking finding is that both AGPs and (1,5)-α-l-arabinan pectin epitopes are principle components of the egg envelope before and after fertilization, suggesting that they are important in both egg maturation and gamete fusion.
The Maxwell Case

International bankruptcy scholars well know the Maxwell case as probably the most important litigation precedent in this fledgling jurisprudential field. What they tend to know less about is the "back story" of the redoubtable Robert Maxwell (born Jan Ludwick Hock). A towering, inspiring, and larger than life figure, Maxwell built an international publishing empire that spanned the globe before it came crashing down in scandal after his mysterious death. This book chapter (in a book devoted to the back stories of famous bankruptcy cases) explores Maxwell's life, business, fall from grace and, of course, posthumous bankruptcy. In so doing, it analyzes both the legal issues involved in the regulation of cross-border financial distress as well as certain eternal truths about the human condition (and, indeed, the corporate form).
Assessment and management of foot disease in patients with diabetes

Limb- or life-threatening complications in patients with diabetes can be prevented with an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. Most patients seen in clinical practice are in the early stages of the disease process. Glycemic control retards the progression of neuropathy, which is the most important risk factor for ulceration. Early detection of the loss of protective sensation and implementation of strategies to prevent ulceration will reduce the rates of limb-threatening complications. Clinicians should routinely examine the feet of diabetic patients. Education in foot care, proper footwear, and close follow-up are required to prevent or promptly detect neuropathic injury. If ulceration occurs, removal of pressure from the site of the ulcer and careful management of the wound will allow healing in most cases. The failure to heal despite these measures should prompt a search for associated arterial insufficiency. If infection is present, appropriate antimicrobial therapy combined with immediate surgical intervention, including revascularization when necessary, will increase the chances of saving the limb. With this comprehensive approach, it is possible to achieve the goal of a 40 percent decrease in amputation rates among diabetic patients by the year 2000.
Height Preference of Lygus Bugs for Oviposition on Caged Cotton Plants

In screening for insect resistance, free-choice methods have frequently been used to determine behavioral responses of insects to plant stimuli. As insects often orient to light, temperature, humidity, gravity, and substratum texture (Currie 1932; Roth and Willis 1951; Henson 1964; Green and Morrill 1970; Weseloh 1971), it is desirable to design screening techniques so that each host is presented to the insects in as similar a manner as possible. This is to avoid misinterpreting plant effect on insect behavior with responses elicited by the abiotic environment. The work presented here emphasizes the importance of plant height uniformity within cages when assessing cotton genotypes, Gossypium spp., for ovipositional response by Lygus hesperus Knight.
Don't Be Evil: Should Access to the Internet Be Conceptualized as an Instrumental Human Right?

The impact of Information Communications Technology (ICT), especially the Internet, on the poor is of increasing concern within the development community. Previous empirical studies suggest the impact of Internet is Janus faced — in some cases it creates new opportunities for the poor, while in others it seems to exacerbate the challenges the poor face (Kenny 2006; Huerta, Esperanza, and Sandoval-Almazan 2007; Hanson 2008). However, growing literature on the digital divide purports debilitating effects caused by a lack of access to the Internet, leading to social, political and economic exclusion for many marginalized groups. Recently, the framework of human rights has been increasingly employed in arguments for Internet access to be formally recognized as a human right. Yet whether or not there is a “Right to Internet access” has been strenuously debated since an influential UN Report by the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression (2011), argued for Internet access to be considered a human right. Critics of the claims made by the Special Rapporteur remained skeptical including a leading founding member of the Internet, Vint Cerf (2012), and also scholar Brian Skepys (2012). This emerging debate is almost exclusively in the domain of political rights, usually focused on the right to information in the UDHR. However, published academic work contains little theoretical connection to broader human rights theory. The lack of theoretical development in this emerging debate allows this paper to contribute by exploring possible theories of human rights and applying them the “Right to Internet access.” I posit that access to the Internet is best conceptualized as an instrumental human right. The Internet is now instrumental to both: (I) economic rights (especially the right to work); and (II) civil and political rights. The argument proceeds by positing that the philosophical grounding for a “Right to Internet access”, at least in terms of implementation, should be conceptualized as a prioritarian theory of instrumental rights. Finally, turning towards case law, I empirically display that a “Right to Internet access” is already being implemented through legal arguments grounded in human rights. Thus, the empirical section exposes that a “Right to Internet access” is beginning to be litigated in pockets of case law around the world. Therefore, I argue that in the modern world the “Right to Internet access” cannot be simply characterized as “nonsense on stilts”.
Mitigation of oxidant injury to lung microvasculature by intratracheal instillation of antioxidant enzymes

We quantitated the ability of intratracheally administered liposome-encapsulated antioxidant enzymes to reduce reactive oxygen species injury to the pulmonary microvasculature. Cationic liposomes containing 3,500 U of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn SOD) and 3,124 U of catalase were instilled into rabbits. The animals were killed 2-72 h later and their lungs were removed and perfused with Krebs Ringer with 5% wt/vol of fat-free bovine serum albumin. The pulmonary filtration co-efficient (Kf,c) was measured before and after adding 500 microM xanthine and 5 mU/ml xanthine oxidase (XO) into the lung perfusate. Two hours after a single intratracheal instillation of liposome-entrapped Cu,Zn SOD and catalase, lung antioxidant enzyme activities were 34 and 125% higher than the corresponding control values, remained virtually unchanged for up to 8 h post-instillation, and then decreased, reaching baseline values between 24 and 72 h. Addition of xanthine and XO into the lung perfusate of un-instilled rabbits, or rabbits that received liposomes with inactivated enzymes, caused a 100% increase in Kf,c (control value: 2 +/- 0.12 ml.min-1 x cmH2O-1 per 100 g dry lung weight). On the other hand, Kf,c values of rabbits lungs instilled with liposome-encapsulated active Cu,Zn SOD and catalase and challenged with xanthine and XO 8-24 h later remained at baseline levels. Instillation of liposomes containing either enzyme was equally effective in preventing the increase in Kf,c, indicating that both superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide were necessary for the initiation of injury. We concluded that intratracheal instillation of liposome-encapsulated antioxidant enzymes caused a transient increase of lung antioxidant enzyme levels which protects the pulmonary microvasculature from free radical-initiated injury.
A K-means algorithm based on density and its application

Because of the inherent characteristics of the traditional K-means algorithm,such as the dependence of the initial clustering center and the sensitivity to noise points,it is easy to generate the instable clustering results.An improved algorithm is proposed based on the k-dist graph.The algorithm first removes the noise points of the data set,and then selects k′initial center,which is close to the point gathering area and far away from each other.The experimental results show that the algorithm can eliminate its dependence of the initial center as well as removing the noise points effectively.
Adverse effects of political sanctions on the health care system in Iran

The United States has long leveraged economic sanctions as powerful instruments to achieve foreign policy objectives [1]. Economic sanctions have been described as a “cheaper form of coercion, less aggressive than war with fewer human costs, and more politically feasible” [1]. Sanctions may be implemented as tariffs on imported goods, quotas on how much can be imported or exported, embargoes that prevent all trade between countries, or non–tariff Barriers that include other non–tariff restrictions on imported items [2]. No matter what type of sanction is used, the end goal is the same: to force a change in behavior [2]. The United States particularly favors investment withdrawals, trade embargoes and foreign aid reductions to coerce foreign countries into compliance with its foreign policy objectives. However, many question the effectiveness of economic sanctions and, while policy–makers debate this, what is often understated is the hidden cost of US diplomacy: the cost to the citizens of the country in question, particularly on their health care sector. The goal of this viewpoint is to bring attention to the impact that economic sanctions can have on the health care system in the impacted nation.
While We Wait for Life, Life Passes: The Time Metaphors Questionnaire-Short Form

The aim of the present study was to develop a short version of the Time Metaphors Questionnaire (TMQ; Sobol-Kwapinska & Nosal, 2009 ). The original TMQ consists of 95 items and was designed to measure time conceiving. Because completing the TMQ is very time-consuming, this research develops a short form of this questionnaire-Time Metaphors Questionnaire-Short Form (TMQ-SF). A sample of 990 Polish adults completed the TMQ. One-half of the sample was used to construct the TMQ-SF by selecting items based on the exploratory factor analysis. The other half of the sample was used to cross-validate the factorial structure of the TMQ-SF by means of confirmatory factor analysis. The TMQ-SF presented high internal consistency and a clear three-factor structure. The convergent and discriminant validity were assessed based on comparison with the Big Five factors of personality, satisfaction with life, positive and negative affect, time perspective, and mindfulness.
Detection of Active Eavesdropping Attack by Spoofing Relay in Multiple Antenna Systems

We consider detection of spoofing relay attack in time-division duplex (TDD) multiple antenna systems where an adversary operating in a full-duplex mode, amplifies and forwards the training signal of the legitimate receiver. In TDD systems, the channel state information can be acquired using reverse training. The spoofing relay attack contaminates the channel estimation phase. Consequently, the beamformer designed using the contaminated channel estimate can lead to a significant information leakage to the attacking adversary. We propose use of the minimum description length source enumeration method based on the data correlation matrix to detect spoofing relay attack exploiting the receiver noise of the spoofing relay. The proposed method is analyzed and its detection performance is illustrated via simulations.
A simple approach to ignoring irrelevant variables by population decoding based on multisensory neurons.

Sensory signals often reflect multiple variables that change in the environment. To estimate one task-relevant variable and ignore others, the brain needs to perform marginalization, which involves...
Expanding Where Dental Therapists Can Practice Could Increase Americans’ Access To Cost-Efficient Care

Since 1923, more than fifty countries have improved access to dental care by allowing midlevel providers—frequently called dental therapists—to offer preventive and restorative treatment, primarily in the public sector. A growing body of research has found that dental therapists provide high-quality, cost-effective care and improve access to care for underserved populations. This article explores the evolution of the dental therapy movement in the United States, where multiple barriers to oral health care have created persistent unmet needs. We examine developments since the 1940s that have led to the authorization of dental therapists in parts of Alaska and the states of Minnesota, Maine, and Vermont; and the approval of national accreditation standards for dental therapy training programs by dental educators. We also show how dental therapists might fit within a health care system that is being transformed.
Senate Hearings on Weather Resources Management Research

The United States Senate held hearings on national weather resources management research and development policy, programs and organization at Washington, D.C. on October 24 and 26, 1979. These hearings, which were held before the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, were the latest in the series of congressional weather modification hearings which have been held during the past thirty years. They were presided over by Senator Adlai E. Stevenson of lllinois and Senator Howell Heflin of Alabama.
UCP2 Upregulation Promotes PLCγ-1 Signaling During Skin Cell Transformation†

Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), whose physiological role is to decrease mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, is often overexpressed in human cancers. UCP2 upregulation has recently been proposed as a novel survival mechanism for cancer cells. However, until now, how exactly UCP2 promotes tumorigenesis remains inconclusive. Based on a widely used skin cell transformation model, our data demonstrated that UCP2 differentially regulated ROS. UCP2 upregulation decreased superoxide whereas it increased hydrogen peroxide production with concomitant increase in the expression and activity of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), the primary mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme. Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide was responsible for induction of lipid peroxidation, and PLCγ-1 activation in UCP2 overexpressed cells. Additionally, PLCγ-1 activation enhanced skin cell transformation, and pharmacological, and siRNA mediated inhibition of PLCγ-1, markedly reduced colony formation, and 3D cell growth. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide scavenger, catalase, suppressed lipid peroxidation, and dampened PLCγ-1 activity. Taken together, our data suggest that (i) UCP2 is an important regulator of mitochondrial redox status and lipid signaling; (ii) hydrogen peroxide might mediate UCP2's tumor promoting activity; and (iii) pharmacological disruption of PLCγ-1 and/or hydrogen peroxide may have clinical utility for UCP2 overexpressed cancers.
Design and Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Health Disparities Research Curriculum

Abstract Background Disparities in health and healthcare are widely documented for underrepresented racial and ethnic populations across a spectrum of diseases and care settings. An evidence base for addressing racial and ethnic disparities in health and healthcare requires investigators trained to conduct health disparities research. Objective To increase knowledge, stimulate interest, teach skills to evaluate and conduct, and foster collaborations in health disparities research. Design We designed, implemented and evaluated a Health Disparities Research Curriculum (HDRC). Participants were early-stage investigators. Intervention HDRC included twelve monthly sessions during 2015–2016. Instructors were mostly HDR investigators. Sessions combined didactic presentations, discussions, small group activities, and participant presentations. Measures Pre- and post-surveys to assess participants' perceptions of knowledge and skills. Results Of 21 enrollees, 13 were from under-represented groups and 14 were women. Four reported some prior training in HDR, and 12 reported currently conducting HDR. Among the 12 participants who completed both the pre and post HDRC survey, initially the most commonly cited barriers to pursuing HDR were lack of knowledge (N = 6) and funding (N = 7). In the post-survey, the number citing lack of knowledge decreased (N = 2) and the number listing lack of funding increased (N = 9). There were increases in the number of participants reporting increased knowledge of HDR methods (pre-post: 4 vs. 8) and competence to design (3 vs. 7) and implement (2 vs. 9) HDR research. Conclusions The Duke HDRC augments efforts to reduce health disparities by providing training in HDR for young investigators. Our data indicate that the course was feasible, well-received, and increased perceived knowledge and competence. HDRC and similar courses may increase the quantity, quality and scope of HDR and thus move us closer to health equity.
Infrastructure for Commercial Vehicle Safety

While there is increasing information on commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety systems, truck automation, and truck platooning, there is less information on how roadway and infrastructure technology can improve truck safety, mobility, and efficiency using these technologies. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), connected vehicle, and vehicle automation technologies are examined to identify safety and mobility applications that can leverage greater integration with infrastructure. Greater connectivity between commercial vehicles and the infrastructure has the potential to reduce crashes, increase productivity, and reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Connectivity holds an immediate opportunity to expand traditional ITS solutions for safety and mobility by creating more effective applications that integrate infrastructure data directly with CMVs. This paper serves to facilitate the discussion on how the infrastructure can play a role in the technological advancements being made in the freight and CMV industry.
Improving Energy Efficiency of Low-Voltage Logic by Technology-Driven Design

Reducing $V_{\mathbf {DD}}$ while keeping leakage current low is critical for minimizing energy consumption for systems across the compute-continuum, especially in IoT. Emerging low- $V_{\mathbf {DD}}$ logic devices such as tunnel FET (TFETs) offer better low- $V_{\mathbf {DD}}$ performance than conventional MOSFETs but lack performance at high- $V_{\mathbf {DD}}$ . To assess TFETs, and other transistors optimized for low- $V_{\mathbf {DD}}$ operation, we propose a technology-driven design framework. Our framework adapts standard industry flows and tools to optimize the design of logic blocks with full consideration of the tradeoffs possible with the future generation device $I$ – $V$ characteristics and interconnect. Proposed approach optimizes design implementation to improve projected power-performance and area, as well as, expected accuracy of the projections. TFET improves energy efficiency by 2.35 $\times$ and 1.35 $\times$ over MOSFET at low- and high-performance points, respectively, for industrial design test cases. Accuracy of the energy efficiency and performance projections is improved by 71% and 40%, respectively.
Introduction to K-Theory

This expository section is intended only as motivation and historical perspective for the theory to be developed in these notes. See [At 1] and [Kr] for a complete development of the topological theory.
The European Central Bank

The European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is not yet a reality but the process of economic and monetary integration has already had an impact on the global financial markets and the international monetary system. Hence, it is important to understand the nature of the EMU and of the institutions that will coordinate and administer its activities. Yet, while most member nations support the idea of a single currency and of common monetary policies, there are serious problems with the technical aspects of the transition process, the convergence criteria, and the design of the EMU institutions as well as the EMU’s membership.
Role of HU in Regulation of gal Promoters

HU is one of the histone-like DNA binding proteins, which are involved in maintaining the nucleoid structure in bacteria. HU has also been shown to ­participate in transcriptional regulation of specific promoters. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the mechanism of HU action in the transcriptional ­regulation of the two promoters of the gal operon in E. coli by providing results of genetic, biophysical and biochemical experiments both in vivo and in vitro.
Modafinil Induced Psychosis in a Patient with Bipolar 1 Depression

Modafinil has been used as an adjunctive medication in the treatment of bipolar 1 depression with reported success. Case reports have been published demonstrating modafinil induced mania in bipolar patients and modafinil induced psychosis in schizophrenic patients. To our knowledge, we report the only case of modafinil induced psychosis in a patient with bipolar depression treated with both mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. In addition, it is the quickest onset to psychosis (2 days) at the lowest dosage of modafinil (100 mg/day) reported in the literature. Although favorable outcomes using modafinil for treatment of bipolar depression have been reported in literature, clinicians should remain cautious of the potential to rapidly induce psychosis with modafinil at low dosages in patients with bipolar depression despite being treated with mood stabilizers and antipsychotics.
Investigating the Sensemaking Process in a Global IT Outsourcing

In this research, we draw on sensemaking theory to analyze the how employees of a global corporation involved in the provisioning of company-wide IT services cope when confronted with unexpected events related to distant colleagues. Using a critical incident technique to collect data, we examine the processes of sensemaking in a global offshore outsourcing environment. We construct narratives and fabulas of each incident to perform data analysis using a process theory building approach. Our findings suggest sensemaking in a complex global environment is an iterative process that includes a recognition phase, a deliberation phase, and a resolution phase. We identify conditions that lead to successful sensemaking acts in this environment, as well as discursive strategies enacted by employees and sensemaking process facilitators.
Early impacts of modified food consistency on oromotor outcomes in mouse models of Down syndrome.

Abstract Down syndrome (DS) in humans is associated with differences of the central nervous system and oromotor development. DS also increases risks for pediatric feeding challenges, which sometimes involve the use of altered food consistencies. Therefore, experimental food consistency paradigms are of interest to oromotor investigations in mouse models of Down syndrome (DS). The present work reports impacts of an altered food consistency paradigm on the Ts65Dn and Dp(16)1Yey mouse models of DS, and sibling control mice. At weaning, Ts65Dn, Dp(16)1Yey and respective controls were assigned to receive either a hard food or a soft food (eight experimental groups, n = 8–10 per group). Two weeks later, mice were assessed for mastication speeds and then euthanized for muscle analysis. Soft food conditions were associated with significantly smaller weight gain (p = .003), significantly less volitional water intake through licking (p = .0001), and significant reductions in size of anterior digastric myofibers positive for myosin heavy chain isoform (MyHC) 2b (p = .049). Genotype was associated with significant differences in weight gain (p = .004), significant differences in mastication rate (p = .001), significant differences in a measure of anterior digastric muscle size (p = .03), and significant reductions in size of anterior digastric myofibers positive for MyHC 2a (p = .04). In multiple measures, the Ts65Dn model of DS was more affected than other genotype groups. Findings indicate a soft food consistency condition in mice is associated with significant reductions in weight gain and oromotor activity, and may impact digastric muscle. This suggests extended periods of food consistency modifications may have impacts that extend beyond their immediate roles in facilitating deglutition.
Time to put periodontal disease on the list of chronic inflammatory diseases contributing to premature atherosclerosis.

Legge and Hanly are to be commended for an excellent review on the management of premature atherosclerosis in patients with chronic inflammatory disease. [1][1] Perhaps the review would be more complete if it included a substantive discussion on the potential for an individual’s cumulative burden