cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strategies to improve micelle stability for drug delivery

Micelles have been studied as drug delivery carriers for decades. Their use can potentially result in high drug accumulation at the target site through the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Nevertheless, the lack of stability of micelles in the physiological environment limits their efficacy as a drug carrier. In particular, micelles tend to disassociate and prematurely release the encapsulated drugs, lowering delivery efficacy and creating toxicity concerns. Many efforts to enhance the stability of micelles have focused mainly on decreasing the critical micelle forming concentration and improving blood circulation. Herein, we review different strategies including crosslinking and non-crosslinking approaches designed to stabilize micelles and offer perspectives on future research directions.
Aristotelian Causation and Neural Correlates of Consciousness

Neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) are neural states or processes correlated with consciousness. The aim of this article is to present a coherent explanatory model of NCC that is informed by Thomas Aquinas’s human ontology and Aristotle’s metaphysics of causation. After explicating four starting principles regarding causation and mind–body dependence, I propose the Mind–Body Powers model of NCC.
Cancer sites and/or histologies with increasing incidence in elderly.

e12036 Background: In the US, from 2004-2008, approximately 7.8% of all cancers were diagnosed and 15.2% of cancer deaths occurred in those age 85 and older. Due to the aging of the US population, ...
Quantum critical behaviour at the many-body localization transition

Phase transitions are driven by collective fluctuations of a system’s constituents that emerge at a critical point1. This mechanism has been extensively explored for classical and quantum systems in equilibrium, whose critical behaviour is described by the general theory of phase transitions. Recently, however, fundamentally distinct phase transitions have been discovered for out-of-equilibrium quantum systems, which can exhibit critical behaviour that defies this description and is not well understood1. A paradigmatic example is the many-body localization (MBL) transition, which marks the breakdown of thermalization in an isolated quantum many-body system as its disorder increases beyond a critical value2–11. Characterizing quantum critical behaviour in an MBL system requires probing its entanglement over space and time4,5,7, which has proved experimentally challenging owing to stringent requirements on quantum state preparation and system isolation. Here we observe quantum critical behaviour at the MBL transition in a disordered Bose–Hubbard system and characterize its entanglement via its multi-point quantum correlations. We observe the emergence of strong correlations, accompanied by the onset of anomalous diffusive transport throughout the system, and verify their critical nature by measuring their dependence on the system size. The correlations extend to high orders in the quantum critical regime and appear to form via a sparse network of many-body resonances that spans the entire system12,13. Our results connect the macroscopic phenomenology of the transition to the system’s microscopic structure of quantum correlations, and they provide an essential step towards understanding criticality and universality in non-equilibrium systems1,7,13. Quantum critical behaviour at the many-body localization transition in a disordered Bose–Hubbard system of bosonic rubidium atoms in an optical lattice is observed, connecting the macroscopic phenomenology of the transition to the system’s microscopic quantum correlations.
Teaching Sizeism: Integrating Size into Multicultural Education and Clinical Training

Multicultural education, training, and practice have traditionally focused primarily on race/ethnicity with gradual inclusion of gender, sexual orientation, social class, and age. Issues of size, w...
Modal transmission line theory of plane wave excited layered media with multiple conductive anisotropic sheets at the interfaces

Abstract A succinct and efficient transmission line formulation is presented for the analysis of plane wave excited planar multilayered uniaxial media comprising multiple conductive sheets at the interfaces. The conductive sheets may be anisotropic with a fully populated conductivity tensor, which results in the coupling the transverse-magnetic and transverse-electric waves. The transmission line formalism is thus extended to accommodate this hybrid mode of propagation. Three different algorithms for the solution of the transmission line network are developed and compared, including a numerically stable and efficient scattering matrix procedure. Numerical examples are included that validate the theoretical method.
Decentralized Real-Time Safety Verification for Distributed Cyber-Physical Systems

Safety-critical distributed cyber-physical systems (CPSs) have been found in a wide range of applications. Notably, they have displayed a great deal of utility in intelligent transportation, where autonomous vehicles communicate and cooperate with each other via a high-speed communication network. Such systems require an ability to identify maneuvers in real-time that cause dangerous circumstances and ensure the implementation always meets safety-critical requirements. In this paper, we propose a real-time decentralized safety verification approach for a distributed multi-agent CPS with the underlying assumption that all agents are time-synchronized with a low degree of error. In the proposed approach, each agent periodically computes its local reachable set and exchanges this reachable set with the other agents with the goal of verifying the system safety. Our method, implemented in Java, takes advantages of the timing information and the reachable set information that are available in the exchanged messages to reason about the safety of the whole system in a decentralized manner. Any particular agent can also perform local safety verification tasks based on their local clocks by analyzing the messages it receives. We applied the proposed method to verify, in real-time, the safety properties of a group of quadcopters performing a distributed search mission.
Bacterial microbiomes of Ixodes scapularis ticks collected from Massachusetts and Texas, USA.

Background The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the primary vector of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi in North America. Though the tick is found across the eastern United States, Lyme disease is endemic to the northeast and upper midwest and rare or absent in the southern portion of the vector’s range. In an effort to better understand the tick microbiome from diverse geographic and climatic regions, we analysed the bacterial community of 115 I. scapularis adults collected from vegetation in Texas and Massachusetts, representing extreme ends of the vector’s range, by massively parallel sequencing of the 16S V4 rRNA gene. In addition, 7 female I. scapularis collected from dogs in Texas were included in the study.
Induction chemotherapy for organ preservation versus surgery for advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC).

e16014 Background: The objective of the study is to evaluate the outcomes of an induction selection (IS) concurrent chemotherapy protocol versus primary surgical extirpation in advanced OCSCC. Meth...
A time-domain model of high-frequency backscatter from sea ice with applications to upward looking sonar data analysis

Upward looking sonar (ULS) systems are commonly used in ice-covered environments to evaluate sea-ice draft and related characteristics (such as the ice thickness distribution). The involved backscatter data inversion algorithms are mostly based on estimating the two-way propagation time and using some simplifying assumptions which may result in significant limitations, uncertainties, and errors. This work is aimed to develop an improved remote sensing technique of sea-ice characterization based on a more detailed, physics-based analysis of the backscatter intensity time series, the echo shape. The underlying model accounts for two major mechanisms of high-frequency acoustic backscatter, the ice-water interface roughness and volume heterogeneity of the ice layer, provides an estimate of their relative contributions, and includes the echo parameterization in terms of ULS system characteristics (such as the frequency, transmitted pulse’ duration and shape, and the directivity pattern). Using this model, computer simulations were performed for the ULS received signal time series to provide a sensitivity analysis for various physical properties of the ice. Optimal parameters of the system to enhance the ice-properties’ inversion are suggested which, in particular, may result in a possibility to remotely discriminate between first-year and multi-year ice types. [Work supported by ONR.]
Lobectomy Versus Total Thyroidectomy in Suspicious or Malignant Thyroid Nodules

Differentiated thyroid cancer frequently has an excellent prognosis, with very low risk of recurrence after adequate surgery. A growing body of evidence demonstrates no benefit from radioactive iodine or extensive surgery in these low-risk patients and suggests that many individuals will be well treated with less than total thyroidectomy. Determining the best initial surgery to minimize complications but also avoid reoperation is a critical goal of the preoperative assessment. Accurate assessment is particularly valuable with transoral surgery, where conversion to open procedures for unexpected intraoperative findings and reoperation both present challenges. Ultrasound findings and patient characteristics are variably helpful in predicting postoperative risk status. The development of strategies to determine the best surgical approach in individual patients has been a main focus of the American Thyroid Association guidelines, which now recommend lobectomy be considered for solitary nodules up to 4 cm without evidence of extrathyroidal extension on ultrasound. The cost-effectiveness of this or other paradigms for predicting risk remains an active area of research.
Hierarchical Bayes Approach to Estimate the Treatment Effect for Randomized Controlled Trials.

One important issue in Bayesian estimation is the determination of an effective informative prior. In hierarchical Bayes models, the uncertainty of hyperparameters in a prior can be further modeled...
Growth in Proportion and Disparities of HIV PrEP Use Among Key Populations Identified in the United States National Goals: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Published Surveys.

Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use among populations most vulnerable to HIV as identified in the national HIV prevention goals is not fully known. This systematic review assessed trends of lifetime self-reported PrEP use and disparities among key populations. Methods We used the CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Synthesis cumulative database of electronic and manual searches in MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsycINFO from 2000 to 2019 to identify English-language primary studies reporting PrEP use. Two reviewers independently screened citations, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias with the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We estimated pooled proportions and crude/adjusted odds ratio. Results We identified 95 eligible studies including 95,854 US-based survey respondents. A few studies (6.3%) focused on persons who inject drugs. In 2015-2017, men who have sex with men (MSM) had highest proportion of individuals who used PrEP over their lifetime [13.9% (95% confidence interval: 8.8 to 21.1), k (number of surveys) = 49] followed by Hispanic/Latinos [11.5 (7.1 to 18.1), 12], transgender women [11.2 (5.8 to 20.6), 5], and blacks [9.9 (8.3 to 11.8), 18]. Odds of PrEP use increased by 34%/year [odds ratio = 1.34/year (95% confidence interval: 1.09 to 1.64)] and significantly increased over time among MSM [1.53/year (1.21-1.93)] and blacks [1.44 (1.13-1.83)]. People in the Southern United States [9.9 (4.7-19.7), 8] and youth [7.3 (4.7-11.2), 8] had lower rates and did not demonstrate growth [0.94 (0.29-3.18); 0.82 (0.43-1.55)]. Odds of reporting lifetime PrEP use was twice [2.07 (1.27-3.38)] as great among MSM than non-MSM. Conclusions Proportions of PrEP use in published surveys have been growing, but remain low for people in the Southern United States and youth, and understudied in persons who inject drugs. Limitations include few studies in certain years, whereas strengths include a large number of respondents. Culturally tailored approaches targeting vulnerable populations are essential in increasing PrEP use to reduce disparities in HIV acquisition.
Recent investigations of shock wave effects and interactions

Despite over fifty years of research on shock wave boundary layer effects and interactions, many related technical issues continue to be controversial and debated. The present survey provides an overview of the present state of knowledge on such effects and interactions, including discussions of: (i) general features of shock wave interactions, (ii) test section configurations for investigation of shock wave boundary layer interactions, (iii) origins and sources of unsteadiness associated with the interaction region, (iv) interactions which included thermal transport and convective heat transfer, and (v) shock wave interaction control investigations. Of particular interest are origins and sources of low-frequency, large-scale shock wave unsteadiness, flow physics of shock wave boundary layer interactions, and overall structure of different types of interactions. Information is also provided in regard to shock wave investigations, where heat transfer and thermal transport were important. Also considered are investigations of shock wave interaction control strategies, which overall, indicate that no single shock wave control strategy is available, which may be successfully applied to different shock wave arrangements, over a wide range of Mach numbers. Overall, the survey highlights the need for additional understanding of fundamental transport mechanisms, as related to shock waves, which are applicable to turbomachinery, aerospace, and aeronautical academic disciplines.
Research on medical countermeasures for chemical attacks on civilians

Abstract Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are highly toxic chemicals that have been used in military conflicts, beginning in World War I and continuing in more recent conflicts in Syria. Since the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, there has been an increased effort to better prepare for the potential deployment of chemical weapons and agents against civilian targets. Civilian threats include these CWAs, but also toxic industrial chemicals and other toxic chemicals deemed a threat to civilians. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed and sustained a highly focused effort to support research on the development of safe and effective medical countermeasures for chemical threats. The NIH program has increased the knowledge base on chemical threats and had developed several new therapeutics that have transitioned to advanced development and some that have been approved for deployment. Research gaps and ongoing research at NIH are discussed in this chapter.
Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication

A laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is performed in order to surgically correct gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It involves a 360 degrees wrap of the fundus of the stomach around its proximal aspect. The chapter describes a laparoscopic approach, which is most commonly performed.
Narcissism for Fun and Profit: An Empirical Examination of Narcissism and Its Determinants in a Sample of Generation Z Business College Students:

The Millennial Generation is frequently identified with narcissistic behavior. However, less work has examined the narcissism of the subsequent generational cohort, Generation Z. In this article, w...
Longitudinal Impact of the myPlan App on Health and Safety Among College Women Experiencing Partner Violence

The objective of this study was to examine differences in change over time in health and safety outcomes among female college students randomized to myPlan, a tailored safety planning app, or usual web-based safety planning resources. Three hundred forty-six women (175 intervention, 171 control) from 41 colleges/universities in Oregon and Maryland completed surveys at baseline, 6- and 12-months from July 2015 to October 2017. Generalized estimating equations were used to test group differences across time. Both groups improved on four measure of intimate partner violence (IPV; Composite Abuse Scale [CAS], TBI-related IPV, digital abuse, reproductive coercion [RC]) and depression. Reduction in RC and improvement in suicide risk were significantly greater in the myPlan group relative to controls (p = .019 and p = .46, respectively). Increases in the percent of safety behaviors tried that were helpful significantly reduced CAS scores, indicating a reduction in IPV over time in the myPlan group compared to controls (p = .006). Findings support the feasibility and importance of technology-based IPV safety planning for college women. myPlan achieved a number of its objectives related to safety planning and decision-making, the use of helpful safety behaviors, mental health, and reductions in some forms of IPV.
Hindi-Urdu Adposition and Case Supersenses v1.0.

These are the guidelines for the application of SNACS (Semantic Network of Adposition and Case Supersenses; Schneider et al. 2018) to Modern Standard Hindi of Delhi. SNACS is an inventory of 50 supersenses (semantic labels) for labelling the use of adpositions and case markers with respect to both lexical-semantic function and relation to the underlying context. The English guidelines (Schneider et al., 2020) were used as a model for this document. Besides the case system, Hindi has an extremely rich adpositional system built on the oblique genitive, with productive incorporation of loanwords even in present-day Hinglish. This document is aligned with version 2.5 of the English guidelines.
Regulatory Experience in the U.S. And Its Lessons for the European Union

This paper looks at the challenges facing the Eurozone countries in establishing a banking union. Using the historical regulatory experience of the U.S. as a laboratory for comparative analysis, this article suggests that due to the diverse set of economies with competing local supervisors and diverse bankruptcy laws achieving the three “legs” of a European bank union, namely supervision, deposit insurance and restructuring/ resolution, is by no means an easy task. Even today, the U.S., despite having introduced its first national banking regulation in 1863, still falls short of what might be viewed as a full banking union, despite the existence of a common currency from at least 1913 with the foundation of the Federal Reserve. Whether the Europeans can tackle this challenge with such a diverse group of countries remains to be seen.
Untargeted analysis of the serum metabolome in cats with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) causes chronic digestive dysfunction in cats, but its pathogenesis and pathophysiology are poorly understood. Untargeted metabolomics is a promising analytic methodology that can reveal novel metabolic features and biomarkers of clinical disease syndromes. The purpose of this preliminary study was to use untargeted analysis of the serum metabolome to discover novel aspects of the pathobiology of EPI in cats. Serum samples were collected from 5 cats with EPI and 8 healthy controls. The diagnosis of EPI was confirmed by measurement of subnormal serum feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI). Untargeted quantification of serum metabolite utilized ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. Cats with EPI had significantly increased serum quantities of long-chain fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, mevalonate pathway intermediates, and endocannabinoids compared with healthy controls. Diacylglycerols, phosphatidylethanolamines, amino acid derivatives, and microbial metabolites were significantly decreased in cats with EPI compared to healthy controls. Diacyclglycerols and amino acid metabolites were positively correlated, and sphingolipids and long-chain fatty acids were negatively correlated with serum fTLI, respectively. These results suggest that EPI in cats is associated with increased lipolysis of peripheral adipose stores, dysfunction of the mevalonate pathway, and altered amino acid metabolism. Differences in microbial metabolites indicate that feline EPI is also associated with enteric microbial dysbiosis. Targeted studies of the metabolome of cats with EPI are warranted to further elucidate the mechanisms of these metabolic derangements and their influence on the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of EPI in cats.
Terminated Trials in the ClinicalTrials.gov Results Database: Evaluation of Availability of Primary Outcome Data and Reasons for Termination.

Background Clinical trials that end prematurely (or “terminate”) raise financial, ethical, and scientific concerns. The extent to which the results of such trials are disseminated and the reasons for termination have not been well characterized. Methods and Findings A cross-sectional, descriptive study of terminated clinical trials posted on the ClinicalTrials.gov results database as of February 2013 was conducted. The main outcomes were to characterize the availability of primary outcome data on ClinicalTrials.gov and in the published literature and to identify the reasons for trial termination. Approximately 12% of trials with results posted on the ClinicalTrials.gov results database (905/7,646) were terminated. Most trials were terminated for reasons other than accumulated data from the trial (68%; 619/905), with an insufficient rate of accrual being the lead reason for termination among these trials (57%; 350/619). Of the remaining trials, 21% (193/905) were terminated based on data from the trial (findings of efficacy or toxicity) and 10% (93/905) did not specify a reason. Overall, data for a primary outcome measure were available on ClinicalTrials.gov and in the published literature for 72% (648/905) and 22% (198/905) of trials, respectively. Primary outcome data were reported on the ClinicalTrials.gov results database and in the published literature more frequently (91% and 46%, respectively) when the decision to terminate was based on data from the trial. Conclusions Trials terminate for a variety of reasons, not all of which reflect failures in the process or an inability to achieve the intended goals. Primary outcome data were reported most often when termination was based on data from the trial. Further research is needed to identify best practices for disseminating the experience and data resulting from terminated trials in order to help ensure maximal societal benefit from the investments of trial participants and others involved with the study.
Improving classroom performance in underachieving preadolescents: the additive effects of response cost to a school-home note system

This study compared the effectiveness of a school-home note with and without response cost on the disruptive and on-task behavior of three preadolescents. In both conditions, the teacher evaluated students daily and the parents provided their sons with rewards based on achieving satisfactory performance. During the school-home note with response cost condition, the teacher accompanied her reprimands with a pint loss and this information was conveyed to the parents via the note home. Using an alternating treatments design, inclusion of response cost was associated with marked improvements in attentiveness and stabilization of disruptive behavior as compared with that obtained with a traditional school-home note.
Theiler's virus infection in nude mice: viral RNA in vascular endothelial cells.

Infection of athymic (nu/nu) mice with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus results in an acute encephalitis which resembles poliomyelitis. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to delineate the presence of viral proteins and RNA in the nervous systems of nude mice infected with the Daniels strain of Theiler's virus. This system permits the analysis of a viral infection in the absence of an effective immune response. By immunohistochemistry, viral antigen was found in the processes and cell bodies of neurons and glial cells. Besides the presence of viral antigen in these cell types, by in situ hybridization, Theiler's virus RNA was also found in cells associated with vascular endothelium in the brains and spinal cords of these infected mice. Theiler's virus RNA-positive endothelial cells were observed not only near the primary lesions but also away from demonstrable lesions in normal-appearing regions in the central nervous system. Earlier work had suggested an intra-axonal dissemination for this virus (M. C. Dal Canto and H. L. Lipton, Am. J. Pathol. 106:20-29, 1982). Our findings are consistent with this model but also suggest an additional mechanism for virus spread within the central nervous system, i.e., by infecting vascular cells and crossing the blood-brain barrier. Lastly, after Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection, not only glial cells but also endothelial cells express major histocompatibility complex class II (la) antigen on their surface (M. Rodriguez, M. L. Pierce, and E. A. Howie, J. Immunol. 138:3438-3442, 1987). Our demonstration of Theiler's virus-infected endotheliumlike cells may explain interactions of virus products in stimulating antigen presentation.
Molecular Recognition in the Assembly of the Segmented Reovirus Genome

Publisher Summary To lay the groundwork for examining molecular recognition interactions in reovirus genome segment assortment and reassortment, this chapter reviews the basic features of reovirus multiplication cycle, the nature of the genome segment sets of the three reovirus serotypes, and the nature of reovirus defective interfering (DI) particles that are genome segment size reassortants. When cells are infected with two reoviruses that belong to different serotypes, reassortants that contain n genome segments of one parent and 10– n of the other are formed at frequencies close to those expected on the basis of random reassortment— that is, there is little linkage between any pair or combination of genome segments. It has also been found that the introduction of heterologous, or modified homologous, genome segments into the reovirus genome requires the presence of acceptance signals on certain genome segments of recipient genomes. The finding that established genome segment reassortment analysis as a very powerful technique involved the demonstration that the double stranded RNA genome segments and proteins of the three reovirus serotypes possess readily distinguishable electrophoretic migration rates.
RNA-Binding Proteins: Splicing Factors and Disease

Pre-mRNA splicing is mediated by interactions of the Core Spliceosome and an array of accessory RNA binding proteins with cis-sequence elements. Splicing is a major regulatory component in higher eukaryotes. Disruptions in splicing are a major contributor to human disease. One in three hereditary disease alleles are believed to cause aberrant splicing. Hereditary disease alleles can alter splicing by disrupting a splicing element, creating a toxic RNA, or affecting splicing factors. One of the challenges of medical genetics is identifying causal variants from the thousands of possibilities discovered in a clinical sequencing experiment. Here we review the basic biochemistry of splicing, the mechanisms of splicing mutations, the methods for identifying splicing mutants, and the potential of therapeutic interventions.
A microprocessor based system for vibration testing of aircraft structures

The author describes an instrumentation system for studying the dynamics of aircraft structures and helicopter rotor blade models. The requirements of various systems for microprocessor-based vibration control and analysis of various systems and details of the instrument are presented. The design of a microprocessor system based on DSP (digital signal processing) microprocessors, an interface to various signal sensors, sensor mounting and selection criteria, signal transmission from the rotating structure to a microprocessor input port, signal processing algorithms, multiblade coordinate transformation, and mode shape analyzer implementation details are discussed. The advantages of using multiple DSP microprocessors for this application are given. Advantages such as online display of the result at the testing site, flexibility, and accuracy are highlighted. >
Assessment of Addictive Behaviors (2nd ed.). Dennis M. Donovan and G. Alan Marlatt

This book details the assessment of addictive behaviors from the perspective of relapse prevention, and although written primarily for clinicians, researchers and educators also will find this late...
Autism-related language, personality, and cognition in people with absolute pitch: results of a preliminary study.

Reports of a relatively high prevalence of absolute pitch (AP) in autistic disorder suggest that AP is associated with some of the distinctive cognitive and social characteristics seen in autism spectrum disorders. Accordingly we examined cognition, personality, social behavior, and language in 13 musicians with strictly defined AP (APS) and 33 musician controls (MC) without AP using standardized interviews and tests previously applied to identify the broad autism phenotype seen in the relatives of autistic probands. These included the Pragmatic Rating Scale (PRS) (social aspects of language) the Personality Assessment Schedule (PAS) (rigidity, aloofness, anxiety/worry, hypersensitivity), and WAIS performance subtests (PIQ). On the basis of their behavior in the interviews, subjects were classified as socially eccentric, somewhat eccentric, or not eccentric. Forty-six percent of the APS, but only 15% of the MC, were classified as socially eccentric (p < .03). APS but not MC showed higher scores on block design than on the other PIQ tests (p < .06), a PIQ pattern seen in autism spectrum disorders. Although APS and MC did not differ significantly on other measures it is of note that APS mean scores on the PRS and PAS (5.69, 4.92) were almost twice as high as those for the MC (3.03, 2.45). Thus, musicians with AP show some of the personality, language, and cognitive features associated with autism. Piecemeal information processing, of which AP is an extreme and rare example, is characteristic of autism and may be associated as well with subclinical variants in language and behavior. We speculate that the gene or genes that underlie AP may be among the genes that contribute to autism.
Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation and Photodynamic Therapy for Infections

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was initially discovered over 100 years ago by its ability to kill microorganisms, but its use to treat infections clinically has not been much developed. However, the present relentless increase in antibiotic resistance worldwide and the emergence of strains that are resistant to all known antibiotics has stimulated research into novel antimicrobial strategies such as PDT that are thought to be unlikely to lead to the development of resistance. In this chapter we will cover the use of PDT to kill pathogenic microbial cells in vitro and describe a mouse model of localized infection and its treatment by PDT without causing excessive damage to the host tissue.
El tratamiento diferencial de los inmigrantes cubanos y mexicanos en el sistema de salud pública de Estados Unidos

Resumen es: SE EXAMINA LA PARTICIPACION DEL SISTEMA DE SALUD PUBLICA DE ESTADOS UNIdos en una construccion social mas amplia, de los inmigrantes cubanos como dignos ...
Effect of the oestrus cycle on coxofemoral joint laxity

A prospective study documented the effect of fluctuations of hormone levels throughout the oestrus cycle on coxofemoral joint laxity in nine dogs. Although oestrogen and progesterone levels changed significantly throughout the oestrus cycle, neither statistically nor clinically significant changes in hip laxity were observed.
Tight-binding computations of elastic anisotropy of Fe, Xe, and Si under compression

A tight-binding total-energy model parametrized to first-principles linearized augmented plane-wave computations is applied to study elasticity and elastic anisotropy in Fe, Xe, and Si at high pressures. We find that the model works well in reproducing the compression, electronic structure, phase relations, and elasticity in these diverse materials. In Xe, for example, the same parametrization works well over a fivefold compression range from a van der Waals solid to a dense metal. We find that the cubic close-packed structures are all more anisotropic than hexagonal close packed and that at high pressures the elastic anisotropy approaches that of any central force nearest-neighbor model. We find that long-range, nonorthogonal parametrizations are necessary for greatest accuracy.
Self-Cognitions, Risk Factors for Alcohol Problems, and Drinking in Preadolescent Urban Youths

In this study we examine relationships between self-structure and known precursors for alcohol problems in 9- to 12-year-old primarily black and Latino youths (N = 79). Parental alcohol problems and being female predicted few positive and many negative self-cognitions and a future-oriented self-cognition related to alcohol (“drinking possible self”). Nineteen percent of the sample reported ever drinking, but 40% of those with a “drinking possible self” reported ever drinking. Compared to never drinkers, youths who reported ever drinking had fewer self-cognitions. The self-structure may be an important mechanism through which parental alcohol problems and antisocial behavior lead to early alcohol use, and a viable target of interventions aimed at preventing early alcohol use.
A plasma membrane-enriched preparation from giant barnacle muscle fibers

Abstract We describe a procedure for obtaining a highly enriched plasma membrane ( sarcolemmal ) preparation from muscle fibers of the giant barnacle ( Balanus nubilus ). The sarcolemmalenriched portion migrated as a light fraction (F1) at the 10–24% sucrose interface. This fraction displayed saturable ouabain binding ( K d = 0.119 μ m ) that was enriched 10 times compared to that in the original homogenate. F1 was also prepared using muscle fibers previously labeled with 1,2-ditritio-1,2(2,2′-disulfo-4,4′-diisothiocyano)diphenylethane, disodium salt ([ 3 H]-H 2 DIDS). F1 was enriched 25-fold in [ 3 H]H 2 DIDS binding sites with respect to the homogenate. Ca 2+ -ATPase and succinic dehydrogenase-activities were low in F1, as was oxalate-supported Ca 2+ uptake. Compared to membranes of sarcoplasmic reticulum origin, F1 was enriched in sarcolemma membranes by about 45-fold while it was enriched approximately 30-fold over mitochondrial membranes. Thus, F1 provides an extremely pure source of external muscle membranes.
Mfsd2a is critical for the formation and function of the blood–brain barrier

The central nervous system (CNS) requires a tightly controlled environment free of toxins and pathogens to provide the proper chemical composition for neural function. This environment is maintained by the 'blood-brain barrier' (BBB), which is composed of blood vessels whose endothelial cells display specialized tight junctions and extremely low rates of transcellular vesicular transport (transcytosis). In concert with pericytes and astrocytes, this unique brain endothelial physiological barrier seals the CNS and controls substance influx and efflux. Although BBB breakdown has recently been associated with initiation and perpetuation of various neurological disorders, an intact BBB is a major obstacle for drug delivery to the CNS. A limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control BBB formation has hindered our ability to manipulate the BBB in disease and therapy. Here we identify mechanisms governing the establishment of a functional BBB. First, using a novel tracer-injection method for embryos, we demonstrate spatiotemporal developmental profiles of BBB functionality and find that the mouse BBB becomes functional at embryonic day 15.5 (E15.5). We then screen for BBB-specific genes expressed during BBB formation, and find that major facilitator super family domain containing 2a (Mfsd2a) is selectively expressed in BBB-containing blood vessels in the CNS. Genetic ablation of Mfsd2a results in a leaky BBB from embryonic stages through to adulthood, but the normal patterning of vascular networks is maintained. Electron microscopy examination reveals a dramatic increase in CNS-endothelial-cell vesicular transcytosis in Mfsd2a(-/-) mice, without obvious tight-junction defects. Finally we show that Mfsd2a endothelial expression is regulated by pericytes to facilitate BBB integrity. These findings identify Mfsd2a as a key regulator of BBB function that may act by suppressing transcytosis in CNS endothelial cells. Furthermore, our findings may aid in efforts to develop therapeutic approaches for CNS drug delivery.
Incidence matrices, geometrical bases, combinatorial prebases and matroids

Abstract For a relation A ⊆ ( C × D ), where C,D are two finite sets, and an ordering σ of C we construct a matroid M (σ) on the set D . For the relation A with the incidence matrix Â we also define a geometrical basis with respect to F , where F is a subset of the set of all circuits of the column matroid on Â . Geometrical bases are certain bases of this column matroid. We establish connections between the bases of matroids M (σ) and the geometrical bases of A with respect to F . These connections give a combinatorial way of constructing bases of the column matroid on Â using a subset F of its circuits. We also consider a matroid M and the incidence relation between what we call the extended circuits of M and the bases of M . Applying the technique above we obtain the matroids M (σ) on the set of bases of the matroid M . In case of the incidence relation between vertices and edges of a graph this technique yields a unique matroid, the usual matroid of the graph. Some particular relations are considered: a class of relations with a certain property (the T -property) and the relation of inclusion of chambers in simplices in an affine point configuration.
The Effects of Vermicompost on Field Turnips and Rainfall Runoff

Vermicompost made from separated swine waste solids (0, 10, or 20% by volume of soil) was applied to turnips in small field plots during four growing seasons to determine the effect on plant growth, runoff volume and nutrients in runoff. The effect of nitrogen fertilizer was controlled by supplementing half the plots with inorganic nitrogen to balance the nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for turnips. Vermicompost addition increased fresh weight of fruit and foliage by a factor of two to five and increased dry weight by a factor of three with no increase in nitrogen but higher phosphorus in runoff. Runoff volume was lower in plots that received vermicompost compared to control plots.
Eclogitic pyroxenes, ordered with p2 symmetry.

X-ray diffraction crystal-structure analysis of omphacite from eclogite, Tiburon Peninsula, Marin County, California, shows that this clinopyroxene has P2 symmetry with a nearly ordered distribution of the multiple cation content defined by its approximate formula: (Nao.5 Cao.5) (Mgo.4Fe2+ 0.1 Al0.4 Fe3 +0.1) Si206. Na+ and Ca2+ tend to assume alternate locations in the structure, and ( Mg,Fe2+) octahedra alternate with Al3+. or (Al,F3+) octahedra in chains along c.
High-resolution IR study of the NCCCH-CO complex

Abstract The high-resolution IR spectrum of the NCCCH-CO van der Waals molecule has been investigated. The v1 band of the complex has been recorded, analyzed and accurate molecular constants were obtained. The H-C hydrogen bond length was determined to be 2.615 A assuming that the structures of the two monomers remain unchanged upon complexation. An analysis of the rotational state dependence of the spectral lineshape allows us to obtain the predissociation lifetime of the complex and to establish the presence of intramolecular coupling enhanced predissociation at J = 8 level and around J = 22 of the v1 = 1 state. Finally, the results obtained here for OC-HCCCN are compared with similar results obtained for OC-HCN in other laboratories.
Diagnostic bedside EUS in the intensive care unit: a single-center experience.

Background The knowledge of bedside diagnostic EUS in critically ill patients is limited. Objective To investigate the indications, feasibility, safety, and clinical utility of diagnostic EUS in the intensive care unit (ICU). Design Retrospective. Setting Tertiary-care referral teaching hospital. Patients All consecutive patients who had EUS done in the ICU within a 6-year period. Intervention Bedside EUS and EUS-guided FNA. Main Outcome Measurements EUS indications, complications, and impact on management. Results A total of 64 EUS procedures were performed in 63 patients (38 men, 25 women; age range 27-78 years); 1 patient underwent 2 separate EUS procedures. EUS was performed while the patients were mechanically ventilated in 70% (45/64) of cases. Indications for EUS included jaundice (n = 24), mass of unknown etiology (n = 25), unexplained pancreatitis (n = 7), and staging of known cancer (n = 3). In 5 cases, EUS was used as an alternative to other imaging modalities because of morbid obesity (n = 3) or contraindication to intravenous contrast material (n = 2). Complications included reversible oxygen desaturation (n = 4), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (n = 1), and transient hypotension (n = 1). Overall, EUS influenced management in 97% (62/64) of cases. Limitations Retrospective, single-center study. Conclusion ICU-based EUS can be performed with few intraprocedural complications and can be a valuable diagnostic modality in the ICU setting. It appears to be particularly useful for determining the etiology of jaundice, masses of unknown etiology, and pancreatitis. It may have particular value as a diagnostic technique on selected patients with unstaged cancer and when morbid obesity or the inability to use intravenous contrast material precludes the use of other imaging modalities in the critically ill patient.
Genetic predictors of perioperative neurological and cognitive injury and recovery

Abstract In most investigations, genetic and environmental factors have been shown to interact in altering the progression of ageing related disease including stroke and cognitive decline. The peri-operative period appears to be no different, with environmental (operative) and genetic factors interacting to determine the presence, absence or severity of neurological outcomes. In our initial work we confirmed that apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) alters cognitive function after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), the mechanism of this association apparently being related to atherosclerosis and inflammatory factors. These findings are consistent with multiple studies that have shown an important role of apoE in the modulation of neurological injury and recovery following a variety of acute ischaemic insults including intra-cerebral haemorrhage, closed head injury, acute stroke and dementia pugilistica. More recently we have found that polymorphism of the GPIIIa constituent of the platelet integrin receptor, GPIIb/IIIa (PL A2 ) polymorphism is also associated with early post-operative cognitive decline. The association of multiple genetic factors with the incidence or severity of neurological injury is not surprising, since the factors that alter cerebral injury and recovery are complex. Similarly, there are genetic factors that determine the occurrence of tissue injury and its recovery, including genes that modulate atherosclerosis, emboli, inflammation, thrombosis and vascular reactivity. We have only begun to scratch the surface in our understanding of functional genomics as it applies to peri-operative outcomes. Functional genomics, as applied to complex human disease, will require a unique combination of cutting-edge genetics and large, highly phenotyped patient populations in order to further our understanding of the complex genetic–environmental interactions. This chapter will concentrate initially on the broad classes of genetic factors that may play a role in neurological injury and recovery, and will conclude with our current data on those genetic factors that predict neurocognitive decline after cardiac surgery and the potential mechanisms driving these associations.
Team-Building Tools for Students

Abstract In this article, the authors describe why college students need good teamwork skills, how instructors can encourage students to develop those skills, and how team projects can be designed to improve teamwork skills. An action plan and team-building tools are provided.
Diagnosis of roller bearing defects using neural networks

A new approach for the diagnosis of bearing defects has been utilised. Artificial neural networks (ANN) were employed for the diagnosis of various kinds of bearing defects. The features selected for this purpose were: the average of the top five values of amplitude in the high-frequency region (5 kHz-22 kHz), the peak value of the amplitude in the high-frequency region, the average of the top five values in the prime spike region (340 Hz-3262 Hz), the autocorrelation function in the prime spike region, the autocorrelation function in the high-frequency region, and the cepstrum function in the high-frequency region.
Parental MHC antigen sharing and pregnancy wastage in captive pigtailed macaques

Abstract Among some human populations, immunogenetic similarity between mates is associated with increased risk of pregnancy loss. To investigate the relationship between histocompatibility and reproductive performance in non-human primates, 128 pigtailed macaque couples were classified as ‘reproductively successful' or ‘unsuccessful' according to previous breeding performance. These couples were arranged into 64 triads composed of individual females, and a ‘successful' and ‘unsuccessful' mate. Individuals were typed for class I MHC antigens using a microcytotoxicity technique and species-specific alloantisera. Matched-pair analysis revealed that significantly more ‘unsuccessful' couples shared MnLA-A antigens than did the matched ‘successful' couples. Conditional matched-pair logistic regression analysis further revealed that parental sharing of MnLA-A antigens is an even more significant predictor of pregnancy wastage than is advanced maternal age. In our study population, sharing of MnLA-A antigens predicted 72% of pregnancy loss among ‘unsuccessful' couples ( P
Emittance limitations in heavy ion fusion

Abstract The number of parameter choices that effect the required emittance (both transverse and longitudinal) at each stage of the heavy ion beam acceleration and delivery system for inertial confinement fusion is very large. Some choices which appear technically straightforward are compounded by more involved questions of cost optimization which are beyond the scope of this paper. A study is made of the factors which affect the transverse emittance requirements of a system to produce 5 MJ at 200 TW of 200 Hg ions beginning with space charge forces at the target and working backward through the final focusing system and the beam transport system to the accumulator rings. The sensitivity of emittance limitations to the ratio of ion energy to charge state, and to the convergence half-angle from the final focusing system to the target, is demonstrated. Arguments are presented that convergence angles of 30 mrad, or larger, can be practical and that distances from the final quadrupole to the target of 3 m or less should not be excluded, particularly for the development programs. The accumulator rings act as an emittance filter and allow a tradeoff between transverse and longitudinal emittance. Therefore, it is not possible to define the emittance requirements of the linac injector without athorough analysis of longitudinal emittance limitations as well as some additional factors, not included here, which affect transverse emittance.