cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Duration of neonatal intensive care unit exposure associated with decreased risk of atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Premature infants have lower rates of atopic dermatitis (AD) compared with full-term infants, though little is known about the factors contributing to this association. We explored the infant and environmental factors that may contribute to the association between prematurity and atopic dermatitis, including mode of delivery, birthweight, gestation, and duration of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS This was a single-center retrospective study. Independent samples t tests or chi-square tests were used to compare groups on continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Logistic regression then examined the association of the predictor variables with AD. RESULTS Four thousand sixteen mother-infant dyads were included. Infants had a higher risk of developing AD if they were delivered vaginally (P = .013), did not stay in the NICU (P < .001), had a longer gestation (P = .001), or had a higher birthweight (P = .002). In modeling atopic dermatitis with the predictor variables, only NICU length of stay remained significantly associated with a lower risk of AD (P = .004). CONCLUSION Infants had a lower risk of developing AD if they had a longer stay in the NICU.
Non-Newtonian and poroelastic effects in simulations of arterial flows.

In this paper, we focus on investigating the influence on hydrodynamic factors of different coupled computational models describing the interaction between an incompressible fluid and two symmetric elastic or poroelastic structures. The fluid region is governed by time dependent Navier-Stokes equations; while for the structure region, we employ two different types of fully dynamic models to study the effects of elasticity and poroelasticity. It is known that blood flow shows a non- Newtonian property in small vessels and in situations of complex geometries. On one hand, we perform numerical experiments for blood flow using the Carreau-Yasuda model to simulate the viscosity and study the influence of non-Newtonian blood rheology as well as the poroelasticity on a benchmark vessel, by means of comparing computational results with models with Newtonian fluids or elastic structures. On the other hand, we present a two-dimensional simulation of blood flow in an axisymmetric stenosis artery, considering not only the non-Newtonian fluids properties but also the fluid-structure interaction. The results of this study demonstrate that the flow characteristics, including velocity and pressure fields, wall shear stress, relative residence time, displacement and filtration velocity, are affected by different models, geometries and parameters, such as permeability and Lame coefficients.
Fever in a paraplegia patient with a pressure ulcer.

Abstract The incidence rates of pressure ulcers (PUs) in patients with SCI in the United States varies by clinical setting, ranging from 0.4%-38% in acute care, 2.2%-23.9% in long-term care, and 0%-17% in home care [ 1 , 2 ]. Unrelieved pressure is the most important factor in the development of PUs. Other factors associated with PUs in patients with SCI include age at the time of injury, men, blacks, completeness of the injury, functional dependence, behavioral protective factors such as frequent pressure relief, self-positioning, daily skin monitoring, nutritional state, cigarette smoking, alcohol (ab)use, and being depressed [3] . Presence of PUs affects functional physical outcomes; thus, prevention of PUs is the key [4] . Infection is a common complication of PUs which can be local such as cellulitis or osteomyelitis or systemic such as septicemia with a greater than 50% mortality. We present a case of a 58-year-old paraplegic man with pressure ulcer who presented with fever in the presence of an osteomyelitis and had a pelvic abscess on magnetic resonance imaging which needed surgical drainage.
Deep Learning Based Quantitative Uncertainty Estimation for Ultrasound Shear Wave Elasticity Imaging

Ultrasound shear wave elasticity (SWE) imaging measures tissue stiffness by tracking the shear wave speed (SWS), which is directly related to elastic moduli. One application of SWE is to quantify cervical softening during pregnancy in an effort to detect risk of spontaneous preterm birth and predict the success of induction of labor. Accurate SWS estimation in clinical data is challenging; existing robust methods are slow and do not provide a calibrated uncertainty metric. Here, we use a deep learning approach to estimate SWS from tracked displacement data and simultaneously produce a well-calibrated, quantitative metric of uncertainty. Our dataset consists of in vivo point-SWE cervix measurements acquired with a Siemens scanner at multiple timepoints during pregnancy in 28 subjects. We train a deep neural network to estimate the two parameters $m$ and σ of a lognormal distribution and derive the loss-function in a maximum likelihood framework. We use the median of 5 SWS estimators as ground truth and hold-out data from 3 subjects for testing the trained network. The average relative error in SWS was 13%, and the estimated uncertainty closely approximated the spread in true error, as measured by binned root-mean-square error. Our deep learning approach is the first SWS estimator in the toolbox that provides a well-calibrated and easily-interpretable uncertainty metric.
Diseases of the Urinary System

The images in this chapter show various types and location of urinary stones with complications. Infection of the urinary system is shown with complications. Congenital anomalies, tumors of renal parenchyma and urothelium are shown with images how bladder tumors and urechal tumors can be confused. Tumor of Hutch diverticulum is very rare are also included.
Atebrin and Related Fluorochromes as Quantitative Probes of Membrane Energization

The complex structural and functional organization of living organisms depends on the constant availability of chemical energy, mainly in the form of ATP. In both photosynthetic and respiratory organelles, the synthesis of ATP is coupled to electron transport through chains of oxidation-reduction carriers. The mechanism by which the energy set free in the redox reactions is converted into ATP is of fundamental importance and has been the subject of extensive investigations in many laboratories over the past twenty years. These studies have produced many constructive and interesting suggestions, but they do not provide a definite answer to the question: what is the nature of the primary energy-conserving act? An extensive discussion of the several proposed mechanisms of energy conservation can be found in the literature (Greville 1969; Van Dam and Meyer 1971; Slater 1971) and will not be dealt with here.
Heavy Ion-Induced Void Formation in Pure Nickel

The void structure in pure nickel induced by irradiation with 12C+, 20Ne+, 35Cl+, and 58Ni+ is being investigated as a function of temperature and dose using a dose rate of 2.5 × 10-3 dpa/sec at a preselected depth of 6700 A. The dose dependence of swelling to 60 dpa, and the temperature dependence at 10 dpa between 500 and 700°C for self-ion irradiations, are in substantial agreement with previous studies. The peak swelling was observed in a 600°C irradiation in which the number density was 2 × 1015/cm3, the mean size was 280 A and the total volume fraction was 3%. As a function of temperature, the mean void size increased by 2.5, and the number density decreased an order of magnitude. Preinjection of He did not influence the total swelling. Asymmetry in the thickness of the void-denuded layers across grain boundaries was directly correlated with grain-boundary motion during the irradiation. Preliminary data for 12C+ irradiation at these temperatures indicates that the peak swelling temperature occurs at least 25°C lower than for self-ion irradiations.
Gamma‐Ray Emission from X‐Ray Binaries

We summarize the current observational picture regarding high‐energy emission from Galactic X‐ray binaries, reviewing the results of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory mission. We speculate on the prospects for the GLAST era.
Altered activation of the tibialis anterior in individuals with Pompe disease: Implications for motor unit dysfunction.

Introduction Pompe disease is a progressive disease that affects skeletal muscles and leads to loss of ambulation. We investigated the activation of the tibialis anterior (TA) in late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) individuals during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and evoked involuntary responses. Methods Four LOPD patients and matched control subjects performed MVC of the TA using dorsiflexion and TA evoked responses. Activation of the TA was recorded with surface electromyography. Results The Pompe patients exhibited greater power at frequencies below 60 Hz and reduced power above 100 Hz. They also exhibited a reduced increase in M-wave and prolonged M-wave latency and duration in response to stimulation. Conclusions These results provide evidence that LOPD individuals have an altered activation pattern of the TA during maximal contractions. The observed activation pattern may reflect impairments in voluntary command, neuromuscular junction pathology, or compensatory drive due to a reduced number of functional motoneurons. Muscle Nerve 51: 877–883, 2015
Enhancing Efficiency of Government Budget and Fiscal Policy

When one thinks of efficiency in connection with government budget and fiscal policy, the first thought is usually how to find ways to make the budget and fiscal process work more efficiently. How can the funds needed to pay for government be collected and disbursed with minimum cost? A corollary to this mindset is that taxpayers are entitled to have their public servants spend their tax dollars, yen, won or euros wisely and efficiently. There is some validity to this viewpoint, since it seems irrational to advocate less efficiency rather than more. However, there are two sides to this coin. Those who think efficiency should be the goal are thinking like a businessman. Businesses should be run efficiently and so should governments, according to this mindset. But there are other ways to view this issue. It should be kept in mind that government has no resources of its own. Whatever resources it has, it must first take from someone. That being the case, is it really a good idea to try to find ways to make it easier for government to take assets from private individuals and businesses? This article explores this question from both perspectives. It begins by looking at the methods that have been found over the years to make the budget and fiscal process work more efficiently. It then looks at the other side of the issue and discusses instances when less efficiency might be better.
Leap-frog packet linking and diverse key distributions for improved integrity in network broadcasts

We present two new approaches to improving the integrity of network broadcasts and multicasts with low storage and computation overhead. The first approach is a leapfrog linking protocol for securing the integrity of packets as they traverse a network during a broadcast, such as in the setup phase for link-state routing. This technique allows each router to gain confidence about the integrity of a packet before passing it on to the next router; hence, allows many integrity violations to be stopped immediately in their tracks. The second approach is a novel key predistribution scheme that we use in conjunction with a small number of hashed message authentication codes (HMAC), which allows end-to-end integrity checking as well as improved hop-by-hop integrity checking. Our schemes are suited to environments, such as in ad hoc and overlay networks, where routers can share only a small number of symmetric keys. Moreover, our protocols do not use encryption (which, of course, can be added as an optional security enhancement). Instead, security is based strictly on the use of one-way hash functions; hence, our algorithms are considerably faster than those based on traditional public-key signature schemes. This improvement in speed comes with only modest reductions in the security for broadcasting, as our schemes can tolerate small numbers of malicious routers, provided they do not form significant cooperating coalitions.
The vacuum system for insertion devices at the Advanced Photon Source

A vacuum system for the insertion devices at the Advanced Photon Source was designed, and chambers of this design were successfully manufactured and tested. Three different versions of the vacuum chamber have been developed with vertical apertures of 12 mm, 8 mm, and 5 mm, respectively. The chambers are fabricated by extruding 6063 aluminum alloy to form a tube with the desired internal shape and machining the exterior to finish dimensions. The wall thickness of the completed chamber at the beam orbit position is 1 mm. The design utilizes a rigid strongback that limits deflection of the chamber under vacuum despite the thin wall. Chambers with lengths of 2.2 m and 5.2 m have been fabricated. Pumping is accomplished by a combination of lumped and distributed non-evaporable getters and ion pumps. An ultimate pressure of 5.1/spl times/10/sup -11/ torr was achieved with the 12-mm vertical aperture prototype. Alignment of the vacuum chamber on its support stand can be made with a precision of /spl plusmn/25 /spl mu/m in the vertical plane, which allows minimum insertion device pole gaps of 14.5 mm, 10.5 mm, and 7.5 mm.
Exchange variables as predictors of job satisfaction, job commitment, and turnover: The impact of rewards, costs, alternatives, and investments.

Abstract Two studies were designed to explore the ability of the investment model to predict job satisfaction, job commitment, and job turnover. The first study was a controlled laboratory analog of a work setting, and the second study was a cross-sectional survey of industrial workers. The results of the two studies were consistent. Job satisfaction was best predicted by the reward and cost values of the job, and job commitment was best predicted by a combination of reward and cost values, alternative value, and investment size. Both satisfaction and commitment were correlated with job turnover, but job commitment was more strongly related to turnover than was satisfaction. These results are in complete agreement with the investment model.
Matrix and fine-grained rims in the unequilibrated CO3 chondrite, ALHA77307: Origins and evidence for diverse, primitive nebular dust components

SEM, TEM, and electron microprobe analysis were used to investigate in detail the mineralogical and chemical characteristics of dark matrix and fine-grained rims in the unequilibrated CO3 chondrite ALHA77307. Data obtained revealed that there was a remarkable diversity of distinct mineralogical components, which can be identified using their chemical and textural characteristics. The matrix and rim components in ALHA77307 formed by disequilibrium condensation process as fine-grained amorphous dust that is represented by the abundant amorphous component in the matrix. Subsequent thermal processing of this condensate material, in a variety of environments in the nebula, caused partial or complete recrystallization of the fine-grained dust.
An Expected Response Function Approach to Graphical Differential Item Functioning

In this paper a new approach to graphical differential item functioning (DIF) is offered. The methodology is based on a sampling-theory approach to expected response functions (Lewis, 1985; Mislevy, Wingersky, & Sheehan, 1994). Essentially error in item calibrations is modeled explicitly, and repeated samples are taken from the posterior distributions of the item parameters. Sampled parameter values are used to estimate the posterior distribution of the difference in item characteristic curves (ICCs)for two groups. A point-wise expectation is taken as an estimate of the true difference between the ICCs, and the sampled-difference functions indicate uncertainty in the estimate. Tbe approach is applied to a set of pretest items, and the results are compared to traditional Mantel-Haenszel DIF statistics. The expected-response-function approach is contrasted with Pashley's (1992) graphical DIF approach.
Acute toxicity to fish and solution stability of some biocides used in the pulp and paper industry

Acute toxicities of four biocide compounds and their formulations to rainbow trout have been determined. The 96-hour LC50 values of bis-trichloromethyl-sulfone (BTMS), β-bromo-β-nitrostyrene (BNS), methylene-bis-thiocyanate (MBT), and a mixture of isothiazolinones (ISO) were 0.02, 0.05, 0.09, and 0.2 ppm, respectively. Stabilities of individual compounds in an effluent and in aqueous solution have also been investigated. The results show that BNS and MBT were not stable, BTMS volatilized into the open atmosphere, and ISO remained stable under the experimental conditions employed.
MicroRNA-mediated species-specific attenuation of influenza A virus

Influenza A virus leads to yearly epidemics and sporadic pandemics. Present prophylactic strategies focus on egg-grown, live, attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs), in which attenuation is generated by conferring temperature sensitivity onto the virus. Here we describe an alternative approach to attenuating influenza A virus based on microRNA-mediated gene silencing. By incorporating nonavian microRNA response elements (MREs) into the open-reading frame of the viral nucleoprotein, we generate reassortant LAIVs for H1N1 and H5N1 that are attenuated in mice but not in eggs. MRE-based LAIVs show a greater than two-log reduction in mortality compared with control viruses lacking MREs and elicit a diverse antibody response. This approach might be combined with existing LAIVs to increase attenuation and improve vaccine safety.
Performance Of The Difference-Squared Error Algorithm On An Acousto-Optic Architecture

The difference-squared error algorithm provides an effective means for discriminating between objects of interest and structured background features. This paper briefly discusses the advantages of this algorithm over conventional correlation based recognition techniques. The output of a real-time acousto-optic processor which computes the difference-squared error between an input data stream and a reference function is presented. The output of this acousto-optic implementation is then compared to the desired theoretical results. Finally, future applications of this architecture for real-time two-dimensional pattern recognition is discussed.
A Class of the van Leer-type Transport Schemes and Its Application to the Moisture Transport in a General Circulation Model

A generalized form of the second-order van Leer transport scheme is derived. Several constraints to the implied subgrid linear distribution are discussed. A very simple positive-definite scheme can be derived directly from the generalized form. A monotonic version of the scheme is applied to the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres (GLA) general circulation model (GCM) for the moisture transport calculations, replacing the original fourth-order center-differencing scheme. Comparisons with the original scheme are made in idealized tests as well as in a summer climate simulation using the full GLA GCM. A distinct advantage of the monotonic transport scheme is its ability to transport sharp gradients without producing spurious oscillations and unphysical negative mixing ratio. Within the context of low-resolution climate simulations, the aforementioned characteristics are demonstrated to be very beneficial in regions where cumulus convection is active. The model-produced precipitation pattern using the new transport scheme is more coherently organized both in time and in space, and correlates better with observations. The side effect of the filling algorithm used in conjunction with the original scheme is also discussed, in the context of idealized tests. The major weakness of the proposed transport scheme with a local monotonic constraint is its substantial implicit diffusion at low resolution. Alternative constraints are discussed to counter this problem.
Hip hop moves of inosculating endothelium

Cheng and colleagues in this issue of Blood report that implanted donor blood vessel-forming cells inosculate with host blood vessels through a process of “wrapping” and “tapping” to gain access to and divert circulating blood cells away from host vessels and into the newly formed donor-
Adenosine 35′5′-Monophosphate Derivatives Increase Prolactin Synthesis and Prolactin Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels in Ergocryptine-Treated Pituitary Cells*

Dopamine and dopamine agonists, such as ergocryptine, inhibit PRL synthesis and decrease PRL raRNA levels in pituitary cells. To examine the possible role of cAMP in mediating this response, cultures of dispersed rat pituitary cells were treated with ergocryptine and several cAMP analogs for 4 days, and the cells were then analyzed for PRL synthesis. Monobutyryl cAMP, 8-bromo cAMP, and chlorophenylthio cAMP were all found to partially block the ability of ergocryptine to inhibit PRL synthesis. Similar effects were obtained with the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine. Cholera toxin, which stimulates adenylate cyclase, also blocked ergocryptine effects on PRL synthesis. These findings demonstrate that increased levels of intracellular cAMP can prevent the dopaminergic inhibition of PRL synthesis. The effects of monobutyryl cAMP on PRL mRNA levels were also determined. Cells were treated with ergocryptine and various concentrations of monobutyryl cAMP for 4 days; then, the total cellular RNA ...
Photolytic deposition of aluminum nitride and oxy-nitride films at temperatures ≤350K

Aluminum nitride and oxy-nitride thin films have been deposited on Si(100) substrates at temperatures of 300-350K by gas-phase excimer laser photolysis at 193 nm. The precursors used for this deposition process are trimethylamine alane and ammonia. The properties of these laser-deposited films were studied using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and x-ray diffraction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been extensively used to provide information regarding the chemical compositions on the surface and in the bulk of these laser deposited films, as well as on the chemical states of the components of the films. Well-adhering, smooth, amorphous films of AlN are obtained at a substrate temperature of 350K using this technique.
An Analysis of Vibrato among High School and University Violin and Cello Students

We investigated vibrato performance of university student and high school string players. Forty violinists and cellists performed an eight-measure passage both with and without vibrato. Analyses in...
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Clp Gene Regulator Is Required for in Vitro Reactivation from Hypoxia-induced Dormancy

Abstract Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide and is the causative agent of tuberculosis (Chao, M. C., and Rubin, E. J. (2010) Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 64, 293–311). Throughout infection, Mtb encounters a variety of host pressures. Thus, responding to these host stresses via the induction of multiple regulatory networks is needed for survival within the host. The Clp protease gene regulator, Rv2745c (clgR), is induced in response to environmental stress conditions, implicating its potential role in Mtb pathogenesis. Transcriptional activation of genes downstream of Rv2745c occurs in a condition-dependent manner. Our isogenic Mtb:ΔRv2745c mutant expresses a significantly different phenotype upon reaeration conditions. Transcriptional analysis revealed differential gene expression profiles relative to wild-type Mtb. Rv2745c is strongly induced in response to hypoxic and reaeration conditions, implicating a role of Rv2745c in vivo during both establishment of infection and reactivation. We found dysregulation of downstream genes within both the σH/σE regulon as well as the dosR regulon in the isogenic mutant, Mtb:ΔRv2745c. Upon hypoxic and reaeration conditions, Clp protease induction occurred within wild-type Mtb, indicating that activation of clgR, which subsequently leads to Clp protease induction, is crucial for degradation of misfolded proteins and ultimately survival of Mtb upon specific stress conditions. Our data indicate the diverse response of Rv2745c, σH and σE in response to a variety of stress conditions. Activation of Rv2745c in response to various stress conditions leads to differential activation of downstream genes, indicating the diverse role of Rv2745c and its importance for Mtb survival in vivo.
Plume characteristics of single-stream and dual-flow conventional and inverted-profile nozzles at equal thrust

The plume velocity and temperature decay rates of single-stream, conventional dual-flow and inverted-profile dual-flow nozzles are compared at equal values of ideal thrust over a wide range of flow conditions. The comparisons are made in terms of constant velocity and temperature contour maps. The results show that both dual-flow nozzle types have much greater plume velocity and temperature decay rates than those of equivalent thrust single-stream nozzles when the respective secondary flows were at ambient temperature. With hot secondary flows, the inverted-profile dual-flow plumes decayed significantly faster than those of single-stream nozzles; however, the decay rates for the conventional dual-flow streams were about the same as those for the single-stream nozzles. Consequently, with hot secondary flows, the inverted-profile dual-flow plumes decayed much faster than the conventional dual-flow plumes at equal thrust.
Android-Based Visual Tag Detection for Visually Impaired Users: System Design and Testing

In this paper the authors introduce PERCEPT-V indoor navigation for the blind system. PERCEPT-V enhances PERCEPT system by enabling visually impaired users to navigate in open indoor spaces that differ in size and lighting conditions. The authors deploy visual tags in the environment at specific landmarks and introduce a visual tag detection algorithm using a sampling probe and cascading approach. The authors provide guidelines for the visual tag size, which is a function of various environmental, and usage scenarios, which differ in lighting, dimensions of the indoor environment and angle of usage. The authors also developed a Smartphone based user interface for the visually impaired users that uses Android accessibility features.
Behavior, Design, and Modeling of Structural Walls and Coupling Beams - Lessons from Recent Laboratory Tests and Earthquakes

Observed wall damage in recent earthquakes in Chile and New Zealand, where modern building codes exist, exceeded expectations. In these earthquakes, structural wall damage included boundary crushing, reinforcement fracture, and global wall buckling. Recent laboratory tests also have demonstrated inadequate performance in some cases, indicating a need to review code provisions, identify shortcomings and make necessary revisions. Current modeling approaches used for slender structural walls adequately capture nonlinear flexural behavior; however, strength loss due to buckling of reinforcement and nonlinear and shear-flexure interaction are not adequately captured. Additional research is needed to address these issues. Recent tests of reinforced concrete coupling beams indicate that diagonally-reinforced beams detailed according to ACI 318-111 can sustain plastic rotations of about 6% prior to significant strength loss and that relatively simple modeling approaches in commercially available computer programs are capable of capturing the observed responses. Tests of conventionally-reinforced beams indicate less energy dissipation capacity and strength loss at approximately 4% rotation.
Data Compression for IR Reconnaissance

Recent trends in airborne reconnaissance force the designers of IR reconnaissance sensors to study data compression methods so that the sensors can be more efficiently interfaced with real time data links and with magnetic recorders. The previous successful efforts in compressing FLIR data are briefly noted. Infrared line scanners have only recently become candidates for data compression. Some of the requirements and problems are noted for compressing line scan data. Applicable methods are presented, and a hybrid DPCM/Huffman Coder is described with some successful results.
Motility and ultrastructure of large granular lymphocytes on lipid bilayers reconstituted with adhesion receptors LFA-1, ICAM-1, and two isoforms of LFA-3.

Large granular lymphocytes, mediators of NK activity, bind to other cells using both the LFA (lymphocyte function-associated)-1-ICAM and the CD2-LFA-3 adhesion pathways. Here we have studied the motility and ultrastructure of large granule lymphocyte (LGL) on lipid bilayers containing purified LFA-1, ICAM-1, and the transmembrane and glycophosphatidylinositol isoforms of LFA-3. LGLs moved at 8 microns/min on ICAM-1 but poorly (less than 1 microns/min) on its receptor pair LFA-1. TM-LFA-3 promoted locomotion at a rate close to ICAM-1, whereas the cells were less motile on GPI-LFA-3. The difference in the rates of locomotion on the two isoforms of LFA-3 is presumably attributable to their difference in anchoring and lateral mobility in the bilayer. In spite of the variation in motility the ultrastructure of the adhering cells was similar on all four ligands. LGLs contacted the membrane variably, i.e., cells adhering only in a few small areas or in larger areas were detected on each ligand. The relative percentage of the plasma membrane facing the lipid bilayer was greatest on ICAM-1 and least on the transmembrane isoform of LFA-3, demonstrating no correlation with motility. The ratio of adjacent plasma membrane to lipid bilayer was virtually constant for all four ligands. Activation of the LGLs with a combination of CD2 mAb T11(2) and T11(3) (T11(2/3) mAb) reduced the movement on ICAM-1 and virtually immobilized the cells on the other bilayers. In the presence of T11(2/3) mAb, the area of cell membrane attaching to bilayers containing ICAM-1 and GPI-LFA-3 was decreased and the percentage of plasma membrane facing other cells was increased. No preferential orientation of the Golgi apparatus or degranulation was detected in the absence or presence of T11(2/3) mAb, but a significantly lower percentage of LGLs on ICAM-1 contained a profile of the Golgi apparatus after exposure to T11(2/3) mAb. The results demonstrate that the motility of LGLs depends on the type of receptor in the opposing bilayer, the receptor mobility in the bilayer, and the activation of the cells. The ultrastructure of LGLs binding to any of the adhesion molecules does not have the characteristics of LGLs in cytolytic contact with target cells, suggesting that the mediation of an attack on a target requires more complex stimulus than any one of the single adhesion proteins tested here.
Behavioural knowledge integration in the design studio: an experimental evaluation of three strategies

Abstract This study addresses the difficulties in design education regarding scientific knowledge generation and its application in the design studio by investigating the effects of particular design approaches on the integration of sociobehavioural scientific information by design students. The investigation involved the systematic assignment of the students to one of three treatments representing alternative design approaches and assessment of the effects of these treatments on the quality of their design products in terms of knowledge integration. The three treatments approximate the major methodological approaches that are debated in the literature. They differ in their assumptions on the nature of the design process, the form of knowledge, and the type of information representation. The results support the main hypothesis that a treatment corresponding to the integrative/ generative strategy, in which ‘tyle’ (a form image, combinatorial rules and a theoretical framework) serves as a primary generator, is superior to a listing of empirical information generated by an external source. Given the discussion in the literature on the design process and cognition and the results of this study, it is possible to state that the applicability gap is expected to diminish to the extent that the form of knowledge embodied in ‘style’ is explicitly linked to the development of scientific knowledge.
Layered carbon nanotube-polyelectrolyte electrodes outperform traditional neural interface materials.

The safety, function, and longevity of implantable neuroprosthetic and cardiostimulating electrodes depend heavily on the electrical properties of the electrode-tissue interface, which in many cases requires substantial improvement. While different variations of carbon nanotube materials have been shown to be suitable for neural excitation, it is critical to evaluate them versus other materials used for bioelectrical interfacing, which have not been done in any study performed so far despite strong interest to this area. In this study, we carried out this evaluation and found that composite multiwalled carbon nanotube-polyelectrolyte (MWNT-PE) multilayer electrodes substantially outperform in one way or the other state-of-the-art neural interface materials available today, namely activated electrochemically deposited iridium oxide (IrOx) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). Our findings provide the concrete experimental proof to the much discussed possibility that carbon nanotube composites can s...
Bighorn Sheep Abundance Following a Suspected Pneumonia Epidemic in Rocky Mountain National Park

Abstract Anecdotal evidence of a pneumonia epizootic among bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Colorado, USA, during the mid-1990s prompted park officials to examine the current condition of the herds. Here we present a mark–resight study design to estimate population abundance that, in many circumstances, is a reliable and cost-effective alternative to traditional mark–recapture or to indices of population abundance. We captured 59 adult females and radiocollared them via helicopter net-gunning during winter 2002–2003. From ground resighting surveys conducted May–September, we estimated the total RMNP bighorn population at 389.9 (SE = 34.9, CI = 327.2–464.6) in 2003 and 366.4 (SE = 34.7, CI = 304.4–441.0) in 2004. Previous abundance estimates suggest a park-wide decline has occurred between the late 1980s and the suspected pneumonia epidemic of the mid-1990s. Although the 2 years of data from our study are not enough to predict whether the herds are capable ...
The anatomy of geniculocortical connections in monocularly deprived cats.

1. In monocularly deprived (MD) cats, many cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) but few cells in the visual cortex respond to input from the deprived eye, suggesting that the connections to visual cortex from the deprived geniculate laminae may have been disrupted. 2. It has been known for some time that the afferents representing the deprived eye terminate over a smaller percentage of layer IV than do those representing the experienced eye, but it is becoming increasingly clear that this alone cannot explain the inability of the deprived pathway to activate cortical cells. 3. 2-Deoxyglucose studies of ocular dominance columns in MD cats have shown that the columns are often (a) restricted to layer IV, suggesting that intracortical connections may be disrupted, and (b) very faint, suggesting that MD alters the efficacy of the deprived pathway in addition to restricting its territory. 4. Electron microscopy has shown that both deprived and experienced afferents end in terminals that contain mitochondria and round synaptic vesicles and that make asymmetric contacts with dendritic profiles. However, the terminals of deprived afferents differ from those of experienced afferents: they are 25% smaller, contain 33% fewer mitochondria, are more likely to make synapses that are presynaptically convex (and thus, perhaps, immature), make fewer perforated synapses, and synapse onto smaller spines. Further, the geniculocortical axons from deprived laminae appear to end in fewer synaptic terminals, than do those from the experienced laminae. 5. The finding that the synaptic terminals of deprived afferents are both abnormal morphologically and fewer in number can help to explain the reduced effectiveness of the deprived eye in driving cortical cells but does not rule out additional effects such as suppression and loss of intracortical connectivity.
Adherence With Allergen Immunotherapy Labeling Guidelines

Background Little is known about the adherence rate to allergen immunotherapy (AIT) labeling guidelines. Objective To assess adherence to labeling guidelines of AIT Practice Parameter 2011 at University of Michigan Health Service. Methods AIT vials of 320 patients who received their care at the University of Michigan Health Service were reviewed. Data collected looked at patient identifiers (PI), concentrations in volume/volume (v/v) format, color coding, allergen content, expiration date and instructions about AIT dosing, and systemic reaction treatment. Data were analyzed by using χ 2 test and the Fisher exact test and logistic regression. Results Of 238 non-university formulated labels, 65% had 2 PIs, 62% had a v/v concentration, 41% had color coding, 71% had the content listed, and 100% had a recorded expiration date. Only 21% had all 5 recommended components. All 82 University vials had 5 components. Labels with 2 PIs were more likely to have a v/v concentration with its corresponding color coding (odds ratio [OR] 3.84 [95% CI, 1.9-7.7]; P P P P P P Conclusion Fewer than 25% of the nonuniversity prescribers adhered to AIT practice parameters 5 years after publication. Recording 2 PIs, the v/v concentration, or the color coding increased the likelihood of having a complete label. Complete label contents were associated with clear instructions about AIT dosing and reaction treatment and/or dose adjustments.
Concurrent inhibition by chlorpromazine of concanavalin A-induced lymphocyte aggregation and mitogenesis.

A PLANT lectin from extract of Jack bean (concanavalin A) is known to initiate transformation in vitro of T lymphocytes into large, proliferating blast-like cells1. Knowledge of the mechanism whereby con A induces such changes is incomplete, but a necessary first step seems to involve the binding of con A to receptors on the surface membrane of the lymphocyte. Within minutes of binding of a mitogen, recognisable alterations in lymphocyte surface membrane physiology have been noted. These include increased phospholipid incorporation into the membrane2, increased fluxes of ionic potassium3 and calcium4, and increased uptake of nucleosides5, sugar6, and amino acids7. In addition, con A has been reported to increase the fluidity of lymphocyte membranes after binding8. Internalisation of con A is not required for lymphocyte activation so that con A binding to the lymphocyte surface membrane of T cells seems to be sufficient to induce blastogenesis9.
Research Policy In Emerging Economies: Brazil’s Sector Funds

This paper examines Brazil’s Sector Funds, an emerging research and development policy that seeks to increase public-private research collaboration. The first section sets the context of the ‘policy problem’. The second section discusses the policy’s implementation, and discusses its likely implications for Brazil and beyond.
Connoisseur's Choice: Aragonite

There are many collecting strategies that one may employ to build a collection. Some collectors seek out only rough-and-cut gem minerals, or they may specialize in just one species—calcite is a pop...
Legal issues in the early detection and monitoring of cancer

Objectives: To identify the legal and ethical issues involved in the detection/monitoring of cancer. Data Sources: Westlaw, Lexis, Medline, and legal and nursing literature. Conclusions: The introduction of genetic predisposition to cancer has increased the legal and ethical issues associated with the detection of cancer. Implications for Nursing Practice: The expanding role of nurses has opened up many exciting new roles in the area of early detection of cancer including genetic counseling. Along with the new opportunities comes increased legal liability and ethical controversies that oncology nurses must be aware of.
Family and psychosocial predictors of obsessive compulsive disorder in a community sample of young adolescents

A two-stage epidemiologic study conducted between 1986 and 1988 in the southeastern United States investigated family and psychosocial predictors of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and subclinical OCD in young adolescents. In the first stage, a life-event schedule and a family adaptability and cohesion scale were administered to a community sample of 3,283 adolescents. In stage two, the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia in School Age Children and the Children's Global Assessment Scale were administered to 488 mother-child pairs. In multivariable models family cohesion was the only significant correlate of OCD (odds ratio=0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.91–0.98). Gender, race, age, socioeconomic status, guardian status, adaptability, undesirable life events and desirable life events were not found to be significant predictors of OCD in models adjusting for cohesion. Note of the above variables were significantly associated with subclinical OCD. However, separate analyses of the 41 individual life events indicated seven specific events were significantly associated with OCD or subclinical OCD. These findings are at odds with the theory that overinvolvement of family members is a risk factor for OCD, though an association with overly rigid family structure cannot be eliminated based on these data. Further exploration of family characteristics is warranted.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of smoking-cessation counseling training for physicians and pharmacists.

Background Although smoking-cessation interventions typically focus directly on patients, this paper conducts an economic evaluation of a novel smoking-cessation intervention focused on training physicians and/or pharmacists to use counseling techniques that would decrease smoking rates at a reasonable cost.
A study of the effects of a cubic nonlinearity on a modern modal identification technique

The effect of a geometric nonlinearity on the Ibrahim Time Domain (ITD) modal data analysis technique has been studied using two analytically derived models and one laboratory model. Response data for the three models were analyzed by the ITD method. Indicators of nonlinear response were found which include harmonically related frequencies with repetitive mode shapes, clusters of frequencies in a narrow band around each harmonic, and variations in frequency with amplitude of oscillation. Also,for the cases studied, the presence of a nonlinearity has no detrimental effect on identifying linear responses. A potential for applying the algorithm to the identification of a certain class of nonlinear system was indicated.
We're Actually Comfortable with Diversity: Affirming Teacher Candidates for Culturally Relevant Reading Pedagogy in Urban Practicum

This article chronicles the perspectives of two teacher candidates who displayed comfort with cultural issues and teaching for social justice, in contrast with many of their peers in the program who were uncomfortable with diversity. Their field experiences in a piloted urban reading practicum are documented, as part of a partnership with a neighboring urban community school district. The modified program was intended to prepare teacher candidates for the urban teaching context and culturally relevant literacy teaching. Teacher candidates were placed with caring teachers in urban metro-Detroit schools who employed a variety of skills-based and whole language pedagogies, which corresponded with beliefs posited by the university, and within the parameters of curriculum constraints. Participation in the program incorporated a tutoring model, which required teacher candidates' active, systematic enactment of the balanced reading approach with students enrolled in the classrooms of cooperating teachers. Respon...
Spectroscopy and Electrochemistry of the Covalent Pyridine-Cytochrome c Complex and a Pyridine-Induced, “Alkaline-like” Conformation

Spectroscopic studies demonstrate that at neutral pH and in the absence of specific pyridine binding, pyridine induces a conformational change in cytochrome c grossly similar to the alkaline-induced transition observed at high pH. This pyridine-induced conformational change has confounded previous efforts to characterize the electrochemistry of the covalent pyridine-cytochrome c complex. By employing cyclic voltammetry at a variety of time scales to characterize both kinetically and thermodynamically favored species, we demonstrate that, in the presence of pyridine, this pyridine-induced conformation coexists in a solution with native protein and a specific, covalent cytochrome c−pyridine complex. At low scan rates or in the presence of the nonbinding analogue 2-methyl pyridine, reduction of the pyridine-induced conformation is observed at potentials similar to those previously reported for the alkaline form populated at high pH in the absence of pyridine. At high scan rates and/or at slightly acidic pH t...
Strategic directions for geography: lessons from the U.S. National Academies' Understanding the Changing Planet

The U.S. National Academies' recent effort to specify “strategic directions for the geographical sciences” identifies a variety of ways in which research drawing on geographical ideas, methods, and techniques can help address pressing social and scientific challenges. The value of the study does not lie solely in the identification of promising research areas; it also offers insights into the relevance of geography's longstanding concern with location, geographical space, place, landscape, and mapping for efforts to understand a world being remade by rapid environmental, social, and technological changes. A careful reading of the study reveals that geography's traditional concerns continue to animate forward-looking research directions, but that those concerns are evolving in the face of recent empirical, conceptual, and technological advances.
Use of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with surgical abdominal sepsis.

Patients often present to the surgeon with abdominal pain, tenderness, and fever. Many exhibit progressive sepsis due to abdominal pathology. Delay in diagnosis and treatment often occurs due to the use of multiple, time-consuming, expensive diagnostic studies. We delineate the use of diagnostic laparoscopy in subsets of patients in whom confusion exists as to the cause of abdominal sepsis—i.e., females in childbearing years, elderly patients, obese patients, immunosuppressed patients, and patients with suppression of physical findings. The methodical assessment of the entire abdominal cavity is performed utilizing manipulation of the patient's position (Trendelenburg, supine, reverse Trendelenburg, left side up, right side up) and meticulous inspection of the entire small bowel. Diagnoses included acute appendicitis, gangrenous appendicitis, perforated appendicitis with peritonitis or abscess, gangrenous cholecystitis, ischemic bowel disease, perforating carcinoma of the colon, perforating diverticulitis with abscess or peritonitis, tubo-ovarian abscess, closed-loop small-bowel obstruction, megacolon, and perforation of the colon. Laparoscopic treatment of 96% of the patients was performed successfully and a laparoscopic-assisted approach was used in the remainder. There was one mortality (cardiac) and no major morbidity. The development of a Formal Diagnostic Exploratory Laparoscopic (FDEL) approach has aided in the assessment of each of the diagnoses of sepsis in the abdominal cavity. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach laparoscopically avoids extensive preoperative studies, avoids delay in operative intervention, and appears to minimize morbidity and shorten the postoperative recovery interval.