cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An improved algorithm for intersecting convex polygons

A modification of a linear-time algorithm to compute the intersection of two convex polygons reduces the number of computational steps by almost half.
College Experiences and Spiritual Outcomes: An Interview with UCLA Spirituality in Higher Education Project Director Jennifer Lindholm

In a recent interview, Dr. Jennifer Lindholm, director of the UCLA Spirituality in Higher Education project, reflected on the project’s history and goals, key findings, and implications for institutional practice and assessment.
MUC1 Inhibits Cell Proliferation by a β-Catenin-Dependent Mechanism

β-Catenin binds to the cytoplasmic region of the type 1 membrane glycoprotein MUC1. In the current study, we utilized HEK293T cells expressing the full-length MUC1 protein, or a CD8/MUC1 fusion protein containing only the MUC1 cytoplasmic tail, to investigate the effects of β-catenin binding to MUC1 on downstream β-catenin-dependent events. Compared with HEK293T cells transfected with empty vector or CD8 alone, expression of the MUC1 cytoplasmic tail inhibited β-catenin binding to E-cadherin, decreased translocation of β-catenin into the nucleus, reduced activation of the LEF-1 transcription factor, and blocked expression of the cyclin D1 and c-Myc proteins. Furthermore, expression of MUC1 was associated with decreased cell proliferation, either in the context of the transfected HEK293T cells, or when comparing wild type (Muc1+/+) vs. knockout (Muc1−/−) mouse primary tracheal epithelial cells. We conclude that MUC1 inhibits cell proliferation through a β-catenin/LEF-1/cyclin D1/c-Myc pathway.
Use of a corporate culture index for strategic planning

The culture of an organization is important. Survival into the 21st century is not guaranteed. Therefore, organizations must adapt. Culture has an impact on how change takes place. This article proposes a method to measure culture. How culture can be managed within the strategic planning process is covered.
Improved Quality in Aerospace Testing Through the Modern Design of Experiments

This paper illustrates how, in the presence of systematic error, the quality of an experimental result can be influenced by the order in which the independent variables are set. It is suggested that in typical experimental circumstances in which systematic errors are significant, the common practice of organizing the set point order of independent variables to maximize data acquisition rate results in a test matrix that fails to produce the highest quality research result. With some care to match the volume of data required to satisfy inference error risk tolerances, it is possible to accept a lower rate of data acquisition and still produce results of higher technical quality (lower experimental error) with less cost and in less time than conventional test procedures, simply by optimizing the sequence in which independent variable levels are set.
Hearing Loss in Down's Syndrome A Treatable Handicap More Common Than Generally Recognized

Significant hearing loss was found in about two-thirds of a series of 107 individuals with Down's syndrome. Hearing loss of that degree causes retardation of speech, language and intellectual development in normal children. Down's children are presumably affected even more by this sensory deprivation and without correction are prevented from reaching their full potential.
Depo-Provera: Wherefore art thou?

Abstract The depot form of medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) has been shown clearly to have very high efficacy as a contraceptive, with its major mechanism of action being suppression of the midcycle LH surge with resultant anovulation. Few data are available for adults and none for adolescents regarding acceptance rates in this country. The most common side effect is amenorrhea which increases over time; mild-to-moderate weight gain and headaches are also fairly common. Although DMPA appears to exert a diabetogenic effect, it is mild and remains subclinical in women who do not have a prediabetic metabolic profile. Although malignant changes have been reported in the breasts of beagles and the uteri of monkeys on high doses, almost no increased incidences of related cancers have been reported in humans.
The inflammasome activating caspase 1 mediates fibrosis and myofibroblast differentiation in systemic sclerosis

Objective. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic idiopathic disease of unknown etiology that is characterized by fibrosis of the skin and visceral organs mediated by activated myofibroblasts. The recently identified inflammasomes are cytosolic receptors that tightly regulate the activity of caspase 1 and downstream signaling molecules such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-18. The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)–like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been implicated in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This study was undertaken to assess the role of the inflammasome in SScrelated dermal or pulmonary fibrosis. Methods. Inflammasome gene transcripts were assayed in fibroblasts obtained from patients with SSc. Caspase 1 activation in SSc primary dermal and lung fibroblasts was inhibited, and the levels of hydroxyproline, COL1A1, COL3A1, IL-1, IL-18, and -smooth muscle actin (-SMA) were measured. The role of the inflammasome in dermal fibrosis was investigated in NLRP3 / and ASC / mice. Results. We identified increased expression of 40 genes associated with the inflammasome or downstream signaling molecules in SSc fibroblasts. Inhibition of caspase 1 in SSc dermal and lung fibroblasts abrogated the secretion of collagens, IL-1, and IL-18. In addition, we observed decreased expression of the myofibroblast protein -SMA in SSc dermal fibroblasts treated with a caspase 1 inhibitor. Furthermore, NLRP3 / mice and ASC / mice were resistant to bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis, which suggests a key role for the inflammasome in in vivo fibrosis. Conclusion. Innate immune signaling contributes to SSc fibrosis via activation of the inflammasome and caspase 1. These results suggest that inflammasome activation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SSc.
ClassroomWiki: A Collaborative Wiki for Instructional Use with Multiagent Group Formation

Wikis today are being used as a tool to conduct collaborative writing assignments in classrooms. However, typical Wikis do not adequately address the assessment of individual student contributions toward their groups or provide any automated group formation mechanism. To improve these aspects, we have designed and implemented ClassroomWiki - a web-based collaborative Wiki writing tool. For the students, ClassroomWiki provides a web interface for writing and revising their group's Wiki and a topic-based forum for discussing their ideas during collaboration. When the students collaborate, ClassroomWiki tracks all student activities and builds detailed student models that represent their contributions toward their groups. For the teacher, ClassroomWiki provides a multiagent framework that uses the student models to form student groups to improve the collaborative learning of students. To investigate the impact of ClassroomWiki, we have conducted a three-week-long collaborative Wiki writing assignment in a university-level history course. The results suggest that ClassroomWiki can 1) improve the collaborative learning outcome of the students by its group formation framework, 2) help the teacher better assess a student's contribution toward his or her group and avoid free riding, and 3) facilitate specific and precise teacher intervention with accurate and detailed tracking of student activities.
Learning parameters for molecular memory control

A memory system which uses a molecular information processing primitive to control reference neurons is described. This system has been simulated in the context of an organism navigating in an environment. The system adapts to the environment by developing ensembles of neurons which coordinate sensory input and movement in the environment. The principal learning mechanism is based on synchronous activity of neurons. The frequency and duration of the different neural firings is critical for successful manipulation of memories developed in this system. Appropriate timing parameters for molecular processing based on the reference neuron are suggested. >
Special session 11C: Young professionals in test — Elevator talks

This session is organized as part of the activities sponsored by IEEE Test Technology Technical Council (TTTC) Young Professionals Forum. The primary goal of this forum is to align the young professionals, both from industry and academia, working in the broad domain of manufacturing test and applications, with the activities of TTTC. This forum was initiated in 2013 and had its first meetings at VLSI Test Symposium (VTS) and International Test Conference (ITC) of that year. This year we are expanding our presence in the VTS by introducing a new session showcasing the research conducted by the young colleagues from industry and academia. The Elevator Talk session includes presentations on “Malicious Aging Acceleration in Processors” by Naghmeh Karimi from New York Polytechnic University, “RF Built-In Test with Non-intrusive Sensors” by Haralampos Stratigopoulos from TIMA Laboratory, France, “Advanced Process Bring-up” by Sounil Biswas from nVidia, “Exploration of Vector-based Integer Arithmetic on Intel Xeon Processors” by Michail Maniatakos from New York University, Abu Dhabi and “Detecting Hardware Trojans with Self-Reference Timing Tests” by Eshan Singh from Intel Corporation. Through this Elevator Talk session, we encourage a broader section of young colleagues to participate in the similar session of future meetings.
Effects of dietary sodium and the DASH diet on the occurrence of headaches: results from randomised multicentre DASH-Sodium clinical trial

Objectives: Headaches are a common medical problem, yet few studies, particularly trials, have evaluated therapies that might prevent or control headaches. We, thus, investigated the effects on the occurrence of headaches of three levels of dietary sodium intake and two diet patterns (the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet (rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products with reduced saturated and total fat) and a control diet (typical of Western consumption patterns)). Design: Randomised multicentre clinical trial. Setting: Post hoc analyses of the DASH-Sodium trial in the USA. Participants: In a multicentre feeding study with three 30 day periods, 390 participants were randomised to the DASH or control diet. On their assigned diet, participants ate food with high sodium during one period, intermediate sodium during another period and low sodium during another period, in random order. Outcome measures: Occurrence and severity of headache were ascertained from self-administered questionnaires, completed at the end of each feeding period. Results: The occurrence of headaches was similar in DASH versus control, at high (OR (95% CI)=0.65 (0.37 to 1.12); p=0.12), intermediate (0.57 (0.29 to 1.12); p=0.10) and low (0.64 (0.36 to 1.13); p=0.12) sodium levels. By contrast, there was a lower risk of headache on the low, compared with high, sodium level, both on the control (0.69 (0.49 to 0.99); p=0.05) and DASH (0.69 (0.49 to 0.98); p=0.04) diets. Conclusions: A reduced sodium intake was associated with a significantly lower risk of headache, while dietary patterns had no effect on the risk of headaches in adults. Reduced dietary sodium intake offers a novel approach to prevent headaches. Trial registration number: NCT00000608.
Motor-related cortical potentials accompanying enslaving effect in single versus combination of fingers force production tasks.

Abstract Objectives : This study examined behavioral indices and motor-related cortical potentials (MRCP) of the enslaving phenomenon (i.e. interdependency of finger movement) during isometric force production tasks using each of the four fingers separately and in combination. We examined MRCP preceding force production and those during the achievement of the desired force ( ramp phase) and its maintenance ( static phase). Methods : Our experimental design systematically controlled the isometric force output, including both ramp and static phases of force production. We applied time-domain averaging of electroencephalographic single trials in order to extract 3 components of MRCP (Bereitshaftspotential, motor potentials, and motor monitoring potentials) preceding and accompanying force responses. Results : We report two major findings. First, we found the index finger to be more independent, accurate, and to display the larger MRCP amplitude whereas the ring finger was more dependent, less accurate, and displayed smaller MRCP amplitude. Second, adding the neighboring finger when the ring finger produced the task significantly reduced its dependency on uninvolved fingers and increased the accuracy of both ramp and static phases which was not the case with the index finger. The amplitude of MRCP was increased when the ring finger produced the task in combination as compared to when the ring finger performed the task in isolation. In contrast, the amplitude of MRCP was significantly reduced when the index finger produced the task in combination with other fingers when compared to when the index finger performed the task in isolation. Conclusions : Overall, the amount of the fingers' dependency on the uninvolved fingers (e.g. amount of enslaving ) during isometric force production tasks was inversely related with the amplitude of MRCP indicating the contribution of central mechanisms to the enslaving phenomenon.
A bridge to transcription by RNA polymerase

A comprehensive survey of single amino-acid substitution mutations critical for RNA polymerase function published in Journal of Biology supports a proposed mechanism for polymerase action in which movement of the polymerase 'bridge helix' promotes transcriptional activity in cooperation with a critical substrate-interaction domain, the 'trigger loop'.
The gastrointestinal microbiota and colorectal cancer

The human gut is home to a complex and diverse microbiota that contributes to the overall homeostasis of the host. Increasingly, the intestinal microbiota is recognized as an important player in human illness such as colorectal cancer (CRC), inflammatory bowel diseases, and obesity. CRC in itself is one of the major causes of cancer mortality in the Western world. The mechanisms by which bacteria contribute to CRC are complex and not fully understood, but increasing evidence suggests a link between the intestinal microbiota and CRC as well as diet and inflammation, which are believed to play a role in carcinogenesis. It is thought that the gut microbiota interact with dietary factors to promote chronic inflammation and CRC through direct influence on host cell physiology, cellular homeostasis, energy regulation, and/or metabolism of xenobiotics. This review provides an overview on the role of commensal gut microbiota in the development of human CRC and explores its association with diet and inflammation.
Introduction to Physical Therapy, ed 3

Pagliarulo MA, ed. St Louis, MO 63146, Mosby, 2007, paperback, 387 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-323-03284-2, $44.95. The third edition of Introduction to Physical Therapy provides a comprehensive and current description of the profession and practice of physical therapy, as stated by the editor. The purpose and intended audience (physical therapist and physical therapist assistant students) remains consistent with the first 2 editions, published in 1996 and 2001. The book provides an overview of the current profession and practice of physical therapy in the United States. The book is organized in 2 parts: “Profession” and “Practice.” The 8 chapters in the first part define the profession of physical therapy. Chapter 1 provides a historic context for its evolution, beginning with the American Women's Physical Therapy Association in the early 1900s to the current American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) to APTA's Vision 2020 statement. Core professional documents are presented in chapter 2.Roles and characteristics of physical …
Radioiodinated DPA-713 Imaging Correlates with Bactericidal Activity of Tuberculosis Treatments in Mice

Current tools for monitoring response to tuberculosis treatments have several limitations. Noninvasive biomarkers could accelerate tuberculosis drug development and clinical studies, but to date little progress has been made in developing new imaging technologies for this application. In this study, we developed pulmonary single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using radioiodinated DPA-713 to serially monitor the activity of tuberculosis treatments in live mice, which develop necrotic granulomas and cavitary lesions. C3HeB/FeJ mice were aerosol infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and administered either a standard or a highly active bedaquiline-containing drug regimen. Serial 125I-DPA-713 SPECT imaging was compared with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and standard microbiology. Ex vivo studies were performed to characterize and correlate DPA-713 imaging with cellular and cytokine responses. Pulmonary 125I-DPA-713 SPECT, but not 18F-FDG PET, was able to correctly identify the bactericidal activities of the two tuberculosis treatments as early as 4 weeks after the start of treatment (P < 0.03). DPA-713 readily penetrated the fibrotic rims of necrotic and cavitary lesions. A time-dependent decrease in both tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) levels was observed with treatments, with 125I-DPA-713 SPECT correlating best with tissue TNF-α levels (ρ = 0.94; P < 0.01). 124I-DPA-713 was also evaluated as a PET probe and demonstrated a 4.0-fold-higher signal intensity in the infected tuberculous lesions than uninfected controls (P = 0.03). These studies provide proof of concept for application of a novel noninvasive imaging biomarker to monitor tuberculosis treatments, with the potential for application for humans.
Use of recombinant endomannosidase for evaluation of the processing of N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins and their oligosaccharide-lipid precursors

Although glucose residues in a triglucosyl sequence are essential for the N-glycosylation of proteins and in their monoglucosyl form have been implicated in lectin-like interactions with chaperones, their removal is required for the formation of mature carbohydrate units and represents the initial steps in the glycoprotein processing sequence. In order to provide a probe for the glucosylation state of newly synthesized glycoproteins obtained from normal or altered cells, we have evaluated the usefulness of recombinant endo-alpha-mannosidase employing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to monitor the change in molecular mass brought about by the release of glucosylated mannose (Glc(1-3)Man). With this approach the presence of two triglucosylated-N-linked oligosaccharides in vesicular stomatis virus (VSV) G protein formed by castanospermine-treated CHO cells or the glucosidase I deficient Lec23 mutant could be clearly demonstrated and an even more pronounced change in migration was observed upon endomannosidase treatment of their more heavily N-glycosylated lysosomal membrane glycoproteins. Furthermore, the G protein of the temperature sensitive VSV ts045 mutant was found to be sensitive to endomannosidase, resulting in a change in electrophoretic mobility consistent with the presence of mono-glucosylated-N-linked oligosaccharides. The finding that endomannosidase also acts effectively on oligosaccharide lipids, as assessed by SDS-PAGE or thin layer chromatography, indicated that it would be a valuable tool in assessing the glucosylation state of these biosynthetic intermediates in normal cells as well as in mutants or altered metabolic states, even if the polymannose portion is truncated. Endomannosidase can also be used to determine the glucosylation state of the polymannose oligosaccharides released during glycoprotein quality control and when used together with endo-beta-N- acetylglucosaminidase H can distinguish between those terminating in a single N-acetylglucosamine or in a di-N-acetylchitobiose sequence.
Explicit calculation vs. formal proof concerning unitarity violation of unified theories in Wu’s gauge

A formal proof and explicit check of unitarity for non-Abelian gauge theories with a particular bilinear gauge condition are presented. The theories are constructed within the Lagrange-multiplier formalism. It is concluded that the usual formalism for non-Abelian gauge theories is not completely satisfied because it leads to violation of unitarity when one uses the Wu-gauge condition. The Lagrange-multiplier formalism can reveal the stability of gauge conditions, if any, and has more general validity than the usual formalism. (JFP)
National high frequency radar network: Update

One of the primary efforts for the NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) Program office is the development of a national high frequency radar (HFR) network for measuring ocean surface currents throughout the coastal United States. After experiencing rapid growth for several years, the number of HF radars deployed in the United States is now approximately 100 with modest annual growth. NOAA IOOS has funded the development and deployment of a trio of redundant data servers located at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Rutgers University and the NOAA National Data Buoy Center that deliver data files in standard format (netCDF) and are Climate and Forecast (CF) metadata conventions-compliant. In keeping with the IOOS intent to deliver data in standardized ways that allow for interoperability and ease of access, NDBC delivers the HF radar data via Web Coverage Services (WCS). As the NOAA IOOS Program continues to support the development and enhancement of a national HF radar data management and distribution system, new capabilities are developed and implemented by Scripps prior to national deployment, allowing for the system to evolve in a build-test-build environment, yet retain pre-operational status. Numerous success stories over the past several years in the application of HF radar-derived surface currents to real-world problems have spurred the creation of a plan, published September 2009, to build a comprehensive national ocean surface current mapping system based on HF radar. The success stories and the scope of the national plan will be discussed.
Program optimization space pruning for a multithreaded gpu

Program optimization for highly-parallel systems has historically been considered an art, with experts doing much of the performance tuning by hand. With the introduction of inexpensive, single-chip, massively parallel platforms, more developers will be creating highly-parallel applications for these platforms, who lack the substantial experience and knowledge needed to maximize their performance. This creates a need for more structured optimization methods with means to estimate their performance effects. Furthermore these methods need to be understandable by most programmers. This paper shows the complexity involved in optimizing applications for one such system and one relatively simple methodology for reducing the workload involved in the optimization process.This work is based on one such highly-parallel system, the GeForce 8800 GTX using CUDA. Its flexible allocation of resources to threads allows it to extract performance from a range of applications with varying resource requirements, but places new demands on developers who seek to maximize an application's performance. We show how optimizations interact with the architecture in complex ways, initially prompting an inspection of the entire configuration space to find the optimal configuration. Even for a seemingly simple application such as matrix multiplication, the optimal configuration can be unexpected. We then present metrics derived from static code that capture the first-order factors of performance. We demonstrate how these metrics can be used to prune many optimization configurations, down to those that lie on a Pareto-optimal curve. This reduces the optimization space by as much as 98% and still finds the optimal configuration for each of the studied applications.
Initiation of sexual activity among female adolescents.

According to the 1982 National Survey of Family Growth 46% women aged 15-19 had experienced premarital intercourse. Projections based on this study show that by their 20th birthdays 70% of all women in the US will have experienced premarital intercourse. This article examines the effects of various factors on the likelihood that teenagers will become sexually active. Data for this study were taken from the National Survey of Family Growth Cycle III. Fieldwork was done in 1982 and included interviews of 7969 women aged 15-44. Data include background characteristics measures of fertility and contraception measures of fecundity and birth expectations use of family planning services and the respondents marital history. The study concludes that family stability (intact families) Hispanic ethnicity high parental education religious affiliation regular church attendance and reproductive education decrease the occurrence of 1st intercourse. Other factors characterize an environment that is unstable and unstructured and has a liberalizing influence upon 1st intercourse. Teens from broken homes blacks and the lower social classes are more likely to initiate intercourse. Geographic factors have a very small influence upon the initiation of sexual activity among teens. Similar patterns of influence appear regarding contraceptive use. The same factors that encourage stability such as high fathers education Catholic or Jewish religious affiliation religious attendance and reproductive instruction shift the odds in favor of contracepted rather than noncontracepted sex. Family instability and low social class increase the risk that 1st intercourse will not be contracepted. Providing too much sex education such as instruction on birth control may actually contribute to the leniency of the environment although the authors find no evidence that school-based birth control instruction increases the chances that contraceptives will be used. Environments that are too restrictive increase the chance that 1st intercourse will be noncontracepted. In sum adolescents need an environment balanced between the liberal and conservative extremes to reduce the rate of 1st intercourse and to increase the use of contraception at intercourse.
Diversity performance of multicode spread spectrum CDMA system

In this paper, multicode spread spectrum CDMA system is analyzed. The transmitter and receiver needed for this system are described and its performance is evaluated for different parameters and different diversity techniques. The channel is assumed to be a multipath slowly fading Nakagami channel. The performance of the system is evaluated in terms of its average bit error rate and is compared to that of the conventional single-code spread spectrum CDMA system. The performance of the system is obtained for three diversity schemes namely, selection diversity, equal gain combining and maximal ratio combining. The effect of changing the number of substreams, users, diversity branches, power level and Nakagami parameter are also investigated.
β-ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR POPULATION IS UP-REGULATED BY INCREASED CYCLIC ADENOSINE MONOPHOSPHATE CONCENTRATION IN CHICKEN SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS IN CULTURE

Abstract Skeletal muscle hypertrophy is promoted in vivo by administration of β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) agonists. Chicken skeletal muscle cells were treated with 1 μM isoproterenol, a strong βAR agonist, between days 7 and 10 in culture. βAR population increased by approximately 40% during this treatment; however, the ability of the cells to synthesize cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was diminished by twofold. Neither the basal concentration of cAMP nor the quantity of myosin heavy chain (MHC) was affected by the 3-d exposure to isoproterenol. To understand further the relationship between intracellular cAMP levels, βAR population, and muscle protein accumulation, intracellular cAMP levels were artificially elevated by treatment with 0–10 μM forskolin for 3 d. The basal concentration of cAMP in forskolin-treated cells increased up to sevenfold in a dose-dependent manner. Increasing concentrations of forskolin also led to an increase in βAR population, with a maximum increase of approximately 40–60...
Psychiatric Underpinnings of Chronic Diabetic Neuropathic Pain

There is increasing evidence that psychosocial factors may be involved in the pathophysiology of chronic diabetic neuropathic pain. Individuals with diabetic polyneuropathy exhibit significantly higher rates of axis I psychiatric disorders, and worsening neuropathic symptoms correlate with worsened psychiatric illness. This association exists even when social-support and quality-of-life measures are controlled. Aberrant supraspinal structures and neuronal networks in diabetic neuropathy mimic those found in other psychiatric illnesses. Response to standard medications and therapeutic approaches remains unsatisfactory, and antidepressants continue to serve as first-line treatment for diabetic neuropathy. The exact interplay between neuropathic pain and psychiatric illness remains unclear and may have a common pathophysiological focus. This area of study needs to be revisited and psychological interventions must be explored as possible treatment options for diabetic neuropathy.
Diabetes Mellitus and Exercise Physiology in the Presence of Diabetic Comorbidities

While uncomplicated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is already associated with an impaired exercise capacity, the presence of other comorbidities appears to further worsen exercise capacity in T2DM. Common diabetic comorbidities such as hypertension, arterial stiffness, cardiovascular disease, systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, pulmonary disease, and diabetic nephropathy are all associated with worse exercise capacity in T2DM. Benefits of exercise training programs for those with T2DM and certain comorbidities (e.g., hypertension, increased arterial stiffness, or post-myocardial infarction) have been shown to include improved exercise capacity. Exercise has also been shown to improve other complications and comorbidities of diabetes including neuropathy, fatty liver, obstructive sleep apnea, and nephropathy, but the independent effect of these benefits on exercise capacity has not been defined. Further study is warranted to determine the specific benefits and risks of exercise training in subpopulations of T2DM such as those with T2DM and either congestive heart failure or microvascular complications of diabetes.
Supramolecular Assembly of Tris(4-carboxyphenyl)arenes: Relationship between Molecular Structure and Solid-State Catenation Motifs

The crystal structures of seven 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)arenes with functionalized central arene rings are reported. The formation of (6,3) hcb hexagonal sheets as a result of carboxylic acid dimer formation was observed in most of the crystal structures, with the exception of two compounds with functional groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds, namely, 2,4,6-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)-1,3-diaminobenzene and 2,4,6-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)-3-methylaniline. These structures were found to incorporate THF solvent molecules in their hydrogen-bonding motif, giving rise to distorted pseudohexagonal arrays. Functional groups on the central ring were found to influence stacking distances, stacking offsets, inclination angles, degree of catenation, and dimensions of solvent-occupied channels. To better understand and appreciate these complicated crystal structures, they were categorized into four distinct stacking/catenation families: simple stacking, single-layer offset catenation, double-layer offset catenation, and...
A new species of IC package: Via-interconnect Ball-Grid-Array (ViB)

ViB, Via-interconnect Ball-Grid-Array, is a new package species which is denominated first in the industry in this paper. This new species involves a new chip-to-package interconnect technology named via-interconnect. Some of WLPs (Wafer Level Packages) and recently developed so-called “fan-out” packages belong to this category. The definition of ViB is a ball-grid-array package whose chip-to-package electrical interconnect is done by “via”. The via is a channel formed between chip I/O pads and package inner bonding pads, followed by conductive material filled into the via or metallization done on the sidewall and bottom of the via to electrically connect the die and package. Thus, the assembly process, production equipment, and interconnect failure mechanism of the ViB may be very different from the conventional wire-bonding package, flip-chip-bonding package, and tape-automatic-bonding package. Therefore, from packaging taxonomy point of view, there is a need to differentiate via-interconnect from the conventional technologies. The categorization of chip-to-package interconnect is reexamined in this paper, and the via-interconnect is proposed to be added as a new category.
Abstract 4002: Vulnerability to Contralateral Pneumonia in Patients with Hemispheric Strokes

Background: Stroke is associated with contralateral focal motor, visual, and sensory deficits. It remains unclear whether there is laterality to muscle deficits involved in upper airway and respira...
A high-fidelity method to analyze perturbation evolution in turbulent flows

Small perturbation propagation in fluid flows is usually examined by linearizing the governing equations about a steady basic state. It is often useful, however, to study perturbation evolution in the unsteady evolving turbulent environment. Such analyses can elucidate the role of perturbations in the generation of coherent structures or the production of noise from jet turbulence. The appropriate equations are still the linearized Navier-Stokes equations, except that the linearization must be performed about the instantaneous evolving turbulent state, which forms the coefficients of the linearized equations. This is a far more difficult problem since in addition to the turbulent state, its rate of change and the perturbation field are all required at each instant. In this paper, we develop and use a novel technique for this problem by using a pair (denoted "baseline" and "twin") of simultaneous synchronized Large-Eddy Simulations (LES). At each time-step, small disturbances whose propagation characteristics are to be studied, are introduced into the twin through a forcing term. At subsequent time steps, the difference between the two simulations is shown to be equivalent to solving the forced Navier-Stokes equations, linearized about the instantaneous turbulent state. The technique does not put constraints on the forcing, which could be arbitrary, e.g., white noise or other stochastic variants. We consider, however, "native" forcing having properties of disturbances that exist naturally in the turbulent environment. The method then isolates the effect of turbulence in a particular region on the rest of the field, which is useful in the study of noise source localization. The synchronized technique is relatively simple to implement into existing codes. In addition to minimizing the storage and retrieval of large time-varying datasets, it avoids the need to explicitly linearize the governing equations, which can be a very complicated task for viscous terms or turbulence closures. The method is illustrated by application to a well-validated Mach 1.3 jet. Specifically, the effects of turbulence on the jet lipline and core collapse regions on the near-acoustic field are isolated. The properties of the method, including linearity and effect of initial transients, are discussed. The results provide insight into how turbulence from different parts of the jet contribute to the observed dominance of low and high frequency content at shallow and sideline angles, respectively.
Adverse perinatal outcomes in young adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pregnant adolescents ≤15 years of age developed more perinatal complications than older adolescents or adult women. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a study of 147 nulliparous adolescents ≤15 years of age who initiated prenatal care at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston between January 1, 1992, and April 27, 1994. For purposes of analyses, these patients were then compared to two groups: (1) all nulliparas between the ages of 16 and 17 (n=287) and (2) those 20-22 years old (n = 107) who delivered an infant of ≥20 weeks' gestation and initiated care during the same interval at this same facility. Chi-square, Kruskall-Wallis or Student's t test initially was used to identify differences between groups in demographic characteristics and perinatal complications. Logistic regression analyses were then performed to determine whether observed differences in outcomes remained while controlling for potentially confounding variables. RESULTS: Adolescents ≤15 years of age were more likely to develop anemia and less likely to deliver an infant who required admission to the intensive care unit. No differences were observed between groups in the prevalence of pregnancy-induced hypertension, preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membranes, chorioamnionitis, meconium staining, endometritis, preterm delivery, low birth weight, low Apgar score or fetal demise. CONCLUSION: Adolescents ≤15 years of age experience perinatal outcomes similar to those of older adolescents and young adult women.
A Brief Mindfulness Exercise Before Retrieval Reduces Recognition Memory False Alarms

The impact of a 3-min state mindfulness exercise was investigated in recognition memory performance in order to test if memorial benefits would be found without long-term training. Four experiments (total N = 369) compared the effect of the exercise before encoding versus retrieval. False alarms decreased after a 3-min mindfulness exercise prior to retrieval whether the stimuli were words (experiment 1) or nonwords (experiment 2). When the mindfulness exercise occurred before encoding, there was no benefit on error rates (experiments 3 and 4). The results suggest that even a brief state mindfulness exercise can have immediate and positive effects on recognition memory performance. Implications for improving practical memory tasks such as test taking or eyewitness memory are discussed.
Design of a hole-based THz intersubband laser

A hole-based THz intersubband laser design is introduced in GaAs/AlGaAs superlattices. Theoretical investigation indicates peak gain of ~ 27 cm−1 for TE polarized field, which is forbidden by intersubband selection rule for electron-based designs.
Relationships Between Survival Rate, Density, Population Trends, and Forage Destruction by Instars of Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Average daily rates of grasshopper survival were inversely related to density. For a hypothetical population of Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.), average survival rates of about 0.95 to 0.96 per day resulted in relatively uniform populations between generations; rates slightly above or below that range lead to drastic increases or decreases, respectively. There are reasonable combinations of daily survival rates and daily feeding rates that will allow any developmental stage within a generation of grasshoppers in the field to dominate utilization of forage by that generation. It is most probable, however, that the first three nymphal instars will be responsible for about 15 to 20% of the total forage utilization, and that adults will be responsible for both the greatest daily rate and the greatest proportion of utilization. Utilization by a nymphal instar is likely to exceed that of adults only under conditions of catastrophic population collapse.
Abstract 4066: Benzyl isothiocyanate causes degradation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in hepa1c1c7 cells

The biotransformation and detoxification of many carcinogens, including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, benzo [a] pyrene and 3-methylchloranthrene is dependent upon the activity of phase I and II enzymes, particularly CYP1A1 and NQO1. The transcriptional activation of these enzymes is regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and Nuclear Factor-Erythroid 2-Related Factor. These transcription factors reside in the cytoplasm and when activated, shed their respective chaperones and translocate into the nucleus where they interact with nuclear proteins involved with transcription of genes possessing xenobiotic (XRE) and antioxidant (ARE) response elements. We have previously observed that the phytochemical benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) induces nuclear translocation of the AhR independently of traditional ligands in Hepa1c1c7 cells and also induces AhR heterodimerization with ARNT. These observations suggest that BITC might bind the AhR and affect activity of these enzymes as well as the transcriptional regulation of XRE-responsive genes. In the current study we investigated whether BITC causes degradation of the AhR. This is important because it provides insight into potential mechanisms by which BITC affects AhR transcriptional regulation and the activity of phase I and II enzymes. Hepa1c1c7 cells were treated for 4 hours with DMSO alone, 10 μM BITC, 10 μM BNF or a combination of both 10 μM BITC and 10 μM BNF. Whole cell lysates were prepared and AhR immunoprecipitated and analyzed by western blot. Results showed that AhR was rapidly degraded in cells treated with BITC alone compared to controls. Furthermore, BITC enhanced degradation of the receptor in cells treated with a combination of both BITC and BNF compared to cells treated with BNF alone. In other experiments, Hepa1 cells were treated for 16 hours with BNF alone or a combination of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 μM BITC. Isolated proteins analyzed by western blot indicated that BITC enhanced degradation of the AhR in a dose dependent manner in cells treated with both BITC and BNF compared to BNF-only treated cells. Cumulatively, these data show that BITC degrades the AhR, which might decrease its function in transcription of XRE responsive genes. The results also suggest that increased degradation of the AhR might affect the activity of CYP1A1 and NQO1 thus affecting biotransformation and detoxification of carcinogens. They also provide preliminary evidence into one of the potential mechanisms by which BITC is chemopreventive. (Support: NIH MBRS/GM028248; RCMI RR033032). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4066.
Schemes of breaking electromagnetic loop networks for Anhui Power Grid during 2008～2015

The general idea of the electromagnetic loop network breaking scheme for Anhui Power Grid during 2008~2015 is presented,and relevant technical principles are proposed according to situation of the Grid.The main conclusions in the schemes are given,and suggestions on grid planning and construction are put forward.
Determination of phenobarbital in serum by two methods of differential spectrophotometry and their comparison

Objective: To develop two methods for determining the contents of phenobarbital in serum by differential spectrophotometry under two conditions,to comparison the average recovery,BSD,stability and noise of signal of determination et. Methods: Phenobarbital in serum was extracted two times with trichloromethane under acidic condition. The standard curves of Phenobarbital in serum were established according to the absor-bance deviations of phenobarbital in strong base and weak base, weak base and acidic media, and the phenobarbital in serum was determined by differential spectraphotometry under differential conditions.Results: The linear range of phenobarbital in serum under two conditions were 2-80 μg/ml,the average recovery and BSD were 100.66%±0.36% ,2.17%±0.08% under weak base and acidic condition; and the result of determination of phenobarbital in serum needless to be influenced in 25 min (P0.05) .The average recovery and RSD were (99.98±0.89) % , (4.73 ±0.18) % under strong and weak base condition, the result of determination of phenobarbital in serum seriously was influenced in 10 min (P 0.001),the absorbance of phenobarbital is lower 9% than original.Conclusions: The result determined of phenobarbital in serum by differential spectrophotomatry under weak base and acidic conditions has better stability and accuracy than strong and weak base.
Clinical analysis of 19 children with brainstem encephalitis associated with hand,foot and mouth disease

Objective To summarize the clinical features of brainstem encephalitis associated with hand,foot and mouth disease(HFMD) of Guangdong in 2008 and provide the basis for the diagnosis of the disease.Methods The clinical data of 19 children diagnosed as brainstem encephalitis associated with HFMD in May to July 2008 were collected.The clinical manifestation,laboratory examination,neuro-electrophysiology,imaging examination,treatment,prognosis and other characteristics were analyzed.The results were statistically analyzed by single factor and multiple factors analysis between above group and control group.Results The data of 19 cases with brainstem encephalitis associated with HFMD were as follows,① All of the 19 cases had fever and rash.The neurological symptoms such as limb tremor,abnormalities of eye movements(ocular drift or superduction),irritability,panic,walking instability and consciousness dysfunction were prevalent.The cranial nerves were damaged mainly on the single side,glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve paralysis were more common.Fifteen cases had respiratory failure,and three patients had pulmonary hemorrhage.②Peripheral blood WBC number rised in 8 cases.Cerebrospinal fluid pressure ascended in 4 cases.③EEG examination showed 8 cases were abnormal,and 14 cases were found abnormal in brainstem auditory evoked potential.④X-ray of three cases showed lungs exudative lesions.Head CT examinations found nothing abnormal,while 3 cases had abnormal MRI manifestations.⑤ Two patients died of central respiratory and circulatory failure.Seventeen patients were cured and showed no neurological symptoms when followed up for 6 months.⑥Single factor Logistic analysis showed brainstem encephalitis had great possibility to occur when following conditions appeared,such as limb tremor,change of respiratory rhythm,respiratory failure,abnormalities of eye movements(ocular drift or superduction),bucking in drinking,deviated mouth,tongue tremor,poor distal circulation,cross-paralysis and abnormal BAEP.Multiple factors Logistic analysis showed that limb tremor,abnormalities of eye movements(ocular drift or superduction) and abnormal BAEP were the risk factors for HFMD combined with brainstem encephalitis(OR=436.9,52.2,93.5,respectively).Conclusions Peripheral blood WBC,blood glucose and cerebrospinal fluid examinations were not specitic for brainstem encephalitis associated with HFMD.In children cases of HFMD showing limb tremor,abnormalities of eye movements(ocular drift or superduction) and above mentioned symptoms,brainstem encephalitis was suggested.BAEP had good diagnostic value for brainstem injury.Most cases with brainstem encephalitis associated with HFMD had good prognosis after timely and standard treatment.
A case of bupropion-associated delirium

The authors report a case of bupropion-associated delirium characterized by disorganized thinking, memory impairment, fear, and agitation but not disorientation, delusions, hallucinations, or other perceptual distortions. Symptom onset appeared to be dose-related, and a sustained therapeutic response was subsequently obtained at a lower dose of bupropion without recurrence of delirium. Abnormal bupropion metabolism and elevated plasma metabolite levels did not account for the adverse reaction, which instead was hypothesized to reflect dopaminergic effects of bupropion.
Gastrointestinal Infections in the Immunocompromised Host

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the largest lymphoid organ in the human body and, therefore, any defects in the cellular and/or humoral immune responses may be a strong predisposing factor to a multitude of enteric viral, fungal, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens as seen in some of the preceding chapters (1–18)