cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyphenolics Increase t‐PA and u‐PA Gene Transcription in Cultured Human Endothelial Cells

Background: Moderate red wine consumption has been associated with a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, and this cardioprotection may be mediated, in part, by promoting fibrinolysis. This protection may be attributed to the combined or perhaps synergistic effects of alcohol and other red wine components (i.e., polyphenolics). These studies were carried out to determine whether individual phenolics (i.e., catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, and resveratrol) affect fibrinolytic protein (tissue-type plasminogen activator [t-PA] and urokinase-type PA [u-PA]) expression and surface-localized fibrinolytic activity in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Methods: Cultured HUVECs were preincubated (1 hr, 37°C) in the absence or presence of varying concentrations of catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, and resveratrol (0.001-10 μM) and then were washed and incubated for various times in the absence of phenolics. Secreted t-PA/u-PA antigen (24 hr, enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay) and mRNA [0-16 hr, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)] levels and fibrinolytic activity (direct activation of HUVEC-bound 125 I-labeled glutamyl-plasminogen, quantitation of 125 I-labeled Mr 20 kDa plasmin light-chain) were measured. Transient transfections of cultured HUVECs were carried out with the pt-PA222/lue and pu-PA236/luc promoter constructs, by using lipofectamine. Results: Each of the phenolics similarly increased t-PA and u-PA antigen (2- to 3-fold) and mRNA (3-to 4-fold) levels, concomitant with an increase (2- to 3-fold) in sustained (24 hr), surface-localized fibrinolytic activity. Transcription inhibitor actinomycin D abolished the induction of t-PA and u-PA mRNA expression by these phenolics. Transfections with the pt-PA222/luc and pu-PA236/luc promoter constructs showed 2- to 3-fold and 2- to 4-fold increases in luciferase activity for t-PA and u-PA, respectively. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that each of these phenolics up-regulates both t-PA and u-PA gene transcription, which results in the sustained increased expression of surface-localized fibrinolytic activity in cultured HUVECs. Wine phenolics increase fibrinolytic activity, independent of ethanol, and it is likely that the overall cardioprotective benefits associated with moderate red wine consumption are attributable to the combined, additive, or perhaps synergistic effects of alcohol and other wine components.
3D NOC for many-core processors

With an increasing number of processors forming many-core chip multiprocessors (CMP), there exists a need for easily scalable, high-performance and low-power intra-chip communication infrastructure for emerging systems. In CMPs with hundreds of processing elements, 3D integration can be utilized to shorten long wires forming communication links. In this paper, we propose a Clos network-on-chip (CNOC) in conjunction with 3D integration as a viable network topology for many core CMPs. The primary benefit of 3D CNOC is scalability and a clear upper bound on power dissipation. We present the architectural and physical design of 3D CNOC and compare its performance with several other topologies. Comparisons are made among several topologies (fat tree, flattened butterfly, mesh and Clos) showing the power consumption of a 3D CNOC increases only minimally as the network size is scaled from 64 to 512 nodes relative to the other topologies. Furthermore, in a 512-node system, 3D CNOC consumes about 15% less average power than any other topology. We also compare 3D partitioning strategies for these topologies and discuss their effect on wire delay and the number of through-silicon vias.
Particle sizing in combustion systems using scattered laser light

Abstract This paper reviews light-scattering techniques for particle sizing, with emphasis on their use in combustion diagnostics. Submicron soot particles sizing in flames, using the diffusion-broadened spectrum of scattered light, is discussed in detail, beginning with the pioneering work of Penner and coworkers. Recent developments in the inversion of scattering data to yield soot number densities and size distributions are then reviewed. Finally, two imaging techniques for measuring particle sizes >1 μm are mentioned. One is holographic, and the other uses laser light emitted by the particle itself.
H-2-mediated resistance to an ecotropic type c retrovirus: localization of controlling genes and ontogenic studies of resistance.

H-2 recombinant mice of the C57BL/10 series were used to study resistance to infection by an ecotropic (B-tropic) type C retrovirus. The gene(s) responsible for resistance was mapped to theI- E/I-C subregions. Ontogenic studies indicated that thisI-region mediated resistance is not present in the neonate but develops with age, and is firmly established within 2 weeks after birth. This temporary neonatal susceptibility in mice of resistant genotype is not the result of active suppression of the immune response.
Endomorphins exit the brain by a saturable efflux system at the basolateral surface of cerebral endothelial cells

Endomorphin-1 (EM-1) and endomorphin-2 (EM-2) are two highly selective mu-opiate receptor agonists. We recently demonstrated that EM-1 and EM-2 have a saturable transport system from brain-to-blood in vivo. Since the endothelial cells are the main component of the non-fenestrated microvessels of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), we examined whether these endogenous tetrapeptides have a saturable transport system in cultured cerebral endothelial cells. EM-1 and EM-2 binding and transport were studied in a transwell system in which primary mouse endothelial cells were co-cultured with rat glioma cells. We found that binding of both endomorphins was greater on the basolateral than the apical cell surface. Flux of EM-1 and EM-2 occurred predominantly in the basolateral to apical direction, each showing self-inhibition with an excess of the respective endomorphin. Transport was not influenced by the addition of the P-glycoprotein inhibitor, cyclosporin A. Neither the mu-opiate receptor agonist DAMGO nor the delta-opiate receptor agonist DPDPE had any effect on the transport. Thus, the results show that a saturable transport system for EM-1 and EM-2 occurs at the level of endothelial cells of the BBB, and unlike β-endorphin and morphine, P-glycoprotein is not needed for the brain-to-blood transport. Cross-inhibition of the transport of each endomorphin by the other suggests a shared transport system that is different from mu- or delta-opiate receptors. As endormorphins are mainly produced in the CNS, the presence of the efflux system at the BBB could play an important role in pain modulation and neuroendocrine control.
Combustion chemistry in premixed C2F4O2 flames

Abstract The flame speed and combustion product distribution in a premixed C 2 F 4 O 2 flame at atmospheric pressure have been measured and are compared with computational predictions. The dependence of the flame speed on fuel/oxygen ratio compares well with previous measurements. In contrast to hydrocarbon flames, the flame speed does not correlate with the adiabatic flame temperature, i.e., the maximum flame speed does not occur at the composition corresponding to the maximum adiabatic flame temperature. COF 2 is observed to be the predominant combustion product for all fuel concentrations. The relative amounts of products experimentally observed are not in accord with those predicted by thermodynamic calculations. The previously published chemical mechanism derived from shock tube data is not adequate to explain our experimental results. An improved chemical combustion mechanism is proposed and tested using modern chemical kinetic computational codes. Suggestions are made for experiments to validate and improve the proposed mechanism.
On the elastic properties and mechanical damping of Ti3SiC2, Ti3GeC2, Ti3Si0.5Al0.5C2 and Ti2AlC in the 300–1573 K temperature range

Abstract In this paper we report on the temperature dependencies of Young’s, E , and shear moduli, μ , of polycrystalline Ti 3 SiC 2 , Ti 2 AlC, Ti 3 GeC 2 and Ti 3 Si 0.5 Al 0.5 C 2 samples determined by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy in the 300–1573 K temperature range. For the isostructural 312 phases, both the longitudinal and shear sound velocities decrease in the following order: Ti 3 SiC 2 > Ti 3 Si 0.5 Al 0.5 C 2 > Ti 3 AlC 2 > Ti 3 GeC 2 . Like other phases in the same family, these solids are relatively stiff and lightweight. The room temperature E values range between 340 and 277 GPa for Ti 2 AlC to 340 GPa for Ti 3 SiC 2 ; the corresponding μ values range between 119 and 144 GPa. Poisson’s ratio is around 0.19. Both E and μ decrease linearly and slowly with increasing temperature for all compositions examined. The loss factor, Q −1 , is found to be relatively high and a weak function of grain size and temperature up to a critical temperature, after which it increases significantly. Modest (4% strain) pre-deformation of Ti 3 SiC 2 at elevated temperatures results in roughly an order of magnitude increase in Q −1 as compared to as-sintered samples, which led us to the conclusion that the damping is due to the interaction of dislocation segments with the ultrasound waves. That Q −1 decreases with increasing strain amplitude is consistent with such an interpretation. The loss factors of the deformed Ti 3 SiC 2 sample are orders of magnitude higher than those of typical structural ceramics. The technological implications of having readily machinable solids that have stiffnesses comparable to Si 3 N 4 and damping capabilities comparable to some woods are obvious and are discussed.
A rapid method of separation and determination of quaternary ammonium compounds involved in carnitine metabolism.

Abstract The rapid separation of several quaternary ammonium compounds involved in carnitine metabolism is reported. Two convenient methods based on spectrophotometry and liquid scintillation counting are employed to determine the eluting compounds. The application of the techniques to biological determinations is discussed.
Antidepressant drug-induced blood pressure changes and their management

Abstract The recent introduction of venlafaxine (Effexor) and the manufacturer's recommendation that clinicians routinely monitor blood pressure in patients taking this agent stimulated this review of antidepressant drugs and blood pressure. Many antidepressant drugs can induce hypertension, hypotension, and orthostatic hypotension. Antidepressants, particularly the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are commonly involved in drug-drug interactions including interactions with anti-hypertensive agents. Blood pressure monitoring has become an intrinsic part of the psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
Converting Biomechanical Energy into Electricity by a Muscle-Movement-Driven Nanogenerator

A living species has numerous sources of mechanical energy, such as muscle stretching, arm/leg swings, walking/running, heart beats, and blood flow. We demonstrate a piezoelectric nanowire based nanogenerator that converts biomechanical energy, such as the movement of a human finger and the body motion of a live hamster (Campbell’s dwarf), into electricity. A single wire generator (SWG) consists of a flexible substrate with a ZnO nanowire affixed laterally at its two ends on the substrate surface. Muscle stretching results in the back and forth stretching of the substrate and the nanowire. The piezoelectric potential created inside the wire leads to the flow of electrons in the external circuit. The output voltage has been increased by integrating multiple SWGs. A series connection of four SWGs produced an output voltage of up to ∼0.1-0.15 V. The success of energy harvesting from a tapping finger and a running hamster reveals the potential of using the nanogenerators for scavenging low-frequency energy from regular and irregular biomotion.
Nonlinear Analysis of Thick Antisymmetric Cross-Ply Laminated Plates in Cylindrical Bending

The large deflection analysis (in the von Karman sense) is used to assess the effects of transverse shear deformation and bending-extension coupling on the behavior of antisymmetrically laminated, cross-ply plates under cylindrical bending. Solutions are presented for uniformly loaded simply supported and clamped plates.
Sexpectations: Male College Students’ Views about Displayed Sexual References on Females’ Social Networking Web Sites

Abstract Study Objective Sexual reference display on a social networking web site (SNS) is associated with self-reported sexual intention; females are more likely to display sexually explicit content on SNSs. The purpose of this study was to investigate male college students’ views towards sexual references displayed on publicly available SNSs by females. Design Focus groups. Setting One large state university. Participants Male college students age 18–23. Interventions All tape recorded discussion was fully transcribed, then discussed to determine thematic consensus. Main Outcome Measures A trained male facilitator asked participants about views on sexual references displayed on SNSs by female peers and showed examples of sexual references from female’s SNS profiles to facilitate discussion. Results A total of 28 heterosexual male participants participated in seven focus groups. Nearly all participants reported using Facebook to evaluate potential female partners. Three themes emerged from our data. First, participants reported that displays of sexual references on social networking web sites increased sexual expectations. Second, sexual reference display decreased interest in pursuing a dating relationship. Third, SNS data was acknowledged as imperfect but valuable. Conclusion Females who display sexual references on publicly available SNS profiles may be influencing potential partners’ sexual expectations and dating intentions. Future research should examine females’ motivations and beliefs about displaying such references and educate women about the potential impact of these sexual displays.
Brecht eu misturo com Caetano citação, mercado e forma musical

Este ensaio demostra que ha uma afinidade metodologica profunda entre a pratica musical de Caetano Veloso a partir de 1969 e a dos esforcos colaborativos de Bertolt Brecht e Kurt Weill de 1928 a 1930. Sem duvida, muito ha que as separe, do ponto de vista ideologico, historico, e estetico. Porem as diferencas historicas sao postas em relevo pela identidade metodologica; as diferencas ideologicas assumem novas valencias a sua luz; e as diferencas esteticas definem as possibilidades e os limites do sentido musical em nosso proprio tempo.
Understanding Special Education Teacher Attrition: A Conceptual Model and Implications for Teacher Educators:

Teacher attrition is one of the foremost problems facing special education in the next decade. Little information exists, however, that describes the variables that affect teacher attrition and the...
Effect of body mass index (BMI) on estimation of extracellular volume (ECV) in hemodialysis (HD) patients using segmental and whole body bioimpedance analysis

The aim of the study was to investigate whether body mass index (BMI) influences the estimation of extracellular volume (ECV) in hemodialysis (HD) patients when using segmental bioimpedance analysis (SBIA) compared to wrist-to-ankle bioimpedance analysis (WBIA) during HD with ultrafiltration (UF). Twenty five HD patients (M:F 19:6,) were studied, and further subdivided into two groups of patients, one group with a high BMI (25 kg m-2) and the other with a low BMI (<25 kg m-2). Segmental (arm, trunk, leg) and wrist-to-ankle bioimpedance measurements on each patient were performed using a modified Xitron 4000B system (Xitron Technologies, San Diego, CA). No differences in extracellular resistance (R(E), ohms) between wrist-to-ankle (R(W)) and sum of segments (R(S)) were noted for either the high BMI (489.2+/-82 ohm versus 491.6+/-82 ohm, p=ns) or low BMI groups (560.8+/-77 ohm versus 557.5+/-75 ohm, p=ns). UF volume (UFV, liters) did not differ significantly between the groups (4.0+/-0.9 L versus 3.3+/-1.0 L, p=ns), but change in ECV (DeltaECV) differed not only between methods: WBIA versus SBIA in the high BMI group (2.74+/-1.1 L versus 3.64+/-1.4 L, p<0.001) and in the low BMI group (1.86+/-0.9 L versus 2.91+/-1.0 L, p<0.05) but also between the high and lower BMI groups with WBIA (2.74+/-1.1 L versus 1.86+/-0.9 L, p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in SBIA between BMI groups. This study suggests that the segmental bioimpedance approach may more accurately reflect changes in ECV during HD with UF than whole body impedance measurements.
Recurrent benign metastasizing leiomyoma after hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Background Benign uterine leiomyomas are sometimes found in association with benign smooth muscle tumors outside the confines of the uterus and are given the name benign metastasizing leiomyomas (BML). We present two patients who were on estrogen replacement therapy, in which BML recurred twice despite previous hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH/BSO) requiring two additional laparotomies.
Thermodynamics of internal C·T mismatches in DNA

Thermodynamics of 23 oligonucleotides with internal single C.T mismatches were obtained by measuring UV absorbance as a function of temperature. Results from these 23 duplexes were combined with three measurements from the literature to derive nearest-neighbor thermodynamic parameters for seven linearly independent trimer sequences with internal C.T mismatches. The data show that the nearest-neighbor model is adequate for predicting thermodynamics of oligonucleotides with internal C.T with average deviations for Delta G degrees37, Delta H degrees, Delta S degrees and T m of 6.4%, 9.9%, 10.6%, and 1.9 degreesC respectively. C.T mismatches destabilize the duplex in all sequence contexts. The thermodynamic contribution of C. T mismatches to duplex stability varies weakly depending on the orientation of the mismatch and its context and ranges from +1.02 kcal/mol for GCG/CTC and CCG/GTC to +1.95 kcal/mol for TCC/ATG.
Modeling Effects of Crystalline Microstructure, Energy Storage Mechanisms, and Residual Volume Changes on Penetration Resistance of Precipitate-Hardened Aluminum Alloys

Abstract An anisotropic nonlinear crystal mechanics model is developed for a class of ductile aluminum alloys, with the intent of relating microscopic features and properties to performance of the alloys deformed at high strain rates that may arise during impact and blast events. A direct numerical simulation of dynamic tensile deformation of an aluminum polycrystal demonstrates a tendency for shear localization to occur in regions of the microstructure where the ratio of the rate of residual (i.e., stored) elastic energy to plastic dissipation is minimal. By coarse-graining predictions of the crystal plasticity framework using a Taylor averaging scheme, a macroscopic constitutive model is developed to investigate effects of microstructure on ballistic perforation resistance of plates of an Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloy. Specific aspects of microstructure investigated include random and rolled cubic textures as well as stored elastic energy and residual volume changes associated with lattice defects, impurities, and inclusions such as second phases in the metal–matrix composite. Results suggest performance could be improved by tailoring microstructures to increase the shear yield strength and the ratio of residual elastic energy to dissipated heat.
Compactness Properties of Positive Operators

A compact operator sends an arbitrary norm bounded sequence to a sequence with a norm convergent subsequence. For this reason, when operators are associated with integral equations, the compact operators are the most desirable. Besides being compact, an operator with some type of compactness is more useful than an arbitrary operator.
The classical record industry in the United States

The classical record industry affects all segments of the music community. The most obvious beneficiary is the consumer who can listen to his favorite compositions whenever he wishes and become familiar with music he may never have the opportunity to hear in live concerts. Recordings are also important to performers and composers who benefit economically not only from the recording fees and royalties but also from the exposure to a wider audience than they would otherwise be able to reach. Several artists, such as Alfred Brendel and Ivan Moravec, first became known to American audiences through their recordings. The careers of many composers have been advanced in the same way (1). Few people have had the opportunity to hear the clarinet and oboe concertos of John Coriogliano or the string quartets of George Rochberg in live performance, but successful recordings of these works have made them well known throughout the country. The Schwann catalogs (2) list approximately 10,000 classical records in print in the United States, and these are issued by over seventy different companies. These numbers would seem to indicate that the industry is prosperous and healthy, but the general opinion is that this is not the case. Important changes have taken place in the structure of the industry over the past thirty years, and there is some doubt that the policies and practices of the industry have met the challenge presented by these changes. One person closely associated with the industry says simply that "the classical record industry is in a mess" (3). This paper will examine the structural changes that have led to the conclusion that the condition of this important industry is less than healthy. Before 1950 the classical record industry was completely dominated by two companies, Victor (now RCA) and Columbia (now CBS). Recording equipment required a
Fetal cardiac autonomic control during breathing and non-breathing epochs: The effect of maternal exercise

Abstract We explored whether maternal exercise during pregnancy moderates the effect of fetal breathing movements on fetal cardiac autonomic control assessed by metrics of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). Thirty women were assigned to Exercise or Control group (n = 15/group) based on the modifiable physical activity questionnaire (MPAQ). Magnetocardiograms (MCG) were recorded using a dedicated fetal biomagnetometer. Periods of fetal breathing activity and apnea were identified using the fetal diaphragmatic magnetomyogram (dMMG) as a marker. MCG R-waves were marked. Metrics of fetal HR and HRV were compared using 1 breathing and1 apneic epoch/fetus. The main effects of group (Exercise vs. Control) and condition (Apnea vs. Breathing) and their interactions were explored. Fetal breathing resulted in significantly lower fetal HR and higher vagally-mediated HRV. Maternal exercise resulted in significantly lower fetal HR, higher total HRV and vagally-mediated HRV with no difference in frequency band ratios. Significant interactions between maternal exercise and fetal breathing were found for metrics summarizing total HRV and a parasympathetic metric. Post hoc comparison showed no group difference during fetal apnea. Fetal breathing was associated with a loss of Total HRV in the Control group and no difference in the Exercise group. Both groups show enhanced vagal function during fetal breathing; greater in the Exercise group. During in utero breathing movements, the fetus of the exercising mother has enhanced cardiac autonomic function that may give the offspring an adaptive advantage.
The oldest primate endocast.

The endocranial cast of Tetonius homunculus, a 55 million year old tarsioid primate, is primitive in having relatively large olfactory bulbs and small frontal lobes, but remarkably advanced for an Early Eocene mammal in its voluminous occipital and temporal lobes. Expansion of occipital and temporal cortical regions of the brain suggests improvement in visual and auditory function, which may have been an important factor in the Early Eocene radiation of the primates.
The tiny world of microRNAs in the cross hairs of the mammalian eye

Over the past ten years, it has become increasingly apparent that the repertoire of transcripts produced by any given eukaryotic genome is more diverse and abundant than originally thought and that a significant fraction of the genetic material of all organisms produces transcripts that do not encode proteins. All organisms produce non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), transfer RNAs (tRNAs), small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). Because of their central roles in the translation of messenger RNA (mRNA), these classes of ncRNAs have evolved little in billions of years. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and repeat-associated small interfering RNAs (rasiRNAs) belong to a group of ncRNAs commonly referred to as the small regulatory RNAs. Small regulatory RNAs are intimately associated with the discovery of RNA interference and the subsequent development of silencing technologies that has revolutionised the reverse genetic approach. For example, it is no longer necessary to conduct lengthy in vivo knockout approaches to determine gene function. It is no coincidence that members of the small regulatory RNA group have similar biogenic pathways and mechanisms of action and can sometimes only be distinguished either by their differing origins or by the type of targets they regulate. As their name implies, small regulatory RNAs are exceedingly small molecules, ranging in size from 21 to 25 nucleotides. Yet, despite their tiny stature, these small RNA molecules exert profound and potent influences on a diverse array of biological systems (see below). MiRNAs, more than any other class of regulatory RNA, have drawn the lion’s share of attention in recent years. MiRNAs have been found in diverse organisms from both the plant and animal kingdoms. Their numbers have increased exponentially since the first descriptive reports of the two founding members of their class, lin-4 and let-7, were published. A central online database, the miRNA Registry (http://www.microrna. sanger.ac.uk/sequences), was created in 2004 to accommodate the expanding numbers of newly identified miRNAs. The database incorporated a previously developed system for the acceptance and annotation of newly identified sequences as miRNAs. The miRNA Registry currently lists 5,922 distinct miRNA sequences from the genomes of 58 species. MiRNA genes account for between 1 and 2 per cent of the total gene pool of an organism. Many miRNAs are phylogenetically conserved. For example, 60 per cent of the 533 unique human miRNAs are also found in mice. A smaller but significant number of these miRNAs, such as let-7, are highly conserved across a wider range of species, reflecting important biological functions. MiRNAs exhibit as wide a variety of developmental and tissue distribution patterns as we are accustomed to seeing with the more commonly encountered proteincoding mRNAs. Many miRNAs are expressed in REVIEW
Genetic complementation to identify DNA elements that influence complement resistance in Leishmania chagasi.

Past studies showed that Leishmania spp. promastigotes exhibit differential sensitivity to complement mediated lysis (CML) during development in vitro and in vivo. Leishmania chagasi promastigotes in cultures during logarithmic and stationary growth phases are CML-sensitive or CML-resistant when exposed to human serum, respectively, but only in cultures recently initiated with parasites from infected animals; serially passaged cultures become constitutively CML-sensitive regardless of growth phase. Building on these observations, a genetic screen was conducted to identify novel complement resistance factors of L. chagasi. A cosmid library containing genomic DNA was transfected into a promastigote line previously subjected to >50 serial passages. Selection with human serum for CML resistance yielded 12 transfectant clones. Cosmids isolated from 7 of these clones conferred CML resistance when transfected into an independent, high-passage promastigote culture; at 12% human serum, the mean survival of transfe...
Teaching and learning of deburring robots using neural networks

A method for applying advanced robot adaptive control to manufacturing processes is described. A teaching method for constructing a sensor-based, task-level adaptive control system is described. Adaptive control laws that elucidate human motions are identified and stored in a multi-layer neural network. The resultant task performance is evaluated, and the relationship between the human actions and the performance index is stored in a second neural network. Based on the initial teaching data, the robot begins to perform a task. While performing a task repeatedly, the robot acquires additional data and improves its performance. Errors with respect to the performance index are propagated through the second network to modify the adaptive control law represented by its performance and excel the human operator who has provided the initial teaching data. A proof-of-concept demonstration and simulation are presented. >
Health care coverage for not-yet-born children.

Given the battles over abortion pro-choice advocates are understandably skeptical that the new federal rules are not about abortion. A better and less divisive option would be to broaden health care coverage explicitly to include pregnant women. This would have done even more to protect future children since biologically mothers and fetuses are not independent but a unit that must be treated together. (excerpt)
Automating the Extraction of 3D Models from Medical Images for Virtual Reality and Haptic Simulations

The Sensimmer platform represents our ongoing research on simultaneous haptics and graphics rendering of 3D models. For simulation of medical and surgical procedures using Sensimmer, 3D models must be obtained from medical imaging data, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computed Tomography (CT). Image segmentation techniques are used to determine the anatomies of interest from the images. 3D models are obtained from segmentation and their triangle reduction is required for graphics and haptics rendering. This paper focuses on creating an integrated interface between Sensimmer and medical imaging devices, using available software. Existing tools are evaluated, as well as aspects that require further development are identified. Solutions to overcome limitations and increase the degree of automation of the process are examined.
Cerebrospinal Fluid in Cerebral Hemorrhage and Infarction

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities were correlated with pathological diagnoses in 61 patients with autopsy-verified intracerebral hemorrhage or cerebral infarction. Lumbar punctures were performed within one week of onset of symptoms. The CSF color and red blood cell counts were the most useful CSF parameters in differentiating between intracerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction. In 75% of the patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, the CSF was either grossly bloody or xanthochromic; in 25%, the CSF was clear. In patients with cerebral infarction, the CSF was never grossly bloody; in two patients with hemorrhagic infarction, the CSF was xanthochromic. The CSF pressure, protein values and leukocyte counts were less useful in differentiating intracerebral hemorrhage from cerebral infarction. Cases with hemorrhagic infarction could not be separated from those with ischemic infarction on the basis of CSF analysis. In clear CSF, the polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocyte (PNL) counts were never greater than 20 per cubic millimeter. In xanthochromic or cloudy CSF, leukocyte counts, especially PNLs, were frequently elevated, occasionally to the high levels.
A many-valued logic for approximate reasoning

A new system of many-valued logic, the Extended Post system of order p, p ≥ 2, is proposed as a system of logic supporting reasoning with facts and rules which are reliable to a specified extent. In an Extended Post system there are as many operations of logical disjunction and logical conjunction as there are truth values. The truth value associated with a particular operation of disjunction (conjunction) acts as a threshold value controlling the behavior of the operation. The availability of an extended set of logical operations provides improved flexibility in the symbolic translation of sentences from the ordinary word-language. Extended Post systems are equipped with a semantics in which graded rather than crisp sets correspond to predicates. The system exhibits a "rich" algebraic structure. The p operations of disjunction form a distributivity cycle. To each disjunction there corresponds a dual operation of conjunction, the two operations being distributive to one another. The p conjunctions form a dual distributivity cycle. Both propositional calculus and first-order predicate calculus of EP systems are developed. The application to approximate reasoning is described. It is shown that there exist distinct isomorphic copies of fuzzy logic, each corresponding to a distinct level of approximation and being complete to resolution.
Minimally invasive oesophagectomy: the Ivor Lewis approach

Oesophagectomy is a challenging operation involving multiple body cavities. The traditional open approach has several described techniques. The Ivor Lewis approach is one of the most commonly utilized approaches and includes a laparotomy and a thoracotomy. Traditionally, this has resulted in some morbidity. This article describes a stepwise approach to a minimally invasive Ivor Lewis oesophagectomy including laparoscopic mobilization of the stomach, formation of the gastric conduit, placement of a feeding jejunostomy tube, thoracoscopic oesophageal mobilization and resection and a stapled oesophago-gastric anastomosis. Common pitfalls and technical insights will be presented.
Acquiring literacy is natural: Who skilled cock robin?

Kenneth S. Goodman College of Education University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona A n old English folksong asks the question "Who Killed Cock Robin?". I've parodied that question in the title of this paper because I believe that many of the problems in literacy instruction in the world today are misunderstood because learning to read has been treated as a matter of acquiring a series of skills. In the literate nations particularly America we've built a technology of reading skills. On a world basis, literacy can be easily seen to be proportionate to the need for literacy within any society or subgroup of the particular society. Even within literate societies, different ethnic, cultural and economic groups show notably different patterns of acceptance of literacy and literacy instruction. But as we've built a technology of instruction in literate societies, we've created pathologies of failure which are independent of the need for language, the nature of language or the natural learning of language. The technology we've built treats reading as something difficult to be systematically taught skill upon skill. Though this technology has no foundation either in theory or research, it has acquired, over time, a credibility partly due to pedagogical traditionwe continue to do what others have done before us and partly due to its arbitrary specificity. Skills are arranged sequentially and hierarchically and drills and exercises are multiplied and duplicated to teach the skills. Research fills the professional literature reporting experiments on the most effective ways of teaching the skills, creating the illusion that the skills themselves have a base in scientific research. Achievement tests based on the skill hierarchies become the means for determining the extent of acquisition of literacy. Performance on these tests becomes synonymous with reading itself. Low scores on tests are offered as proof of failure and a new technology is created to find the pathological causes within the non-learner's failure to acquire the skills. And more drills and exercises are multiplied and duplicated to remediate the deficiencies and teach the skills. Networks of professionally trained diagnosticians, clinicians and remediators are
A review of dopamine agonist therapy in type 2 diabetes and effects on cardio-metabolic parameters

Dopamine action appears to play a role in changes that are seen in obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Bromocriptine-QR (Quick Release), a dopamine agonist, is approved for use in treatment of type 2 diabetes. It has demonstrated modest improvement in glycemic parameters, cholesterol and weight in certain cohorts. Limited data using cabergoline, a long-acting dopamine agonist, also demonstrate glycemic efficacy. Additionally, bromocriptine-QR appears to have a favorable cardiovascular risk reduction. The direct mechanism by which bromocriptine-QR, or central dopamine agonism, achieves modest glycemic control and favorable cardio-metabolic profile is unclear. This relationship appears to be more complex than the historical explanation of "resetting" the circadian clock and may further be elucidated using data in individuals with hyperprolactinemia and prolactinoma.
Pilot Study to Test the Effectiveness of Different Financial Incentives to Improve Medication Adherence

Background: Medication nonadherence affects health care costs, morbidity, and mortality. Concepts from behavioral economics can guide the development of interventions to improve medication adherence. Objective: To measure the relative effectiveness of 2 behavioral economic-based incentive structures to improve medication adherence. Methods: This randomized controlled trial compared adherence among participants taking antihypertensive or antihyperlipidemic medications randomized to usual care (UC), guaranteed pay-out (GPO) incentives, or lottery incentives. Daily adherence was measured over a 90-day period using electronic caps (Medication Event Monitoring System [MEMS]). The GPO group received $30 up-front in a virtual account, with $0.50 deducted for each missed dose. Lottery group participants were eligible for a weekly $50 drawing, but only if they had taken their medication as prescribed all week. An electronic survey assessed self-reported adherence. Statistical analysis included descriptive statisti...
Network integrity via coordinated motion of stratospheric vehicles

This paper considers the task of deploying mobile wireless repeaters on aerial vehicles in the upper air of Earth to increase the Internet connectivity of users with little to no network infrastructure. By routing data between a user and a strong connection to the Internet through the vehicle network, this ad hoc infrastructure can provide Internet access to those currently without it. We consider two different types of vehicles, altitude-actuating balloons and fixed-altitude gliders, and examine the task of finding optimal vehicle trajectories under lateral wind dynamics employing a throughput-based performance function. Given the complexity of computing the optimal trajectories of all vehicles simultaneously, we introduce an approximation that allows us to determine the optimal trajectory of a single vehicle. We use this optimal trajectory as a reference for the network and develop a coordination algorithm that makes all vehicles follow it while being spaced out equally in time, providing good overall coverage to users. For gliders, we show that, if cost of control is small enough, these vehicles converge to a stationary formation rather than flow with the wind. Simulations validate the throughput performance of the proposed periodic trajectories.
Changing college students' lifestyles in favor of cancer prevention: a case study.

Abstract This article describes a case study in the examination of cancer risk reduction behavioral strategies chosen by 272 college students enrolled in the 1987 “How to Avoid Dying from Cancer … Now and Later”; course. The four most commonly selected cancers chosen by these students—breast, colon/colorectal, skin, and lung cancer—and the corresponding self‐reported success of the various strategies are reported. The three most successful strategies were breast self‐examination, use of sunscreen lotions, and increased awareness of breast cancer. We concluded that the potential of using behavioral self‐contracts to induce lifestyle change in favor of cancer prevention is both cost‐effective and practical.
Growth and Characterization of AlN and GaN Thin Films Deposited on Si(111) Substrates Containing a Very Thin Al Layer

AlN films and GaN films with AlN buffer layers were deposited via metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on Si (111) substrates previously exposed to trimethylaluminum for increasing times. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to determine the influence of Al pre-flow time on the nucleation and surface morphology of the AlN and GaN films. When preceded by a 10 second Al pre-flow, AlN films feature an increased and more uniform nucleation density as compared to films deposited without Al pre-flows. Ten second Al pre-flows were also found to result in a reduction of the RMS roughness for 100 nm thick AlN films from 3.6 nm to 1.0 nm. AFM of 0.5 µm thick GaN films deposited on AlN buffers with varying pre-flow times showed reduced roughness and decreased pit density when using Al pre-flows of 10 or 20 seconds. High resolution x-ray diffraction of the GaN films showed a reduction in the average full-width half-maximum (FWHM) of the GaN (00.2) reflection from 1076 arcsec to 914 arcsec when the AlN buffer layer was initiated with a 10 second Al pre-flow. Increasing the pre-flow time to 20 seconds and 30 seconds resulted in average (00.2) FWHM values of 925 arcsec and 928 arcsec, respectively. Similar behavior of the peak widths was observed for the (30.2) and (10.3) reflections when the pre-flow times were varied from 0 to 30 seconds.
A Classification of North American Conopidae

In the course of determining several lots of North American Conopidae, it soon became evident that there were considerably more names than species. Sixty-seven years age S. W. Williston, in his account of Conops, admonished that “the indiscriminate description of new species, is here especially to be deprecated; and, owing to the great individual variation of color, and the paucity of plastic characters, large collections will be essential, eventually, to a complete and satisfactory knowledge”. Since Williston's advice has not been too well followed, the present paper is an attempt to clear up some of the difficulties and present a point of departure for future studies.
Avatars and Christ

That Jesus Christ is a God-man is generally acknowledged. That he is the Incarnation of God is dogma in the Christian religion; that he is an Avatar is to view him through Hindu eyes. In the West there has emerged a gradual recognition of Jesus Christ as an Avatar, and it developed circuitously, partly through secret societies, mystery schools, esoteric groups, and non-Christian religions such as Islam. It has already been shown how in the 1870s, Ramakrishna embraced Jesus as an Avatar and placed him within the Hindu pantheon. Half a century later a Hindu convert to Christianity, V. Chakkarai, in his book Jesus the Avatar,2 stated that according to the Christian view Jesus Christ was ‘the Avatar of God’.3 And it has been shown in Chapter 3 how Christ replaced Krishna as a Western Avatar.
Second Order Multivariable Calculus

In this chapter, second order partial derivatives are used to approximate the error made in using a tangent plane and to develop tools for testing for minima and maxima for functions of two variables. The regression line for fitting data is then derived using these tools and covariance is introduced.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells May Become Less Dependent on Nurse-Like Cells during Later Stages of Disease.

Abstract A subset of blood mononuclear cells from patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can differentiate into large, adherent cells, termed “nurse-like cells” (NLC), that can attract CLL cells and protect them from undergoing apoptosis in vitro. When removed from NLC in vitro, CLL cells often undergo spontaneous apoptosis. We observed that the relative viability of isolated CLL cells cultured without versus with NLC appeared constant for any one sample in different experiments and did not vary with the source of the NLC used in any one experiment. Furthermore, the isolated CLL cells from some patients could survive in vitro without NLC better than could the leukemia cells of other patients. We examined for characteristics associated with CLL cells that were more or less reliant on NLC for survival in vitro. For this, we defined CLL cell populations as having “low dependency” on NLC when the relative leukemia cell viability after two days culture without NLC was less than one half-log (33%) lower than that of the same CLL cells co-cultured with NLC. Using a Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) assay, we examined CLL cell populations with low dependency (n = 4) versus samples with high dependency (n = 5) for expression of 40 distinct mRNA that encoded known pro-apoptotic or anti-apoptotic proteins. CLL cells with low dependency expressed significantly higher levels of BCL-2, and significantly lower levels of BAX-2 than CLL cells with high NLC dependency. There was no significant difference between the mean white blood cell counts of patients whose CLL cells had low-dependency versus those whose cells had high dependency on NLC in vitro. However, in the high dependency group there was a significantly higher proportion of cases that expressed ZAP-70 than in the group with low dependency. This association, however, could reflect the fact that many of the samples with low dependency were acquired from patients who had long-established disease, a characteristic that typically was not associated with patients who have CLL cells that expressed ZAP-70. The mean time from diagnosis to the date of sample collection was significantly longer (m = 66.6 ± 47.0 months, median = 49 months, n=30) for samples with low dependency than it was for those cases with high dependency (m = 41.2 ± 25.1 months, median = 39.5 months, n=20) (p=0.017). Furthermore, evaluation of serial samples collected over years from the same patients (n = 5) revealed that the relative dependency of CLL cells on NLC could decrease significantly over time. In none of the serial samples did we observe increased dependency of the CLL cells on NLC over time or over that observed for the CLL cells isolated from the initial sample collection. These data suggest that over the course of the disease CLL cells might acquire less dependency on NLC, and potentially also on its stromal microenvironment.
Is TV Really the New American Religion?: A Cultivation Analysis of Nine Social Issues

George Gerbner (1977, 1980, 1981) theorized that TV and organized religion compete for cultural dominance. Television programming acts like religion, subtly teaching its viewers about the nature of social reality. He concluded that television is beginning to "displace, if not replace" (Gerbner, et al. 1984, 10) the importance of religion in heavy viewers' lives. But surprisingly little research has ever been conducted on this topic. This study analyzes television and religion data collected over 35 years to test Gerbner's thesis. The data indicate that religion is a much more potent influence on viewers' opinions than television use. Respondents' TV viewing demonstrated small main effects on attitudes toward seven of nine controversial social issues studied. Individuals' religious traditions showed small to medium main effects on attitudes toward all nine issues, however. Persons' religious service attendance also evidenced small to medium main effects on attitudes toward eight issues. In addition, no evidence of mainstreaming (Gerbner et. al. 1980, 1982) was found for over half the issues studied, and all but two of the observed interactions actually contradicted the concept. The weak evidence found for cultivation may indicate that television is not that powerful at shaping social attitudes or that TV is only beginning to make cultural inroads against organized religion.