cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Physiologically-Motivated Compartment-Based Model of the Effect of Inhaled Hypertonic Saline on Mucociliary Clearance and Liquid Transport in Cystic Fibrosis

Background: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease is characterized by liquid hyperabsorption, airway surface dehydration, and impaired mucociliary clearance (MCC). Herein, we present a compartment-based mathematical model of the airway that extends the resolution of functional imaging data. Methods: Using functional imaging data to inform our model, we developed a system of mechanism-motivated ordinary differential equations to describe the mucociliary clearance and absorption of aerosolized radiolabeled particle and small molecules probes from human subjects with and without CF. We also utilized a novel imaging metric in vitro to gauge the fraction of airway epithelial cells that have functional ciliary activity. Results: This model, and its incorporated kinetic rate parameters, captures the MCC and liquid dynamics of the hyperabsorptive state in CF airways and the mitigation of that state by hypertonic saline treatment. Conclusions: We postulate, based on the model structure and its ability to capture clinical patient data, that patients with CF have regions of airway with diminished MCC function that can be recruited with hypertonic saline treatment. In so doing, this model structure not only makes a case for durable osmotic agents used in lung-region specific treatments, but also may provide a possible clinical endpoint, the fraction of functional ciliated airway.
Population Size Estimates for Pyrgulopsis trivialis (Hydrobiidae), an Imperiled Aquatic Snail from East-Central Arizona

ABSTRACT Pyrgulopsis trivialis is a western North American hydrobiid snail that is a candidate for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered. No literature regarding population size estimates for this species were found. This type of information is limited for aquatic gastropods, springsnails in particular, though it is important for addressing conservation issues. Density counts were used on samplers made of saltillo tile within a single springbrook to estimate population size of P. trivialis. Three population estimates were obtained over the study period in 2002: 129,135; 80,130; and 164,234 snails. These estimates were statistically comparable, though they may under-estimate the true population size. Nevertheless, this provides a reliable and repeatable method of estimating population size for P. trivialis and other hydrobiids that live in similar lotic habitats.
Notes on the Origins of Meritocracy in American Schooling

In The Big Test Nicholas Lemann argues provocatively that the seemingly benign use of academic merit as a principal criterion for admission to selec? tive American colleges has had perverse effects. Selection devices like SAT1 scores may have given a previously under-advantaged group an admissions advantage, but that advantage cannot be fairly characterized as helping to equalize educational opportunity. Those who cannot play the academic merit game fall behind. Opportunity for all is thus not really broadened. How can this be in a country oversupplied with higher education, abundant financial aid, and an ever expanding tradition of second, third, and lifelong learning chances? Lemann has many answers. Our notion of "merit," he claims, embodies a narrow set of grade-getting and test-taking skills. Merit also begets the idea of a meritocracy, a new privileged class characterized not by inherited social or economic privilege but by measured brainpower?yet a class with as much potential for self-satisfied selfperpetuation as any hereditary aristocracy. The very fact that higher education is so widely accessible has magnified beyond reason competition for the most choosy colleges. Furthermore, excess use ofthe SAT, originally conceived as a test of innate ability, has diminished the perceived value of achievement and hard work. It absolves schools from responsibility to educate. If innate ability is the most important characteristic colleges seek, then equality of opportunity seems guaranteed by a system of selection and sorting rather than by one of education and training. The social structure of schooling?how opportunities are allocated or distributed?becomes more important than either curriculum or instruction. The burden of The Big Test is to flesh out and give evidence for these alleged developments during the last eight decades. Its method is complex and somewhat surprising. Given the contention that something like a new power elite, in the tradition of C. Wright Mills, has been quietly created right under our noses (Lemann is writing the "secret" history ofthe" mer? itocracy), one might have expected a more sociological analysis. The idea
Pocket-Calculator Approximation for Areas under the Standard Normal Curve

for Rules (1) and (2), respectively. Figure 2 clearly demonstrates that the value of p strongly influences the size of the absolute error for both rules. Indeed, nj(p)p(1 p) is roughly equal to 9 for all p, but MABS(nj(p), p) decreases from .0211611 to .0007444 as p increases from .01 to .5. n2(p)p is roughly equal to 5 for all p, but MABS(n2(p), p) decreases from .0284163 to .0025054 as p increases from .01 to .5. Our computations show that the bound
In vitro dermal absorption of flame retardant chemicals

Flame retardant chemicals may be used in furniture fabric in the future to reduce the flammability of the fabric. As a part of the process to evaluate the potential for exposure to these chemicals, this study examined the in vitro dermal absorption of two flame retardant chemicals. The chemicals were [14C]decabromodiphenyl oxide (DBDPO) and [14C]tris-(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCP). Skin from the adult hairless female mouse (SKH1) was removed and mounted in flow-through diffusion cells. The chemicals, at three dose levels (DBDPO: 6, 30 and 60 nmol; TDCP: 20, 100 and 200 pmol), were applied in a volatile vehicle (tetrahydrofuran for DBDPO; acetone for TDCP) to the skin. Fractions of receptor fluid, pumped below the skin, were collected over a 24-h period. The skin was washed with solvent (tetrahydrofuran for DBDPO; ethanol for TDCP) to remove unabsorbed chemical 24 h after application. The receptor fluid, skin wash and skin were analyzed for chemical-derived radioactivity. The skin from the high-dose group of both chemicals, and the receptor fluid from TDCP high-dose samples, were analyzed for parent compound and metabolites by HPLC. The 24-h cumulative percent of the dose of DBDPO in the receptor fluid was very low (0.07–0.34%). The applied dose of DBDPO detected in the skin ranged from 2 to 20%. The lowest dose of DBDPO had the highest percentage of the dose (20%) in the skin. The major portion of the applied dose was removed by washing the skin 24 h after application of DBDPO, and ranged from 77 to 92%. HPLC analysis of homogenate extract prepared from the high-dose of DBDPO-treated skin showed the presence of DBDPO and a minor unknown peak. TDCP was readily detected in the receptor fluid; 39–57% of the applied dose of TDCP was in the receptor fluid by 24 h. The solvent wash removed 11–25% of the dose from the skin and 28–35% remained in it. HPLC analysis of the skin homogenate extract and receptor fluid extract from the TDCP high-dose treated samples showed the presence of parent compound and a minor unknown peak. TDCP more readily penetrated hairless mouse skin and diffused into the receptor fluid than DBDPO. TDCP has a lower molecular weight and log octanol:water partition coefficent than DBDPO. The differences in the physico-chemical properties of these two chemicals most likely explains their dissimilar absorption through hairless mouse skin.
The Mercurial Insensitive Water Channel (AQP-4) Forms Orthogonal Arrays in Stably Transfected Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

The mercurial insensitive water channel (MIWC, AQP-4) is a water-selective transporter expressed at the basolateral plasma membrane of principal cells in kidney collecting duct, airway epithelium, and gastric parietal cells, as well as in astrocytes and skeletal muscle plasmalemma. Because these sites correspond to membranes where orthogonal arrays of particles (OAPs) have been observed by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, we tested the hypothesis that MIWC forms OAPs. Chinese hamster ovary cells were stably transfected with the coding sequence of rat MIWC under a cytomegalovirus promoter. Immunostaining of clonal cell populations showed MIWC expression at the plasma membrane. A single band at 31 kDa was detected on immunoblot. Cell fractionation by sucrose gradient centrifugation indicated strong MIWC expression in plasma membrane fractions with lesser expression in Golgi. Functional analysis by stopped-flow light scattering showed high mercurial insensitive water permeability in plasma membrane vesicles. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed distinct OAPs on the plasma membrane P-face of MIWC-expressing cells with morphology indistinguishable from that in basolateral membrane of kidney collecting duct; the E-face showed corresponding linear grooves (spacing, ≃8 nm) in transfected cells and collecting duct. OAPs were not observed in control (empty vector-transfected) cells or CHIP28 (AQP1)-transfected cells in which disorganized intramembrane particle aggregates were found. These results provide direct evidence that a molecular water channel can spontaneously assemble in regular arrays.
Helping clients reduce self-evaluative behavior: Consider the consequences

Self-evaluation or self-rating is recognized by RET theorists and practitioners to play an important causal role in many emotional disturbances. Eliminating “rating” behavior is a crucial, but often difficult, task. Clients often persist in pervasive self-evaluation despite having an intellectual understanding of (1) the logical absurdity of the overgeneralizations involved in “rating,” and (2) the practical disadvantages of rating in terms of unpleasant emotional consequences and maladaptive behavioral consequences. This paper suggests that therapists place additional emphasis upon discovering and confronting the anticipated negative consequences of giving up self-evaluation. One commonly anticipated negative consequence is the loss of the belief in specialness. Strategies for confronting and resolving these problems are suggested.
Small-Group Discussion in Philosophy 101

(1990). Small-Group Discussion in Philosophy 101. College Teaching: Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 3-8.
Thermo-instability of rat lens hexokinase

Abstract At 0°C both type I and II hexokinase in the mammalian lens are stable. As the temperature increases in a glucose-free enzyme preparation, both hexokinases become increasingly unstable. At body temperature (37·5°C) there is a rapid deactivation of type II hexokinase and a much slower deactivation of type I. d -Glucose and d -mannose completely stabilize both forms of hexokinase at 37·5°C. ATP and fructose have less of a stabilizing effect, and l -glucose does not stabilize hexokinase. Changes in pH have little effect on the pattern of thermolability. In a cell-free or organelle-free enzyme preparation, the thermal deactivation is irreversible; but in the intact lens it appears to be slowly reversible. During the earliest stages of lens development, metabolic activity and ATP requirements are high; the deactivation of the pacemaker of lens glycolysis at this time may constitute a metabolic stress sufficient to induce cataract formation.
Probing higher order multimers of pyruvate kinase with charge detection mass spectrometry

Abstract Pyruvate kinase multimers have been investigated by charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS). In CDMS, the m / z and z are simultaneously measured for each ion, so the mass is determined directly. The measurements were made using a modified cone trap that incorporates an image charge detector with a cryogenically cooled preamplifier. With non-denaturing solution conditions, the tetrameric form of pyruvate kinase is observed along with aggregates of the tetramer. The time-of-flight m / z spectrum shows octamers and dodecamers. However, the lack of charge state resolution prevents identification of larger multimers. Multimers up to the 40-mer are revealed by CDMS. Their intensities fall-off exponentially with size. Evidence supporting a non-specific, solution-based aggregation mechanism is presented. The relationship between the m / z and mass of the multimers is consistent with the predictions of the charge residue model. Pyruvate kinase ions are held in the cone trap for up to 129 ms. With this long trapping time the root mean square deviation in the charge determination is reduced to 1.3 elementary charges.
Aging and the musculoskeletal system

I heard the old, old men say, “Everything alters And one by one we drop away”. They had hands like claws, and their knees Were twisted like the old thorn trees By the waters W B Yeats1 Editors in medical journals worldwide have selected aging as the 1997 Global Theme Issue. In proposing this article, the editors of the Annals have considered the importance and implications of the growth of the very elderly population in developed countries and the widespread prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions in this age group. Broadening the scope of this discussion from osteoarthritis, about which I have written in this journal earlier,2 to include musculoskeletal disorders, permits consideration of a range of interactive conditions that also affect soft tissues, tendons, and ligaments (fibromyalgia, tendinitis), bones (osteoporosis), the intervertebral discs (degeneration), and muscles (polymyalgia, myopathies). This article will focus primarily on aging associated conditions involving bones, muscles, and peripheral joints. Table 1presents the unifying features of the musculoskeletal disorders. Their public health implications in elderly persons are enormous, and encompass (a) physical and social impacts from pain, limited mobility, reduced quality of life; (b) direct expenditures for diagnosis and treatment; (c) indirect economic costs from loss of participation in the labour force.3 Among impairments identified in the National Health Interview Survey in 1988, musculoskeletal disorders were the most frequently reported— almost 30 million in the US population. In 1992 the total cost of musculoskeletal and associated conditions for all ages was $149 billion. The elderly incurred the largest share of the direct costs of medical care ($51 billion) with still substantial indirect costs caused by lost wages.4 There are at least 26 million white women at risk for fractures by virtue of low bone mass or osteoporosis.5 Hip fracture incidence will continue …
2dx--user-friendly image processing for 2D crystals

Electron crystallography determines the structure of two-dimensional (2D) membrane protein crystals and other 2D crystal systems. Cryo-transmission electron microscopy records high-resolution electron micrographs, which require computer processing for three-dimensional structure reconstruction. We present a new software system 2dx, which is designed as a user-friendly, platform-independent software package for electron crystallography. 2dx assists in the management of an image-processing project, guides the user through the processing of 2D crystal images, and provides transparence for processing tasks and results. Algorithms are implemented in the form of script templates reminiscent of c-shell scripts. These templates can be easily modified or replaced by the user and can also execute modular stand-alone programs from the MRC software or from other image processing software packages. 2dx is available under the GNU General Public License at 2dx.org.
What are the Psychophysical Methods

Textbook definitions of the psychophysical methods indicate differences of opinion among authors regarding the central issues which differentiate one method from another. Some of the disagreement among authors may be traceable to what is apparently a dichotomous approach involving an emphasis upon methods of gathering data and techniques for analyzing data. It is suggested that definitions center upon the aspects of differential sensitivity, namely, a threshold, a frequency of error, and a magnitude of error, rather than upon the ways in which the data are obtained or analyzed.
The Number of Permutation Polynomials of a Given Degree Over a Finite Field

We relate the number of permutation polynomials in F"q[x] of degree [email protected]?q-2 to the solutions (x"1,x"2,...,x"q) of a system of linear equations over F"q, with the added restriction that x"i 0 and x"i x"j whenever i j. Using this we find an expression for the number of permutation polynomials of degree p-2 in F"p[x] in terms of the permanent of a Vandermonde matrix whose entries are the primitive pth roots of unity. This leads to nontrivial bounds for the number of such permutation polynomials. We provide numerical examples to illustrate our method and indicate how our results can be generalised to polynomials of other degrees.
Domain decomposition method for large finite antenna arrays

A domain decomposition method using optimal transmission condition was presented. Nonconforming discretization between different domains could be "glued" together with mortar techniques. The method was first validated by comparing the antenna patterns of small Vivaldi arrays with those of the finite-element-boundary integral (FE-BI) method. It has also been successfully applied to solve large finite antenna arrays on a single PC, which might require more than 100 million unknowns.
Air quality in aircraft

AbstractUntil the end of 2001, commercial air travel had experienced a substantial growth, increasing fourfold in three decades. However, concerns for the health and safety of air quality in the ai...
ARCube: supporting ranking aggregate queries in partially materialized data cubes

Supporting ranking queries in database systems has been a popular research topic recently. However, there is a lack of study on supporting ranking queries in data warehouses where ranking is on multidimensional aggregates instead of on measures of base facts. To address this problem, we propose a query execution model to answer different types of ranking aggregate queries based on a unified, partial cube structure, ARCube. The query execution model follows a candidate generation and verification framework, where the most promising candidate cells are generated using a set of high-level guiding cells. We also identify a bounding principle for effective pruning: once a guiding cell is pruned, all of its children candidate cells can be pruned. We further address the problem of efficient online candidate aggregation and verification by developing a chunk-based execution model to verify a bulk of candidates within a bounded memory buffer. Our extensive performance study shows that the new framework not only leads to an order of magnitude performance improvements over the state-of-the-art method, but also is much more flexible in terms of the types of ranking aggregate queries supported.
Depletion interactions in suspensions of spheres and rod-polymers

Liquid-state integral equation methods are employed to study the thermodynamic and structural properties of ideal and repelling rigid rods mixed with hard spheres in the limits when one of the species is dilute. The role of rod aspect ratio and sphere/rod size asymmetry is explored over a wide range of system parameters encompassing the colloid, nanoparticle, and crossover regimes. Novel predictions are found for the polymer (sphere) mediated depletion potentials and second virial coefficients of particles (rods) in dense polymer (sphere) suspensions. The adequacy of the closure approximations employed is tested by comparison with available numerical calculations and more rigorous theories in special limits. The liquid-state theory appears to be accurate for all properties in the nanoparticle regime and for the insertion chemical potential of needles and spherocylinders. However, it significantly underestimates depletion attractions effects in the colloidal regime of short rods and large spheres due to no...
The Calculation of Initial Inspection Interval of Condition-Based Maintenance for Special Equipments

Lacking of failure samples, the estimation of MTBF of special equipments is imprecise. Half of the MTBF is regarded as inspection period in classical condition-based maintenance analysis. Because of ignoring reliability life changing of the product, maintenance with fixed period usually leads to more or less of inspection and replacement. According to factory and laboratory failure data, reliability estimation modal of small samples is built for crane based on Bayes theorem, and reliability forecast of the girder of crane is realized. Further more; for special equipments with potential failure mode, first inspection period model of condition-based maintenance analysis based on RCM is set up, on the basis of maintenance cost and availability strategy, the calculation methods of optimal inspection periods are given. This research provides a reference for safety evaluation and inspection strategy establishing for condition-based maintenance of mechanical-electrical special equipments which lack failure data of factory and laboratory.
Veterans Returning From War Into The Classroom: How Can Colleges Be Better Prepared To Meet Their Needs

Colleges throughout the country are bracing for a large influx of returning veterans over the next couple of years and the question is whether they can meet the needs of this population. There is a paucity of empirical literature on Iraqi and/or Afghan veterans’ adjustment in the college arena and the factors that mitigate the attrition rate and facilitate success. This research offers a glimpse into the lives of the veterans returning into college life. An important implication of this research is to better inform educators, mental health professionals and administrators with regard to policy making, program development and restructuring efforts. A qualitative research design using structured interviews to obtain information about returning veterans from Afghanistan and/or Iraq was used in this study. This study discusses the many challenges that soldiers face when they return into the classroom. Experiencing symptoms of PTSD is an issue exacerbating the transition into student life. Campus health and counseling officials should have knowledge regarding symptoms and treatment strategies for PTSD and have an extensive referral list for veterans.
Effects of High vs Low Glycemic Index of Dietary Carbohydrate on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Insulin Sensitivity The OmniCarb Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Foods that have similar carbohydrate content can differ in the amount they raise blood glucose. The effects of this property, called the glycemic index, on risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes are not well understood. Objective To determine the effect of glycemic index and amount of total dietary carbohydrate on risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized crossover-controlled feeding trial conducted in research units in academic medical centers, in which 163 overweight adults (systolic blood pressure, 120-159 mm Hg) were given 4 complete diets that contained all of their meals, snacks, and calorie-containing beverages, each for 5 weeks, and completed at least 2 study diets. The first participant was enrolled April 1, 2008; the last participant finished December 22, 2010. For any pair of the 4 diets, there were 135 to 150 participants contributing at least 1 primary outcome measure. Interventions (1) A high–glycemic index (65% on the glucose scale), high-carbohydrate diet (58% energy); (2) a low–glycemic index (40%), high-carbohydrate diet; (3) a high–glycemic index, low-carbohydrate diet (40% energy); and (4) a low–glycemic index, low-carbohydrate diet. Each diet was based on a healthful DASH-type diet. Main Outcomes and Measures The 5 primary outcomes were insulin sensitivity, determined from the areas under the curves of glucose and insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test; levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides; and systolic blood pressure. Results At high dietary carbohydrate content, the low– compared with high–glycemic index level decreased insulin sensitivity from 8.9 to 7.1 units (−20%, P = .002); increased LDL cholesterol from 139 to 147 mg/dL (6%, P ≤ .001); and did not affect levels of HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood pressure. At low carbohydrate content, the low– compared with high–glycemic index level did not affect the outcomes except for decreasing triglycerides from 91 to 86 mg/dL (−5%, P = .02). In the primary diet contrast, the low–glycemic index, low-carbohydrate diet, compared with the high–glycemic index, high-carbohydrate diet, did not affect insulin sensitivity, systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol but did lower triglycerides from 111 to 86 mg/dL (−23%, P ≤ .001). Conclusions and Relevance In this 5-week controlled feeding study, diets with low glycemic index of dietary carbohydrate, compared with high glycemic index of dietary carbohydrate, did not result in improvements in insulin sensitivity, lipid levels, or systolic blood pressure. In the context of an overall DASH-type diet, using glycemic index to select specific foods may not improve cardiovascular risk factors or insulin resistance. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00608049
The natural breakdown of the present interglacial and its possible intervention by human activities

On the premise that climate responds in a stable and well-behaved manner to changes of terrestrial or extraterrestrial conditions of environment, the question of anticipating when the present interglacial will break down is explored from two different viewpoints. The concept, that the timing of the breakdown can be inferred through a comparison of the duration of the present interglacial (to date) with the duration of previous interglacials of similar warmth in the upper Quaternary, is examined from the viewpoint of the chronology of changes of solar radiation received at the top of the atmosphere, generally recognized as a likely causative agent in the development of interglacials. It is found that the radiation changes around the time of the present interglacial are somewhat different in character from those that accompanied the last interglacial, but that the radiation changes around the time of the last interglacial were more nearly similar to those which may have accompanied earlier interglacials. From this viewpoint, comparisons drawn between the present and previous interglacials are judged to be of uncertain value as a predictive tool for the future. The principal effects of man's activities on present-day climate are then reviewed. and the thermal effects of anticipated future increases of atmospheric carbon dioxide and particle loading are compared. It is concluded that the net impact of human activities on the climate of future decades and centuries is quite likely to be one of warming, and therefore favorable to the perpetuation of the present interglacial.
Stochastic resonance and energy optimization in spatially extended dynamical systems

We investigate a class of nonlinear wave equations subject to periodic forcing and noise, and address the issue of energy optimization. Numerically, we use a pseudo-spectral method to solve the nonlinear stochastic partial differential equation and compute the energy of the system as a function of the driving amplitude in the presence of noise. In the fairly general setting where the system possesses two coexisting states, one with low and another with high energy, noise can induce intermittent switchings between the two states. A striking finding is that, for fixed noise, the system energy can be optimized by the driving in a form of resonance. The phenomenon can be explained by the Langevin dynamics of particle motion in a double-well potential system with symmetry breaking. The finding can have applications to small-size devices such as microelectromechanical resonators and to waves in fluid and plasma.
Single gallium nitride nanowire lasers

There is much current interest in the optical properties of semiconductor nanowires, because the cylindrical geometry and strong two-dimensional confinement of electrons, holes and photons make them particularly attractive as potential building blocks for nanoscale electronics and optoelectronic devices, including lasersand nonlinear optical frequency converters. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor of much practical interest, because it is widely used in electrically pumped ultraviolet-blue light-emitting diodes, lasers and photodetectors. Recent progress in microfabrication techniques has allowed stimulated emission to be observed from a variety of GaN microstructures and films. Here we report the observation of ultraviolet-blue laser action in single monocrystalline GaN nanowires, using both near-field and far-field optical microscopy to characterize the waveguide mode structure and spectral properties of the radiation at room temperature. The optical microscope images reveal radiation patterns that correlate with axial Fabry-Perot modes (Q approximately 10(3)) observed in the laser spectrum, which result from the cylindrical cavity geometry of the monocrystalline nanowires. A redshift that is strongly dependent on pump power (45 meV microJ x cm(-2)) supports the idea that the electron-hole plasma mechanism is primarily responsible for the gain at room temperature. This study is a considerable advance towards the realization of electron-injected, nanowire-based ultraviolet-blue coherent light sources.
Development of a “Survival” Guide for Substance Users in Harlem, New York City

The community advisory board (CAB) of the Harlem Urban Research Center, which includes community service providers, Department of Health workers, and academics, identified substance users'health as an action priority. The CAB initiated the development of a wellness guide to provide informational support for substance users to improve access to community services. Focus groups of current and former users engaged substance users in the guide development process and determined the guide's content and "look." Focus group participants recommended calling this a "survival" guide. The guide will include three sections: (a) health information and how to navigate the system to obtain services, (b) a reference list of community services, and (c) relevant "hot- line" numbers. The design will incorporate local street art. Substance users continue to shape the guide through ongoing art workshops. Dissemination and evaluation of the guide will continue to involve substance users, community service providers, and academics.
Genetics, Genomics, and Molecular Biology of Sex Determination in Small Animals

The genomic revolution is beginning to facilitate advances in canine and feline medicine, as illustrated in our research. Our studies are focused upon identifying the gene mutation that causes canine Sry-negative XX sex reversal, a disorder of sex determination in which chromosomal females (78,XX) develop testicular tissue, becoming either XX true hermaphrodites with ovotestes, or XX males with bilateral testes. A genome-wide screen, using mapped markers in our pedigree of Sry-negative XX sex reversed dogs founded upon the American cocker spaniel, identified five chromosomal regions in which the causative gene may be located. The canine genome was used to identify the canine homologue of goat Pisrt1 and so determine that canine and caprine Sry-negative XX sex reversal are genetically heterogeneous. A second goal of our research is to determine the molecular mechanism by which the mutation causes testis induction. Thus far, we have reported gonadal Sry and Sox9 expression patterns in normal embryos, which have temporal and spatial patterns similar to those reported in humans, sheep, and pigs. Once gene mutations causing such inherited disorders are identified, DNA tests will become a part of general veterinary practice, advancing both diagnostic techniques and preventative medicine.
Low-profile enhanced-bandwidth PIFA antennas for wireless communications packaging

The development of small integrated antennas plays a significant role in the progress of the rapidly expanding military and commercial communications applications. The recent advances in RF and microwave high-density circuit packaging technologies in multifunction wireless communications systems have called for the parallel development of compact and efficient antennas that can be used over a wide frequency range. This paper addresses the development and characterization of several low-profile and integrated antennas with enhanced bandwidth for wireless communications systems. The new radiators are developed by adding parasitic elements or tuning devices to a familiar integrated antenna-the planar inverted F antenna (PIFA). Simulations based upon the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and method of moments (MoM) are used to model the performance of the antennas. Comparisons with measured results on fabricated antenna structures are provided for simulations validation.
Further Validation of the Parent Experience of Child Illness Scale

The objective of this research is to provide further validation of the Parent Experience of Child Illness (PECI) scale. One hundred twenty-five caregivers of patients (age < 1–17 years) diagnosed with cancer returned questionnaire data at Time 1, and 75 caregivers at Time 2. Findings provide support for the psychometric properties of the PECI, including good test–retest reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. The PECI appears to be a valid assessment tool for evaluation of the distress and perceived resources of caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. Continued evaluation is needed with other chronic illness groups.
Subcellular Distribution and Tissue Expression of Phospholipase Dα, Dβ, and Dγ in Arabidopsis

Three phospholipase Ds (PLDs; EC 3.1.4.4) have been cloned from Arabidopsis, and they exhibit two distinct types of activities: polyphosphoinositide-requiring PLDβ and PLDγ, and polyphosphoinositide-independent PLDα. In subcellular fractions of Arabidopsis leaves, PLDα and PLDγ were both present in the plasma membrane, intracellular membranes, mitochondria, and clathrin-coated vesicles, but their relative levels differed in these fractions. In addition, PLDγ was detected in the nuclear fraction. In contrast, PLDβ was not detectable in any of the subcellular fractions. PLDα activity was higher in the metabolically more active organs such as flowers, siliques, and roots than in dry seeds and mature leaves, whereas the polyphosphoinositide-dependent PLD activity was greater in older, senescing leaves than in other organs. PLDβ mRNA accumulated at a lower level than the PLDα and PLDγ transcripts in most organs, and the expression pattern of the PLDβ mRNA also differed from that of PLDα and PLDγ in different organs. Collectively, these data demonstrated that PLDα, PLDβ, and PLDγ have different patterns of subcellular distribution and tissue expression in Arabidopsis. The present study also provides evidence for the presence of an additional PLD that is structurally more closely related to PLDγ than to the other two PLDs.
Genome of the Opportunistic Pathogen Streptococcus sanguinis

The genome of Streptococcus sanguinis is a circular DNA molecule consisting of 2,388,435 bp and is 177 to 590 kb larger than the other 21 streptococcal genomes that have been sequenced. The GC content of the S. sanguinis genome is 43.4%, which is considerably higher than the GC contents of other streptococci. The genome encodes 2,274 predicted proteins, 61 tRNAs, and four rRNA operons. A 70-kb region encoding pathways for vitamin B12 biosynthesis and degradation of ethanolamine and propanediol was apparently acquired by horizontal gene transfer. The gene complement suggests new hypotheses for the pathogenesis and virulence of S. sanguinis and differs from the gene complements of other pathogenic and nonpathogenic streptococci. In particular, S. sanguinis possesses a remarkable abundance of putative surface proteins, which may permit it to be a primary colonizer of the oral cavity and agent of streptococcal endocarditis and infection in neutropenic patients.
Prevalent inhibitors in haemophilia B subjects enrolled in the Universal Data Collection database

Several risk factors for inhibitors have recently been described for haemophilia A. It has been assumed that similar risk factors are also relevant for haemophilia B, but there is limited data to confirm this notion. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of and risk factors associated with inhibitors in haemophilia B. The database of the Universal Data Collection (UDC) project of the Centers for Disease Control for the years 1998-2011 was queried to determine the prevalence of inhibitors in haemophilia B subjects. In addition, disease severity, race/ethnicity, age, factor exposure and prophylaxis usage were evaluated to determine their impact on inhibitor prevalence. Of the 3785 male subjects with haemophilia B enrolled in the UDC database, 75 (2%) were determined to have an inhibitor at some point during the study period. Severe disease (OR 13.1, 95% CI 6.2-27.7), black race (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.1), and age <11 years (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.5-4.0) were found to be significantly associated with having an inhibitor. There was insufficient data to determine if type of factor used and prophylaxis were associated with inhibitors. Inhibitors in haemophilia B are much less prevalent than haemophilia A, especially in patients with mild disease. Similar factors associated with inhibitors in haemophilia A also seem to be present for haemophilia B. The information collected by this large surveillance project did not permit evaluation of potential risk factors related to treatment approaches and exposures, and additional studies will be required.
Cardiac Overexpression of Alcohol Dehydrogenase Exacerbates Chronic Ethanol Ingestion-Induced Myocardial Dysfunction and Hypertrophy: Role of Insulin Signaling and ER stress

Chronic alcohol intake leads to alcoholic cardiomyopathy characterized by cardiac hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction possibly related to the toxicity of the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde. This study examined the impact of augmented acetaldehyde exposure on myocardial function, geometry, and insulin signaling via cardiac-specific overexpression of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). ADH transgenic and wild-type FVB mice were placed on a 4% alcohol diet for 12 weeks. Echocardiographic, glucose tolerance, glucose uptake, insulin signaling, and ER stress indices were evaluated. Mice consuming alcohol exhibited glucose intolerance, dampened cardiac glucose uptake, cardiac hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction, all of which with the exception of whole body glucose tolerance were exaggerated by the ADH transgene. Cardiomyocytes from ethanol-fed mice exhibited depressed insulin-stimulated phosphorylation insulin receptor (tyr1146) and IRS-1 (tyrosine) as well as enhanced serine phosphorylation of IRS-1. ADH-augmented alcohol-induced effect of IRS-1 phosphorylation (tyrosine/serine). Neither alcohol nor adh affected expression of insulin receptor and IRS-1. Alcohol reduced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β as well as GSK-3β expression and the effect was exaggerated by ADH. The transcriptional factors GATA4, c-jun and c-jun phosphorylation were upregulated by alcohol, which was amplified by ADH. The ratios of phospho-c-Jun/c-Jun and phospho-GATA4/GATA4 remained unchanged. Chronic alcohol intake upregulated expression of the endoplasmic reticulum stress markers eIF2α, IRE-1α, GRP78 and gadd153, the effect of which was exaggerated by ADH. These data suggest that elevated cardiac acetaldehyde exposure via ADH may exacerbate alcohol-induced myocardial dysfunction, hypertrophy, insulin insensitivity and ER stress, indicating a key role of ADH gene in alcohol-induced cardiac dysfunction and insulin resistance.
Measurement of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis prescription adherence using a novel approach.

ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to test a novel approach to monitoring the adherence of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients to their dialysis prescription.DesignA descri...
Child abuse. When to be suspicious and what to do then.

The abuse of children may be physical, sexual, or emotional or may take the form of neglect. Primary care physicians are in an excellent position to recognize abuse and to respond with the proper intervention. In order to act appropriately, physicians must have a high degree of suspicion and a working knowledge of the governmental agencies in their area that may be utilized to intervene in abuse cases. Physicians should also be attuned to the family dynamics that may predispose to incidents of child abuse. Language: en
On the Role of the Three-Phase Contact Line in Surface Deformation

Viscoelastic braking theories developed by Shanahan and de Gennes and by others predict deformation of a solid surface at the solid–liquid–air contact line. This phenomenon has only been observed for soft smooth surfaces and results in a protrusion of the solid surface at the three-phase contact line, in agreement with the theoretical predictions. Despite the large (enough to break chemical bonds) forces associated with it, this deformation was not confirmed experimentally for hard surfaces, especially for hydrophobic ones. In this study we use superhydrophobic surfaces composed of an array of silicon nanostructures whose Young modulus is 4 orders of magnitude higher than that of surfaces in earlier recorded viscoelastic braking experiments. We distinguish between two cases: when a water drop forms an adhesive contact, albeit small, with the apparent contact angle θ < 180° and when the drop–surface adhesion is such that the conditions for placing a resting drop on the surface cannot be reached (i.e., θ = ...
People Do Not Feel Guilty About Exploiting Machines

Guilt and envy play an important role in social interaction. Guilt occurs when individuals cause harm to others or break social norms. Envy occurs when individuals compare themselves unfavorably to others and desire to benefit from the others’ advantage. In both cases, these emotions motivate people to act and change the status quo: following guilt, people try to make amends for the perceived transgression, and following envy, people try to harm envied others. In this article, we present two experiments that study participants’ experience of guilt and envy when engaging in social decision making with machines and humans. The results showed that, though experiencing the same level of envy, people felt considerably less guilt with machines than with humans. These effects occurred both with subjective and behavioral measures of guilt and envy, and in three different economic games: public goods, ultimatum, and dictator game. This poses an important challenge for human-computer interaction because, as shown here, it leads people to systematically exploit machines, when compared to humans. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for the design of human-machine interaction systems that hope to achieve the kind of efficiency -- cooperation, fairness, reciprocity, etc. -- we see in human-human interaction.
An Approach to the Management of Pleural Empyema with Early Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery and Early Transition to Oral Antibiotic Therapy:

Practice variation exists in the management of children with bacterial pneumonia complicated by empyema. The success of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) versus chest tube insertion for drainage and fibrinolysis may be dependent on the stage of disease. There is little published experience with early transition to oral (PO) antibiotics, and many children are treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics at home. To describe a cohort of children with pneumonia and empyema in a primarily rural state managed with early VATS and transition to PO antibiotics. This was a retrospective medical record review of children managed by the pediatric infectious diseases and surgery services at Kosair Children's Hospital from 2008 through 2012. Sixty-one children met inclusion criteria. The majority underwent VATS on the first or second hospital day. No organism was identified in 67 per cent of cases. All patients received IV antibiotics at admission and all were discharged on PO antibiotics. The median time to transition was five days (interquartile range [IQR], 4-6), and the median duration of PO therapy was 16 days (IQR, 14-21). Ninety-eight per cent did not require further IV therapy. There were no deaths and clinical outcomes were good. In conclusion, children with pneumonia and empyema can be managed effectively with early VATS and early transition from IV to PO antibiotic therapy.
Fine-grained vital signs estimation using commercial wi-fi devices

Due to the importance of vital signs, breathing rate and heart rate have been widely used in heath care. In the past few years, various systems and approaches have been proposed to detect and monitor breath and heart beat. In this paper, we show that Wi-Fi signals can also be used to recognize and count breath and heart beats with different postures. The intuition is that human activities have different impacts on time-series of Channel State Information (CSI) values, which can be utilized to recognize macro and micro human activities. In this paper, we design a Wi-Fi signal based breath and heart beats recognition system called Wi-Health. WiHeath consists of two Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Wi-Fi devices, a sender (Wi-Fi router) and a receiver (laptop). The sender sends 802.11n packets to the receiver, while the receiver continuously receives these packets and records in real-time CSI value. The receiver analyzes the collected CSI values and determines if the human is alive and the number of heart beats and breaths.
Toxoplasmosis versus lymphoma: Cerebral lesion characterization using DSC-MRI revisited

Abstract Objective CNS toxoplasmosis and lymphoma are often indistinguishable by conventional contrast-enhanced MRI. There is limited literature on the diagnostic efficacy of dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI for differentiating these entities. This study assesses the clinical utility of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) for making a diagnosis and determines rCBV thresholds for differentiation using contemporary DSC-MRI. Patients and methods Thirteen patients with 25 lesions (13 toxoplasmosis and 12 lymphoma) and pre-treatment DSC-MRI were identified retrospectively. Volumetric regions of interest of segmented enhancement were used to extract mean rCBV normalized to normal-appearing white matter for each lesion. We compared average mean rCBV between all toxoplasmosis and lymphoma lesions using a general mixed model. Three models were also compared for evaluating rCBV-based disease status in each patient: 1) mean rCBV of each lesion using a generalized estimating equation, 2) volume-weighted mean rCBV, and 3) maximum mean rCBV of all lesions using logistic regression. Results The average mean rCBV for all toxoplasmosis lesions was 0.98 (95% CI 0.55–1.41) compared to 2.07 (95% CI 1.71–2.43) for all lymphoma lesions, a significant difference (1.09, 95% CI 0.53–1.65, p = 0.0013). For the three models used to evaluate rCBV-based disease status in each patient, a significant relationship was observed, with an optimal rCBV threshold of approximately 1.5 for distinguishing lymphoma from toxoplasmosis in each model. Conclusion RCBV derived from contemporary DSC-MRI is helpful for distinguishing between cerebral toxoplasmosis and cerebral lymphoma on an individual patient basis and may facilitate more timely initiation of appropriate directed therapy.