cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metal-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

The incidence of pulmonary fibrosis is increasing worldwide and may, in part, be due to occupational and environmental exposures. Secondary fibrotic interstitial lung diseases may be mistaken for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with important implications for both disease management and prognosis. The purposes of this review are to shed light on possible underlying causes of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis and to encourage dialogue on the importance of acquiring a thorough patient history of occupational and environmental exposures. A recent appreciation for various occupational and environmental metals inducing both antigen-specific immune reactions in the lung and nonspecific “innate” immune system responses has emerged and with it a growing awareness of the potential hazards to the lung caused by low-level metal exposures. Advancements in the contrast and quality of high-resolution CT scans and identification of histopathological patterns of interstitial pulmonary fibrosis have improved clinical diagnostics. Moreover, recent findings indicate specific hotspots of pulmonary fibrosis within the USA. Increased prevalence of lung disease in these areas appears to be linked to occupational/environmental metal exposure and ethnic susceptibility/vulnerability. A systematic overview of possible occupational and environmental metals causing interstitial pulmonary fibrosis and a detailed evaluation of vulnerable/susceptible populations may facilitate a broader understanding of potential underlying causes and highlight risks of disease predisposition.
Plasticity and ductile fracture modeling of an Al–Si–Mg die-cast alloy

The plastic anisotropy and ductile fracture behavior of an Al–Si–Mg die-cast alloy (AA365-T7, or Aural-2) is probed using a combination of experiments and analysis. The plastic anisotropy is assessed using uniaxial tension, plane-strain tension and disc compression experiments, which are then used to calibrate the Yld2004-3D anisotropic yield criterion. The fracture behavior is investigated using notched tension, central hole and shear specimens, with the latter employing a geometry that was custom-designed for this material. Digital image correlation is used to assess the full strain fields for these experiments. However, fracture is expected to initiate at the through-thickness mid-plane of the specimens and thus it cannot be measured directly from experiments. Instead, the stresses and strains at the onset of fracture are estimated using finite element modeling. The loading path and the resulting fracture locus were found to be sensitive to the yield criterion employed, which underscores the importance of an adequate modeling of plastic anisotropy in ductile fracture studies. Based on the finite element modeling, the fracture locus is represented with three common criteria (Oyane, Johnson–Cook and Hosford–Coulomb), as well as a newly proposed one as the linear combination of the first two. However, beyond that, it is still questionable if all of these experiments are probing the same fracture locus, since the predicted loading paths of notched tension specimens are highly evolving compared to those of central hole and shear ones.
Essential Statistical Concepts for Research in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Purpose Clinicians depend on the accuracy of research in the speech, language, and hearing sciences to improve assessment and treatment of patients with communication disorders. Although this work ...
Active catheter driven by hybrid actuator consisting of ionic polymer-metal composites and hydraulics (Conference Presentation)

Catheters are commonly used in many medical procedures. These catheters require a high skill to navigate through human blood vessels and also require the use of an X-ray machine to guide the user. Active catheters have been fabricated and studied to increase the dexterity of the catheter, making the catheter much easier to use. Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) have been studied for this application. IPMCs exhibit large deformations under relatively small voltages (<5 V) making IPMCs excellent candidates for this application. One disadvantage of IPMCs is low stiffness, making the tip of the catheter hard to control in a blood stream. Hydraulic powered active catheters have also been studied. These hydraulically powered active catheters offer higher stiffness but are difficult to control. This research aims to combine these two actuation types into a single hybrid actuator. This will potentially create an active catheter capable of precise complex motion that is safe for human use.
Marijuana use among African American older adults in economically challenged areas of South Los Angeles

Purpose: This study explored demographic, social, behavioral, and health factors associated with current marijuana use (MU) among African American older adults who were residing in economically challenged areas of south Los Angeles. Methods: This community-based study recruited a consecutive sample of African American older adults (n = 340), age ≥ 55 years, residing in economically challenged areas of South Los Angeles. Interviews were conducted to collect data. Demographics (age and gender), socioeconomic status (educational attainment, income, and financial strain), marital status, living alone, health behaviors (alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking), health status (number of chronic medical conditions, body mass index, depression, and chronic pain), and current MU were collected. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Results: Thirty (9.1%) participants reported current MU. Age, educational attainment, chronic medical conditions, and obesity were negatively associated with current MU. Gender, income, financial strain, living alone, marital status, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, depression, and pain did not correlate with MU. Conclusion: Current MU is more common in younger, healthier, less obese, less educated African American older adults. It does not seem that African American older adults use marijuana for the self-medication of chronic disease, pain, or depression. For African American older adults, MU also does not co-occur with cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking. These results may help clinicians who provide services for older African Americans in economically challenged urban areas.
Survival outcomes with concomitant chemoradiotherapy in older adults with oropharyngeal carcinoma in an era of increasing human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has dramatically increased in incidence and prevalence among patients aged 70 and older. There are virtually no data regarding outcomes in this population, and thus optimal therapy, including the role of chemotherapy for those undergoing radiotherapy (RT), remains unclear. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for older adults (defined as age 70 years and older) with locally advanced OPSCC (cT1-2N1-3, cT3-4N0-3) diagnosed from 2010 to 2014 with known HPV-status undergoing definitive RT alone or chemoradiation (CRT). Results Overall, 1,965 older adults with locally advanced OPSCC met inclusion criteria, including 1,141 HPV-positive (58%) and 824 HPV-negative (42%) patients. 1,211 patients (62%) received CRT. In multivariable analysis, CRT was associated with improved survival in older patients when compared to RT alone (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64–0.86, P Conclusions Despite the radiosensitivity of HPV-positive OPSCC and the challenges in delivering CRT to older adults, CRT was associated with improved survival in older patients with HPV-positive OPSCC, similar in magnitude to the benefit in HPV-negative patients. As the incidence of HPV-positive OPSCC in older patients continues to increase, further studies are needed to investigate optimal therapeutic strategies in this population.
Sharing science: characteristics of effective scientist-teacher interactions.

Despite national guidelines to reform K-12 science education, our students are not learning science any better. Conducted under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Scien...
A Framework for Automated Reengineering of BPMN Models by Excluding Inefficient Activities

Business Process Reengineering (BPR), originally floated in the early 1990s, is gaining importance in industry and academia. BPR helps the organization rethink their work rationally by redesigning their current processes and resource consumption. Due to the high rate of software evolution, there is a need to run legacy systems on a new computing platform. BPMN models are subject to erroneous or unnecessary activities that are taking too many resources. Such process models are leading to additional cost and effort. Re-engineering help in improving the legacy system or in this context a set of legacy processes to perform better than before. This work presents a framework for automatic reengineering of a BPMN by identifying activities that are taking too much time and resources but are insignificant to the business process. An extensive literature review has led to the extraction of three important parameters based on which the business process activities can be evaluated as necessary or unnecessary i.e. time, resources and priority of an activity. The proposed model has been validated using a case study on the Claim Management System. This work shall be beneficial for the research community and developers targeting construction of a BPR tool
Introduction: The Swedish Music Miracle, from 1.0 to 2.0

Observers of popular music know that Swedish artists have achieved commercial distinction, as well as artistic acclaim, around the world. This is what I call the Swedish Music Miracle 1.0. However, the Swedish music industry has more and more emphasized songwriting and production rather than artists. Thus, a transition from 1.0 to 2.0 has been underway for quite some time. This chapter explores the reasons behind Sweden’s position as an important popular music center. In no small part, geographic factors have played a role in this process. These include themes from economic and cultural geography, such as Sweden’s position in the world as a small, cosmopolitan country; the spatial organization of the music industry; and the tendency for even geographic development within Sweden.
[Epidemic status of malaria and progress of malaria elimination in Henan Province, 2018].

Objective To understand the epidemic status of malaria and progress of malaria elimination in Henan Province in 2018, so as to provide the scientific evidence for formulating the control strategy of malaria. Methods All data pertaining to the epidemic status of malaria and malaria case were captured from Henan Province in 2018, and the epidemic status of malaria and the diagnosis and treatment of malaria cases were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method. Results A total of 174 malaria cases were reported in Henan Province in 2018, with a male-to-female ratio of 33.8∶1. The cases were predominantly found at 30- and 40- years, and farmer was the highest-risk population. All cases were imported for overseas countries and 96.55% (168/174) were from Africa. The cases were reported across 17 cities of the province, and 63.22% (110 cases) were detected in 4 cities of Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Xuchang and Puyang. Both the median duration from onset to initial admission and the median time from the initial admission to definitive diagnosis were 1 d. There were 6 cases (3.45%) with more than 7 days to visit a doctor, and there were 13 cases (7.47%) with definitive diagnosis of over 7 days (delay in definitive diagnosis). All malaria cases were reported within 24 h, and 98.28% (171/174) completed case investigations within 3 d. All 18 cities had achieved malaria elimination by December 2018. Conclusions All malaria cases reported in Henan Province in 2018 are imported from overseas countries. Intensifying malaria surveillance among returnees from Africa and Southeast Asia and timely identification and treatment of imported malaria cases are required to prevent the development of secondary malaria cases, so as to ensure the achievement of malaria elimination in Henan Province on schedule.
Recurrent intracerebral hemorrhages due to central nervous system vasculitis: a neuropsychological case report.

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare and devastating form of vasculitis that destroys the vessels of the brain and spinal cord, resulting in progressive and debilitating...
A Taxonomy of Training Data: Disentangling the Mismatched Rights, Remedies, and Rationales for Restricting Machine Learning

This chapter addresses a crucial problem in artificial intelligence: many applications of machine learning depend on unauthorized uses of copyrighted data. Scholars and lawmakers often articulate this problem as a deficiency in copyright’s exceptions and limitations, reasoning that legal uncertainties surrounding today’s AI stem from the lack of a clear exception or limitation, and that such an exception or limitation could resolve the current predicament. In fact, the current predicament is a product of two systemic features of the copyright regime — the absence of formalities and the low threshold of copyright-able originality — combined with a technological environment that turns routine activities into acts of authorship. Equilibrating the economy for human expression in the AI age requires a solution that focuses not only on exceptions to existing copyrights, but also on the aforementioned doctrinal features that determine the ownership and scope of copyright entitlements at their inception. The chapter taxonomizes different applications of machine learning according to the qualities of their training data. Four categories emerge: (1) public-domain training data, (2) licensed training data, (3) market-encroaching uses of copyrighted training data, and (4) non-market-encroaching uses of copyrighted training data. Copyright can only regulate market-encroaching uses of data, but these uses represent a narrow subset of AI applications and exclude many of the most socially harmful uses of copyrighted materials. Moreover, paradoxically, copyright’s property-style remedies are ill-suited to addressing market-encroaching uses, and are in fact much more appropriate remedies for the categories of worrisome AI that fall outside copyright’s normative mandate. Finally, this chapter discusses a variety of remedies to the “AI problems” it identifies, with an emphasis on facilitating market-encroaching uses while affording human creators due compensation. It concludes that the exception for Text and Data Mining in the European Union’s Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market represents a positive development precisely because the exception addresses some structural causes of the training data problem that this chapter identifies. The TDM provision styles itself as an exception, but it may in fact be better understood as a formality: it requires rights holders to take positive action to exercise a right to exclude their materials from training datasets. Thus, the TDM exception addresses a root cause of the AI dilemma rather than trying to patch up the copyright regime post hoc. The chapter concludes that the next step for an equitable AI framework will be to transition towards rules that not only clarify that non-market-encroaching uses do not infringe copyright, but also facilitate remunerated uses of copyrighted works for market-encroaching purposes.
Long-Term Outcomes and Prognostic Factors in Kidney Transplant Recipients with Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) accounts for approximately 15% of kidney transplants, but long-term outcomes in patients with PKD who have received a kidney transplant are not well understood. Methods In primary recipients of kidney transplants at our center (1994–2014), we compared outcomes of underlying PKD (N=619) with other native diseases (non-PKD, N=4312). Potential factors influencing outcomes in PKD were evaluated using Cox proportional-hazards regression and a rigorous multivariable model. Results Patients with PKD were older and were less likely to be sensitized or to experience delayed graft function (DGF). Over a median follow-up of 5.6 years, 1256 of all recipients experienced death-censored graft failure (DCGF; 115 patients with PKD) and 1617 died (154 patients with PKD). After adjustment for demographic, dialysis, comorbid disease, surgical, and immunologic variables, patients with PKD had a lower risk of DCGF (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.93; P=0.01) and death (aHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.75; P Conclusions Recipients with PKD have better long-term graft and patient survival than those with non-PKD. Standard practices of CNI use and promoting HLA match are beneficial in PKD and should continue to be promoted. Further prospective studies investigating the potential benefits of CNI use and medical/surgical interventions to address CAD and the immunologic challenges of obesity are needed. Podcast This article contains a podcast at https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/K360/2021_02_25_KID0001182019.mp3
Simulating nonpoint source pollutant loading in a karst basin: A SWAT modeling application

Abstract Karst terrain confounds efforts to parameterize and calibrate The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The purpose of this study was to use SWAT to simulate long-term natural (e.g. climate) and human (e.g. land use) impacts to streamflow, sediment and nutrient loading in a karst catchment. Sub-objectives were to: (1) perform a rigorous model performance assessment of SWAT, and (2) apply SWAT to highlight critical source areas of NPS pollutant loading in a large (HUC-8 spatial scale) karst basin of the central USA. Long-term (25-years) of daily streamflow data collected at seven nested U.S. Geological Survey flow gaging sites were used to calibrate and validate SWAT. Annual estimates of spring flow contributions from dominant springs were disintegrated to daily timeseries' dependent on baseflow separation results calculated from observed streamflow data. Model calibration results of daily streamflow showed percent bias (PBAIS) ranged from 1.1 to 19.3%, and Nash-Sutcliff efficiency (NSE) values ranged from 0.25 to 0.63. Model validation results of daily streamflow showed PBIAS ranged from −5.1 to −32.8%, and NSE values ranged from 0.44 to 0.78. Results highlighted potential critical source areas of pollutant loading from pasture sources. Simulated overland (i.e. not including channel processes) sediment, TN, and TP yields were 108 Mg km−2 yr−1, 14.1 kg ha−1 yr−1, 0.68 kg ha−1 yr−1, respectively, at the HUC-8 spatial scale. The greatest N and P nutrient yields were associated with a waste water treatment plant (WWTP), and WWTP loading contributions persisted over 100 km downstream ultimately accounting for approximately 37% of TP loading contributions at the basin outlet. Results have implications for end users tasked with creating physically realistic models of karst watershed hydrology using SWAT, and point to an ongoing need for improved sub-surface storage and flow routing SWAT modeling routines.
WHAT CAN ESCHERICHIA COLI AND THE PLASMACYTOMA CONTRIBUTE TO UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENTIATION AND IMMUNOLOGY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the contribution of E.Coli and plasmacytoma in understanding differentiation and immunology. Each plasmacytoma is a clone derived with equal probability from any given committed cell, whatever the class of immunoglobulin it expresses. The proportion of plasmacytomas making any given class of immunoglobulin equals the proportion of plasmacytes making that class. Therefore, the plasmacytoma gives an accurate random sampling of the normal population. The immunoglobulin produced by the neoplastic cell is a homogeneous sample of such a heterogeneous population of immunoglobulin molecules that they defied all known separation techniques. In general, a plasmacytoma is extraordinarily stable in its properties despite varied culture conditions. The switches appear to be irreversibly on for immunoglobulin and off for everything else but growth. Depending on the theory of allelic exclusion, the immunoglobulin-producing tetraploid tumor would have two or four structural genes operating. Ohno's model of nondisjunctional homozygotization means that all four alleles are expressed in the tetraploid cell producing immunoglobulin.
Introduction to XAFS: A Practical Guide to X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy

X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) is a powerful and versatile technique for studying structures of materials in chemistry, physics, biology and other fields. This textbook is a comprehensive, practical guide to carrying out and interpreting XAFS experiments. Assuming only undergraduate-level physics and mathematics, the textbook is ideally suited for graduate students in physics and chemistry starting XAFS-based research. It contains concise executable example programs in Mathematica 7. Supplementary material available at www.cambridge.org/9780521767750 includes Mathematica code from the book, related Mathematica programs, and worked data analysis examples. The textbook addresses experiment, theory, and data analysis, but is not tied to specific data analysis programs or philosophies. This makes it accessible to a broad audience in the sciences, and a useful guide for researchers entering the subject.
Picornavirus Structure Overview

In many cases, structures have been determined, often using the lower resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) technique, of picornaviruses in complex with their cellular receptors, neutralizing antibodies, antiviral compounds, or other, biologically significant ligands. Picornavirus capsids are assembled from 60 protomers, each composed of four structural proteins, viral protein 1 (VP1), VP2, VP3, and VP4. The first three of these proteins have molecular weights of around 30 kDa and form the external surface of the icosahedral shell. Conservation of three-dimensional structure is almost invariably greater than conservation of amino acid homology. Thus, structural comparisons can be used to trace divergent evolution over longer time spans than is possible by amino acid sequence comparisons. Assembly of picornaviruses proceeds from 6S protomers of VP1, VP3, and VP0, via 14S pentamers of five 6S protomers, to mature virions. The final step involves inclusion of the RNA into empty capsids or partially assembled shells with simultaneous cleavage of VP0 into VP2 and VP4. The mutant viruses that were able to grow were mostly single mutations and could be sorted into groups that were neutralized by the same set of antibodies. A variety of additional evidence all points to the ability of simple icosahedral viruses to be in constant flux or “breathing”. This unexpected and structurally difficult-to-understand phenomenon accounts for the virus being able to externalize the internal VP4 and amino-terminal region of VP1 in the initial stages of cell entry.
A Schur-Based Approach to the Four-Block Problem

We descibe an alternative solution to the four-block problem using the method of (generalized) Schur analysis. We first reduce the general problem to a simpler one by invoking an inner-outer factorization with a block-diagonal inner matrix. Then using small-sized spectral factorizations we are able to parametrize an unknown entry in terms of a Schurtype matrix function that satisfies a finite number of interpolation conditions of the Hermite-Fejer type. We describe a simple recursive solution that determines the Schur function in terms of a transmission-line cascade of elementary J-lossless sections. A state-space realization for each section is given, as well as a parametrization of all solutions to the four-block problem in terms of a linear fractional transformation. Formulas for a global solution are also given; though they are computationally less effective.
An Investigation of the Relationship Between Measured Intake Temperature, BDC Temperature, and Combustion Phasing for Premixed and DI HCCI Engines

Combustion phasing is one important issue that must be addressed for HCCI operation. The intake temperature can be adjusted to achieve ignition at the desired crank angle. However, heat-transfer during induction will make the effective intake temperature different from the temperature measured in the runner. Also, depending on the engine speed and port configuration, dynamic flow effects cause various degrees of charge heating. Additionally, residuals from the previous cycle can have significant influence on the charge temperature at the beginning of the compression stroke. Finally, direct injection of fuel will influence the charge temperature since heat is needed for vaporization. This study investigates these effects in a systematic manner with a combination of experiment and cycle simulation using WAVE from Ricardo. The results show that the amount of charge heating/cooling that occurs due to heat-transfer during the induction period can be computed from changes in the volumetric efficiency. The amount of charge cooling associated with vaporization of directly injected fuel changes with injection timing and can be related to the volumetric efficiency. A simple procedure for estimating the charge mixture temperature at the end of the intake stroke is presented. Several examples are given where this procedure can be used beneficially to explain experimental observations for fired HCCI operation where the charge temperature at the end of the intake stroke was related to the combustion phasing. Iso-octane was used as a gasoline surrogate since it facilitates comparison with chemical-kinetics models, in this case the detailed iso-octane mechanism from LLNL. Although this procedure is developed for HCCI operation, it can be applied to other types of engines as well. For example, the changes to the charge temperature that occur during the induction process are important for both tH'e occurrence of knock in Sl engines and NO x formation in Diesel engines.
Tumor necrosis factor and IL-1 in New Zealand Black/White mice. Enhanced gene expression and acceleration of renal injury.

TNF and IL-1 are potent immunologic and inflammatory cytokines. We have previously reported increased levels of mRNA for TNF alpha and IL-1 beta in MRL-lpr mice with lupus nephritis. To determine whether the increased levels of TNF and IL-1 mRNA are a more general feature of mice with lupus nephritis we studied cytokine gene expression in female NZB x NZW F1 (NZB/W) mice by Northern blot analysis. Enhanced steady state levels of mRNA for TNF alpha and IL-1 beta, but not IL-1 alpha, were detected in the renal cortices of animals with lupus nephritis. To determine whether administration of TNF or IL-1 would accelerate renal injury and mortality, we injected murine rTNF alpha or rIL-1 alpha i.p. into female NZB/W or C3H/FeJ mice at two doses, 2.0 micrograms or 0.2 micrograms, three times weekly for 2 or 4 mo beginning at 2 or 4 mo of age. Administration of the lower dose of each cytokine accelerated renal disease and mortality rate when treatment was initiated at 4 mo of age. At the higher dose, neither cytokine promoted disease. Treatment administered from 2-4 mo of age did not accelerate renal disease. This observation suggests that in order to cause renal injury, these cytokines must interact with other pathologic features present in these animals after 4 mo of age. These findings support the hypothesis that TNF and IL-1 can contribute to nephritis in murine models of lupus. Taken together with previously published data, we propose that TNF and IL-1 have differential dose effects on renal disease. The dose of TNF and IL-1 and the stage of disease activity dictate the pathogenic action of these cytokines.
MERIT: a scalable approach for protocol assessment

MERIT is a framework that can be used to assess routing protocols in mobile ad hoc networks (manets). It uses the novel concept of a shortest mobile path (SMP) in a mobile graph, a generalization of the shortest path problem for mobile environments. As a measure for routing protocol assessment, we propose the mean ratio of the cost of the route used by a protocol to the cost of the optimal mobile path for the same network history. The cost reflects that the route used in a session can change over time because of network dynamics such as topology changes. The aim is for the ratio to be an abstract, inherent measure of the protocol that is as implementation-independent as possible. The MERIT spectrum, which is the ratio expressed as the function of some parameters of interest, is a characterization of protocol effectiveness. MERIT, for MEan Real vs. Ideal cosT, provides a scalable assessment framework: rather than comparing performance measures of different protocols directly, we compare a protocol to the optimal solution. That is, rather than forcing the comparison to be in the same system, it is done once for each protocol in its own environment. Furthermore, we show that there is an efficient algorithm to solve the underlying SMP problem for important cases, making the approach practically feasible. We also investigate generalizations of and extensions within the MERIT framework. We show that the MERIT framework is rich, with much wider generality and potential applicability than assessing routing protocols.
Neoplasms of Mesenchymal Origin in the Spinal Cord and Nerve Roots of Three Dogs

Clinicopathological findings of three different neoplastic conditions involving the spinal cord and nerve roots in three dogs are described. One sarcomatous intra-medullary tumor closely associated with the vasculature was classified as a reticulum cell sarcoma of the spinal cord. The second case had massive and widespread neoplastic proliferation of reticulohistiocytic cells around the perineurinal vessels of many spinal nerve roots. The process was classified as a primary neoplastic reticulosis of the spinal roots. Multiple highly malignant tumors, infiltrating the spinal cord were found in one thoracic and several lumbosacral spinal nerve roots in the third case. These were considered to be anaplastic neurofibrosarcomas because of high collagen content, intact nerve fibers, whorl formation, and the tendency to palisade in some areas.
Mechanisms Influencing Circadian Blood Pressure Patterns Among Individuals with HIV

HIV+ individuals have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the mechanisms behind this association are poorly understood. While hypertension is a well-established CVD risk factor, clinic-based blood pressure (BP) assessment by itself cannot identify several important BP patterns, including white coat hypertension, masked hypertension, nighttime hypertension, and nighttime BP dipping. These BP patterns can be identified over a 24-h period by ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). In this review, we provide an overview of the potential value of conducting ABPM in HIV+ individuals. ABPM phenotypes associated with increased CVD risk include masked hypertension (i.e., elevated out-of-clinic BP despite non-elevated clinic BP), nighttime hypertension, and a non-dipping BP pattern (i.e., a drop in BP of <10 % from daytime to nighttime). These adverse ABPM phenotypes may be highly relevant in the setting of HIV infection, given that increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers, high psychosocial burden, high prevalence of sleep disturbance, and autonomic dysfunction have been commonly reported in HIV+ persons. Additionally, although antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with lower AIDS-related morbidity and CVD risk, the mitochondrial toxicity, oxidative stress, lipodystrophy, and insulin resistance associated with long-term ART use potentially lead to adverse ABPM phenotypes. Existing data on ABPM phenotypes in the setting of HIV are limited, but suggest an increased prevalence of a non-dipping BP pattern. In conclusion, identifying ABPM phenotypes may provide crucial information regarding the mechanisms underlying the excess CVD risk in HIV+ individuals.
Finite-dimensional approximation and error bounds for spectral systems

An approach is presented for directly computing bounds on the frequency-response error between finite-dimensional modal models and the full infinite-dimensional models of systems described by certain classes of linear hyperbolic and parabolic partial differential equations. The models and bounding techniques are developed specifically to be computable when applied to hyperbolic and parabolic systems with spatially variant parameters, complicated boundary shapes, and other cases where the eigenstructure is not available in closed form and must be computed numerically. A controller design example is presented to illustrate the utility of this approach. >
Trade-offs between SiGe and GaAs bipolar ICs

The intrinsic physical properties and electrical parameters of SiGe and GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) are compared and discussed. The reported performance of the two devices are comparable. At the same but relatively low current densities, GaAs HBTs are faster than SiGe HBTs. However, SiGe HBTs not using SOI can be designed to operate at much higher current densities by using smaller emitters, resulting in much lower power dissipation and potentially higher performance, but larger substrate-coupling noise, than GaAs HBTs.
Outcome of zone 1 retinopathy of prematurity.

. Purpose: To describe the outcome in a series of patients with pre-threshold and threshold zone 1 retinopathy of prematurity. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 12 babies, 24 eyes, with zone 1 retinopathy of prematurity, treated between 1992 and 2002 with diode laser treatment. Results: Ten out of the 12 babies had an unfavourable outcome. The only patients with successful anatomical outcomes were those treated before threshold disease occurred. All babies had developmental delay or neurological disability. Conclusion: Zone 1 retinopathy of prematurity has a poor anatomical and visual prognosis and many of the babies in our study had developmental delay and neurological disability. Earlier treatment may improve the visual outcome.
A seasonal rhythm in the neural extract induction of behavioral egg-laying in Aplysia

Abstract 1. 1. An extract of the bag cell clusters (BCs), remainder of the parieto-visceral ganglion (PVG-BCs), or base of the pleuro-visceral connectives (CON) of Aplysia california produces behavioral egg-laying in recipients of the same species. 2. 2. The mean quantity of eggs produced by equivalent tissue weights of these parts of the nervous system is similar, but the mean response time is slightly longer for PVG-BCs extract (76 min) than for BC extract (65 min). It is concluded that the BCs have processes which supply the active principle to the PVG as well as the base of the pleuro-visceral connectives. The active principle may be more tightly bound in the processes than in the cell bodies. 3. 3. No other nervous tissues were capable of reliably inducing egg-laying (branchial and pericardial nerve trunks, cerebral, pedal, pleural, genital and buccal ganglia, and the eyes. 4. 4. The induction of egg-laying by extracts steadily declines from December to May and rises again in June, suggesting a seasonal fluctuation in either the active principle and/or the ability to respond.
S-Phase Cells Are More Sensitive to High-Linear Energy Transfer Radiation

Purpose S-phase cells are more resistant to low-linear energy transfer (LET) ionizing radiation (IR) than nonsynchronized and G 1 -phase cells, because both nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination repair can repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the S phase. Although it was reported 3 decades ago that S-phase cells did not show more resistance to high-LET IR than cells in other phases, the mechanism remains unclear. We therefore attempted to study the phenotypes and elucidate the mechanism involved. Methods and Materials Wild-type and NHEJ-deficient cell lines were synchronized using the double-thymidine approach. A clonogenic assay was used to detect the sensitivity of nonsynchronized, synchronized S-phase, and G 2 -phase cells to high- and low-LET IR. The amounts of Ku bound to DSBs in the high- and low-LET–irradiated cells were also examined. Results S-phase wild-type cells (but not NHEJ-deficient cells) were more sensitive to high-LET IR than nonsynchronized and G 2 -phase cells. In addition, S-phase wild-type cells showed less efficient Ku protein binding to DSBs than nonsynchronized and G 2 -phase cells in response to high-LET IR, although all cells at all phases showed similarly efficient levels of Ku protein binding to DSBs in response to low-LET IR. Conclusions S-phase cells are more sensitive to high-LET IR than nonsynchronized and G 2 -phase cells, because of the following mechanism: it is more difficult for Ku protein to bind to high-LET IR-induced DNA DSBs in S-phase cells than in cells at other phases, which results in less efficient NHEJ.
Particle Deposition in Museums: Comparison of Modeling and Measurement Results

Deposition of airborne particles may lead to soiling and /or chemical damage of objects kept indoors, including works of art in museums. Measurements recently were made of the deposition velocity of fine particles (diameter range: 0.05–2.1 μm) onto surfaces in five Southern California museums. In this paper, theoretical predictions of particle deposition velocities onto vertical surfaces are developed for comparison against the experimental results. Deposition velocities are calculated from data on surface-air temperature difference and near-wall air velocity using idealized representations of the air flow field near the wall. For the five sites studied, the wall-air temperature differences were generally in the range of a few tenths to a few degrees Kelvin. Average air velocities measured at 1 cm from the wall were in the range 0.08–0.19 m s^(−1). Based on a combination of modeling predictions and measurement results, the best estimate values of deposition velocity for the wall studied at each site are obtained. These values are in the range (1.3–20) × 10^(−6) m s^(−1) for particles with 0.05–μm diameter and (0.1–3.3) × 10^(−6) for particles with 1-μm diameter. The range of 15–30 in deposition velocity for a given particle size is due primarily to differences among sites in the near-wall air flow regime, with the low and high values associated with forced laminar flow and homogeneous turbulence in the core of the room, respectively.
Pressure-induced amorphization of wollastonite (CaSiO3) at room temperature

Energy dispersive x‐ray diffraction and Raman measurements show that the mineral wollastonite (CaSiO3) becomes amorphous at a pressure of 25.6 GPa at 300 K. A consideration of the high pressure/high temperature behavior of CaSiO3 shows that the amorphization occurs because the phase transition wollastonite→perovskite CaSiO3 is kinetically impeded. We suggest that the amorphous phase may be viewed as a defective long‐period modulated wollastonite phase.
Labdane diterpenes in Curcuma mangga rhizomes inhibit lipid peroxidation, cyclooxygenase enzymes and human tumour cell proliferation

Abstract The rhizome of “Mango Ginger”, Curcuma mangga (Zingiberaceae), is a dietary ingredient in India and its popularity is similar to the rhizomes of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), the “turmeric root”. In Indian folk medicine, the rhizomes of C. mangga have been used as medicine to treat a variety of diseases for centuries. However, it has not been investigated for its bioactive constituents. In our study, the aqueous, methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of its rhizome showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour activities. Purification of these active extracts yielded bioactive labdane diterpenoids labda-8(17)-12-diene-15,16-dial ( 1 ), calcaratarin A ( 2 ), communic acid ( 3 ), copallic acid ( 4 ), zerumin B ( 5 ), 14,15,16-trinor-labdan-8,12-diol ( 6 ) and two decalins ( 7 – 8 ). The structures were elucidated by spectral analyses. All pure isolates inhibited lipid peroxidation (LPO) by 12–45% at 25 μg/ml. In cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and -2) inhibitory assays, compounds 1 – 4 showed selective COX-2 enzyme inhibition by 39–55% where as 5 – 8 showed selectivity to COX-1 between 45% and 53%. The tumour cell proliferation inhibition by these compounds was determined by using NCI-H460 (lung), HCT-116 (colon), AGS (gastric), SF-268 (CNS) and MCF-7 (breast) human tumour cell lines. All isolates tested at 25 μg/ml showed some degree of inhibition against tumour cell progression.
Photosensitized charge injection into TiO2 particles as studied by microwave absorption

Abstract The fluorescence of rose bengal is quenched with 96% efficiency when this dye is adsorbed on TiO2 particles. Microwave measurements on suspensions of these dye-coated particles have shown large absorption signals when the suspension is irradiated with pulses of 532 nm light from a laser. The microwave absorption is attributed to mobile charge carriers injected into the TiO2 from the excited singlet state of the dye. The observed rise time of the signal indicates no intermediate surface state of greater than 2 ns lifetime. Various characteristics of the observed signals are compared with those from TiO2 single crystals.
Investigating Long Memory in Yield Spreads

This article investigates the presence of long memory in bond yield spreads, looking at the spread between Moody’s Baa and Aaa corporate bond yields as well as the spread between each of these series and the 10-year Treasury bond yield. Using the aggregated series and wavelet OLS estimator methods, the authors test the hypothesis that yield spreads follow a fractionally integrated process. We find significant evidence of the presence of long memory in these spreads, which suggests that a time element exists and should be accounted for when analyzing yield spreads, making investment allocation decisions, or using yield spreads as forecasting tools.
Relationship between nanoscale deformation processes and elastic behavior of polyurethane elastomers

Abstract The cyclic deformation of two polyurethane elastomers that differed in soft segment content and molecular weight was investigated. The microphase-separated morphology of the polyurethane with higher soft segment content consisted of hard segment domains dispersed in a soft segment matrix. In the polyurethane with lower soft segment content, the hard segment domains appeared to be partially cocontinuous. Following an initial ‘conditioning’ cycle, both polyurethanes exhibited reversible elastomeric behavior. Structural changes that occurred during conditioning were investigated using atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared dichroism. The results provided the basis of a structural model for the deformation behavior. Yielding and reorganization of hard domains resulted in a highly oriented microfibrous morphology. Subsequent unloading and reloading were associated with reversible relaxation and reformation of the microfibrous entities. The elastic behavior of the conditioned polyurethanes was satisfactorily described by classical rubber theory with inextensibility. The structural model proposed here extended previous efforts to describe the deformation processes of polyurethanes during cyclic loading.
Some effects of morphine on pituitary-adreno-cortical function in the rat☆

Abstract Morphine evokes ACTH hypersecretion in rats at doses larger than 3.75 mg/kg i.p., a maximal response occurring with 30 mg/kg. The ACTH hypersecretion that follows a dose of 20 mg/kg reaches maximum within 30 min and lasts for 4–6 hr. Repeated doses (3 × 30 mg/kg) in 24 hr cause a significant lowering of pituitary ACTH content.
Recent developments in high energy and spatial resolution analysis of polymers by XPS

Abstract Historically, obtaining useful XPS spectra from polymers has been perceived to be difficult. Problems have included low signal intensities from monochromatic sources, poor spatial resolution, and difficulties with charge compensation. Recent improvements in XPS instrumentation now make it possible to routinely analyze samples which previously would have been considered challenging or impossible. This is particularly true for multi-component polymer samples, which can be difficult to characterize using only large-area spectroscopy. The status of current XPS instrumentation is overviewed, with a variety of examples from polymer analysis. Examples include the use of imaging XPS in the analysis of PVC/PMMA blends, quantification using the valence band region, chemical derivatization of PVMK using hydrazine and trifluorophenylmethyl hydrazine, and high spatial resolution analysis of fiber mats. The importance of high spatial resolution analyses in the evaluation of heterogeneous samples is discussed.
Liquid propellant rocket engines - Their status and future.

Performance, weight, design, flexibility, engine cycles and reliability of liquid propellant rocket engines used in NASA and USAF vehicles
Modifying Activities for Developmental Appropriateness

(1995). Modifying Activities for Developmental Appropriateness. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 66, No. 7, pp. 57-59.
Light-induced Flavour Deterioration. Exposure of Potato Crisps to Light and its Effect on Subsequent Storage in the Dark

The flavour changes and extent of oxidation in crisps that had been exposed to light were studied by flavour difference assessment and peroxide value. When the crisps were examined immediately after illumination, both mean flavour difference ratings and peroxide values increased with the duration of exposure. When the crisps were stored for different periods after a fixed duration of exposure, an increase of flavour difference was observed without concomitant increase in peroxide value. The observation that the storage in the dark after illumination is different to exposure to light alone is significant because actual conditions of storage of food products usually involve both light and dark periods.
Scheduling workforce relief breaks in advance versus in real-time

Abstract This paper focuses upon employee rest breaks, or reliefs, in workforce scheduling. Historically, the workforce scheduling literature has largely ignored reliefs, as less than 18% of the 64 papers we surveyed scheduled reliefs. The argument has been that one need not schedule reliefs in advance, since they can easily be scheduled in real-time. We find this argument to be flawed. We show that failing to schedule reliefs in advance will have one of two undesirable outcomes. First, there will be a less profitable deployment of labor should all reliefs actually be taken in real-time. Second, if some reliefs are never assigned or if relief-timing restrictions are relaxed so that more reliefs may be assigned in real-time, there will be a disgruntled and less productive workforce and perhaps violations of contractual obligations. Our findings are supported by anecdotal evidence drawn from commercial labor scheduling software.