cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viral Vectors for Muscle Gene Therapy

Muscle is a major target tissue for gene therapy, in part because various gene delivery vector platforms enable in vivo gene delivery to muscle tissues. Among them, recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) stands out as one of the most safe and effective vectors for human applications. Many AAV strains isolated from nature collectively constituted the vector toolbox for muscle gene delivery during the field’s early development through animal studies. Caveats emerged as these vectors were carefully evaluated in clinical applications. As the research community has accumulated knowledge about basic AAV biology and the nature of human-specific hurdles to translational therapy, AAV capsid engineering has emerged as a powerful approach for modifying naturally occurring AAV to better address the challenges in human muscle gene therapy. In this chapter, we first introduce basic AAV biology that pertains to the vectorology of AAV for gene therapy. Next, we summarize how AAV vectors based on natural isolates contributed to the continuing success of human muscle gene therapy. Finally, we discuss the protein engineering approaches that have been applied to AAV capsid to develop better clinical vectors, namely, rational design and directed evolution.
Effectiveness of Cr-Coated Zr-Alloy Clad in Delaying Fuel Degradation for a PWR During a Station Blackout Event

Since the accident at Fukushima, one major goal of reactor safety research has been the development of accident tolerant technologies that can mitigate or delay fuel degradation during a beyond-des...
Intracerebroventricular Administration of Neural Stem Cells after Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a serious disease with high rates of mortality and disability worldwide. Currently, neither pharmacological intervention nor therapeutic hypothermia can reverse the neural injury caused by CA. Neural stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for brain injury. We investigated the effects of the intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) on global brain ischemia injury after CA. Twelve Long-Evans rats (4 Male and 8 female) subjected to 8-min asphyxia-CA were randomly assigned to hNSC treatment (n=7) or control group (n=5). The hNSCs were slowly infused into the left lateral ventricular 3 hours after resuscitation. An additional two rats subjected to 8-min asphyxia-CA were euthanized at 4 weeks after resuscitation to confirm the survival and function of transplanted PKH26 pre-labeled hNSCs by brain slides and whole cell patch clamp. Electrophysiological monitoring, quantitative EEG value (qEEG-IQ) and neurological deficit score (NDS) were used to evaluate the functional outcome. Immunofluorescence staining was used to investigate the survival of neurons and track migration of hNSCs. There was a significant improvement on the behavior tests evaluated as a subgroup of NDS (p < 0.05) in the NSCs group than the control group. Immunofluorescent co-staining of PKH26 and NeuN verified the neuronal differentiation from transplanted PKH26+ hNSCs in the hippocampus CA1 and cortex 4 weeks after CA. The whole-cell patch clamp technique confirmed the spontaneous firing activity that was recorded in cell-attached mode from the functional mature neurons derived from transplanted cells. Transplanted hNSCs via ICV administration markedly improved neurologic outcomes after CA. Further studies are needed to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism.
Learning through Collaboration: A Networked Approach to Online Pedagogy.

This qualitative study explores networked collaborative learning in the context of an online undergraduate education course, analyzing the talk, thinking, and media that students jointly produced d...
Teaching and learning nature of scientific knowledge: Is it Déjà vu all over again?

This review traces the history of research on the teaching and learning of nature of scientific knowledge (NOSK), and its implications for curriculum and instruction. Initially, the complex rubric of NOSK is clearly conceptualized, while recognizing that there is no singularly accepted definition. As part of this conceptualization NOSK is distinguished from the body of scientific knowledge and science practices/inquiry, the latter of which is often conflated with NOSK. The empirical research on NOSK related to teaching, learning, and assessment is briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion of the challenges that teachers face and a delineation of research foci that can help alleviate teachers’ challenges. Finally, a variety of important questions yet to be answered are delineated and explained.
Long-Term Influence of Electrode Array Length on Speech Recognition in Cochlear Implant Users.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Results from a prospective trial demonstrated better speech recognition for cochlear implant (CI) recipients implanted with a long lateral wall electrode array compared to subjects with a short array after 1 year of listening experience. As short array recipients may require an extended adaptation period, this study investigated whether differences in speech recognition continued through 4 years of CI use. STUDY DESIGN Long-term follow-up of a prospective randomized trial. METHODS Subjects were randomized to receive a MED-EL medium (24 mm) or standard (31.5 mm) array. Linear mixed models compared speech recognition between cohorts with word recognition in quiet and sentence recognition in noise at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 months postactivation. Postoperative imaging and electric frequency filters were reviewed to assess the influence of frequency-to-place mismatch and angular separation between neighboring contacts, a metric associated with peripheral spectral selectivity. RESULTS Long (31.5 mm) array recipients demonstrated superior speech recognition out to 4 years postactivation. There was a significant effect of angular separation between contacts, with more closely spaced contacts associated with poorer speech recognition. There was no significant effect of mismatch, yet this may have been obscured by changes in frequency filters over time. CONCLUSIONS Conventional MED-EL CI recipients implanted with 31.5-mm arrays experience better speech recognition than 24-mm array recipients, initially and with long-term listening experience. The benefit conferred by longer arrays in the present cohort can be partially attributed to more widely spaced electrode contacts, presumably a result of reduced channel interaction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Laryngoscope, 131:892-897, 2021.
Perceived family and individual social status and its association with depression and suicidality in an adolescent clinical sample.

There is a well-documented association between subjective social status (SSS) and depression among adults. Yet, the research on SSS and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adolescent minority populations is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the adolescent's SSS and mental health in an adolescent sample. A total of 197 adolescents ages 12 to 18 years (M age = 14.58; SD = 1.54) and their parents were recruited in urban outpatient clinics. Sociodemographics and measures of depression, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and SSS were collected in a cross-sectional survey and through chart review. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to calculate statistical associations with depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Significant negative associations were found between SSS and depression, suicidal ideation, and prior suicidal attempts, independent of socioeconomic status. Consideration should be given to assessing measures of social rank to appraise risk in adolescent outpatient clinical settings.
Hybrid fracton phases: Parent orders for liquid and nonliquid quantum phases

We introduce hybrid fracton orders: three-dimensional gapped quantum phases that exhibit the phenomenology of both conventional three-dimensional topological orders and fracton orders. Hybrid fracton orders host both (i) mobile topological quasiparticles and loop excitations, as well as (ii) pointlike topological excitations with restricted mobility, with nontrivial fusion rules and mutual braiding statistics between the two sets of excitations. Furthermore, hybrid fracton phases can realize either conventional three-dimensional topological orders or fracton orders after undergoing a phase transition driven by the condensation of certain gapped excitations. Therefore they serve as parent orders for both long-range-entangled quantum liquid and nonliquid phases. We study the detailed properties of hybrid fracton phases through exactly solvable models in which the resulting orders hybridize a three-dimensional ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ topological order with (i) the X-cube fracton order or (ii) Haah's code. The hybrid orders presented here can also be understood as the deconfined phase of a gauge theory whose gauge group is given by an Abelian global symmetry $G$ and subsystem symmetries of a normal subgroup $N$ along lower-dimensional subregions.
Asthma clustering methods: a literature-informed application to the children's health study data.

The heterogeneity of asthma has inspired widespread application of statistical clustering algorithms to a variety of datasets for identification of potentially clinically meaningful phenotypes. The...
Effect of the FDA Safety and Innovation Act on racial and gender diversity in neurosurgical device trials.

OBJECTIVE The US FDA uses evidence from clinical trials in its determination of safety and utility. However, these trials have often suffered from limited external validity and generalizability due to unrepresentative study populations with respect to clinical patient demographics. Section 907 of the FDA Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) of 2012 attempted to address this issue by mandating the reporting of certain study demographics in new device applications. However, no study has been performed on its effectiveness in the participant diversity of neurosurgical device trials. METHODS The FDA premarket approval (PMA) online database was queried for all original neurosurgical device submissions from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2019. Endpoints of the study included racial and gender demographics of reported effectiveness trials, which were summated for each submission. Chi-square tests were performed on both endpoints for before and after years of FDASIA passage and implementation. RESULTS A total of 33 device approvals were analyzed, with 14 occurring before SIA implementation and 19 after. Most trials (96.97%) reported gender to the FDA, while 66.67% reported race and 63.64% reported ethnicity. Gender breakdown did not change significantly post-SIA (53.30% female, p = 0.884). Racial breakdown was significantly different from the 2010 US Census for all races (p < 0.001) both pre- and post-SIA. Only Native American race was significantly different in terms of representation post-SIA, increasing from 0% to 0.63% (p = 0.0187). There was no significant change in ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS The FDASIA, as currently written, does not appear to have had a significant impact on the racial or gender diversity of neurosurgical device clinical trial populations. This may be due to the noncompulsory nature of its guidance, or a lack of more stringent regulation on the composition of clinical trials themselves.
Trends in Adolescent Hip Arthroscopy From the PHIS Database: 2008 to 2018

Background:Previous studies have suggested that hip arthroscopy has been performed with increasing frequency. Few studies have examined this trend in the adolescent population.Purpose:The purpose o...
On the Possibility of Basing Cryptography on \(\mathsf{EXP}\ne \mathsf{BPP}\)

Liu and Pass (FOCS’20) recently demonstrated an equivalence between the existence of one-way functions (OWFs) and mild average-case hardness of the time-bounded Kolmogorov complexity problem. In this work, we establish a similar equivalence but to a different form of time-bounded Kolmogorov Complexity—namely, Levin’s notion of Kolmogorov Complexity—whose hardness is closely related to the problem of whether \(\mathsf{EXP}\ne \mathsf{BPP}\). In more detail, let Kt(x) denote the Levin-Kolmogorov Complexity of the string x; that is, \(Kt(x) = \min _{{\varPi }\in \{0,1\}^*, t \in \mathbb {N}}\{|{\varPi }| + \lceil \log t \rceil : U({\varPi }, 1^t) = x\}\), where U is a universal Turing machine, and \(U({\varPi },1^t)\) denotes the output of the program \(\varPi \) after t steps, and let \(\mathsf{MKtP}\) denote the language of pairs (x, k) having the property that \(Kt(x) \le k\). We demonstrate that: \(\mathsf{MKtP}\notin \mathsf{Heur}_{\mathsf{neg}}\mathsf{BPP}\) (i.e., \(\mathsf{MKtP}\) is infinitely-often two-sided error mildly average-case hard) iff infinitely-often OWFs exist. \(\mathsf{MKtP}\notin \mathsf{Avg}_{\mathsf{neg}}\mathsf{BPP}\) (i.e., \(\mathsf{MKtP}\) is infinitely-often errorless mildly average-case hard) iff \(\mathsf{EXP}\ne \mathsf{BPP}\).
Measuring the immediate impact when first year pharmacy students are introduced to diverse career pathways.

Abstract Background and Purpose To assess if exposure to diverse pharmacy career pathways influences the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student's career plans within the first month of an academic curriculum. Educational Activity and Setting First year PharmD students were enrolled in a four-week course with a focus on introduction to core practice areas of pharmacy: community, hospital, and managed care. Guidance was provided with resources and a pharmacist panel to aid in both self-learning and direct sharing about diverse areas of pharmacy practice extending beyond the core course practice areas. A survey was given at the beginning and at the end of the course to measure the influence of course activities on first year students' aspirations for varied pharmacy careers. All students completed the survey but needed to opt into the research for data to be collected. Chi-square, Fisher's Exact Test, and descriptive statistics were used in data analysis. Findings In this study of 508 first year pharmacy students, we found that 50.8% reported a change in their pharmacy career plans at the end of the course. Student interest in non-traditional career paths increased from 38.2% at the beginning of the course to 47.6% at the end of the course. As a result, students reported that they would select different electives (P Summary Early exposure to diverse pharmacy career pathways influences students' career plans.
Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia: A Review of Therapies in the Pipeline.

BackgroundThe 2018 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines and 2021 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway recommend nonpharmacological interventions and initi...
Sparse Voronoi Refinement

We present a new algorithm, Sparse Voronoi Refinement, that produces a conformal Delaunay mesh in arbitrary dimension with guaranteed mesh size and quality. Our algorithm runs in output-sensitive time O(n log(L/s)+m), with constants depending only on dimension and on prescribed element shape quality bounds. For a large class of inputs, including integer coordinates, this matches the optimal time bound of Θ(n log n + m). Our new technique uses interleaving: we maintain a sparse mesh as we mix the recovery of input features with the addition of Steiner vertices for quality improvement. This technical report is the long version of an article [HMP06] presented at IMR 2006, and contains full proofs.
Performance analysis of a fault-tolerant distributed-shared memory protocol on the SOME-bus multiprocessor architecture

Interconnection networks allowing multiple simultaneous broadcasts are becoming feasible, mostly due to advances in fiber-optics and VLSI technology. Distributed-shared-memory implementations on such networks promise high performance even for applications with small granularity. This paper summarizes the architecture of one such implementation, the simultaneous optical multiprocessor exchange bus, and examines the performance of an augmented DSM protocol which provides fault tolerance by exploiting the natural DSM replication of data in order to maintain a recovery memory in each processing node. Theoretical and simulation results show that the additional data replication necessary to create fault-tolerant DSM causes no reduction in system performance during normal operation and eliminates most of the overhead at checkpoint creation. Data blocks which are duplicated to maintain the recovery memory may be utilized by the regular DSM protocol, reducing network traffic, and increasing the processor utilization significantly.
Stimulation of Mitogenic Responses in Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes by Lipopolysaccharide: Serum and T Helper Cell Requirements

Stimulation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was studied by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine. Peak stimulation occurred at 7 to 9 days over a broad range of LPS concentrations. Both Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium LPS were effective mitogens with S. typhimurium having slightly higher activity. There was a strict serum requirement; pooled fresh frozen human serum was found to best support stimulation. In fetal calf serum, LPS caused a reduction in culture-induced stimulation. Cell separation procedures were employed in order to study the nature of the responding cell population. It was found that only non-T cells were stimulated by LPS, but in order for maximal stimulation to occur there was a requirement for helper T cells.
A model based on stacked-constraints approach for partitioning the light absorption coefficient of seawater into phytoplankton and non-phytoplankton components

[1] Partitioning of the total non-water absorption coefficient of seawater, anw(λ) (i.e., the light absorption coefficient after subtraction of pure water contribution), into phytoplankton, aph(λ), and non-phytoplankton, adg(λ), components is important in the areas of ocean optics, biology, and biogeochemistry. We propose a partitioning model based on stacked-constraints approach, which requires input of anw(λ) at a minimum of six specific light wavelengths. Compared with existing models, our approach requires much less restrictive assumptions about the spectral slope of adg(λ) and the spectral shape of aph(λ). Our model is based on several inequality constraints determined from an extensive, quality-verified set of field data covering oceanic and coastal waters from low to high-latitudes. With these constraints, the model first derives a wide range of speculative solutions for adg(λ) and aph(λ) and then identifies feasible solutions. Final model outputs include the optimal solution and a range of feasible solutions for adg(λ) and aph(λ). The optimal solutions agree well with measurements. For example, the median ratio of the model-derived optimal solutions to measured adg(λ) and aph(λ) at 443 nm is very close to 1, i.e., 1.004 and 0.988, respectively. The median absolute percent difference between the optimal solutions and measured values of adg(443) and aph(443) is 6.5% and 12%, respectively. The range of feasible solutions encompasses the measured adg(λ) and aph(λ) with a probability >90% at most wavelengths. Our results support the prospect for the applications of the partitioning model using the input data of anw(λ) collected from various oceanographic and remote-sensing platforms.
Multiple user interfaces : cross-platform applications and context-aware interfaces

Acknowledgements.About the Editors.Contributors.PART I. BASIC TERMINOLOGY, CONCEPTS, AND CHALLENGES.1. Executive Summary and Book Overview (Ahmed Seffah and Homa Javahery).2. Multiple User Interfaces: Cross-Platform Applications and Context-Aware Interfaces (Ahmed Seffah and Homa Javahery).PART II. ADAPTATION AND CONTEXT-AWARE USER INTERFACES.3. A Reference Framework for the Development of Plastic User Interfaces (David Thevenin, et al.).4. Temporal Aspects of Multi-Platform Interaction (David England and Min Du).5. The PALIO Framework for Adaptive Information Services (Constantine Stephanidis, et al.).PART III. DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY AND LANGUAGES.6. Building Multi-Platform User Interfaces with UIML (Mir Farooq Ali, et al.).7. XIML: A Multiple User Interface Representation Framework for Industry (Angel Puerta and Jacob Eisenstein).8. AUIT: Adaptable User Interface Technology, with Extended Java Server Pages (John Grundy and Wenjing Zou). PART IV. MODEL-BASED DEVELOPMENT.9. Adaptive Task Modeling: From Formal Models to XML Representations (Peter Forbrig, et al.).10. Multi-Model and Multi-Level Development of User Interfaces (Jean Vanderdonckt, et al.).11. Supporting Interactions with Multiple Platforms Through User and Task Models (L. Marucci, et al.).PART. V ARCHITECTURES, PATTERNS, AND DEVELOPMENT TOOLKITS.12. Migrating User Interfaces Across Platforms Using HCI Patterns (Homa Javahery, et al.).13. Support for the Adapting Applications and Interfaces to Context (Anind K. Dey and Gregory D. Abowd).14. A Run-time Infrastructure to Support the Construction of Distributed, Multi-User, Multi-Device Interactive Applications (Simon Lock and Harry Brignull).PART VI. EVALUATION AND SOCIAL IMPACTS.15 Assessing Usability across Multiple User Interfaces (Gustav Oquist, et al.).16. Iterative Design and Evaluation of Multiple Interfaces for a Complex Commercial Word Processor (Joanna McGrenere).17. Inter-Usability of Multi-Device Systems - A Conceptual Framework (Charles Denis and Laurent Karsenty).Subject Index.
A comparison of neural network and fuzzy c-means methods in bladder cancer cell classification

We report the performances of cancer cell classification by using supervised and unsupervised learning techniques. A single hidden layer feedforward NN with error back-propagation training is adopted for supervised learning, and c-means clustering methods, fuzzy and nonfuzzy, are used for unsupervised learning. Network configurations with various activation functions, namely sigmoid, sinusoid and gaussian, are studied. A set of features, including cell size, average intensity, texture, shape factor and pgDNA are selected as the input for the network. These features, in particular the texture information, are shown to be very effective in capturing the discriminate information in cancer cells. It is found, based on the data from 467 cell images from six cases, the neural network approach achieves a classification rate of 96.9% while fuzzy c-means scores 76.5%. >
The mosaic of midget ganglion cells in the human retina

To study their detailed morphology, ganglion cells of the human retina were stained by intracellular tracer injection, in an in vitro, whole-mount preparation. This report focuses on the dendritic morphology and mosaic organization of the major, presumed color-opponent, ganglion cell class, the midget cells. Midget cells in the central retina were recognized by their extremely small dendritic trees, approximately 5-10 microns in diameter. Between 2 and 6 mm eccentricity, midget cells showed a steep, 10-fold increase in dendritic field size, followed by a more shallow, three- to fourfold increase in the retinal periphery, attaining a maximum diameter of approximately 225 microns. Despite large local variation in dendritic field size, midget cells formed one morphologically distinctive class at all retinal eccentricities. Two midget cell types were distinguished by their dendritic stratification in either the inner or outer portion of the inner plexiform layer (IPL), and presumably correspond to ON- and OFF-center cells respectively. The mosaic organization of the midget cells was examined by intracellularly filling neighboring cells in small patches of retina. For both the inner and outer midget populations, adjacent dendritic trees apposed one another but did not overlap, establishing a coverage of no greater than 1. The two mosaics differed in spatial scale, however: the outer midget cells showed smaller dendritic fields and higher cell density than the inner midget cells. An outer:inner cell density ratio of 1.7:1 was found in the retinal periphery. An estimate of total midget cell density suggested that the proportion of midget cells increases from about 45% of total ganglion cell density in the retinal periphery to about 95% in the central retina. Nyquist frequencies calculated from midget cell spacing closely match a recent measure of human achromatic spatial acuity (Anderson et al., 1991), from approximately 6 degrees to 55 degrees eccentricity. Outside the central retina, midget cell dendrites arborized in clusters within the overall dendritic field. With increasing eccentricity, the dendritic clusters increased in number and remained small (approximately 10-20 microns diameter) relative to the size of the dendritic field. Because neighboring midget cell dendritic trees do not overlap, the mosaic as a whole showed a pattern of clusters and holes. We hypothesize that midget cell dendritic trees may contact individual axon terminals of some midget bipolar cells and avoid contacting others, providing a basis for the formation of cone-specific connections in the IPL.
Purification of an Escherichia coli leucine suppressor transfer ribonucleic acid and its aminoacylation by the homologous leucyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase.

Abstract The leucine amber suppressor tRNA of an Escherichia coli strain carrying the Su6+ gene has been purified completely by benzoylated DEAE-cellulose chromatography. This tRNA mediates in vitro polyleucine formation with poly r(U-A-G). In the aminoacylation reaction with the pure Escherichia coli leucyl-tRNA synthetase it possesses the same Km (5 x 10-8 m) as the other tRNAleu species.
Development, control, and MRI-compatibility of the MR-SoftWrist

This paper presents the MR-SoftWrist: a parallel 3DOF MR-compatible wrist robot with compliant actuation. Through a design that aligns the wrist joint axes to the device DOFs and uses custom MR-compatible force-feedback actuation, the MR-SoftWrist can measure and support wrist movements during fMRI. The device has a circular workspace for wrist flexion/extension and radial/ulnar deviation with 18 deg radius, and is capable of generating 1.75 Nm joint torque. Control experiments validate the device's workspace, along with position and zero torque control capabilities. In zero torque mode the maximum force felt by the user is 0.15 Nm, less than 10% of the device's torque output. The device is shown to have no significant affect on imaging quality during fMRI.
Advance care planning in cystic fibrosis: Current practices, challenges, and opportunities

Abstract Background Studies in cystic fibrosis (CF) report late attention to advance care planning (ACP). The purpose of this study was to examine ACP with patients receiving care at US adult CF care programs. Methods Chart abstraction was used to examine ACP with adults with CF dying from respiratory failure between 2011 and 2013. Results We reviewed 210 deaths among 67 CF care programs. Median age at death was 29years (range 18–73). Median FEV 1 in the year preceding death was 33% predicted (range 13–100%); 68% had severe lung disease with FEV 1 p = p p =0.55). The frequency of ACP varied significantly among the 29 programs contributing data from four or more deaths. Conclusions ACP in CF often occurs late in the disease course. Important decisions default to surrogates when opportunities for ACP are missed. Provision of ACP varies significantly among adult CF care programs. Careful evaluation of opportunities to enhance ACP and implementation of recommended approaches may lead to better practices in this important aspect of CF care.
Self-Inverse Sign Patterns

We first show that if A is a self-inverse sign pattern matrix, then every principal submatrix of A that is not combinatorially singular (does not require singularity) is also a self-inverse sign pattern. Next we characterize the class of all n-by-n irreducible self-inverse sign pattern matrices. We then discuss reducible self-inverse patterns, assumed to be in Frobenius normal form, in which each irreducible diagonal block is a self-inverse sign pattern matrix. Finally we present an implicit form for determining the sign patterns of the off-diagonal blocks (unspecified block matrices) so that a reducible matrix is self-inverse.
Formative Effects of Federal Funding

Shaping Biology The National Science Foundation and American Biological Research, 1945-1975. Toby Appel. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2000. 408 pp. $42.50. ISBN 0-8018-6321-X. Making extensive use of NSF archives and her own interviews, Appel presents a ground-breaking examination of the influence of the NSF on U.S. biological research during its first three decades. Many of the topics she examines--such as basic versus applied science, supporting individuals versus institutions, elitism versus distributive funding, red tape and account-ability--remain relevant and contentious.
Largemouth Bass Hatching Success and First-Winter Survival in Two Illinois Reservoirs

Abstract Water level regimes affected periodicity of hatching success of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in two central Illinois reservoirs, Carlyle Lake and Lake Shelbyville. Periodicity of hatching success was determined from daily rings on otoliths of young-of-the-year largemouth bass collected each July during 1988–1990. Hatching success was disrupted during rapid water level rises and drops. Peak hatching success occurred when water levels were relatively stable. No relationship existed between timing of peak hatching success and abundance or sizes attained in first year. Little evidence was found for size-related winter mortality. Largemouth bass recruitment was considerably higher in high-water years than in low-water years, and appeared to be unrelated to water level fluctuations during the spawning season. However, we suggest that water-level-influenced hatching disruptions could be critical to year-class strength if water levels were to fluctuate over most of the spawning season.
Tolerance and cross-tolerance in chronic alcoholics: reduced membrane binding of ethanol and other drugs

Membrane binding of ethanol, anesthetics, and hydrophobic molecules in brain synaptosomes and liver mitochondria from rats is conspicuously reduced after long-term consumption of ethanol. The membranes are resistant to structural disordering by both ethanol and halothane. Tolerance, cross-tolerance, and dependence in chronic alcoholics may in part result from membrane alterations that inhibit the binding of ethanol and other drugs.
A relation between Liou's method and the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method for evaluating transient response

The fourth-order Runge-Kutta method is shown to be a special case of Liou's method of evaluating transient response for a linear time-invariant system. The eigenvalue problem is then the same for each method.
Role of splenectomy in renal transplantation.

Abstract One hundred sixteen renal transplants in 99 patients were reviewed. Patients were divided into four groups: 53 live donor recipients with pretransplant splenectomy, 13 nonsplenectomized live donor recipients, 20 cadaver recipients with splenectomy, and 30 nonsplenectomized cadaver recipients. Nonsplenectomized live donor recipients had fewer rejection episodes per month of graft function (p
C60 interactions with surfaces, gaseous species and photons: an overview

Abstract The behavior of C 60 in collisions with surfaces, with other gaseous species, and with photons is discussed. The focus is on the processes leading to fragmentation of the molecule, the identification of fragmentation products, and the mechanism of fragmentation. The nature of the fragmentation process of C 60 is of considerable interest in itself and needs to be understood in detail if C 60 cluster ion beams are to be fully exploited technologically. In addition, one may anticipate that an understanding of C 60 fragmentation will contribute mutatis mutandis to an elucidation of the elementary steps leading to the assembly of C 60 from smaller carbon clusters.
A comparison of adverse impact levels based on top‐down, multisource, and assessment center data: Promoting diversity and reducing legal challenges

We compared levels of adverse impact (AI) against minorities and women based on three promotional decision methods for 428 associate store managers of a Fortune 500 retailer: top-down appraisal (TDA), multisource appraisal (MSA), and an assessment center (AC). We found significant effects for race and minority status (favoring whites) but no significant effects for gender across all three methods. Comparisons were analyzed using two definitions of AI (four-fifths rule and the Fisher Exact Test) with a selection ratio (SR) of .25. No evidence of AI was found against blacks for any of the methods. For Hispanics, AI was found under the four-fifths rule for the AC. For women, the four-fifths rule was violated using TDA. Results provide some partial support for the argument that diversity goals are more likely to be met using assessment centers compared to TDA when the preponderance of raters are white men. Our data also suggest that carefully crafted, job-related, top-down appraisal, combined with rater training, may be effective in facilitating the promotion of more women and minorities and reducing the probability of legal problems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evolve! Succeeding in the Digital Culture of Tomorrow

The article reviews the book “Evolve! Succeeding in the Digital Culture of Tomorrow,” by Rosabeth Moss.
Adaptation of the human endocrine system to microgravity in the context of integrative physiology and ageing.

This review deals with changes occurring in space in different endocrine systems. Sections are dedicated to hormones involved in bone remodelling, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, pancreatic hormones, the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-somato-mammotropic system. In space, most systems – especially those regulating bone/muscle metabolism and reproduction – undergo changes resembling those observed during senescence, but recover within weeks or months after return. This suggests space as a possible experimental model for the study of "reversible ageing processes". Studying ageing through space technology might give us the opportunity to combine the holistic view of integrative physiology with the most ambitious goal of the present scientific community, i.e. to yield successful ageing by promoting chronic disease prevention studies and by optimizing safe, anti-ageing therapeutic protocols.
B0, B+, Bs0 and Λb0 lifetimes at LEP

Recent measurements of B 0 , B + , B s 0 mesons and b-baryon lifetimes from the ALEPH, DELPHI and OPAL Collaborations are reviewed. The individual measurements are combined to provide LEP average lifetimes which are now measured with a precision of the order of 5% allowing meaningful comparisons with theoretical predictions.
Mechanisms by which extracellular matrix components induce osteoblast apoptosis

Bone cell apoptosis is seen at sites of active turnover. We hypothesize that at these sites, factors released from resorbing bone induce apoptosis of vicinal cells. Related to this observation, earlier studies indicate that an elevation in the level of inorganic phosphate ions combined with a modest increase in the calcium (Ca 2+ ) concentration, or a rise in the local concentration of RGD-containing peptides promote osteoblast apoptosis. The aim of the current investigation is to elucidate the mechanism by which these extracellular matrix components induce bone cell apoptosis. The data presented in this study clearly demonstrate that osteoblasts are sensitive to peptide fragments and solubilized mineral ions. It is reasonable to expect that these apoptogens would be generated by osteoclasts during resorption of the extracellular bone matrix. We suggest that these components conspire to regulate bone cell function. In terms of the mechanism by which these agents activate apoptosis, it is clear that while ...
Autologous Breast Reconstruction With Use of Transverse Rectus Abdominis Musculocutaneous Flap: Mayo Clinic Experience With 147 Cases

Objective To assess the results of transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstructions of the breast. Design We retrospectively reviewed 147 consecutive cases of TRAM reconstructions of the breast performed at the Mayo Clinic between 1981 and 1992. Material and Methods The median patient age was 47 years, and the median duration of follow-up was 29 months. In 25 patients, both rectus pedicles were used, 15 of those for bilateral reconstruction. The other 122 patients had unipedicled unilateral reconstruction. Only 9% of the breast reconstructions were immediate. Analysis of risk factors in the patient population revealed smoking in 16%, preoperative irradiation of the chest wall in 20%, preoperative chemotherapy in 27%, and both radiotherapy and chemotherapy in 12%. Results The mean overall operative time was 4 hours and 43 minutes (4 hours and 20 minutes for unipedicled flaps and 5 hours and 46 minutes for bipedicled reconstructions). No blood transfusion was needed in 47% of patients; of those who received transfusions, 78% required 2 units or less. In 58 of the 147 patients (39%), an operation was performed on the contralateral breast Follow-up operations were necessary in 71% of patients. The overall frequency of complications was as follows: hernia that necessitated surgical repair, 7.5%; full TRAM ischemic loss, 3.7%; partial TRAM loss, 9.9%; and fat necrosis, 11.7%. No pattern of increased complications was noted in subgroups of patients who smoked or who had received preoperative irradiation, chemotherapy, or both. In comparison with our early cases, the last 50 TRAM procedures were generally associated with fewer complications. The rates of occurrence of complications in our series of patients were similar to those reported in the literature. Conclusion The TRAM flap provides satisfactory results for reconstruction of the breast.
An Evaluation of the One‐Time Capital Gains Exclusion for Older Homeowners

This paper provides an evaluation of the one-time capital gains exclusion for older homeowners. This provision was largely intended to prevent large capital gains tax liabilities from locking older households into current, and possibly inappropriate, housing. We find the exclusion facilitates a modest number of moves, through not entirely of the downscaling type intended by Congress. Among beneficiaries, the distribution of benefits appears to be highly regressive. Modest benefits are also found to be enjoyed by the real estate and mortgage industries. Revenue losses are estimated and found to be significantly larger than estimates provided by the Treasury Department.
Recombination deficient mutant of Caulobacter crescentus

A recombination-deficient (Rec-) strain of Caulobacter crescentus has been isolated from a collection of mutants sensitive to ultraviolet irradiation. The Rec- mutant fails to give recombinants following phi Cr30-mediated generalized transduction or following RP4-mediated conjugation. The recombination frequency in the Rec- strain is at least 5000-fold lower than in the wild type strains. The Rec- mutant is indistinguishable from wild type in terms of morphology, growth rate, viability, and phage sensitivities, differing only in properties known to be associated with recA-type mutations in other organisms: recombination frequency, ultraviolet sensitivity, and Weigle reactivation. The map location of the rec-526 allele has not been identified, but rec-526 can be cotransferred with the fla-169 mutation by RP4-mediated conjugation at low frequency. This apparent linkage has been used to move the rec mutation to other strains. The Rec- mutant resembles recA strains of other organisms and provides a healthy strain severely deficient in recombination for use in complementation and cloning studies involving C. crescentus.
An N-terminal Region of Caenorhabditis elegans RGS Proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16 Directs Inhibition of Gαo VersusGαq Signaling *

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins contain an RGS domain that inhibits Gα signaling by activating Gα GTPase activity. Certain RGS proteins also contain a Gγ-like (GGL) domain and a poorly characterized but conserved N-terminal region. We assessed the functions of these subregions in theCaenorhabditis elegans RGS proteins EGL-10 and EAT-16, which selectively inhibit GOA-1 (Gαo) and EGL-30 (Gαq), respectively. Using transgenes in C. elegans, we expressed EGL-10, EAT-16, their subregions, or EGL-10/EAT-16 chimeras. The chimeras showed that the GGL/RGS region of either protein can act on either GOA-1 or EGL-30 and that a key factor determining Gα target selectivity is the manner in which the N-terminal and GGL/RGS regions are linked. We also found that coexpressing N-terminal and GGL/RGS fragments of EGL-10 gave full EGL-10 activity, whereas either fragment alone gave little activity. Biochemical analysis showed that coexpressing the two fragments caused both to increase in abundance and also caused the GGL/RGS fragment to move to the membrane, where the N-terminal fragment is localized. By coimmunoprecipitation, we found that the N-terminal fragment complexes with the C-terminal fragment and its associated Gβ subunit, GPB-2. We conclude that the N-terminal region directs inhibition of Gα signaling by forming a complex with the GGL/RGS region and affecting its stability, membrane localization, and Gα target specificity.
Causal reasoning with forces

Causal composition allows people to generate new causal relations by combining existing causal knowledge. We introduce a new computational model of such reasoning, the force theory, which holds that people compose causal relations by simulating the processes that join forces in the world, and compare this theory with the mental model theory (Khemlani, Barbey, & Johnson-Laird, 2014) and the causal model theory (Sloman, Barbey, & Hotaling, 2009), which explain causal composition on the basis of mental models and structural equations, respectively. In one experiment, the force theory was uniquely able to account for people’s ability to compose causal relationships from complex animations of real-world events. In three additional experiments, the force theory did as well as or better than the other two theories in explaining the causal compositions people generated from linguistically presented causal relations. Implications for causal learning and the hierarchical structure of causal knowledge are discussed.
Effect of alternating stress on the creep of frozen soils

Abstract Cyclic creep behaviour of a frozen saturated sand and frozen clay was studied by superimposing alternating stresses over a mean static compressive stress on the samples. Cyclic loading increased the creep rate of these materials considerably, which could be due to the increase in unfrozen water content generated by the transient thermal energy produced by mechanical cycling. The strain increment per cycle was found to increase with increasing strain in the frozen sand; whereas it decreased in the frozen clay, showing a tendency for hardening. The difference could be due to the fact that the mean stress on the sample was larger than a threshold stress in the former and smaller in the latter material.
Initial clinical findings of a mathematical model to predict survival of head and neck cancer.

Objectives(1) Identify clinical features that impact survival for head and neck cancer. (2) Determine the individual contribution to mortality of significant clinical features. (3) Develop a web-based calculator to integrate clinical features and predict survival outcome for individual patients.Study DesignAnalysis of a national cancer database. We fit patient data to the binary-biological model of cancer lethality, a mathematical model designed to predict cancer outcome. The model predicts the risk of cancer death, using information on tumor size, nodal status, and other prognostic factors.Subjects and MethodsAnalysis was carried out on a cohort of ~50,000 patients with head and neck cancer from the Survey, Epidemiology and End-Results (SEER) 2009 data set and validated with a cohort of ~1300 patients from an institutional Massachusetts General Hospital/Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary database. We developed a web-based calculator written in JavaScript, PHP, and HTML.ResultsThe risk of death due to he...
A comparison of barley malt amylolytic enzyme activities as indicators of malt sugar concentrations.

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that barley malt α-amylase activity correlates better with malt sugar concentrations than the activities of β-amylase or limit dextrinase. Seeds of f...
THE SUCCESS of the 1993 BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL at REDUCING the FEDERAL BUDGET DEFICIT

This article discusses the process by which President Clinton achieved a budgetdeficit reduction package in Congress and the implications of this process. It concludes that future administrations will have more flexibility in debating whether the federal government should increase its scope or reduce taxes.
Ultrasonic gas accumulation detection and evaluation in nuclear cooling pipes

This paper presents a novel ultrasonic guided wave based inspection methodology for detecting and evaluating gas accumulation in nuclear cooling pipe system. The sensing is in-situ by means of low-profile permanently installed piezoelectric wafer sensors to excite interrogating guided waves and to receive the propagating waves in the pipe structure. Detection and evaluation is established through advanced cross time-frequency analysis to extract the phase change in the sensed signal when the gas is accumulating. A correlation between the phase change and the gas amount has been established to provide regulatory prediction capability based on measured sensory data.
Young children's problem-solving strategies: An observational study

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify features of young children's behavior that contribute to effective problem solving. Twenty-four 4- and 5-year-old children, half from low SES families and half from high SES families, were observed while performing perceptual/performance cognitive tasks. Frequency of behavior that reflected problem-solving strategies was recorded. Results are discussed in terms of functional variables that are responsible for SES differences in performance. Problem-solving strategy score was associated with 59% of the variance in test performance. Significant SES differences were found in the strategy score, and when specific behavior categories were examined, SES differences were found in four of the five categories (Visual Scanning, Trial and Error Responding, Impulsive Responding, Helpless Confirmation Seeking).