cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The medical genetics workforce: an analysis of clinical geneticist subgroups.

Purpose: Clinical geneticists with a Doctor of Medicine degree face challenges to meet the growing population demand for genetic services. This study was designed to assist the profession with workforce planning by identifying clinically relevant subgroups of geneticists and describing their professional characteristics and clinical practices. Geneticists' patient care productivity is compared across subgroups and other medical specialists. Methods: Part of a comprehensive national study of genetic services and the health workforce, this study uses data from a 2003 survey of geneticists certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics. This study includes 610 clinical geneticists who spend at least 5% of their time in direct patient-care services. An iterative approach was used to identify five subgroups based on the types of new patients seen. We conducted a descriptive analysis of subgroups by demographic, training, professional, and practice characteristics. Results: The subgroups include general (36%), pediatric (28%), reproductive (15%), metabolic (14%), and adult (7%) geneticists. Clinically relevant variations across subgroups were noted in training, professional, and practice parameters. Subgroups vary across patient care hours (median, 15–33 hours/week) and total weekly work hours (52–60 hours). New patient visits (mean, 222–900/year) are higher than follow-up patient visits (mean, 155–405) for all subgroups except metabolic geneticists. Conclusion: Although many geneticists practice as generalist geneticists, this study provides an evidence base for distinguishing clinically relevant subgroups of geneticists. Geneticists provide similar numbers of new patient visits and far fewer follow-up visits than other medical specialists. These findings are relevant to geneticist workforce planning.
Partial adaptivity for the large array

Most studies and experimental work in the past on the subject of adaptive arrays have been concerned with systems with, at most, a few tens of adaptive elements. In the study of the problems facing the next generation of ballistic missile defense radars, it has become clear that jamming poses a very serious threat. These radar systems typically contain as many as 3000 to 5000 elements per array face. The adaptive array technique is a likely candidate to aid in countering this threat. This paper examines the problem of configuring such a large array to provide partial adaptivity. A method of analysis is presented and the results of simulations and analysis are presented showing the effects of configuration, the effects of practical component tolerances, and the transient response characteristics of several candidate systems.
Abstract homomorphisms of algebraic groups: problems and bibliography

(1981). Abstract homomorphisms of algebraic groups: problems and bibliography. Communications in Algebra: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 95-114.
Executive function mediates socio-economic and racial differences in early academic achievement

Abstract Although associations between socio-economic status, race, and academic achievement are well established, the specific mechanisms that underlie the relation remain incompletely understood. This longitudinal investigation, involving a sample of 206 children from economically and racially diverse backgrounds, examined the influence of executive function and expressive vocabulary assessed in kindergarten on academic achievement in Grade 1. The use of structural equation modeling revealed that both SES and race had indirect effects on achievement test scores through their effects on executive function, even when accounting for differences in expressive vocabulary. As expected, executive function was more strongly related to math than literacy achievement. The results provide support for the importance of targeting executive skills and intervening early in efforts to improve academic performance in young children. Moreover, the findings suggest that improving executive function may mitigate the impact of social risk factors on academic achievement.
Amphetamine toxicity in hyperthyroid mice: Effects on blood glucose and liver glycogen

Abstract The effects of amphetamine and certain related drugs on mortality, blood glucose, and liver glycogen levels were compared in hyperthyroid and in euthyroid mice. Pretreatment with triiodothyronine markedly increased the mortality of mice injected with amphetamine, α -methyl- m -tyrosine, and ephedrine. In hyperthyroid but not in euthyroid mice these agents induced marked hypoglycemia and depletion of liver glycogen stores. When tested under aggregated conditions, amphetamine caused similar effects on mortality, blood glucose, and liver glycogen stores in hypothyroid and euthyroid mice. The mechanisms by which thyroid hormones influence the toxicity of amphetamine and related drugs are discussed in the light of these findings.
Studies on the biosynthesis of asperparaline A: origin of the spirosuccinimde ring system.

The primary amino acid building blocks that constitute asperparaline A have been determined through feeding and incorporation of 13C-labeled intermediates. The β-methyl proline residue is constituted from (S)-isoleucine, the novel spiro-succinime moiety is derived from the oxidative degradation of (S)-tryptophan, and (S)-adenosylmethionine contributes the two N-methyl residues. In addition, it was found that the incorporation of 13C-labeled acetate into the single isoprene unit clearly demonstrates that the isoprene moiety is derived from the mevalonate pathway.
Selection of second-growth woodlands by frugivorous migrating birds in Panama: an effect of fruit size and plant density?

I provide evidence that migrating birds concentrate in tropical second-growth woodlands due, in part, to a greater abundance of small fruits. Migrant birds markedly increased in abundance during spring migration in late March in a young (approximately 25 years old) second-growth woodland in Panama. Migrant abundance and diversity was greater at mist-net level on the second-growth site than in nearby old forest. Diversity of canopy migrants also was greater in the young woodland than in an old second-growth forest. Thus, many migrant species appear to select young second-growth during spring migration in central Panama. Degree of frugivory by many migrant species was greater during migration than earlier in the dry season. Most migrants selecting the second-growth site were highly frugivorous and migrants accounted for most of the visits to common fruit species, but use of fruit trees appeared to be influenced by fruit size relative to gape width. Most migrants have mouths that are better suited to eating the small fruits predominating in young forest than the larger fruits characteristic of old forest. Abundances of bird-dispersed fruit plants and, particularly, those fruit species known to be eaten by migrants were greater in young than in old forest. The high food demands of migrating birds added to the high degree of frugivory of most migrants selecting second-growth forest suggests that the abundance of small fruits in second-growth may be a strong cause for habitat selection during migration.
Selective laser trabeculoplasty as a first-line therapy: a review ☆

Poor adherence with glaucoma medications has been well documented. There remains a significant unmet need for a relatively safe intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering procedure that minimizes or eliminates patient participation, and thus reduce the incidence of treatment failures attributable to nonadherence. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) offers several advantages: It effectively reduces IOP in most patients with open-angle glaucoma, it is cost-effective compared with eye drops, it can be repeated if needed, and it eliminates the issue of adherence to medications when used as an initial treatment. This article reviews the evidence supporting the use of SLT as a first-line therapy in glaucoma.
Electrophoretic analysis of flour proteins from various varieties of wheat

Extracts (O.IM-sodium chloride) of fifteen samples of flour, from six types of wheat, have been analysed by moving boundary electrophoresis. The gluten proteins and O.OIM-acetic acid extracts of the flours were also examined. Electrophoretic enantiography was quite good for all buffers used. Seven to eleven electrophoretic components were observed for the gluten protein extracts depending on the type of wheat and the extent of resolution. Analyses of the gluten and the acetic acid extracts from flour could be grouped into three categories typified by the Hard Red Spring wheats, the Hard Red Winter wheats and the Durum wheat. Considerably more material was extracted with O.OIM-acetic acid from flour than from gluten, including fast migrating (‘salt-soluble’) and polysaccharide material. In general, patterns for the O.OIM-acetic acid extracts of gluten could be superimposed on the patterns for the O.OIM-acetic acid extracts of flour. The good reproducibility of the electrophoretic method was demonstrated by three analyses of glutens from a cake flour. Differences in component distribution were observed for the O.IM-sodium chloride extracts of flour when analysed in veronal buffer, at least ten components being observed. Greater amounts of slower migrating components were noted in the Hard Red Winter wheats and in the Club wheat than in the Hard Red Spring wheats. Flour samples, analysed in borate buffer, could be divided into four general groups on the basis of their electrophoretic patterns. No differences were observed in the electrophoretic analyses of proteins from bleached and unbleached cake flour.
Analysis of three crystal structure determinations of a 5-methyl-6-N-methylanilino pyridopyrimidine antifolate complex with human dihydrofolate reductase.

Structural data are reported for the first example of the potent antifolate inhibitor 2,4-diamino-5-methyl-6-[(3′,4′,5′-trimethoxy-N-methylanilino)methyl]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine (1) in complex with human dihydrofolate reductase (hDHFR) and NADPH. Small differences in crystallization conditions resulted in the growth of two different forms of a binary complex. The structure determination of an additional crystal of a ternary complex of hDHFR with NADPH and (1) grown under similar conditions is also reported. Diffraction data were collected to 2.1 A resolution for an R3 lattice from a hDHFR ternary complex with NADPH and (1) and to 2.2 A resolution from a binary complex. Data were also collected to 2.1 A resolution from a binary complex with hDHFR and (1) in the first example of a tetragonal P43212 lattice. Comparison of the intermolecular contacts among these structures reveals differences in the backbone conformation (1.9–3.2 A) for flexible loop regions (residues 40–46, 77–83 and 103–107) that reflect differences in the packing environment between the rhombohedral and tetragonal space groups. Analysis of the packing environments shows that the tetragonal lattice is more tightly packed, as reflected in its smaller VM value and lower solvent content. The conformation of the inhibitor (1) is similar in all structures and is also similar to that observed for TMQ, the parent quinazoline compound. The activity profile for this series of 5-deaza N-substituted non-classical trimethoxybenzyl antifolates shows that the N10—CH3 substituted (1) has the greatest potency and selectivity for Toxoplasma gondii DHFR (tgDHFR) compared with its N—­H or N—CHO analogs. Models of the tgDHFR active site indicate preferential contacts with (1) that are not present in either the human or Pneumocystis carinii DHFR structures. Differences in the acidic residue (Glu30 versus Asp for tgDHFR) affect the precise positioning of the diaminopyridopyrimidine ring, while changes in other residues, particularly at positions 60 and 64 (Leu versus Met and Asn versus Phe), involve interactions with the trimethoxybenzyl substituents.
A Laser Confocal Microscopic Study of Vagal Afferent Innervation of Rat Aortic Arch: Chemoreceptors as Well as Baroreceptors

Abstract Although the aortic nerves contain vagal afferents that terminate in both the wall of the aortic arch (putative baroreceptors) and its associated glomus tissue (putative chemoreceptors) in most mammalian species, the aortic nerves of the rat have been widely assumed to contain only baro- or pressor afferents. The present study reconsidered this anomaly by characterizing vagal afferent endings and their targets in the aortic arch region of the rat, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Eight Sprague–Dawley rats received intracranial vagal motor rhizotomy unilaterally to eliminate efferents in the nerve and then, two weeks later, injections of the tracer DiI (1,1′-dioleyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine methanesulfonate) into the ipsilateral nodose ganglion. The aortic arch and its surrounding tissue, with the common carotid and subclavian arteries attached, were examined with both conventional epifluorescence and confocal microscopes. Consistent with earlier observations, vagal afferents formed both flower-spray and end-net terminals rather diffusely within the wall of the aortic arch. More interestingly, vagal afferents also innervated glomus or SIF (i.e., small intensely fluorescent) cell bodies at the junction areas of the common carotid and subclavian arteries. To identify the course of these fibers, six additional animals received DiI injection into the nodose unilaterally after a complete cervical vagotomy caudal to the nodose; in these animals, the aortic nerve had been separated from the vagal trunk and kept intact. There were no marked differences in innervation patterns between the nonvagotomized and the cervically vagotomized animals, indicating that the vagal axons innervating the walls of the blood vessels and the SIF cells in the aortic arch region travel through the aortic nerves. Using a stereological method, we estimated the relative number of chemo- and baroreceptor afferents innervating the aortic arch. About 16.4% (left) and 13.1% (right) of fibers in the aortic nerves innervate SIF cells. These findings challenge the general consensus that the aortic nerves of rats contain exclusively baroreceptor fibers.
Spin‐Free Quantum Chemistry. XXI. Hartree–Fock theory

The theory of the open-and closed-shell restricted Hartree–Fock method is given a unitary group formulation. Both extremum and stability conditions are employed, the former leading to a generalized Brillouin theorem.
Corrected boundary-integral equations in planar thermoelastoplasticity

Abstract There are some errors in the direct boundary-integral equation formulation in terms of displacements or velocities, of problems in planar elastoplasticity and thermoelastoplasticity that have been recently reported in the literature. In particular, lack of proper care in reducing the correctly formulated three dimensional problem to the case of plane strain has resulted in incorrect expressions for certain kernels that appear in the integral equations. A correct direct boundary-integral equation formulation for the plane strain problem in thermoelastoplasticity is presented in this paper.
On a Market Equilibrium Theorem with an Infinite Number of Commodities

Abstract A direct proof is given of the market equilibrium theorem of Gale, Nikaido and Debreu for an infinite-dimensional commodity space. The theorem is closely related to a recent result of Aliprantis and Brown, but allows for excess demand correspondences rather than excess demand functions.
Federal budget cuts: Bureaucrats trim the meat, not the fat

13 in 1978 set off heated charges that vital services were being cut back instead of looked-for reductions in the size of the state bureaucracy. A bureaucratic response of this type to budget cuts is entirely foreseeable given the conception of bureaucrats as utility-maximizing individuals. Focus on the behavior of individual agents in the governmental process commenced formally in 1962 with Buchanan and Tullock's The Calculus of Consent. Since then, the ability of legislators and bureaucrats to engage in self-interested (as opposed to public-interest) behavior, has been investigated by numerous scholars. The general concensus which has emerged from these studies, among public choice economists at any rate, is that producers of public goods, acting in their own interest, are not led by Adam Smith's 'invisible hand' to act in the more general public interest. This paper provides additional support for the public choice view of public servant behavior. A comparison of proposed budget cuts by federal agency with proposed reductions in agency personnel reveals that, in the face of
A junctional problem of apical proportions: epithelial tube-size control by septate junctions in the Drosophila tracheal system

The size of epithelial tubes is critical for the function of organs such as the lung, kidney and vascular system. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating tube size are largely unknown. Recent work in the Drosophila tracheal system reveals that septate junctions play a previously unsuspected role in tube-size control. Surprisingly, this tube-size function is distinct from the established diffusion barrier function of septate junctions, and involves regulation of cell shape rather than cell number. Possible tube-size functions of septate junctions include patterning of the apical extracellular matrix and regulation of conserved cell polarity genes such as Scribble and Discs Large.
Tumor lysis syndrome after combination chemotherapy for ovarian cancer

Tumor lysis syndrome is infrequently encountered following the treatment of solid tumors. A 47-year-old woman developed this syndrome after receiving combination chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. The levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase, uric acid, phosphate, and creatinine increased, whereas the serum calcium level decreased. These metabolic abnormalities were treated successfully using a combination of vigorous intravenous hydration, parenteral bicarbonate to keep urinary pH > 7, furosemide, and allopurinol. This unusual and easily treatable complication should be anticipated in patients with rapidly growing ovarian cancer undergoing aggressive treatment.
Absence of Transferable Endogenous Substances Altering Vascular Reactivity in Endotoxin Shock.

SummaryTransfer of rabbit blood incubated with endotoxin in vitro or in vivo to a recipient rabbit or a heart-lung preparation induced hyperreactivity of pulmonary blood vessels to acetylcholine after a latent period comparable to that observed after injection of endotoxin. We could not demonstrate the presence of metabolic products of endotoxin or secondary substances capable of inducing immediate alteration of vascular reactivity to acetylcholine after passive transfer to a recipient animal.The authors wish to express their grateful acknowledgment to Mr. J. Ng for his skillful technical assistance.
SCF ubiquitin ligases in the maintenance of genome stability

In response to genotoxic stress, eukaryotic cells activate the DNA damage response (DDR), a series of pathways that coordinate cell cycle arrest and DNA repair to prevent deleterious mutations. In addition, cells possess checkpoint mechanisms that prevent aneuploidy by regulating the number of centrosomes and spindle assembly. Among these mechanisms, ubiquitin-mediated degradation of key proteins has an important role in the regulation of the DDR, centrosome duplication and chromosome segregation. This review discusses the functions of a group of ubiquitin ligases, the SCF (SKP1-CUL1-F-box protein) family, in the maintenance of genome stability. Given that general proteasome inhibitors are currently used as anticancer agents, a better understanding of the ubiquitylation of specific targets by specific ubiquitin ligases may result in improved cancer therapeutics.
Solubilization of Carbon Nanotubes via Polymer Attachment

Carbon nanotubes were functionalized by polystyrene copolymers, poly(styrene-co-hydroxymethylstyrene) and poly(styrene-co-aminomethylstyrene), under esterification and amidation reaction conditions, respectively. The polymer-attached carbon nanotubes are soluble in common organic solvents, forming colored homogeneous solutions. Results from the characterization of the functionalized carbon nanotubes are presented and discussed.
Parental provision of transportation for adolescent physical activity

Abstract Background: Physical activity (PA) is important to adolescents' health. Parent transportation to activity locations is a practical strategy for increasing youth PA that has rarely been examined. Design: Cross-sectional surveys of students and parents. Setting/ Participants: Ethnically diverse students (N=1678; 712 boys, 966 girls; M age=13.0 years) from 24 middle schools (grades six to eight) and their parents completed surveys (response rate=72%). Main Outcome Measures: Frequency of parents transporting adolescents to PA locations was studied in relation to adolescents' reported participation in PA during the previous week and their involvement in sports and activity lessons during the past year. Results: Parents transported adolescents to PA locations 2.13 times per week, with boys being transported more often than girls ( p =0.03). Ethnic/racial differences in frequency of transport were evidenced ( p =0.002). Parent transportation for PA significantly contributed to girls' total PA ( p =0.001) and their participation in sports/activity lessons ( p =0.001). Transportation contributed marginally ( p =0.06) to boys' total PA, but significantly to their participation in sports/activity lessons ( p =0.001). Conclusions: Parent provision of transportation to activity locations is associated with out-of-school PA in a diverse adolescent population. This variable should be targeted for intervention.
Conservative confidence ellipsoids for linear model parameters

This paper studies properties of conservative confidence ellipsoids for parameters of a general linear model. These regions are obtained on the basis of a linear estimator when only a vague knowledge of (heterogeneous) error variances is available. The required optimization problem is formulated and the solution space is described. The relationship of this problem to moments of quadratic forms in Gaussian random variables and to multiple hypergeometric functions is demonstrated. We explore the situation when the least favorable variances are equal. An example of a telephone switching study is considered.
An anti-I-A murine monoclonal antibody which cross-reacts with HLA-DR2.

Abstract A murine monoclonal antibody, 12.7G3, directed against an Ia antigen encoded by genes in the I-A b subregion of the H-2 genetic complex, was found to be cytotoxic against human B lymphocytes. When tested against a random panel of normal human donors, the reactivity of 12.7G3 exhibited a correlation coefficient of 0.58–0.68 with cells expressing HLA-DR2. Antibody reactivity segregated with HLA-DR2 in two families studied. Binding of 12.7G3, as detected by immunofluorescence using flow microfluorometry, was positive for two human cell lines, GM 3161 and HFB-1, both expressing HLA-DR2, and negative for two other cell lines, GM 3104 (DR1,1) and GM 3164 (DR4,4).
A novel surgical approach for complex destructive acetabular malignancies.

Current treatment of acetabular defects created by metastatic disease involve extensile approaches removing the abductors from the greater trochanter or greater trochanteric osteotomy. We have developed a technique which does not involve removal of the muscle from the greater trochanter or trochanteric osteotomy. We remove the gluteus medius muscle from its anterior origin along several inches of the anterior iliac wing and the gluteus maximus from its insertion (the conjoined tendon) along the posterior proximal femur. The entire hip joint capsule is removed from anterior and posterior to the gluteus medius and minimus taking care to leave the insertion of these muscles intact. We have performed this approach in 13 patients with known metastatic disease and our preliminary results indicate that their limp and immediate weight bearing are improvements from the current standard of care involving removal of either the insertion of the gluteus medius and minimus from the greater trochanter or greater trochanteric osteotomy. J. Surg. Oncol. 2009;99:379–381. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effectiveness of sports massage for recovery of skeletal muscle from strenuous exercise.

Objective:Sport massage, a manual therapy for muscle and soft tissue pain and weakness, is a popular and widely used modality for recovery after intense exercise. Our objective is to determine the effectiveness of sport massage for improving recovery after strenuous exercise.Data Sources:We searched
Early electrocardiographic diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in the presence of ventricular paced rhythm

Abstract Our study suggests that certain changes in the ST segment in patients with endocardial right ventricular pacing and chest pain are specific for the early diagnosis of AMI. Such signs may reduce or eliminate the need to inhibit the pacemaker or wait for serial electrocardiographic changes before offering appropriate treatment.
Verification of collisionless model of capacitive rf discharges by particle-in-cell simulations

A model for high voltage rf capacitive discharges in the collisionless sheath regime1 is verified by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations2, both for current- and voltage-driven sources. The ion energy distributions (IEDs) and the IED widths ΔE i are investigated and show good agreement with the Benoit-Cattin and Bernard theoretical model3, with proper adjustment of the dc bias voltage. Sensitivities of sources (current or voltage driven) to IEDs are described. It is found that for the same variations of rf source amplitudes, larger voltage shifts are expected in the IEDs for current-driven than voltage-driven cases. Effects of rf frequencies on IEDs are observed for a fixed rf voltage-driven source amplitude. The IEDs show a surprising independence on the rf frequencies, which can be understood reasonably well by the combined scalings of the global discharge model and Benoit-Cattin and Bernard theoretical model.
A pilot investigation of the psychologic functioning of patients with anticipatory vomiting

A pilot investigation of nine cancer patients receiving chemotherapy on an outpatient basis at the University of Florida's Shands Teaching Hospital is reported. The focus of the study was comparing patients with anticipatory vomiting symptoms with patients who did not exhibit prechemotherapy vomiting on measures of affect and coping style. The data indicated that patients exhibiting prechemotherapy vomiting, compared with the other patients, were more anxious and depressed; additionally, they exhibited a coping style which was inhibitive rather than facilitative in nature. A theoretical context for defining and treating prechemotherapy vomiting is offered.
A consistent test for conditional symmetry in time series models

The assumption of conditional symmetry is often invoked to validate adaptive estimation and consistent estimation of ARCH/GARCH models by quasi-maximum likelihood. Imposing conditional symmetry can increase the efficiency of bootstraps if the symmetry assumption is valid. This paper proposes a procedure for testing conditional symmetry. The proposed test does not require the data to be stationary or i.i.d., and the dimension of the conditional variables can be infinite. The proposed test is consistent and is asymptotically distribution free. In addition, the test is shown to have nontrivial power against root-T local alternatives. The size and power of the test are satisfactory even for small samples. Applying the test to various time series, we reject conditional symmetry in inflation, exchange rate and stock returns. Among the nonfinancial time series considered, we find that investment, the consumption of durables, and manufacturing employment also reject conditional symmetry.
Miliary tuberculosis presenting as acute respiratory failure: treatment by membrane oxygenator and ventricle pump.

A 58-year-old woman with high fever, dyspnea, rapidly progressive hypoxemia and opacification of the lung fields presented the clinical picture of catastrophic respiratory failure. Extracorporeal support of oxygenation using a membrane oxygenator and a new ventricle pump was initially successful. At autopsy, miliary tuberculosis was found to be the cause of this “shock lung like” syndrome.
A Model of Creative Design Using Collaborative Interactive Genetic Algorithms

We propose a computational model for creative design based on collaborative interactive genetic algorithms, and present an implem entation for evolving creative floorplans and widget layout/colors for individual UI panels. We map our model and its implementation to earlier models of creativ e design from literature. We also address critical research issues with respect to the model and its implementation ‐ issues relating to creative design spaces, d esign space exploration, design representation, design evaluation (competition), de sign collaboration, and design visualization (for interactivity). Results comparin g collaborative evolution of floorplans to non-collaborative evolution are also presented, and pre-tests using surveys indicate that floorplans developed via coll aboration are more original than those produced by individual non-collaborative evol ution.
Concise Review: Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Regenerative Applications for Failing β-Cell Function

Diabetes engenders the loss of pancreatic β-cell mass and/or function, resulting in insulin deficiency relative to the metabolic needs of the body. Diabetic care has traditionally relied on pharmacotherapy, exemplified by insulin replacement to target peripheral actions of the hormone. With growing understanding of the pathogenesis of diabetic disease, alternative approaches aiming at repair and restoration of failing β-cell function are increasingly considered as complements to current diabetes therapy regimens. To this end, emphasis is placed on transplantation of exogenous pancreas/islets or artificial islets, enhanced proliferation and maturation of endogenous β cells, prevention of β-cell loss, or fortified renewal of β-like-cell populations from stem cell pools and non-β-cell sources. In light of emerging clinical experiences with human embryonic stem cells and approval of the first in-human trial with induced pluripotent stem cells, in this study we highlight advances in β-cell regeneration strategies with a focus on pluripotent stem cell platforms in the context of translational applications.
Differential expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) after tenotomy in rabbit skeletal muscle.

Tenotomy is a commonly encountered event in orthopaedic surgery. In 23 rabbit extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, within 24 h after tenotomy, a marked drop in maximum force production occurred. This was not explainable based on architectural changes and histological examination using standard markers for muscle injury, i.e., haematoxylin and eosin morphology, developmental myosin heavy chain (MHC) immunolabeling, and quantitation of muscle fiber type percentage, area and distribution. The expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), a glycoprotein expressed during muscle development was measured as a function of time in these muscles. NCAM expression was increased as early as one day after tenotomy with 2:2 � 1:2% of the fibers showing positive expression. This expression level increased significantly to 15:4 � 15:2% after 7 days and then subsided to 13:2 � 10:6% 21 days after tenotomy. Two-way analysis of variance demonstrated a significant effect of time and a significant time x tenotomy method interaction. These results suggest that tenotomy leads to possible changes in muscle–nerve connections and/or excitation–contraction (EC) coupling. 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Ecocounseling: Focus or Fringe?

The topic of ecocounseling psychology is reviewed as a back-drop for family counselors to consider the potential role of ecological activism in their professional practice.
Narrative Interaction in Family Dinnertime Conversations

Reminiscing has been shown to be a critical conversational context for the development of autobiographical memory, self-concept, and emotional regulation (for a review, see Fivush, Haden, & Reese, 2006). Although much past research has examined reminiscing between mothers and their preschool children, very little attention has been given to family narrative interaction with older children. In the present study, we examined family reminiscing in spontaneous narratives that emerged during family dinnertime conversations. The results revealed that mothers contributed more to the narratives than did fathers in that they provided, confirmed, and negated more information, although fathers requested more information than mothers. In exploratory analyses, mothers' contributions to shared family narratives were found to be related to fewer internalizing and externalizing behaviors in their children, while fathers' contributions to individual narratives of day-today experiences were related to fewer internalizing and externalizing behaviors in their children. These results indicate that mothers and fathers may play different roles in narrative construction with their children, and there is some suggestion that these differences may also be related to children's behavioral adjustment.
Stochastic Properties and Application of City Section Mobility Model

Node mobility has a direct impact on the performance evaluation of various network mobility protocols. Unfortunately, most of the analysis on mobility protocols used Random Waypoint mobility model which does not represent real-world movement patterns of mobile nodes. In this paper, we have analyzed City Section mobility model, a realistic mobility model for the movement in the city streets. We have developed an analytical model to derive certain stochastic properties, such as, expected epoch length, expected epoch time, expected number of subnet crossings and subnet residence time of this model. Finally, we have applied the model to calculate the signaling cost of NEMO BSP and compared it with Random Waypoint mobility model. Results show that the use of realistic mobility model leads to better estimation of the signaling cost of network mobility protocol.
An efficient method for computing transient response of integrated circuits with lossy transmission lines

Computing the transient signals in circuits with lossy transmission lines involves evaluation of convolution integrals at each time step. Each convolution integral requires signals from the initial time up to the current time. The paper presents a technique called the polynomial convolution algorithm that allows evaluation of a convolution integral at the current time step by using the result of convolution at the previous time step. Thus storage and computation time requirements are reduced significantly. Accuracy and speed tradeoffs are presented as well as examples of simulation results. >
Impact tolerance in mussel thread networks by heterogeneous material distribution

The ability of mussels to remain attached to rocks and the hulls of ships in the presence of impacting waves is surprising. Qin et al. show that a heterogeneous distribution of specific load-bearing materials in the attaching threads allows for this firm adhesion.
Universal Design Principles for Cascade Heterojunction Solar Cells with High Fill Factors and Internal Quantum Efficiencies Approaching 100

Cascade heterojunction (CHJ) organic solar cells have recently emerged as an alternative to conventional bulk heterojunctions and series-connected tandems due to their significant promise for high internal quantum efficiency (IQE) and broad spectral coverage. However, CHJ devices thus far have also exhibited poor fill factor (FF), resulting in minimal enhancements (or even decreases) in power conversion efficiency (PCE) when compared with single heterojunction (SHJ) cells. In this study, the major variables controlling the CHJ maximum power point and FF are determined using a combinatorial approach. By matching the maximum power point voltage (VMPP) of the constituent parallel-connected heterojunctions (subjunctions) and minimizing the injection barriers intrinsic to CHJs, high FF and PCE can be achieved. Optimized CHJ devices are demonstrated with >99% IQE in the interlayer and a 46% increase in PCE compared to a SHJ reference (4.1% versus 2.8%). Devices with a transparent exciton dissociation layer (EDL)/interlayer/acceptor structure are employed, such that each CHJ has absorption efficiency identical to its interlayer/acceptor SHJ counterpart. Using these results, a clear map of performance as a function of material parameters is developed, providing straightforward, universal design rules to guide future engineering of molecules and layer architectures for CHJ organic photovoltaic devices.
Block Variable Selection in Multivariate Regression and High-dimensional Causal Inference

We consider multivariate regression problems involving high-dimensional predictor and response spaces. To efficiently address such problems, we propose a variable selection method, Multivariate Group Orthogonal Matching Pursuit, which extends the standard Orthogonal Matching Pursuit technique. This extension accounts for arbitrary sparsity patterns induced by domain-specific groupings over both input and output variables, while also taking advantage of the correlation that may exist between the multiple outputs. Within this framework, we then formulate the problem of inferring causal relationships over a collection of high-dimensional time series variables. When applied to time-evolving social media content, our models yield a new family of causality-based influence measures that may be seen as an alternative to the classic PageRank algorithm traditionally applied to hyperlink graphs. Theoretical guarantees, extensive simulations and empirical studies confirm the generality and value of our framework.
Cardiac Specific Gene Delivery of a Dual GC-A and GC-B Agonist, CD-NP, Mediates Anti-Hypertrophic Actions in a Model of Hypertensive Heart Disease beyond GC-A Activation Alone Via BNP

Introduction: Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is characterized by altered myocardial structure and function, which is leading cause of heart failure and death. CD-NP is a newly developed dual guanylyl cyclase (GC)-A and GC-B agonist that is currently in clinical trials in post acute heart failure as a chronically delivered peptide. CD-NP has direct anti-hypertrophic and anti-fibrotic actions independent of blood pressure lowering. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that cardiac overexpression of CD-NP would result in a superior anti-remodeling effect than a single GC-A agonist, BNP.Methods: Here we defined the chronic effects of cardiac overexpression of CDNP we using adeno-associated vector serotype 9 (AAV9) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We further compared the cardiac action of CD-NP to those of the single GC-A agonist, BNP. Results: The main findings of the study are illustrated on figure 1. A single intravenous injection of AAV9 induced sustained overexpression of CD-NP and BNP in the heart of SHR as verified by ELISA. The CNP ELISA assay also detected modest, but significantly elevated levels of circulating CD-NP in plasma. More importantly, compared to chronic overexpression of BNP, that has previously shown to induce significant reduction of cardiac weight, CD-NP had greater anti-hypertrophic actions 5 weeks post injection (p!0.05). Importantly, the anti-hypertrophic effects of CD-NP occurred with no changes in BP, suggesting a direct cardiac effect of this autacoid. Conclusion: Our studies demonstrate successful sustained cardiac CD-NP overexpression through a single systemic gene delivery approach. Of note, this novel peptide that combines the anti-hypertrophic and anti-fibrotic actions of both GC-A and GC-B activation, resulted in a significant reduction of cardiac mass, which was independent of BP lowering action and greater than that of the single CG-A agonist, BNP. These studies underscore that gene delivery of CD-NP can be useful in the treatment of HHD.
The Expression of Beta (β) Keratins in the Epidermal Appendages of Reptiles and Birds

Abstract The integuments of extant vertebrates display a variety of epidermal appendages whose patterns, morphology and terminal differentiation (epidermal keratins) depend upon interactions between ectodermal (epidermis) and mesodermal (dermis) tissues. In reptiles and birds, appendage morphogenesis precedes terminal differentiation. Studies have demonstrated that appendage morphogenesis influences the expression of the appendage specific keratin genes. However, little is known about the nature of the structural genes expressed by the epidermal appendages of reptiles. How pattern formation and/or appendage morphogenesis influence terminal differentiation of reptilian appendages is not known. The epidermal appendages of reptiles and birds are characterized by the presence of both alpha (α) and beta (β) type keratin proteins. Studies have focused on the genes of avian β keratins because they are the major structural proteins of feathers. The occurrence of β keratin proteins in the scales and claws of both ...
Models for sub-alfvénic magnetodynamics of fusion plasmas

AbstractThe models describing macroscopic magnetic perturbations that evolve slowly compared to the Alfven velocity are reviewed. The perturbations of interest include tearing modes, resistive interchange and ballooning modes, internal kink modes, resistive wall modes, and resonant magnetic perturbations. Two important features that distinguish the various models are their descriptions of parallel dynamics and of ion gyration. The evolution of macroscopic modes is generally characterized by resonances that result in the development of small scales. For processes involving magnetic reconnection, for example, all scales from the ion down to the electron Larmor radius are generated nonlinearly. The magnetohydrodynamic model assumes that the gradient lengths are always greater than the ion Larmor radius and thus is unable to properly describe the resonances. The drift models rely on a much more detailed description of the motion that enables them to capture many of the features of the short-scale phenomena, b...
Mass Lesions of the Brain: A Differential Diagnostic Approach

Though not as common as lung cancer, breast cancer, or others, 70,000 new cases of primary brain tumors are diagnosed annually in the USA. There are nearly 700,000 people in the USA living with a brain tumor. Meningiomas represent 34 % of all primary brain tumors, and their prevalence at autopsy is approximately 1 % making them the most common primary brain tumor. Gliomas represent 30 % of all primary brain tumors and 80 % of all primary malignant tumors. There are more than 120 types of brain tumors. Approximately 50 % of solitary tumors discovered in the brain relate to metastatic disease; when multiple tumors are found, metastatic disease is easier to suspect. Finally, there are many disease entities in the brain that simulate the morphology of a neoplasm yet are caused by infection, stroke, demyelination, etc.
Babesia spp. in Ursus americanus (Black Bear) in New Jersey

Abstract Babesia is emerging as a cause of tick-borne zoonoses worldwide, and various wildlife species are the principal reservoir hosts for zoonotic Babesia species. The primary vectors of Babesia are Ixodid ticks, with the majority of zoonotic species transmitted by species in the genus Ixodes. The protozoan infects and lyses red blood cells. In this study, blood was collected from 201 Ursus americanus (American Black Bear) from 5 counties in northwestern New Jersey. Sample collection occurred over 5 research-trapping seasons from March 2010 to August 2011. We screened blood samples for Babesia spp. by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplifying a 448–992-bp portion of the 18S rRNA gene, and detected Babesia in 84 of 201 (41.8%) samples. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of Babesia spp. in all of the PCR positive samples. This study represents the first report of molecular evidence of Babesia spp. in the American Black Bear.
Higher Education and Economic Growth: A Study for West Virginia

Investment in education to increase economic growth, as one phase of human development, has gained economists’ and policy makers’ interest. It establishes human capital that makes a significant contribution to economic and income growth, and preserves returns as skilled labor that contributes to higher growth and improved quality of life. Researchers have used different theories and models to examine the relationship between education and economic growth, and many of them paid attention to human capital accumulation as a source of acceleration in economic growth. Some studies used human capital as an engine of economic growth for technological change. As the education is a key for better human capital accumulation, the main objective of this study is to analyze higher education and economic growth in West Virginia. A set of simultaneous equations with three endogenous variables of income, education, and population was used for the analysis. The results highlight that income and the educational growth are positively related, and population declines with higher education.
Parallel Counters

Multiple-input circuits that count the number of their inputs that are in a given state (normally logic ONE) are called parallel counters. In this paper three separate types of counters are described, analyzed, and compared. The first counter consists of a network of full adders. The second counter uses a combination of full adders and fast adders (that may be realized with READ-ONLY memories), while the third type of counter uses quasi-digital (i.e., analog current summing) techniques to generate an analog signal proportional to the count which is then digitized.
Wearable agents

My group at Georgia Tech is dedicated to creating wearable agents. By necessity, our work combines on-body perception, user modeling, and human-computer interfaces. The Web site, www.innovations.gatech.edu, demonstrates our first attempt at such an agent. The prototypes on the site predict the user's next location, perceive the user's availability, and help schedule an appointment based on a conversation with another researcher. The system is an effort to demonstrate how to make aspects of cell phone use more socially graceful through a wearable agent. As of this writing, an agent system that integrates all the demonstrated functionality is too imprecise and requires too many resources to be practical, but each perception subsystem described is operational in the laboratory.
Under-sampling in a Multiple-Channel Laser Vibrometry System

Laser vibrometry is a technique used to detect vibrations on objects using the interference of coherent light with itself. Most vibrometry systems process only one target location at a time, but processing multiple locations simultaneously provides improved detection capabilities. Traditional laser vibrometry systems employ oversampling to sample the incoming modulated-light signal, however as the number of channels increases in these systems, certain issues arise such a higher computational cost, excessive heat, increased power requirements, and increased component cost. This thesis describes a novel approach to laser vibrometry that utilizes undersampling to control the undesirable issues associated with over-sampled systems. Undersampling allows for significantly less samples to represent the modulated-light signals, which offers several advantages in the overall system design. These advantages include an improvement in thermal efficiency, lower processing requirements, and a higher immunity to the relative intensity noise inherent in laser vibrometry applications. A unique feature of this implementation is the use of a parallel architecture to increase the overall system throughput. This parallelism is realized using a hierarchical multi-channel architecture based on off-the-shelf programmable logic devices (PLDs).