cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Portal Vein Delivery of Viral Vectors for Gene Therapy for Hemophilia

The liver is a very complex organ with a large variety of functions, making it an attractive organ for gene replacement therapy. Many genetic disorders can be corrected by delivering gene products directly into the liver using viral vectors. In this chapter, we will describe gene delivery via portal vein administration in mice and dogs to correct the blood coagulation disorder hemophilia B. Although there are multiple delivery routes for both viral and non-viral vectors in animals, portal vein administration delivers vectors directly and efficiently into the liver. Complete correction of murine hemophilia B and multi-year near-correction of canine hemophilia B have been achieved following portal vein delivery of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors expressing factor IX from hepatocyte-specific promoters. Peripheral vein injection can lead to increased vector dissemination to off-target organ such as the lung and spleen. Below, we will describe portal vein injection delivery route via laparotomy.
Approaches to Corridor Planning: Transitioning TAMARIN from Mata Atlantica to Madagascar

Effective long-term species conservation requires a conservation approach targeted at all scales at which biodiversity occurs, from the scale of species occurrences to the scale of populations and the ecological processes needed to sustain them (Noss, 2002). Protected areaand site-level initiatives have proven to be effective at protecting habitat, even when resources for effective management are lacking (Bruner et al., 2001), but protected areas alone are often of insufficient size to sustain viable populations of the species they are designed to protect (see, for example, Newmark, 1995). The total area accessible to conservation target species can be increased by connecting protected areas through biological corridors and stepping stones of habitat (Beier and Noss, 1998). But even with large protected areas and effective connectivity networks, human population pressures and incompatible land and resource use in surrounding areas can compromise biodiversity conservation goals (Wiens, 1996). In order to achieve the effective conservation of species, populations and ecological processes, a regional-scale biodiversity conservation corridor approach is necessary. Biodiversity conservation corridors have two objectives—the primary objective is the conservation or restoration of naturally functioning landscapes and the species diversity naturally present within the landscape; the secondary objective is the reconciliation of biodiversity conservation with the livelihood aspirations of human communities in the region and national development goals. Within biodiversity conservation corridors, irreplaceable biodiversity areas are put under strict protection, areas that can support both conservation and development goals through sustainable use and direct incentives for conservation are also identified, while economically important areas are targeted for more intensive development. A biodiversity conservation corridor is therefore a landscape in which land use, incentives, and policies are designed to achieve conservation objectives while contributing to economic development (Sanderson et al., 2003). Chapter 9 Approaches to Corridor Planning: Transitioning TAMARIN from Mata Atlantica to Madagascar
A Digital Transmitter Architecture with Enhanced Delay, Power and Noise Performance for Sensors and IoT Applications

Many communication systems require very low power usage, low latency or both. Examples are sensor networks, IoT applications, extremely delay sensitive communications (e.g., equity trading), etc. In this paper, we propose a baseband transmitter architecture based on Look-Up Tables (LUT) that achieves better SQNR performance with considerably less processing delay with all other parameters being equal. We show the effect of bit-width resolution on the performance. This architecture lends itself well to all forms of transmitter realization, such as hardware (ASIC or FPGA), firmware or software, providing faster processing at lower cycles or hardware resources.
Realization of the Competence Approach in the Stage Training of Marine Specialists

In the article, based on the analysis of the principles of the competence approach and the project TUNING, the following features were identified in the process of graduate training of marine specialists in the Kherson State Maritime Academy: the practical orientation of educational programs, which is achieved by a clear definition of learning outcomes, consistent with the needs of society and economy; application of the concept of macrocompetence; qualitative changes in the way of understanding education; orientation on the formation of universal training actions by marine specialists; the application of B. Bloom's taxonomy with modifications made by scientists L. Anderson, D. Kraswall and P. Airazia; determine the results of training marine specialists in accordance with international standards. It is determined that the challenges faced by the educational institution in implementing the competence approach are the definition of learning goals, the transition to the formation and acquisition of competences by students, which is related to the requirements of modern society and the achievement of the major goals of higher education. The obstacles in the implementation of the competence approach are highlighted. It is noted that students of marine specialties should formulate universal educational activities, namely: to acquire knowledge in the process of independent work with educational literature; plan your activity; perceive, process and present educational information in various forms; to highlight the most important categories of teaching information in the text of the text; assessment skills; self-control ability. It is determined that the process of implementing the competence approach consists of two parts: technological and resource. The technological part determines the steps in implementing the modern organization of the educational process in accordance with the new realities. The resource part is inextricably linked with the implementation of technological.
EcoJustice Mathematics Education: An Ecocritical (Re)consideration for 21st Century Curricular Challenges

A current ecocritical trend in curriculum studies necessitates the study of diverse knowledges and contexts. Therefore, the authors present a theoretical conception termed EcoJustice Mathematics Education (EJME). The authors build this new conception upon philosophical reflections, ecofeminist views, and the recognition of the role of language and power in Western culture. The authors assert EJME’s potential to respond to and reframe critical work in mathematics education scholarship and curriculum studies. By assessing critical theories in mathematics, the authors pinpoint the tensions and the potentialities of EJME and offer considerations for future pedagogical practices and research agendas.
Public policy: a view from the South

Stories and tales have shaped our lives through the course of humanity. In public policy, their role has been increasing in recent years as they are strategically constructed to influence public op...
Constraining photoionization models with a reprojected optical diagnostic diagram

Optical diagnostic diagrams are powerful tools to separate different ionizing sources in galaxies. However, the model-constraining power of the most widely-used diagrams is very limited and challenging to visualize. In addition, there have always been classification inconsistencies between diagrams based on different line ratios, and ambiguities between regions purely ionized by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and composite regions. We present a simple reprojection of the 3D line ratio space composed of [N II]$\lambda 6583$/H$\alpha$, [S II]$\lambda \lambda$6716, 6731/H$\alpha$, and [O III]$\lambda$ 5007/H$\beta$, which reveals its model-constraining power and removes the ambiguity for the true composite objects. It highlights the discrepancy between many theoretical models and the data loci. With this reprojection, we can put strong constraints on the photoionization models and the secondary nitrogen abundance prescription. We find that a single nitrogen prescription cannot fit both the star-forming locus and AGN locus simultaneously, with the latter requiring higher N/O ratios. The true composite regions stand separately from both models. We can compute the fractional AGN contributions for the composite regions, and define demarcations with specific upper limits on contamination from AGN or star formation. When the discrepancy about nitrogen prescriptions gets resolved in the future, it would also be possible to make robust metallicity measurements for composite regions and AGNs.
Novel bypass risk predictive tool is superior to the 5-Factor Modified Frailty Index in predicting postoperative outcomes

Abstract Objective This study aimed to develop risk predictive models of 30-day mortality, morbidity, and major adverse limb events (MALE) after bypass surgery for aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) and to compare their performances with a 5-Factor Frailty Index. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2012-2017 Procedure Targeted Aortoiliac (Open) Participant Use Data Files were queried to identify all patients who had elective bypass for AIOD: femorofemoral bypass, aortofemoral bypass, and axillofemoral bypass (AXB). Outcomes assessed included mortality, major morbidity, and MALE within 30 days postoperatively. Major morbidity was defined as pneumonia, unplanned intubation, ventilator support for >48 hours, progressive or acute renal failure, cerebrovascular accident, cardiac arrest, or myocardial infarction. Demographics, comorbidities, procedure type, and laboratory values were considered for inclusion in the risk predictive models. Logistic regression models for mortality, major morbidity and MALE were developed. The discriminative ability of these models (C-indices) were compared with that of the 5-Factor Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5): a general frailty tool determined from diabetes, functional status, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of congestive heart failure, and hypertension. Calculators were derived using the most significant variables for each of the three risk predictive models. Results A total of 2612 cases (mean age 65.0, 60% male) were identified, of which 1149 (44.0%) were femorofemoral bypass, 1138 (43.6%) were aortofemoral bypass, and 325 (12.4%) were axillofemoral bypass. Overall, the rates of mortality, major morbidity, and MALE were 2.0%, 8.5%, and 4.9%, respectively. Twenty preoperative risk factors were considered for incorporation in the risk tools. Apart from procedure type, age was the most statistically significant predictor of both mortality and morbidity. Preoperative anemia and critical limb ischemia were the most significant predictors of MALE. All three constructed models demonstrated significantly better discriminative ability (P Conclusions Our models outperformed the mFI-5 in predicting 30-day mortality, major morbidity, and adverse limb events in patients with AIOD undergoing elective bypass surgery. Calculators were created using the most statistically significant variables to help calculate individual patient's postoperative risks and allow for better informed consent and risk-adjusted comparison of provider outcomes.
Spatiotemporal Mapping of a Photocurrent Vortex in Monolayer MoS 2 Using Diamond Quantum Sensors

Experiments reveal the path traced by light-induced electric currents in a monolayer semiconductor by using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond to sense magnetic fields from those currents.
A MULTI-WAVELENGTH STUDY OF LOW-REDSHIFT CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES. I. COMPARISON OF X-RAY AND MID-INFRARED SELECTED ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

Clusters of galaxies have long been used as laboratories for the study of galaxy evolution, but despite intense, recent interest in feedback between active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and their hosts, the impact of environment on these relationships remains poorly constrained. We present results from a study of AGNs and their host galaxies found in low-redshift galaxy clusters. We fit model spectral energy distributions (SEDs) to the combined visible and mid-infrared (MIR) photometry of cluster members and use these model SEDs to determine stellar masses and star formation rates (SFRs). We identify two populations of AGNs, the first based on their X-ray luminosities (X-ray AGNs) and the second based on the presence of a significant AGN component in their model SEDs (IR AGNs). We find that the two AGN populations are nearly disjoint; only 8 out of 44 AGNs are identified with both techniques. We further find that IR AGNs are hosted by galaxies with similar masses and SFRs but higher specific SFRs (sSFRs) than X-ray AGN hosts. The relationship between AGN accretion and host star formation in cluster AGN hosts shows no significant difference compared to the relationship between field AGNs and their hosts. The projected radial distributions of both AGN populations are consistent with the distribution of other cluster members. We argue that the apparent dichotomy between X-ray and IR AGNs can be understood as a combination of differing extinction due to cold gas in the host galaxies of the two classes of AGNs and the presence of weak star formation in X-ray AGN hosts.
Technological Advances Making Telemedicine and Telepresence Possible

Imagine a world without technology. What would we do? How would we survive? What would we do without our smartphones? Well, humanity did pretty good for thousands of years, even though there were some significant challenges put in front of our ancestors. Advances in telecommunications, computing power, data storage, and a variety of mechanical devices have helped healthcare, medicine, and public health reach new levels. The integration of these various tools has permitted telemedicine, telehealth, e-health, m-health, and telepresence to become common place and fully entrenched in commerce and all human activity. This chapter presents some of these technological advances at a very high level. A complete or exhaustive list would fill numerous volumes of several compendiums. The important points to remember are that these technological advances continue to amaze us. They become significant and I dare say vital to our way of life and our ability to enable better healthcare.
Pengaruh Sikap Istri dan Suami Berdasarkan Kolose 3:18-19 Terhadap Kebahagiaan Keluarga

Abstract: Family happiness is something longed for every husband and wife couple. The attitude shown by each wife or husband greatly influenced the realization of family happiness. This study aimed to determine the attitudes of wives and husbands based on Colossians 3: 18-19 on family happiness. This research was conducted at the Gereja Bethel Indonesia Keluarga Imamat Rajani Congregation Samarinda. This study used an explanatory - confirmatory method. The sample of this study were 73 married people. The results showed that: First, there was a significant influence on the wife's attitude towards her husband on family happiness. Second, there is no significant influence on the husband's attitude towards his wife on family happiness. Guidance for husbands and wives needs to be improved through teaching and sermons, so that husbands and wives can understand their respective roles as stated in Colossians 3: 18-19, so that the implementation of the program may increase family happiness. Abstrak: Kebahagiaan keluarga menjadi dambaan bagi setiap pasangan suami dan istri. Sikap yang ditunjukkan masing-masing sitri atau suami sangat berpengaruh terhadap perwujudan kebahagiaan keluarga. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui sikap istri dan suami berdasarkan kolose 3:18-19 terhadap kebahagiaan keluarga. Penelitian ini dilakukan di gereja Bethel Indonesia jemaat Keluarga Imamat Rajani Samarinda. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksplanatori – konfirmatori. Sampel penelitian ini sebanyak 73 orang yang telah berkeluarga. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: Pertama , terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan sikap istri kepada suami terhadap kebahagiaan keluarga. Kedua, tidak terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan sikap suami kepada istri terhadap kebahagiaan keluarga. Pembinaan terhadap suami dan istri perlu ditaingkatkan melalui pengajaran maupun kotbah-kotbah, sehingga suami dan sistri dapat memahami peranannya masing-masing sebagaimana yang terdapat dalam Kolose 3:18-19, sehingga implementasi dari program tersebut dapat meningkatkan kebahagiaan keluarga.
Trajectories in Turmoil: A Case Study of Engineering Students’ Reactions to Disruptions in Their Community of Practice

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to universities when instruction had to shift entirely online. Universities were quick to survey their students about those challenges, and education researchers are now focused on building more effective online experiences based on student feedback. About the case: The loss of in-person instruction was difficult for engineering students in practice-based courses as they lost the courses’ hands-on aspect, which is essential for reinforcing theoretical concepts. They also lost the support provided through daily interactions with their peers and instructors. Situating the case: Students in a required four-course practice-based mechanical engineering sequence shared their perspectives via reflective portfolio essays on how shifting to online instruction affected their ability to participate in their learning communities and negotiate meaningful learning experiences. Methods/approach: Through thematic analysis of the reflective essays, we applied the lens of communities of practice to put the students’ responses into context. Results/discussion: The students’ concerns varied depending on their position in the course sequence and the course; however, most students felt that the loss of in-person interaction was most detrimental and disruptive in the transition to online instruction and yielded communication and teaming issues. Implications and conclusions: Five implications arose from the results of this study, including recognizing the unique challenges of online learning in practice-based courses, instructing students in virtual communication tools, exercising empathy, being mindful of cognitive load, and researching self-directed learners in online environments. In addition, faculty should consider the importance of students’ communities of practice and build opportunities to maintain and strengthen the bonds of those communities within their courses, both online and face to face. They should also add more opportunities for virtual interaction early in the curriculum to build digital communication skills, which will undoubtedly be required in their careers.
Overlapping Allografts Provide Superior and More Reliable Surface Topography Matching Than Oblong Allografts: A Computer-Simulated Model Study:

Background:Osteochondral allograft transplantation is 1 treatment option for focal articular cartilage defects of the knee. Large irregular defects, which can be treated using an oblong allograft o...
The Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979

This article reviews five works on the Sino-Vietnamese War, also referred to as the Third Indochina War. Although many have considered the Vietnamese to have been the victors in that conflict, a cl...
Immediate allograft reconstruction of the infraorbital nerve following resection of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia lesion.

Processed nerve allografts (PNA) have increasingly been used as alternative to autogenous nerve grafts to repair nerve injuries in oral-maxillofacial surgeries. This case report describes an immedi...
Pathogenesis of type 1 dengue virus infection in suckling, weaning and adult mice. II. Immunofluorescent and histological studies.

Abstract Three lines of dengue-1 virus of graded neurovirulence (MP-3, MP-33, and MP-125) were inoculated intracerebrally into suckling, weaned and adult mice. These 9 host-virus combinations produced infections which ranged from consistently fatal to regularly benign. The course of these infections was followed by sequential immunofluorescent and histological observations, which extended an earlier description of virus production, interferon levels and antibody response. Lethal host-virus combinations were characterized by a rapid spread of infection which involved over 50 per cent of the neuronal population by about 10 days after inoculation, and resulted in necrosis, particularly marked in cerebral cortex and hippocampus. In benign infections virus spread more slowly; no more than 25 per cent. of cells were involved and even in the most susceptible CNS nuclei, there was little or no apparent necrosis. Fluorescent viral antigen disappeared by 15 to 20 days after inoculation, following a marked infiltration of the CNS with inflammatory cells. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that, in slowly spreading infections, the immune response arrests the spread of virus and then clears the CNS of infection.
Studies on the Synthesis of Deoxyribonucleic Acid I. FURTHER PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF THE DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID POLYMERASE INDUCED BY INFECTION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI WITH BACTERIOPHAGE T5

Abstract An improved purification procedure for deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase from extracts of Escherichia coil infected with T5 bacteriophage provides an endonuclease-free enzyme capable of synthesizing high molecular weight deoxyribonucleic acid from single stranded templates. When double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid denatured by heat or alkali is used as template, the base composition of the product is identical with the imput deoxyribonucleic acid. When single stranded material (containing only one of the strands) is used as template, the product is the complement of the input deoxyribonucleic acid. Electron micrographs of the product reveal long, linear molecules with no visible branching. Sedimentation analyses indicate that only a portion of the product is separable from the template.
Developing Alternative Mechanisms for Multiagent Coordination

Coordination is a key functionality and maybe the most challenging research issue in multiagent systems, and mechanisms for achieving coordinated behavior have been well-studied. One important observation has been that different mechanisms have correspondingly different performance characteristics, and that these can change dramatically in different environments (i.e., no one mechanism is best for all domains). A more recent observation is that one can describe possible mechanisms in a domain-independent way, as simple or complex responses to certain dependency relationships between the activities of different agents. Thus agent programmers can separate encoding agent domain actions from the solution to particular coordination problems that may arise. This paper explores the specification of a large range of coordination mechanisms for the common hard "enablement" (or "happens-before") relationship between tasks at different agents. Essentially, a coordination mechanism can be described as a set of protocols possibly unique to the mechanism, and as an associated automatic re-writing of the specification of the domain-dependent task (expressed as an augmented HTN). This paper also presents a concrete implementation of this idea in the DECAF. A novel GPGP coordination component, between the planner and the scheduler, is developed in the DECAF agent architecture. An initial exploration of the separation of domain action from meta-level coordination actions for four simple coordination mechanisms is explained then.
Network Security Framework

The sections in this article are 1 Review of Current Research in Network Security 2 The network Security Framework 3 Summary Keywords: ATM security; security on demand; framework for network security; security monitoring; NSA's network rating model; security attributes; security perspectives; intrusion detection; military security networks
Toward a Pavlovian Theory of Cancer

Anecdotal and research data are accumulating which indicate that stress and lack of reinforcement (depression, loss) are related to the incidence and growth of cancer. Current theories of the etiology of malignant neoplasms involve cellular abnormalities. Pavlovian theorizing concerning the properties of the nervous system is also focused on cellular functioning. Observations from the Pavlovian laboratories indicate that stress (overstrain of the excitatory process and difficulty in mobility of the nervous system) and excessive and/or protracted inhibition (lack of reinforcement) produce both behavioral and organic abnormalities. A current view related to the etiology of cancer that is being seriously considered is the immunocompetence theory. This is consistent with Pavlovian theory. Pavlov himself discussed the likely probability that the immune system can be conditioned. Indeed, there is preliminary research supporting Pavlov's postulation. Treatment of cancer should involve removal of stress and an in...
Bluegill yield in response to nitrogen and phosphorus versus phosphorus-only fertilization in ponds at different times since sediment removal

Abstract Nitrogen often is omitted in fertilization of sportfish ponds in the southeastern United States that have been fertilized for several years with both nitrogen and phosphorus. This practice was tested in 40-yr-old research ponds at the Auburn University E. W. Shell Fisheries Center from which sediment had been removed 2 to 9 yr earlier to restore bottoms nearly to their original soil composition. In ponds from which sediment had been removed 8 yr before, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in harvest weight of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) between ponds receiving nitrogen plus phosphorus fertilization (6 kg N and 3 kg P2O5 ha− 1 application− 1) and those fertilized only with phosphorus (3 kg P2O5 ha− 1 application− 1). Grass carp controlled aquatic macrophytes effectively in most ponds and did not interfere with bluegill yield. No correlation (R2 = 0.040, P > 0.05) was found between time since sediment removal and bluegill yield in 13 ponds treated only with phosphate fertilizer at 3 kg P2O5 ha− 1 application− 1. Concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus and total ammonia nitrogen in the water column were correlated (R2 = 0.312 and R2 = 0.514, respectively, P Statement of relevance This research work provides useful information for pond managers when developing a fertilization schedule. The results of the present study do suggest that after 2 yr of nitrogen plus phosphorus fertilization, pond manager might cease nitrogen fertilization and assess the response of the phytoplankton bloom. Omitting nitrogen fertilization from ponds lessens fertilizer cost and reduces possible nitrogen pollution of nearby natural waters.
Age and grade trends in prostate cancer (1974-2003): a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Registry analysis.

Objectives:Age and pathologic grade are 2 critical factors used to guide clinical decisions and comparative outcomes studies in prostate cancer. The objective of this investigation was to use the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry to examine time trends in age and grade.Meth
Nanoparticles and the Environment – An Introduction

Over the years, volumes in this series have taken a variety of forms. Many have focused on mature fields of investigation to draw together a comprehensive body of work and provide a definitive, up to date reference. A few, however, have sought to provide enough coverage of an emerging or re-emerging field to allow the reader to identify important and exciting gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for new research. This volume falls into the later category. Our primary goal in convening the short course and assembling this text it is to invigorate future research. Early “Reviews in Mineralogy” dealt with specific groups of minerals, one (or two) volumes at a time. In contrast, this volume deals explicitly with the topic of crystal size in many different systems. Until recently, the special and complicated nature of the very smallest particles rendered them nearly impossible to study by conventional methods. Even today, the challenges associated with evaluating the size-dependence of a mineral’s bulk and surface structures, properties, and reactivity are significant. However, ongoing improvements in sophisticated characterization, theory, and data analysis make particles previously described (often inaccurately) as “amorphous” (or even more mysteriously as “x-ray amorphous”) amenable to quantitative evaluation. Thermochemical, crystal chemical, and computational chemical approaches must be combined to understand particles with diameters of 1 to 100 nanometers. Determination of …
Speedball induced changes in electrically stimulated dopamine overflow in rat nucleus accumbens.

Cocaine/heroin combinations (speedball) induce a synergistic elevation in extracellular dopamine concentrations ([DA](e)) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) that can explain the increased abuse liability of speedball. To further delineate the mechanism of this neurochemical synergism, in vivo fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) was used to compare NAc DA release and reuptake kinetic parameters following acute administration of cocaine, heroin and speedball in drug-naive rats. These parameters were extracted from accumbal DA overflow induced by electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area. Evoked DA efflux was increased following both cocaine and speedball delivery, whereas heroin did not significantly change evoked DA release from baseline. DA efflux was significantly greater following cocaine compared to speedball. However, DA transporter (DAT) apparent affinity (K(m)) values were similarly elevated following cocaine and speedball administration, but unaffected by heroin. Neither drug induced substantial changes in the maximal reuptake rate (V(max)). These data, combined with published microdialysis and electrophysiological results, indicate that the combination of cocaine-induced competitive inhibition of DAT and the increase in the DA release elicited by heroin is responsible for the synergistic increase in ([DA](e)) induced by speedball.
The Importance of Creativity in Family Therapy: A Preliminary Consideration

In this article, the author considers the importance of creativity in the context of family therapy. Therapist characteristics and techniques that might be labeled as creative or associated with the notion of creativity are also examined. The author focuses on the concept of creativity in some prominent theories of counseling and therapy; the relation of divergent thinking to healthy human development and functioning; the dynamic, interactive nature of creativity in therapy; the circumstances in which increased creative abilities in clients is or should be a goal; some threats or blocks to the development and expression of creativity; the role of creativity in training; and the degree to which creativity is linked to the counseling office. As a result of this preliminary discussion, family therapists may be encouraged to further contemplate the role of creativity, both theoretically and pragmatically, in their approach to working with individuals, couples, and families.
Using Antifungal Pharmacodynamics to Improve Patient Outcomes

In vitro and in vivo studies of available and investigational antifungals have broadened our understanding of the pharmacodynamics of these agents as well as the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic characteristics that are associated with efficacy. These data are increasingly being used as surrogate means to answer questions about dosing and administration of antimicrobial agents in order to improve outcomes in patients with invasive fungal infections, as these questions are difficult to answer in clinical trials. The objective of this article is to review the pharmacodynamic activity of widely used classes of antifungal agents, including the azoles, amphotericin B, and the echinocandins, discuss the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters associated with efficacy of these agents in preclinical studies, and describe how this information is being translated into the clinical arena to optimize patient outcomes.
Explaining Challenger Quality in Congressional Elections.

This study seeks to explain why some incumbents attract politically experienced, well-financed challengers while others do not. Using data from contested House races in 1980, we analyze the effects of four sets of variables including: (1) incumbents' policy and nonpolicy behavior (ideological discrepancy and use of "perks" for advertising and casework); (2) local partisan conditions (previous vote margin and the normal partisan vote in the district); (3) district diversity; and (4) the national tide. We find that both short-term and long-term partisan forces (previous vote and normal vote), national tides, and policymaking behavior (ideological discrepancy) significantly affect the probability of attracting politically experienced, well-financed challengers. District diversity and incumbents' use of "perks" available for advertising and casework, on the other hand, are not related to any indicator of challenger quality.
Greedy algorithms in convex optimization on Banach spaces

Chebyshev Greedy Algorithm is a generalization of the well known Orthogonal Matching Pursuit defined in a Hilbert space to the case of Banach spaces. We apply this algorithm for constructing sparse approximate solutions (with respect to a given dictionary) to convex optimization problems. Along with algorithms that use exact evaluations, algorithms with approximate evaluations are discussed. Convergence and rate of convergence results are obtained.
Systemic hypertension and the kidney in black patients

Abstract Hypertension occurs more frequently in U.S. blacks than whites and is more severe. Blacks represent a disproportionate percentage of patients receiving dialysis treatment. This disproportion raises the question of whether the renal circulation of blacks is more sensitive to the damaging effects of elevated intraarterial pressure or whether it is structurally different in ways that would render it more prone to damage. The first part of the question has not been conclusively answered although some data support the hypothesis. For the second part, it is clear that malignant nephrosclerosis of blacks is different from that of whites in an absence of fibrinoid necrosis of arterioles and glomeruli and the presence of musculomucoid intimal hyperplasia of small arteries. Whether this is a genetically determined reaction to damage has not been determined. It is a widely held belief that the kidney is the cause of much essential hypertension. In fact 6 cases of essential hypertension in blacks have been “cured” by renal transplantation, strongly supporting the belief. Also blacks differ from whites in 2 ways that could be relevant for their increased prevalence of hypertension: they excrete sodium loads more slowly and have a markedly lower urinary kallikrein. The former could be responsible for the predominance of salt-dependent hypertension in blacks and the latter could reflect a racial deficiency in a naturally occurring vasodilator system.
Mitigation of atmospheric effects in SIM's astrometric interferometer testbed 3

The Space Interferometry Mission's (SIM) shared-baseline astrometric interferometer System Test Bed 3 (STB3) has been constructed at JPL. STB3's objective is to use two of its interferometers (guides) for low frequency (0 to 1 Hz) fringe stabilization in the third one (science). This approach - being proposed for the first time in the context of space based observatories - is needed given the dim nature of science stars to be observed by SIM. Fringe stability is mostly affected by the low frequency attitude motion of the test bed's instrument table, with the inevitable exception of instrument vibration, thermal drift, and atmospheric fluctuations. Relative changes in table attitude cause optical path changes in the guide interferometers, which are tracked, linearly combined and fed forward to the science interferometer's active delay line to stabilize its optical path. This technique for tracking fringes in the science interferometer is possible because the position of the guide stars relative to the science star is well known. This open loop fringe tracking technique is dubbed Path-length Feed Forward, or PFF. In STB3, current fringe stability in the science interferometer using the PFF technique is at 50 to 60 nanometers RMS (from 0 to 500 Hz). Compare this to 15 to 20 nm RMS fringe stability in the guide interferometers, which operate in closed loop mode. Vibration, thermal drift and atmospherics in the science and guide interferometers are largely eliminated with the use of an internal metrology system. By design, mechanical vibrations are above the bandwidth of the interferometer system, and are passively rejected. Nevertheless, the internal metrology system can easily reject current low-level vibrations in STB3 down to the 6-nanometer RMS level. Fringe tracking error in the science interferometer due to atmospherics is currently about 40 nanometers RMS at frequencies below 1.0 Hz. In SIM, the error in this low frequency band must be no more than 6 nm RMS. This error arises because the optical path stabilized by the internal metrology system is not equal to taht of the starlight, so not all atmospheric fluctuations in the starlight path can be stabilized. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the strength of atmospheric fluctuations or to filter them from the PFF command. In STB3 the strength of atmospheric fluctuations is already reduced with the use of optical path enclosures, which brought these fluctuations down from ~170nm RMS to their current levels of ~66nm RMS with a spread of 20nm. Simulations show that signal to noise ratios are generally not sufficient to filter atmospheric errors on-line.
The Impact of Trade Liberalisation on Household Welfare in a Developing Country with Imperfect Labour Markets

AbstractI develop an empirical methodology to assess the distributional impact of trade-induced price shocks when labour markets are imperfect. The proposed methodology relates exogenous variations in prices to changes in household welfare using a separable agricultural household model that flexibly allows the data to determine the degree of labour market imperfections. Applying this approach to Vietnam, I investigate the impact of agriculture trade liberalisation between 1993 and 1998 on overall household welfare, measured using per capita household expenditure. I find that accounting for labour market imperfections results in welfare gains that are nearly four times larger than those found when assuming complete labour markets.
A three-field finite element procedure for analysis of elastic wave propagation through fluid-saturated soils*

A three-field mixed finite element procedure for the analysis of wave propagation through fluid-saturated porous soils is presented. This approach uses the solid displacement, the fluid displacement relative to the solid and the pore-fluid pressure as the field variables. Thus, a continuous pore pressure field is ensured and pore pressure boundary conditions, e.g., free-draining surfaces can be easily handled. Application of the procedure to a one-dimensional problem shows good agreement with the analytical solution. However, the method is more expensive than the customary two-field formulation using the solid and the relative fluid displacements as the field variables.
Isolation of three separate anaphylatoxins from complement-activated human serum

Recent methodologies used in preparing anaphylatoxins from complement-activated serum are described. Activation of the alternative pathway generates C3a and C5a; however, activation of the classical pathway is required to generate the anaphylatoxin from C4. This article describes an activation scheme that simultaneously generates all three of the anaphylatoxins (e.g., C3a, C4a and C5a) in human serum and outlines a procedure for isolating each as homogeneous products. Purification of intact anaphylatoxins directly from complement-activated serum takes place only if an exopeptidase in serum, known as carboxypeptidase N (SCPN), is properly inhibited. A new series of mercapto derivatives of arginine analogs are introduced as potent and effective inhibitors of SCPN. These inhibitors permit normal complement activation but prevent degradation of the released activation fragments C3a, C4a or C5a.
Synthesis of System Dynamics Tools for Holistic Conceptualization of Water Resources Problems

Out-of-context analysis of water resources systems can result in unsustainable management strategies. To address this problem, systems thinking seeks to understand interactions among the subsystems driving a system’s overall behavior. System dynamics, a method for operationalizing systems thinking, facilitates holistic understanding of water resources systems, and strategic decision making. The approach also facilitates participatory modeling, and analysis of the system’s behavioral trends, essential to sustainable management. The field of water resources has not utilized the full capacity of system dynamics in the thinking phase of integrated water resources studies. We advocate that the thinking phase of modeling applications is critically important, and that system dynamics offers unique qualitative tools that improve understanding of complex problems. Thus, this paper describes the utility of system dynamics for holistic water resources planning and management by illustrating the fundamentals of the approach. Using tangible examples, we provide an overview of Causal Loop and Stock and Flow Diagrams, reference modes of dynamic behavior, and system archetypes to demonstrate the use of these qualitative tools for holistic conceptualization of water resources problems. Finally, we present a summary of the potential benefits as well as caveats of qualitative system dynamics for water resources decision making.
A multi-agent model for the co-evolution of ideas and communities

The self-organization of social networks and the emergence of ideas have both been studied extensively in recent years, but seldom in a single framework. In this paper, we describe a distributed multi-agent model for the self-organization of social networks from encounters between agents with specific ideas, which are seen as combinations of words. Each agent maintains a semantic network of the words it knows, which implicitly defines the ideas in its repertoire. Agents exchange their ideas over their social networks, and incorporate the received ideas in their semantic networks. Social bonds are made and broken based on the agents' social and semantic preferences (i.e., shared ideas), leading to the emergence of social communities. Thus, the model embodies a circular interaction between the formation of social networks and new ideas. We mine the resulting communities for novel ideas that are generated by their members, and look at the effect of interaction choices on their formation.
Apoferritin-templated synthesis of encoded metallic phosphate nanoparticle tags.

Encoded metallic phosphate nanoparticle tags, with distinct encoding patterns, have been prepared using an apoferritin template. A center cavity structure as well as the dissociation and reconstructive characteristics of apoferritin at different pH environments provides a facile route for preparing such encoded nanoparticle tags. Encapsulation and diffusion approaches have been investigated during the preparation. The encapsulation approach, which is based on the dissociation and reconstruction of apoferritin at different pHs, exhibits an effective route to prepare such encoded metallic phosphate nanoparticle tags. The compositionally encoded nanoparticle tag leads to a high coding capacity with a large number of distinguishable voltammetric signals, reflecting the predetermined composition of the metal mixture solution (and hence the nanoparticle composition). Releasing the metal components from the nanoparticle tags at pH 4.6 acetate buffer avoids harsh dissolution conditions, such as strong acids. Such...
Turtles All the Way: Reflections on myo-Inositol.

It has been said that retirement consists of going from “Who's who?” to “Who's he?” My invitation to contribute to the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) Reflections is an honor and timely as well in that as an emeritus professor, I have the time and an opportunity to beat the clock to “Who was he?” In a Venn diagram of biological sciences in which circles representing biochemistry and neuroscience overlap, the lens-shaped area can be defined as neurochemistry or, more recently, as molecular neuroscience and best describes my research area. My career in neuroscience is summarized in an autobiographical series recently published under the auspices of the Society for Neuroscience (1). In it, I detail my research on neuroplasticity, the ability of the nervous system to undergo change as a result of external inputs. This includes interventive studies on the role of protein synthesis in memory formation and correlative studies on optic nerve regeneration, both in teleost fish (1). This JBC Reflections article encapsulates my biochemical career, with emphasis on the neurochemical significance of myo-inositol, one of nine positional isomers of hexahydroxycyclohexane, and its phosphates. My early years are described in Ref. 1. Briefly, I was born in Detroit in 1926, graduated from Cass Technical High School in 1944, entered a Navy premedical officer training program at the University of Michigan, and received an M.D. from Wayne State Medical School. I cannot resist sharing a recollection. In 1946, as a 20-year-old freshman medical student, I found myself surrounded by returning World War II veterans who were not only older than I, but understandably a bit rustier in college chemistry. In our freshman biochemistry class, I volunteered to go to the blackboard to derive and discuss the Henderson-Hasselbach equation. I returned to my seat, satisfied that I had done a clear and concise job. The 30- or so year-old returning veteran sitting next to me whispered, “Are you going to end up as a biochemistry professor?” Fishing for a compliment, I said, “No, why?” He answered, “The way you got right up there and mumbled into the blackboard, you just can't fake that!” He became a psychiatrist, and I, a biochemist. I interned in Sayre, PA, and had a postdoctoral fellowship with F. O. Schmitt in the Department of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, until I was recalled by the Navy for a 2-year stint at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, after which I moved to the nearby National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1952.
Time series factor models

In today's data-driven age observing a large number of variables over time for purposes of understanding the dynamics of a system is commonplace. The number of variables grows as our ability to measure, store, and retrieve data grows. Time series factor models and dynamic factor models combine data reduction and time series forecasting strategies to extract the critical information useful in forecasting a singular or small number of series from a large number of explanatory variables. Since the 1990s, these methodologies have proven a useful analytical tool in many areas of applied statistics, but most notably econometrics and finance. Furthermore, recent results in random matrix theory, which examines dimension reduction strategies as the number of variables and observations both go to infinity, have direct applicability in the area of time series factor models. This article reviews the recent history of time series factor models and demonstrates the applicability of these tools, while providing some cautionary issues through an example in the equities market. WIREs Comput Stat 2013, 5:97-104. doi: 10.1002/wics.1245