cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amorphous indium-zinc-oxide transparent conductors for thin film PV

Amorphous InZnO's (a-IZO) basic PV applicability has now been demonstrated in prototype CIGS, Si Heterojunction (SiHJ) and organic photovoltaics (OPV). However, to move beyond initial demonstration devices, improved TCO properties and processibility of the a-IZO films are needed. Here, RF-superimposed DC sputtering was used to improve the reliable deposition of a-IZO with conductivity σ > 3000 S/cm.
A molecular pathway for light-dependent photoreceptor apoptosis in Drosophila.

Abstract Light-induced photoreceptor apoptosis occurs in many forms of inherited retinal degeneration resulting in blindness in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Though mutations in several photoreceptor signaling proteins have been implicated in triggering this process, the molecular events relating light activation of rhodopsin to photoreceptor death are yet unclear. Here, we uncover a pathway by which activation of rhodopsin in Drosophila mediates apoptosis through a G protein–independent mechanism. This process involves the formation of membrane complexes of phosphorylated, activated rhodopsin and its inhibitory protein arrestin, and subsequent clathrin-dependent endocytosis of these complexes into a cytoplasmic compartment. Together, these data define the proapoptotic molecules in Drosophila photoreceptors and indicate a novel signaling pathway for light-activated rhodopsin molecules in control of photoreceptor viability.
Locus of control as a potential moderator of the turnover process

Internal-external locus of control is an individual difference characteristic which, it has been proposed, affects the turnover process. Using a sample of 119 nurses, this longitudinal study found that locus of control moderated the relationships between two facets of satisfaction, promotion and pay, both to withdrawal cognitions and turnover. In addition, locus of control moderated the relationship between withdrawal cognitions and turnover. Internals showed significantly stronger negative relationships than externals between these satisfaction facets and withdrawal cognitions and turnover. Internals also showed a stronger positive relationship than externals between withdrawal cognitions and turnover. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for helping to understand employee turnover.
Rituximab therapy for refractory antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

Introduction: Considerable progress has been made in the management of vasculitides [1,2]. This is most certainly the case for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)– associated vasculitis (AAV), in which the presence of perinuclear and cytoplasmic ANCA facilitates its diagnosis [2]. Nevertheless, therapy for most vasculitic disorders remains empirical and based on clinical presentation and severity and pattern of organ involved. Although combination therapy with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide has been proven highly effective in inducing remission, it is associated with high relapse rates and signifi cant toxicity in long-term therapy. To minimize adverse events associated with their use, various approaches have been tried for maintenance therapy, including the use of methotrexate, azathioprine, mofetil mycophenolate, intravenous gammaglobulin, and biologic agents [3–5].
Notebook versus desktop computers for cadets at West Point

Some universities require or recommend that their students purchase personal computers, and the trend is toward using the portable notebook variety. West Point cadets (students) are currently issued late-model, IBM-compatible desktop PCs on matriculation, and this study investigated the feasibility and desirability of issuing notebook computers to future incoming classes. As a pilot comparison, one classroom group of 18 students taking introductory courses in computers and mathematics was given notebook computers for one semester in place of their desktops. An additional 12 notebooks were evaluated to assess specialized technical features. The principal findings were that, at a constant dollar cost, notebook and desktop computers differ in computational power, durability, and ease of use. West Point concluded that they cannot move to notebook computers for incoming students until notebook durability (maturity of technology) is reasonable and until the disparity between the computational capability of comparably priced notebooks and desktops reaches an acceptable limit. They now see the technology maturing rapidly and are likely to move to notebook computers within three years.
Effects of adenosine on neurally mediated norepinephrine release from the cat spleen.

Abstract The effects of adenosine on the release of 3 H-norephrine ( 3 H-NE) from the isolated, perfused cat spleen consequent to nerve stimulation were evaluated. Electrical stimulation of the splenic nerve (5 Hz/100 impulses total) caused a release of 3 H-NE and a rise in perfusion pressure. Adenosine added to the perfusion fluid (final concentrations 1 × 10 −6 , 1 × 10 −5 , and 1 × 10 −4 M) significantly reduced the pressure response elicited by nerve stimulation. In addition, adenosine (1 × 10 −4 M) slightly increased the release of total 3 H consequent to nerve stimulation. Theophylline (1 × 10 −4 M) produced both a slight increase in total 3 H and a diminished pressure response. The effects of adenosine were effectively antagonized by this concentration of theophylline. Neither substance had any effect on the spontaneous release of total 3 H. Adenosine (1 × 10 −4 M) also antagonized the pressure response elicited by perfusion of NE.
A Mutation in TTF1/NKX2.1 Is Associated With Familial Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia of Infancy

Background Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is a childhood diffuse lung disease of unknown etiology. We investigated the mechanism for lung disease in a subject whose clinical, imaging, and lung biopsy specimen findings were consistent with NEHI; the subject's extended family and eight other unrelated patients with NEHI were also investigated. Methods The proband's lung biopsy specimen (at age 7 months) and serial CT scans were diagnostic of NEHI. Her mother, an aunt, an uncle, and two first cousins had failure to thrive in infancy and chronic respiratory symptoms that improved with age. Genes associated with autosomal-dominant forms of childhood interstitial lung disease were sequenced. Results A heterozygous NKX2.1 mutation was identified in the proband and the four other adult family members with histories of childhood lung disease. The mutation results in a nonconservative amino acid substitution in the homeodomain in a codon extensively conserved through evolution. None of these individuals have thyroid disease or movement disorders. NKX2.1 mutations were not identified by sequence analysis in eight other unrelated subjects with NEHI. Conclusions The nature of the mutation and its segregation with disease support that it is disease-causing. Previously reported NKX2.1 mutations have been associated with "brain-thyroid-lung" syndrome and a spectrum of more severe pulmonary phenotypes. We conclude that genetic mechanisms may cause NEHI and that NKX2.1 mutations may result in, but are not the predominant cause of, this phenotype. We speculate that altered expression of NKX2.1 target genes other than those in the surfactant system may be responsible for the pulmonary pathophysiology of NEHI.
Reply to comment by Jonathan J. Rhodes on “Modeling of the interactions between forest vegetation, disturbances, and sediment yields”

] Rhodes [2005] brings up some excellent points in hiscomments on the work of Istanbulluoglu et al. [2004]. Weappreciate the opportunity to respond because it is likelythat other readers will also wonder how they can apply therelatively simple analysis to important policy questions.Models necessarily reduce the complexity of the problemto make it tractable and synthesize some diverse sources ofinformation. It may be helpful at times for readers tounderstand the high dimension of the complexity sacrificedin order to obtain the synthesis and the reasons for reducingthe complexity in a particular manner. Rhodes [2005] com-ments on three things: (1) the omission of roads and land-ings from the analysis; (2) the implicit assumption that firedoes not occur with harvesting; and (3) the overestimationof water repellency. We will respond to each of these,clarifying and elaborating on the basis for our modelingchoices.
The Pessimistic Search and the Straightening Involution for Trees

We introduce the idea of pessimistic search on a rooted tree, and develop the straightening involution to relate the inversion polynomial evaluated atq=?1 to the number of even rooted trees. We obtain a differential equation for the inversion polynomial of cyclic trees evaluated atq=?1, a problem proposed by Gessel, Sagan and Yeh. Some brief discussions about relevant topics are also presented.
Global Competitors as Next-Door Neighbors: Competition and Geographic Concentration in the Semiconductor Industry

Despite the many advantages offered by technology clusters, firms located in them face the risk of losing valuable knowledge to nearby competitors. In this study, we argue that multi-location firms strategically organize their R&D activities to appropriate the value of innovations generated in clusters, mainly through three mechanisms: technological distance, value internalization, and control. Empirical analysis of the global semiconductor industry provides supportive evidence of such mechanisms. In clusters where direct competitors are right next door, leading firms generate innovations that are technologically distant from their neighbors, have more internalized value, and involve inventors from other geographic locations, particularly from headquarters. Interestingly, the strategies seem to be much more sensitive to neighboring firms competing in the same marketplace than those sharing the same technological space. The findings offer important insights into the interaction between firms' internal organization and their external environment.
High Temperature Deformation of Single Crystalline Cr3Si (A15) Intermetallic Compound

High temperature compression tests were performed on Cr 3Si single crystalline and poly crystalline samples. Slip systems were determined to be of the {001} type based on an analysis of slip traces and Laue spots. Single crystals show significant compressive ductility at temperatures above 0.7Tm. The implication of cube slip on the ductility of A15-type intermetallic compounds is discussed.
Calcified left ventricular aneurysm in a child

Abstract A calcified left ventricular aneurysm in a 12 year old boy is reported. The boy was asymptomatic and had no abnormal physical signs. The electrocardiogram was compatible with apical myocardial infarction. The aneurysm was suggested by the teleroentgenograms and verified by left ventriculography. Although the etiology is not known, there is evidence that the left coronary artery is abnormal. The principal roentgenographic features of calcified left ventricular aneurysm are presented together with a brief differential diagnosis of cardiac calcification.
Performance of space-time spreading with correlated fading and channel estimation

Space-time block codes (STBC) have been proposed as a less complex alternative to space-time trellis codes for achieving transmit diversity. Application of such STBCs to code division multiple access (CDMA) systems is called space-time spreading (STS). STS schemes have been considered under the assumption of independent transmit fades and ideal channel state information (CSI). However, the performance of these schemes deteriorates when the above assumptions are relaxed in a realistic system. We study analytically the performance degradation due to both the fade correlation and the channel estimation errors.
Ovarian gonadotropin-releasing hormone-like protein(s): demonstration and characterization

Both GnRH and prostaglandin F2α inhibit LHstimulated cAMP accumulation and progesterone secretion in isolated luteal cells. Moreover, since ovarian GnRH receptors have been demonstrated, this study was conducted to determine if GnRH-like substances were present in the luteinized rat ovary. Detection of GnRH-like activity was based on a sensitive and specific ovarian membrane GnRH radioreceptor assay and an immunoassay specific for GnRH. Ovaries were extracted with an aqueous medium containing formic acid, HC1, trifluoroacetic acid, and NaCl. Material present in the supernatant fraction which adsorbed to Waters C18 Sep-Paks was subsequently eluted with acetonitrile and lyophilized. The redissolved ovarian extract showed substantial radioreceptor activity, but very little immunoassayable activity. The GnRH-like activity of the ovary was sensitive to proteolytic enzyme digestion and to incubations at 50 C for as little as 5 min, had an apparent mol wt greater than 1,000 but less than 10,000, and was not solu...
Kinetics of recovery of the dark-adapted salamander rod photoresponse.

The kinetics of the dark-adapted salamander rod photocurrent response to flashes producing from 10 to 105 photoisomerizations (Φ) were investigated in normal Ringer9s solution, and in a choline solution that clamps calcium near its resting level. For saturating intensities ranging from ∼102 to 104 Φ, the recovery phases of the responses in choline were nearly invariant in form. Responses in Ringer9s were similarly invariant for saturating intensities from ∼103 to 104 Φ. In both solutions, recoveries to flashes in these intensity ranges translated on the time axis a constant amount (τc) per e-fold increment in flash intensity, and exhibited exponentially decaying “tail phases” with time constant τc. The difference in recovery half-times for responses in choline and Ringer9s to the same saturating flash was 5–7 s. Above ∼104 Φ, recoveries in both solutions were systematically slower, and translation invariance broke down. Theoretical analysis of the translation-invariant responses established that τc must represent the time constant of inactivation of the disc-associated cascade intermediate (R*, G*, or PDE*) having the longest lifetime, and that the cGMP hydrolysis and cGMP-channel activation reactions are such as to conserve this time constant. Theoretical analysis also demonstrated that the 5–7-s shift in recovery half-times between responses in Ringer9s and in choline is largely (4–6 s) accounted for by the calcium-dependent activation of guanylyl cyclase, with the residual (1–2 s) likely caused by an effect of calcium on an intermediate with a nondominant time constant. Analytical expressions for the dim-flash response in calcium clamp and Ringer9s are derived, and it is shown that the difference in the responses under the two conditions can be accounted for quantitatively by cyclase activation. Application of these expressions yields an estimate of the calcium buffering capacity of the rod at rest of ∼20, much lower than previous estimates.
Value of the Student Pharmacist to Experiential Practice Sites: A Review of the Literature

Objective:To summarize the literature addressing clinical services provided by pharmacy students and the economic implications associated with those services.Data Sources:A literature search was performed through MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts from their inception through December 2011. Search terms included pharmacy students, doctor of pharmacy students, clinical interventions, documentations, and medication histories.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All research articles and abstracts published in English were included. Studies were excluded if they were not conducted in the US. Articles were reviewed and abstracted for number of interventions and proportion of total interventions performed by pharmacy students, type and duration of advanced practice experience, patient care location, time required for interventions, frequency of interventions that were accepted or implemented, and financial assessment of interventions when reported.Data Synthesis:A total of 29 fully published stu...
Teens’ Sources of Income: Jobs and Allowances

To provide a better understanding of teens’ money, this study investigated two sources of teens’ income: jobs and allowances. In particular, we examined (1) how various socio-demographic variables were related to different sources of teens’ income, (2) whether the source of income affected the types of goods purchased by teens, and (3) the different reasons that may be associated with receiving allowances and related socio-demographic factors. Findings indicated that there were relationships between socio-demographic factors and income sources, that income sources did affect the types of goods purchased, and that certain socio-demographic factors were related to perceived reasons for receiving an allowance.
Can Engineers Save the Republic

America is beset by multiple problems of high intensity. Solutions to many of these may be found through the application of appropriate technology, in many cases under public policies enacted by the Congress. Engineers are under-represented in the federal legislative body. Consequently, decision-making on technical problems is often faulty and public confidence is undermined. By training and orientation, many engineers have considered they were not appropriate in the legislative process. This reluctance to stand for election and to devote substantial time to public service must be overcome in order to provide vital input and strength to government. Increasingly, engineers will see this duty and this opportunity to serve. Engineers may well provide the margin of strength needed to rescue the beleaguered Republic.
Recognition in a program understanding system

We propose a recognition model for a Program Understanding system based on a top-down control structure that begins from a given high level plan and attempts to refine and decompose the plan until it can be matched against actual code. We introduce the notion of "distinctive features" and "beacons" which help guide the recognition process and are based on a set of functional program "templates". Additional mechansims are proposed to recover from situations in which the primary top-down approach fails.
Abstract 4855: KLLN, which shares a bidirectional promoter with PTEN, is an AR-regulated tumor suppressor, and induces p53-dependent and -independent apoptosis in breast cancer

70% of breast cancer patients are diagnosed after menopause where the ovaries cease androgen production. Maintaining functional androgen receptor (AR) has been reported to correlate with good prognosis and better survival among breast cancer patients. We and others have shown that AR inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells. However, the mechanism of AR9s anti-tumor effect in breast cancer is still not fully understood. KLLN is a newly identified gene whose function has never been studied in tumorigenesis. KLLN and tumor suppressor gene PTEN, both located in 10q23.31, share the same promoter region but are transcribed in opposite directions. To perform in silico comparisons of KLLN expression between normal breast and breast cancer tissues, we selected 56 normal breast and 1170 tumor tissues from patients without exposure to any treatment using publicly available whole genome transcriptome datasets. We found that KLLN is significantly downregulated in breast carcinomas and that loss of KLLN expression is associated with increasing histological grade in invasive carcinomas. By using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cell lines as our models, we show that AR activates this bi-directional promoter, resulting in the upregulation of both KLLN and PTEN expression. For the first time, we identified KLLN as an AR-activated tumor suppressor, inhibiting breast cancer cell proliferation and suppressing tumor cell invasiveness in both cell lines. In MCF-7 cells, overexpression of KLLN directly activates TP53 expression as a transcription activator, accompanied by significant increase of PARP cleavage and apoptosis. We also found that KLLN could promote TP73 expression in both MCF-7 (p53-wildtype) and MDA-MB-453 (p53-null) cells at the transcriptional level, resulting in p53-independnt apoptosis. Therefore, we discovered a new pathway, which mediates AR-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Our study also indicates KLLN as a potential prognostic marker and novel therapy target for breast carcinomas. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4855. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4855
Morphological Structure of the Virus of Vaccinia

SummaryThe pictorial data obtained by means of the electron microscope show a remarkable regularity in the morphology of elementary bodies of vaccinia. The virus particles apparently have an internal structure and some sort of limiting membrane.
A-type substitution in carbonated strontium fluor-, chlor- and hydroxylapatites

Carbonated strontium fluor-, hydroxyl- and chlorapatites (carbonated Sr10(PO4)6X2 = CSrApX, where X= OH, Cl and F) were synthesized in aqueous solution. The substitution mode of carbonate was determined from infrared (IR) stretching frequencies for carbonate and from the variation in unit-cell axial lengths as a function of carbonate content. The a -axis lengths of CSrApF and CSrApCl decrease, whereas the a -axis length of CSrApOH increases slightly with increasing carbonate substitution. The carbonate IR stretching region from ~1390 to 1590 cm−1 contains two doublets for both CSrApOH and CSrApCl, indicating the presence of both A- and B-type carbonate. The carbonate spectral region for CSrApF is reminiscent of that for CCaApF, which contains one doublet for B-type carbonate with a small shoulder attributable to A-type carbonate. Activity-based K sp values (assuming B-type substitution) were determined for all three series of carbonated Sr apatites and show that the solubilities of CSrApOH and CSrApCl increase at higher carbonate values, whereas those of CSrApF stay constant. The K sp values for uncarbonated SrApOH, SrApCl and SrApF were determined by extrapolation to zero percent carbonate (10−120, 10−112 and 10−113 for SrApOH, SrApCl and SrApF, respectively).
The Analysis on Damage Mechanism of Reservoirs in Gun Perforation Completion and Its Protective Technologies

Gun perforation completion is a very important completion mode.It is of great significance to analyze ad study the damage mechanism and thus to adopt relevant protective technologies and measures.Quite a few specialists and scholars have studied the damage mechanism and protective technologies,but it is all relatively scattered.This article summarizes systematically their findings.At the same time,starting with the selection of gun perforation methods and the normative usage of designing and operating in gun perforation works,a new train of thoughts for reducing the damage to the reservoir to the maximum in gun perforation is put forward by large amounts of research and participating in the study of correlative subjects.It also specially stresses the systematicness of protecting reservoirs.
Document classification for focused topics

Feature extraction is one of the fundamental challenges in improving the accuracy of document classification. While there has been a large body of research literature on document classification, most existing approaches either do not have a high classification accuracy or require massive training sets. In this paper, we propose a simple feature extraction algorithm that can achieve high document classification accuracy in the context of development-centric topics. Our feature extraction algorithm exploits two distinct aspects in development-centric topics: (a) most of these topics tend to be very focused (unlike semantically hard classification topics such as chemistry or banks); (b) due to local language and cultural underpinnings in these topics, the authentic pages tend to use several region specific features. Our algorithm uses a combination of popularity and rarity as two separate metrics to extract features that describe a topic. Given a topic, our output feature set comprises of: (i) a list of popular keywords closely related to the topic; (ii) a list of rare keywords closely related to the topic. We show that a simple joint classifier based on these two feature sets can achieve high classification accuracy while each feature sub-set in itself is insufficient. We have tested our algorithm across a wide range of development-centric topics.
Latent Set Models for Two-Mode Network Data.

Two-mode networks are a natural representation for many kinds of relational data. These networks are bipartite graphs consisting of two distinct sets (“modes”) of entities. For example, one can model multiple recipient email data as a twomode network of (a) individuals and (b) the emails that they send or receive. In this work we present a statistical model for two-mode network data which posits that individuals belong to latent sets and that the members of a particular set tend to co-appear. We show how to infer these latent sets from observed data using a Markov chain Monte Carlo inference algorithm. We apply the model to the Enron email corpus, using it to discover interpretable latent structure as well as evaluating its predictive accuracy on a missing data task. Extensions to the model are discussed that incorporate additional side information such as the email’s sender or text content, further improving the accuracy of the model.
Immunohistochemical determination of p53 protein nuclear accumulation in prostatic adenocarcinoma.

AbstractAbnormalities of the TP53 gene are currently the most common genetic alterations associated with human malignancy. The study of altered patterns of p53 protein expression in primary prostate cancer has to date yielded a much lower incidence of alteration compared to bladder, colon, lung and breast cancer. However, the analysis of prostate cancer metastases has been limited. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of p53 nuclear accumulation in primary, metastatic and hormone refractory prostatic adenocarcinoma, and to characterize its relationship with conventional clinicopathological variables. We used 2 antibodies (mouse monoclonal PAb 1801 and rabbit polyclonal CM-1) and an immunohistochemical method in 93 paraffin embedded tumors (48 primary tumors, 29 lymph node metastases and 16 bone metastases) to assess p53 nuclear accumulation. Overall, p53 nuclear accumulation was observed in 19 tumors (20%), including 17 with PAb 1801 and CM-1 immunoreactivities, and 2 with CM-1 immun...
Contribution of quasar-driven outflows to the extragalactic gamma-ray background

The interaction between the outflow of gas from a quasar and the interstellar medium can boost protons to relativistic energies. Collisions between such protons can explain a significant fraction of the unexplained extragalactic gamma-ray background. The origin of the extragalactic γ-ray background permeating throughout the Universe remains a mystery forty years after its discovery1. The extrapolated population of blazars can account for only half of the background radiation in the energy range of ∼0.1–10 GeV (refs 2,3). Here we show that quasar-driven outflows generate relativistic protons that produce the missing component of the extragalactic γ-ray background and naturally match its spectral fingerprint, with a generic break above ∼1 GeV. The associated γ-ray sources are too faint to be detected individually, explaining why they had not been identified so far. However, future radio observations may image their shock fronts directly. Our best fit to the Fermi-LAT observations of the extragalactic γ-ray background spectrum provides constraints on the outflow parameters that agree with observations of these outflows4,5,6,7 and theoretical predictions8,9. Although our model explains the data, there might be additional contributing sources.
Perceptions of e-cigarettes: a comparison of adult smokers and non-smokers in a Mechanical Turk sample.

ABSTRACTBackground: Given plans to extend its regulatory authority to e-cigarettes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urgently needs to understand how e-cigarettes are perceived by the public. Objectives: To examine how smoking status impacts adult perceptions and expectations of e-cigarettes. Methods: We used Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a “crowdsourcing” platform, to rapidly survey a large (n = 796; female = 381; male = 415), diverse sample of adult ever (44%) and never smokers (56%), including ever (28%) and never (72%) users of e-cigarettes. Results: Smokers and non-smokers learned about e-cigarettes primarily through the internet and conversations with others. Ever smokers were more likely than never smokers, and female current smokers were more likely than female former smokers, to have learned about e-cigarettes from point of sale advertising (p’s < 0.05) and to believe that e-cigarettes help smokers quit (ps < 0.05). Among never users of e-cigarettes, current smokers were more likely than never s...
A comparative study for telerobotic surgery using free hand gestures

This research presents an exploratory study among touch-based and touchless interfaces selected to teleoperate a highly dexterous surgical robot. The possibility of incorporating touchless interfaces into the surgical arena may provide surgeons with the ability to engage in telerobotic surgery similarly as if they were operating with their bare hands. On the other hand, precision and sensibility may be lost. To explore the advantages and drawbacks of these modalities, five interfaces were selected to send navigational commands to the Taurus robot in the system: Omega, Hydra, and a keyboard. The first represented touch-based, while Leap Motion and Kinect were selected as touchless interfaces. Three experimental designs were selected to test the system, based on standardized surgically related tasks and clinically relevant performance metrics measured to evaluate the user's performance, learning rates, control stability, and interaction naturalness. The current work provides a benchmark and validation framework for the comparison of these two groups of interfaces and discusses their potential for current and future adoption in the surgical setting.
Improved Clinical Outcome and ADAMTS13 Activity Following Cyclosporine Therapy in Patients with TTP.

Abstract Patients with a clinical diagnosis of TTP presenting to The Ohio State University were enrolled and treated on a prospective trial of concurrent plasma exchange (PE) and adjuvant immunosuppression. Patients: Between April 2003 and August 2004, 15 patients were entered and followed on this study. The median age was 46 years (range, 19–59), 11/15 were female, 7/15 were African American, and 9/15 were obese (body mass index >30 kg/m2). Nine patients had been previously treated for TTP. Method: All patients with TTP were treated initially with concurrent PE and corticosteroids. Daily exchanges of one plasma volume using cryosupernatant plasma were performed with concurrent prednisone at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day. PE was continued until a clinical remission was achieved as defined by: 1) normal platelet count 2) normalization of LDH for 2 consecutive determinations, and 3) improvement or stabilization of renal or neurologic abnormalities. After criteria for remission were achieved patients had 2 additional procedures performed every other day and the prednisone tapered over the next 4 weeks. Patients with exacerbations (defined as the need to reinstate PE within 30 days discontinuation) of TTP had prednisone discontinued and began oral cyclosporine (CSA) at a dose of 2–3 mg/kg/day orally concurrent with the resumption of PE. After achieving a second remission, PE was tapered as described previously and CSA was continued for a total of 6 months of therapy. Serial measurements of ADAMTS13 activity and inhibitor assays were obtained prior to the initiation of PE and at regular intervals during follow-up. Results: ADAMTS13 data is available for the first 6 patients treated with PE + prednisone. A summary of clinical outcomes and ADAMTS13 activity may be found in Table 1. Of the patients suffering exacerbations after initial therapy with PE + prednisone, ADAMTS13 data is available from the first 2 of 5 patients treated with PE + CSA and is shown in Figure 1. Clinical Responses and ADAMTS13 Activity Inhibitor Remission Exac. Relapse Med. ADAMTS13-Pre Med. ADAMTS13-Remission Med. Remission (mo) PE+Pred. 5/6* 14/15 7/15 2/15 5% (range, 2-7%)** 5% (range, 2-7%)** 1(range, 1-9 ) PE+CSA 2/2* 5/5 0/5 0/5 Figure 1 Figure 1 6 (range, 3-10) * samples tested to date **median ADAMS13 Conclusions: In this prospective study, no patients had significant improvement in ADAMTS13 activity despite achieving remission with PE and corticosteroids. These data showing persistently low ADAMTS13 activity at the time of remission may have contributed to the high rate of exacerbations in this group of patients. In the analysis of the first 2 patients treated with concurrent PE and CSA, there was clear and sustained improvement in ADAMTS13 activity that began after the discontinuation of PE and correlated with the clinical remission of TTP. Download : Download high-res image (95KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure
β-Blocker and Calcium Channel Blocker Toxicity

Toxicity from beta-blocker and calcium channel blocker drugs is a challenging medical emergency with steadily increasing incidence. Clinical manifestations of intoxication with these drugs are presented in light of known pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic properties, as well as the physiology of the beta-adrenoreceptor and calcium channel. Review of clinical and basic science literature provides the basis for specific management guidelines for beta-blocker and calcium channel blocker toxicity.
Probe-Beam Deflection Measurement of Photothermal Desorption of Moisture Adsorbed on Gold or Silicon in Atmospheric Conditions

Previous work donc on laser induced thermal desorption of molecules on a solid surface [1], was mainly performed in vacuum, using particle detectors (e.g. mass spectrometer). The present work examines photo-thermal desorption from a surface in atmospheric conditions utilizing a probe-beam deflection [2] for adsorbed water in ordinary atmospheric conditions.
What Works in Reentry and How to Improve Outcomes

This chapter examines the empirical literature on what is known and required to have an effective prisoner reentry program. A particular emphasis is placed on a review of the scientific literature regarding prisoner reentry initiatives. The chapter synthesizes a vast body of literature on the prisoner reentry phenomenon and provide to both the academician and correctional professionals ways to understand prisoner reentry. The presentation is placed in the context of what we know about criminal behaviors and how best to address them. This literature is incorporated into the body of the chapter as a way to guide and direct academic colleagues and working correctional personnel on how best to both understand and guide prisoner reentry efforts in the community.
Laboratory Infection and Release of Spiroplasma (Entomoplasmatales: Spiroplasmataceae) from Horse Flies (Diptera: Tabanidae)

Many tabanid flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) are infected with spiroplasmas (Mollicutes: Spiroplasmataceae). Naturally-infected Tabanus gladiator Stone and T. sulcifrons Maquart flies were restrained and fed 10% sucrose to determine the exit points of Spiroplasma from tabanid flies. The flies were allowed to feed for 24 h, and the resulting oral and anal specks were cultured in MID broth. Spiroplasmas were isolated from 21 of 51 oral specks but not from 23 anal specks deposited on plastic. In contrast, when anal specks were deposited in a sucrose solution, 9 of 28 anal specks in sucrose yielded spiroplasma cultures. Tabanus limola F. and T. longiusculus Hine were offered a culture of Spiroplasma strain EC-1 on a stewed raisin or in 5% sucrose in the form of a hanging drop. After 4 d, the minced abdominal viscera of each fly were incubated in MID broth and 25 of 32 tabanids yielded cultures of Spiroplasma.
A Followup Study of Orthopedically Handicapped High School Graduates

Adults who had attended the same residential school for orthopedically handicapped children were interviewed. School records were examined. Focus was on employment, social participation, and self f...
Crystallizing a memory

What is the physical basis of memory? What does it take to retrieve a memory in the brain? What would it take to activate or erase memories? In the early 20th century, the German zoologist Richard Semon coined the term “engram” to denote the physical manifestation of a memory in the brain ( 1 ). Two decades later, Canadian psychologist Donald Hebb posited a physiological correlate for learning and recollection: The process of learning strengthens the connections, or synapses, between neurons, which leads to the development of brain-wide cell assemblies that undergo changes in their structural and functional connectivity ( 2 ). The coordinated activity of these assemblies—called ensembles, traces, or engrams—that occurs during learning (memory formation) is thought to be reengaged during recall and thereby forms a stable neuronal correlate of memory ( 2 ). As subsequent memories are formed, the dynamics of these assemblies evolve and provide preexisting scaffolds to influence how the brain processes the variety of memories an organism forms. Studies by Abdou et al. ( 3 ) on page 1227 of this issue and by Choi et al. ( 4 ) develop new technologies to visualize discrete engrams in the brain and modulate them in a synapse-specific manner to understand memory strength and memory restoration from an amnestic state. This improved understanding could eventually be translated to modulate memories to alleviate maladaptive memory states.
Outlier Analysis Using Lattice of Contiguous Subspaces

Many anomaly detection techniques consider all the data-space dimensions when looking for outliers, and some others consider only specific subspaces, in isolation from other subspaces. However, interesting information about anomalous data points is embedded in the inter-relationships of the subspaces within which the data points appear to be outliers. Important characteristics of a dataset can be revealed by looking at these inter-relationships among subspaces. We describe a methodology for searching for outliers within the context of contiguous subspaces in the subspace lattice of a domain. We demonstrate additional insights about the outliers gained from this approach compared to finding the outliers in only specific subspaces or in the complete data-space. This additional information points an analyst to peculiar sets of subspaces to investigate further the underlying structure of the data space and also of the anomalous nature of the data points.
Comparison of the grain growth behavior and defect structures of flash sintered ZnO with and without controlled current ramp

Abstract During the flash sintering of ceramics, rapid densification occurs during the non-linear increase in current. To investigate the effect of an abrupt increase in current, a detailed microstructure characterization of flash sintered ZnO samples has been conducted and compared to a sample with controlled current ramp (i.e., linear increase of current). It has been found that the rapid densification during flash sintering limits the grain growth leading to finer grain sizes compared to the sample with a controlled current ramp. Stacking faults have been observed in the microstructure of both samples due to the generation of point defects.
Relationships Between Continuous Variables

Experienced analysts understand that the most important insights in marketing analysis often come from understanding relationships between variables. While it is helpful to understand single variables, such as how many products are sold at a store, more valuable insight emerges when we understand relationships such as “Customers who live closer to our store visit more often than those who live farther away,” or “Customers of our online shop buy as much in person at the retail shop as do customers who do not purchase online.”
Stabilizing the B-site oxidation state in ABO3 perovskite nanoparticles

The stabilization of the B-site oxidation state in ABO3 perovskites using wet-chemical methods is a synthetic challenge, which is of fundamental and practical interest for energy storage and conversion devices. In this work, defect-controlled (Sr-deficiency and oxygen vacancies) strontium niobium(iv) oxide (Sr1-xNbO3-δ, SNO) metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized for the first time using a low-pressure wet-chemistry synthesis. The experiments were performed under reduced oxygen partial pressure to prevent by-product formation and with varying Sr/Nb molar ratio to favor the formation of Nb4+ pervoskites. At a critical Sr to Nb ratio (Sr/Nb = 1.3), a phase transition is observed forming an oxygen-deficient SrNbO3 phase. Structural refinement on the resultant diffraction pattern shows that the SNO NPs consists of a near equal mixture of SrNbO3 and Sr0.7NbO3-δ crystal phases. A combination of Rietveld refinement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the stabilization of the +4 oxidation state and the formation of oxygen vacancies. The Nb local site symmetry was extracted through Raman spectroscopy and modeled using DFT. As further confirmation, the particles demonstrate the expected absorption highlighting their restored optoelectronic properties. This low-pressure wet-chemical approach for stabilizing the oxidation state of a transition metal has the potential to be extended to other oxygen sensitive, low dimensional perovskite oxides with unique properties.
Prevalence and characteristics of low back pain in a rural Ghana primary care clinic population

Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability in the developed world. Less is known about the impact of LBP in the developing world, and particularly the rural developing world. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an urgent call for additional research into the prevalence and effect of LBP on developing world populations. Objective To calculate the prevalence of LBP in a rural Ghana primary care clinic population. Design Survey of LBP prevalence and severity. Setting Primary care mission clinic in rural Southeastern Ghana. Participants Six hundred eighty-four adult patients. Methods All adult patients were screened for LBP using the definition "any pain occurring within the region between the lower margin of the 12th ribs and the gluteal folds." The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used to further characterize LBP in those screening positive. Chi-square test was used to assess statistical significance of difference in prevalence between groups, and ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the relationship between LBP severity and gender and age. Main outcome measurements LBP prevalence and LBP severity as assessed using the ODI. Results Overall LBP prevalence was 15.7%, with no statistically significant differences observed by age or gender. The activities of standing, traveling, and walking were most severely affected. Of those with LBP, 10.3% were considered "crippled" based on ODI responses, whereas a further 31.8% were "severely disabled." No statistically significant relationship between LBP severity and age or gender was found. Conclusions LBP is a cause of significant disability within this region of rural Ghana; however, prevalence appears to be lower than in the developed world and parts of the urbanized developing world. Increased attention to screening and treatment of LBP represents an opportunity to improve the health of rural Africans. Level of evidence IV.
Ten Years In: Reflections on Creating a Political Science Major from Scratch

An essay reflecting on the creation of the political science major at Wingate University. Essay explores lessons learned in creating the major, including lessons related to academic bureaucracy, interdisciplinary crossover, faculty hiring, and enrollment and recruiting.
Transcatheter closure of elongated and pulmonary hypertensive patent arterial duct in infants using Amplatzer vascular plug II.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of Amplatzer vascular plug II in large and elongated ducts in infants. Introduction Patent arterial duct device closure is technically challenging in infants with large and elongated ducts because Amplatzer duct occluder and Amplatzer duct occluder II have high chances of causing aortic coarctation and left pulmonary artery stenosis, respectively. The Amplatzer vascular plug II being soft with no retention discs on either sides helps in mitigating these problems. Method This is a prospective, observational study involving infants with clinical, echocardiographic and angiographic evidence of large left to right shunt. All the children underwent duct closure using Amplatzer vascular plug II. Results Eighteen infants qualified for the study. Mean age and weight were 8.63 ± 3.84 months and 6.3 ± 1.7 kg, respectively. The angiographic mean duct diameter at the pulmonary artery end was 4.66 ± 0.92 mm, and the mean duct length was 9.4 ± 2.48 mm. The size of Amplatzer vascular plug II used varied from 6 mm to 10 mm. Technical success was achieved in 16/18 cases. One patient had device embolisation, and in the other, the device was found to be unstable. The ratio of Amplatzer vascular plug II size to the duct diameter was 1.65 ± 0.27, while the ratio of ductal length to device length was 1.48 ± 0.46 in those with successful outcome. Conclusions Amplatzer vascular plug II is a safe and effective option in appropriately selected infants with elongated ducts. Diameter and length of Amplatzer vascular plug II vis-a-vis those of the ductus are important determinants of the successful outcome.
Just Transition for Agriculture? A Critical Step in Tackling Climate Change

Just Transition has become an established discursive and conceptual framework to transition economic industries toward a low-carbon and climate-resilient future. In the coal and mining industry in particular, it has gained a foothold and transformed politics and livelihoods. In other areas, like animal agriculture, which is equally damaging to the climate, the need for change and the deployment of Just Transition to achieve it are not yet established. Drawing on the most recent scientific insights by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this viewpoint argues that transitioning toward a low-carbon production is just as imperative in agriculture. Specifically, it demands that we move away from animal agriculture. The viewpoint concludes by sketching possible areas and means of intervention. See the press release for this article.
More than casual concern: critical Black pedagogical excellence and the Asa G. Hilliard, III teacher preparation framework

With a tenure in education of more than 30 years prior to his physical transition in 2007 and experience working in various school settings throughout the United States and on the African continent...
Chapter 5 – Differential Equations from Increment Geometry

The three curves in this chapter illustrate an important idea of calculus: they are each described by a differential equation, which in turn comes from studying properties of a tiny increment of the curve without knowing the curve itself in advance. The curves have a physical description – they are quite concrete – but the tractrix and catenary provide important examples in differential geometry and the calculus of variations. In other words, these curves are important in mathematics.