cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dendritic Ca2+ responses in neonatal lateral superior olive neurons elicited by glycinergic/GABAergic synapses and action potentials

Abstract During development, GABA/glycinergic connections from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) to the lateral superior olive (LSO) gradually change from being depolarizing to being hyperpolarizing. Previous studies have shown that depolarizing MNTB–LSO synapses can trigger action potentials and increase the concentration of intracellular calcium. In the present study we used confocal calcium imaging combined with whole-cell patch clamp recordings to investigate how depolarizing MNTB inputs in neonatal rats and mice increase the calcium concentration in the dendrites of LSO neurons. Our results show that subthreshold synaptic responses can elicit local dendritic calcium responses while suprathreshold responses reliably generate global calcium responses that are observed in all dendritic processes. The amplitude of global dendritic calcium responses increased with distance from the soma. Global calcium responses were blocked by tetrodotoxin and could not be recovered by somatic injection of action potential waveforms indicating that global calcium responses are generated by back-propagating sodium action potentials.
Imaging of atherosclerotic plaque.

The behavior and composition of coronary atherosclerotic plaques are ultimately responsible for the threat of acute ischemic events in patients with coronary artery disease. Different imaging modalities have been developed over the last several years in order to better characterize the atherosclerotic plaque and attempt to predict those in peril of complication. Since its implementation into cardiovascular medicine, nearly 40 years ago, coronary angiography has been the mainstay of identifying hemodynamically stenotic lesions. Further investigation into imaging modalities have suggested, however, that the degree of stenosis is only one of several factors influencing a plaque’s tendency to rupture. Recent advances in imaging modalities, including invasive and non-invasive studies, have allowed us to examine the histological components that comprise these plaques. Specific information such as variations in temperature, plaque stiffness and calcification level is currently being researched as well as biological and chemical markers. The ultimate goal is to visualize the plaque and its characteristics, stratify its risk for acute events, be able to apply this modality to the general population of cardiac patients, while exposing the patient to minimal risk and having adequate positive and negative predictive values. This manuscript will review the more recent data concerning these interventions and their individual characteristics.
RESONANT GLUING BIFURCATIONS

We consider the codimension-three phenomenon of homoclinic bifurcations of flows containing a pair of orbits homoclinic to a saddle point whose principal eigenvalues are in resonance. We concentrate upon the simplest possible configuration, the so-called "figure-of-eight," and reduce the dynamics near the homoclinic connections to those on a two-dimensional locally invariant centre manifold. The ensuing resonant gluing bifurcations exhibit features of both gluing bifurcations and resonant homoclinic bifurcations. Under certain twist conditions, the bifurcation structure is extremely rich, although describing zero-entropy flows. The analysis carefully exploits the topology of the orbits, the centre manifold and the parameter space.
Visualizing weighted networks: a performance comparison of adjacency matrices versus node-link diagrams

Ensuring the proper and effective ways to visualize network data is important for many areas of academia, applied sciences, the military, and the public. Fields such as social network analysis, genetics, biochemistry, intelligence, cybersecurity, neural network modeling, transit systems, communications, etc. often deal with large, complex network datasets that can be difficult to interact with, study, and use. There have been surprisingly few human factors performance studies on the relative effectiveness of different graph drawings or network diagram techniques to convey information to a viewer. This is particularly true for weighted networks which include the strength of connections between nodes, not just information about which nodes are linked to other nodes. We describe a human factors study in which participants performed four separate network analysis tasks (finding a direct link between given nodes, finding an interconnected node between given nodes, estimating link strengths, and estimating the most densely interconnected nodes) on two different network visualizations: an adjacency matrix with a heat-map versus a node-link diagram. The results should help shed light on effective methods of visualizing network data for some representative analysis tasks, with the ultimate goal of improving usability and performance for viewers of network data displays.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ballistic anisotropic magnetoresistance.

The resistivity of bulk ferromagnetic metals depends on the relative angle between the electric current and the magnetization direction. This phenomenon was discovered by Thomson in 1857 and was called anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) [1]. The importance of this phenomenon was recognized more than a century later in the 1970s when AMR of a few percent at room temperature was found in a number of alloys based on iron, cobalt, and nickel which stimulated the development of AMR sensors for magnetic recording (for reviews on AMR see Refs. [2,3]). Ferromagnetic metals exhibiting a normal AMR effect show maximum resistivity when the current is parallel to the magnetization direction, � k, and minimum resistivity when the current is perpendicular to the magnetization direction, � ?. The magnitude of AMR can be defined by
Sarcopenia and impairment in cognitive and physical performance.

BACKGROUND Whether older adults with sarcopenia who underperform controls on tests of physical performance and cognition also have a higher likelihood of combined cognitive-physical impairment is not clear. We assessed the impact of sarcopenia on impairment in both aspects of functionality and the relative contribution of its components, muscle mass and strength. METHODS Two hundred and twenty-three community-dwelling adults aged 40 years and older (mean age =68.1±10.6 years; 65% female) were recruited and underwent physical functionality, anthropometry, and cognitive testing. Participants with low muscle mass were categorized as pre-sarcopenic; those with low muscle mass and muscle strength as sarcopenic; those with higher muscle mass and low muscle strength only were categorized as non-sarcopenic and were compared on risk of cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment <26; Ascertaining Dementia 8 ≥2), physical impairment (Mini Physical Performance Test <12), both, or neither by ordinal logistic regression. RESULTS Compared to controls, those with sarcopenia were six times more likely to have combined cognitive impairment/physical impairment with a fully adjusted model showing a three-fold increased odds ratio. The results were consistent across different measures of global cognition (odds ratio =3.46, 95% confidence interval =1.07-11.45 for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; odds ratio =3.61, 95% confidence interval =1.11-11.72 for Ascertaining Dementia 8). Pre-sarcopenic participants were not different from controls. The effect of sarcopenia on cognition is related to low muscle strength rather than low muscle mass. CONCLUSION Individuals with sarcopenia are not only more likely to have single but also to have dual impairment in cognitive and physical function. Interventions designed to prevent sarcopenia and improve muscle strength may help reduce the burden of cognitive and physical impairments of functionality in community-dwelling seniors.
Measurement and Analysis of the Reflectance Spectra of SiP(2).

New experimental and analytical techniques are used to derive information on the electronic band structure of SiP2, a semimetal having a pyrite structure. The ir reflectivity can be described by a two-carrier model having effective charge density to mass ratios of 0.152 and 0.0273 with relaxation times of 1.07 and 0.66 × 10−14 sec, respectively. This model yields a dc conductivity of 1.07 × 106 mho/m in agreement with measured values. Interband transitions at 1.97 eV, 2.69 eV, 3.45 eV, 3.95 eV, and 4.42 eV were defined from structure in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant and from piezoreflectance data.
The effect of gastric banding on kidney stone disease.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the likelihood of being diagnosed with, or treated for, an upper urinary tract calculus after gastric banding. Bariatric surgical procedures are being increasingly utilized in the treatment of patients with morbid obesity. Certain malabsorptive bariatric procedures have been associated with an increased risk for kidney stone formation. However, the kidney stone risk of gastric banding, a restrictive bariatric procedure, is unknown. METHODS We identified 201 patients who underwent gastric banding and a control group of 201 obese patients who did not have bariatric surgery in a national private insurance claims database within a 5-year period from 2002-2006. All patients had at least 2 years of continuous claims data follow-up. Our 2 primary outcomes were the diagnosis and the surgical treatment of a urinary calculus. RESULTS After gastric banding, the diagnosis of an upper urinary tract calculus occurred in 3 subjects (1.49%), as compared with 12 subjects (5.97%) in the comparison cohort (P = .0179). One subject in each cohort (0.50%) underwent a surgical procedure for the treatment of an upper urinary tract (P = 1.0000). CONCLUSIONS Gastric banding is not associated with an increased risk for kidney stone disease or kidney stone surgery in the postoperative period. Additional long-term studies are required to confirm these findings.
Large deflection, rotation, and plastic strain in cantilevered beams

Abstract Relatively slender cantilever beams, having a ratio of length to height in ess of 50, are subjected to a series of loads at the free end, resulting in end deflections in which the final displacement is greater than halfunderfored length of the bar. As each load is ado the free end, the curve of deflection, angles of rotation, plastic and elastic strain histories, and rigid body displacement of generic material points are accurately recorded. From thesee data, moments in the underfomed and deformed reference configurations are compared. Since the role of rigid body rotation is found to be negligible, having been cancelled by the rigid body displacement, one may introduce moments in the underormed reference configuration that correlate with ehe experiment in the context of a general incremental theory of finite strain plasticity. The theory satisfies the analytical requirement of material objectivity when, as is found by experiment, the role of the rigid body rotation of principal axes is negligible.
On the Effect of Subgrid Drag Closures

The effect of two subgrid drag closures on the flow of air and Geldart group A particles is presented in this study. A subgrid drag model based on fitting simulation data obtained from finely resolved simulations and a drag model based on the energy minimization approach are both used to solve a gas−solids flow in the riser section of a circulating fluidized bed. The numerical results using a coarse computational grid obtained with these subgrid models are compared with those using a standard drag model as well as experimental data obtained in a pilot-scale riser. Numerical predictions using both subgrid models showed higher solids hold-up in the riser indicated by the radial solids density and axial pressure drop profiles in the 2D and 3D system geometries considered in this study. These subgrid models are demonstrated to be both needed and useful as large-scale numerical simulations commonly use coarse computational grids that are unable to resolve the smallest heterogeneous structures observed in the f...
Our Human Population and the Planet

Projections released by the UN show the global human population is likely to rise by at least 2.5 billion to nearly 10 billion by 2050. It is clear that the world needs to wake up to the devastating effect our species is having on the climate, our planetary ecosystems and human survival prospects. Year after year, population figures are released that spell increasing crises for all of us. Yet they are met with a deafening silence. Everything we manage to achieve for the natural environment will be wiped out by the 70–80 million extra people each year who need space and resources to survive. Population is a sensitive issue, but it is time to stop worrying about causing offence or a possible backlash. We need to rein back human numbers, humanely and democratically, for the sake of the planet and all living organisms on it. Since our activities are the source of rising carbon dioxide emissions, each increment in the world’s population makes it more difficult to tackle climate change. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the annual average world per capita carbon emissions is 1.2 tons, or 4.4 tons of CO2. An extra 2.5 billion people would be expected to generate about 3 billion extra tons of volatile carbon. This is nearly twice the current emissions of the USA, which are roughly 1.6 billion tons of carbon per year, about one-third of the world’s total. All living organisms, including humans, are at risk from human population growth. The massive growth through the twentieth century has had more impact on biodiversity than any other single factor. The evidence is overwhelming: Environmental protection will be impossible to achieve with continued population growth in underdeveloped countries. Everyone must recognize the relationship between population and the environment and act accordingly. Appropriate action by developed countries including the USA involve funding birth control worldwide. This is estimated to cost about 40 billion dollars per year, a tiny fraction of the money the US taxpayer has been forced to pay for the devastating Iraq war. What a shame our dollars have not been spent to benefit humankind. Water Air Soil Pollut (2010) 205 (Suppl 1):S33 DOI 10.1007/s11270-007-9430-0
Analysis of the p21 ras system during development of meiotic competence in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Abstract The ability of Xenopus oocytes to undergo insulin- or insulin-like growth factor 1-induced meiotic maturation develops during oogenesis, with cells 1.0 mm in diameter or larger responding in a size-dependent manner. Since insulin-induced oocyte maturation was shown previously to be p21 ras-dependent, experiments were performed to test whether a deficiency in the p21 ras system might account for meiotic incompetence in small oocytes (⩽0.9 mm diameter). Both small and large oocytes were found to contain comparable levels of membrane-associated p21, as determined by protein immunoblotting. Treatment of both small and large oocytes with 2 μM insulin for 2 hr increased endogenous levels of membrane-associated p21 by approximately 70%. Stimulation of microinjected p21-membrane association by insulin was observed to be both time- and concentration-dependent in large oocytes with an EC50 of 50 nM. In addition, comparable levels of GTPase activating protein were measured in extracts prepared from oocytes ranging from 0.8 to 1.3 mm in diameter. Therefore, the p21 system is apparently not limiting during oogenesis, and expression of some other cellular component must account for development of meiotic competence in Xenopus oocytes.
Variations in atmosphere-ocean solar absorption under clear skies: A comparison of observations and models

Satellite observations of the clear-sky, atmosphere-ocean solar absorption are compared to simulations from a global climate model. Variations in solar absorption are analyzed under conditions of constant solar geometry to highlight spatially coherent features. From this analysis, the observed zonal and interannual variability in clear-sky solar absorption is shown to be substantially larger than that predicted by the model. Explanations for the greater observed variability are considered in terms of aerosols, surface wind effects, and water vapor.
A Controlled Flaw Technique for Lifetime Characterization

A new technique for studying the lifetime characterstics of brittle materials is presented. The technique involves the use of controlled identification flawa and treats time-to-failure as an experimentally fixed parameter rather than a dependent variable. Experimental advantages include specimen economy and unambiguous data analysis (for example, no specimens or results are lost due to test “run-out”). The technique is applied to a borosilicate glass and the data compared with indentation fracture mechanics predicitions from a previous study. The data show the significant effects of reactive environment, in this case water, to reduce the failure stress of components.
The Root–Unroot Algorithm for Density Estimation as Implemented via Wavelet Block Thresholding

We propose and implement a density estimation procedure which begins by turning density estimation into a nonparametric regression problem. This regression problem is created by binning the original observations into many small size bins, and by then applying a suitable form of root transformation to the binned data counts. In principle many common nonparametric regression estimators could then be applied to the transformed data. We propose use of a wavelet block thresholding estimator in this paper. Finally, the estimated regression function is un-rooted by squaring and normalizing. The density estimation procedure achieves simultaneously three objectives: computational efficiency, adaptivity, and spatial adaptivity. A numerical example and a practical data example are discussed to illustrate and explain the use of this procedure. Theoretically it is shown that the estimator simultaneously attains the optimal rate of convergence over a wide range of the Besov classes. The estimator also automatically adapts to the local smoothness of the underlying function, and attains the local adaptive minimax rate for estimating functions at a point. There are three key steps in the technical argument: Poissonization, quantile coupling, and oracle risk bound for block thresholding in the non-Gaussian setting. Some of the technical results may be of independent interest.
A call to improve the quality of aneurysm outcome studies

As apparent from the title, Safety and Occlusion Rates of Surgical Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms—A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Literature from 1990 to 2011 , Kotowski et al 1 performed a meta-analysis of 60 studies that included 9845 patients and 10 845 unruptured aneurysms treated surgically between 1990 and 2011 and evaluated safety and occlusion rates. They found morbidity and mortality rates of 6.7% and 1.7%, respectively. The authors limited the articles reviewed to studies published since 1990 because of a variety of factors including technological advances. We agree with the authors' decision. Indocyanine green video angiography and retractorless microsurgery are two such …
Quantification of in vivo anaerobic metabolism in the normal cat retina through intraretinal pH measurements.

We examined intraretinal [H + ] in the intact retina of anesthetized cats using H + -sensitive microelectrodes to obtain spatial profiles of extracellular [H + ]. One H + is produced when an anaerobically generated ATP is utilized. We theorized that H + production directly reflects anaerobic glucose consumption. From the choroid (pH ∼7.40), [H + ] o steadily increased to a maximum concentration in the proximal portion of the outer nuclear layer (pH∼7.20). The shape of the profile was always concave down, indicating that a net production of H + occurred across the avascular outer retina. A three-layer diffusion model of the outer retina was developed and fitted to the data to quantify photoreceptor H + extrusion into the extracellular space (Q OR-H +). It was determined that the outer segment (OS) layer had negligible H + extrusion. The data were then refitted to a special three-layer model in which the OS layer Q H + was set equal to zero, but in which the inner segments and outer nuclear layer produced H + . The resulting Q OR-H + was several orders of magnitude lower than previous measurements of Q OR-lactate , which were based on choroidal mass balances of lactate. Stoichiometrically, one H + is produced for each lactate produced, so we concluded that Q OR-H + is a measure of net rather than total H + production. Because retinal acid production is so high, the retina must contain efficient H + clearance and/or neutralization mechanisms that prevent severe acidosis. The effect of light on retinal extracellular [H + ] and Q OR-H + was also examined. As expected, light adaptation caused a retinal alkalinization that resulted from a 52% reduction in Q OR-H +. This is in agreement with previous studies that have shown that both oxidative (e.g. Haugh et al., 1990) and glycolytic metabolism (Wang et al., 1997a,c) in the photoreceptor are decreased by a factor of 2 during light adaptation. Although we could not obtain absolute values for outer retinal glycolysis, changes in Q OR-H+ appear to directly reflect changes in glycolytic metabolism.
The J-curve in the emerging economies of Eastern Europe

Devaluation or depreciation of a currency worsens the trade balance before improving it, resulting in a J-curve pattern. A new definition of the hypothesis implies a short-run deterioration combined with the long-run improvement. By using monthly data over the January 1990–June 2005 period from 11 east European emerging economies, most of which are the new European Union (EU) members or the EU candidate countries, this article uses the bounds testing approach to cointegration and error-correction modelling and finds empirical support for the J-curve hypothesis in three countries of Bulgaria, Croatia and Russia. The results have important implications for policymakers involved in economics in terms of using exchange rate policy as a policy device to achieve real convergence toward EU standards.
Characterisation of the SilSpin etch-back process for nanolithography with CHF3 and O2 gas chemistry

This study characterises the SilSpin™ etch-back process within the reverse tone Step and Flash Imprint Lithography (SFIL/R). Currently, the S-FIL/R operational specifications to etch the SilSpin material require a reactive ion etching platform which etches the polymers at a slower rate than a high density plasma reactor. The goal was to develop empirical etch models and determine the process parameters in the etching process using a magnetically enhanced reactive ion etching reactor with CHF3 and O2 gas chemistry. The experimental approach taken uses a 24 factorial design to characterise the relationships between the process factors and etch responses. The factors in the design are: reactor pressure, power, gas flow and magnetic flux. The factors and their interaction levels to uniformly etch the SilSpin were determined along with the best set of operating parameters. Using these results in conjunction with response surface methodology enabled the development of empirical etch behaviour models.
Divergent lipoprotein responses to fish oils with various ratios of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid

To determine ifthe ratio of cicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahcxaenoic (DHA) acids in fish oil had an effect on plasma lipid responses, we randomly fed eight nor- molipidemic men three 36%-fat diets containing primarily but- ter, EPA-rich pollock oil, or DHA-rich tuna or salmon-blend oils. Plasma EPA and DHA reflected the amounts in the diets. Compared with values for the butter diet, very-low-density Ii- poprotein (VLDL) triglycerides decreased equally (7 1-78%) with all diets; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL- C) and apolipoprotein B decreased 26% and 13%, respectively, on the tuna and salmon-blend oil but did not change (- 1%) and increased 19% with the pollock diet; high-density lipopro- tein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lipoproteins A-I and A-I! de- creased with all diets but more with the pollock diet than with the tuna and salmon diets. The 23-31% decrease in total cho- lesterol on the tuna and salmon diets resulted mostly from de- creased LDL-C whereas the 16% decrease on pollock oil re- sulted mostly from a decrease in HDL-C. Am J C/in Nutr 1990:52:632-9.
Feedback induced biphasic response in the chemotaxis pathway of Dictyostelium

Upon uniform stimulation by the chemoattractant cAMP, Dictyostelium cells exhibit a biphasic response. Initially, a rapid rise in the localized accumulation of PI(3,4,5)P/sub 3/ is accompanied by an increase in actin polymerization. This response peaks approximately 5-10 seconds after stimulation. It is then followed by a slower, smaller phase peaking approximately two minutes after the stimulus. Until recently, the nature of this biphasic response has been poorly understood. Moreover, the origin for the secondary phase is unknown. In this paper we conjecture the existence of a feedback path between the response and stimulus. Using a mathematical model of the chemoattractant-induced response in cells, and standard tools from control engineering, we show that positive feedback may elicit this second peak. Finally, we discuss some of the literature that suggests the possible existence of this loop.
Specificities of Antibodies to Human Growth Hormone (hGH) in Patients Treated with hGH: Longitudinal Study and Comparison with the Specificities of Animal Antisera

Circulating sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG) binding capacity and percent free estradiol (% free E2)were measured in separate groups of female rhesus monkeys from 2 months of age through adulthood (>4.5 yr old). TheSHBG concentration alone was also measured in 11 adult and 6 sexually immature animals on the same day as the blood MCR of E2. Serum SHBG levels were the highest (range, 12–25 µg T⁄dl)and the % free E2 the lowest (0.88%) in animals 6 months oldor less. After that age, serum SHBG binding capacity declinedgenerally at an average rate of 0.11 SHBG U (µg T⁄dl)⁄monthtoward a nadir in adulthood. There was no difference in theSHBG levels in the follicular or luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The relative blood MCR E2 and circulating SHBG bindingcapacity were signiµcantly greater (P < 0.001) in the sexuallyimmature animals [MCR E2,48.4 ± 5.2 (SEM) liters⁄day.kg body wt; SHBG, 9.8 ± 1.0 g T⁄dl, n = 6] than in adult animals (MCRE2, 27.7 ± 1.7 liters⁄day kg body wt; SHBG, 4.6 ± 0.3 µg T⁄dl,n = 11). T...
Conflict and Concord in Wilhelmian Social Thought

In 1965, Ralf Dahrendorf published his compelling work Society and Democracy in Germany . In this fruitful union of sociology and history, he argued convincingly that an overwhelming penchant for concord and synthesis has been the bane of the German mind for the past century and a half; not only in political thought but in traditional institutions such as the legal and educational systems, and ironically even in the supposedly radical Social Demorcatic Party. Everywhere in German life Dahrendorf preceived a quest for certainty—an obsessive need for some objective authority to deliver unimpeachable judgments that would find universal acceptance. More than settling disputes, such authorities were expected to obviate the need for disagreement altogether. The converse of this desire for harmony was an inability to accept conflict as normal; wherever conflict reared its ugly head, Germans sought to banish this unnatural phenomenon by appeal to a higher power. In this curious refusal to recognize ambiguity in life and society, Dahrendorf found the key to the German problem: what roadblocks the German ideology has placed in the way of development toward liberal parliamentary government.
On the use of an SPSA-based model-free controller in quality improvement

There exists a growing realization that quality will be gained by implementing statistical process control and engineering process control in a complementary fashion. This study continues in that direction by considering the batch polymerization example of Vander Wiel el al., but it assumes no knowledge about the dynamics of process. It uses concurrently the special-cause control chart and the simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA)-based control approach proposed by Spall and Cristion to monitor, signal and readjust the levels of viscosity of simulated batches of polymer around the target value. This study also compares the performance of the SPSA-based adaptive control and one-step feedback controller when the process dynamics changes.
Whither the Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations on Multiple Regions of the US–Mexico Border?

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to analyze what has happened to the US–Mexico border region's environmental nongovernmental organization (ENGO) sector and to understand how it fared over time by interviewing leaders of these groups in multiple regions on the border. ENGOs gained saliency and momentum during the NAFTA negotiations and were able to address environmental problems on the border. Almost 20 years later, some ENGOs no longer exist due to funding, structural and leadership challenges. However, as this research indicates, committed people still provide environmental leadership on the multiple sites along the border, not necessarily through ENGOs, but in other capacities.
Long-term follow-up of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Impact of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on treatment outcomes

The introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) has revolutionized therapy for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who have the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 102 adults and 11 children who received a first-matched related (n = 60), matched unrelated (n = 40), mismatched cord blood (n = 12), or haploidentical (n = 1) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for Ph-positive (Ph+) ALL in first complete remission (n = 71), second complete remission (n = 11), or with active disease (n = 31) between 1990 and 2009. Sixty-seven patients received TKI with upfront ALL therapy, and 32 patients received TKI maintenance following HSCT. With median follow-up of 5 years among survivors (range: 1.1-20.4 years), overall survival (OS) was significantly better for patients transplanted in first remission compared with HSCT in advanced disease: 43% versus 16%, P = .002. Disease stage and age at time of HSCT, the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), and decade of HSCT were found to significantly impact OS, progression-free survival (PFS), and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) in multivariate analyses. Allogeneic HSCT provides durable remission for patients with Ph+ ALL in first remission. Neither TKI use pre- nor post-HSCT were found to significantly impact transplant outcomes in univariate and multivariate analyses.
Versatile synthesis of self‐assembling ABA triblock copolymers with polymethyloxazoline A‐blocks and a polysiloxane B‐block decorated with supramolecular receptors

BACKGROUND: Self-assembling amphiphilic block copolymers with incorporated, biologically relevant functionalities have received limited attention, partly due to the fact that biomolecules are not robust enough to synthetic manipulation, do not lend themselves readily to systematic studies due to their complexity and leach rather quickly from a vesicle or membrane when physically incorporated. Synthetic supramolecules are used as biomolecule mimics in functional membranes. RESULTS: Reactionconditionswereestablished forthesynthesis ofatosyl-terminatedsiloxane end-blocker, which serves as molecular weight control in the synthesis of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(dimethylsiloxaneco-methylhydrosiloxane) [P(DMS-co-MHS)] copolymers. Hydrosilylation reactions were investigated for the covalent coupling of synthetic supramolecules (18-crown-6 ether, hydroxybenzoate) to the polymer backbone using the methylhydrosiloxane repeat units as the anchor moiety. Using P(DMS-co-MHS) or derivatized P(DMSco-MHS) copolymers as macroinitiator for the ring-opening polymerization of 2-methyl-4-hydroxy-oxazoline led to the formation of poly[(dimethylsiloxane-co-methylhydrosiloxane)-block-oxazoline] [P(DMS-co-MHS-b-Ox)] ABA triblock copolymers with defined PDMS to PMHS ratios and controlled molecular weights. CONCLUSION: Derivatized P(DMS-co-MHS-b-Ox) ABA triblock copolymers synthesized using a novel versatile procedure undergo vesicle formation upon electroformation with vesicle diameters ranging from 2 to 10 µm. The size of the vesicle depends on the overall polarity of the macromolecule.  2008 Society of Chemical Industry Supplementary electronic material for this paper is available in Wiley InterScience at http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/ 0959-8103/suppmat/
Marked Event Method In Discrete Event Simulation

In this paper, we develop a new method for sensitivity analysis of discrete event dynamic systems. The method is based on the observation that event lists under nominal system parameters can be shared by simulations with slightly perturbed parameters. Thus the simulation on different system configurations may be more efficient. The resulting algorithm is exact for Markovian systems, and approximate for non-Markovian systems. Experimental results are given to study the new algorithms.
Adding very low nicotine content cigarettes to nicotine replacement therapy and behavioural support increases abstinence at 6 months after the quit date

Commentary on Walker N, Howe C, Bullen C, et al. The combined effect of very low-nicotine content cigarettes, used as an adjunct to usual Quitline care (nicotine replacement therapy and behavioural support), on smoking cessation: a randomised controlled trial. Addiction 2012;107:1857–67. There are proven interventions to help smokers quit, both behavioural (group, individual, telephone-based counselling) and pharmacological (NRT, medications).1 This study examined using VLNCs to help smokers quit. VLNCs mimic the act of smoking and are thought to address non-nicotine aspects of smoking including hand-to-mouth …
Systematic Methodology for Designing Reconfigurabl D S Modulator Topologies for Multimode Communication Systems

This paper proposes a methodology for designing reconfigurable continuous-time DeltaSigma modulator topologies. The methodology is based on the concept of generic topology that expresses all possible signal paths in a reconfigurable topology. Topologies are optimized for minimizing the complexity of the topologies, maximizing the sharing of circuitry for different modes, maximizing the topology robustness with respect to circuit nonidealities, and minimizing total power consumption. The paper presents a case study for designing topologies for a three mode reconfigurable DeltaSigma modulator, and compares topologies with state-of-the-art design
Temporal Aspect of Uterine Sensitivity in the Pseudopregnant or Pregnant Rat

The duration of uterine sensitivity (ability to produce a deciduoma) was determined for several strains of pseudopregnant rats using the method of endometrial scratching. The day of maximal sensitivity was found to be related to the last ovulation and not to the day on which the pseudopregnancy was initiated. It occurred on Day 4, a day associated with increased uterine weight and water content, and was markedly reduced or absent 24 hr later, depending on the strain of rat. It was not possible to prolong sensitivity to Day 5 by: a) physiologic lengthening of pseudopregnancy, b) administration of hormones associated with pseudopregnancy, or c) daily blockade of the CNS by pentobarbital. It is concluded that, once maximal sensitivity has been acquired, the endometrium loses its capacity for another response during pseudopregnancy or pregnancy. This concept of maximal sensitivity contributes to our understanding of some of the results obtained by earlier investigators.
Tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels contribute to directional responses in starburst amacrine cells

The biophysical mechanisms that give rise to direction selectivity in the retina remain uncertain. Current evidence suggests that the directional signal first arises within the dendrites of starburst amacrine cells (SBACs). Two models have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, one based on mutual inhibitory interactions between SBACs, and the other positing an intrinsic dendritic mechanism requiring a voltage-gradient depolarizing towards the dendritic tips. We tested these models by recording current and voltage responses to visual stimuli in SBACs. In agreement with previous work, we found that the excitatory currents in the SBACs were directional, and remained directional when GABA receptors were blocked. Contrary to the mutual-inhibitory model, stimuli that produce strong directional signals in ganglion cells failed to reveal a significant inhibitory input to SBACs. Suppression of the tonic excitatory conductance, proposed to generate the dendritic voltage-gradient required for the dendrite autonomous model, failed to eliminate the directional signal in SBACs. However, selective block of tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels did reduce the strength of the directional excitatory signal in the SBACs. These results indicate that current models of direction-selectivity in the SBACs are inadequate, and suggest that voltage-gated excitatory channels, specifically tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels, are important elements in directional signaling. This is the first physiological evidence that tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels play a role in retinal information processing.
The Subspecialist and the Child

Specialty services for children may be defec tive because the subspecialist has not had ade quate training in general pediatrics. Pediatric and pediatric surgery postgraduate programs should encourage this type of training for all subspecialists who care for children. Unless or until this occurs, the pediatrician must remain involved in the care of his patients whether their problems are primarily medical or surgical.
Robust numerical modeling of currents radiating in non-birefringent anisotropic medium layers

We present and discuss numerical results from a recently proposed spectral-domain algorithm that solves modal degeneracy-based numerical instabilities present in the spectral-domain evaluation of electromagnetic (EM) fields radiated by current sources within planar Non-Birefringent Anisotropic Medium (NBAM) layers. Namely, the numerical instabilities arise from NBAM layers supporting degenerate EM field polarization states (eigenvectors) which share identical (albeit critically, non-defective) eigenvalues. The required modification to the computation chain is to analytically (i.e., prior to numerical evaluation) manipulate source-dependent spectral-domain expressions to eliminate the fictitious double-pole singularities arising from said modal degeneracies. Demonstrating the formulation's efficacy, we examine the distribution and computation error of EM fields radiated by Hertzian dipole antennas embedded within a grounded NBAM slab.
Effects of chronic spinal cord injury and pressure ulcer on 25(OH)-vitamin D levels.

We studied 92 spinal cord injured (SCI) men (50 paraplegics and 42 quadriplegics) with normal renal function, 38 of whom had single or multiple pressure ulcers. The results were compared with those of 28 able-bodied normal controls. Serum concentrations of calcium and magnesium were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry, and 25(OH)-vitamin D was quantitated by a specific competitive binding assay using a sensitive vitamin D binding protein and tritiated 25(OH)-vitamin D. The SCI group exhibited significant reductions in serum 25(OH)-vitamin D and total calcium concentrations as compared to the normal control group. Although the mean serum concentration of 25(OH)-vitamin D in the quadriplegic patients as a whole was lower than that found in the entire paraplegic group, the difference did not attain statistical significance. Similar observations were made when the ulcer-free subgroups of paraplegics and quadriplegics were compared. The SCI subgroup which was least physically active, i.e., those with pressure ulcers, showed the greatest depression of serum 25(OH)-vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium concentrations. The observed reduction in serum 25(OH)-vitamin D in SCI patients appears to be partly related to reduced cutaneous vitamin D biosynthesis from sunlight deprivation occasioned by physical disability and hospitalization. In addition, nutritional deficiency and altered intestinal transport may be involved. The reduction in serum calcium concentration may be related to abnormal vitamin D metabolism and hypoalbuminemia (reduced protein-bound calcium).
The Phenazine 2-Hydroxy-Phenazine-1-Carboxylic Acid Promotes Extracellular DNA Release and Has Broad Transcriptomic Consequences in Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84.

Enhanced production of 2-hydroxy-phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (2-OH-PCA) by the biological control strain Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30–84 derivative 30-84O* was shown previously to promote cell adhesion and alter the three-dimensional structure of surfaceattached biofilms compared to the wild type. The current study demonstrates that production of 2-OH-PCA promotes the release of extracellular DNA, which is correlated with the production of structured biofilm matrix. Moreover, the essential role of the extracellular DNA in maintaining the mass and structure of the 30–84 biofilm matrix is demonstrated. To better understand the role of different phenazines in biofilm matrix production and gene expression, transcriptomic analyses were conducted comparing gene expression patterns of populations of wild type, 30-84O* and a derivative of 30–84 producing only PCA (30-84PCA) to a phenazine defective mutant (30-84ZN) when grown in static cultures. RNA-Seq analyses identified a group of 802 genes that were differentially expressed by the phenazine producing derivatives compared to 30-84ZN, including 240 genes shared by the two 2-OH-PCA producing derivatives, the wild type and 30-84O*. A gene cluster encoding a bacteriophage- derived pyocin and its lysis cassette was upregulated in 2-OH-PCA producing derivatives. A holin encoded in this gene cluster was found to contribute to the release of eDNA inmore » 30–84 biofilm matrices, demonstrating that the influence of 2-OH-PCA on eDNA production is due in part to cell autolysis as a result of pyocin production and release. The results expand the current understanding of the functions different phenazines play in the survival of bacteria in biofilm-forming communities.« less
Factors associated with early adoption of the HPV vaccine in US male adolescents include Hispanic ethnicity and receipt of other vaccines.

Adolescent males' HPV vaccine initiation and completion in the United States is far below the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% 3-dose completion among boys. In 2012, less than 7% of males ages 13–17 years had completed the 3-dose series. The Diffusion of Innovations framework guided this investigation of factors related to early adoption of HPV vaccination among male adolescents. Provider-validated data from the 2012 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) for male adolescents ages 13–17 years were analyzed via a multivariable Poisson regression to estimate prevalence ratios for factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion. Adolescent males who are Hispanic and those who are up to date on other recommended adolescent vaccinations were most likely to complete the HPV vaccine. Public health interventions are needed to improve low HPV vaccination rates among adolescent males in the United States. Description of early adopters of the HPV vaccine provides historical context of HPV vaccination acceptance that is needed to inform the design of targeted vaccination interventions to prevent negative HPV-associated outcomes.
Ionic Liquid–Organic Carbonate Electrolyte Blends To Stabilize Silicon Electrodes for Extending Lithium Ion Battery Operability to 100 °C

Fabrication of lithium-ion batteries that operate from room temperature to elevated temperatures entails development and subsequent identification of electrolytes and electrodes. Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) can address the thermal stability issues, but their poor ionic conductivity at room temperature and compatibility with traditional graphite anodes limit their practical application. To address these challenges, we evaluated novel high energy density three-dimensional nano-silicon electrodes paired with 1-methyl-1-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Pip) ionic liquid/propylene carbonate (PC)/LiTFSI electrolytes. We observed that addition of PC had no detrimental effects on the thermal stability and flammability of the reported electrolytes, while largely improving the transport properties at lower temperatures. Detailed investigation of the electrochemical properties of silicon half-cells as a function of PC content, temperature, and current rates reveal that capacity incre...
Literature and Science

At the start of the twentieth century, our picture of reality and our notions of how we come to know reality changed. Scientists revealed that time slows down when one moves faster, matter bends space-time, gravity deflects light, and God (if ‘He’ is not yet dead) is a gambler. ‘I don’t see that it would be possible to live in a more exciting age,’ says Huxley’s character, Calamy, in 1925. He records, ‘The sense that everything’s perfectly provisional and temporary — everything, from social institutions to what we’ve hitherto regarded as the most sacred scientific truths — the feeling that nothing, from the Treaty of Versailles to the rationally explicable universe, is really safe’ (Barren 34. 1925). Huxley was a spokesman for an era which institutionalized doubt (Giddens 176). Absolutes had fallen, axioms had collapsed and centuries of science were shown to be fundamentally inexact, with the result that nothing was certain, Huxley concluded, except change (Olive 299. 1936). In the novel Time Must Have a Stop (1944), De Vries thus argues that the most noteworthy events of the twentieth century have not been political but scientific. He regards the ‘Einsteinian revolution’ as ‘Incomparably more important than anything that … happened in Russia or Italy’ (86).1 As the century advanced, physicists had been going further and further into the realms of vast outer space or the subatomic world of fundamental processes. This exploration, Huxley realized, had a very important consequence: it provided a clear demonstration of the conventionality and limitation of human perception, both in range and degree of objectivity.
Pyridoxine Dependent Epilepsy

Four children with pyridoxine dependent seizures beginning at 2 to 19 months are reported from the Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL.
A CLASS OF OPTIMAL CONTROL PROBLEMS INVOLVING HIGHER ORDER ISOTONIC APPROXIMATION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a class of optimal control problems involving higher order isotonic approximation. The chapter presents the problem of minimizing a suitable type of integral functional J[y] in the class of real, monotone nonincreasing functions y(t), t ɛ [a,b], which are Lipschitzian, and the relation of this problem to the minimization of J[y] in the larger class of real, monotone nonincreasing functions on [a,b].