cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing short acting beta agonist overuse in the asthma population

Abstract Rationale Excessive use of inhaled short acting beta agonists is associated with increased ER visits, hospitalizations and risk of death in the asthmatic population. Albuterol overuse is preventable with appropriate long-term control therapy. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines recommends inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as the most effective long-term therapy for asthma control. Methods Beta agonist overuse (BAO) was defined as ≥6 albuterol canister equivalents in a 6 month period. Through pharmacy data, Asthma Care Managers reviewed patients (ages 5-56) with a documented diagnosis of asthma, who met BAO criteria. Patients were contacted by phone to verify information, evaluate asthma control, assess educational needs and facilitate appropriate care and treatment based on NIH guidelines. The BAO population and current prescription fills of ICS were measured prior to intervention and at 2, 4 and 6 months post intervention. Results At 4 months post intervention, results indicated a >50% reduction of the BAO population. The population with a current prescription fill of ICS went from 42% at baseline to 75%. Additional data will be available in 2004. Conclusions Interventions have shown effectiveness in reducing the beta agonist overuse population and increasing the use of ICS. We anticipate the interventions will improve clinical outcomes by reinforcing compliance with appropriate long-term therapies, while discouraging reliance on albuterol as sole asthma therapy. This project also provides feedback, education and ongoing prescription pattern information to primary care providers. These actions should reinforce the appropriate prescribing patterns for persistent asthmatics among primary care providers.
The duplicated human α-globin genes: Their relative expression as measured by RNA analysis

Abstract The human α-globin genes are duplicated and encode identical polypeptides. Recently we detected in cloned genomic DNAs characteristic sequence differences between the 3′ untranslated regions of the 5′ (α2) and 3′ (α1) genes, not previously recognized by direct analysis of mRNA and cDNA transcripts. Based on these untranslated region differences, we have now used S1 nuclease mapping of RNA to detect and quantitate the two predicted α-mRNA species. With this assay we have examined the relative expression of the α-globin genes during normal development and in α-thalassemia syndromes. In normal adult reticulocytes, α2 RNA is slightly more abundant than the α1 species (ratio 60:40). This relative abundance of the a RNAs was consistently observed in fetal blood and liver RNA samples from 10 weeks of gestation to birth. In both deletion and nondeletion forms of α thalassemia, only the α1 RNA species was present in erythroid RNA. These studies resolve prior conflicts regarding the heterogeneity of α RNA and establish the normal pattern of relative α-gene expression during development independent of protein variants. RNA analysis also permits for the first time identification of the mutant genes in nondeletion forms of a thalassemia.
Contribution of wild-type transthyretin to hereditary peripheral nerve amyloid.

To elucidate the contribution of wild-type transthyretin (TTR) to amyloid polyneuropathy in TTR amyloidosis, we biochemically investigated amyloid fibrils isolated from sciatic nerve of an autopsied patient with TTR Ala25Ser variant and compared the amount of wild-type and variant TTR in the nerve to that in the heart. Amyloid subunit protein from isolated fibrils was solubilized in 6M guanidine HCl and purified by gel filtration chromatography. The relative amounts of variant and wild-type TTR in the purified protein were estimated from the recovered amounts of tryptic peptides with Ser25 or Ala25. Approximately 60% variant and 40% wild-type TTR were found in both the nerve and heart amyloid deposits. Our results indicate that wild-type TTR co-deposits in the peripheral nerves with variant TTR as amyloid fibril, and therefore that progression of amyloid deposition in the peripheral nerves from wild-type TTR may occur after liver transplantation, as has been seen in the heart. Muscle Nerve 28: 438–442, 2003
ACTH STIMULATION OF ADRENAL STEROIDOGENESIS IS SENSITIVE TO TRYPSIN INHIBITORS

Various trypsin inhibitors (lima bean, soybean, and p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK)) decrease the sensitivity of rat adrenocortical cells isolated from the inner zones to ACTH-stimulated corticosterone production. Basal steroidogenesis is not affected. The inhibitors produce dose-dependent effects at concentrations greater than 10 μ M. Dibutyryl cAMP stimulation of this system also is antagonized by TLCK, though not by lima bean trypsin inhibitor. When various steroid intermediates are added to the incubations as sources of substrate, the inhibitory effect of TLCK on corticosterone production decreases in parallel with the number of hydroxylation reactions required to generate corticosterone. These results suggest that trypsin inhibitors may block specific ACTH-linked proteolytic events in the adrenal cortex. Alternatively, they may interfere non-specifically with ACTH binding and/or adrenocortical metabolism. In either case, the common practice of including a trypsin inhibitor in adrenal cell...
Triangulation and display of rational parametric surfaces

We present a comprehensive algorithm to construct a topologically correct triangulation of the real affine part of a rational parametric surface with few restrictions on the defining rational functions. The rational functions are allowed to be undefined on domain curves (pole curves) and at certain special points (base points), and the surface is allowed to have nodal or cuspidal self-intersections. We also recognize that for a complete display, some real points on the parametric surface may be generated only by complex parameter values, and that some finite points on the surface may be generated only by infinite parameter values; we show how to compensate for these conditions. Our techniques for handling these problems have applications in scientific visualization, rendering non-standard NURBS, and in finite-element mesh generation. >
Influence of coronary thrombus on outcome of percutaneous coronary angioplasty in the current era (the Mayo Clinic experience)

Earlier studies documented an increased risk of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with angiographic evidence of thrombus. With newer antiplatelet agents and stents, it is not known whether thrombus is a risk factor after PCI. This study examines whether outcome of PCI in patients with thrombus has improved, and whether thrombus is associated with adverse outcome after PCI in the current era. This single-institution retrospective analysis of PCI in 7,184 patients was divided into 2 periods: group I, 1990 to 1995 (n = 3,640), and group II, 1996 to 1999 (n = 3,544). The groups were subdivided according to the presence or absence of angiographic thrombus before PCI. We compared the outcome of PCI for patients with and without thrombus in group II. A comparison was made in the 2 groups in patients with angiographic thrombus. Procedural success improved in group II compared with group I patients with thrombus (93% vs 88%, p <0.001). There was significant reduction in abrupt closure in the recent era in patients with thrombus (4% vs 7%, p = 0.01). In group II, procedural success remained lower in patients with (93% vs 96%) than without thrombus (p <0.001). After adjusting for the significant univariate characteristics of group II patients, thrombus remained an independent predictor of Q-wave infarction (odds ratio 3.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8 to 8.0; p <0.0013) and the composite end point of death, Q-wave infarction, and emergency bypass surgery (odds ratio 2.37; 95% CI 1.4 to 4.1; p = 0.002). There was a trend toward increased in-hospital death among patients with thrombus (odds ratio 2.06; 95% CI 0.9 to 4.8; p = 0.09). The 1-year outcome after successful PCI was similar for those with and without thrombus. Despite improvement in the outcome of patients with thrombus undergoing PCI in recent years, thrombus is still an independent predictor of adverse in-hospital outcomes after PCI.
Image reconstruction from power spectral data with use of point-zero locations

A simple method for reconstructing a two-dimensional image from power spectral data is proposed. By locating the points at which the Fourier intensity data are zero, we use a product of point-zero factors to approximate the complex spectrum. A simple iterative method then successfully refines this phase estimate.
Force-state mapping identification of nonlinear joints

A procedure is presented for identifying the potentially strong nonlinear properties of structural members, such as joints, by expressing the force transmitted by the member as a function of its mechanical state. By explicitly including position- and rate-dependent effects, the surface of the transmitted force vs state—the forcestate map—has distinct, unique, superposable features for common structural nonlinearities, even those that appear to indicate hysteresis on a force-stroke presentation. An analysis is performed on the influence of true memory effects, transient response, and uncertainty in the measurements and system mass on the precision of the procedure. The successful identification of simulated data verifies the accuracy of the identification algorithm. Tests are then conducted on three actual joint models, with incomplete state measurements typical of an actual testing environment. The ability of the procedure to estimate the complete state vector and to analyze and reconstruct the measured nonlinear characteristics is demonstrated.
On the Definition of the Current Operator Application to the Hubbard Model

A disagreement existing in the literature between various calculations of the electrical conductivity in the single-band Hubbard model is resolved. The error, which occurs in a paper by Monecke, is pointed out and explained to be due to the assumption that the current operator, defined as the commutator of the Hubbard Hamiltonian with the polarization operator, is invariant under the lattice translations. The existence of ambiguity in the definition of a “good” current operator (which is translationally invariant) is pointed out and resolved in a large class of situations.
Factors Influencing the Self-Efficacy Beliefs of First-Year Engineering Students

A survey incorporating qualitative measures of student self-efficacy beliefs was administered to 1,387 first-year engineering students enrolled in ENGR 106, Engineering Problem-Solving and Computer Tools, at Purdue University. The survey was designed to identify factors related to students' self-efficacy beliefs, their beliefs about their capabilities to perform the tasks necessary to achieve a desired outcome. Open-ended questions prompted students to list factors affecting their confidence in their ability to succeed in the course. Students were then asked to rank these factors based on the degree to which their self-efficacy beliefs were influenced. Gender trends emerged in student responses to factors that affect confidence in success. These trends are discussed in light of the categories identified by efficacy theorists as sources of self-efficacy beliefs. The results presented here provide a useful look at the first-year engineering experiences that influence students' efficacy beliefs, an important consideration in explaining student achievement, persistence, and interest.
Wavelength-tunable asymmetric cladding ridge-waveguide distributed Bragg reflector lasers with very narrow linewidth

Narrow-linewidth ridge-waveguide distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers with asymmetric cladding are demonstrated. This design requires only a single epitaxial growth of an asymmetric cladding laser structure while the grating and the ridge waveguide are fabricated after the growth. These lasers have a threshold current as low as 9 mA, a slope efficiency of 0.3 W/A, and a T/sub 0/ of 100 K. Wavelength tuning of 8 nm is achieved by current injection heating of the DBR section. A spectral-linewidth minimum of 36 kHz is achieved at an output power of 20 mW and is limited by linewidth rebroadening due to current injection in both the gain section and DBR section.
Going Alone or Moving Together: Canadian and American Middle Tier Strategies on Climate Change

This article builds upon previous research that indicates that multilevel governance, especially at subnational levels and in the private sector, has the greatest potential to address the problem of climate change. Specifically, this article updates the study of climate change efforts among the Canadian provinces and the American states through case analysis. We identify two longitudinal strategies found in both the provinces and the states—a fragmented response to portions of the climate change problem, and a comprehensive strategy based on stakeholder education and participation. Institutional variations between the provinces and the states lead to some differences in the process of policy development, but not in the resulting policy tools used to address the issue.
Transmyocardial laser revascularization: Operative techniques and clinical results at two years

Abstract Objectives: A new technique, transmyocardial laser revascularization, provides direct perfusion of ischemic myocardium via laser-created transmural channels. From 1993 to 1995, we have treated 20 patients (mean age 61 years, four women and 16 men) with transmyocardial laser revascularization. Preoperatively, the average angina class was 3.7. The patients were screened before the operation by a technetium sestamibi perfusion scan to identify the location and extent of their reversible ischemia. Methods: Operative exposure is gained via a left anterior thoracotomy. With the use of a 850-watt carbon dioxide laser, an average of 21 ± 4 channels were created in 22 minutes with a total operative time of less than 2 hours. Results: The in-hospital mortality was two of 20 patients. Three additional patients died after discharge. After an accumulated 172 patient-months (mean follow-up 11 ± 8 months, range 1 to 26 months), the mean angina class is I ( p = 0.01). Postoperative sestamibi scans were obtained at 3, 6, and 12 months. Using the septum as a control and comparing the postoperative results with the preoperative baseline, we noted a significant improvement in perfusion particularly in the areas of reversible ischemia. Conclusion: These early results indicate that transmyocardial laser revascularization is a simple operative technique that may improve myocardial perfusion and provide angina relief for patients in whom standard methods of revascularization is contraindicated. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1996;111:1047-53)
Incoherent estimation on co-channel interference probability for microcellular systems

Prasad and Kegel (1993) offered an approximate analysis of the co-channel interference (CCI) probability for a microcellular system that has multiple shadowed Rayleigh interfering signals and a shadowed Rician desired signal. In that analysis, coherent addition of summing multiple interfering signals was assumed. However, it has been shown that incoherent addition is a more realistic assumption (Prasad and Kegel 1991). In the present paper two approaches-approximation and exact analysis-for calculating the CCI probability under incoherent addition are given. The approximate analysis is extended from the macrocellular case. The exact analysis, newly developed in the present paper, is then used to check the accuracy of the approximation. It is shown that the results of the incoherent approximate analysis differ by an amount of 20/spl sim/30%. In addition, the authors explore the effect of correlation between the shadowing interferers. They find that in a shadowed-Rician/shadowed-Rayleigh channel, the effect of this kind of correlation increases the CCI probability for cases having a small spread in shadowing and large reuse distance. But if the spread in shadowing is large, the result can be just the opposite-this correlation yields a better performance. It is also found that in a shadowed-Rayleigh (desired)/shadowed-Rayleigh (interfering) channel, regardless of degree of spread in shadowing, this correlation seems always to improve the performance.
Judah M. Cohen. Through the Sands of Time: A History of the Jewish Community of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands . Hanover, MA: Brandeis University Press, 2004. xxvi, 298 pp.

Immediately following his acknowledgments, Cohen begins his volume with an invitation that aims to evoke our interest in the Jews of St. Thomas. This chapter structure—in which the volume commences with what is in essence a justification for its publication—elicits an intriguing question about the study of Jewish life. Cohen is asking us to consider why one should be interested in this (and by implication, any?) small community of Jews. His subsequent introductory chapter poses a second fundamental question. It asks whether, in an age in which prevailing historical models have been subject to critical reexamination, a history that is organized by chronology rather than by theme can have scholarly value. The core of his response to these questions is that the St. Thomas Jewish community is an unusual instance of “accumulative ethnicity” (xxii) and thus constitutes a pattern in Jewish ethnicity worthy of scholarly attention. The narrative is arranged in chronological sequence to convey this pattern. Its unfolding temporal structure allows the reader to watch Jewish ethnicities emerge both from, and in place of one another. In raising these questions, Cohen brings a reflexive stance to the narrative. Yet, socially constructed memory seems to lie at the heart of the notion of accumulative ethnicity. Most Jews currently living on St. Thomas are transplants from the American mainland. Might the volume's framework also represent an American search for roots, and for roots that are special?
Static Stress Measurements in Amalgam

The feasibility of characterizing amalgam by continuous monitoring of internal stress behavior was studied.
Kinematics of a New High Precision Three Degree-of-Freedom Parallel Manipulator

Closed-form direct and inverse kinematics of a new three degree-of-freedom (DOF) parallel manipulator with inextensible limbs and base-mounted actuators are presented. The manipulator has higher resolution and precision than the existing three DOF mechanisms with extensible limbs. Since all of the manipulator actuators are base-mounted; higher payload capacity, smaller actuator sizes, and lower power dissipation can be obtained. The manipulator is suitable for alignment applications where only tip, tilt, and piston motions are significant. The direct kinematics of the manipulator is reduced to solving an eighth-degree polynomial in the square of tangent of half-angle between one of the limbs and the base plane. Hence, there are at most sixteen assembly configurations for the manipulator. In addition, it is shown that the sixteen solutions are eight pairs of reflected configurations with respect to the base plane. Numerical examples for the direct and inverse kinematics of the manipulator are also presented.
The analysis of complex phonetic elements in Bura and the syllable

This paper examines those complex phonetic elements in Bura (and related languages such as Margi) which have been escribed by earlier scholars as unitary segments having a labial-alveolar double articulation. Several kinds of observations at the phonetic level show that this description is incorrect. Instead these segments are shown to be composed of a phonetic sequence of a labial articulation and an alveolar one. The analysis of the "labial-alveolars" as a sequence of phonological elements is also shown to be appropriate. If they are viewed as unitary segments represented by a single matrix of features there are problems with selecting correct feature values. If they are represented as two feature matrices linked to a single segmental position an invalid distinction is introduced between this representation and the same two matrices linked to separate segmental positions. On the other hand, representation as two independent segments accounts for vowel length adjustments and for resyllabification. Although unusual syllable-initial consonant clusters are posited in this analysis, these clusters are heterosyllabic when an appropriate environment occurs and violations of the universal syllable canon are minimized.
Doubly Stochastic Poisson-Processes

The self-exciting point processes of Ch. 6 were obtained from the Poisson process by allowing its intensity to become causally dependent on the point process itself. In this way, the intensity is transformed into a random process having paths that are known exactly given the point process. Point processes in this chapter are also obtained by randomizing the intensity of the Poisson process. Here, however, this randomization is not through self excitation but, rather, by an “outside” process so that the paths of the resulting intensity process are not known given only the point process.
Molecular Mechanisms of Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disease characterized by new onset hypertension and proteinuria after 20 wk of gestation. It is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Exciting discoveries in the last decade have contributed to a better understanding of the molecular basis of this disease. Epidemiological, experimental, and therapeutic studies from several laboratories have provided compelling evidence that an antiangiogenic state owing to alterations in circulating angiogenic factors leads to preeclampsia. In this review, we highlight the role of key circulating antiangiogenic factors as pathogenic biomarkers and in the development of novel therapies for preeclampsia.
Serotonin in brain: functional considerations.

Publisher Summary The discovery that reserpine impairs the storage of 5-HT and catecholamines has focused attention on the possible role of these biogenic amines in brain function and in mediating the pharmacologic and behavioral effects of the drug. This chapter reviews the functional significance of brain 5-HT. NE and 5-HT modulate opposing systems in the brain. The excitatory effects of 5-HTP have been used as a major argument against the view that 5-HT is the trophotrophic hormone. However, there is new evidence that these excitatory effects are caused through the release of NE. If only one of the amines is altered, the effects on physiologic behavior and EEG might suggest which neuronal pathway it modulates. The function of brain NE may be inferred from the effects of free catecholamines released from normal sites of storage and protected from monoamine oxidase (MAO). Reserpine in doses that reduce the brain levels of catecholamines and 6-HT by 55% produces obvious sedation and doses that decrease the levels by 70 to 80% evoke marked sedation and a syndrome of signs typical of trophotrophic stimulation including blepharospasm, extreme miosis, enhanced light reflex, diarrhea, and increased muscle tone.
Reduktion störender Lenkmomente

Durch die steigende Leistungsabgabe frontgetriebener Fahrzeuge wird der sogenannte „Torque Steer Effect“ (storende Lenkmomente) fur den Fahrer zunehmend spurbar. Es existieren aufwandige Fahrwerkkonzepte, die die negativen Auswirkungen dieses Phanomens reduzieren konnen. Dafur werden jedoch zusatzliche Bauteile wie Quer- und Traglenker benotigt, die ublicherweise im B- oder C-Segment keine Berucksichtigung finden, da sie mit hohen Kosten und zusatzlichen Anderungen an der Karosserie verbunden sind. Das „Revo-Knuckle“ genannte Vorderachskonzept reduziert die storenden Lenkmomente und ermoglicht trotzdem ein einheitliches Karosseriekonzept mit McPherson-Fahrwerken. Ein Bericht des Ford Forschungszentrums Aachen.
California Gets “On the Move!”

Abstract This article describes the rationale for the California Department of Health Services' allocation of significant funding to community programs to promote physical activity among ethnically diverse adults. We review the recommendations and health behavior data that led to funding this new area of health promotion, summarize the scientific basis for promoting physical activity as a means of chronic disease prevention, explain the model for intervention and its relationship to the Request for Applications, and summarize key points from each of the articles in this collection, which were written by local project staff.
Studies on the lipid composition of the fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum of normal and dystrophic chickens.

SummaryThe increased cholesterol content and altered phospholipid composition of the dystrophic FSR seems to support the proposition that membrane alterations may be instrumental in the development of muscular dystrophy [Hsu, Q.-S., and Kaldor, Proc Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 131, 1398 (1969); Martonosi, A., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 127, 824 (1968)].
Abstract 2438: BAMBI Is overexpressed in metastatic pancreatic cancers with genetically Intact TGF-β pathways: A potential mechanism to escape TGF-β signaling during metastasis formation

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer remains a largely fatal disease, with an estimated 95% of patients succumbing within five years of initial diagnosis, many by metastatic spread. We have previously shown that genetic inactivation of DPC4, a central mediator of TGF-β signaling, is strongly associated with widespread metastasis in pancreatic cancer patients at autopsy. However, because some patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer do not have genetic inactivation of DPC4 or other TGF-β members, we investigated the role of alternative mechanisms of TGF-β pathway inactivation in promoting pancreatic cancer metastasis. Methods: Eighteen cell lines that underwent whole exome sequencing in association with the pancreatic cancer genome project or directed sequencing of all members of the TGF-β pathway were used. TGF-β signaling levels were analyzed in each cell line using a luciferase reporter system under the control of a Smad Binding Element (SBE). Quantitative real-time PCR was performed using cDNA from representative cell lines to assess expression levels of nine known TGF-β pathway antagonists; data were analyzed using the ΔΔCt method with normalization to β-actin. Immunohistochemistry was performed on pancreatic cancer tissue microarrays that included 27 matched pairs of primary and metastatic cancer. Staining intensity and protein localization were analyzed in relation to DPC4 status as well as clinicopathologic data. Results: Functional TGF-β signaling was completely abolished in cell lines with known DPC4 inactivation compared to normal controls, and was also decreased in cell lines with an intact TGF-β pathway, to a lesser extent. Quantitative RT-PCR of known TGF-β antagonists in cell lines with genetically intact TGF-β pathways revealed 50-fold overexpression of BMP and Activin Membrane-Bound Inhibitor (BAMBI) in two of seven cell lines (29%). Immunolabeling for BAMBI in human pancreatic cancer tissues indicated that it is highly expressed in a subset (26%) of pancreatic cancers, consistent with the cell line data. BAMBI overexpression was not associated with clinicopathologic features at diagnosis, nor was there a difference in BAMBI expression among DPC4 wild type versus DPC4 inactive carcinomas. However, specifically, BAMBI overexpression was significantly more frequent in metastases from patients with wild type DPC4 compared to those with inactivated DPC4 (p=0.01). Conclusion: Overexpression of BAMBI occurs at an appreciable level in pancreatic cancer cell lines and tissues, and may promote metastasis in the presence of a genetically intact TGF-β pathway. Mechanistic studies are ongoing to clarify the role of BAMBI in pancreatic cancer metastasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2438. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2438
Moratoria for Global Governance and Contested Technology: The Case of Climate Engineering

Calls for moratoria are a frequent response to controversial issues in international diplomacy and control of technology, and are now prominent in debates over governance challenges posed by climate engineering (CE) – intentional modification of the global climate to reduce changes caused by human emissions of greenhouse gases. Based on twelve historical cases of moratoria in other areas of diplomatic conflict or controversial science and technology, we present a novel analytic framework to examine purposes, design characteristics, and conditions for effectiveness of moratoria, based on a taxonomy of three ideal moratorium types: risk-management moratoria, principled-conflict moratoria, and bargaining moratoria. We use this framework to examine potential contributions and design conditions for a moratorium on CE. A moratorium for CE could seek primarily to advance risk-management aims or bargaining aims, with distinct implications for its timing, scope, associated actors, and conditions for termination. Beyond the current, high-stakes case of CE, the proposed analytic framework has broader implications for critical examination of moratorium proposals, current and future, in other areas of controversial research, technology, and governance challenges.
El Problema De Las Expropiaciones Regulatorias (Regulatory Takings) Y Sus Implicancias En Los Sistemas De Inversión Extranjera (The Problem of Regulatory Takings and its Implications for Foreign Investment Systems)

Spanish Abstract: Este articulo apunta de un modo muy basico, y desde la perspectiva chilena de comienzos de la decada 2000, la estructura conceptual elemental acerca de las relaciones entre regulacion y derechos de propiedad, en el contexto de los Tratados Bilaterales de Proteccion de inversiones ( BIT). El texto explica los origenes y la perspectiva desde el ambito de la politica economica Internacional ( IPE) , de la doctrina sobre “expropiaciones regulatorias” y como esta idea fue integrada a la base analitica del Derecho Internacional de la Inversion extranjera .English Abstract: This article outlines in a very basic way, and from the Chilean perspective of the beginnings of 2000`s, the elementary conceptual structure about the interactions between regulation and property rights, in the context of Bilateral Investment Treaties. It explains the origins and the International Political Economy (IPE) framework of the “regulatory takings doctrine” and how this idea was integrated to the analytical basis of the International Law of Foreign Investment.
Analysis of Adipose Tissue Lipid Using Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry technology has enabled significant advances in detailing the alterations of the lipidome in response to pathological conditions or experimental manipulations. Lipids comprise a wide range of compounds with functions that include structural, intracellular signaling, trafficking, and storage. Characterization of lipid species has evolved significantly over recent years due to the progress made in the area of mass spectrometry. This chapter details the methods used for the analysis of lipids tailored to the intrinsic characteristics of adipose tissue. Particular attention is given to the analysis of triglycerides, diacylglycerols, and phospholipid.
Group therapy modes at scientific meetings: an approach to creative communication.

(1968). Group Therapy Modes at Scientific Meetings: An Approach to Creative Communication. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 369-374.
Health benefits of fibre, prebiotics and probiotics: a review of intestinal health and related health claims

Gastrointestinal health in regard to the gut microbiome is a rapidly emerging field and has many key components driving its emergence. Fibre, prebiotics and probiotics are all dietary components that can play a critical role in maintaining a healthy gut microflora. Fibre has long been appreciated for its influential role in cardiovascular disease, glycaemic control and weight management through various physiological mechanisms. Prebiotics have been shown to play an influential role in irritable bowel symptoms/disease, colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and overall digestive health. Together, various types of fibres and prebiotics have been targeted and synthesised to influence the gut microbiome, specifically Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium populations. Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. are common markers for gut health because they have been shown to down-regulate inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, alleviate irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, stimulate immune functions, aid in mine...
Arsenic, Lead, and Cadmium in U.S. Mushrooms and Substrate in Relation to Dietary Exposure.

Wild mushrooms can absorb high quantities of metal(loid)s, yet the concentration, speciation, and localization of As, Pb, and Cd in cultivated mushrooms, particularly in the United States, are unresolved. We collected 40 samples of 12 types of raw mushrooms from 2 geographic locations that produce the majority of marketable U.S. mushrooms and analyzed the total As, Pb, and Cd content, the speciation and localization of As in select samples, and assessed the metal sources and substrate-to-fruit transfer at one representative farm. Cremini mushrooms contained significantly higher total As concentrations than Shiitake and localized the As differently; while As in Cremini was distributed throughout the fruiting body, it was localized to the hymenophore region in Shiitake. Cd was significantly higher in Royal Trumpet than in White Button, Cremini, and Portobello, while no difference was observed in Pb levels among the mushrooms. Concentrations of As, Pb, and Cd were less than 1 μg g–1 d.w. in all mushroom samp...
Surface Structure of Diamond Homoepitauial Film

Surface observation by scanning tunneling microscopy and electron diffraction is capable of providing atomic order information for diamond homoepitaxial films grown by chemical vapor deposition. For diamond {001} homoepitaxial films, a 2×1 structure was mainly observed. The structure suggests growth via dimer row extension. For diamond {111} films, 1×1 periodicity and a local √3×√3 structure were observed. The formation of spiral steps suggests Frank-type growth due to screw dislocation.
Learning Alone, Together: Closed-Cohort Structure in an Online Journalism and Mass Communication Graduate Program

In a closed-cohort educational program design, students enter a program together, take the same courses together, and, ideally, graduate together. In an effort to increase interaction and communication among students, it has been utilized more and more for online graduate programs. This article surveyed students in one of the few closed-cohort graduate programs in a mass communication school. Results indicate that students found several aspects of closed-cohort important, valued social media sites as a way to communicate with other cohort members, felt a strong sense of community among their cohort, and used their cohort to create a professional network of peers.
Contrast mechanisms and acquisition methods in functional MRI

Functional brain imaging using MRI (functional MRI or fMRI) has become a valuable tool for studying function/structure relationships in the human brain in both normal and clinical populations. This paper describes the physiological changes associated with brain activity, including changes in blood flow, volume, and oxygenation. The latter of these, known as blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast, is the most common approach for functional MRI, but it is related to brain activity via a variety of complex mechanisms. Here we describe a physiological and fluid mechanical model that can explain the shape and behavior seen in the BOLD response and may allow for improved quantification of the measured response. We also describe basic acquisition methods used in BOLD fMRI and associated artifacts. Finally, we briefly introduce approaches to acquired alternate contrast mechanisms in fMRI.
Establishing valid functional / PRO measures in cancer cachexia or sarcopenia to correlate with changes in Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (SMI): Results of a prospective study in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

e20676 Background: Interventional trials in cancer cachexia have endeavored to improve skeletal muscle mass (measured by SMI using DXA or CT) and to correlate changes with functional outcomes of be...
Dimensionless Numbers for Plant Biology

Dimensionless numbers are ubiquitous in the physical sciences because they provide insight into physical processes, organize large quantities of data, facilitate 'scale analysis' and establish 'similarity'. Here I explore the use of dimensionless numbers in plant biology, focusing on the expansive growth rate of plant, fungal, and algal cells.
How Media Portrayals of Suffering Influence Willingness to Help

Abstract. When we hear stories of distant humanitarian crises, we often feel sympathy for victims, but may stop short of taking action to help. Past research indicates that media portrayals of distant suffering can promote helping behavior by eliciting sympathy, while those that prompt a more rational response tend to decrease helping behavior by undermining sympathy. The authors used an online experiment to test whether certain media frames could promote helping behavior through a more rational, rather than emotional, pathway. The study tested whether framing distant suffering as either solvable or unsolvable might promote helping behavior if a rational evaluation of a crisis leads one to determine that help is efficacious in solving the problem. Survey respondents were randomly assigned to read one of three messages: a high solvability message, a low solvability message, or a control message. Contrary to expectations, both low solvability and high solvability conditions increased participants’ intention...
Rural Society in the Global North

Rural society is highly varied across the world's most economically developed countries, or “Global North,” as well as across the world as a whole. Aspects of rural society include numbers and densities of rural residents, natural resources, and related livelihoods as well as economic characteristics, demographic characteristics, cultural practices, religious and political tendencies, and sense of place. In addition to agriculture, people living in rural places may be involved in fisheries, timber production, tourism, or mining and are often economically dependent on the related resources. In many parts of the Global North, rural populations have undergone change, in some cases with declines in populations overall, shifts in age distributions, or growth in numbers of retiree residents. Although rural populations have declined as a proportion of total populations in the north, rural society and environments are of importance in terms of providing resources and ecosystem services, including food and building materials to Earth's human populace. Keywords: economy; environment; livelihoods; natural resources; rural; society
Orthotopic Ovarian Transplantation Procedures to Investigate the Life- and Health-span Influence of Ovarian Senescence in Female Mice

Ovarian transplantation was first conducted at Utah State University in 1963. In more recent work, heterochronic transplantation of mammalian ovaries is being used to investigate the health-protective effects of young ovaries in young females. The current procedures employ an orthotopic transplantation method, where allogenic ovaries are transplanted back to their original position in the ovarian bursa. This is in contrast to the more commonly used heterotopic transplantation of ovaries/ovarian tissue subcutaneously or under the kidney capsule. All three locations provide efficient revascularization of the transplanted tissues. However, orthotopic transplantation provides the ovary with the most natural signaling environment and is the only procedure that provides the opportunity for the animal to reproduce naturally post-operatively. One must take care to remove all endogenous ovarian tissue during the ovariectomy procedure. If any endogenous tissue remains or if only one ovary is removed, the transplanted tissue will remain dormant until the existing tissue becomes senescent. While revascularization of the transplanted ovaries occurs very quickly, the transplant recipient can take a considerable amount of time to adapt to a new hypothalamic/pituitary/gonadal/adrenal (HPG/A) axis signaling regime associated with the transplanted tissue. This normally takes about 100 days in the mouse. Therefore, transplantation experiments should be designed to accommodate this adaptation period. Typical results with ovarian transplantation will include changes in the health of the recipient that reflect the age of the transplanted ovary, rather than the chronological age of the recipient.
Beating-heart registration for organ-mounted robots.

BACKGROUND Organ-mounted robots address the problem of beating-heart surgery by adhering to the heart, passively providing a platform that approaches zero relative motion. Because of the quasi-periodic deformation of the heart due to heartbeat and respiration, registration must address not only spatial registration but also temporal registration. METHODS Motion data were collected in the porcine model in vivo (N = 6). Fourier series models of heart motion were developed. By comparing registrations generated using an iterative closest-point approach at different phases of respiration, the phase corresponding to minimum registration distance is identified. RESULTS The spatiotemporal registration technique presented here reduces registration error by an average of 4.2 mm over the 6 trials, in comparison with a more simplistic static registration that merely averages out the physiological motion. CONCLUSIONS An empirical metric for spatiotemporal registration of organ-mounted robots is defined and demonstrated using data from animal models in vivo.
Design Advancements Toward a Wearable Pediatric Robotic Knee Exoskeleton for Overground Gait Rehabilitation

Exoskeleton assisted gait training in children with cerebral palsy (CP) offers the potential to increase therapy dosage and intensity compared to current approaches. Here, we report the design and characterization of a pediatric knee exoskeleton for gait training outside of a clinical environment. A multi-layered closed loop control system and a microcontroller based data acquisition system were implemented to provide individualized control approaches and achieve device portability for home use. Step response tests show the averaged 90% rise time was 45 ms for 5 Nm, 35 ms for 10 Nm, 40 ms for 15 Nm. The gain-limited closed-loop torque bandwidth was about 9 Hz with a 9 Nm amplitude chirp in knee flexion and extension. The actuator has low output impedance (<0.5 Nm) at low frequencies expected during use. Future work will investigate the long term effects of providing children with CP knee extension assistance during daily walking on gait biomechanics with, and without, the device.
Salt-templated platinum–palladium porous macrobeam synthesis

Here we present the synthesis of porous platinum–palladium macrobeams templated from high aspect ratio Magnus’ salt needle derivatives. The combination of [PtCl4]2− and/or [PdCl4]2− with [Pt(NH3)4]2+ ions results in salt needles ranging from 15 to 300 µm in length. Electrochemical reduction of the salt templates results in porous macrobeams with a square cross-section. Porous side wall texture and elemental composition was controlled with initial platinum to palladium salt ratio. Macrobeam free-standing films exhibited a specific capacitance up to 11.73 F/g and a solvent accessible surface area of 26.6 m2/g. These salt-templated porous platinum–palladium macrobeams offer a promising material for fuel cell catalysis.
Impact of Myeloid Reservoirs in HIV Cure Trials.

Gallant efforts are ongoing to achieve sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART)–free HIV remission in the HIV-infected person; however, most, if not all, current human clinical studies have primarily focused these efforts on targeting viral persistence in CD4 T cells in blood and tissue sanctuaries. The lack of myeloid centered HIV clinical trials, either as primary or secondary end points, has hindered our understanding of the contribution of myeloid cells in unsuccessful trials but may also guide successes in future HIV eradication clinical strategies. Recent advances have highlighted the importance of myeloid reservoirs as sanctuaries of HIV persistence and therefore may partially be responsible for viral recrudescence following ART treatment interruption in several clinical trials where HIV was not detectable or recovered from CD4 T cells. Given these findings, novel innovative therapeutic approaches specifically focused on HIV clearance in myeloid cell populations need to be vigorously pursued if we are to achieve additional cases of sustained ART-free remission. This review will highlight new research efforts defining myeloid persistence and recent advances in HIV remission and cure trials that would be relevant in targeting this compartment and make an argument as to their clinical relevancy as we progress towards sustained ART-free HIV remission in all HIV-infected persons.
Bis(phenyliodonium) diyne triflates PhIC≡C(p-C6H4)nC≡CIPh·2OTf and PhIC≡C(CH2)nC≡CIPh·2OTf: Preparation, characterization, and reaction with triphenylphosphine

Bis(phenyliodonium) diyne triflates 8-10 were prepared by the reaction of the corresponding tributyltin substituted diacetylenes 4-6 with cyanophenyliodonium triflate 7 in 18-93% yields as relatively stable microcrystalline solids. They were characterized by multinuclear NMR, IR, and analytical data. Iodonium salts 8-10 reacted with triphenylphosphine under mild conditions with the loss of iodobenzene giving bisphosphonium salts 11,12 in high yields
Preclinical And Clinical Development Of Oncolytic Adenovirus For The Treatment Of Malignant Glioma

Replication conditional oncolytic human adenovirus has long been considered a promising biological therapeutic to target high-grade gliomas (HGG), a group of essentially lethal primary brain cancer. The last decade has witnessed initiation and some completion of a number of Phase I and II clinical investigations of oncolytic adenovirus for HGG in the US and Europe. Results of these trials in patients are pivotal for not only federal approval but also filling an existing knowledge gap that primarily derives from the stark differences in permissivity to human adenovirus between humans and preclinical mouse models. DNX-2401 (Delta-24-RGD), the current mainstream oncolytic adenovirus with modifications in E1A and the fiber, has been shown to induce impressive objective response and long-term survival (>3 years) in a fraction of patients with recurrent HGG. Responders exhibited initial enlargement of the treated lesions for a few months post treatment, followed by shrinkage and near complete resolution. In accord with preclinical research, post-treatment specimens revealed virus-mediated alteration of the immune tumor microenvironment as evidenced by infiltration of CD8+ T cells and M1-polarized macrophages. These findings are encouraging and together with further information from ongoing studies have a potential to make oncolytic adenovirus a viable option for clinical management of HGG. This review deals with this timely topic; we will describe both preclinical and clinical development of oncolytic adenovirus therapy for HGG, summarize updated knowledge on clinical trials and discuss challenges that the field currently faces.
Comparing Ethnographies: Local Studies of Education Across the Americas, by Anderson-Levitt, K., & Rockwell, E. (Eds.).

In recent years, comparison has become a staple in educational research mainly because of methods such as randomized control trials that have responded to globally spread positivistic trends which ...