cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defining Value in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the United States

Value-based health care has become a topic of intense debate in discussions on health-care reform. With recent governmental interventions, understanding the role of value in orthopaedic surgery is an absolute requirement. It is critical that we properly define the elements needed to measure value, which is defined as quality over cost, or health outcomes achieved per dollar spent1. It is the numerator in the value equation—i.e., quality (health outcomes)—that presents the most important challenge as there are many ways to define and measure quality. Analogous to economic cost analyses, there are varying points of view regarding the definition of quality and, therefore, value. Different stakeholders, including patients, surgeons, hospitals, the government, and private payers, have different opinions and priorities when it comes to what is important in determining the outcome of a procedure or treatment (Fig. 1). It is this shared common goal of value that unites stakeholders, but varying perspectives and agendas create a divide in terms of defining quality. Fig. 1 Illustration depicting the stakeholders with varying perspectives on quality and their influence on one another. HCAHPS = Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, CMS = …
Response: Prospects for Budget Process Renewal

In my 2007 Public Administration Review essay on the "unraveling" of the federal budget process, I argued that federal budgeting had deteriorated seriously since 1998. I evaluated the process in terms of four widely accepted standards of what the budget process should do in a democracy: provide transparency and accountability, predictability, prioritization, and balance. I concluded that this collapse of the budget process was important because "[t]he growth of debt and the muddled and opaque budget processes that grow up to obscure deficit spending have major implications for democracy. When the rules change every year or are not adhered to, when guidelines on budget totals are buried in unrelated legislation, when expenditures are moved out of defense and then funded in a supple mental, when the impact of tax cuts is erased from the budget, the process may be neither fair nor open, neither democratic nor accountable."
Controlled Field Release of a Bioluminescent Genetically Engineered Microorganism for Bioremediation Process Monitoring and Control

Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44 represents the first genetically engineered microorganism approved for field testing in the United States for bioremediation purposes. Strain HK44 harbors an introduced lux gene fused within a naphthalene degradative pathway, thereby allowing this recombinant microbe to bioluminesce as it degrades specific polyaromatic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene. The bioremediation process can therefore be monitored by the detection of light. P. fluorescens HK44 was inoculated into the vadose zone of intermediate-scale, semicontained soil lysimeters contaminated with naphthalene, anthracene, and phenanthrene, and the population dynamics were followed over an approximate 2-year period in order to assess the long-term efficacy of using strain HK44 for monitoring and controlling bioremediation processes. Results showed that P. fluorescens HK44 was capable of surviving initial inoculation into both hydrocarbon contaminated and uncontaminated soils and was recoverable from these soils 660 day...
The missouri automated mental status examination: Development, use and reliability

Abstract A first goal in the Missouri Automated Standard System of Psychiatry (SSOP) 24,25 has been to standardize and define terms and phrases used in patient descriptions as well as in outcome criteria and treatment procedures. This effort has long been needed in psychiatry and the computerization of records is speeding such efforts. These efforts are necessary if psychiatry is to make progress as a scientific discipline and become effective in the prediction, control, and treatment of human behavior. An important part of patient description is the traditional mental status examination. This paper describes the development and use of the automated Missouri Mental Status (MMS) examination and reports a study concerned with the reliability of its items and scales and the reliability of the psychiatric diagnosis made at the time of completion of the examination.
No Families, No Freedom: Human Flourishing in a Free Society

This essay has one simple theme: the family does a very important job that no other institution can do. What is that job? Inside a family, helpless babies are transformed from being self-centered bundles of impulses, desires, and emotions to being adult people capable of social behavior of all kinds. Why is this job important? The family teaches the ability to trust, cooperate, and self-restrain. Neither the free market nor selfgoverning political institutions can survive unless the vast majority of the population possesses these skills. Why is the family uniquely situated to teach these skills and the values that go with them? People develop these qualities in their children as a side effect of loving them. What does this have to do with a free society? Contracts and free political institutions, the foundational structures of a free society, require these attributes that only families can inculcate. Without loving families, no society can long govern itself, for the family teaches the skills of individual self-governance.
Theoretical Modeling and Experimental Measurements of Single Bubble Dynamics From a Submerged Orifice in a Liquid Pool

The dynamics of a single gas bubble, emanating from a submerged orifice in stagnant water has been explored both theoretically and experimentally. The mathematical model represents a fundamental balance of forces due to buoyancy, viscosity, surface tension, liquid inertia, and gas momentum transport, and the consequent motion of the gas-liquid interface. Theoretical solutions describe the dynamic bubble behavior (incipience, growth and necking) as it grows from a tip of a sub-millimeter-scale capillary orifice in an isothermal pool of water. These results are also found to be in excellent agreement with a set of experimental data that are obtained from optical high-speed micro-scale flow visualization. Variations in bubble shape, equivalent diameter, and growth times with capillary orifice diameter and air flow rates are outlined. These parametric trends suggest a two-regime ebullient transport: (a) a constant volume regime where the bubble diameter is not affected by the flow rate, and (b) a growing bubble regime where bubble size increases with flow rate.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Consistent causal effect estimation under dual misspecification and implications for confounder selection procedures.

In a previously published article in this journal, Vansteeland et al. [Stat Methods Med Res. Epub ahead of print 12 November 2010. DOI: 10.1177/0962280210387717] address confounder selection in the context of causal effect estimation in observational studies. They discuss several selection strategies and propose a procedure whose performance is guided by the quality of the exposure effect estimator. The authors note that when a particular linearity condition is met, consistent estimation of the target parameter can be achieved even under dual misspecification of models for the association of confounders with exposure and outcome and demonstrate the performance of their procedure relative to other estimators when this condition holds. Our earlier published work on collaborative targeted minimum loss based learning provides a general theoretical framework for effective confounder selection that explains the findings of Vansteelandt et al. and underscores the appropriateness of their suggestions that a confounder selection procedure should be concerned with directly targeting the quality of the estimate and that desirable estimators produce valid confidence intervals and are robust to dual misspecification.
Differential Range Study of Products Formed by 2.9-GeV Proton Irradiation of Silver

Thin silver targets (\ensuremath{\approx}0.1 mg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$) were irradiated with 2.9-GeV protons. The recoiling products were collected in a stack of thin plastic films at 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to the beam, at a geometry of 2%. By radiochemical separation ${\mathrm{Sr}}^{83}$, ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{61,64}$, ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{43,44}$, ${\mathrm{K}}^{42,43}$, and ${\mathrm{Na}}^{24}$ were removed from the films. Range distributions were obtained for each, and from these the corresponding energy spectra and velocity spectra were deduced. The mean energies are: ${\mathrm{Sr}}^{83}$---3.2 MeV, ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{61\ensuremath{-}64}$---5.9 MeV, ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{43,44}$---9.4 MeV, ${\mathrm{Na}}^{24}$---18.1 MeV. Comparison of the observed spectra with the results of Monte Carlo cascade-evaporation calculations showed excellent agreement for all of the products except ${\mathrm{Na}}^{24}$. It is concluded that the former are mainly spallation residues while ${\mathrm{Na}}^{24}$ is formed by the splitting of a parent nucleus into two fragments. All of the energy spectra are very broad and there is no sharp difference between "spallation-type" spectra and "two-body breakup" type spectra.
Structure of β-thiolpyruvic acid

Abstract The discrepancy between the observed dissociation constants (p K 1 = 3.1 in H 2 O and p K 2 = 9.5 in 50% ethanol) as compared to the calculated values (p K 1 = 2.14 in H 2 O and p K 2 = 10.3 in 50% ethanol) for the keto form of β-thiopyruvic acid can be explained by the contribution of the enol form of this acid, which in solution tends to diminish the dissociation of the carboxyl group and simultaneously increase the acidity of the thiol group. This evidence indicates that β-thiolpyruvic acid when in solution in the range of pH 2 to 10 is more in the enol form than is pyruvic acid. Comparison of the infrared spectra of ammonium β-thiolpyruvate, sodium β-thiolpyruvate and sodium pyruvate shows that in the solid crystalline state β-thiolpyruvate ion exists almost completely in the enol form. Sodium pyruvate has a strong band at 5.85 μ attributed to the C O group, while the crystalline β-thiolpyruvates have only low shoulders at 5.85 μ, indicating that only a small amount of the keto form is present. Both of the thiol salts have high bands at 2.93 and 2.94 μ arising from OH groups. They also have bands at 10.4 μ which are attributed to the SH group.
Energetics of the ionospheric feedback interaction

[1] The ionospheric feedback instability has been invoked as a possible mechanism for the formation of narrow auroral arcs. This instability can excite eigenmodes of both field line resonances and the ionospheric Alfven resonator, producing narrow-scale structures. Although the basic dispersion relation of this instability has been discussed for both of these cases, the energetics of this instability has not been discussed quantitatively and questions remain as to the nonlinear evolution of this instability. The free energy for this instability comes from the reduction of Joule heating due to the preexisting convection caused by the self-consistent changes in ionization and conductivity due to Alfvenic perturbations on the ionosphere. In an active ionosphere, narrow-scale Alfven waves can be overreflected; i.e., the reflected wave can have a larger amplitude than the incident wave, with the extra energy coming from a local reduction of Joule heating. Recombination produces a damping of this instability, particularly for high background conductivity, indicating that this instability operates best in a dark background ionosphere. This feedback interaction produces narrow-scale currents when strong gradients in the conductivity are produced, and effects from parallel resistivity or possibly kinetic effects will become important in its evolution. Theoretical constraints on low-spatial resolution observations of the energy dissipated by precipitation as opposed to Joule heating will be discussed.
Molecular dynamics simulation study on a monolayer of half [2]rotaxane self-assembled on Au(111).

The self-assembled monolayer (SAM) structure of the tetrathiafulvalene-side half of the Stoddart−Heath type [2]rotaxane on Au(111) surface was investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We find that the orientation of the cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT) ring depends dramatically on the coverage, changing in order to obtain highly packed SAMs. The ring lies with its large hollow parallel to the surface at lower coverage (up to one CBPQT per 27 surface Au atoms with a footprint of 1.9 nm^2; 1/27) when free space is available around it, but as the coverage increases (up to one CBPQT per 12 surface Au atoms with a footprint of 0.9 nm^2; 1/12), it tilts completely around its axis and lies with its smaller side (paraquat or phenyl ring) parallel to the surface to accommodate the reduced area available. We find that the best packing densities correspond to one CBPQT per 12−18 surface Au atoms (1/18−1/12) with footprints in the range between 0.9 nm^2 and 1.3 nm^2.
Findings from an ACM strategic summit on computing education in community colleges

At the request of and funded by the US National Science Foundation, the ACM Committee for Computing Education at Community Colleges (www.acmccecc.org) conducted the Strategic Summit on the Computing Education Challenges at Community Colleges. The Report of Findings from the Summit will provide the impetus for future grant proposals to available funding sources. The objective is to share the Report of Findings, including those elements that are most relevant to faculty at four-year colleges and universities. The presenters will facilitate a discussion on an individual basis with computer science educators on topics from the report centered on the major challenges and associated opportunities. Attendees should come away from the session with ideas for crafting future funding proposals.
Strategic Implications of Conferee Selection in the House of Representatives: "It Ain't Over Till It's Over"

Deference to committees and committee obstruction are two frequently cited phenomena of the U.S. Congress. Even in the postreform Congress, standing committees exert disproportionate influence on legislation. Shepsle and Weingast have put forth an institutional explanation for these phenomena: the ex-post veto that standing committees enjoy via the conference procedure. They argue that it is pointless for the House to drastically modify a standing committee's bill on the floor in a way that the committee disapproves of, or discharge a committee of a bill, because committees can veto legislation by refusing to come to agreement in conference. In this article I examine the procedure used by the House to select conferees, and describe the implications of this process for legislative outcomes. In doing this I suitably modify the Shepsle/ Weingast theory to fit the current rules of the House and significantly alter the implications of the theory for committee influence. I show that committee influence depends ...
The Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales as Related to other Measures of Hypnotic Responsiveness

Abstract The characteristics and item contents of the several standardized Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales (SHSS:A and B, SHSS:C, SPS: I and II), and the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scales (SHCS: Adult and SCHS: Child) indicate their reliability and validity, as well as the wide range of hypnotic abilities that are sampled. A “tailored” SHSS:C is also presented, in which a more advanced item, designed in view of the needs of the investigator, may be substituted for an item on the SHSS:C without destroying reference to the established norms. Scales prepared by others are described according to the correlations between their scores and those on the Stanford scales. The Hypnotic Induction Profile, based on the eye-roll sign and arm levitation, is the only scale that fails to correlate substantially with the Stanford scales.
Misperceptions of the Prevalence of Marijuana Use Among College Students: Athletes and Non-Athletes

ABSTRACT The prevalence of marijuana use and perceptions of the prevalence of marijuana use was assessed in a sample of intercollegiate athletes and a separate sample of primarily first-year non-athlete students at a northwestern public university. Marijuana use prevalence in the non-athlete sample was higher than the prevalence found in nationwide surveys of drug use on college campuses. Current use of marijuana was greater in non-athletes than athletes, however, lifetime use was equivalent. The perceptions of prevalence of marijuana use among both athletes and non-athletes exceeded self-reported use in these groups. Students who used marijuana held higher perceptions of the prevalence of marijuana use among their campus peers and those believing that marijuana use was normative on campus were more likely to be current marijuana users themselves. The findings from this study have important implications for designing college drug prevention programs.
When is RFID right for your service

Abstract Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that is being applied increasingly to services. We study several different RFID applications in services to discover how this technology can be used to enhance various aspects of service delivery, and what costs and benefits arise from it. We use a well-known conceptual framework that has been used to explain the evolution of services to show how RFID generally impacts service operations in a variety of scenarios.
Local recurrence and survival following stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases from small cell lung cancer

Abstract Purpose Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) represents a treatment option for patients with brain metastases from small cell lung cancer (SCLC) following prior cranial radiation. Inferior local control has been described. We reviewed our failure patterns following SRS treatment to evaluate this concern. Methods and materials Individuals with SCLC who received SRS for brain metastases from 2004 to 2011 were identified. Central nervous system (CNS) disease was detected and followed by gadolinium-enhanced, high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. SRS dose was prescribed to the tumor periphery. Local recurrence was defined by increasing lesion size or enhancement, MR-spectroscopy, and perfusion changes consistent with recurrent disease or pathologic confirmation. Any new enhancing lesion not identified on the SRS planning scan was considered a regional failure. Overall survival (OS) and CNS control were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors predicted to influence outcome were tested by univariate log-rank analysis and Cox regression. Results Fifteen males and 25 females (median age of 61 years [range, 36-79]) of which 39 received prior brain irradiation were identified. In all, 132 lesions (3.3 per patient) between 0.4 and 4.7 cm received a median dose of 16 Gy (12-22 Gy). Thirteen metastases (10%) ultimately recurred locally with 6- and 12-month control rates of 81% and 69%, respectively. Only 1 of 110 metastases 2 cm ( P P P = .037) and regional CNS recurrence ( P = .003) were improved. CNS control ( P = .001), and survival ( P = .057), were also longer for patients with controlled systemic disease. Conclusions Local control following SRS for SCLC metastases is achievable for lesions 2 cm, local failure is more common than expected. Patients with controlled systemic disease and limited CNS involvement would benefit most from aggressive treatment.
Surface-stress-induced phase transformation in metal nanowires.

Several researchers have demonstrated, through experiments and analysis, that the structure and properties of nanometre-scale materials can be quite different to those of bulk materials due to the effect of surfaces. Here we use atomistic simulations to study a surface-stress-induced phase transformation in gold nanowires. The emergence of the transformation is controlled by wire size, initial orientation, boundary conditions, temperature and initial cross-sectional shape. For a initial crystal orientation and wire cross-sectional area below 4 nm(2), surface stresses alone cause gold nanowires to transform from a face-centred-cubic structure to a body-centred-tetragonal structure. The transformation occurs roughly when the compressive stress caused by tensile surface-stress components in the length direction exceeds the compressive stress required to transform bulk gold to its higher energy metastable crystal structure.
The institutional environment for infrastructure investment

The empirical evidence that links political institutions to economic outcomes has grown dramatically in recent years. However, virtually all of this analysis is undertaken using data from the past three decades. This paper extends this empirical framework by performing a two-century long historical analysis of the determinants of infrastructure investment in a panel of over 100 countries. The results demonstrate that political environments that limit the feasibility of policy change are an important determinant of investment in infrastructure. Copyright 2002, Oxford University Press.
Vessel imaging using dual‐energy tomosynthesis

A method has been developed that combines dual‐energy subtraction and tomosynthesis for vessel imaging in intravenous angiography. This paper describes the procedure for doing tomosynthesis on a fan‐beam rotational‐motion system and gives the point responses of the imaging system. Phantom studies show that dual‐energy tomosynthesis improves the visualization of desired vessels lying on a selected plane. The results may be feasible for some applications such as clinical diagnosis of coronary artery diseases.
Temperature control of respiring rat brain slices during high field NMR spectroscopy

Abstract Advancing methodologies in high field multinuclear 1H/31P NMR spectroscopy continue to improve the chemical shift precision and signal amplitude sensitivity attainable in ex vivo NMR studies of respiring tissues. Thus it was straightforward in a 14.1-Tesla (600-MHz) system to use the well-known temperature dependence of the chemical shift of water protons to implement a protocol addition in our brain slice studies (350 μm thick, 15 slices per 8-mm NMR tube) of hypoxia. The protocol addition provides for accurate, continuous measurements of brain tissue temperature, a very important variable in studies of oxygen deprivation and metabolism. The basic protocol for loading and maintaining superfused respiring neonatal cerebrocortical slices, similar to protocols described previously by us and others, permitted rapid detection of glycolytic and TCA cycle activity. All brain slices have an ‘injury layer’ ≈50-μm thick from mechanical shear. In our protocol the injury layer is confined to one side of the slice, and appears to contribute minimally to NMR spectra.
Journal Editor Announcements

For AGU publications, the end of 2013 was a very busy time: Several scientists were appointed to the boards of journals.
High-pressure Raman study of one-dimensional crystals of the very polar molecule hydrogen cyanide

At ambient temperature, hydrogen cyanide freezes at 0.2 GPa and undergoes a solid-solid transition at 0.8 GPa. Compression beyond 1.3 GPa induces polymerization. The crystal structures stable between 0.2 and 0.8 GPa and above 0.8 GPa were identified as the body-centered tetragonal and orthorhombic structures, respectively, that also occur at low temperatures and ambient pressure. Both structures consist of linear chains of molecules aligned parallel to the c axis of the unit cell. The Raman peak for the internal C-H stretching mode shifts to lower frequency with increasing pressure in both solid phases because compression strengthens the intrachain hydrogen bond. The frequency of the Raman-active libration increases rapidly with increasing pressure in the tetragonal phase and at an even greater rate in the orthorhombic phase. The LO-TO splitting of the librational mode, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathrm{LO}}$-${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathrm{TO}}$, decreases monotonically with increasing pressure, whereas the difference between the squares of these frequencies, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathrm{LO}}^{2}$-${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathrm{TO}}^{2}$, is independent of pressure.
Increasing Patient Attendance in a Pediatric Obesity Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project

Research supports intensive lifestyle interventions (>25 contact hours/six months) to treat childhood obesity. Success requires retention in program. This quality improvement project's purpose was to increase attendance of follow-up patients in a childhood obesity clinic by 10%. A pretest posttest design was used. Three months of baseline data were collected, followed by 52 weeks of intervention data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test. Follow-up patient attendance improved significantly from 69% to 81% (z=1.76, p=.039 (95% CI=0.2822, 1.0021)). Simple and inexpensive interventions can significantly increase attendance of obese children in follow-up.
Liquid-Solid Extraction and Fast Atom Bombardment High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Determination of Hydroxyatrazine in Water at Low-ppt Levels

Parts-per-trillion levels of hydroxyatrazine (HA) have been quantitatively extracted and eluted from water by liquid-solid extraction with a graphitized carbon-black cartridge. Recoveries of HA (>80%) for this procedure are superior to those obtained when a C-18 cartridge or liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane are used. Quantification of HA at picogram levels was accomplished by using isotope dilution and fast atom bombardment high resolution mass spectrometry. No significant interfering spectral background occurs at the masses of interest, those of the [M+H] + ions of both the analyte and the internal standard, when the liquid matrix is 3:1 dithithreitol/dithioerythritol
The Gini Coefficient and Poverty Indexes: Some Reconciliations

Abstract Poverty is usually defined as the extent to which individuals in a society or community fall below a minimal acceptable standard of living. An index of poverty is generally based on the proportion (α) of the poor people and their income distribution through the income gap ratio (β) (i.e., the average income gap of the poor people from the poverty line ω, taken as a ratio to ω itself) and other measures of income inequalities. In this context, the well-known Gini coefficient of income inequality plays a vital role. In view of the fact that the poverty indexes all relate to the income pattern of the poor, interpreted in some way or other, usually a censored (Gω) or truncated (G α) version of the classical Gini coefficient (G) is incorporated in the formulation of such indexes. Among the various poverty indexes, πA = αβ, πτ = Gc ω, and πs=α{β+(1-β)Gα} have been used more extensively than the others. Although each of π S and π T is justified on the grounds of certain plausible axioms, from a statisti...
Effects of glucose infusion on leucine transamination and oxidation in the ovine fetus.

ABSTRACT: During fasting of the ewe, the rate of amino acid oxidation by the ovine fetus increases substantially. We hypothesized that the increase in amino acid oxidation derived mainly from reduced protein synthesis. We further hypothesized that fetal glucose supplementation would result in diminished amino acid oxidation. To test these hypotheses, nine ovine fetuses were infused with [15N,1-13C]leucine to determine the rates of leucine appearance and disposal. Simultaneously, the fetal uptake of leucine was determined. Animals were studied in the fed and fasted state. After baseline measurements, glucose was infused into the fetal inferior vena cava at a rate estimated to match the fetal glucose uptake. Results of these studies indicate that leucine nitrogen flux, leucine carbon flux and fetal leucine uptake were constant. Leucine oxidation was increased by 50% in the fasted state (6.3 versus 13.4 μmol/min); glucose infusion resulted in a 25% decline in oxidation (to 10.4 μmol/min) in the fasted state, but had no effect in the fed state. Mean leucine umbilical uptake during fasting was 9.3 μmol/min, 4.1 μmol/min less than leucine oxidation. These data suggest that leucine (and potentially other amino acids) may be in negative balance during maternal fasting, and can be spared by supplementation of the fetus with exogenous glucose.
Smartphones to facilitate communication and improve social skills of children with severe autism spectrum disorder: special education teachers as proxies

We present an overview of the approach we used and the challenges we encountered while designing software for smartphones to facilitate communication and improve social skills of children with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We employed participatory design, using special education teachers of children with ASD as proxies for our target population.
Functionalized liposomes loaded with siRNAs targeting ion channels in effector memory T cells as a potential therapy for autoimmunity

Effector memory T cells (TM) play a key role in the pathology of certain autoimmune disorders. The activity of effector TM cells is under the control of Kv1.3 ion channels, which facilitate the Ca(2+) influx necessary for T cell activation and function, i.e. cytokine release and proliferation. Consequently, the knock-down of Kv1.3 expression in effector TM's may be utilized as a therapy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In this study we synthesized lipid unilamellar nanoparticles (NPs) that can selectively deliver Kv1.3 siRNAs into TM cells in vitro. NPs made from a mixture of phosphatidylcholine, pegylated/biotinylated phosphoethanolamine and cholesterol were functionalized with biotinylated-CD45RO (cell surface marker of TM's) antibodies via fluorophore-conjugated streptavidin (CD45RO-NPs). Incubation of T cells with CD45RO-NPs resulted into the selective attachment and endocytosis of the NPs into TM's. Furthermore, the siRNA against Kv1.3, encapsulated into the CD45RO-NPs, was released into the cytosol. Consequently, the expression of Kv1.3 channels decreased significantly in TM's, which led to a remarkable decrease in Ca(2+) influx. Our results can form the basis of an innovative therapeutic approach in autoimmunity.
Optical modulation techniques for underwater detection, ranging and imaging

The focus of this paper is to describe research being conducted at NAVAIR in Patuxent River, MD to improve optical detection, ranging and imaging in the underwater environment through the use of optical modulation techniques. The modulation provides a way to discriminate against unwanted scattered light that would otherwise reduce detection sensitivity. Another benefit of modulating the transmitted light is that coherent detection of the modulation envelope results in the ability to accurately measure the range to the underwater object. Ways to use the hardware and methods developed for the detection, ranging, and imaging scenario to satisfy other mission requirements are also being investigated. The requirements for the modulation scheme, modulation frequency, and laser characteristics (pulsed, continuous, optical power level) depend on the targeted application. The implementation of this optical modulation technique in a variety of underwater sensors has become possible due to recent advances in laser and receiver technology. A review of the work being done in this area of research will be presented, and results from laboratory experiments will be discussed.
Transcatheter hepatocyte transplantation: preclinical studies of anatomic consequences in the portal vascular bed.

Rationale and Objectives Intrasplenic transplantation deposits hepatocytes in host hepatic sinusoids with amelioration of chronic liver failure and genetic deficiency states. Because portal resistance can be altered by intrasinusoidal transplanted cells, we examined whether hepatocyte recipients would develop deleterious portal hypertension or portosystemic collaterals. Methods Syngeneic hepatocytes in suspension were transplanted into recipient rats by transcatheter injection into the splenic parenchyma. Subjects included recipients of 2×10 7 hepatocytes representing approximately 3% of the host hepatic mass, recipients of 7.5×10 7 hepatocytes representing approximately 12.5% of the host hepatic mass, normal control rats, and positive control rats with portal hypertension induced by partial portal vein constriction. Portal pressures were recorded with a sensitive transducer, portosystemic collaterals were demonstrated with direct splenoportography, and survival of transplanted cells was determined with an endogenous dipeptidyl peptidase IV reporter gene. Results In normal rats, the portal pressure was 6.25±1.9 mm Hg with no portosystemic collaterals. By contrast, portal pressures were significantly increased in portal vein-constricted rats, 20.7±3.9 mm Hg ( P 7 cells, 7.5×2.6 mm Hg; after 7.5×10 7 cells, 9.5±4.2 mm Hg, P =not significant). No portosystemic collaterals developed in hepatocyte recipients at various times up to 8 months after transplantation. Transplanted hepatocytes expressing the reporter gene were present in recipients with assimilation in host hepatic cords. Conclusion Despite injection of a massive number of cells, transcatheter hepatocyte transplantation was devoid of any significant portal vascular alterations or toxicity in recipients. These findings are consistent with assimilation of transplanted hepatocytes, into host hepatic cords and will facilitate therapeutic applications in metabolic diseases or acute liver failure.
Effect of Crystallization on the Auger Electron Signal Decay in an Li2O·2SiO2 Glass and Glass‐Ceramic

Problems associated with Auger analysis of glasses are well recognized. When an electron beam impinges on the surface of a glass specimen, the Auger signal produced by the alkali species decreases with exposure time. The rate at which the signal decays depends on the glass composition, beam current density, accelerating potential of the primary beam, and substrate temperature, all of which must be carefully controlled to obtain a reliable analysis. A similar decay of the alkali Auger signal is observed for glass-ceramic systems. The rate of decay for the crystalline phase is different from that for the glass and depends on the extent of crystallization. This behavior may provide a basis for using Auger electron spectroscopy for microstructural as well as compositional analysis.
The Beginning of the End of the First Year [Perspectives on Graduate Life]

The fifth course of my medical school curriculum was “Integrated Human Physiology” (IHP). This involved learning pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, and endocrine physiology. Each of these systems had a dedicated week in the course, and the final week integrated all topics to finish this six-week course. As you can imagine, learning the physiology of an entire system in a week was very intense and exhausting. Each Monday began the new physiologic system and culminated with a quiz on Friday, which is what made the course so fast paced and the most difficult course of the first year.
A pay-as-you-go framework for query execution feedback

Past work has suggested that query execution feedback can be useful in improving the quality of plans by correcting cardinality estimation errors in the query optimizer. The state-of-the-art approach for obtaining execution feedback is "passive" monitoring which records the cardinality of each operator in the execution plan. We observe that there are many cases where even after repeated executions of the same query with use of feedback from passive monitoring, suboptimal choices in the execution plan cannot be corrected. We present a novel "pay-as-you-go" framework in which a query potentially incurs a small overhead on each execution but obtains cardinality information that is not available with passive monitoring alone. Such a framework can significantly extend the reach of query execution feedback in obtaining better plans. We have implemented our techniques in Microsoft SQL Server, and our evaluation on real world and synthetic queries suggests that plan quality can improve significantly compared to passive monitoring even at low overheads.
In vitro rabbit articular cartilage organ model. I. Morphology and glycosaminoglycan metabolism.

A new in vitro adult articular cartilage organ model is described. Cartilage explants from adult rabbits have maintained a maximum glycosaminoglycan synthetic rate from day 7 to day 14 of incubation and normal morphology through day 10. The metabolic and histologic stability of this articular cartilage model suggests its suitability for investigating synthesis and degradation in normal, pharmacologically altered, and diseased cartilage.
Developmental Change in TATA-Box Utilization during Preimplantation Mouse Development

Activation of the embryonic genome during preimplantation mouse development is characterized by a marked reprogramming of gene expression that is essential for further development. Expression of the protein translation initiation factor eIF-1A gene is driven by a proximal TATA-containing promoter and a distal TATA-less promoter. Using specific amplification of cDNA ends that resolves transcripts derived from the TATA-less and TATA-containing promoters, we find that 70% of the eIF-1A transcripts are derived from the TATA-containing promoter in the fully-grown oocyte. Activation of the embryonic genome during the two-cell stage is accompanied by a change in promoter utilization such that only 25% of the transcripts are now derived from the TATA-containing promoter, i.e., 75% are derived from the TATA-less promoter. When one-cell embryos are cultured to the two-cell stage in the presence of alpha-amanitin, this change in transcript abundance is not observed, i.e., the distribution of transcripts is similar to that observed in the oocyte. By the blastocyst stage only 5% of the transcripts are generated from the TATA-containing promoter. If the change in TATA-box utilization for the eIF-1A reflects an underlying global change in TATA-box utilization, a dramatic change in promoter utilization may occur during preimplantation development such that TATA-less promoters are more efficiently utilized. Such a change in promoter utilization could contribute significantly to the reprogramming of gene expression that occurs during the maternal-to-zygotic transition.
New Connections between Old Pathways: PDK1 Signaling Promotes Cellular Transformation through PLK1-Dependent MYC Stabilization

Limited understanding of the functional link between multiple oncogenic pathways is a major barrier in the ongoing effort of cancer biologists to design an effective therapeutic approach to treat malignancies characterized by driver oncogenic network signals. In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Tan and colleagues elucidate a novel PDK1-PLK1-MYC signaling pathway connecting two fundamental oncogenic programs, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and MYC. They define the functional role for PDK1-PLK1-MYC signaling in cancer cell survival and tumor formation and show the therapeutic benefit of inhibiting PDK1 and PLK1 pharmacologically in cancer, tackling the most undruggable tumors defined by elevated levels of the MYC oncoprotein.
Mobilizing Communities for Implementing Evidence-Based Youth Violence Prevention Programming: A Commentary

Evidence-based programs have struggled for acceptance in human service settings. Information gleaned from these experiences indicates that implementation is the missing link in the science to service chain. The science and practice of implementation is progressing and can inform approaches to full and effective uses of youth violence prevention programs nationally. Implementation Teams that know (a) innovations, (b) implementation best practices, and (c) improvement cycles are essential to mobilizing support for successful uses of evidence-based programs on a socially significant scale. The next wave of development in implementation science and practice is underway: establishing infrastructures for implementation to make implementation expertise available to communities nationally. Good science, implemented well in practice, can benefit all human services, including youth violence prevention.
The F1 (1540): Kinematic enhancement and resonance?

Abstract The F1 (1540) enhancement has been observed in the process π p → K ∗ Kp and also in p p → K ∗ K π . It is shown that in π p → K ∗ Kp it can be explained, via the Reggeized Deck model, as a kinematic enhancement. In p p → K ∗ K π it is most easily explained as a resonance. An estimate of the expected ρπ and ωπ decay modes of the F1 indicates that its G-parity cannot be determined, in the usual way, by observing these decays. It is pointed out that further experiments on π p → K ∗ Kp at higher energies can determine the G-parity which should be negative if the Deck model is valid. If the kinematic enhancement explanation is still valid at these higher energies, then the fact that the F1 is also seen in p p → K ∗ K π will give added credence to the conjecture of Chew and Pignotti that an enhancement produced by the Reggeized Deck Calculation implies the existence of a resonance.
A Godunov-type Finite Volume Scheme for Meso- and Micro-scale Flows in Three Dimensions

This short note reports the extension of the f-waves approximate Riemann solver (Ahmad and Lindeman, 2007; LeVeque, 2002; Bale et al., 2002) for three-dimensional meso- and micro-scale atmospheric flows. The Riemann solver employs flux-based wave decomposition for the calculation of Godunov fluxes and does not require the explicit definition of the Roe matrix to enforce conservation. The other important feature of the Riemann solver is its ability to incorporate source term due to gravity without introducing discretization errors. The resulting finite volume scheme is second-order accurate in space and time. The finite-difference schemes currently used in atmospheric flow models are neither conservative nor able to resolve regions of sharp gradients. The finite volume scheme described in this paper is fully conservative and has the ability to resolve regions of sharp gradients without introducing spurious oscillations in the solution. The scheme shows promise in accurately resolving flows on the meso- and micro-scales and should be considered for implementation in the dynamical cores of next generation meso- and micro-scale atmospheric flow models.
A parametric study of staged fuel injector configurations for scramjet applications

A parametric study of staged (multiple) perpendicular fuel injector configurations has been conducted using a computer code which solves the two-dimensional elliptic Navier-Stokes equations. The program computes the turbulent mixing and reaction of hydrogen fuel and air and allows the study of separated regions of the flow immediately preceding and following the injectors. The validity of the code is demonstrated in a cold flow helium injection study with a single injector. Results are presented that describe the flow field near opposing staged injectors over a range of parameters. Parameters that are varied include injector size, fuel split, and distance between injectors. Comparisons of the configurations are made to assess their mixing and potential flame-holding qualities.
Drought resistance of two hybrid Populus clones grown in a large-scale plantation

Poplar hybrids were grown with irrigation in a large-scale plantation to investigate the mechanisms underlying clonal differences in drought resistance. Beginning in spring 1992, Populus trichocarpa x P. deltoides (TD) and P. deltoides x P. nigra (DN) cuttings received 46, 76, or 137 cm year(-1) of irrigation to supplement the 18-20 cm of annual precipitation, and all trees received the same fertilization regime. Stem volume, assessed as the square of stem diameter at breast height times tree height (D(2)H), and water relations of the trees were studied from the end of their second growing season until the end of their fifth growing season. By the end of the second growing season, stem volume of Clone TD was 40-146% larger than that of Clone DN, but stem volume growth was independent of irrigation in excess of 46 cm year(-1) in both clones. During the third growing season, stem volume growth of both clones was limited by both the 46- and 76-cm irrigation treatments, so that by the end of the third growing season trees in the 46-cm irrigation treatment were only half the size of trees in the 137-cm irrigation treatment. These treatment differences were maintained through the fifth growing season. Although stem volumes of Clone TD trees in the 76- and 137-cm irrigation treatments were larger than the corresponding values for Clone DN trees at the end of the third growing season (1994), these clonal differences gradually decreased in subsequent years and were not detectable after 5 years, because stem volume relative growth rate of Clone DN was greater than that of Clone TD in all treatments. Although both clones exhibited similar predawn leaf water potentials, Clone DN typically maintained higher midday leaf water potentials, suggesting better stomatal control of water loss. Clonal and treatment differences in osmotic potential at full turgor were minimal and could not explain the clonal differences in drought resistance. Root density and root density to stem volume ratio increased more in response to moderate drought in Clone DN than in Clone TD, resulting in enhanced drought resistance (high stem volume growth rate under moderate drought conditions) and an increased capacity to withdraw water from the soil. We conclude that the greater drought resistance of Clone DN compared with Clone TD was the result of the maintenance of a more favorable water balance by stomatal regulation and greater carbon allocation to roots during the early stages of drought. However, the low root density to stem volume ratio in Clone DN growing in the 46-cm irrigation treatment suggests that severe water limitation restricted the preferential allocation of carbon to belowground tissues, so that both root and shoot growth were constrained by severe drought.
Simulating colonization by exotic species: a model of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) in North America

Abstract We describe an object-oriented, biologically mechanistic, stochastic model that simulates colonization of an exotic species (the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta) as a function of local temperature and precipitation regimes. We then evaluate model performance by simulating colonization under climatic conditions known to be (1) favorable, (2) too dry, and (3) too cold for long-term survival. Finally, we use the model to examine the likelihood of successful range expansion by simulating colonization at 13 sites representing increasingly colder and dryer climatic conditions along a line running northwest through the state of Texas, USA. The model predicted successful colonization at the favorable site and simulated failure of colonization at both of the inhospitable sites. The model predicted successful colonization at all 13 sites along the environmental gradient, including sites beyond previously proposed geographical distribution limits. Our ability to predict rate of colonization and geographical spread of invading species, particularly with regard to estimating climatically-imposed geographical limits to distribution, should be enhanced through the use of models explicitly representing the manner in which critical ecological processes change with changing ambient conditions.