cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Initial Value Problems

This chapter is devoted to initial values problems for ordinary differential equations. It discusses theory for existence, uniqueness and continuous dependence on the data of the problem. Special techniques for linear ordinary differential equations with constant coefficients are discussed in terms of matrix exponentials and their approximations. Next, linear multistep methods are introduced and analyzed, leading to a presentation of important families of linear multistep methods and their stability. These methods are implemented through predictor-corrector methods, and techniques for automatically selecting stepsize and order are discussed. Afterwards, deferred correction and Runge-Kutta methods are examined. The chapter ends with the selection of numerical methods for stiff problems, and a discussion of nonlinear stability.
Preparation and properties studies of UV-curable silicone modified epoxy resin composite system.

Introduction:Modified epoxy suitable for ultraviolet (UV) curing is prepared by using organic silicon toughening. The curing kinetics of the composite are studied by dielectric analysis (DEA), and ...
Cerebrovascular Physiology During Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Multicenter Study Using Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography.

Objectives To explore changes to expected, age-related transcranial Doppler ultrasound variables during pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Design Prospective, observational, multicenter study. Setting Tertiary care PICUs. Patients Children 1 day to 18 years old requiring veno arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Methods Participants underwent daily transcranial Doppler ultrasound measurement of bilateral middle cerebral artery flow velocities. Acute neurologic injury was diagnosed if seizures, cerebral hemorrhage, or diffuse cerebral ischemia was detected. Measurements and main results Fifty-two children were enrolled and analyzed. In the 44 children without acute neurologic injury, there was a significant reduction in systolic flow velocity and mean flow velocity compared with predicted values over time (F [8, 434] = 60.44; p ≤ 0.0001, and F [8, 434] = 17.61; p ≤ 0.0001). Middle cerebral artery systolic flow velocity was lower than predicted on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation days 1-5, and mean flow velocity was lower than predicted on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation days 1-3. In the six infants less than 90 days old suffering diffuse cerebral ischemia, middle cerebral artery systolic flow velocity, mean flow velocity, and diastolic flow velocity from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation days 1-9 were not significantly different when compared with children of similar age in the cohort that did not suffer acute neurologic injury (systolic flow velocity F [8, 52] = 0.6659; p = 0.07 and diastolic flow velocity F [8, 52] = 1.4; p = 0.21 and mean flow velocity F [8, 52] = 1.93; p = 0.07). Pulsatility index was higher in these infants over time than children of similar age in the cohort on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation that did not suffer acute neurologic injury (F [8, 52] = 3.1; p = 0.006). No patient in the study experienced cerebral hemorrhage. Conclusions Flow velocities in the middle cerebral arteries of children requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are significantly lower than published normative values for critically ill, mechanically ventilated, sedated children. Significant differences in measured systolic flow velocity, diastolic flow velocity, and mean flow velocity were not identified in children suffering ischemic injury compared with those who did not. However, increased pulsatility index may be a marker for ischemic injury in young infants on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Review of diffusion MRI studies in chronic white matter diseases.

Abstract Diffusion MRI studies characterizing the changes in white matter (WM) due to vascular cognitive impairment, which includes all forms of small vessel disease are reviewed. We reviewed the usefulness of diffusion methods in discriminating the affected WM regions and its relation to cognitive impairment. These studies were categorized based on the diffusion MRI techniques used. The most common method was the diffusion tensor imaging, whereas other methods included diffusion weighted imaging, diffusion kurtosis imaging, intravoxel incoherent motion, and studies based on diffusion tractography. The diffusion measures showed correlation with cognitive scores and disease progression, with mean diffusivity being the most robust parameter. Future studies should focus on incorporating multi-compartment and higher order diffusion models, which can handle the presence of multiple and crossing fibers inside a voxel.
Diagnosing depression and prescribing antidepressants by primary care physicians: The impact of practice style variations

This study examined variations in the diagnosis of depressive disorders and prescription of antidepressant medications in primary care and the contribution of the physicians' practice styles to these variations. The analyses were based on visits to a representative sample of the U.S. office-based primary care physicians from the 1997 and 1998 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. In this sample, the propensities to give a diagnosis of depressive disorder and to prescribe antidepressants were operationalized as propensity variables. The association of these variables, obtained from a randomly selected subsample of visits to each physician, with the diagnoses and treatments of the other patients seen by the same physicians was examined. The results revealed considerable variations across practices in the percentages of patients who received diagnoses of depressive disorders (0–25%) and prescriptions for antidepressant medications (0–38%). Furthermore, the physicians' propensities to diagnose depressive disorders or to prescribe antidepressants were significantly associated with the diagnosis and treatment of individual patients. The large variations in diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders and the significant impact of practice style variables on these variations highlight the need for implementation of uniform practice guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders in primary care settings.
Surgery for Submandibular and Sublingual Malignant Tumors

For many decades, surgery has been the primary treatment for malignant submandibular gland neoplasms. Nonetheless, due to the heterogeneity and rarity of submandibular gland malignant tumors and the high frequency of chronic benign processes in this region, management can be complex. Preoperative investigations such as fine needle aspiration and imaging are critical to achieve the correct diagnosis so that suitable surgery can be planned. In general, for malignant submandibular gland neoplasms, the minimal treatment necessary is excision of the submandibular gland with a level I lymph node dissection. Malignant sublingual neoplasms are rare, and patients often present with advanced disease. Excision of the tumor with a level I neck dissection is also indicated. Salivary gland cancer in the submandibular or sublingual gland is generally more aggressive than the same histologic type in the parotid gland. Neck dissection may be required and primarily depends on the stage and histological grade. Adjuvant therapy most frequently consists of radiation and can improve local control and overall survival. Factors that influence prognosis after surgical treatment include histologic grade, stage at presentation, and positive surgical margins.
Circadian Rhythm of Cellular Proliferation in the Human Rectal Mucosa

Circadian rhythms of DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation in the gastrointestinal mucosa have been well documented in animal models. This investigation was designed to determine whether similar rhythms could be demonstrated in the human rectal epithelium: 24 studies were performed in 16 healthy men under fasting (n = 14) and fed (n = 10) conditions. Rectal mucosal biopsy specimens were obtained through a proctoscope every 2 or 3 hours for a 24-hour span. Ex vivo measurements of tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA were made on the mucosal samples. Feeding and time of day were each found to have an effect on the rate of thymidine incorporation into the DNA of rectal mucosal cells. Both fasted and fed subjects showed significant circadian rhythms in thymidine incorporation, which peaked at about 7 AM. Fasting lowered the overall mean thymidine uptake without altering the rhythm. Thymidine uptake generally reflects the amount of DNA synthesis in the sampled tissue. Therefore, these data may be important in the design of cancer chemotherapeutic regimens that use drugs specifically active during DNA synthesis.
Acceptance of Opt-Out HIV Screening in Outpatient Settings in the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives:In the United States, about 15% of persons living with HIV infection do not know they are infected. Opt-out HIV screening aims to normalize HIV testing by performing an HIV test during r...
Alterations to the Esophageal Microbiome Associated with Progression from Barrett's Esophagus to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma.

Background: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has risen dramatically over the past half century, and the underlying reasons are incompletely understood. Broad shifts to the upper gastrointestinal microbiome may be partly responsible. The goal of this study was to describe alterations in the esophageal microbiome that occur with progression from Barrett9s esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods: A case–control study was performed of patients with and without Barrett9s esophagus who were scheduled to undergo upper endoscopy. Demographic, clinical, and dietary intake data were collected, and esophageal brushings were collected during the endoscopy. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to characterize the microbiome. Results: A total of 45 patients were enrolled and included in the analyses [16 controls; 14 Barrett9s esophagus without dysplasia (NDBE); 6 low-grade dysplasia (LGD); 5 high-grade dysplasia (HGD); and 4 esophageal adenocarcinoma]. There was no difference in alpha diversity between non–Barrett9s esophagus and Barrett9s esophagus, but there was evidence of decreased diversity in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma as assessed by Simpson index. There was an apparent shift in composition at the transition from LGD to HGD, and patients with HGD and esophageal adenocarcinoma had decreased Firmicutes and increased Proteobacteria. In addition, patients with HGD or esophageal adenocarcinoma had increased Enterobacteriaceae and Akkermansia muciniphila and reduced Veillonella. In the study population, patients taking proton pump inhibitors had increased Streptococcus and decreased Gram-negative bacteria overall. Conclusions: Shifts in the Barrett9s esophagus–associated microbiome were observed in patients with HGD and esophageal adenocarcinoma, with increases in certain potentially pathogenic bacteria. Impact: The microbiome may play a role in esophageal carcinogenesis.
A comparison of oil-water separation by gravity and electrolysis separation process

This study investigates the performance of oil-water separation experimentally using two methods: gravity separation, and electrolysis separation. A factorial design experiment was conducted for gr...
Coronavirus Structural Proteins and Virus Assembly

This chapter reviews the processing, targeting, and assembly of the coronavirus structural proteins, and the release of assembled virions from infected cells. Both virus-like particles (VLPs) and virus assembly are sensitive to deletion and changes of the two C-terminal residues. The most striking difference between the crippled viruses and recovered viruses that grew similarly to the wild-type virus was the positions of four hydrophilic polar residues along one face of the predicted β-helix. It is interesting that when key charged residues are modified, these independently give rise to overlapping second-site suppressor or adaptive changes in the same region of M protein. Results from these studies strongly argue that M-N interactions are complex, indicating that more than just the single R227 and D440-D441 charges are important. In coronaviruses that induce syncytia, cellular alternations may also significantly impact virus release. Polarized epithelial cells are the first cells infected during coronavirus infection. The apical or basolateral localization of the virus receptor determines the site of coronavirus entry in polarized epithelial cells. In respiratory epithelial cells, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and human coronavirus strain 229E preferentially enter and are exocytosed from the apical surface. Rapid progress in this area of coronavirus research is expected. The emergence of SARS-CoV sparked tremendous interest in and recognition of coronaviruses as intriguing for their molecular and cellular biology and as significant pathogens.
Geographic and Racial/Ethnic Variation in Glycemic Control and Treatment in a National Sample of Veterans With Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Geographic and racial/ethnic disparities related to diabetes control and treatment have not previously been examined at the national level. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a national cohort of 1,140,634 veterans with diabetes, defined as two or more diabetes ICD-9 codes (250.xx) across inpatient and outpatient records. Main exposures of interest included 125 Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) catchment areas as well as racial/ethnic group. The main outcome measure was HbA1c level dichotomized at ≥8.0% (≥64 mmol/mol). RESULTS After adjustment for age, sex, racial/ethnic group, service-connected disability, marital status, and the van Walraven Elixhauser comorbidity score, the prevalence of uncontrolled diabetes varied by VAMC catchment area, with values ranging from 19.1% to 29.2%. Moreover, these differences largely persisted after further adjusting for medication use and adherence as well as utilization and access metrics. Racial/ethnic differences in diabetes control were also noted. In our final models, compared with non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks (odds ratio 1.11 [95% credible interval 1.09–1.14]) and Hispanics (1.36 [1.09–1.14]) had a higher odds of uncontrolled HBA1c level. CONCLUSIONS In a national cohort of veterans with diabetes, we found geographic as well as racial/ethnic differences in diabetes control rates that were not explained by adjustment for demographics, comorbidity burden, use or type of diabetes medication, health care utilization, access metrics, or medication adherence. Moreover, disparities in suboptimal control appeared consistent across most, but not all, VAMC catchment areas, with non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic veterans having a higher odds of suboptimal diabetes control than non-Hispanic White veterans.
Spatiotemporal Formation and Growth Kinetics of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles with Millisecond Resolution

We have directly observed the in situ self-assembly kinetics of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) micelles by synchrotron time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering, equipped with a stopped-flow device...
Evidence and manipulation of O-GlcNAcylation in granulosa cells of bovine antral follicles†.

Glucose is a preferred energy substrate for metabolism by bovine granulosa cells (GCs). O-linked N-acetylglucosaminylation (O-GlcNAcylation), is a product of glucose metabolism that occurs as the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) shunts O-GlcNAc sugars to serine and threonine residues of proteins. O-GlcNAcylation through the HBP is considered a nutrient sensing mechanism that regulates many cellular processes. Yet little is known of its importance in GCs. Here, O-GlcNAcylation in GCs and its effects on GC proliferation were determined. Bovine ovaries from a slaughterhouse, staged to the mid-to-late estrous period were used. Follicular fluid and GCs were aspirated from small (3-5 mm) and large (>10 mm) antral follicles. Freshly isolated GCs of small follicles exhibited greater expression of O-GlcNAcylation and O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) than large follicles. Less glucose and more lactate was detectable in the follicular fluid of small versus large follicles. Culture of GCs revealed that inhibition of the HBP via the glutamine fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase inhibitor, DON (50 μM), impaired O-GlcNAcylation and GC proliferation, regardless of follicle size. Direct inhibition of O-GlcNAcylation via the OGT inhibitor, OSMI-1 (50 μM), also prevented proliferation, but only in GCs of small follicles. Augmentation of O-GlcNAcylation via the O-GlcNAcase inhibitor, Thiamet-G (2.5 μM), had no effect on GC proliferation, regardless of follicle size. The results indicate GCs of bovine antral follicles undergo O-GlcNAcylation, and O-GlcNAcylation is associated with alterations of glucose and lactate in follicular fluid. Disruption of O-GlcNAcylation impairs GC proliferation. Thus, the HBP via O-GlcNAcylation constitutes a plausible nutrient-sensing pathway influencing bovine GC function and follicular growth.
Bleeding Risk and Mortality Associated With Uninterrupted Antithrombotic Therapy During Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Placement.

Introduction Antithrombotic therapy is often interrupted before the placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube because of potentially increased risk of hemorrhagic events. The aim of our study was to evaluate the risk of bleeding events and overall complication rates after PEG in patients on uninterrupted antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy in a high-volume center. Methods Data regarding demographics, diagnoses, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes pertinent to PEG were collected from 2010 to 2016. Furthermore, data regarding antithrombotic therapy along with the rate of minor or major complications including bleeding associated with this procedure were analyzed. Significant bleeding was defined as postprocedure bleeding from PEG site requiring a blood transfusion and/or surgical/endoscopic intervention. Results We included 1,613 consecutive PEG procedures in this study, of which 1,540 patients (95.5%) received some form of uninterrupted antithrombotic therapy. Of those patients, 535 (34.7%) were on aspirin, 256 (16.6%) on clopidogrel, and 119 (7.7%) on both aspirin and clopidogrel. Subcutaneous heparin was uninterrupted in 980 (63.6%), intravenous heparin in 34 (2.1%), warfarin in 168 (10.9%), and direct-acting oral anticoagulation in 82 (5.3%) patients who overlapped on multiple drugs. We observed 6 significant bleeding events in the entire cohort (0.39%), and all were in subcutaneous heparin groups either alone or in combination with aspirin. No clinically significant bleeding was noted in patients on uninterrupted aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel, or direct-acting oral anticoagulation groups. Only 5 patients (0.31%) had PEG-related mortality. Discussion The risk of significant bleeding associated with the PEG placement was minimal in patients on uninterrupted periprocedural antithrombotic therapy.
Pulsed-Power Innovations Needed For Next-Generation, High-Current Drivers *

Next-generation, high-current pulsed-power drivers cannot be scaled to currents ~50 to 60 MA using the same design criteria that have been used successfully for the last 25 years. There are fundamental physics issues and engineering constraints that will lead to increases in total inductance. This is driven by water-transmission-line electric-field limits, vacuum-insulator electric-field limits, magnetically insulated transmission lines (MITL) vacuum power flow losses and vacuum electron flow, the post-hole convolute losses, and inner MITL current density limits. Saturn, Z, and ZR were built with similar design criteria. (ZR’s insulator stack operates at a peak electric field of ~150 kV/cm.) A next-generation pulsed-power (NGPP) driver must operate at >2× the present voltage of Z—everywhere—if the current rise time is held to the 100 ns (or less) required for hydrodynamic stability. This higher voltage will have a dramatic impact on load-coupling efficiency. Water breakdown and vacuum-insulator flashover have hard, electric-field constraints. The only way to sustain higher local voltages is to increase those local electrode gaps, which results in higher local inductance. The desire for minimal vacuum electron flow in the multiple, conical MITL’s forces their impedance up with higher voltages. This directly drives the MITL inductances up ( L ~ Zτ ). Similarly, all changes to the vacuum post-hole convolute for operational robustness result in a higher convolute inductance. The inner MITL’s must operate at linear current densities approaching 10 MA/cm. At current densities greater than a few MA/cm the MITL surfaces are fully ionized with dense, multi-eV plasmas in an intense radiation field. In the inner MITL, magnetic insulation must work with dramatically increasing electric fields at a time of declining currents.
A Ball-Balancing Demonstration of Distrubance-Accommodating Control

The modeling, analysis and design of a ball-balancing control system is considered. The control system is constructed and an optimal hybrid controller capable of absorbing external disturbance is fabricated. The controller design is based on the theory of disturbance-accommodating control, optimal control and digital delayed-data observer. Experimental results presented are useful for demonstrating the practicalilty aspects of the above theory.
The Ambiguous Legacy of Adwa as a National Symbol

The legacy that the Victory of Adwa left to the diverse cultural communities of Ethiopia as a national symbol is ambiguous. To the dismay of the diverse cultural communities of Ethiopia, who had fought back colonial rule successfully at Adwa, successive rulers embarked on a nation-building project, bent on bloody suppression of their cultural diversity to the language and religion of the particular cultural community privileged by the state, soon after their victory at Adwa. So, in what follows, I shall attempt to demonstrate that the true, lasting legacy of Adwa consists in patriotic solidarity and cultural diversity, rather than in its national symbolism, inasmuch as the country’s diverse cultural communities could be shown to have for so long been ambivalent about their collective accomplishment as a result of the bloody suppression of their particularistic identities by the central state in the wake of their triumph.
HEMODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF INCREASING HEMOGLOBIN|[lpar]|HGB|[rpar]| CONCENTRATION IN CHILDREN WITH A RIGHT-TO-LEFT|[lpar]|RL|[rpar]| VENTRICULAR SHUNT AND RELATIVE ANEMIA

The acute effects of increasing Hgb concentration were evaluated at cardiac catheterization in 7 children (age 0.3-7.5 yr) with a RL ventricular shunt and relative anemia. Diagnoses were tetralogy of Fallot in 6 and L-transposition with VSD and PS in 1. Before and 20 minutes after isovolumic partial exchange transfusion(PET) with 20ml/kg packed red cells the following were measured: Hgb, pO2, O2 consumption, O2 saturation (sat) and pressure in aorta, superior vena cava, right and left atrium. After PET, Hgb increased from 13.7±0.5 to 16.4±0.4gm% (p<.001, mean±SEM). Aortic (Ao) pO2 increased from 55.0±3.5 to 62.0±4.1 torr (p<.01) and Ao sat from 84.3±2.3 to 90.9±1.3% (p<.002). Effective pulmonary blood flow (Qef) increased by 17% from 2.72±0.10 to 3.17±0.10 L/min/M2 (p<.01) while RL shunt decreased by 59% from 1.44±0.29 to 0.59±0.10 L/min/M2 (p<.01). Systemic O2 transport increased from 658±48 to 738±46 ml/min/M2 (p<.002). After PET systemic resistance (Rs) increased from 15.9±1.1 to 20.0±1.4 units (p<.01). A significant relationship was found between % increase in Rs and both % decrease in RL shunt (y=20.44×0.32, r=.90,p<.01) and % increase in pO2 (y=.36×+2.88,r=.83,p<.02). Thus, increasing Hgb concentration in 7 children with a RL ventricular shunt and relative anemia decreased RL shunt and increased Qef, Ao sat, pO2, and O2 transport. These effects appear related to the increase in Rs following PET. Correcting relative anemia in children with a RL ventricular shunt may have significant hemodynamic benefits.
Disqualifying Specified Students from the Campus Psychological Service

Abstract Inasmuch as college mental health programs are ordinarily mandated and designed to provide a wide range of services, modalities of treatment, and a competent professional staff determined to assist students in various states of crisis, there is usually little thought or attention given to denying services to particular students. Nevertheless, most college mental health programs are, from time to time, beset by students who attempt to utilize their services in a manner that is highly inappropriate, sometimes quite disruptive, and, in extreme cases, even dangerous. This article will provide certain guidelines and criteria that may be used, when and if necessary, for disqualifying such students from utilizing the campus psychological service.
Abstract TP346: Hospital System Collaborative has Positive Impact on Door to Needle Times

Background: Target Stroke is a National quality initiative to increase administration of IV rtPA to within 60 minutes from arrival on at least 50% of eligible ischemic stroke patients. Historically...
Reversibility of acute B-cell leukaemia induced by BCR-ABL1.

Cancer is thought to arise from multiple genetic events that establish irreversible malignancy. A different mechanism might be present in certain leukaemias initiated by a chromosomal translocation. We have taken a new approach to determine if ablation of the genetic abnormality is sufficient for reversion by generating a conditional transgenic model of BCR‐ABL1 (also known as BCR‐ABL)-induced leukaemia. This oncogene1 is the result of a reciprocal translocation and is associated with different forms of leukaemia2. The most common form, p210 BCR‐ABL1, is found in more than 90% of patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia3,4 (CML) and in up to 15% of adult patients with de novo acute lymphoblastic leukaemia 5 (ALL). Efforts to establish a useful transgenic model have been hampered by embryonic lethality when the oncogene is expressed during embryogenesis6,7, by reduced penetrance or by extremely long latency periods 8,9 . One model uses the ‘knock-in’ approach to induce leukaemia by p190 BCR‐ABL1 (ref. 10). Given the limitations of models with p210, we used a different experimental approach11. Lethal leukaemia developed within an acceptable time frame in all animals, and complete remission was achieved by suppression of BCR‐ABL1 expression, even after multiple rounds of induction and reversion. Our results demonstrate that BCR‐ABL1 is required for both induction and maintenance of leukaemia.
Induction of Ca2+-Calmodulin Signaling by Hard-Surface Contact Primes Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Conidia To Germinate and Form Appressoria

Hard-surface contact primes the conidia of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides to respond to plant surface waxes and a fruit-ripening hormone, ethylene, to germinate and form the appressoria required for infection of the host. Our efforts to elucidate the molecular events in the early phase of the hard-surface contact found that EGTA (5 mM) and U73122 (16 nM), an inhibitor of phospholipase C, inhibited (50%) germination and appressorium formation. Measurements of calmodulin (CaM) transcripts with a CaM cDNA we cloned from C. gloeosporioides showed that CaM was induced by hard-surface contact maximally at 2 h and then declined; ethephon enhanced this induction. The CaM antagonist, compound 48/80, completely inhibited conidial germination and appressorium formation at a concentration of 3 microM, implying that CaM is involved in this process. A putative CaM kinase (CaMK) cDNA of C. gloeosporioides was cloned with transcripts from hard-surface-treated conidia. A selective inhibitor of CaMK, KN93 (20 microM), inhibited (50%) germination and appressorium formation, blocked melanization, and caused the formation of abnormal appressoria. Scytalone, an intermediate in melanin synthesis, reversed the inhibition of melanization but did not restore appressorium formation. The phosphorylation of 18- and 43-kDa proteins induced by hard-surface contact and ethephon was inhibited by the treatment with KN93. These results strongly suggest that hard-surface contact induces Ca2+-calmodulin signaling that primes the conidia to respond to host signals by germination and differentiation into appressoria.
What's so Great about the Great Moderation? A Multi-Country Investigation of Time-Varying Volatilities of Output Growth and Inflation

Changes in volatility of output growth and inflation are examined for eight countries with at least 140 years of uninterrupted data. Time-varying parameter vector autoregressions are used to estimate standard deviations of each variable. Both volatilities rise quickly with World War I and its aftermath, stay relatively high until the end of World War II, and then drop rapidly until the mid- to late 1960s. This Postwar Moderation typically yields the largest decline in output growth volatilities. For all countries, volatilities of both output growth and inflation fall more during this Postwar Moderation than during the Great Moderation, and often the difference is huge. Both volatilities typically reach their lowest levels following the Great Moderation. The Great Moderation often counteracts an increase in volatility that took place in the 1970s, particularly for inflation. In nearly all the countries in our sample, the recent financial crisis has eliminated the stability gains associated with the Great Moderation, and sometimes it has even eroded gains made during the Postwar Moderation. Periods in which a fixed exchange rate system was widespread are associated with relatively low volatilities for both variables. Based on our structural VAR identification, permanent shocks to output account for nearly all of the fluctuations in the volatility of output growth while shocks that have only a temporary effect on output explain most of the fluctuations in inflation volatility. These last two findings suggest that changes in the volatility for each variable are primarily driven by a fundamentally different type of disturbance.
Hematological changes elicited by prolonged intermittent aerobic exercise.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the acute and chronic effects of a strenuous work task, in a moderately high heat stress environment, upon selected hematological components. Twenty experienced long-distance runners competed in a 24-hr relay, running approximately one mile each hour in relay fashion. Food and fluid intake was allowed ad libitum during rest intervals. Blood samples were secured three times: (T1) within 1 hr prior to the start; (T2) approximately 10 min after the first mile run; and (T3) approximately 10 min after each subject completed his last mile run. Main blood variables of interest were Hb, Hct, total protein, albumin, WBC diff, Na+, K+, Cl−, Ca++, glucose, cholesterol, T-bilirubin, LDH, SGOT, CPK, BUN, uric acid, and creatinine. Within the limitations of this study, the following main conclusions appear warranted: (a) hemoconcentration changes between T1 and T2 may be the causative factor underlying the moderate, but significant, increases in the majority of other he...
Binding of purified lectins to guinea pig lymphocytes. Studies of the number, binding constant, and distribution of lens culinaris lectin A and Agaricus bisporus lectin molecules on lymphocyte surfaces.

Abstract The surface membrane of guinea pig lymphocytes contains discrete receptors for several different homogeneous lectins. Two very similar lectins from the lentil, LcL-A and LcL-B, bind to the same receptor. Three other lectins, AbL, WGA, and Con A, do not bind detectably to the LcL receptor. AbL binds to another discrete receptor to which none of the other lectin molecules bind. The LcL and AbL receptors are contained on different units, each of which is capable of independent movement on the cell surface. The normal distribution of LcL molecules on the surface is different than the distribution of AbL molecules. However, when lymphocytes are simultaneously incubated with LcL and AbL, the distribution of bound LcL molecules on the cell surface parallels the normal distribution of AbL molecules, which indicates that the movement of AbL molecules and AbL receptors on the surface can strongly influence the movement of LcL and LcL receptors. When lymphocytes are held in close contact by LcL or AbL, the lectin molecules and receptors appear to concentrate at the area of contact between two cells. A model is presented which suggests that the migration of lectins and lectin receptors can occur by a multicellular process.
Characteristics of laser—material interactions monitored by inductively coupled plasma—atomic emission spectroscopy

Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy was used for the study of the explosive removal of solid material by high power pulsed laser radiation. The effect of sample transport characteristics, laser power density, and the pressure pulse generated by the expansion of laser plasma are discussed.
Surgical Therapy of Mesothelioma

The treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma is controversial, particularly regarding the role of surgery. Though well accepted as a diagnostic modality, surgery is also frequently used to establish stage, provide palliation, and perhaps most controversially, to offer cytoreduction with the putative goal of delaying tumor progression and prolonging survival. Pleurectomy/decortication (PD) can achieve macroscopic complete resection; however, the ability to deliver effective postoperative radiation treatment is limited because of the risk of lung toxicity. Accordingly, it has been associated with higher rates of local recurrence compared to extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). Extrapleural pneumonectomy generally offers a more complete cytoreduction compared to PD but at the cost of increased morbidity and mortality. Adjuvant hemithoracic radiation is feasible following EPP and in most series local recurrence rates are lower after EPP than PD. There are no convincing data, however, to show that one procedure is superior to the other in terms of survival. Furthermore, no randomized data currently exist that demonstrate a survival benefit to any form of surgical cytoreduction over systemic treatment and supportive care. If cytoreductive surgery does have a beneficial effect on long-term survival, it will most likely be realized in patients with epithelioid tumors without nodal metastases.
Exoenzyme S of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ADP-ribosylates the intermediate filament protein vimentin.

Exoenzyme S, which had been thought to be unselective, catalyzes the ADP-ribosylation of only a subset of cellular proteins. The intermediate filament protein vimentin is one of the more abundant substrates. Disassembled vimentin, and proteolytic fragments of vimentin that cannot form filaments, is more readily ADP-ribosylated than is filamentous vimentin. Images
Modeling and analysis of permanent magnet synchronous motor by taking saturation and core loss into account

The modeling of permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) through the use of a per-phase equivalent circuit presents difficulties due to permanent magnet excitation and the machine's magnetic parameter variations at high operating levels of saturation. This paper describes the development of a two-axis circuit model for PMSM by taking machine magnetic parameter variations and core loss into account. The circuit model can be applied to both surface mounted magnet and interior permanent magnet rotor configurations. A method for online parameter identification based on no-load parameters and saturation level, to improve the model, is discussed in detail. Test schemes to measure the equivalent circuit parameters and to calculate saturation constants which govern the parameter variations are also presented.
Supervisory control for concurrent discrete event dynamic systems based on petri nets

The author proposes a control approach based on bag theory for control of concurrent DEDSs (discrete event dynamic systems) modeled by Petri nets. This approach includes the previous control mechanisms of Petri nets as a special case, and can be considered as a direct extension of the work of P.J. Ramadge and W.M. Wonham (1987, 1989). As a result, many results established within the framework of Ramage and Wonham can be generalized to the supervisory control of concurrent DEDSs. >
Estimating Traffic Flow Rate on Freeways from Probe Vehicle Data and Fundamental Diagram

Traffic flow rate information obtained from loop detectors is important for many traffic management applications. Given the installation and maintenance costs of such detectors is high, many transportation agencies are shifting to probe vehicle based traffic data. However, estimating traffic flow rates from probe vehicle data remains critical. This paper attempts to estimate traffic flow rates by utilizing a well-calibrated fundamental diagram in combination with the traffic speed information obtained from the probe vehicle. Different single-regime fundamental diagrams and aggregation intervals of the probe vehicle data are investigated in search of the combination that provides the most accurate estimate of flow rates. The results suggest that flow rates are best estimated by using fundamental diagram developed by Van Aerde. Moreover, estimates of flow rates during congested periods are found to be more accurate than free-flow periods.
Permanent magnet transverse flux machine with overlapping stator poles

A Transverse Flux Machine (TFM) topology with ring winding configuration is proposed. A novel approach for stator pole configuration is presented that ensures lower leakage between adjacent poles. The unique stator pole configuration permits an overlapping region between adjacent stator poles resulting in a significant improvement in space utilization that helps attain higher torque-to-volume ratio. In addition, the innovative pole design reduces the end winding length which helps reduce the copper mass. Simulation results are presented based on 3D Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Significant performance improvement was achieved compared to similar transverse flux machines.
Stage-dependent processing and localization of a Plasmodium falciparum protein of 130,000 molecular weight

Abstract A Plasmodium falciparum protein of 130,000 molecular weight (m.w.) has been identified, cloned in Escherichia coli, and completely sequenced (Kochan et al. 1986). The protein appeared to bind to soluble glycophorin, a host erythrocyte surface protein. In the present study, extracts of parasites from different intraerythrocytic stages were immunoblotted with antibodies, raised against a 30,000 m.w. fusion protein corresponding to the 3′ end of the 130,000 m.w. protein. It was demonstrated that the protein is synthesized at the trophozoite stage, accumulates at the schizont stage, and is processed at the merozoite stage to a triplet of three polypeptides. The processed proteins are present in the culture supernatant at the time of merozoite burst from the red cell. Immunofluorescent staining of the parasite at different intracellular stages indicates that the protein is localized on the parasite at the trophozoite stage. At late trophozoite stage, it appears to be transported to the erythrocyte cytoplasm, where it is present in small vesicles or inclusions. In mature schizonts the protein accumulates around the plasma membrane of the erythrocyte. At the segmenter stage, just prior to merozoite release, it appears also to surround the intracellular merozoite, as well as the erythrocyte plasma membrane. The soluble 130,000 m.w. protein binds to erythrocytes but binds significantly greater to erythrocyte membranes, suggesting it binds to an internal domain of glycophorin rather than the domain exposed on the surface. The 130,000 m.w. protein is present in 11 different geographic isolates of P. falciparum from diverse geographic origins. Its molecular weight is similar in all isolates.
Popularity, Funding for Health-Effect Research and Cell-Phone Addiction

Cell phones are convenient and increasingly more intuitive to operate. They come in hip, fanciful little packages with a growing range of extra features that deliver music, video, messaging, and Internet capabilities. Children have them, and some grownups are hooked by them. Adolescents and young adults are obsessed with and possibly addicted to the cell phone. The question of whether the brains of children are more susceptible to the radio-frequency fields emitted by cell phones than are those of adults remains open, and cannot be easily answered based on existing scientific knowledge. Obsessive, problematic, or excessive cell-phone use and functional impairment in adolescents have been observed worldwide.
A rapid multiparameter approach to study factors that regulate osteoclastogenesis: demonstration of the combinatorial dominant effects of TNF-alpha and TGF-ss in RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis.

Macrophages differentiate into osteoclasts in response to the critical cytokine RANKL. However, the efficiency of RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis can be profoundly influenced by various cytokines. While studies describing the isolated effects of particular cytokines on osteoclastogenesis have been performed, combinatorial effects of cytokines have not been addressed routinely due to the absence of an efficient assay system. To study the effects of cytokine combinations on osteoclast formation, we performed in vitro assays using either the RAW293 cell line or primary murine splenic macrophages as osteoclast precursors. Using a multiparameter cytokine plating method, we analyzed osteoclastogenesis in response to multiple combinations of the following inflammation-related cytokines: RANKL, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10. We further investigated the role of T-cell-related cytokine combinations on osteoclastogenesis by measuring osteoclast area in response to RANKL with IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, TGF-s, and TNF-α. Treatments with RANKL, TNF-α, and TGF-s induced maximal osteoclast formation, suggesting a role for these cytokines in the most aggressive forms of inflammatory bone loss. TNF-α alone, however, was unable to induce osteoclast formation in the absence of RANKL despite co-administration of other proinflammatory cytokines. IFN-γ was a potent inhibitor under all conditions, implicating T cells and NK cells in osteoclast inhibition. These studies demonstrate a rapid screening approach for identifying the potential collective effects of multiple factors on osteoclastic bone resorption.
World Bank Directives, Domestic Interests, and the Politics of Human Capital Investment in Latin America

Recent studies underscore the importance of international organizations in transmitting norms, ideas, and values to developing countries. But has this diffusion influenced government policy in less developed countries? During the past two decades, the World Bank has emphasized the need for Third World governments to increase the stock of human capital by investing in education and health. Specifically, it has encouraged developing countries to shift an increasing share of their resources toward primary education. The authors examine 13 Latin American countries between 1980 and 1992 to establish the relationship between World Bank project lending and government investment in human capital. They combine time-series cross-sectional analysis with field research to evaluate the World Bank's influence on government spending on education and health. Although the World Bank may be successful in convincing developing country technocrats to “invest in people,” this research suggests that it is less successful in co...
"Short stops": peer support of scholarly activity.

Objectives Clinical and administrative responsibilities limit time for faculty to pursue scholarly activities. Scholarly work is, for most, difficult to accomplish in isolation. Yet organized opportunities for faculty interaction toward this goal are often lacking. To support one another in scholarly pursuits, three faculty members met in small groups every four to six weeks for about an hour. These "short stops" within hectic clinical and teaching schedules were brief, at intervals long enough to accomplish individual work, feasible in most faculty schedules, and based on the expectation that participants would prepare for the sessions and ask for specific input from the other participants. Description Involvement as a fellow in the Ambulatory Pediatrics Association's Faculty Development Scholars Program illustrated the benefit of peer support and encouragement in embarking upon and making a commitment to clinical and educational research. In an effort to create such an environment, the author invited two pediatrics faculty members involved in student and resident education to meet every four to six weeks for about an hour with several goals in mind: (1) to define research questions based on clinical and educational work, (2) to brainstorm solutions for research barriers, (3) to interpret already-collected data, (4) to help each other meet deadlines, (5) to read and edit each other's work, and (6) to provide encouragement to fit this work into short stretches of time in busy schedules. Participants came to meetings prepared to present specific aspects of their work and to ask for specific input. Each meeting ended with the participants' setting personal goals for the next meeting. Frequent communication by e-mail and phone between meetings maintained the momentum. This continuity optimized the benefit of the short meetings. Discussion Within a year of implementing "short stops," there was an increase in new projects, submissions of abstracts to national meetings, presentations at national meetings, and submissions to journals. Although it cannot be shown that this was a direct result of "short stops," the three participants believe they are related. It appears that this format is optimal to promote active participation, sustain interest, and make use of mutual expectations to keep work on target. An unanticipated, but probably related, change was an increase in mentoring of residents' research projects by the program participants. As a result of our belief that the "short stops" method was successful in our small group, we went on to apply it in our 12-member division of general pediatrics. Twice-monthly breakfast or lunchtime meetings led by the author and another faculty member allow interested division members to attend depending on availability. Although this new process is in its early stages, half of the division members have already attended meetings. Just two months after starting the new group, each faculty participant has made a commitment to a next step toward a completed scholarly project.
Basal‐cell adenoma of the salivary gland: A benign adenoma that cytologically mimics adenoid cystic carcinoma

We describe the fine-needle aspiration cytology of two cases of basal-cell adenoma (BCA) of the parotid gland. Both consisted of groups of small uniform cells with scant cytoplasm and occasional single cells. Small amounts of metachromatic stroma were present in smears from one case. The cytologic and histologic similarities between (BCA) and the solid type of adenoid cystic carcinoma are emphasized. Unequivocal distinction between these two entities may not be possible by cytologic criteria alone.