cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pilot Randomized Trial of Tacrolimus/Everolimus vs Tacrolimus/Enteric-Coated Mycophenolate Sodium in Adult, Primary Kidney Transplant Recipients at a Single Center

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that the combination of tacrolimus (TAC) and everolimus (EVL) could become a viable option for use as standard maintenance immunosuppression in non−highly sensitized kidney transplant recipients. Methods We conducted a single-center, open-label, randomized pilot trial comparing two maintenance immunosuppression regimens in non−highly sensitized, adult, primary kidney transplant recipients: (TAC/EVL, Group A) vs our standard maintenance regimen of TAC plus enteric-coated mycophenolate mofetil (TAC/EC-MPS, Group B). In both treatment arms, dual induction therapy consisting of anti-thymocyte globulin (Thymoglobulin) and basiliximab was given. Early corticosteroid withdrawal (by 7–10 days posttransplantation) was also planned in both arms. There were 30 study participants, 15 per treatment arm. Results during the first 12 months posttransplantation are reported here. Results Between 1 month and 12 months posttransplantation, mean TAC trough levels ranged between 5 and 8 ng/mL in both arms. Mean trough EVL level in Group A ranged between 4 and 6 ng/mL, and mean EC-MPS dose in Group B ranged from 1440 mg at 1 month to 945 mg at 12 months. One patient in Group A vs three patients in Group B experienced a first biopsy-proven acute rejection during the first 12 months posttransplantation (P = .32). Four patients in each group experienced biopsy-proven chronic allograft injury (interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy) (P = .99). There was a slight trend toward more favorable renal function in Group A at months 1–3 posttransplantation (P = .06, .10, and .18 for estimated glomerular filtration rate, respectively). No graft failures or deaths were observed in either group during the first 12 months posttransplantation. Four patients in each group developed an infection during the first 12 months posttransplantation. Two patients in Group A developed new-onset diabetes after transplant during the 12-month follow-up period, vs no patients in Group B (P = .13). Conclusion TAC/EVL may be a viable alternative to TAC/EC-MPS for use as standard maintenance immunosuppression in non−highly sensitized kidney transplant recipients and should be given further consideration.
Oseltamivir for pandemic influenza preparation: Maximizing the use of an existing stockpile

With the threat of significant morbidity and mortality following an influenza pandemic, stockpiling of antiviral agents such as oseltamivir is recommended. Shelf-life extension was explored to maximize use of an existing stockpile. This analysis demonstrated that oseltamivir retains potency defined by United States Pharmacopeia acceptance criteria beyond the labeled expiration date.
Synthetic Triterpenoid Inhibition of Human Ghrelin O-Acyltransferase: The Involvement of a Functionally Required Cysteine Provides Mechanistic Insight into Ghrelin Acylation

The peptide hormone ghrelin plays a key role in regulating hunger and energy balance within the body. Ghrelin signaling presents a promising and unexploited target for development of small molecule therapeutics for treatment of obesity, diabetes, and other health conditions. Inhibition of ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT), which catalyzes an essential octanoylation step in ghrelin maturation, offers a potential avenue for controlling ghrelin signaling. Through screening a small molecule library, we have identified a class of synthetic triterpenoids that efficiently inhibit ghrelin acylation by the human isoform of GOAT (hGOAT). These compounds function as covalent reversible inhibitors of hGOAT, providing the first evidence of the involvement of a nucleophilic cysteine residue in substrate acylation by a MBOAT family acyltransferase. Surprisingly, the mouse form of GOAT does not exhibit susceptibility to cysteine-modifying electrophiles, revealing an important distinction in the activity and behavior betwe...
Prognostic Genomic Biomarkers for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Based on French-American-British (FAB) Subtypes

Background: The FAB classification system divides AML into eight subtypes, M0-M7, based on the blast cell morphology and its degree of myeloid maturation. It9s an older system to classify AML, but is still used in some treatment protocols. Some prognostic factors related to patient and tumor characteristics have been previously described for AML, including age, Karnofsky score, and karyotype etc. However, the prognostic genomic biomarkers for detailed FAB subtypes of AML are not well defined. Design: Whole genome sequencing data were analyzed in 197 cases of AML. Twenty-four mutation genes and 38 copy number altered genes were selected based on change rate >=2% as a cutoff. Kaplan Meier Survival analysis for these genes was performed in five FAB subtypes (M0-M5). M6 and M7 are excluded from this study because of small sample size (M6, n=3; M7, n=3). All sequencing data and corresponding pathology information were from The Cancer Genome Atlas (Acute Myeloid Leukemia, TCGA provisional) and were analyzed via cBioPortal bioinformatics tool. Result: Total of seven mutation genes and two copy number altered genes show prognostic values. TP53 gene mutation is associated with worse overall survival in M0 (n=18). DNMT3A gene mutation is associated with worse overall survival in M1 (n=44). Gene mutations of NPM1, FLT3, IDH1 and gene amplification of KMT2A are associated with worse overall survival in M2 (n=44). BRINP3 gene mutation is associated with worse overall survival in M3 (n=21). TP53 gene mutation and gene amplification of KMT2A and ERG are associated with worse overall survival in M4 (n=39). KRAS mutation is associated with worse overall survival in M5 (n=22). (Log-rank test, p Conclusion: These data suggest that different FAB subtypes of AML could have unique prognostic genomic biomarkers. Compared with whole exome sequencing, targeted gene sequencing for these biomarkers may save time and money for patients. Further studies are necessary to understand the biological effects of these gene mutations/amplifications and confirm the above associations. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Schizophrenia-Related Microdeletion Impairs Emotional Memory through MicroRNA-Dependent Disruption of Thalamic Inputs to the Amygdala.

Summary Individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) are at high risk of developing psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia. Individuals with 22q11DS and schizophrenia are impaired in emotional memory, anticipating, recalling, and assigning a correct context to emotions. The neuronal circuits responsible for these emotional memory deficits are unknown. Here, we show that 22q11DS mouse models have disrupted synaptic transmission at thalamic inputs to the lateral amygdala (thalamo-LA projections). This synaptic deficit is caused by haploinsufficiency of the 22q11DS gene Dgcr8 , which is involved in microRNA processing, and is mediated by the increased dopamine receptor Drd2 levels in the thalamus and by reduced probability of glutamate release from thalamic inputs. This deficit in thalamo-LA synaptic transmission is sufficient to cause fear memory deficits. Our results suggest that dysregulation of the Dgcr8–Drd2 mechanism at thalamic inputs to the amygdala underlies emotional memory deficits in 22q11DS.
Recommended Resources for Cancer Patients: Transitioning from Paper Pathfinders to LibGuides

ABSTRACTIn 2015, The Learning Center, a consumer health library at MD Anderson Cancer Center, embarked on a project to translate paper pathfinders into online Recommended Resources in Springshare’s LibGuides platform. This project was successfully undertaken by a small staff of librarians and health education specialists with a range of technical skills and allowed online access to resources available both online and in The Learning Center. This article briefly addresses the activities and decisions leading up to the adoption of LibGuides, outlines the process of creating more than 40 online Recommended Resources, and describes the outcomes to date.
The C* Axioms and the Phase Space Fomalism of Quantum Mechanics

In 1972, “Algebraic Methods in Statistical Mechanics and Quantum Field Theory” was published by Gerard Emch [8], giving the axioms for a physical system in an algebraic setting using the language of Irving Segal [19], and then continuing to obtain the C*-algebraic formalism for a physical system. Of these axioms, only the fifth contained an assumption that was questionable in its physical content. Bearing in mind that for each observable A and state φ, one obtains a distribution of values for the observed results of measurement, we have: Axiom 5: For any element A in the set of observables \(\mathfrak{A}\) and any non-negative integer n, there is at least one element, denoted A n , in \(\mathfrak{A}\) such that (i) the set of dispersion-free states for A n is contained in the set of dispersion-free states for A, (ii) = n for all φ in the set of dispersion-free states for A. (Here is the expectation of B in state φ.)
Delayed sternal closure does not reduce complications associated with coagulopathy and right ventricular failure after left ventricular assist device implantation

Delayed sternal closure (DSC) is occasionally adopted after implantation of left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Recent studies suggest that DSC be used for high risk group of patients with coagulopathy, hemodynamic instability or right ventricular failure. However, whether DSC is efficacious for bleeding complication or right ventricular failure is not known. This study is single center analysis of 52 patients, who underwent LVAD implantation. Of those 52 patients, 40 consecutive patients underwent DSC routinely. The sternum was left open with vacuum assist device after implantation of LVAD. Perioperative outcome of the patients who underwent routine DSC were compared with 12 patients who had immediate sternal closure (IC). Mean Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) level of IC group and DSC group were 2.7 and 2.6, respectively. Postoperative bleeding (643 vs. 1469 ml, p < 0.001), duration of inotropic support (109 vs. 172 h, p = 0.034), and time to extubation (26 vs. 52 h, p = 0.005) were significantly increased in DSC group. Length of ICU stay (14 vs. 15 days, p = 0.234) and hospital stay (28 vs. 20 days, p = 0.145) were similar. Incidence of right ventricular failure and tamponade were similar in the two groups. Routine DSC after implantation of an LVAD did not prove to be beneficial in reducing complications associated with coagulopathy and hemodynamic instability including cardiac tamponade or right ventricular failure. We suggest that DSC be selectively applied for patients undergoing LVAD implant.
Discrimination Increases Suicidal Ideation in Black Adolescents Regardless of Ethnicity and Gender

Background: Discrimination is a common experience for Blacks across various developmental periods. Although much is known about the effect of discrimination on suicidal ideation of adults, less is known about the same association in Black youth. Aim: We examined the association between discrimination and suicidal ideation in a national sample of Black youth. We also explored gender and ethnic differences in this association. Methods: We used data from the National Survey of American Life-Adolescents (NSAL-A), 2003–2004. In total, 1170 Black adolescents entered the study. This number was composed of 810 African American and 360 Caribbean Black youth (aged 13 to 17 years). Demographic and socioeconomic factors were controls, perceived discrimination was the predictor, and lifetime suicidal ideation was the outcome. Logistic regression was used to test the association between perceived discrimination and suicidal ideation in the pooled sample, as well as based on ethnicity and gender. Results: In the pooled sample of Black youth, higher perceived discrimination was associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.09; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.02−1.17). This association was significant net of age, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. We did not find interactions between perceived discrimination and ethnicity or gender on suicidal ideation. Perceived discrimination was associated with suicidal ideation in African Americans (CI = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.01−1.17) and Caribbean Blacks (CI = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.03−1.32), males (CI = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.00−1.25), and females (CI = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.00−1.16). Conclusion: Discrimination jeopardizes the mental health of Black youth. In a universal pattern, discrimination is associated with suicidal ideation in Black youth. More research is needed on this topic.
Emergency operations program is an excellent platform to deal with in-hospital operation disaster

Described herein is the utilization of the hospital's Emergency Operations Plan and incident command structure to mitigate damage caused by the sudden loss of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system within the entire operating room suite. The ability to ameliorate a devastating situation that occurred during working hours at a busy Level II trauma center can be ascribed to the dedication of the leadership and clinical teams working seamlessly together. Their concerted efforts were augmented by adherence to an established protocol that had been thoroughly substantiated and practiced during numerous training simulations. This resulted in successful and timely resolution of an internal crisis that crippled the surgical capabilities of the sole trauma center in the county. After thorough investigation and identification of the issues that contributed to the malfunction, redundancies were built into the system to ensure that a similar incident did not occur again .
Common New Presentations

The diagnosis in many patients can be made on the history and examination alone. Much is due to pattern recognition, i.e. a combination of typical symptoms and clinical signs coming together. Below is a list of the locomotor symptoms and clinical signs of some common rheumatological disorders.
Numerical Solution of a Control Problem for Optimal Cooling of Viscoelastic Films

Optimal cooling of thin viscoelastic films is of interest not only for researchers in materials engineering but also for industrial material producers. The basic goal is to cool a viscoelastic sheet from the temperature at which it is constructed to the lower temperature at which it will be used, in such a way that residual stresses in the sheet are minimized. In this paper, we discuss numerical techniques for computing such optimal temperature profiles.
Evaluating Variability in Immunization Requirements and Policy Among U.S. Colleges and Universities.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate variation in vaccine requirements, recommendations, and enforcement strategies among U.S. four-year colleges and universities. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study abstracting information from Web sites among a sample of 216 four-year colleges and universities from all 50 states and District of Columbia. Our primary outcomes of interest included: type and number of vaccines required for school entry, vaccines recommended by schools for students, and vaccines supplied through student health services. Covariates of interest included: school type, region, school size, mention of American College Health Association recommendations, presence of an accredited health center, mention of state requirements, presence of an enforcement strategy, and exemption stringency of the state in which the school was located. Results Almost all (94%) schools required at least one vaccine for school entry, and 48% required three or more vaccines. The most commonly required vaccines were measles, mumps, and rubella (88.4%) and meningococcal vaccine (51.9%). All schools required the same vaccines included in state requirements but 65% also required additional vaccines. Most schools (67.1%) used registration hold to enforce requirements, while 14.8% restricted students from campus housing and 2.8% dismissed noncompliant students. Seventeen percent of schools had no published enforcement strategies. A higher proportion of private compared to public universities required three or more vaccines (57% vs. 37.3%, p = .014). Conclusions While most schools have immunization requirements, there is significant variation in number and type of vaccines required. This suggests potential inconsistent uptake of recommended vaccines for college students and underlies the need to characterize facilitators and barriers to immunization program implementation on college campuses.
“Leaving Was a Process, Not an Event”: The Lived Experience of Dating and Domestic Violence in 140 Characters:

One of the most frequent refrains heard in the public discourse on intimate partner violence (IPV) is why do they stay? The literature has demonstrated that IPV victims face multiple barriers to sa...
Maintaining Long-Distance Relationships

The majority of relational maintenance research has focused on behaviors enacted to maintain geographically close relationships; that is, relationships in which the partners are able to see each other, face-to-face, and most days. Distance relationships have become increasingly common. Research suggests that as many as one million people annually report being in a long-distance romantic relationship. S. Armour noted that changes in technology and the workforce have led to record numbers of commuter marriages and other types of distance relationships. Controversy exists concerning how to measure distance relationships. A geographically-close relationship is one in which partners are able to see each other, if they choose, face-to-face, most days. A long-distance relationship is one in which both partners are not able to see each other, face-to-face, most days. The coping behaviors reported are typically distinguished from maintenance behaviors in that coping behavior tend to focus on one partner, whereas maintenance behaviors are more interactive in nature.
On the physical principles underlying electromagnetic induction

ABSTRACTThis paper provides a theoretical overview of some of the fundamental concepts underlying electromagnetic (EM) induction exploration methods using marine controlled-source EMs as an exempla...
Evaluation Tools for Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Learning Experiences: A Literature Review

Background: An interdisciplinary palliative care team began exploring evaluation tools used to assess changes in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of learners participating in clinical learning experiences on an interdisciplinary palliative care consult service. This article will review existing evaluation tools, examine the themes that emerge, discuss their strengths and limitations, and make recommendations for continued development in the field. Methods and Findings: A literature search was performed using the MEDLINE database. Search terms included combinations of the following: interdisciplinary education, assessment/evaluation, and palliative care or palliative care assessment/test. Four hundred eighty-seven articles were captured during the initial search. Articles that focused on student readiness for interdisciplinary education and team self-assessments of current interdisciplinary collaboration practices were excluded. Nine articles were included in the review. Evaluation tools varied in terms of learner type, assessment type, and frequency. No tool was comprehensive in the assessment of knowledge, skills, and attitudes or truly interdisciplinary. Conclusions: There is a lack of comprehensive and interdisciplinary evaluation tools in the published literature. Further research should be conducted to develop a tool that meets the needs of learners in clinical experiences within an interdisciplinary service.
A Paradigm Shift in the Understanding of Self-Deficits

Joseph Palombo, LICSW, a practicing psychotherapist, has written a dynamic and comprehensive book on treating patients with self-deficits resulting from neuropsychological disorders. He discusses t...
CA1 20-40 Hz oscillatory dynamics reflect trial-specific information processing supporting nonspatial sequence memory

Abstract The hippocampus is known to play a critical role in processing information about temporal context. However, it remains unclear how hippocampal oscillations are involved, and how their functional organization is influenced by connectivity gradients. We examined local field potential activity in CA1 as rats performed a complex odor sequence memory task. We find that odor sequence processing epochs were characterized by increased power in the 4-8 Hz and 20-40 Hz range, with 20-40 Hz oscillations showing a power gradient increasing toward proximal CA1. Running epochs were characterized by increased power in the 8-12 Hz range and across higher frequency ranges (>24 Hz), with power gradients increasing toward proximal and distal CA1, respectively. Importantly, 20-40 Hz power increased with knowledge of the sequence and carried trial-type-specific information. These results suggest that 20-40 Hz oscillations are associated with trial-specific processing of nonspatial information critical for order memory judgments.
Investigation of the content of multiple elements in the fruit planted in Shaoxing

Objective To investigate the contents of forty-four elements in the common fruits grown in Shaoxing. Methods The determination of 44 elements in 216 samples of ten kinds of fruits from Shaoxing was performed by national standard for food safety GB 5009. 94-2012 and GB 5009. 268-2016. Macroelements(K, Ca, Na, Mg), microelements(Li, B, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb) and rare earth elements(Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) were analyzed and discussed. Results The fruits were rich in K, Mg and Ca with the median value of 1673. 28, 93. 76 and 56. 80 mg/kg, respectively, and the contents of K, Mg and Ca in Actinidia were the highest among all kinds of fruits, with the median value of 2932. 87、193. 91 and 253. 77 mg/kg, respectively. The contents of microelements(Fe, B and Mn) in fruit were relatively high, the detection rate was 100. 0%, and the median value was 2. 31, 2. 27 and 1. 41 mg/kg, respectively. The contents of Sb, Li, As, Hg, V, Se and Ag were very low with the detection rates below 20. 0%. The contents of 16 kinds of rare earth elements in all kinds of fruits were low with the detection rates below 50. 0% except Ce. Conclusion The fruits planted in Shaoxing are rich in macroelements(K, Ca and Mg) and microelements(Fe, B and Mn), the pollution of toxic elements(Pb, Cd, Hg and As) are not serious, cadmium(Cd) in 13. 8% of strawberry is excess compared with the maximum levels of contaminants in foods(GB 2762-2017) and the contents of the 16 rare earth elements are very low.
Gaining traction: on the convergence of an inner approximation scheme for probability maximization

We analyze an inner approximation scheme for probability maximization. The approach was proposed in Fabian et al. (Acta Polytech Hung 15:105–125, 2018), as an analogue of a classic dual approach in the handling of probabilistic constraints. Even a basic implementation of the maximization scheme proved usable and endured noise in gradient computations without any special effort. Moreover, the speed of convergence was not affected by approximate computation of test points. This robustness was then explained in an idealized setting. Here we work out convergence proofs and efficiency arguments for a nondegenerate normal distribution. The main message of the present paper is that the procedure gains traction as an optimal solution is approached.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Levator Ani Damage, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse

MRI research has proven that levator ani muscle injury which occurs during birth is a dominant factor in the development of pelvic organ prolapse. The levator ani muscle consists of three portions: the pubococcygeal (also called the pubovisceral), the puborectal, and the iliococcygeal. The normal activity of these muscles closes the urogenital hiatus in the levator ani muscle and prevents stresses being placed on the pelvic connective tissues. MRI has revealed that vaginal birth, especially with forceps, injures the pubovisceral muscle in 10–15% of women delivering vaginally. MR imaging including fluid-sensitive scans at two time points (2 and 6 months after birth) shows that this injury is caused by muscle tearing, not neuropathy, or compression. When the injury involves more than half of the pubovisceral muscle, it is clinically significant. Women with prolapse have this injury 55% of the time compared to 16% in those with normal support, an odds ratio of 7.3. Levator injuries not only lead to reduced muscle contraction force and an enlarged hiatus but also a distortion of the fascial and levator arches on the pelvic wall. When this muscle failure exists, abdominal pressure pushes the organs downward through the enlarged hiatus stressing the suspensory tissues that attach the pelvic organs to the pelvic sidewalls resulting in prolapse.
An Automatic Overall Survival Time Prediction System for Glioma Brain Tumor Patients Based on Volumetric and Shape Features

An automatic overall survival time prediction system for Glioma brain tumor patients is proposed and developed based on volumetric, location, and shape features. The proposed automatic prediction system consists of three stages: segmentation of brain tumor sub-regions; features extraction; and overall survival time predictions. A deep learning structure based on a modified 3 Dimension (3D) U-Net is proposed to develop an accurate segmentation model to identify and localize the three Glioma brain tumor sub-regions: gadolinium (GD)-enhancing tumor, peritumoral edema, and necrotic and non-enhancing tumor core (NCR/NET). The best performance of a segmentation model is achieved by the modified 3D U-Net based on an Accumulated Encoder (U-Net AE) with a Generalized Dice-Loss (GDL) function trained by the ADAM optimization algorithm. This model achieves Average Dice-Similarity (ADS) scores of 0.8898, 0.8819, and 0.8524 for Whole Tumor (WT), Tumor Core (TC), and Enhancing Tumor (ET), respectively, in the train dataset of the Multimodal Brain Tumor Segmentation challenge (BraTS) 2020. Various combinations of volumetric (based on brain functionality regions), shape, and location features are extracted to train an overall survival time classification model using a Neural Network (NN). The model classifies the data into three classes: short-survivors, mid-survivors, and long-survivors. An information fusion strategy based on features-level fusion and decision-level fusion is used to produce the best prediction model. The best performance is achieved by the ensemble model and shape features model with accuracies of (55.2%) on the BraTS 2020 validation dataset. The ensemble model achieves a competitive accuracy (55.1%) on the BraTS 2020 test dataset.
Förster resonance energy transfer-based cholesterolysis assay identifies a novel hedgehog inhibitor.

Hedgehog (Hh) proteins function in cell/cell signaling processes linked to human embryo development and the progression of several types of cancer. Here, we describe an optical assay of hedgehog cholesterolysis, a unique autoprocessing event critical for Hh function. The assay uses a recombinant Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-active Hh precursor whose cholesterolysis can be monitored continuously in multi-well plates (dynamic range=4, Z'=0.7), offering advantages in throughput over conventional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) assays. Application of the optical assay in a pilot small molecule screen produced a novel cholesterolysis inhibitor (apparent IC50=5×10(-6)M) that appears to inactivate hedgehog covalently by a substitution nucleophilic aromatic (SNAr) mechanism.
Load-following and reliability studies of an integrated SP-100 system

This paper investigates the load-following characteristics of an integrated thermoelectric (TE) SP-100 system without a shunt regulator. The paper also analyzes the system's performance following a partial loss of the main radiator's surface area. This analysis shows that, although the nuclear reactor is always load following, the integrated system is load following only up to a critical value of the external load demand; beyond this point, the system is not load following. This critical value of the external load demand is almost independent of the initial steady-state power of the system. The load-following characteristics of a TE SP-100 system are also independent of the mode of changing the external load (steady-state or ramp change). In addition, the conversion efficiency and electric power output of the system decrease proportionally to the percentage loss in the main radiator's surface area.
Absence of the d-density-wave state from the two-dimensional Hubbard model

Using the dynamical cluster approximation (DCA) we calculate the alternating circulating-current susceptibility and investigate the transition to the $d$-density wave (DDW) order in the two-dimensional Hubbard model. The $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ cluster used in the DCA calculation is the smallest that can capture $d$-wave order; therefore, due to the mean-field character of our calculation, we expect to overestimate the DDW transition temperatures. Despite this, we found no transition to the DDW state. On the other hand, DCA captures well the pseudogap features, showing that the pseudogap is not caused by the DDW order. In the pseudogap region the DDW susceptibility is enhanced, as predicted by the slave boson $SU(2)$ theory, but it still is much smaller than the $d$-wave pairing susceptibility.
Femtosecond inter- and intra-band spectroscopy of semiconductor quantum dots

Summary form only given. Due to a large energy level spacing and an enhanced surface-to-volume ratio, carrier dynamics in strongly-confined semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are significantly different from those in bulk materials. The large level separation has been predicted to significantly inhibit energy relaxation due to a phonon bottleneck which, however, has been argued against by recent experiments. The relaxation of carriers from the lowest quantized states in NCs can be significantly faster than for radiative decay, which is due to enhancement of non-radiative processes associated, e.g., with surface trapping.
Parental health shocks, child labor and educational outcomes: Evidence from Tanzania

This paper examines the impact of parental illness on children's education. We find that only father's illness decreases children's school attendance. Father's illness also has long-term impacts on child education, as it decreases children's likelihood of completing primary school and leads to fewer years of schooling. However, we find no evidence that father's illness affects schooling through increased child labor. Instead, father's illness decreases household's income and reduces school attendance possibly because of the reduced ability of the family to afford education. In contrast, mother's illness and illness of other household members have no effect on children's schooling.
MediaPlayer™ versus RealPlayer™: a comparison of network turbulence

The performance of currently available streaming media products will play an important role in the network impact of streaming media. However, there are few empirical studies that analyze the network traffic characteristics and lnternet impact of current streaming media products. This paper presents analysis from an empirical study of the two dominant streaming multimedia products, RealNetworks RealPlayer™ and Microsoft MediaPlayer™. Utilizing two custom media player measurement tools, RealTracker and MediaTracker, we are able to gather application layer and network layer information about RcalPlayer and MediaPlayer for the same media under the same network conditions. Our analysis shows that RealPlayer and MediaPlayer have distinctly different behavior characteristics and exposes some of the impact of streaming media on the network and provides valuable information for building more realistic streaming media simulations.
Analytic Hypoellipticity of Operators of Principal Type

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses analytic hypoellipticity of operators of principal type. For differential operators of principal type, the following properties are equivqlent—hypoellipticity, analytic-hypoellipticity, sub-ellipticity. The chapter presents the fact that, for operators of principal type, the hypoellipticity condition implies analytic-hypoellipticity. By using the factorization formula for pseudodifferential operator, it is possible to replace modulo analytic regularizing operators.
Transnational mining corporations and sustainable resource-based livelihoods in Sierra Leone

This paper draws from world-systems and sustainable livelihoods approaches to analyze the connections between multinational exports of rutile (titanium oxide), diminished ecological resources and resource-based livelihoods, and gendered household dynamics in a peripheralized mining region in Sierra Leone. The discussion focuses on how the extraction of mineral resources instigated by exogenous capital investors forces links to household transformation, particularly the vulnerability context of women. Using archival records and field survey data, the case study of rutile mining in southwestern Sierra Leone connects the low-waged mining labour of traditional resource-based subsistence communities and deepening marginalization of and financial pressures on women in mining households to global mineral markets. The study focuses on women's coping mechanisms that are embedded within traditional social networks in relation to an external intervention, a low-tech mechanical cassava grater, intended to strengthen their livelihoods. It finds that the potential for this transformation is impeded by sociocultural, environmental and financial limitations.
The effect of thermal stress on the mating behavior of three Drosophila species.

Abstract Selection may act on the weakest link in fitness to change how a species adapts to an environmental stress. For many species, this limitation may be reproduction. After adult Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila simulans, and Drosophila mojavensis males were exposed to varying levels of thermal stress well below those that endanger life, courtship and mating frequency declined. The regression coefficients of both courtship and mating success did not differ significantly between D. melanogaster and D. simulans males. In contrast, significant differences were present between the two cosmopolitan species and D. mojavensis. Courtship frequency decreased at a much slower rate in D. mojavensis than in D. melanogaster and D. simulans, and while heat‐stressed D. mojavensis males continued to court, many did not mate. In the cosmopolitan species, courting males almost always mated successfully. Courtship behaviors, including wing waving, were observed in D. mojavensis at temperatures that prohibited flight...
Climatic effect on alfalfa dry matter production Part II. Summer harvests

Abstract Current information is inadequate to define those environmental variables most important in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) summer dry matter production and those associated with successive yield declines in the Northern U.S.A. Such knowledge is useful in alfalfa modelling strategies requiring the use of production-environmental relationships and in management stategies aimed at optimizing production throughout the season. The purpose of this study was to define for a three-harvest management system those environmental variables most important to early and late summer production and those related to summer yield declines (i.e., summer slump). Multiple regression analysis was used on 21 years of climate-yield data from the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station at Rosemount to delineate those important variables in the first three production years. Early summer yields were positively and negatively affected by solar radiation and wind, respectively, accounting for 24% of the explained variability in the first production year. In the second production year, minimum air temperature had a negative effect on early summer yield and accounted for 37% of the variability in yields. Potential evapotranspiration (PET) had a positive effect on yield and accounted for 33% of the variability in the third production year. Late summer yields in the first production year were dependent on the early summer moisture ratio of precipitation to PET. The negative relationship indicated that a dry period preceding late summer growth was beneficial to yields. Minimum air temperatures had a positive effect on yields in the second production year and accounted for 48% of the yield variability. In the third production year, precipitation accounted for 61% of the yield variability and had a positive effect on yields. Reduction in yields from spring to early summer harvest was most closely associated with the occurrence of dry springs and high minimum air temperatures in the early summer period. The yield reduction between successive summer harvests was associated with low precipitation in the late summer period. Results indicate that the relative importance of environmental variables to yield varies as the stand ages and that their effect can change over the course of the season (i.e., the effect of minimum air temperature on yield was negative in early summer and positive in late summer). These considerations should be accounted for in alfalfa growth models.
THE ADRENAL SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF HYDROCORTISONE IN CONGENITAL ADRENAL HYPERPLASIA (CAH) IS NOT AFFECTED BY VARYING THE DOSE SCHEDULE

THE ADRENAL SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF HYDROCORTISONE IN CONGENITAL ADRENAL HYPERPLASIA (CAH) IS NOT AFFECTED BY VARYING THE DOSE SCHEDULE
Dynamic interleaved slotted ALOHA: a multiple-access protocol for wavelength-division-multiplexed photonic networks

This paper introduces a preallocation-based multiple access protocol for wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) optically interconnected passive star-coupled networks. The objective is to combine the strengths of two other preallocation-based strategies, interleaved slotted ALOHA (I-SA) and interleaved time division multiple access with multiple buffers (I-TDMA*), while minimizing their inherent weaknesses. I-SA is a random access protocol which features good delay but poor maximum throughput. I-TDMA* is a static protocol which has excellent throughput but suffers from synchronization delay at low arrival rates. The new protocol, dynamic interleaved slotted ALOHA (DISA), is a random access protocol which combines the high capacity of I-TDMA* with the excellent latency characteristic of I-SA. This is achieved through a flow control mechanism which throttles the amount of traffic transmitted through the network based on the local load characteristics. No global information (other than packet acknowledgments) is necessary to implement this flow control mechanism; each node intelligently restricts network transmissions based only on the frequency of local packet arrivals and collisions. The protocol is described and discrete event simulation is used to compare the performance of DISA to I-SA and I-TDMA* over a range of system, load, and protocol parameters.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Thermally Controlled Formation of Fullerene−Diene Oligomers and Copolymers

A fullerene-based polymer has been obtained by the Diels-Alder cycloaddition of C60 with the bis-anthracene monomer Anth-CH 2 O(CH 2 ) 10 OCH 2 -Anth. This addition is fully reversible upon heating to 75°C, providing a fully thermoreversible polymer capable of multiple polymerization-depolymerization cycles
Dynamic universal wedge.

A computer‐controlled equivalent of the universal wedge was designed by moving one collimator with step‐wise constant velocity to produce the same primary‐dose profile as a 20×20‐cm2 conventional 58‐deg wedge. It was used for smaller fields without changing the profile and combined with open beams to alter the wedge angle. Output factors in air and wedge factors in air and water were determined experimentally for the dynamic wedge and compared to predictions based on the assumption that the primary dose is proportional to the number of monitor units that the point of interest is in the open portion of the beam. This model was found to be accurate within about 2% and the deviations caused by head‐scatter changes and collimator transmission after the moving collimator has passed. Measurements of the wedge factor in water indicated that the scatter factors for large wedged beams slightly exceeded those for open beams.
Collagen synthesis in cultured osteoblast-like cells.

Abstract The collagen synthetic capabilities of cultured mouse calvarial cells, previously characterized as of osteoblastic origin, were examined by incubating cell cultures of different ages with [ 3 H]proline. Collagenase digestion of medium and cell layer radioactive proteins indicated that up to 14% of the protein synthesized by these cells was collagen-like. The undigested and pepsin-treated radiolabeled collagenous molecules were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyaery lamide gels and ion-exchange chromatography directly and after reduction. Four-day-old cell cultures behaved similarly to intact calvarial bone in culture in that they synthesized only Type I collagen molecules and precursors. This observation together with previously determined biochemical changes in response to hormones support the characterization of these cells as osteoblasts. In older cell cultures, however, a small amount of Type III collagen was formed. This alteration in collagen phenotype in the osteoblast-like cells was accompanied by a decrease in the capacity of parathormone to stimulate cyclic AMP formation. The data suggest that the change in collagen phenotype in the older cells is due to a genotypic alteration upon ageing in culture.
Technique of making fish illustration 22

Ernsrichthys inrorzsus Stewart. holotype. from Rio Napo. Ecuador. 49.6 mm SL: lateral and dorsal views, scale bar is 5 mm. Drawings by Clara L. Richardson for D.J. Stewart. 0 Field Museum of Natural History: originally published in Fieldiana: Zoology n.s. 25 (136(l), 1985, pp. 14-15. Technique: pencil and graphite on paper: size of lateral view: S7.4 X 17.4cm; size of dorsal view: 57.4 x 36.6cm; reproduced in halftone.
A New Parameter for the Hysteretic Stress-Strain Behavior of Metals

Analysis of transient and steady state stress-strain hysteresis behavior of several structural metals reveals a new parameter, defined as the “Yield Range Increment”, which uniquely denotes the various transient phenomena including cyclic hardening, softening, relaxation, and creep and the steady state cyclic stress-strain behavior. All transient and steady state hysteresis branches of a given material appear to be identical in shape, after their Yield Range Increments, which are suitable portions of the initial “elastic” parts, are deleted. A mathematical model incorporating the Yield Range Increment is proposed. With the determination of the functional relationship between the newly proposed parameter and the several input variables of cyclic loading, this approach should lead to a unified approach for describing the cyclic stress-strain response of materials.
Toward a comparative analysis of three-dimensional shape measures

Measuring a system's capability to acquire accurate three- dimensional shape is important for validating the system for a particular application. Various system factors are reviewed that contribute to inaccurate shape. As shown in this paper, different shape measures do not do a complete evaluation but provide different information depending on the type of error. A partial-directed hausdorf (PDH) and complex inner product (CIP) measure that were previously introduced to measure two-dimensional shapes are now extended to measure three-dimensional shapes. PDH measures how close the 3D surface is to the ideal 3D surface within a predefined acceptable error margin, while the CIP measures how well the 3D surface correlates to the ideal 3D surface. Two variants of the CIP measure are used in this paper including a pure phase only filter and a normalized matched filter. The CIP measure is compared to the Procrustes metric for comparing shapes. Using a test case shape, the measures are compared and shown to provide varying information. Alone, any one measure cannot provide complete shape information. Combining measures provides a more robust three-dimensional shape measurement system. The shape measures are demonstrated first on three-dimensional data with controlled variation and then on laser ranging data.
Confined solitons in polyacetylene

Abstract The interchain coupling between neighboring chains in trans-polyacetylene gives rise to a confinement potential of Wla between a pair of solitons separated by distance l, where w is estimated to be 30-3K. The effect of the confinement potential on neutral and charged solitons are studied theoretically. At low temperatures (T≤50K) the neutral solitons are localized near the edge of polyacetylene crystal, which is consistent with a recent electron-nuclear triple spin resonance experiment. On the other hand the photogenerated charged soli ton pair forms bound states due to the confinement potential. We predict that the radiative decay of highly excited bound pairs to lower excited pairs give rise to the photoluminescence at low temperatures.
Studies on the lipid composition of developing soybeans.

Studies are reported on changes in fatty acid and lipid class composition in developing soybeans picked at intervals from ca. nine days after flowering to maturity. In the early stages of development of the bean, the lipid was virtually devoid of triglyceride and the major constituents consisted of glycolipids and phospholipids. As the bean developed, there was a rapid synthesis of triglyceride that paralleled the deposition of lipid. Simultaneously, unknown substances which occurred in relatively large amounts in the neutral, as well as the glycolipid and phospholipid, fractions of the immature bean diminished to less than 2% of the total lipid in the mature bean. The glycolipids and phospholipids also increased as the bean developed but at a much slower rate than the triglycerides and became minor components in the mature bean. The major component of the phospholipids in the immature bean was phosphatidic acid. It decreased as the phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and phosphatidyl inositol, as well as triglyceride, increased. The major component of the glycolipid fraction in the early stages of the development of the bean had the same migration pattern on two-dimensional thin layer chromatography as phosphatidic acid and gave a positive test for phosphorus; it also gave a positive test for glycolipids and was separated completely from phosphatidic acid and other phospholipids by column chromatography. It also decreased as the bean developed. Changes also occurred in the fatty acid composition of the developing bean. The percentage of saturated fatty acids decreased rapidly in the early stages of the development of the bean; oleic and linoleic increased rapidly as the bean developed. Linolenic acid increased rapidly to a maximum concentration in the early stages of the development of the bean and then gradually decreased as the bean matured.