cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting outcome at the bedside: the surgical intensive care unit: optimal mobility score

Commentary on: Kasotakis G, Schmidt U, Perry D, et al. The surgical intensive care unit optimal mobility score predicts mortality and length of stay. Crit Care Med 2012;40:1122–8[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] The science of predicting outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU) has long been the subject of debate. The hope of developing a prognostication model based on data that could be used to support clinical decision-making has not been realised. … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DCritical%2Bcare%2Bmedicine%26rft.stitle%253DCrit%2BCare%2BMed%26rft.aulast%253DKasotakis%26rft.auinit1%253DG.%26rft.volume%253D40%26rft.issue%253D4%26rft.spage%253D1122%26rft.epage%253D1128%26rft.atitle%253DThe%2Bsurgical%2Bintensive%2Bcare%2Bunit%2Boptimal%2Bmobility%2Bscore%2Bpredicts%2Bmortality%2Band%2Blength%2Bof%2Bstay.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1097%252FCCM.0b013e3182376e6d%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22067629%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1097/CCM.0b013e3182376e6d&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22067629&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F16%2F3%2F86.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000301813700010&link_type=ISI
A predictive study of organizational turnover rates

This study extends turnover research to the organizational level of analysis. For sales personnel, turnover rates were reliably predicted by local economic activity and average employee age, tenure...
Integrated Microfluidic Photonic Sensors

Fluid-filled on-chip polymer lenses incorporated into a microfluidic flow cytometer are used to localize excitation and allow for multi-parameter measurements. These improvements lower signal variation while maintaining throughput in a low-powered, disposable polymer chip device.
In vivo voltammetric monitoring of norepinephrine release in the rat ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and anteroventral thalamic nucleus

The role and contribution of the dense noradrenergic innervation in the ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST) and anteroventral thalamic nucleus (AV) to biological function and animal behaviors is poorly understood due to the small size of these nuclei. The aim of this study was to compare norepinephrine release and uptake in the vBNST with that in the AV of anesthetized rats. Measurements were made in vivo with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry following electrical stimulation of noradrenergic projection pathways, either the dorsal noradrenergic bundle (DNB) or the ventral noradrenergic bundle (VNB). The substance detected was identified as norepinephrine based upon voltammetric, anatomical, neurochemical and pharmacological evidence. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry enables the selective monitoring of local norepinephrine overflow in the vBNST evoked by the stimulation of either the DNB or the VNB while norepinephrine in the AV was only evoked by DNB stimulation. The alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine and the norepinephrine uptake inhibitor desipramine increased norepinephrine overflow and slowed its disappearance in both regions. However, control of extracellular norepinephrine by both autoreceptors and uptake was greater in the AV. The greater control exerted by autoreceptors and uptake in the AV resulted in reduced extracellular concentration compared with the v BNST when large numbers of stimulation pulses were employed. The differences in noradrenergic transmission observed in the terminal fields of the v BNST and the AV may differentially regulate activity in these two regions that both contain high densities of norepinephrine terminals.
Sequence of cardiovascular changes in IUGR in pregnancies with and without preeclampsia.

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the cardiovascular changes sequence in intrauterine-growth-restricted (IUGR) fetuses using Doppler ultrasound. Methods Sequential Doppler evaluations were carried out in 29 severe IUGR fetuses in pregnancies without maternal medical complications (group A) and in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (group B) delivered at ≤ 32 weeks. Nine fetal vessels and two cardiac valves were studied. Results One hundred and forty three Doppler studies were performed (median: five studies; range 3–9 per patient). There were 19 fetuses in the preeclamptic group and 10 fetuses in the second group. In group A IUGR fetuses, a progressive change was observed in the parameters studied more often than in group B IUGR fetuses (P < 0.05). In six cases, an abnormal tricuspid valve (TV) followed by an abnormal mitral valve (MV) Doppler was recorded prior to the occurrence of the intrauterine-fetal demise. Conclusions Our data indicate that (1) in patients without preeclampsia a series of cardiovascular changes almost always occurs in severe IUGR fetuses; (2) the changes preceding intrauterine demise are right cardiac failure followed by left cardiac failure; (3) in patients with preeclampsia, the sequential Doppler changes are unpredictable and are seen in a few patients only. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Selection of the optimum b factor for diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging assessment of ischemic stroke

The purpose of this study was to determine the diffusion sensitivity factor b that optimizes the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for both diffusion-weighted signal intensity and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCNR) when evaluating ischemic stroke by diffusion-weighted MRI. The relative contrast, noise levels, CNR, and ADCNR were calculated for typical ADC values in human brain, 780 m 2 /s in adults and 1200 m 2 /s in neonates in normal tissue, 20 – 40% less in acute and subacute stroke, and 50% more in chronic stroke. The optimum b factor depends strongly on the ADC, whether TE is fixed or varies with the b factor, whether CNR or ADCNR is measured, and anisotropy. The optimum b factor in adults is 1000 s/mm 2 in acute and chronic stroke, and 1200 s/mm 2 in subacute stroke. The optimum values are about 200 s/mm 2 lower in neonates than in adults. The CNR and ADCNR are within 10% of the optimum over at least a 2-fold range of b factors, from 68 –136% of the optimum b factor. If a single b factor is to be used for all situations, a diffusion b factor of 1000 s/mm 2 is recommended.
Mass Spectrometric Characterization of Full-length Rat Selenoprotein P and Three Isoforms Shortened at the C Terminus EVIDENCE THAT THREE UGA CODONS IN THE mRNA OPEN READING FRAME HAVE ALTERNATIVE FUNCTIONS OF SPECIFYING SELENOCYSTEINE INSERTION OR TRANSLATION TERMINATION

Selenoprotein P is an abundant extracellular glycoprotein. Its mRNA contains 10 UGAs in an open reading frame terminated by a UAA. This predicts that full-length selenoprotein P will contain 10 selenocysteine residues. Full-length selenoprotein P and three smaller isoforms that have identical N termini have been demonstrated. Selenoprotein P was purified from rat plasma, and the four isoforms were separated by heparin chromatography and SDS-PAGE. Mass spectrometric peptide analysis of the full-length isoform verified 357 of its 366 predicted amino acid residues, including its C terminus and all 10 selenocysteines. The C termini of the smaller isoforms were characterized by mass spectrometry. The shortened isoforms terminated where the second, third, and seventh selenocysteine residues were predicted to be. This suggests that all isoforms arise from the same mRNA and that the UGAs that specify the second, third, and seventh selenocysteines in full-length selenoprotein P can alternatively serve to terminate translation, producing the shorter isoforms.
A comparison of the Z, E/sub 8/, and Leech lattices for quantization of low-shape-parameter generalized Gaussian sources

In lattice vector quantization, the distortion associated with a given lattice is often expressed in terms of the G number, which is a measure of the mean square error per dimension generated by quantization of a uniform source. Subband image coefficients, however, are best modeled by a generalized Gaussian distribution, leading to distortion characteristics that are quite different from those encountered for uniform, Laplacian, or Gaussian sources. We have calculated the distortion associated with Z, E/sub 8/, and Leech (1967) lattice quantization for coding of generalized Gaussian sources and show that for low bit rates, the Z lattice offers both the best performance and the lowest implementational complexity. >
Malignant Hypertension during Cryoablation of an Adrenal Gland Tumor

The authors report a case of hypertensive crisis during cryoablation of an adrenal metastasis. This case is of particular interest not only because of the nature of the complication but also because of the timing of the hypertensive crisis. Based on their observations, the authors suggest that it may be prudent to pretreat this patient population with α-adrenergic blocking medications (eg, phenoxybenzamine), as is typically done for patients with neuroendocrine tumors such as pheochromocytoma. Preemptive intervention with these medications requires close collaboration between radiology and anesthesia care teams.
A novel peptide-based encoding system for one-bead one-compound peptidomimetic and small molecule combinatorial libraries

The "one-bead one-compound" (OBOC) combinatorial library method is highly efficient, especially when used with well-established on-bead binding or functional assays. Literally, millions of compounds can be screened concurrently within 1 to 2 days. However, structure determination of peptidomimetic and small molecule compounds on one single bead is not trivial. A novel, highly efficient, and robust peptide-based encoding system has been developed for OBOC peptidomimetic and small molecule combinatorial libraries. In this system, topologically segregated bifunctional beads, which are made by a simple biphasic solvent strategy, are employed for the preparation and screening of an OBOC combinatorial peptidomimetic and small molecule libraries. Testing molecules are on the outer layer, and the coding tags in the interior of the bead do not interfere with screening. The coding tag is a peptide containing a large number of unnatural alpha-amino acids derived from different building blocks used for generating the peptidomimetic or small molecule. By coupling common building blocks simultaneously to the scaffold of the testing compound and to the side chains of the alpha-amino acids on the coding peptide, extra synthetic steps are eliminated and the amount of undesirable side products is minimized. Positive bead decoding is easy and straightforward as there is no need for cleavage and retrieval of the coding tag, and positive beads can be sequenced directly with Edman degradation. To demonstrate the efficiency and simplicity of our encoding system, an encoded 158 400-member model peptidomimetic library has been generated and screened for ligands that bind to streptavidin. Potent and novel ligands with clear motifs have been identified.
Galactose Metabolism Plays a Crucial Role in Biofilm Formation by Bacillus subtilis

Galactose is a common monosaccharide that can be utilized by all living organisms via the activities of three main en- zymes that make up the Leloir pathway: GalK, GalT, and GalE. In Bacillus subtilis, the absence of GalE causes sensitivity to exog- enous galactose, leading to rapid cell lysis. This effect can be attributed to the accumulation of toxic galactose metabolites, since thegalEmutant is blocked in thefinal step of galactose catabolism. In a screen for suppressor mutants restoring viability to a galEnull mutant in the presence of galactose, we identified mutations in sinR, which is the major biofilm repressor gene. These mutations caused an increase in the production of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) component of the biofilm matrix. We propose that UDP-galactose is the toxic galactose metabolite and that it is used in the synthesis of EPS. Thus, EPS production can func- tion as a shunt mechanism for this toxic molecule. Additionally, we demonstrated that galactose metabolism genes play an es- sential role in B. subtilis biofilm formation and that the expressions of both the gal and eps genes are interrelated. Finally, we propose that B. subtilis and other members of the Bacillus genus may have evolved to utilize naturally occurring polymers of galactose, such as galactan, as carbon sources. IMPORTANCE Bacteria switch from unicellular to multicellular states by producing extracellular matrices that contain exopoly- saccharides. In such aggregates, known as biofilms, bacteria are more resistant to antibiotics. This makes biofilms a serious problem in clinical settings. The resilience of biofilms makes them very useful in industrial settings. Thus, understanding the production of biofilm matrices is an important problem in microbiology. In studying the synthesis of the biofilm matrix of Ba- cillus subtilis, we provide further understanding of a long-standing microbiological observation that certain mutants defective in the utilization of galactose became sensitive to it. In this work, we show that the toxicity observed before was because cells were grown under conditions that were not propitious to produce the exopolysaccharide component of the matrix. When cells are grown under conditions that favor matrix production, the toxicity of galactose is relieved. This allowed us to demonstrate that galactose metabolism is essential for the synthesis of the extracellular matrix.
NHERF Links the N-Cadherin/Catenin Complex to the Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor to Modulate the Actin Cytoskeleton and Regulate Cell Motility

Using phage display, we identified Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor (NHERF)-2 as a novel binding partner for the cadherin-associated protein, β-catenin. We showed that the second of two PSD-95/Dl...
A shared ICT infrastructure for Indian SME clusters

The micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector is one of the fastest growing industrial sectors all over the world. Clusters of small and medium enterprises have been very successful worldwide in promoting their growth. The contributions of MSME clusters to Indian economy in terms of increasing manufacturing capacities, increasing exports, employment generation etc. have been widely studied. The success of these clusters is largely due to the individual small firms of the cluster closely collaborating and sharing resources. Sharing is the theme of our paper, where we focus on understanding how productivity and efficiency of an SME cluster in developing region can be improved by furthering collaboration among its units. The hypotheses of our study were that (a) there exists limited sharing and collaboration through informal networks among SME cluster units in India, (b) these clusters could be more productive by improving the collaboration among cluster actors, and (c) the sharing and cooperation within the cluster can be improved with formal networks among the cluster entities. To validate our hypotheses, we undertook a field study of the SME jeans cluster in Bellary, Karnataka. In this paper, we have put forth our findings from the study, followed by a proposal of an affordable ICT infrastructure solution to increase collaboration and hence productivity of the enterprises in Indian SME clusters.
Ebola Virus Can Be Effectively Neutralized by Antibody Produced in Natural Human Infection

The activity of antibodies against filoviruses is poorly understood but has important consequences for vaccine design and passive prophylaxis. To investigate this activity, a panel of recombinant human monoclonal antibodies to Ebola virus antigens was isolated from phage display libraries constructed from RNA from donors who recovered from infection in the 1995 Ebola virus outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo. Antibodies reactive with nucleoprotein (NP), envelope glycoprotein (GP), and secreted envelope glycoprotein (sGP) were characterized by immunofluorescence and radioimmunoprecipitation assays. Four antibodies reacting strongly with sGP and weakly with GP and two antibodies reacting with NP were not neutralizing. An antibody specific for GP neutralized Ebola virus to 50% at 0.4 μg/ml as the recombinant Fab fragment and to 50% at 0.3 μg/ml (90% at 2.6 μg/ml) as the corresponding whole immunoglobulin G1 molecule. The studies indicate that neutralizing antibodies are produced in infection by Ebola virus although probably at a relatively low frequency. The neutralizing antibody may be useful in vaccine design and as a prophylactic agent against Ebola virus infection.
Dependence of Epitaxial ${\rm Ba}{({\rm Fe}_{1-{\rm x}}{\rm Co}_{\rm x})}_{2}{\rm As}_{2}$ Thin Films Properties on ${\rm SrTiO}_{3}$ Template Thickness

In our previous report, we demonstrated the growth of high-quality epitaxial Co-doped Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 (Ba-122) thin films using single crystalline SrTiO3 (STO) templates on (La,Sr)(Al,Ta)O3 (LSAT) substrates with pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Here, we report the dependence of the structural and superconducting properties of Ba-122 thin films on STO templates that were 2-150 unit cell (u.c.) thick. We obtained genuine epitaxial thin films with high crystalline quality and excellent superconducting properties for templates above a critical thickness, which was 50 u.c. for our growth condition. Although the quality of Ba-122 is excellent above the critical thickness, the best crystalline quality and superconducting properties were obtained on 100 u.c.-thick STO templates. The best-quality Ba-122 thin films show an on-set transition temperature (Tc, on-set) as high as 22.8 K, a transition width (ΔTc) as narrow as 1.3 K, and critical current density (Jc) as high as 3 MA/cm2 .
Digital Infrared Fundus Reflectance

An infrared sensor was inserted at the film plane of a fundus camera. The signal was visualized on an oscilloscope. In this manner we measured infrared reflectance from the surface of the fundus. The purpose was to characterize choroidal malignant melanomas more reliably than is done with infrared color translation photography. Control lesions were choroidal nevi, metastatic tumors, and disciform macular degenerations. Correlations were made with radioactive phosphorus (32P) uptake, fluorescein angiography, and histopathologic findings. Several cases are presented, one in which this new method of infrared detection was the first diagnostic test to detect the spread of a choroidal melanoma. The simplicity of this technique and its increased accuracy justify the needed further refinements.
John Carroll’s Views on Intelligence: Bi-Factor vs. Higher-Order Models

The development of factor models is inextricably tied to the history of intelligence research. One of the most commonly-cited scholars in the field is John Carroll, whose three-stratum theory of cognitive ability has been one of the most influential models of cognitive ability in the past 20 years. Nonetheless, there is disagreement about how Carroll conceptualized the factors in his model. Some argue that his model is best represented through a higher-order model, while others argue that a bi-factor model is a better representation. Carroll was explicit about what he perceived the best way to represent his model, but his writings are not always easy to understand. In this article, I clarify his position by first describing the details and implications of bi-factor and higher-order models then show that Carroll’s published views are better represented by a bi-factor model.
Total Positivity and Variation Diminishing Transformations

I. J. Schoenberg has made outstanding mathematical contributions in several areas of analysis. In particular, he fathered the subject of total positivity and continuously nurtured it with highly original and versatile research for more than five decades. I will review in this essay the concept of total positivity and the associated variation diminishing property emphasizing its wide scope in applications and its symbiotic mathematical relationships. I will also comment on recent developments (e. g., multivariate generalizations, connections to combinatorics) of this topic. In a companion essay I briefly discuss the important class of translation total positive kernels, the Polya frequency functions.
Light weight materials for automotive applications

As a result of more stringent requirements for improved fuel economy and emissions, there is a growing trend to substitute Al and Mg for conventional steel and cast irons in vehicles. This article describes some of the technical issues that must be considered if the automotive industry is to utilize these lightweight materials in larger volumes. Lightweight metals may be used in the vehicle in both wrought and cast forms. Aluminum, in the form of stamped sheet, has the potential to be used extensively in vehicle structures and closures. However, compared to steel, aluminum is more difficult to stamp and spot weld. Current research is exploring ways of improving the formability of Al alloys and developing alternate joining methods including adhesive bonding and fasteners. Mg, Al, and metal-matrix composite castings have the potential to be used as replacements for many ferrous castings in powertrain and chassis components. However, because of their different tribology, strength, and ductility, light-metal castings require improved foundry procedures and more sophisticated design rules before product engineers will use them in larger quantities. A major challenge for lightweight materials is the ability to produce a functional component at an acceptable price. The presentation will conclude with a cost-benefit perspective for typical light-metal applications in the automotive industry.
Shape and Curvature Data Fusion by Conductivity Analysis

This work deals with the design of a new approach to the fusion of sparse or incomplete sensory data, as required by intelligent robot systems in unstructured, highly uncertain environments.
Factors Associated with Student Performance in Advanced Accounting and Contemporary Financial Accounting Issues: An Empirical Study in a Commuter University

No prior study that we are aware of has considered the associations between motivation, actual ability, self-perceived ability, and distraction factors and student performance in advanced level undergraduate accounting courses. This study considers the associations between these four factors and student performance in Advanced Accounting and Contemporary Financial Accounting Issues. Students enrolled in a highly diversified, commuter, public university located in one of the largest cities in the United States provided responses to 12 questions used as independent variables.Of the three variables used as proxies for motivation, the grade the student would like to make in the course was found to be significantly associated with student performance, but intention to take the CPA exam or attend graduate school were not. Additionally, the grade in Intermediate Accounting II and GPA (used as proxies for actual ability) were found to be strong predictors of student performance. Self-perceived reading and listening abilities had moderate associations with student performance, but self-perceived writing and math abilities did not.Finally, holding non-accounting-related jobs, working high numbers of hours per week, and taking on higher course loads during the semester are factors which were, surprisingly, not significantly correlated with student performance. One important implication of this study is that accounting faculty need to find ways to motivate their students, but need not discourage them to take more courses per semester or work more hours per week outside of school.
Eukaryotic Mdr1/P-Glycoprotein Homologues: Unconventional Secretion Processes Mediated by a Growing Family of ATP-Dependent Membrane Translocators

Mdr1/P-glycoprotein, when overexpressed, can confer resistance of human tumor cells to multiple lipophilic cytotoxic drugs and this resistance is a major problem in cancer chemotherapy. When mouse and human mdr cDNAs were cloned and sequenced (10,17), one of the intriguing findings was that they showed homology to a family of bacterial active transport systems, including for example the E. coli hlyB gene, whose product is a membrane protein involved in the export of a hemolysin. This observation was the start of what has since been a very active and fruitful area of research, and in the past few years many Mdr/P-glycoprotein homologues have been identified in eukaryotes.
Aging, Forgiveness, and Health

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the relationships among aging, forgiveness, and health. We examine six issues that have either not received sufficient attention or that are especially salient in the field. First, we discuss evidence for age differences in forgiveness, the association of forgiveness with health and well-being, and whether there are age differences in the relationship between forgiveness and health. Second, we explain why it is important to distinguish between age, cohort, and life course effects in the aging and forgiveness literature. Third, we briefly review theoretical perspectives that suggest why people may become more forgiving as they grow older. Fourth, we discuss why forgiveness may be associated with health in late life. Fifth, we identify factors that may reduce the willingness and ability of older people to forgive. Finally, we highlight issues that may help those seeking to develop clinical applications for forgiveness in older adulthood.
Sufficient condition for the openness of a many-electron quantum system from the violation of a generalized Pauli exclusion principle

Information about the interaction of a many-electron quantum system with its environment, we show, is encoded within the one-electron density matrix (1-RDM). While the 1-RDM from an ensemble many-electron quantum system must obey the Pauli exclusion principle, the 1-RDM must obey additional constraints known as generalized Pauli conditions when it corresponds to a closed system describable by a single wave function. By examining the 1-RDM's violation of these generalized Pauli conditions, we obtain a sufficient condition at the level of a single electron for a many-electron quantum system's openness. In an application to exciton dynamics in photosynthetic light harvesting we show that the interaction of the system with the environment (quantum noise) relaxes significant constraints imposed on the exciton dynamics by the generalized Pauli conditions. This relaxation provides a geometric (kinematic) interpretation for the role of noise in enhancing exciton transport in quantum systems.
Dynamics of a High-Agility, Low-Power Coelostat Telescope

*† Control-moment gyroscopes (CMGs) are power-efficient attitude-control actuators that produce high torques for agile spacecraft. We propose the use of CMGs in actuating joint degrees of freedom in a spacecraft-mounted agile coelostat telescope, whose tasks include acquiring and tracking a high-speed target. High agility, on the order of several radians per second, is a priority for such a system; however, such capabilities are achieved with traditional actuators only at the expense of excessively high electrical power. The proposed design provides reactionless, agile slewing of a telescope for a small fraction of the power required by fixed rotors in a reaction wheel assembly. This study provides explicit equations of motion for the proposed system and demonstrates by simulation that a CMG-driven system offers the same agility with less than 10% of the power of a telescope actuated by reaction wheels. i/ ω = angular velocity of body i relative to inertial frame 0 i/j ω = angular velocity of body i relative to body frame j i i/j ω = time derivative in reference frame i of i/j ω j i ω = Jacobian matrix of partial angular velocity vectors j i Q = transformation matrix from body j coordinates to body i coordinates i θ = angle of body i relative to body i-1 i φ = gimbal angle of either CMG on body i i e = column matrix of basis vectors for body i ji e ˆ = basis vector in direction i within body j frame i I = inertia dyadic of body i about its center of mass ij G I = gimbal inertia dyadic of CMG j on body i ij R I = rotor inertia dyadic of CMG j on body i C I = inertia dyadic of combined CMG rotor and gimbal C i I = composite inertia dyadic of body i combined with attached CMG scissored pair ij h = rotor angular momentum of CMG j on body i net h = net rotor angular momentum of a general CMG scissored pair i T = sum of the generalized inertia torques in a system a i T = sum of the generalized active torques in a system a i τ = torque applied to the system along direction i
The God of the Galápagos

Darwin on Trial. By Phillip E. Johnson. Regnery Gateway, 1130 17th Street, NW Washington DC 20036, USA: 1991. Pp.195. $19.95.
Highly Oriented Superconducting Bi - Sr - Ca - Cu - Oxide Thin Films by the Solution Sol - Gel Process

Highly oriented Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x films were prepared on MgO and SrTiO3 substrates by the solution sol - gel (SSG) method. The tetra phasic sol containing bismuth, strontium, calcium and copper oxides was coated on the substrate by spin casting and calcined at 870*C for 10 minutes. X- ray diffraction patterns of the films showed the formation of the superconducting phase with preferential orientation along the C- axis. The microwave absorbtion data as a funtion of temperature revealed the onset temperature to be 90*K for the film coated on MgO substrate.
Can HIV-1 infection be cured?

A functional HIV-1 cure has been possible now. The ideal functional HIV-1 cure should get HIV-1 infected patients to the point where drugs are not needed after combination therapy and HIV-1 RNA cannot be detected in some patients.However, a functional HIV-1 cure is not equal to a cure for HIV-1, because HIV-1 RNA can still be detected in patients' latent infected cells and related symptoms have not been resolved completely. An era of eradication cure for HIV infection will be coming with further basic and clinical studies, especially when cleaning virus reservoirs by gene modifications successfully.
Assessment of the discriminative stimulus effects of the D3 dopamine antagonist PNU-99194A in rats: comparison with psychomotor stimulants.

The present study examined the discriminative stimulus effects of the D3 dopamine receptor antagonist PNU-99194A [5,6-di-methoxy-2-(dipropylamino)indan-hydrochloride] in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Eight rats were trained to discriminate cocaine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) from saline in a two-choice, water-reinforced drug discrimination procedure. In tests of stimulus generalization, PNU-99194A (1.25-40.0 mg/kg, s.c. and i.p.) did not substitute for cocaine. PNU-99194A (5.0-20 mg/kg) also did not significantly block the discrimination of cocaine (10 mg/kg), nor did it potentiate a low dose (1.25 mg/kg) of cocaine. A separate group of eight rats were trained to discriminate PNU-99194A from saline. These subjects met the discrimination criterion within an average of 68 (S.E.M. = 6.5) training sessions; the ED50 for PNU-99194A was 2.6 mg/kg. In stimulus generalization tests, cocaine (1.25-10 mg/kg) did not substitute for PNU-99194A, when administered by either i.p. or by s.c. injection. In addition, neither amphetamine (0.25-1.0 mg/kg) nor caffeine (8.0-64 mg/kg) produced stimulus generalization in these rats. These results indicate that D3 receptors do not play a critical role in the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine. Furthermore, although PNU-99194A is capable of establishing and maintaining discriminative stimulus control in rats, the effects of this D3-preferring antagonist are dissimilar from those of psychomotor stimulants. Given the unique behavioral profile of D3 receptor antagonists, the potential utility of these agents as adjunctive treatments for psychostimulant abuse is discussed.
Biological role of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) on cells of the myeloid lineage

M-CSF and GM-CSF are 2 important cytokines that regulate macrophage numbers and function. Here, we review their known effects on cells of the macrophage-monocyte lineage. Important clues to their function come from their expression patterns. M-CSF exhibits a mostly homeostatic expression pattern, whereas GM-CSF is a product of cells activated during inflammatory or pathologic conditions. Accordingly, M-CSF regulates the numbers of various tissue macrophage and monocyte populations without altering their "activation" status. Conversely, GM-CSF induces activation of monocytes/macrophages and also mediates differentiation to other states that participate in immune responses [i.e., dendritic cells (DCs)]. Further insights into their function have come from analyses of mice deficient in either cytokine. M-CSF signals through its receptor (CSF-1R). Interestingly, mice deficient in CSF-1R expression exhibit a more significant phenotype than mice deficient in M-CSF. This observation was explained by the discovery of a novel cytokine (IL-34) that represents a second ligand of CSF-1R. Information about the function of these ligands/receptor system is still developing, but its complexity is intriguing and strongly suggests that more interesting biology remains to be elucidated. Based on our current knowledge, several therapeutic molecules targeting either the M-CSF or the GM-CSF pathways have been developed and are currently being tested in clinical trials targeting either autoimmune diseases or cancer. It is intriguing to consider how evolution has directed these pathways to develop; their complexity likely mirrors the multiple functions in which cells of the monocyte/macrophage system are involved.
Energy, Environment, Economy, and Society

Energy is no less crucial to the environmental dimensions of human well-being than to the economic ones. Energy use and environmental problems are strongly interrelated. Energy systems are critical to the economy of nations and are slow to change. At the same time, environmental issues are critical to energy planning because environmental constraints and the costs of coping with them are as important as resource scarcity or the monetary costs of energy technology. Investments in energy efficiency are the most cost-effective way to simultaneously reduce the risks of climate change, oil import interruption, and local air pollution, and to improve the productivity of the economy. Energy and economics interact directly through supply and demand, prices, and capital investments.
Partial discharge characteristics and classification in oil-paper insulation under DC voltage

DC withstand voltage test is essential for examining the insulation condition of converter transformers. But it's hard to identify the partial discharge under DC voltage since there's no phase information as under AC voltage. The acceptance criteria of the routine test is that discharge number which exceeds 2000pC is less than 30 during last 30 minutes and 10 during last 10 minutes according to standard. This paper aims to study partial discharge characteristics and classify them to establish a fingerprint library of different oil-paper models. The basic parameters of DC partial discharge are discharge quantities q and time interval At between two discharges. The 2-dimensional image is obtained by mathematical processing based on these two parameters. The characteristics of different oil-paper insulation models are distinctive, which makes it possible to recognize the partial discharge caused by themselves or interference. Some statistical operators are discussed and compared in order to select specific ones which can distinguish signals from different models. Furthermore, the fingerprint library of these typical models is established. With this result, we can effectively diagnose DC partial discharge in oil-paper insulation.
Ground reaction force changes in hemiparetic gait following botulinum toxin injection

The objective of this study was to determine the functional (gait) changes in a hemiparetic subject with lower extremity spasticity using force components of the ground reaction forces (GRFs) follo...
RNA Primer Extension Hinders DNA Synthesis by Escherichia coli Mutagenic DNA Polymerase IV.

In Escherichia coli the highly conserved DNA damage regulated dinB gene encodes DNA Polymerase IV, an error prone specialized DNA polymerase with a central role in stress-induced mutagenesis. Since DinB is the DNA polymerase with the highest intracellular concentrations upon induction of the SOS response, further regulation must exist to maintain genomic stability. Remarkably, we find that DinB DNA synthesis is inherently poor when using an RNA primer compared to a DNA primer, while high fidelity DNA polymerases are known to have no primer preference. Moreover, we show that the poor DNA synthesis from an RNA primer is conserved in DNA polymerase Kappa, the human DinB homologue. The activity of DinB is modulated by interactions with several other proteins, one of which is the equally evolutionarily conserved recombinase RecA. This interaction is known to positively affect DinB’s fidelity on damaged templates. We find that upon interaction with RecA, DinB shows a significant reduction in DNA synthesis when using an RNA primer. Furthermore, with DinB or DinB:RecA a robust pause, sequence and lesion independent, occurs only when RNA is used as a primer. The robust pause is likely to result in abortive DNA synthesis when RNA is the primer. These data suggest a novel mechanism to prevent DinB synthesis when it is not needed despite its high intracellular concentrations protecting thus genome stability.
Coupling Tissue Type Plasminogen Activator to Carrier Erythrocyte Protects Against Plasma Inhibitors.

Abstract Conjugating tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to carrier red blood cells (RBC) restricts its permeation into tissues and pre-existing hemostatic clots, minimizing side effects, and prolongs its circulation, which permits it to be incorporated within nascent clot which it lyses from inside. We now report that RBC/tPA dissolves clots formed from mouse blood more effectively than free tPA, while they were equipotent against clots formed in vitro from PAI-1 KO mouse blood. To test whether tPA acquires resistance to plasma inhibitors when conjugated to RBC, we compared the activity of RBC/tPA vs free tPA in the presence of purified PAI-1, α2 macroglobulin (α2M) and α1anti-trypsin (α1AT). At equimolar concentrations, PAI-1 completely inhibited the activity of soluble tPA in vitro, whereas RBC/tPA retained 100% and 75% of its amidolytic and fibrinolytic activity, respectively. RBC/tPA, but not free tPA, was also resistant to equimolar concentrations of α2M and α1AT. However, tPA coupled to RBC pre-incubated with a mixture of hyaluronidase, heparinase and neuraminidase was as susceptible to inactivation by PAI-1, α2M and α1AT as free tPA. Further, tPA coupled to glycocalyx-stripped RBC bound two-fold more 125I-labeled PAI-1 than tPA coupled to naive RBC. We conclude that the RBC glycocalyx protects tPA from inactivation by PA inhibitors, likely by steric hindrance. This unexpected benefit may enhance the utility of RBC/tPA in thromboprophylaxis and suggests a previous under-appreciated role for the glycocalyx in modulating PA activity on the vasculature and other cell surfaces.
Radiative corrections to πl2 and Kl2 decays

Abstract We reexamine radiative corrections to π l 2 and K l 2 decays. We perform a matching calculation, including vector and axial vector resonances as explicit degrees of freedom in the long distance part. By considering the dependence on the matching scale and on the hadronic parameters, and by comparing with model independent estimates, we scrutinize the model dependence of the results. For the pseudoscalar meson decay constants, we extract the values f π = (92.1 ± 0.3) MeV and f K = (112.4 ± 0.9) MeV. For the ratios R π and R K of the electronic and muonic decay modes, we predict R π = (1.2354 ± 0.0002) × 10 −4 and R K = (2.472 ± 0.001) × 10 −5 .
The Logics of Business and the Logics of Post-Secondary Education: Neoliberal Policies in Canadian National and Provincial Policy

The authors contrast federal policies and policies in two provinces (British Columbia and Alberta) to explain the ways in which post-secondary education policy in Canada is influenced by neoliberal principles. Attention is given to how these principles are applied in the new universities context.
Strengths and Limitations from a Mathematical Perspective

This chapter goes into further detail about the underlying mathematics of the multiple inert gas elimination technique (MIGET), discussing the strengths and weaknesses. One limitation is because of the mass conservation equations that govern MIGET; smooth retention curves are present when there is fine irregularity between adjacent compartments. Another reason that fine detail is limited is experimental error: Smoothing stabilizes the distribution to random errors, but this limits the ability to discern high-frequency biological irregularity in the distributions. MIGET can separate regions of ventilation-perfusion (\( {\dot{V}}_{\mathrm{A}}/\dot{Q} \)) ratio ≥0.005 from shunt and \( {\dot{V}}_{\mathrm{A}}/\dot{Q} \) regions ≤100 from deadspace. When shunt and regions with \( {\dot{V}}_{\mathrm{A}}/\dot{Q} \) = 0.005 coexist, precise separation is difficult, but the total perfusion to the two regions is robust. The same is true for separating \( {\dot{V}}_{\mathrm{A}}/\dot{Q} \) regions close to 100 from deadspace. Minimal detectable mismatch is limited by smoothing: When the log standard deviation (LogSD) is ≥0.3 smoothing does not affect the recovered distribution. Although removing smoothing would allow distributions with LogSD ~ 0.1 to be measured, the results become variable because of random experimental error; thus, MIGET cannot tell trivial inequality from a homogeneous lung. MIGET can identify unimodal distributions when symmetrical or skewed and multimodal distributions up to three modes. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the “orange slice” diagram, the inert gas equivalent of the O2–CO2 diagram of Rahn and Fenn, and a graphical analysis based on the retention equation. It serves as the basis to discuss how random experimental errors affect MIGET.
Influence of magnetic field configuration on magnetohydrodynamic waves in Earth’s core

Abstract We develop a numerical model to study magnetohydrodynamic waves in a thin layer of stratified fluid near the surface of Earth’s core. Past studies have been limited to using simple background magnetic field configurations. However, the choice of field distribution can dramatically affect the structure and frequency of the waves. To permit a more general treatment of background magnetic field and layer stratification, we combine finite volume and Fourier methods to describe the wave motions. We validate our model by comparisons to previous studies and examine the influence of background magnetic field configuration on two types of magnetohydrodynamic waves. We show that the structure of zonal Magnetic-Archimedes-Coriolis (MAC) waves for a dipole background field is unstable to small perturbations of the field strength in the equatorial region. Modifications to the wave structures are computed for a range of field configurations. In addition, we show that non-zonal MAC waves are trapped near the equator for realistic magnetic field distributions, and that their latitudinal extent depends upon the distribution of magnetic field strength at the CMB.
BOX breakdown: A novel defect mode in a 14nm SOI FinFET technology

Unpredictable defect modes are predictably common to semiconductor manufacturing. These defects are often hard to detect, require significant innovation to resolve, and have a significant impact on product yield or reliability. Here we present a defect manifesting as an electrostatic breakdown of the buried oxide layer for, a 14nm FinFET technology. Detection, root cause analysis, and resolution is discussed, including process modifications to eliminate the defect.
Entwicklungswege des regulativen Staates — Ein Vergleich zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und Kanada

Der Artikel nimmt das Bild des regulativen Staates, das Giandomenico Majone in seinen Arbeiten zeichnet, zum Ausgangspunkt, um Strukturen, Prozesse und Inhalte regulativer Politik in den Vereinigten Staaten und Kanada vergleichend zu analysieren. Dabei zeigt sich, dass Majones Ansatz die amerikanische Regulierungspraxis nur bedingt erfasst und mit der Konzentration auf das Vorbild USA Traditionslinien wie die kanadische unterbelichtet lasst. Weil die Verankerung regulativen Staatshandelns in unterschiedlichen politischen Kulturen und institutionellen Ordnungen zu einer andersartigen Auspragung des regulativen Staates fuhrt, ist das Beispiel Kanada aus europaischer Perspektive aufgrund der groseren Nahe zu den eigenen politischen Systemen instruktiver als das amerikanische Modell. Es gilt folglich, die Aufmerksamkeit starker auf die nationale Filterung allgemeiner Entwicklungstrends und die unterschiedlichen Entwicklungswege, die daraus hervorgehen, zu richten.
Analyzing Regional Social Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an analysis of regional social systems. The analysis of a system involves examining the order imposed on certain elements connected by some kind of relationship. Complex systems are commonly ordered by hierarchical relationships, while simple systems may be organized by network relationships. Understanding the organization of a system requires understanding how, when, and where particular ordering relationships are imposed. In many respects, regional analysis is more akin to the kind of total system analysis espoused by the new environmentalists. Proponents of this approach, building on the conceptual advantage of examining systems rather than institutions, have more sophisticated notions of human–environmental interchange than the standard cultural ecologists and assume that no aspect of culture is less important than another in adaptation.
Metal Storage Disorders: Wilson Disease and Hemochromatosis

Hereditary hemochromatosis and Wilson disease are autosomal recessive storage disorders of iron and copper overload, respectively. These metals are involved in multiple redox reactions, and their abnormal accumulation can cause significant injury in the liver and other organs. Over the last few decades clinicians have developed a much better understanding of these metals and their mechanism of action. Moreover, sophisticated molecular genetic testing techniques that make diagnostic testing less invasive are now available. This article updates and discusses the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of these metal storage disorders.
The Decoupled-Style Prefetch Architecture

Decoupled processing seeks to dynamically schedule memory accesses in order to tolerate memory latency by prefetching operands. Since decoupled processors can not speculatively issue memory operations, control flow operations can significantly impact their ability to prefetch data. The prefetching architecture proposed here seeks to leverage the dynamic scheduling benefits of decoupled processing while allowing memory operations to be speculatively invoked. The prefetching mechanism is evaluated using the SPEC95 suite of benchmarks and significant reductions in cache miss rate are achieved, resulting in speed-ups of over 40% of peak for most of the inputs.
Regulatory and Operational Issues in EFT

The panel, with William Weber presiding, concentrated on the implications of current and impending changes in the payments system on the nature and scope of its regulatory framework.(1)