cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disparities in the completion of steps to kidney transplantation: Protocol for a systematic review

Introduction Disparities in access to transplantation have been well documented. The extant literature, however, focuses largely on disparities and related barriers for African-American patients and none has used the steps to transplantation as a guiding framework. This review will catalogue disparities in the steps to transplantation as well as the barriers and facilitators to completion of each step identified in the extant literature. The results of the review will be used to generate recommendations for future research to improve equity in access to kidney transplantation. Methods and analysis Standard procedures will be used in the conduct of the review. Searches will be performed using the following electronic databases: PubMed/Medline, PsycINFO, CINHAL, EMBASE, Cochrane library and Web of Science. Reports of original research will be eligible for inclusion if they are published from 2005 to present, written or available in English language, performed in the USA, enrol adult participants (18 years of age or more), and employ descriptive or observational designs. Two authors will independently screen retrieved articles for inclusion. MaxQDA will be used for data analysis and management. All included reports will be coded for article characteristics; disparities identified; barriers and motivators of completion of steps to transplantation; and proposed solutions to disparities and barriers. Each report will be coded independently by two authors and discrepancies resolved by discussion among the full team. A qualitative approach to data analysis is planned. Risk of bias will be assessed using standard procedures. Ethics and dissemination The findings will provide crucial information on the current status of disparities in access to transplantation. PRISMA guidelines will be followed in reporting the results of the review. It is anticipated that these results will inform research which seeks to increase parity in access to transplantation. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42014015027.
Granular Cell Tumors of the Larynx

Granular cell tumors of the larynx are relatively uncommon, always benign, and most commonly located in the posterior portion of the larynx. They are easily identified and should be differentiated from other lesions. A possible problem in the differential diagnosis is the presence of pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, which overlies the granular cell tumor and which may mimic squamous cell carcinoma. Careful histopathologic differentiation is important because the laryngeal granular cell lesion should be managed conservatively, with transoral local excision usually being adequate. The histogenesis of these lesions remains in doubt, with a neural or epithelial derivation being the most likely possibility.
A Pediatric Hospital Library Outpatient Outreach: Promoting Library Services to Outpatient Visitors and Evaluating Effectiveness

The libraries at a Texas-based pediatric hospital already had outreach methods in place for patients admitted to the hospital and their families. However, they lacked a method to reach out to famil...
Interpretation of Liu Xianglian——A Character in A Dream of Red Mansions

Liu Xianglian is a character in the Chinese classic A Dream of Red Mansions.It is true that this young man plays little in the novel and Cao Xueqin does not use much ink to portray him,but he has a unique personal charisma and rich cultural connotation and,we may argue,he throws a bright flashing light in the Ancient Chinese Art Gallery.
The Transformation of American Psychiatry

In seventeenth and eighteenth century America insanity was not perceived within a strictly medical framework or as a matter of pressing social concern. The number of mentally ill persons was small, and a low population density characteristic of rural and agricultural societies ensured their dispersal. Insanity, therefore, was largely an individual rather than a social problem. Indeed, the colonial period was notable for the virtual absence of physicians or hospitals specializing in the care and treatment of the mentally ill.
Convergence of the Faithful: Spiritual Care Response to Disaster and Mass Casualty Events

(2006). Convergence of the Faithful: Spiritual Care Response to Disaster and Mass Casualty Events. Journal of Pastoral Theology: Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 18-29.
DIKTUON: Purchasing at the Point of Need: An Acquisitions Pilot Project

Purchasing e-books by collection is not a new acquisition strategy for academic libraries. Title sets and subject subsets are readily available for purchase, and even title-by-title purchasing of e-books has become more prevalent over the last couple years. User-driven e-book purchasing is not entirely new either. Many libraries allow patrons to request titles for purchase, even if it is only by filling out a paper form at the Circulation Desk. However, selecting both print and electronic titles, individually or by a profiling process, in order to offer them for purchase at the point of user need (through the library’s online catalog or a vendor website) is still somewhat novel.
Further Evidence on the Shifting of Corporate Income Tax in Privately Owned Electric Utilities, 1948–1984

The purpose of this article is to empirically estimate the effects of the federal corporate income tax, dividend yield, and inflation on the rate of return in investor-owned electric utilities in the United States. Using data from the period before the seventies, some authors were able to show some evidence toward a partial shifting of the tax burden in regulated utilities. An attempt is made here to reexamine these findings and extend them into the eighties. The results point to a conclusion of a short-run partial shifting of about 60% in contrast to a mere 40% reported earlier. The results do not reject the hypothesis of a significant positive relationship between the dividend yield and the profit rate, contradicting the theory that dividend policy is irrelevant. Finally, there is some indication of a depressing effect of inflation on the rate of return during the most recent inflationary time period, 1974–1984.
Regulatory Considerations in Developmental Neurotoxicity of Organophosphorus and Carbamate Pesticides

Publisher Summary The assessment of chemical pollutants, including pesticides, for developmental neurotoxicity potential has been, and continues to be, an issue of intense scientific and public concern. Pesticide registration in the United States is conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the authority of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act. These regulations were both amended in 1996 with the promulgation of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). It is believed that exposure to environmental agents contributes to adverse developmental outcomes. Many pesticides and classes of pesticides, including the organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate (CM) pesticides, are known to affect the nervous system, and there are concerns regarding the potential for developmental neurotoxicity following early life exposures to these substances. This is particularly important because the unique behaviors and activities of children place them at greater risk for increased exposure to pesticides by multiple routes. Health effect test guidelines, which are standardized protocols that describe the conduct of defined toxicology studies, have been published by the EPA and by a number of other regulatory agencies throughout the world. The developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) includes measurements that are not assessed in any other available guideline studies, particularly in relationship to the developing organism, and has been shown to be a sensitive indicator of developmental insult. Evaluation and interpretation of DNT and comparative cholinesterase study data are conducted in accordance with agency risk assessment guidelines for developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and neurotoxicity.
Advanced endometrial cancer patients: Who responds to standard chemotherapy?

e16542 Background: The treatment for advanced stage endometrial cancer is toxic, only some women benefit from therapy, and there is no predictive model to determine who will respond and benefit from chemotherapy versus those who will not. The aim of this study was to evaluate 10 biomarkers relevant to endometrial cancer (ER, PR, Akt-P, Bcl-2, PTEN, p53, EphA-2, ErbB-2, Bax, and B-catenin) to explore for associations between biomarkers and response to therapy. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays was performed on 49 archived histopathology specimens from women undergoing surgery for advanced endometrial cancer and initially treated with chemotherapy alone. Digital software was used to measure the intensity and percentage of tissue stained for each biomarker, which was analyzed as categorical data applying cutpoints previously defined in the literature. Clinical data was collected, including progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Using Chi-square analysis and estimation of ...
Promotion Doesn’t End When Your Event Is Over: The Value of Post-Promoting Your Outreach

Column description. The Marketing column features essays about a variety of creative and innovative marketing strategies used to highlight collections or promote services in all types of libraries. Its purpose is to provide real examples of how libraries are using marketing and outreach techniques in interesting ways. The column offers practical insight from libraries engaged with marketing. In addition to marketing, the column also features essays on successful programs and events that promote the library. Readers are invited to suggest topics or projects by contacting the column editor, Katy Kelly.
Drawing the Lines of Contention: Networked Frame Contests Within #BlackLivesMatter Discourse

This research examines Twitter discourse related to #BlackLivesMatter and police-related shooting events in 2016 through a mixed-method, interpretative approach. We construct a "shared audience graph", revealing structural and ideological disparities between two groups of participants (one on the political left, the other on the political right). We utilize an integrated networked gatekeeping and framing lens to examine how #BlackLivesMatter frames were produced--and how they were contested--by separate communities of supporters and critics. Among other empirical findings, this work demonstrates hashtags being used in diverse ways--e.g. to mark participation, assert individual identity, promote group identity, and support or challenge a frame. Considered from a networked gatekeeping perspective, we illustrate how hashtags can serve as channeling mechanisms, shaping trajectories of information flow. This analysis also reveals a right-leaning community of BlackLivesMatter critics to have a more well-defined group of crowdsourced elite who largely define their side's counter-frame.
Self-Uncertainty, Leadership Preference, and Communication of Social Identity

ABSTRACTCommunication plays a significant role in directly or indirectly conveying information about social identity—about the groups we belong to and, thus, about ourselves. Because we need to reduce uncertainty about who we are, we seek reliable information about social identity and are influenced by trusted sources of such information. These sources are typically group leaders. I describe two social psychological theories of social influence and group processes—uncertainty-identity theory and the social identity theory of leadership—to argue that feelings of uncertainty about one’s self and social identity motivate a preference for leaders who we feel are “one of us.” Such leaders can have a communication style that is directive and “authoritarian” in targeting and demonizing outgroups and delivering an uncomplicated identity message. This type of leadership resolves identity uncertainty because it provides a distinctive, unambiguous, and consensual social identity.
Stress analysis of bonded patch and scarf repairs in composite structures

Abstract: This chapter describes a ‘super’ element as an alternative to conventional solid elements when analyzing scarf joint and scarf repair configurations in composite panels. The super element, which consists of a higher-order plate element for the adherends and a linear solid element for the adhesive, eliminates through-thickness discretization while providing complete three-dimensional stress and strain fields without constraints on the nature of the lamination and type of loading. The higher-order nature of the plate theory makes it suitable for analyzing thick laminates and sandwich panels comprised of numerous plies. This approach can support the design, analysis and verification testing of composite panels with unrepaired damage and a parametric range of scarf repair configurations with external patches.
Art and Mathematics Before the Quattrocento: A Context for Understanding Renaissance Architecture

This present paper briefly discusses Neolithic speculative geometry; the beginnings of history in the Middle East; the Greeks, first true mathematicians; the Romans, masters of engineering; and the Middle Ages. In the years immediately preceding the Renaissance, the qualitative view of neo-Platonic metaphysics slowly gave way to a more quantitative view of reality that would eventually allow science to progress at a steady pace. This transition was slow, and Renaissance scholars were still heavily influenced by long-held ideas on number symbolism and sacred geometry. As did their predecessors, Renaissance artists sought to incorporate meaning into their design by using a rational approach towards aesthetics. Theorists such as Barbaro, Pacioli, and Durer focused their efforts largely on concerns of geometry and proportion, often doing so within the context of the ideas presented here.
Three-Dimensional Krawtchouk Descriptors for Protein Local Surface Shape Comparison

Direct comparison of three-dimensional (3D) objects is computationally expensive due to the need for translation, rotation, and scaling of the objects to evaluate their similarity. In applications of 3D object comparison, often identifying specific local regions of objects is of particular interest. We have recently developed a set of 2D moment invariants based on discrete orthogonal Krawtchouk polynomials for comparison of local image patches. In this work, we extend them to 3D and construct 3D Krawtchouk descriptors (3DKDs) that are invariant under translation, rotation, and scaling. The new descriptors have the ability to extract local features of a 3D surface from any region-of-interest. This property enables comparison of two arbitrary local surface regions from different 3D objects. We present the new formulation of 3DKDs and apply it to the local shape comparison of protein surfaces in order to predict ligand molecules that bind to query proteins.
Endoscopic management of inflammatory bowel disease-associated complications

Purpose of review The main complications of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are strictures, fistulas, abscesses, and colitis-associated neoplasia. In addition to diagnosis, disease monitoring, and surveillance, endoscopy plays an important role in the management of those complications. This review is to provide up-to-date information in endoscopic treatment modalities for those complications. Recent findings The endoscopic therapy of IBD complication has evolved from balloon dilation of strictures to endoscopic stricturotomy, strictureplasty, stenting, fistulotomy, sinusotomy, and neoplasia ablation. These endoscopic approaches have provided minimally invasive treatment for those complications. Summary The advances in interventional IBD may be credited to our better understanding of the disease process and nature of targeted lesion, and execution of updated principles and techniques of endoscopy.
Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Professional Sumo Wrestlers: A Case Series.

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common traumatic injuries in professional sumo wrestlers. Further, ipsilateral reinjuries or contralateral ACL injuries after A...
OpenVINS: A Research Platform for Visual-Inertial Estimation

In this paper, we present an open platform, termed OpenVINS, for visual-inertial estimation research for both the academic community and practitioners from industry. The open sourced codebase provides a foundation for researchers and engineers to quickly start developing new capabilities for their visual-inertial systems. This codebase has out of the box support for commonly desired visual-inertial estimation features, which include: (i) on-manifold sliding window Kalman filter, (ii) online camera intrinsic and extrinsic calibration, (iii) camera to inertial sensor time offset calibration, (iv) SLAM landmarks with different representations and consistent First-Estimates Jacobian (FEJ) treatments, (v) modular type system for state management, (vi) extendable visual-inertial system simulator, and (vii) extensive toolbox for algorithm evaluation. Moreover, we have also focused on detailed documentation and theoretical derivations to support rapid development and research, which are greatly lacked in the current open sourced algorithms. Finally, we perform comprehensive validation of the proposed OpenVINS against state-of-the-art open sourced algorithms, showing its competing estimation performance.
Developing an Indigenous Goal-Setting Tool: Counting Coup.

Chronic illness self-management best practices include goal-setting; however, the goal theory that many tools employ relies on individualistic principles of self-efficacy that are not culturally consonant within many Indigenous communities. During the creation of the Baa nnilah program, a chronic illness self-management intervention, we developed a goal-setting tool specific to the Apsaalooke Nation. Emerging from an Indigenous paradigm and methodology, Counting Coup serves as a goal-setting tool that promotes the Apsaalooke culture, connects individuals with their ancestors, and focuses on achievement of goals within relationships. Future research and practice should be grounded in the historical and cultural contexts of local communities when designing and implementing goal-setting tools. Limitations to Counting Coup as a goal-setting tool include the need for program facilitators to have a relationship with participants due to Counting Coup's foundation in relational accountability and that the environmental context may pose difficulties for participants in moving towards healthy behavior change.
Poly(ethylene glycol)-Based Coatings for Bioprosthetic Valve Tissues: Toward Restoration of Physiological Behavior

Bioprosthetic valves (BPVs) have a limited lifespan in the body necessitating repeated surgeries to replace the failed implant. Early failure of these implants has been linked to various surface pr...
Technology intervention to support caregiving for Alzheimer’s disease (I-CARE): study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial

Informal caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) manage a complex spectrum of patient behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Mobile health information technologies have quickly become sources for modern social support and chronic disease management. These technologies can improve our understanding of how to care for patients with ADRD and their informal caregivers. A mobile telehealth intervention could help reduce caregiver burden and BPSD. This is a pilot randomized controlled trial of 60 dyads of patients living with ADRD and their caregivers, to test the feasibility and estimate the potential effect of the Brain CareNotes (BCN) mobile telehealth system. Participants will be recruited from two health systems. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the BCN intervention arm or usual care comparator. Data will be collected at baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-up. The primary objectives of this trial are to assess feasibility outcomes: (a) recruitment rate, (b) data completion, (c) BCN usability, (d) BCN acceptance, and (e) BCN use and assessed either on an ongoing basis or at 3- and 6-month post-intervention. A secondary objective was to estimate the intervention’s effects on caregiver burden and patient BPSD outcomes at 3 and 6 months, assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. The study will assess the intervention feasibility and potential effect size of the BCN telehealth system as a potentially scalable and lower-cost solution for addressing the ADRD public health crisis. Clinical Trials. NCT03119259 . Registered on April 18, 2017.
Capital Market Reactions to Congressional Events Leading to the Passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

The American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) was signed into law after the considerable congressional debate on January 2, 2013 to avert the fiscal cliff. We examine stock returns around major political and congressional events leading to the passage of the ATRA, which resulted in a partial resolution of the 2013 fiscal cliff and the government shutdown in 2013. We identify 18 congressional events associated with the fiscal cliff, the ATRA, and the partial government shutdown from November 7, 2012 to October 21, 2013. We find a positive stock market reaction on the days representing favorable steps toward averting the fiscal cliff, which threatened significant tax increases and spending cuts in the United States. We observe the opposite on days representing unfavorable initiatives that would have pushed the country over the fiscal cliff. We also find that some firm attributes and corporate governance measures are associated with the observed market reactions. Our results have policy, practical, and educational implications.
Assessment of mitral valve function in children and young adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using three-dimensional echocardiography.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to assess papillary muscle (PM) and mitral valve (MV) structure and function in children and young adults with mild and moderate hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) and to correlate them with HCM related adverse outcomes. Methods Transthoracic research 3DE was performed in HCM patients and controls matched for age and gender. Anterolateral and posteromedial PM mass, apical displacement of anterolateral PM, and left ventricular (LV) mass were measured and indexed to body surface area. The MV annulus and leaflet structure and function were analyzed. Individual PMs were manually planimetered by tracing the endocardial borders on each mid systole frame, taking care to distinguish PMs as distinct from the LV wall. Apical PM displacement was expressed as ratio of the distance between the apex and the base of the anterolateral PM to the entire length of the LV lateral wall (APL index). All 3DE measurements were correlated to adverse outcomes. Results Forty subjects were studied, including 20 HCM patients (age 18.1 ± 9.6 years, 16 male and 4 female), and 20 controls (18.2 ± 9.6 years, 16 male and 4 female). The indexed LV mass in HCM was 74.8 ± 25.8 g/m2 compared to 50.8 ± 12.4 g/m2 in controls (p = 0.001). The anterolateral, posteromedial and combined PM mass were 3.1 ± 2.2 g/m2, 1.7 ± 1.2 g/m2 and 4.9 ± 2.7 g/m2 in HCM, in contrast to respective measurements of 1.1 ± 0.6 g/m2, 1.2 ± 0.6 g/m2 and 2.3 ± 0.8 g/m2 in controls (p Conclusion It is feasible to evaluate PM muscles and MV annulus geometry in children and young adults with HCM using 3DE. The morphologic and functional changes of anterolateral PM may occur in the absence of MV annulus changes. Prospective validation will be required to determine if LV lateral wall length and LV mass may be used as predictors of adverse events.
Decreases in Hepatitis C Testing and Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare services, reducing opportunities to conduct routine hepatitis C virus antibody screening, clinical care, and treatment. Therefore, people living with undiagnosed hepatitis C virus during the pandemic may later become identified at more advanced stages of the disease, leading to higher morbidity and mortality rates. Further, unidentified hepatitis C virus–infected individuals may continue to unknowingly transmit the virus to others. Methods To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, data were evaluated from a large national reference clinical laboratory and from national estimates of dispensed prescriptions for hepatitis C virus treatment. Investigators estimated the average number of hepatitis C virus antibody tests, hepatitis C virus antibody–positive test results, and hepatitis C virus RNA–positive test results by month in January–July for 2018 and 2019, compared with the same months in 2020. To assess the impact of hepatitis C virus treatment, dispensed hepatitis C virus direct-acting antiretroviral medications were examined for the same time periods. Statistical analyses of trends were performed using negative binomial models. Results Compared with the 2018 and 2019 months, hepatitis C virus antibody testing volume decreased 59% during April 2020 and rebounded to a 6% reduction in July 2020. The number of hepatitis C virus RNA–positive results fell by 62% in March 2020 and remained 39% below the baseline by July 2020. For hepatitis C virus treatment, prescriptions decreased 43% in May, 37% in June, and 38% in July relative to the corresponding months in 2018 and 2019. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic, continued public health messaging, interventions and outreach programs to restore hepatitis C virus testing and treatment to prepandemic levels, and maintenance of public health efforts to eliminate hepatitis C infections remain important.
Prescription Opioid Laws and Opioid Dispensing in US Counties: Identifying Salient Law Provisions With Machine Learning.

BACKGROUND Hundreds of laws aimed at reducing inappropriate prescription opioid dispensing have been implemented in the United States, yet heterogeneity in provisions and their simultaneous implementation have complicated evaluation of impacts. We apply a hypothesis-generating, multistage, machine-learning approach to identify salient law provisions and combinations associated with dispensing rates to test in future research. METHODS Using 162 prescription opioid law provisions capturing prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) access, reporting and administration features, pain management clinic provisions, and prescription opioid limits, we used regularization approaches and random forest models to identify laws most predictive of county-level and high-dose dispensing. We stratified analyses by overdose epidemic phases-the prescription opioid phase (2006-2009), heroin phase (2010-2012), and fentanyl phase (2013-2016)-to further explore pattern shifts over time. RESULTS PDMP patient data access provisions most consistently predicted high-dispensing and high-dose dispensing counties. Pain management clinic-related provisions did not generally predict dispensing measures in the prescription opioid phase but became more discriminant of high dispensing and high-dose dispensing counties over time, especially in the fentanyl period. Predictive performance across models was poor, suggesting prescription opioid laws alone do not strongly predict dispensing. CONCLUSIONS Our systematic analysis of 162 law provisions identified patient data access and several pain management clinic provisions as predictive of county prescription opioid dispensing patterns. Future research employing other types of study designs is needed to test these provisions' causal relationships with inappropriate dispensing and to examine potential interactions between PDMP access and pain management clinic provisions. See video abstract at, http://links.lww.com/EDE/B861.
Caregiver perceptions of importance of COVID-19 preventative health guidelines and difficulty following guidelines are associated with child adherence rates.

OBJECTIVE: To describe child adherence to four preventative-health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate caregiver-level correlates of adherence. METHOD: Two hundred thirty-six caregivers (75% female) of children ages 6-12 years (Mage = 8 years; 53% male) living in the United States rated child adherence to four preventative-health guidelines between 10/16/2020 and 11/14/2020. Caregivers also rated perceived importance of each guideline in limiting virus spread and perceived difficulty in obtaining child compliance. RESULTS: Child adherence was highest for mask-wearing (median [Mdn] = 96%) and hand hygiene (Mdn = 95%). Adherence to social distancing guidelines was lower. Mdn adherence for social distancing with family outside the household was 80%, and Mdn adherence for social distancing with friends was 72%. Furthermore, for each of the four guidelines, fewer than half the sample reported 100% adherence (range = 20%-43%). Adherence was positively associated with caregiver perceptions of importance of a given behavior in limiting virus spread (rs = .38-.62) and negatively associated with perceived difficulty in gaining child compliance (rs = -.37-.25). DISCUSSION: Current results indicated parents perceive child adherence to social distancing more challenging than child adherence to mask wearing or hand hygiene. Lower caregiver perceptions of importance of the behavior and greater perceived difficulty in gaining child compliance were associated with lower adherence to all tasks. Brief targeted interventions (e.g., motivational interviewing, parent behavior management training) may be well suited to enhance caregivers' perceptions of value of the behavior, while also addressing behavioral challenges that interfere with child adherence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Aspects of Steroid Metabolism in the Foeto-Placental Unit and the Newborn Infant

One of the striking features of steroid metabolism during human pregnancy is the marked rise in urinary oestrogen excretion. The urinary concentrations of all oestrogens are increased, compared to the non-pregnant levels, but the increase of the 16α-hydroxylated oestrogens is particularly great. The critical role of the foetus in the increased oestrogen production of pregnancy was first shown by Cassmer (1) who found that after inducing foetal death in utero, the maternal pregnanediol** excretion fell slightly but the oestrogen excretion showed a marked decrease. Frandsen and Stakeman (2) reported the first evidence, based on studies of oestrogen excretion by women bearing anencephalic foetuses, that the foetal adrenal gland may produce essential oestrogen precursors. They found that these women, bearing infants with the adrenal hypoplasia characteristic of the anencephalic anomaly, excreted greatly reduced amounts of oestrogens, particularly the 16a-hydroxylated oestrogen, oestriol.
Nanoemulsion mucosal adjuvant uniquely activates cytokine production by nasal ciliated epithelium and induces dendritic cell trafficking

While the nasal mucosa is a potentially useful site for human immunization, toxin-based nasal adjuvants are generally unsafe and less effective in humans. Safe mucosal adjuvants that activate protective immunity via mucosal administration are highly dependent on barrier antigen sampling by epithelial and DCs. Here, we demonstrate that protein antigens formulated in unique oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) result in distinctive transcellular antigen uptake in ciliated nasal epithelial cells, leading to delivery into nasal associated lymphoid tissue. NE formulation also enhances MHC class II expression in epithelial cells and DC activation/trafficking to regional lymphoid tissues in mice. These materials appear to induce local epithelial cell apoptosis and heterogeneous cytokine production by mucosal epithelial cells and mixed nasal tissues, including G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12, IP-10, KC, MIP-1a, TGF-β, and TSLP. This is the first observation of a nasal adjuvant that activates calreticulin-associated apoptosis of ciliated nasal epithelial cells to generate broad cytokine/chemokine responses in mucosal tissue.
Symbolic automata: the toolkit

The symbolic automata toolkit lifts classical automata analysis to work modulo rich alphabet theories. It uses the power of state-of-the-art constraint solvers for automata analysis that is both expressive and efficient, even for automata over large finite alphabets. The toolkit supports analysis of finite symbolic automata and transducers over strings. It also handles transducers with registers. Constraint solving is used when composing and minimizing automata, and a much deeper and powerful integration is also obtained by internalizing automata as theories. The toolkit, freely available from Microsoft Research, has recently been used in the context of web security for analysis of potentially malicious data over Unicode characters.
Should Superclasses be Abstract

In object-oriented design and languages, abstractness of classes is a concept whose relationship to other concepts is not yet fully understood and agreed upon. This paper clarifies the concept of abstractness and examines the relationship between abstractness and inheritance. It does this by discussing several aspects of the so-called abstract superclass rule, a design rule for object-oriented programming which requires that all superclasses be abstract. In the course of this discussion, we evaluate in which situations this rule should be considered beneficial.
Mixing at the Carbon-Hydrogen Discontinuity during the Dredge-Up Phase in Low-Mass AGB Stars

We have modeled a 0.7 M⊙, Z=0.001 thermally pulsing AGB star using a diffusion approximation to convection and using revised opacities for cool, carbon-rich matter. Although these models do not exhibit mixing of carbon to the stellar surface during the dredge up phase, these models do have a thin convective region that forms in cool, carbon-rich matter. This thin convective region creates a mixture of carbon and hydrogen that acts as a significant source of neutrons during the next thermal pulse.
Stress cracking of nylon polymers in aqueous salt solutions

A previous investigation (J. Mater. Sci.22 (1987) 1707) has shown that nylon polymers are susceptible to stress cracking by aqueous calcium chloride at slightly elevated temperatures (50° C). In the present study, the nylon-salt interactions were investigated using thin films of both nylon 6 and nylon 6,6. Chemical, thermal, infrared and dynamic mechanical analyses were performed along with tensile property determinations. Weight gain measurements indicated that above 50° C large increases in sorption occurred for films immersed in either aqueous calcium, lithium, or magnesium chlorides. Both salt ions and water were absorbed at the elevated temperature. In contrast to these results, the data for sodium chloride indicated that only water was absorbed at all temperatures. The sorption process was shown to be physically reversible since the absorbed salt could be removed by immersion in pure water. Moreover the sorption of the salt solution at 100° C did not produce chemical degradation or significant crystallization of the nylons. At higher temperatures the absorbed salt did modify the recrystallization behaviour and increase theTg of the nylons. Significant reductions in tensile modulus were observed for nylon films equilibrated in the salt solutions and tensile elongations at rupture were increased. The effect of increasing temperature and salt type on the sorption process parallels the previously observed stress-cracking activity of the aqueous salt solutions. It is therefore suggested that a plasticization-like mechanism is responsible for the salt-induced crazing of the crystalline nylons.
Conversion of Tire Waste Using Subcritical and Supercritical Water Oxidation

The properties designed into tires that make them strong and chemically resistant also inhibit their ability to be recycled easily Conventional liquid solvents do not sufficiently dissolve waste tires and tire production material for convenient separation. Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) may provide an alternative solution to this environmental problem. Partial SCWO can be used as a means to partially break down rubber (polymeric) waste materials into lower molecular weight components that could be recovered as a chemical feedstock. In this study, the feasibility of converting waste material from tire production into useful products is explored. Batch SCWO studies illustrate the ability to efficiently break down the waste tire production material into a range of lower molecular weight organics for possible reuse depending on reaction conditions. Furthermore, a semi-continuous process has been developed and preliminary results are presented. Destruction efficiencies of greater than 0.9 were obtained i...
Rapid analysis of sorbitol, galactitol, mannitol and myoinositol mixtures from biological sources

The three commonly found hexitols mannitol, sorbitol and galactitol are well separated from each other and from myoinositol by gas chromatography as their butylboronate derivative on Dexsil-400, on a 1:1 mixture of OV-1 and OV-17, or on a DB-17 fused-silica capillary column. The method allows all four substances to be measured by autosampling electron ionization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in small tissue samples at organ concentrations as small as 5 mumol/kg wet mass in less than 4 min. Comparisons were made to determine the relative sensitivity of GC-MS and other detection methods. The order of sensitivity was electron ionization GC-MS greater than chemical ionization GC-MS greater than flame photometric detection using a boron-selective filter greater than hydrogen flame ionization detection.
Polydnavirus infection inhibits translation of specific growth-associated host proteins

The wasp Campoletis sonorensis injects a polydnavirus (CsPDV) along with its egg during parasitization of Heliothis virescens larvae. CsPDV protects the wasp egg and larvae by selectively disabling the host's cellular immune response, and by altering host physiology, growth, and development. Among the changes in host physiology brought about by CsPDV infection is a rapid, and specific decline in the translation of fat body mRNAs encoding selected major plasma proteins. Translational inhibition of the synthesis of all storage protein monomers, p82 (Riboflavin binding hexamer), and p74/p76 (arylphorin), occurs upon infection with CsPDV. Moreover, the prewandering peak of the plasma enzyme juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) was blocked by CsPDV injection. Northern blotting of fat body mRNA demonstrated that transcript levels of storage proteins were not affected by infection. Plasma titers of the iron binding proteins transferrin (p72) and ferritin (p24/26), and of the plasma juvenile hormone binding protein (p25) were not changed by CsPDV infection. That storage protein and JHE synthesis are translationally suppressed, while the synthesis of other plasma proteins continues apace, suggests that CsPDV infection may lead to translational discrimination among available mRNAs in CsPDV infected fat bodies. The effect of this translational discrimination is to shunt host resources away from larval growth and adult development, which presumably makes them available to the developing endoparasitoid.
Non-equilibrium dynamics for impurities in semiconductors

Abstract This paper summarizes the ‘first-principles’ calculations of the vibrational properties of impurities, which are critical to the optical identification of defects. The issue of temperature control for non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) is discussed. Applications of NEMD include the calculations of the temperature-dependence of vibrational lifetimes and of the thermal conductivity of semiconductors as a function of their impurity content.
On the geometry and homology of certain simple stratified varieties

Abstract We study certain mild degenerations of algebraic varieties which appear in the analysis of a large class of supersymmetric theories, including superstring theory. We analyze Witten’s σ -model [Nucl. Phys. B 403 (1993) 159] and find that the non-transversality of the superpotential induces additional singularities and a stratification of the ground state variety. This stratified variety admits certain homology groups such that ⊕ q H 2 q satisfies the “Kahler package” of requirements [Ann. Math. Studies 102 (1982) 303]. Also, this ⊕ q H 2 q extends the “flopped” pair of small resolutions [Nucl. Phys. B 416 (1994) 414; Nucl. Phys. B 330 (1990) 49; Commun. Math. Phys. 119 (1988) 431] to an “(exo)flopped” triple, and is compatible with both mirror symmetry [S.-T. Yau (Ed.), Mirror Manifolds, International Press, Hong Kong, 1990; B. Greene, S.-T. Yau (Eds.), Mirror Manifolds II, International Press, Hong Kong, 1996] and string theory [Mod. Phys. Lett. A 12 (1997) 521; Nucl. Phys. B 451 (1995) 96] results. Finally, we revisit the conifold transition [Nucl. Phys. B 330 (1990) 49] as it applies in our formalism.
Existence theorems for lagrange control problems with unbounded time domain

Existence theorems are proved for usual Lagrange control systems, in which the time domain is unbounded. As usual in Lagrange problems, the cost functional is an improper integral, the state equation is a system of ordinary differential equations, with assigned boundary conditions, and constraints may be imposed on the values of the state and control variables. It is shown that the boundary conditions at infinity require a particular analysis. Problems of this form can be found in econometrics (e.g., infinite-horizon economic models) and operations research (e.g., search problems).
Finite element analysis of viscous incompressible flows using primitive variables

Abstract This paper contains an overview of the primitive variable finite element models of viscous, incompressible fluids in three-dimensional enclosures, with emphasis on penalty finite element models. The mixed and penalty finite element models are described and their computational aspects are discussed. Methods for the solution of large systems of equations associated with the finite element analysis of three-dimensional problems are also discussed. Numerical results are included to illustrate the applicability of the penalty finite element model and solution methods described here.
High-Precision Narrow Angle Astrometry with a Space-Borne Interferometer

This paper develops an observing and processing scheme for narrow angle astrometry using a single baseline interferometer without the aid of "grid" stars to characterize the interferometer baseline vector in inertial space. The basic concept derives from the recognition that over a narrow field the set of fundamental unknown instrument parameters that arise because the interferometer baseline vector has large uncertainties (since there are no grid star measurements) is indistinguishable from a particular set of unobservable errors in the determination of star positions within the field. Reference stars within the narrow field of regard are used to circumvent the unobservable modes. Feasibility of the approach is demonstrated through analysis and example simulations.
Analysis of Metal Ion Dependence in glmS Ribozyme Self‐Cleavage and Coenzyme Binding

The bacterial glmS ribozyme is mechanistically unique among both riboswitches and RNA catalysts. Its self-cleavage activity is the basis of riboswitch regulation of glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) production, and catalysis requires GlcN6P as a coenzyme. Previous work has shown that the coenzyme amine of GlcN6P is essential for glmS ribozyme self-cleavage, as is its protonation state. Metal ions are also essential within the glmS ribozyme core for both structure and function of the ribozyme. Although metal ions do not directly promote catalysis, we show that metal ion identity and the varying physicochemical properties of metal ions have an impact on the rate of glmS ribozyme self-cleavage. Specifically, these studies demonstrate that metal ion identity influences the overall apparent pK(a) of ribozyme self-cleavage, and metal ion binding largely reflects phosphate oxygen affinity. Results suggest that metal ions take alternative roles in supporting the mechanism of catalysis.
Water Entry into Silica Glass During Slow Crack Growth

Hydrogen concentration depth profiles on surfaces of SiO[sub 2] glass fractured slowly in water and rapidly in oil were determined by nuclear reaction analysis. It was found that water enters SiO[sub 2] glass during slow crack growth in water. The present observation has important implications for slow crack growth as well as fatigue of some silica glasses, suggesting the type of reaction involved in stress-corrosion. The correct strength reduction mechanism of silica glass under stress by water in the environment must involve entry of water into the glass.
Matrix Fluctuation−Dissipation Theorem: Application to Quantum Relaxation Phenomena

We recently derived a matrix fluctuation−dissipation (MFD) theorem, which directly relates the spectral intensities to the eigenvalue fluctuations of a quantum system. Here additional properties of the MFD theorem are presented. MFD is a microcanonical version of the fluctuation−dissipation theorem for a single high-energy state embedded in a dissipative quantum-mechanical bath. This is useful in applications to vibrational relaxation, which can be exactly described by the MFD formula if a single initial state carries all the oscillator strength. MFD versions of formulas for the dilution factor (σ) and fraction of occupied phase space (F) are derived, which can be used to compute these quantities exactly without knowledge of the eigenfunctions. Computational applications are given in a companion paper.
Biological control of invasive aquatic and wetland plants by arthropods: a meta-analysis of data from the last three decades

Results from the last three decades of aquatic and wetland plant biological control by arthropods were combined using meta-analytical techniques to provide an objective, quantitative understanding of control efficacy that cannot be provided by available narrative reviews. Analyses were performed to determine if differences exist in how well diverse biocontrol agents perform, and if experimental design can impact study results. Across all analyses, biocontrol of the included plants was generally successful. Though little heterogeneity in efficacy was seen between the individual biocontrol agents used, all experimental design analyses showed significant differences between respective study types. Thus, study design can significantly impact the results of biocontrol studies. From these results, we suggest that field studies with controls be performed using subsamples of an area (quadrats, transects, etc.), with biomass or density being the plant variable measured. More long-term (two or more years) and non-target effect studies could also be performed in the future.
The influence of particle size and residual charge on electrostatic interactions between charged colloidal particles at an oil-water interface.

Electrostatic repulsive interaction forces between charged spherical colloidal particles at an oil–water interface are numerically studied by solving the standard three-dimensional Poisson–Nernst–Planck model. We directly compute the electrostatic force on a finite-size spherical particle and our results are applicable to all inter-particle distances without distinguishing short ranges and long ranges. The model successfully captures the scaling relationship of the force and the separation distance (d) between two charged particles at both short ranges (exponential dependence) and long ranges (∼d−4). The model also bridges these two ranges and provides quantitative information in the middle range. In addition, by assuming that there is a small residual electric charge at the particle–oil interface, the standard model is capable of quantitatively predicting the repulsive particle–particle interaction force over a large range of the separation distance between two particles. The favorable agreement between experiments and theoretical predictions also leads one to conclude that the standard model adequately describes the particle–particle interactions trapped at the oil–water interface.