cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Apolipoprotein(a) Synthesis by Farnesoid X Receptor and Fibroblast Growth Factor 15/19 A Step Toward Selective Lipoprotein(a) Therapeutics

Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a plasma lipoprotein that accumulates in concentrations ranging from undetectable to as high as 200 mg/dL, mostly depending on the synthesis rate of its unique protein, apo(a), which consists of multiple repetitions of kringle IV, type 2 of plasminogen.1 Additionally, plasma levels of Lp(a) are inversely proportional to the size of the apo(a) isoform, which is genetically determined.2 Considering that cholesterol represents about one fifth of the particle, Lp(a) can be equivalent to an extra 40 mg/dL of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in some individuals. The complex is the result of a covalent association between apoB100 and the function-free apo(a). The size of this lipoprotein ranges from that of a large high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to that of a small remnant depending on its triglyceride content. It is an apoB-containing lipoprotein and therefore viewed as an atherogenic particle. Because apo(a) does not form Lp(a) in murine plasma, development of a transgenic mouse model has required the concomitant expression of human apo(a) and apoB100.3 Apo(a) binds via a single disulfide bridge to the carboxyl-terminus of apoB100 and thus cannot associate with chylomicrons, which only contain apoB48.4 Also, apo(a) preferentially binds apoB100 of LDL-sized particles, although the linkage between the 2 proteins is likely to take place on the surface of hepatocytes, which produce exclusively VLDL-sized particles.5 On the clearance front, Lp(a) does not bind to the LDL receptor, and only modest increases in Lp(a) levels are seen in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.6 This means that cholesterol-lowering agents acting more or less directly via upregulation of the LDL receptor (statins, resins, and cholesterol absorption inhibitors) have modest to no effects or may even raise plasma Lp(a) levels.7–9 Other agents, such as fibrates and niacins, share similar lipid-modulating effects (decreasing triglycerides, …
The Accumulated Challenges Of Long-Term Care

During the past century, long-term care in the United States has evolved through five cycles of development, each lasting approximately twenty years. Each, focusing on distinct concerns, produced unintended consequences. Each also added a layer to an accumulation of contradictory approaches—a patchwork system now pushed to the breaking point by increasing needs and financial pressures. Future policies must achieve a better synthesis of approaches inherited from the past, while addressing their unintended consequences. Foremost must be assuring access to essential care, delivery of high-quality services in an increasingly deinstitutionalized system, and a reduction in social and economic disparities.
SUXAMETHONIUM-INDUCED MUSCLE CONTRACTURE FOLLOWING TRAUMATIC DENERVATION IN MAN

The effects of the systemic and of the i.v. regional administration of suxamethonium were investigated in 23 patients with traumatic nerve injury. Following the systemic administration of suxamethonium 100 mg, normally innervated muscles showed muscle fasciculations initially, followed by muscular relaxation. On the other hand, denervated muscles did not fasciculate and, in 21 patients, manifested suxamethonium-induced contractures. In the other two patients no response was observed. In 10 of the patients, the i.v. regional administration of suxamethonium 5 mg was followed by a contracture of the denervated muscle which was maintained until the tourniquet was deflated. No systemic reaction to suxamethonium, other than mild ptosis, followed the release of the tourniquet.
Magnetism and Magnetooptical Effects in Ce&#8211;Fe Oxides

The magnetic and magnetooptical properties of CeFeO3(CFO) and YCeCoFeO6(YCFCO) films grown by pulsed laser deposition onto MgO or SrTiO3(100) substrates at ~10-5 Torr or at 6 mTorr O2 are studied. Faraday rotation hysteresis loops were obtained at the 1.55-mum wavelength, yielding a saturation of ~0.6 deg/mum in all CFO films and ~0.25 deg/mum in the YCFCO film grown under vacuum. Optical measurements give a refractive index of 2.9 and an optical absorption of 1.8 dB/mum at the same wavelength. The corresponding saturation magnetization in CFO films reaches 45 emu/cm3 at room temperature. Interpretation of the magnetic and magnetooptical properties is based on the electronic structure and optical transitions of Ce3+ in an iron garnet or orthoferrite lattice
Estimating Postoperative Mortality and Morbidity Risk of Radical Cystectomy With Continent Diversion Using Predictor Equations

Purpose: The POSSUM (Physiological and Operative Severity Score for Enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity) and Portsmouth POSSUM predictor equations are scoring systems validated in the general surgery literature that estimate postoperative morbidity and mortality risk. We tested the validity of POSSUM and Portsmouth POSSUM in patients undergoing radical cystectomy with continent diversion.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed physiological parameters, operative parameters, and 30-day morbidity and mortality in 102 patients who underwent radical cystectomy with continent orthotopic diversion, as done by a single surgeon. Predicted morbidity and mortality were calculated using the POSSUM and Portsmouth POSSUM equations. Patients were stratified into risk groups, and observed and predicted outcomes were compared. The accuracy of predictions was assessed using binomial and chi-square analysis.Results: Observed mortality and morbidity rates were 2.9% and 34.3%, respectively. Predicted morbidity ...
Kinetics of the reaction between the hydroxyl radical and organic matter standards from the International Humic Substance Society

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the physicochemical properties of five dissolved organic matter (DOM) isolates on their reactivity with the hydroxyl radical (HO·) in water.
Efficient data IO for a Parallel Global Cloud Resolving Model

Execution of a Global Cloud Resolving Model (GCRM) at target resolutions of 2-4 km will generate, at a minimum, 10s of Gigabytes of data per variable per snapshot. Writing this data to disk, without creating a serious bottleneck in the execution of the GCRM code, while also supporting efficient post-execution data analysis is a significant challenge. This paper discusses an Input/Output (IO) application programmer interface (API) for the GCRM that efficiently moves data from the model to disk while maintaining support for community standard formats, avoiding the creation of very large numbers of files, and supporting efficient analysis. Several aspects of the API will be discussed in detail. First, we discuss the output data layout which linearizes the data in a consistent way that is independent of the number of processors used to run the simulation and provides a convenient format for subsequent analyses of the data. Second, we discuss the flexible API interface that enables modelers to easily add variables to the output stream by specifying where in the GCRM code these variables are located and to flexibly configure the choice of outputs and distribution of data across files. The flexibility of the API is designed to allow model developers to add new data fields to the output as the model develops and new physics is added. It also provides a mechanism for allowing users of the GCRM code to adjust the output frequency and the number of fields written depending on the needs of individual calculations. Third, we describe the mapping to the NetCDF data model with an emphasis on the grid description. Fourth, we describe our messaging algorithms and IO aggregation strategies that are used to achieve high bandwidth while simultaneously writing concurrently from many processors to shared files. We conclude with initial performance results.
Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy: Surgical Options

Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is a chronic condition in which patients describe functional impairment, pain, and swelling at the tendon insertion. Treatment is primarily nonsurgical with physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, rest, heel lifts, or heel sleeves; but for patients who fail nonsurgical management, surgical debridement of the Achilles tendon at its insertion can provide relief. The goal of surgery is to remove the diseased tendon and intratendinous calcifications, as well as to address associated pathology, including inflamed retrocalcaneal bursa, prominence of the posterior-superior calcaneal tuberosity, and gastrocnemius contracture. This article presents the author's preferred technique for surgical treatment of insertional Achilles tendinopathy and discusses the rationale behind this technique.
Angiotensin II-induced upregulation of AT1 receptor expression: sequential activation of NF-κB and Elk-1 in neurons

It has been clearly established that increased circulating angiotensin II (ANG II) with concurrent upregulation of brain and peripheral ANG II type 1 receptors (AT(1)R) are important mediators in the pathophysiology of several diseases characterized by sympatho-excitation. In an effort to further understand the regulation of AT(1)R expression in neurons, we determined the role of sequential activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and Ets-like protein 1 (Elk-1) in AT(1)R upregulation. We used CATH.a neurons as our neuronal cell model. Cells were treated with ANG II (100 nM) over a preset time course. Following ANG II activation, there was a temporal increase in the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB that was observed at 30 min, peaked at 1 h, and was sustained up to 24 h. There was a concomitant decrease of IkappaB and increased IkappaK expression. We also observed an increase in AT(1)R expression which followed the temporal increase of NF-kappaB. The activation of NF-kappaB was blocked by using the inhibitors parthenolide or p65 small interfering RNA (siRNA) which both led to a decrease in AT(1)R expression. The expression of Elk-1 was upregulated over a time period following ANG II activation and was decreased following NF-kappaB inhibition. p65-DNA binding was assessed using electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and it was shown that there was a time-dependent increased binding that was inhibited by means of parthenolide pretreatment or siRNA-mediated p65 gene silencing. Therefore, our results suggest a combined role for the transcription factors NF-kappaB and Elk-1 in the upregulation of AT(1)R in the CATH.a cell neuronal model. These data imply a positive feedback mechanism that may impact neuronal discharge sensitivity in response to ANG II.
Gambler’s Ruin: A Random Walk on the Simplex

It is known that if two gamblers with capitals p and 1 - p, respectively, engage in a fair game (we can model it by Brownian motion on the unit interval starting at p) until one of the gamblers goes broke, then the gambler with initial capital p will win the game with probability p. Now suppose that there are m gamblers with capitals corresponding to a point p in the simplex pi ≥ 0, ∑Pi = 1. A random walk in the simplex occurs, and the gamblers go broke one by one. Once a gambler goes broke, he stays broke. What is the induced probability distribution on the order in which the gamblers go broke?
Cesium Exchange Properties of Vermiculite

The use of a mineral-filled column is regarded as an inexpensive, yet efficient, alternative method for waste decontamination. For this purpose the cesium-exchange properties of various grades of commercially available vermiculite were investigated and compared to other natural ion-exchange materials. Elucidation of the reaction mechanism has led to improvement of the cesium-sorptive properties, either by potassium treatment or heat treatment of the vermiculite or by addition of potassium to the waste stream. Studies of the kinetics and the thermodynamics of the exchange reaction permit extrapolation of the data for ;onsideration of the extended use of vermiculite columns for decontaminating other waste streams. Data obtained from bench-scale and field- scale (10-ft long, 2-in. ID) column studies compare closely with those obtained by slurry studies. The breakthrough curves obtained were sufficiently steep to indicate that the partial cesiumsorptive capacity of a vermiculite column would be completely utilized if two columns were operated in series. A column 10 ft long and 10 ft in diameter filled with Natreated vermiculite is estimated to be capable of decontaminating more than 5 x 10/sup 5/ gal of ORNL intermediatelevel waste. Larger volumes of waste streams having lower concentrations of stable salts could be decontamined with respectmore » to cesium and strontium. (auth)« less
Possible tsunami along the northwestern coast of the United States inferred from Indian traditions

Subduction of the Juan de Fuca and Gorda plates beneath western North America presents a paradox; despite the fact that there is good evidence of 3 to 4 cm/yr of ongoing convergence, there is a remarkable paucity of either historic or instrumentally recorded shallow subduction earthquakes. Steady aseismic slip along the entire Cascadia subduction zone provides one explanation for this seismic quiescence. However, the Cascadia subduction zone shares many features, including temporal quiescence, with other subduction zones that have experienced very large shallow subduction earthquakes (Heaton and Kanamori, 1984). Yet, there is no direct geologic or historical evidence presently available to confirm that great shallow subduction earthquakes have occurred along the coast of Washington, Oregon, and northern California. However, there are reports describing Indian legends of great sea-level disturbances that may be related to large nearby earthquakes. In this letter, we briefly review the history of exploration and settlement of this region by nonnative people and then discuss legends from Indians in northern Washington and northern California.
Genomics: From sea to sea

The genome sequence of the marine flowering plant eelgrass (Zostera marina) sheds light on how marine algae evolved into land plants before moving back to the sea. See Letter p.331 The seagrass Zostera marina, or eelgrass, is widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is therefore of considerable ecological importance but — as with other seagrasses — its coastal habitats are among the world's most threatened ecosystems. Jeanine Olsen and colleagues report the whole-genome sequence of Zostera. Their analyses provide insights into the evolutionary changes associated with the 'back to the sea' reverse evolutionary trajectory that has occurred in this angiosperm lineage, including the loss of the entire repertoire of stomatal genes, and the presence of sulfated cell-wall polysaccharides that are more macro-algal-like than plant-like.
Structurally Dynamic Hydrogels Derived from 1,2-Dithiolanes

The design and generation of adaptable materials derived from structurally dynamic polymers provides a strategy for generating smart materials that can respond to environmental stimuli or exhibit self-healing behavior. Herein we report an expedient organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of cyclic carbonates containing pendant dithiolanes (trimethylene carbonate/dithiolane, TMCDT) from poly(ethylene oxide) diols to generate water-soluble triblock (ABA) copolymers containing a central poly(ethylene oxide) block and terminal dithiolane blocks. Hydrogels generated from the triblock copolymers and a cross-linking dithiol exhibited dynamic behavior as a result of the reversible ring opening of the pendant 1,2-dithiolanes. These materials exhibit self-healing behavior, can be injected through a syringe, and rapidly recover their mechanical properties after a severe strain deformation. The dynamic properties of these gels can be modulated with the number of dithiolane units, pH, and temperature.
The electrochemical nature of stress corrosion cracking

Abstract Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of metals and alloys in aqueous environments is primarily an electrochemical phenomenon falling within the realm of the differential aeration hypothesis. As such, the local anode and the local cathode are spatially separated, with the former existing within the crack enclave (at the crack tip and, possibly, partially on the crack flanks) and the latter existing on the bold, external surfaces. The resulting current that flows from the local anode to the local cathode on the external surfaces (the “coupling current”), as required by the conservation of charge, implies strong electrochemical coupling between the crack internal environment and external surfaces. The coupling current has been experimentally measured in a variety of systems, including in the intergranular SCC (IGSCC) of sensitized type 304 stainless steel (SS) in high-temperature water. Furthermore, crack length is predicted theoretically to exert a strong influence on the crack growth rate (CGR) of stress corrosion cracks because, as the crack grows, a larger fraction of the potential drop between the crack tip and the external surface appears as IR potential drop down the crack, and hence less potential drop is available across the external surface to drive the reactions that consume the coupling current. Consequently, the magnitude of the coupling current is reduced as the crack lengthens, and hence so is the CGR. Thus, the dependence of the CGR on the electrochemical crack length provides a rational explanation for the development of semielliptical surface cracks—an alternative to the normally postulated dependence of the CGR on the stress intensity factor along the semielliptical crack front. Finally, an artificial neural network (ANN) has been used to analyze a comprehensive database of IGSCC in sensitized type 304 SS in boiling water reactor (BWR) primary coolant and to define the “character” of the fracture process, which is defined in terms of the dependencies of the CGR on the various independent variables (temperature, electrochemical corrosion potential, stress intensity ( K I ), conductivity ( κ ), degree of sensitization). The character shows that IGSCC in sensitized type 304 SS in BWR primary coolant is primarily an electrochemical process that is augmented by mechanics and metallurgy, but in the case of IGSCC in Alloy 600 in pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary coolant, fracture is marginally more mechanical in character than electrochemical. Development of a database of CGR versus temperature, electrochemical corrosion potential, stress intensity ( K I ), conductivity ( κ ), and degree of sensitization for these alloys covering the same parameter ranges present in the experimental database, and analysis of these data using the same ANN, shows that the coupled environment fracture model reproduces the same character and is an accurate predictor of CGR for all conditions found in operating BWRs and PWRs.
Study on the capillary number of the ultra-low interfacial tension displacement system in low-permeability homogeneous reservoirs

There are limitations in the application of classic capillary number theory to the ultra-low interfacial intension displacement system in low-permeability reservoirs,and therefore the modified formula of the capillary number is presented.In it the flow velocity of water displacing oil in low-permeability reservoirs and the effects of ultra-low interfacial intension on oil/water relative permeability are considered.The recovery factor-capillary number relation curves are plotted according to the experimental data of the ultra-low interfacial intension displacement system in homogeneous low-permeability cores.The attentions in the application of capillary number to the ultra-low interfacial tension displacement system are presented,and the reasonable ways to enhancing the recovery factor of the ultra-low interfacial intension displacement system in the low-permeability reservoirs are suggested.
The Success and Failure of Integration Policy in France and Britain: Convergence of Policy and Divergence of Results

During the past 50 years two sets of events have had a profound influence on the development of public policy on immigrant integration in Europe. The first is the challenge to public order posed by urban unrest in France beginning in the early 1980s and in Britain beginning in the late 1950s. In each of these countries, the public policy response to this urban crisis has involved important elements of multiculturalism, as part of a strategy to maintain public order. In each country the public policy response has also been influenced by other political considerations of domestic politics, but policies that at least implicitly recognized differentiated community (or “minority”) needs and benefits have been common to each. The second set of events is generally related to the challenge of Islamic terrorism and the recognition that some of it has domestic roots.
Multilevel Prevention Trial of Alcohol Use Among American Indian and White High School Students in the Cherokee Nation.

Objectives. To evaluate the effectiveness of a multilevel intervention designed to prevent underage alcohol use among youths living in the Cherokee Nation.Methods. We randomly assigned 6 communities to a control, Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA; a community-organizing intervention targeting alcohol access) only, CONNECT (a school-based universal screening and brief intervention) only, or a combined condition. We collected quarterly surveys 2012–2015 from students starting in 9th and 10th grades and ending in 11th and 12th grades. Response rates ranged from 83% to 90%; 46% of students were American Indian (of which 80% were Cherokee) and 46% were White only.Results. Students exposed to CMCA, CONNECT, and both showed a significant reduction in the probability over time of 30-day alcohol use (25%, 22%, and 12% reduction, respectively) and heavy episodic drinking (24%, 19%, and 13% reduction) compared with students in the control condition, with variation in magnitude of effects over the 2....
Introduction and fundamental requirements of neuroprostheses

Implantable neuroprostheses are an emerging technology that have the potential to restore significant function to individuals who have become disabled due to trauma or disease. Neuroprostheses deliver electrical current to the neuromuscular system and/or record electrical signals from the neuromuscular system. The potential of neuroprostheses to restore function is very broad, and essentially all advances in this field have occurred since the early 1960s. It is anticipated that the number and variety of applications will continue to broaden, and that the function restored by these systems will continue to improve.
Biomaterial Surfaces for the Isolation of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Enrichment and purification of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) is important in basic research as well as in clinical transplantation of HSPCs. Currently, fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) and immunomagnetic separation techniques are widely used for HSPC isolation. Although both methods offer relatively pure subpopulations, FACS can introduce potential sources of contamination and flow cytometers with high-speed sorting ability are prohibitively expensive for smaller laboratories. Immunomagnetic separation requires large amounts of starting material, involves several steps, and furthermore, cell-surface antibodies may prohibit cell proliferation and differentiation. Hence, development of simpler methods for the capture and purification of HSPCs are warranted. By exploiting the differential rolling behavior of CD34+ HSPCs from mature blood cells on selectins, we have developed a flow-based, adhesion molecule-mediated capture method, which may be a viable alternative approach to the isolation of HSPCs.
Accuracy of patient-specific instrumentation in total ankle arthroplasty: A comparative study.

Abstract Background Patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) for TAA is a novel technology with several potential benefits. The primary goal of this study was to compare the use of PSI with the standard referencing guide (SRG) in regards to accuracy of tibial implant positioning. Operative time, fluoroscopy time and accuracy of PSI preoperative reports were also evaluated. Methods A retrospective analysis of 99 patients who underwent a primary TAA with the INFINITY prosthesis (Wright Medical, Memphis, TN) was performed. Patients were divided in two groups based on the type of instrumentation used during the TAA (75 in the PSI group vs 24 in the SRG group). There was no significant difference between groups in regards to age at the time of surgery ( P =0.122), sex ( P =0.138), number of concomitant procedures performed during surgery ( P =0.567) and etiology ( P =0.841). However, preoperative deformity was significantly smaller in the PSI group ( P =0.002). Results Tibial implant positioning was similar between groups. In the coronal plane, the absolute deviation of the tibial implant from the intended alignment was 1.7±1.4° for the SRG and 1.6±1.2° for PSI ( P =0.710). In the sagittal plane, the absolute alignment deviation of the tibial implant was 1.8±1.4° for the SRG and 1.9±1.5° for PSI ( P =0.675). Operative time (167 vs 190min, P =0.040) and fluoroscopy time (85 vs 158s, P 0.001) were significantly decreased in the PSI group. The PSI preoperative plan report correctly predicted the implant size in 73% of cases for the tibial component and in 51% of cases for the talar component. Conclusions PSI provided similar tibial component alignment as standard instrumentation. Additionally, PSI preoperative plan reports were poor predictors of implant sizing. Therefore, the final decision should always be based on surgeon's experience in order to prevent errors in implant sizing and positioning. Level of evidence Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Kinematic differences between hitting off a tee versus front toss in collegiate softball players

The purpose of this study was to compare kinematics of two hitting conditions: stationary tee and front toss from a practice pitcher. Twenty-two NCAA Division I Collegiate softball players (20.3 ± ...
An Assessment Framework for Usable-Security Based on Decision Science

The balance between security and usability must be addressed as early as possible in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to ensure the inclusion of usable-security in software products. Unfortunately, there has been little research on assessing and integrating security, usability, and usable-security during the requirements engineering phase of the SDLC. To address that deficiency, this paper proposes an Assessment Framework for Usable-Security (AFUS) based on two well-known techniques from the decision science field.
Private Pilot Incidents by Pilot Age and Recentness of Medical Certification

The link between recentness of medical certification and increased likelihood of involvement in an NTSB incident has been previously reported (Morris, 2016). This study investigated this phenomena across pilot ages. Age groups were fit to an exponential-linear decay model using the least squares method of best fit. Standard errors were reported in order to verify quality of fit. Individual best fit lines were graphed and shown for demographic groups. Best fit lines from across groups were then compared. This study verified the relationship between recent third class medical certification and increased likelihood of being involved in incidents for all age demographics. The study also showed that younger pilots have a marked initial increase in risk when compared to their older counterparts. It also showed that as pilots age, the relationship between recent medical certification and increased risk was significantly reduced in strength but still was very present.
IgA Vasculitis in Middle Aged Man Followed by Influenza Virus Infection: A Case Report

Introduction: Immunoglobulin A vasculitis (formerly known as Henoch Schonlein Purpura) is the most common pediatric vasculitis, which occurs typically at the age of 3-15 years. Mononucleosis, group A Streptococcus, Campylobacter and Mycoplasma are some of the common infectious causes of immunoglobulin A vasculitis. Immunoglobulin A vasculitis is a clinically diagnosed disease. Most common clinical features include nonthrombocytopenic nonpruritic palpable purpura, gastrointestinal involvement, arthritis or arthralgia and renal involvement. Biopsy of skin and/or gastrointestinal lesions con rm the diagnosis, although this is not necessary. Immunoglobulin A vasculitis is a self-limiting disease, which resolves spontaneously. Steroids can be used for the treatment of moderate to severe disease and for the prevention of renal complications. Prognosis relies upon various factors among which involvement of kidneys dictates poor prognosis and requires close follow up. Case Presentation: We are presenting a case of immunoglobulin A vasculitis in a 39-year-old German male following in uenza virus infection. The infectious agent that cause immunoglobulin A vasculitis in our patient was In uenza A virus. Biopsy of the skin lesion con rmed the diagnosis of immunoglobulin A vasculitis in our patient. The patient responded to steroids and his skin and GI ndings resolved. Conclusion: Our case report adds to the literature of medicine by describing in uenza virus as a cause of immunoglobulin A vasculitis in young adult patients. Considering immunoglobulin A vasculitis after in uenza and outside of the typical age of 3-15 years, can help to make earlier diagnosis and prevent complications.
Analysis of prevalent features of malaria in Beiliu City from 1995-2007.

Objective To understand prevalent features malaria after is was basic eliminationin Beiliu City.Methods The minitoring data of malaria in Beiliu City from 1995～2007 were collected and analyzed.Results There 25 malaria cases were reported in during the years of from 1995 to 2007,the disease incidence rate was 0.012/10000,and all were imported cases;72% cases were young adults,the males were more than the female;88% cases soccurred from March to September.Conclusion The achievements of elimination of malaria is consolidated in this city.The work of management of mobile population,detection and treatment of cases is the main task in the future.
Spatial And Spectral Calibration Methods For Monolithic Vis/NIR and Vis/SWIR Hyperspectral Sensors

A set of measurements and fitting procedures is described, that will be used to characterize a new hyperspectral sensor covering the visible-to-extended SWIR spectral range. The procedures produce maps of spatially-resolved spectral resolution across the focal plane, and spectrally-resolved spatial resolution in both the along-slit and cross-slit directions. They also yield spectral calibration, and characterization of the keystone, smile, and slit rotation. Examples are shown for an existing visible/near IR sensor.
Cervical Spinal Cord Injury in the Adult Rat: Assessment of Forelimb Dysfunction

Traumatic injury to the adult human spinal cord most frequently occurs at the mid-to-low cervical segments and produces tetraplegia. To investigate treatments for improving upper extremity function after cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), three behavioral tests were examined for their potential usefulness in evaluating forelimb function in an adult rat model that mimics human low cervical SCI. Testing was conducted pre- and up to 4 weeks post-operation in adult female rats subjected to either contusion injury at the C7 spinal cord segment or sham-surgery. Modified Forelimb Tarlov scales revealed significant proximal and distal forelimb extension dysfunction in lesion rats at 1-to-4 weeks post-cervical SCI. The Forelimb Grip Strength Test showed a significant decrease in forelimb grip strength of lesion rats throughout the 4 weeks post-cervical SCI. Significant deficits in reach and pellet retrieval by lesion rats were measured at 1-to-4 weeks post-cervical SCI with the conditioned pellet retrieval Staircase Test. The results demonstrate that these qualitative and quantitative forelimb behavioral tests can be used to evaluate forelimb function following low cervical SCI and may be useful to investigate treatments for improving forelimb function in these lesions.
PerpLE: Improving the Speed and Effectiveness of Memory Consistency Testing

Even as most of today’s computer systems have turned to parallelism to improve performance, their documentation often remains informal, incomplete or even incorrect regarding their memory consistency models. This leads to programmer and designer confusion and to buggy concurrent systems. Existing tools for empirical memory consistency testing rely on large numbers of iterations of simple multi-threaded litmus tests to perform conformance testing. The current approach typically employs thread synchronization at every iteration, which imposes a significant overhead and can reduce testing performance and efficiency.This paper proposes new litmus test variants called perpetual litmus tests, which allow for consistency testing without periteration synchronization. Perpetual litmus tests use arithmetic sequences in store operations to reduce the required synchronization points. We present PerpLE, a software suite that includes tools for the generation, execution, and analysis of perpetual litmus tests. We introduce an algorithm for determining the outcomes of perpetual litmus tests as well as a scalable linear heuristic algorithm. Evaluating the performance, scalability and ability of our tool to find outcomes of interest on an x86 system, we observe a wider variety of outcomes than litmus7 while experiencing runtime speedups over all litmus7 synchronization modes (8.89x over the default user mode). Compared to the default litmus7 synchronization (user) mode, PerpLE offers over four orders-of-magnitude improvement in the rate with which we detect target outcomes.
The Original Meaning of 'Full and Equal Enjoyment' of Public Accommodations

In this reply to Professor Suja Thomas's The Consumer Caste: Legal Discrimination by Public Businesses, I argue that the federal courts have defied the original meaning of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Its language of "full and equal enjoyment" of public accommodations carried a fixed meaning in 1964 when Title II became law, due to the nation’s long experience with near-identical state civil rights laws. Looking to state court and commission decisions contemporaneous with or pre-dating the Civil Rights Act, I show that state courts interpreted statutes with the same operative provision to prohibit precisely the practices that the federal courts now permit. Before the Civil Rights Act, courts, commissions, and the public recognized that public accommodations law required both access and undifferentiated treatment. They took the perspective that equality required granting Black customers the same courtesies customarily extended to and expected by White customers. Moreover, decisionmakers did not defer to businesses’ justifications of poor treatment, but instead took a functionalist approach to public accommodations discrimination consistent with those statutes’ common law origins. This history provides a corrective to the federal court’s mistaken interpretation of public accommodations law. It provides context for “full and equal enjoyment” that a dictionary alone cannot. It also suggests alternative methods of analysis of discrimination claims that are more consistent with Title II's text.
PET imaging in Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are at extremely high risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), with the vast majority of adults with DS developing AD neuropathology by age 40. This is primarily due to the overproduction of amyloid-beta (Aβ) that begins early in life, caused by the presence of three copies of chromosome 21, each containing one copy of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) gene. The accumulation of Aβ in the brain is hypothesized to initiate a “cascade” of biomarker changes, including the subsequent appearance of neurofibrillary tangles, glucose hypometabolism, and a decrease in hippocampal volume, resulting in cognitive and functional deficits and a diagnosis of dementia. This chapter provides a brief history of PET imaging and the radiotracers that have had a significant impact for measuring the three signature AD-related neuropathologies related to AD and provides an overview of the research utilizing PET imaging in the DS population.
SocNavAssist: A Haptic Shared Autonomy Framework for Social Navigation Assistance of Mobile Telepresence Robots

In the rapidly evolving world of remote work, mobile telepresence robots (MTRs) have become increasingly popular, providing new avenues for people to actively engage in activities at a distance. The existing studies indicate, however, that remote navigation around humans in dense environments can be challenging for humans, resulting in a decreased level of satisfaction. Work on shared autonomy for navigation has generally addressed static environments or situations where only one pedestrian interacts with the robot. In this paper, we present our ongoing work on SocNavAssist, a haptic shared autonomy framework for navigation assistance of mobile telepresence robots in human-populated environments. It uses a modified approach of reciprocal velocity obstacles to consider social constraints in dynamic collision avoidance. We also provide visualization of system intent via predicted trajectories on an augmented visual feedback interface to enhance transparency and cooperation. In addition, we outline the proposed experiment to be used in future work to evaluate the proposed framework.
MENTAL WORKLOAD AND TASK PERFORMANCE FOR INDIRECT VISION DRIVING WITH FIXED FLAT PANEL DISPLAYS

Of interest to designers of future combat vehicles is the effect of indirect vision upon vehicle driving, and in particular the effect of the camera lens field of view (FOV). In a field study, driving performance was measured for natural and indirect vision with eight participants negotiating a road course in a military vehicle. The indirect vision system was driven with fixed panoramic flat panel, liquid crystal displays in the cab and a forward viewing monocular camera array mounted on the front roof of the vehicle and tilted slightly downward. The results are that the participants successfully drove the vehicle with indirect vision for the different FOVs of the cameras: near unity, wide, and extended. However, they drove the course faster with natural vision than they did with the indirect vision systems. Further, the course speed significantly decreased with increased camera FOV. Workload ratings show a significant increase in perceived workload with increased FOV. Most participants reported a discomfort associated with motion sickness while they were in the moving vehicle with the displays. Finally, cluster analysis of the mental workload measures supports a skills-rules-knowledge model of information processing for the driving task.
Mycobacterium avium-Complex Infections and Immunodeficiency

The M.avium complex consists of a group of environmental mycobacteria that are important opportunistic human pathogens for a variety of immunosup- pressed cancer, transplant, and HIV-infected patients.Some members of this group are able to colonize the nasopharyngeal and intestinal mucosal membranes of normal individuals who may go on to develop a self-limiting lymphadenitis. The more virulent strains within this group may produce slow,indolent lung disease in some tuberculosis patients as well as in terminally ill renal, diabetic, and cancer patients. More aggressive systemic infections will develop in congenitally and iatrogenically immunosuppressed patients. As much as 60% of AIDS patients have been reported to be infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria, the most common of which are M.avium-complex s rovars 1, 4, 6, and 8. Half of these patients go on to develop a life-threatening, disseminated form of this disease that can markedly reduce their survival and quality of life. The high level of drug resistance exhibited by these organisms makes ffective chemotherapy difficult to achieve and maintain. The response to these drugs is bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal and the disease recurs whenever therapy is discontinued, usually as result of the increasing toxicity of the drug regimen. Development of a suitable immunotherapeutic intervention to help restore cellular immunity to the HIV-infected patient takes on an increasingly urgent priority as the worldwide HIV-MAC epidemic continues its relentless spread.
Abstract 1459: miR-221: A potential therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA microRNAs, which control post-transcriptional gene expression by repressing mRNA translation and/or causing mRNA degradation, play important roles in human cancers. miR-221 is one of the two microRNAs in the miR-221/222 cluster located in chromosome-X, targets key cancer pathways and inhibit translation of several tumor suppressors including p27, p57, and PTEN. miR-221 is up-regulated by >2-fold in 55% and >5-fold in 14% of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor samples. Importantly, it has been shown in preclinical HCC models that miR-221 overexpression accelerated tumorigenesis, while miR-221 inhibition reduced tumor growth. To identify novel microRNA antagonists that specifically inhibit miR-221 (refer to as miR-221 anti-miRs) for the treatment of HCC, we have generated a number of chemically-modified oligonucleotides and screened for their ability to inhibit miR-221 functions. A number of potent and metabolically stable miR-221 anti-miRs devoid of proinflammatory potential were identified. These miR-221 anti-miRs were tested in a number of human HCC cell lines that highly express miR-221 compare to normal adult human hepatocytes. We demonstrated the de-repression of both p27 mRNA and p27 protein in HCC cells following treatment with miR-221 anti-miRs. We also showed in HCC cells the de-repression of a novel miR-221 target gene recently identified through an argonuate pull-down assay (Ago-IP), alongside with the enrichment of global miR-221 target seeds (as defined by TargetScan) following miR-221 anti-miRs treatment. We then sought to determine the biologic consequences following miR-221 inhibition in HCC cells. In standard cell proliferation assays, we demonstrated that HCC cells responded to miR-221 anti-miRs treatment with IC50s of 125 to 500nM under free-uptake conditions and IC50s of 5 to 75 nM under transfection conditions. In addition, we also showed that miR-221 anti-miRs treatment disrupted HCC cell cycle transition. Altogether, our data showed that miR-221 inhibition de-repressed p27, blocked cell cycle progression and reduced cell proliferation in HCC cells, and supports the notion of miR-221 as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC. Further preclinical testing of our miR-221 anti-miRs is currently in progress. Citation Format: Edmund C. Lee, Jessica Xu, Thomas Vincent, Jie Chen, Michael Nelson, Xinqiang Huang, Eric Marcusson, John Androsavich, Scott Davis, Adam Pavlicek, Neil Gibson, Sonya Zabludoff. miR-221: A potential therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1459. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1459
Stratigraphic and Geoacoustic Characterization of the Outer New Jersey Shelf

Abstract : The objectives of this work are to (1) incorporate existing geological, geophysical and geoacoustic data into a seabed properties model applicable to the SWA06 experiment region, and (2) geologically interpret additional chirp seismic data to be collected as part of SWA06 (Altan Turgut, PI), and incorporate into existing interpretation based on analysis of the ONR Geoclutter program.
Would Stricter Capital Requirements Raise the Cost of Capital? BankCapital Regulation and the Low Risk Anomaly

Capital requirements for banks must balance a number of factors, including any effects on the cost of capital and in turn the rates available to borrowers. Standard theory predicts that, in perfect and efficient capital markets, reducing banks’ leverage would reduce the risk and cost of their equity but leave the overall weighted average cost of capital unchanged. We test these two predictions empirically. We confirm that the equity of better-capitalized banks has both lower systematic risk (beta) and lower idiosyncratic risk. However, over the last 40 years in the United States, lower risk banks have higher stock returns on a risk-adjusted or even a raw basis, a pattern consistent with a stock market anomaly previously documented in other samples. A simple calibration using historical data suggests that a ten percentage-point increase in Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets would have increased the weighted average cost of capital by between 60 and 90 basis points per year. In competitive lending markets, a change of this magnitude would have doubled or tripled spreads, because bank asset betas implied an average risk premium of only 40 basis points above Treasury yields over that same period.
Stream synthesis for a wormhole run-time reconfigurable platform

Configurable Computing is a technology which attempts to increase computational power by customizing the computational platform to the specific problem at hand. An experimental computing model known as wormhole run-time reconfiguration allows for partial reconfiguration and is highly scalable. The Colt/Stallion project at Virginia Tech implements this computing model into integrated circuits. In order to create applications for this platform, a compiler has been implemented which utilizes a genetic algorithm in order to map dataflow graphs to the physical hardware of the Colt/Stallion chip. A description of the language is presented, followed by experimental results.
Transverse Compressive Stress-Strain Behavior of Thick Kevlar/Epoxy Laminates

The room-temperature compressive stress-strain response of quasi-isotropic Kevlar 49 fabric/epoxy composites was studied. Cylindrical specimens with porosity up to 20% were loaded normal to the plane of fiber reinforcement. Sample porosity was an important factor affecting the shape of the compressive stress-strain curve, modulus, strength, strain to failure, and Poisson's ratio. As a porous specimen was loaded in compression the tangent modulus first decreased due to void collapse, and then increased as complete consolidation was approached. Increasing the porosity from 1 to 20% caused: (a) the initial modulus to decrease from 6.0 to 1.4 GN/m/sup 2/; (b) the strength to reduce from 1150 to 580 MN/m/sup 2/; (c) Poisson's ratio to change from 0.15 to 0.06; and (d) the failure strain to increase from 16 to 26%. Most of the axially compressed cylindrical specimens failed along inclined planes by shearing through many layers of fabric. Broken fibers were observed on the fracture surfaces.
Are Parallel Machines Always Faster than Sequential Machines? (Preliminary Version)

We demonstrate that parallel machines are always faster than sequential machines for a wide range of machine models, including tree Turing machine (TM), multidimensional TM, log-cost random access machine (RAM), and unit-cost RAM. More precisely, we show that every sequential machine M (in the above list) that runs in time T can be sped up by a parallel version M′ of M that runs in time o(T). All previous speedup results either rely on the severe limitation on the storage structure of M (e.g., M is a TM with linear tapes) or require that M′ has a more versatile storage structure than M (e.g., M′ is a parallel RAM (PRAM), and M is a TM with linear tapes). It is unclear whether it is the parallelism, or the restriction on the storage structures, or the combination of both that realizes such speedup. We remove all the above restrictions on storage structures in previous results. We present speedup theorems where both M and M′ use the same kind of storage medium, which is not linear tapes. Thus, we prove conclusively that parallelism alone suffices to achieve the speedup.