cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The mannose-binding lectin pathway is a significant contributor to reperfusion injury in the type 2 diabetic heart

The severity of ischaemic heart disease is markedly enhanced in type 2 diabetes. We recently reported that complement activation exacerbates I/R injury in the type 2 diabetic heart. The purpose of this study was to isolate and examine MBL pathway activation following I/R injury in the diabetic heart. ZLC and ZDF rats underwent 30 minutes of left coronary artery occlusion followed by 120 minutes of reperfusion. Two different groups of ZDF rats were treated with either FUT-175, a broad complement inhibitor, or P2D5, a monoclonal antibody raised against rat MBL-A. ZDF rats treated with FUT175 and P2D5 had significantly decreased myocardial infarct size, C3 deposition and neutrophil accumulation compared with untreated ZDF controls. Taken together, these findings indicate that the MBL pathway plays a key role in the severity of complement-mediated I/R injury in the type 2 diabetic heart.
Judgments of speech intelligibility and speech annoyance by mothers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing

14 mothers of children who were deaf or hard of hearing provided magnitude estimation scaling responses for the speech intelligibility and speech annoyance of narrative speech samples produced by children who were deaf or hard of hearing. Analysis indicated that listeners scaled intelligibility and annoyance the same. As samples became more difficult to understand, they also became more annoying to these listeners. Implications for further research are discussed.
An Examination of Black Science Teacher Educators’ Experiences with Multicultural Education, Equity, and Social Justice

Diversity, multicultural education, equity, and social justice are dominant themes in cultural studies (Hall in Cultural dialogues in cultural studies. Routledge, New York, pp 261–274, 1996; Wallace 1994). Zeichner (Studying teacher education: The report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, pp 737–759, 2005) called for research studies of teacher educators because little research exists on teacher educators since the late 1980s. Thomson et al. (2001) identified essential elements needed in order for critical multiculturalism to be infused in teacher education programs. However, little is known about the commitment and experiences of science teacher educators infusing multicultural education, equity, and social justice into science teacher education programs. This paper examines twenty (20) Black science teacher educators’ teaching experiences as a result of their Blackness and the inclusion of multicultural education, equity, and social justice in their teaching. This qualitative case study of 20 Black science teacher educators found that some of them have attempted and stopped due to student evaluations and the need to gain promotion and tenure. Other participants were able to integrate diversity, multicultural education, equity and social justice in their courses because their colleagues were supportive. Still others continue to struggle with this infusion without the support of their colleagues, and others have stopped The investigators suggest that if science teacher educators are going to prepare science teachers for the twenty first century, then teacher candidates must be challenged to grapple with racial, ethnic, cultural, instructional, and curricular issues and what that must mean to teach science to US students in rural, urban, and suburban school contexts.
Monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of colorectal cancer

Monoclonal antibodies have been developed to target specific proteins involved in the development and progression of cancer. These reagents have the advantage of exquiste specificity, and as currently engineered, low toxicity. The impact monoclonal antibody therapy has recently been demonstrated in colorectal cancer, in which two pathways critical to carcinogenesis have been targeted. The targets are the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway and angiogenesis. Antibodies directed to proteins in both pathways have shown significant activity especially in combination with chemotherapy, and studies in the adjuvant setting are in progress. We review the use of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of colorectal cancer with particular attention to edrecolomab (Mab 17-1A), bevacizumab (Avastin), cetuximab (IMC-C225), ABX-EGF and EMD 72000. Additional compounds are in earlier stages of development, and the future of this approach in solid tumours is promising.
Model Predictive Control of an Electroporation Process

Electroporation is an elegant means to deliver molecules into the cellular cytoplasm, while simultaneously maintaining cell viability and functionality. Despite extensive research, however, electroporation methods still fall short of the desired efficiency and reliability. We present a model predictive control (MPC) design for enabling highly efficient and reliable electroporation processes. Instead of using one single electrical pulse in current practice, we consider a controlled multi-pulse electroporation based on an MPC framework. The most attractive properties of using MPC design of multi-pulse electroporation are the fast computation of optimal control solutions and the real-time tunability of the electrical field density during the process. We demonstrate the controlled electroporation process through simulation examples.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A UTILITY FUNCTION FOR RANKING SIRES THAT CONSIDERS PRODUCTION, LINEAR TYPE TRAITS, SEMEN COST, AND RISK

Abstract A procedure was developed to rank AI sires on utility. The utility function considered transmitting abilities for production, udder depth, teat placement; and foot angle, semen cost, timing of costs and revenues, gene flow, and risk. Weights for type traits relative to production and risk aversion were based on the literature. A three-generation planning horizon was used. Utility was expressed relative to an average first evaluation non-AI sire. Moderate change in the relative weights of production versus the type traits (3:1 versus 2:1) had little effect on sire rankings (rank correlations above .97). The effect of changing risk aversion on sire rankings was subtle except when risk aversion was increased to high levels (three times average levels reported in literature). Rank correlation between semen utility based on 7 units of semen required to produce a heifer at calving age and nine units of semen required to produce a heifer at calving age (and corresponding expected calving intervals) was .98. However, the correlation between semen utility based on 5 and 9 units was .91. Similar parameters could be used in ranking sires on utility for many producers. The procedure developed ranked sires differently than indices currently available.
Optimal elastomeric scaffold leaflet shape for pulmonary heart valve leaflet replacement

Surgical replacement of the pulmonary valve (PV) is a common treatment option for congenital pulmonary valve defects. Engineered tissue approaches to develop novel PV replacements are intrinsically complex, and will require methodical approaches for their development. Single leaflet replacement utilizing an ovine model is an attractive approach in that candidate materials can be evaluated under valve level stresses in blood contact without the confounding effects of a particular valve design. In the present study an approach for optimal leaflet shape design based on finite element (FE) simulation of a mechanically anisotropic, elastomeric scaffold for PV replacement is presented. The scaffold was modeled as an orthotropic hyperelastic material using a generalized Fung-type constitutive model. The optimal shape of the fully loaded PV replacement leaflet was systematically determined by minimizing the difference between the deformed shape obtained from FE simulation and an ex-vivo microCT scan of a native ovine PV leaflet. Effects of material anisotropy, dimensional changes of PV root, and fiber orientation on the resulting leaflet deformation were investigated. In-situ validation demonstrated that the approach could guide the design of the leaflet shape for PV replacement surgery.
Family Drug Courts in Child Welfare

Parental substance abuse is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in cases of child maltreatment (Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse 1999). In response to the burgeoning number of drug cases that flooded the child welfare system, policy makers created a “treatment-focused” family drug courts in the late 1990s as reported by Lu (Children’s Legal Rights Journal 21:32–42, 2001). The purpose of this paper is (1) to review the policy and theory behind family drug courts, (2) to review empirical evidence of family drug courts, and (3) develop policy and intervention implication based on this review.
Translesion synthesis past platinum DNA adducts by human DNA polymerase μ

DNA polymerase μ (pol μ) is a member of the pol X family of DNA polymerases, and it shares a number of characteristics of both DNA polymerase β (pol β) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). Because pol β has been shown to perform translesion DNA synthesis past cisplatin (CP)- and oxaliplatin (OX)-GG adducts, we determined the ability of pol μ to bypass these lesions. Pol μ bypassed CP and OX adducts with an efficiency of 14−35% compared to chain elongation on undamaged DNA, which is second only to pol η in terms of bypass efficiency. The relative ability of pol μ to bypass CP and OX adducts was dependent on both template structure and sequence context. Since pol μ has been shown to be more efficient on gapped DNA templates than on primed single-stranded DNA templates, we determined the ability of pol μ to bypass Pt-DNA adducts on both primed single-stranded and gapped templates. The bypass of Pt-DNA adducts by pol μ was highly error-prone on all templates, resulting in 2, 3, and 4 nt deletions....
The neuropsychology of aging

There are three general categories of causes of the cognitive decline associated with aging: disuse, disease, and aging per se. People tend to use certain skills or abilities less with age and, thus, those skills decline due to the disuse. Physical illnesses tend to increase with age, which will tend to compromise cognitive functioning. Further, there are actual neurobiological changes with age that will contribute to deterioration of cognitive abilities. Variability of performance between different individuals within an age group increases with age due to each of these three major contributing factors to age decline. The best defense against age-related cognitive deterioration is practice. Practice tends to mitigate the effects of aging by not allowing disuse to occur. In addition, practice can overcompensate for age effects by building a larger reserve capacity to offset any real neurobiological effects of age. Practice can also lead to compensatory strategies in which alternative way of maintaining performance levels are found.
The dielectric relaxation of non-deuterated and deuterated acetic acid in benzene solution

Abstract Dielectric losses exhibited by acetic acid—benzene solutions of acid concentration up to ca. 0.07 mole fraction can be reasonably accounted for in terms of relaxation of monomeric molecules. For the mole fraction range. ca. 0.07 to 0.28, significant polarization involving dimers (distorted cyclic and/or open-chain) and possibly higher order aggregates appears to be associated with the observed dispersion.
Compton scattering and polarizabilities of the nucleon in the quark model.

In this paper, we present a framework to calculate the amplitude of Compton scattering in the quark model; the Thomson limit and the Low energy theorem are satisfied explicitly. We find that there is a relativistic correction to the electric polarizability of the nucleon if the Low energy theorem is satisfied. The analytical expressions for the nucleon polarizabilities are derived, and their connections with the transition amplitudes between the resonances and nucleon are discussed. We suggest that the forward peaking in the Compton scattering may be due to the kinematics of the process in which the incoming and outgoing photons are absorbed and emitted by the same constituents.
Localization of tritium from histamine in gastric mucosa in vivo.

Radioactivity from 3H-histamine administered to a young dog in vivo is taken up by gastric endocrine-like cells whose fine structure is similar to that of the “Amine Precursor Uptake and Decarboxylating Cells”. Endocrine-like cells in mouse stomach also take up radioactivity from histamine in vivo. A correlated light and electron microscope survey of canine stomach indicates that it is possible to differentiate varieties of gastric endocrinelike cells to some extent on the basis of their affinity for silver in osmium fixed, plastic embedded sections stained by a Bodian technique.
Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model: A Meta-Analysis

This study relies on state-of-the-art meta-analytical techniques to assess overall effects of the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model. The results support the utility of the RISP model in predicting risk information seeking and systematic processing. However, the model demonstrated limited explanatory power for heuristic processing. A reduced model composed of only 2 variables—current knowledge and informational subjective norms—accounted for a substantial proportion of variance in the outcome variables. This more parsimonious explanation of information seeking and systematic processing might extend the utility of the RISP model to other communication settings not related to risk. Theoretical boundaries of the RISP model and implications for future research are discussed.
Ridge Waveguide Field Description and Application to Directional Couplers

An approximate determination of the dominant-mode fields in ridge waveguides at all frequencies has been made. Evaluations of the fields along the walls of a commercially standard single-ridge guide having a usable frequency range from 3.75 to 15.0 Gc, and a commercially standard double-ridge guide having a usable frequency range from 4.7 to 11.0 Gc were carried out, and graphs drawn so that the results could be applied to practical situations. The graphs were used to design some ridge-waveguide directional couplers. Both cross-guide and broad-wall couplers were made in single-ridge waveguides and in double-ridge waveguides, using cross sections approximating those of the above commercially available ridge guides. The validity of the field graphs was demonstrated by the close correspondence between measured and predicted coupling for the cross-guide couplers, and by achieving predicted equality of coupling at the band ends for the broad-wall couplers.
Toward Chemical Signature Analysis of Forensic Evidences

Forensic evidence analysis is vital in crime investigation and law enforcement. After the forensic evidences are collected in crime scenes and analyzed in forensic laboratory using a variety of experimental techniques, the findings and interpretation of the analytical results are used to solve a crime or dispute in a courtroom. The forensic evidences include forensic drugs, body fluids, explosives, inks, paintings, and biological agents. Most of forensic evidences are complex and contains impurities, such as cutting agents, thinners, adulterants, by-products, and intermediates (1,2). In particular, the crime scenes may include a variety of environment and condition, which may affect the forensic samples and produce impurities. The impurities of the forensic evidences can be used in chemical signature analysis as the chemical fingerprinting or profiling, which provide insightful and specific information in crime investigation. Forensic signature analysis involves analyzing the samples' composition beyond simple identification and quantitation of forensic evidences. The signature analytical data are able to categorize the forensic samples into similar groups and to offer investigative information of a common origin. In addition, the data may be used for the elucidation of the synthetic pathway or extraction method of evidences, identification of diluents, adulterants, and impurities, and identification of the evidences' geographic origin for plants-derives (1). Signature analysis of forensic samples includes physical examination and organic and inorganic analysis. The examination deals with color, shape, appearance, and other microscopic characterization of the sample. Chemical analysis of major and minor constituents reveals the information about the samples and the chemical methods used to process and preparation of samples. The information can be related to the environmental conditions prevailing the time and location. Each stage of the processing and environmental conditions of
Recanalization and Aneurysmal Dilitation of the Bovine Vascular Graft After Its Complete Occlusion

Bovine heterograft was widely used in the past for angio-access, revascular ization, and in some other different vas cular procedures. At first the technique was promising, but it ultimately became discouraging because of a high number of complications related to the use of foreign protein. This report describes a case in which bovine heterograft was used as an angio-access for chronic renal dialysis; its natural course and complication are reviewed in detail.
Adapting Curriculum 78 to a small university environment

Curriculum 78 was developed to present an undergraduate degree program in Computer Science at any university, with appropriate adaptation to each specific environment; in general the degree program suggested applies most naturally to relatively large universities. Because small universities have limited resources—students, faculty, computing facilities—the implementation of Curriculum 78 requires careful modification to fit the particular environment. By organizing the topics covered by the suggested courses in Curriculum 78 in different combinations and emphasizing microcomputers, the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Loyola University can offer a complete degree program in Computer Science in spite of its limited resources.
Stimulus effects of ibogaine in rats trained with yohimbine, DOM, or LSD

The stimulus effects of ibogaine were compared with those of yohimbine, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM), a 5-hydroxytryptamine2 (5-HT2) agonist, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a nonspecific 5-HT agonist. Rats were trained with either yohimbine (6 mg/kg), DOM (0.6 mg/kg), or LSD (0.1 mg/kg) vs. no treatment in a two-lever discrimination task. Tests of generalization were then conducted with ibogaine. In yohimbine-trained animals, 39.7% of responses following ibogaine (15 mg/kg) were on the drug-appropriate lever, but this response level was not significantly different from no treatment-appropriate responding. A response distribution that was significantly different from responding under both drug and no treatment training conditions was observed in DOM-trained rats after administration of 15 mg/kg ibogaine. Pizotyline (BC-105) blocked all DOM-appropriate responding produced by ibogaine. In LSD-trained animals, 20 mg/kg ibogaine mimicked LSD. Pizotyline blocked LSD-appropriate responding produced by ibogaine in five of six animals. The present data suggest the involvement of 5-HT2 receptor activity, and the possibility of a 5-HT1A contribution, in the stimulus properties of ibogaine.
Adaptive Low-Complexity Erasure-Correcting Code-Based Protocols for QoS-Driven Mobile Multicast Services Over Wireless Networks

We propose an adaptive hybrid automatic repeat request-forward error correction (ARQ-FEC) erasure-correcting scheme for quality of service (QoS)-driven mobile multicast services over wireless networks. The main features of our proposed scheme include (i) the low complexity achieved by the graph code; (ii) dynamic adaptation to the variations of packet-loss level and QoS requirements. To increase error-control efficiency and support diverse QoS requirements, we develop a two-dimensional (2-D) adaptive error-control scheme that dynamically adjusts not only the error-control redundancy, but also the code mapping structures. By deriving and identifying the closed-form nonlinear analytical expression between the optimal check-node degree and the packet-loss level, we propose the nonuniformed adaptive coding structures to achieve high error-control efficiency. Applying the Markov chain model, we obtain closed-form expressions that derive the error-control redundancy as a function of packet-loss level and the optimal check-node degree in each adaptation step. The convergency of error-control redundancy adaptation is dynamically controlled by different QoS requirements such that a high error-control efficiency can be achieved. Using the proposed 2-D adaptive error control, we design an efficient hybrid ARQ-FEC protocol for mobile multicast services with diverse reliability QoS requirements. The proposed scheme keeps the feedback overhead low by consolidating only the numbers rather than the sequence numbers of the lost packets, which are fed back by multicast receivers. Also conducted is a set of numerical and simulation evaluations that analyze and compare our proposed adaptive scheme with those using nonadaptive graph codes, Reed-Solomon erasure codes (RSE), and the pure ARQ-based approach. The simulation results show that our proposed scheme can efficiently support QoS-driven mobile multicast services and achieve high error-control efficiency while imposing low error-control complexity and overhead for mobile multicast networks
A modified live Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine to protect chickens from respiratory disease

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a modified live Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine (GT5) for the protection of chickens against infection and respiratory disease. GT5 was constructed by the reconstitution of the avirulent high passage R (R(high)) strain with the gene encoding the major cytadhesin GapA. GT5 expressed GapA on its surface yet retained the phenotypic characteristics of the parental R(high) strain. Birds vaccinated with GT5 were protected upon challenge with the virulent low passage R (R(low)) strain as evidenced by a complete absence of tracheal lesions 2 and 4 weeks post-challenge, in contrast to sham immunized/challenged control birds. Modest amounts of IgG, and little, if any secretory IgA or IgM anti-M. gallisepticum were found in tracheal washings following vaccination. However, copious amounts of specific IgA were found following challenge, especially in sham immunized birds. This suggests that the tracheal IgG elicited by GT5 vaccination may have been responsible for blocking the initial colonization of R(low), thereby resulting in protection.
Machine learning for information retrieval: neural networks, symbolic learning, and genetic algorithms

Information retrieval using probabilistic techniques has attracted significant attention on the part of researchers in information and computer science over the past few decades. In the 1980s, knowledge-based techniques also made an impressive contribution to “intelligent” information retrieval and indexing. More recently, information science researchers have turned to other newer artificial-intelligence-based inductive learning techniques including neural networks, symbolic learning, and genetic algorithms. These newer techniques, which are grounded on diverse paradigms, have provided great opportunities for researchers to enhance the information processing and retrieval capabilities of current information storage and retrieval systems. In this article, we first provide an overview of these newer techniques and their use in information science research. To familiarize readers with these techniques, we present three popular methods: the connectionist Hopfield network; the symbolic ID3/ID5R; and evolution-based genetic algorithms. We discuss their knowledge representations and algorithms in the context of information retrieval. Sample implementation and testing results from our own research are also provided for each technique. We believe these techniques are promising in their ability to analyze user queries, identify users' information needs, and suggest alternatives for search. With proper user-system interactions, these methods can greatly complement the prevailing full-text, keyword-based, probabilistic, and knowledge-based techniques. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Setting and Updating Modern Poverty Thresholds

This research compares median-based thresholds with ones based on the 33rd percentile using Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey (CE) data from 2004 quarter one through 2009 quarter one. Thresholds for reference families are produced using two different approaches: (1) calculating the thresholds based on the expenditure records of reference families composed of two adults with two children; and (2) calculating the thresholds using expenditures from all consumer units participating in the CE, but first converting their expenditures into adult equivalent value using the three-parameter equivalence scale before identifying the median and percentile values. Different updating mechanisms examined include: (1) an annual recalculation of the 33rd percentile of the reference family’s outlays on FCSU, and (2) changes in the reference family’s median spending or consumption based on needs. Thresholds, based on spending and consumption concepts to value needs for food, clothing, shelter, and utilities (FCSU), are produced.
Antecedents of Planned Organization Change

Recent literature extolling the virtues of "planned" organization change through massive training programs frequently overlooks the historical preconditions which may determine the success or failure of such programs. This article reports findings describing the history of an organization and its management prior to a decision to begin a Managerial Grid organization development program. In it we see how a consultant made use of roots put down in the unplanned stages many years before to build top management support for Managerial Grid training. It is quite possible that the presence or absence of such early events spells the difference between a mediocre and a highly successful organization change effort.
13C dipolar spectroscopy of nitromethane

The 13C dipolar N.M.R. spectrum of 13CH3 14NO2 has been recorded at 25 K. The principal values of the 13C shielding tensor, obtained by a computer fit of the experimental lineshape, are similar to those found in other 13CH3 groups. 14N quadrupolar parameters and direct dipolar couplings are also reported. In fitting the spectrum we find that an effective trace must be added to the dipolar interaction to account for librational motion.
Bimodal distribution of RNA expression levels in human skeletal muscle tissue

Many human diseases and phenotypes are related to RNA expression, levels of which are influenced by a wide spectrum of genetic and exposure-related factors. In a large genome-wide study of muscle tissue expression, we found that some genes exhibited a bimodal distribution of RNA expression, in contrast to what is usually assumed in studies of a single healthy tissue. As bimodality has classically been considered a hallmark of genetic control, we assessed the genome-wide prevalence, cause, and association of this phenomenon with diabetes-related phenotypes in skeletal muscle tissue from 225 healthy Pima Indians using exon array expression chips. Two independent batches of microarrays were used for bimodal assessment and comparison. Of the 17,881 genes analyzed, eight (GSTM1, HLA-DRB1, ERAP2, HLA-DRB5, MAOA, ACTN3, NR4A2, and THNSL2) were found to have bimodal expression replicated in the separate batch groups, while 24 other genes had evidence of bimodality in only one group. Some bimodally expressed genes had modest associations with pre-diabetic phenotypes, of note ACTN3 with insulin resistance. Most of the other bimodal genes have been reported to be involved with various other diseases and characteristics. Association of expression with cis genetic variation in a subset of 149 individuals found all but one of the confirmed bimodal genes and nearly half of all potential ones to be highly significant expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). The rare prevalence of these bimodally expressed genes found after controlling for batch effects was much lower than the prevalence reported in other studies. Additional validation in data from separate muscle expression studies confirmed the low prevalence of bimodality we observed. We conclude that the prevalence of bimodal gene expression is quite rare in healthy muscle tissue (<0.2%), and is much lower than limited reports from other studies. The major cause of these clearly bimodal expression patterns in homogeneous tissue appears to be cis-polymorphisms, indicating that such bimodal genes are, for the most part, eQTL. The high frequency of disease associations reported with these genes gives hope that this unique feature may identify or actually be an underlying factor responsible for disease development.
On Michael Brown: “Cultural Relativism 2.0”

With his usual incisive intelligence, Michael Brown (2008) has stated very well the current plight of cultural relativism as an idea. Indeed, anthropologists are rather widely tarred with the idea that they have no morals—that they hold (along with Herodotus’s rather apocryphal King of Persia) that anything goes if it is “custom,” even cannibalism. Brown differentiates moral relativism from methodological relativism, or what I have always called analytic relativism: looking as objectively as possible at different institutions, with a desire to understand them in context rather than to grade them on a scale or judge them. This is opposed to the tradition of evaluating other societies by how close they are to one’s own, as in old-fashioned cultural evolutionism, or the various definitions of “science” that go to considerable lengths in an attempt to include all western science while excluding all the rest (e.g., Wolpert 1993). One thinks also of the various attempts to define “humanity” by listing things that humans do not share with chimpanzees. Moral relativism is a different thing. Possibly in need of more attention is the fact that moral relativism is itself a moral position. More accurately, it is two moral positions. First is ordinary tolerance. This is basically what the Boasians usually meant. (Boas, and probably most of his students, added a more self-consciously Kantian dedication to respect for the individual and for human rights in the Enlightenment sense.) Specifically, they meant that “we” (whoever “we” are) should not condemn “them” just for being different from us, nor should we condemn others’ customs simply because they are different or unfamiliar. That this was not meant as “anything goes” is shown by Boas’s own intensely moral leadership in attacking racism, defending local traditions and minority groups, and criticizing anthropologists who served as spies in World War I. Most of the Boasians were actively involved in politics, especially to defend indigenous peoples. (They did not do this perfectly, as many indigenous people now point out cogently, but at least they tried.) As I understand it, their hope was usually to construct a universal human ethic—not to impose western ethics on everyone. Whether they were successful in this is another question. Second is the postcolonial version that now seems to have taken over much of the semantic space of “moral relativism.” This version holds that national and ethnic rules are not to
Molecular Dynamics Study of Metal Fatigue Process

Molecular dynamics study was conducted to understand fatigue process in metals and to predict fatigue failure. As the first step, a pure metal like copper was considered for the study with defects at the atomic level such as vacancies or dislocations. The study was focused on identifying parameters which can provide indications of progressive damage accumulation in the material under cyclic loading. The results obtained by simulations were compared to macroscopic observations in the experimental studiesCopyright © 2004 by ASME
Diabetes and diet: We Are Still Learning

A diagnosis of diabetes mellitus can be overwhelming at first to any patient who faces it. Although most patients initially feel that learning to administer insulin by injection is diabetes' most difficult aspect, altering life-time eating habits to provide ideal nutrition is in actuality more challenging. Despite this, dieting is becoming easier every day. Research now tells us that caloric restriction to maintain normal weight improves glucose tolerance as well as weight control. Complex carbohydrates should comprise 50% to 60% of total calories. Concentrated sweets and simple sugars are to be avoided. Dietary protein should account for no more than 20% of total calories although some individuals may require further protein restriction or increased protein in the case of catabolic states. The Recommended Daily Allowance of protein is 0.8 g/kg per day. The remaining calories are ingested as fat and make up 20% to 30% of the total. Further fat restriction may be necessary in diabetics with dyslipidemias. Saturated fats are to be avoided with a polyunsaturated:saturated fat ratio of at least 0.8 and preferably 1.0. Though specifically designed for the diabetic, these recommendations provide good nutrition for healthy people as well. The many low-fat, low-cholesterol, and low-calorie alternatives provided by today's food industry provide ample variety making compliance easier all the time. After mastering the basics of glucose control and diabetic nutrition, most patients can expand their skills to include restaurant dining and travel by anticipating potential problems and preparing ahead.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Abstract 5216: An Akt-EphA2 reciprocal regulatory loop controls tumor cell migration and invasion

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC EphA2 is a member of Eph family receptor tyrosine kinases that has been implicated in many types of human cancers. Perplexingly, both pro- and anti-oncogenic properties have been attributed to EphA2 kinase. We report here that a possible cause for this apparent paradox is diametrically opposite roles of EphA2 in regulating cell migration and invasion. While activation of EphA2 with its ligand ephrin-A1 inhibited chemotactic migration of glioma and prostate cancer cells, EphA2 overexpression promoted migration in a ligand-independent manner. Surprisingly, the latter effects required phosphorylation of EphA2 on serine 897 by Akt, and S897A mutation abolished ligand-independent promotion of cell motility. Ephrin-A1 stimulation of EphA2 negated Akt activation by growth factors and caused EphA2 dephosphorylation on S897. In human astrocytoma, S897 phosphorylation was correlated with tumor grades and Akt activation, suggesting that the Akt-EphA2 crosstalk may contribute to brain tumor progression. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5216.
Implantable nanosensors: toward continuous physiologic monitoring.

Continuous physiologic monitoring would add greatly to both home and clinical medical treatment for chronic conditions. Implantable nanosensors are a promising platform for designing continuous monitoring systems. This feature reviews design considerations and current approaches towards such devices.
MANUFACTURING OF COMPOSITES WITH THE CO-INJECTION PROCESS

In several applications, such as integral armor, a composite structure is required with layers of different materials to serve multiple purposes. Currently the manufacturing of these parts takes place in multiple steps. The purpose of this paper is to show how Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) was modified to allow for co-injection. The co-injection process was used to manufacture several multi-resin, multi-layer panels in a single step. Various approaches were used to control the resin front through the thickness of the preforms: separation layers such as a low-permeability layer, a pre-impregnated layer and a thin film were investigated experimentally. Several panels were successfully manufactured using the coinjection process with the various types of separation layers. The parts were tested in short beam shear and using an interlaminar shear device to evaluate the adhesion between dissimilar resins. Background
Policing the Market Place

A simple game-theoretic model yields insight into the optimal use of available resources for inspecting commercial measuring devices.
Combining Interval and Probabilistic Uncertainty: What Is Computable?

In many practical problems, we need to process measurement results. For example, we need such data processing to predict future values of physical quantities. In these computations, it is important to take into account that measurement results are never absolutely exact, that there is always measurement uncertainty, because of which the measurement results are, in general, somewhat different from the actual (unknown) values of the corresponding quantities. In some cases, all we know about measurement uncertainty is an upper bound; in this case, we have an interval uncertainty, meaning that all we know about the actual value is that is belongs to a certain interval. In other cases, we have some information—usually partial—about the corresponding probability distribution. New data processing challenges appear all the time; in many of these cases, it is important to come up with appropriate algorithms for taking uncertainty into account.
Children's Online Processing of Ad-Hoc Implicatures.

Language comprehenders routinely make pragmatic inferences that go beyond the literal meanings of utterances. If A said “I ate some of the cookies,” B should infer that A ate some but not all. Children perform poorly on experimental tests of scalar implicatures like this, despite their early-emerging sensitivity to pragmatic cues. Our current work explores potential factors responsible for children’s successes and failures in computing pragmatic inferences. In two experiments, we used an eyetracking paradigm to test children’s ability to compute implicatures when they have access to contextual alternatives to the target word (Experiment 1), and when they hear prosodic cues that emphasize the contrast between the target and alternative (Experiment 2). We found that by the time children are four years old, they successfully identify the inferential target referent in this paradigm; with supportive prosodic cues, we saw evidence of success in three-year-olds as well. In sum, with sufficient contextual support, preschool children are capable of making online pragmatic inferences.
Oxaliplatin tolerance in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancers

Oxaliplatin is a new platinum compound with a 1,2-diaminocyclohexane (DACH) carrier ligand. It has recently been developed in metastatic colorectal cancer treatment, where it is generally combined with 5FU and leucovorin. Safety data in this indication concern over 1,700 patients, who received 12,500 cycles during clinical trials. Oxaliplatin appears to be relatively well tolerated and easy to handle, even on an outpatient basis. Gastrointestinal toxicity is common, but controllable and rarely severe or long-lasting. Haematological and mucosal tolerance is satisfactory, and oxaliplatin does not seem to have renal toxicity. Neurological side effects are the drug's limiting toxicity and can present as acute neurotoxicity (dysesthesiae), which is rapidly reversible, or sometimes as a longer-lasting effect, correlated in this case with the cumulative dose and leading to functional impairment in 10 to 20% of patients after 6 cycles or more. Neurological symptoms improve in the vast majority of cases after treatment is stopped. In this situation, it is even possible to restart oxaliplatin treatment. Good patient information and dose adjustments should allow us to manage the majority of neurological toxicity associated with oxaliplatin administration.
A Study of BER-Optimal ADC-Based Receiver for Serial Links

Analog-to-digital converter (ADC)-based multi-Gb/s serial link receivers have gained increasing attention in the backplane community due to the desire for higher I/O throughput, ease of design portability, and flexibility. However, the power dissipation in such receivers is dominated by the ADC. ADCs in serial links employ signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) and effective-number-of-bit (ENOB) as performance metrics as these are the standard for generic ADC design. This paper studies the use of information-based metrics such as bit-error-rate (BER) to design a BER-optimal ADC (BOA) for serial links. Channel parameters such as the $m$ -clustering value and the threshold non-uniformity metric $h_{t}$ are introduced and employed to quantify the BER improvement achieved by a BOA over a conventional uniform ADC (CUA) in a receiver. Analytical expressions for BER improvement are derived and validated through simulations. A prototype BOA is designed, fabricated and tested in a 1.2 V, 90 nm LP CMOS process to verify the results of this study. BOA's variable-threshold and variable-resolution configurations are implemented via an 8-bit single-core, multiple-output passive digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which incurs an additional power overhead of $ 0.1% (approximately 50 $\mu\text{W}$ ). Measurement results show examples in which the BER achieved by the 3-bit BOA receiver is lower by a factor of $10^{9}$ and $10^{10}$ , as compared to the 4-bit and 3-bit CUA receivers, respectively, at a data rate of 4-Gb/s and a transmitted signal amplitude of 180 mVppd.
Management of Brain Metastases in Patients With Melanoma

Melanoma is the third most common systemic cancer that leads to brain metastases. The annual incidence of melanoma has increased over time, with brain metastases developing in 40% to 50% of patients with advanced melanoma. Traditional management of melanoma-related brain metastases has focused on symptom control as a result of the significant neurologic morbidity associated with the disease. Median overall survival for these patients, if untreated, is approximately 3 months. As with other brain metastases, a multidisciplinary treatment approach that includes surgery and radiation therapy is typically used, with historically little role for systemic, cytotoxic therapy. During the past decade, advancement within the field of genomics has led to the identification of melanoma-specific mutations, namely, v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B and neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog, as well as to the development of agents that target these driver mutations. In addition, the advent of immunotherapi...
Functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles for U removal from low and high pH groundwater.

U(VI) species display limited adsorption onto sediment minerals and synthetic sorbents in pH 8 groundwater. In this work, magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MMSNs) with magnetite nanoparticle cores were functionalized with various organic molecules using post-synthetic methods. The functionalized MMSNs were characterized using N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), (13)C cross polarization and magic angle spinning (CPMAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), which indicated that mesoporous silica (MCM-41) particles of 100-200nm formed around a core of magnetic iron oxide, and the functional groups were primarily grafted into the mesopores of ∼3.0nm in size. The functionalized MMSNs were effective for U removal from pH 3.5 and 9.6 artificial groundwater (AGW). Functionalized MMSNs removed U from the pH 3.5 AGW by as much as 6 orders of magnitude more than unfunctionalized nanoparticles or silica and had adsorption capacities as high as 38mg/g. They removed U from the pH 9.6 AGW as much as 4 orders of magnitude greater than silica and 2 orders of magnitude greater than the unfunctionalized nanoparticles with adsorption capacities as high as 133mg/g. These results provide an applied solution for treating U contamination that occurs at extreme pH environments and a scientific foundation for solving critical industrial issues related to environmental stewardship and nuclear power production.
Thermal Conductivity of Reinforced Plastics at Cryogenic Temperatures

The requirement for cryogenic propellants, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, liquid fluorine, and oxygen difluoride in current and proposed missiles, booster rockets, and space vehicles, has focused attention on the determination of properties of materials at extreme subzero temperatures. The need for thermal design data at cryogenic temperatures arises mostly from two fundamental requirements: (1) storage and containment of high-energy cryogens; and (2) direct exposure of space systems to the cryogenic conditions of a space environment.
First sub-500μm-resolution simultaneous SPECT/MRI imaging with the MRC-SPECT-I: An ultrahigh resolution MR-compatible SPECT system using highly pixelated semiconductor detectors

The group at University of Illinois has developed the first generation MRI compatible SPECT (MRC-SPECT-I) using 40 highly pixelated CdTe detectors. In the paper, we examined strong magnetic distortion over detector charge collection, system response, and the corresponding correction model. The system capability of working in simultaneous SPECT/MRI imaging was also demonstrated using point source and resolution phantom studies. Our results showed MRC-SPECT-I could obtain sub-500μm resolution.
Causal impact modeling of state dependent impulsive affine systems using Non-standard Analysis

A causal modeling for an impulsive system with a state dependent switching surface is defined and analyzed on a new extended real space, denoted as Krylov hyperreals, which is based on the nonstandard analysis (NSA). The recent work of the authors contains the detailed construction of the extended space, and the generalized function on that space. In the first part of the paper, important concepts of NSA, and the suggested function space are reviewed. Next, a new generalization of a continuous but not differentiable function will be defined on the Krylov hyperreals in order to properly define a composition between singular and non differentiable function. By using an analogy to a spring and damper model, the authors suggest an equivalent causal model of the state dependent impulsive system by introducing the powers of singular control in the original continuous dynamics. A motivational example of a bouncing ball moving on a horizontal surface is analyzed to show the effectiveness.
EXISTENCE OF CARATHÉODORY-MARTIN EVOLUTIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the existence of Caratheodory–Martin evolutions. It highlights the local existence of solutions of an initial value problem (IVP). Local existence means local in time, that is, T must be strictly positive but may be finite. The question of whether T = ∞ is also an important question. The solution means a strong or Caratheodory's solution. One hypothesis that is often used in connection with strong solutions is the Peano's condition. IVP has been studied under several different hypotheses and with several different definitions of solution. Different methods have been employed, but most of these methods follow a single general outline.
Health Literacy: A Brief Primer for the Otolaryngologist

Health literacy has been shown to affect outcomes in a number of medical conditions. Despite the complexity of care that is often required among otolaryngology patients, the literature on health li...