cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A systematic review of validated methods for identifying systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using administrative or claims data

Abstract Purpose To examine the validity of billing, procedural, or diagnosis code, or pharmacy claim-based algorithms used to identify patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in administrative and claims databases. Methods We searched the MEDLINE database from 1991 to September 2012 using controlled vocabulary and key terms related to SLE. We also searched the reference lists of included studies. Two investigators independently assessed the full text of studies against pre-determined inclusion criteria. The two reviewers independently extracted data regarding participant and algorithm characteristics and assessed a study's methodologic rigor using a pre-defined approach. Results Twelve studies included validation statistics for the identification of SLE in administrative and claims databases. Seven of these studies used the ICD-9 code of 710.0 in selected populations of patients seen by a rheumatologist or patients who had experienced the complication of SLE-associated nephritis, other kidney disease, or pregnancy. The other studies looked at limited data in general populations. The algorithm in the selected populations had a positive predictive value (PPV) in the range of 70–90% and of the limited data in general populations it was in the range of 50–60%. Conclusions Few studies use rigorous methods to validate an algorithm for the identification of SLE in general populations. Algorithms including ICD-9 code of 710.0 in physician billing and hospitalization records have a PPV of approximately 60%. A requirement that the code is obtained from a record based on treatment by a rheumatologist increases the PPV of the algorithm but limits the generalizability in the general population.
Evaluation of simplified models for predicting CO2 concentrations in small commercial buildings

Evaluation of a building for application of demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) typically involves the use of computer simulations to predict energy use/costs for both fixed ventilation and ventilation adjusted to maintain fixed CO2 levels within the space. The simulation tools incorporate models for predicting CO2 concentrations in response to internal sources (people), infiltration/exfiltration, and ventilation. This paper presents a detailed evaluation of different modeling approaches for predicting levels of CO2 in occupied spaces for small, single-zone commercial buildings employing packaged air-conditioning equipment. Two-zone and three-zone transient models were compared with a quasi-static equilibrium model applied to three distinctly different building types. Baseline data were derived from computational fluid dynamic models that were developed for field sites. A complete building system simulation model was then used to compare the impact of the different modeling approaches on the predicted energy cost savings associated with application of DCV in each building type. The use of a transient CO2 model did not have a significant impact on model prediction accuracy and energy cost savings predictions as compared with the quasi-static model. The difference in predicted annual energy costs between the various CO2 modeling types were small and less than might result from errors introduced by factors such as CO2 sensor uncertainty. Therefore, the use of an equilibrium model is sufficient for use in evaluating DCV for small commercial buildings.
Technical Report: Jupiter's Synchrotron Radiation

Radio signals from Jupiter were first detected in 1955 in the radio range at a frequency of 22.2 MHz. The emissions were sporadic in character, and were confined to frequencies below 40 MHz. These decametric (DAM) emissions have been interpreted as coherent cyclotron radiation from electrons in the tens of keV range. The innermost jovian moon Io, which orbits Jupiter in only 1.8 days, appears to modulate the emission: both the intensity and the probability of the occurrence of bursts increase when Io is at certain locations in its orbit with respect to Jupiter and the observer. The emissions originate in Jupiter's aurora, being produced by electrons that travel along magnetic field lines. Particles that enter the atmosphere may locally excite atoms and molecules, which upon de-excitation are visible as aurora at UV and infrared wavelengths (sometimes also at X-ray wavelengths). A fraction of the electrons is reflected back along the field lines, and produces DAM emissions.
Identifying the Correlates of Dwelling Satisfaction: An Empirical Critique

This article represents a critique of empirical studies that have beenbased on the actual-aspirational gap approach to residential satisfaction. The reexamination of this theory suggests that empirical specifications should be disaggregated by household type and allow for nonlinear relationships between residential context and their associated levels of satisfaction. A multivariate regression analysis of dwelling satisfaction that employs such an appropriate specification is estimated for various strata of a 1980 sample of Minneapolis homeowners. Results provide strong support for the disaggregated, nonlinear modeling approach and, by implication, opens questions with much prior empirical work in the field.
Transparent electrically conducting thin films for spacecraft temperature control applications.

Thin transparent films of In2O3 or In2O3 + SnO2 prepared by evaporation or sputtering have been tested for use as surface layers for spacecraft temperature control coatings. The films are intended to prevent nonuniform electric charge buildup on the spacecraft exterior. Film thicknesses of 300 to 500 A were found to be optimal in terms of durability and minimum impact on the solar absorptance and the thermal emissivity of the underlayers. As a verification of their suitability for long-duration space missions, the films were subjected to simulated solar UV plus proton irradiation in a vacuum.
Enzymatic degradation of low-rank coals by a cell-free enzymatic system from Coriolus versicolor

Abstract An extracellular fraction from the lignin degrading white-rot fungus, Coriolus versicolor , can biosolubilize leonardite and pretreated lignites in vitro . Leonardite is often found as an overburden to lignite deposits, and is related to humic acid, and is more oxidized than lignites. Extracts from certain fungi such as C. versicolor solubilize leonardite. The biosolubilization activity is at least in part enzymatic in nature. A protein which is at least partly responsible for the solubilization effect has been substantially purified and concentrated by ultrafiltration and ion-exchange chromatography from the broth of an agitated submerged culture of C. versicolor grown in a defined medium. An in vitro coal biosolubilization assay was used to establish the effects of various physical and chemical factors affecting enzyme activity, including temperature and the salt and buffer composition of the reaction mixture. Some initial studies on the mechanism of the enzymatic leonardite biosolubilization reaction are described.
A note on the extinction coefficient and absorptivity of glass

Abstract The standard technique for describing the attenuation through glass is to use the extinction coefficient in Beer’s law. What is demonstrated here is that a simpler model that uses a single number for absorptivity of the glass to normal incident radiation is fully satisfactory.
The development of pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma after placement of a vascular access graft

SUMMARY Pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma developed on the skin overlying a vascular access graft in a haemodialysis patient. After spontaneous thrombosis within the graft, the cutaneous lesions promptly resolved. Light and electron microscopic study of the lesions failed to distinguish them from those of true Kaposi's sarcoma.
The role of gene therapy for craniofacial and dental tissue engineering

Basic science advances in bone tissue engineering using osteoinductive protein therapy have already been translated to the use in patients with selected orthopedic problems. The story of the development of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) osteoinductive therapy, from the discovery of this class of molecules in 1965 to the publication of randomized clinical trials in 2001 for tibial non-unions and 2002 for spinal fusion, is truly fascinating. Both clinical studies showed healing equivalence of the BMP-bioimplant compared to a free non-vascularized bone graft but without the associated donor site morbidity. These advances unfortunately have not lead to rapid application of using BMP osteoinductive protein therapy for reconstructing most craniofacial bone defects, with clinical case series beginning to be reported only for limited small-sized defects. This is a reflection of the complexity and unique characteristics of most craniofacial defects, which will likely require a more robust osteoinductive signal than delivering recombinant protein on a scaffold for clinically meaningful bone regeneration. Gene therapy approaches are promising for overcoming the unique challenges that are characteristic of craniofacial and dental defects.
Central neuromodulation for refractory pain.

DBS and MCS can alleviate chronic pain in select patients, particularly those with peripheral neuropathies. Common targets are the sensory thalamic nuclei and PVG/PAG areas. Given the vast amount of retrospective reports and uncontrolled case series, there is a paucity of reliable data in the literature, and the magnitude of the placebo effect is not well known. The future of this application depends on an organized, systematic approach with randomized studies in which the effects of stimulation can be differentiated from placebo and other confounding features. Novel approaches, including those targeting the networks related to the affective sphere of chronic pain, may show improvements in quality of life and reduce disability.
Spin Equilibria in Monomeric Manganocenes: Solid State Magnetic and EXAFS Studies

Magnetic susceptibility measurements and X-ray data confirm that tert-butyl-substituted manganocenes [(Me3C)nC5H5−n]2Mn (n = 1, 2) follow the trend previously observed with the methylated manganocenes; that is, electron-donating groups attached to the Cp ring stabilize the low-spin (LS) electronic ground state relative to Cp2Mn and exhibit higher spin-crossover (SCO) temperatures. However, introducing three CMe3 groups on each ring gives a temperature-invariant high-spin (HS) state manganocene. The origin of the high-spin state in [1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2Mn is due to the significant bulk of the [1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]− ligand, which is sufficient to generate severe inter-ring steric strain that prevents the realization of the low-spin state. Interestingly, the spin transition in [1,3-(Me3C)2C5H3]2Mn is accompanied by a phase transition resulting in a significant irreversible hysteresis (ΔTc = 16 K). This structural transition was also observed by extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) measurements. Magn...
Martensitic transformation in a dispersed Ti-Al-V-Fe β-phase and its effect on fracture toughness of γ-titanium aluminide

A comprehensive experimental investigation of the materials microstructure (using optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy), the crystal structure of the continent phases (using X-ray and selected area electron diffraction) and fracture toughness (using three-point bending tests) has been carried out in a (Ti—40Al—32V—2Fe, wt.%) two-phase γ-TiAl-based alloy containing second-phase particles of a b.c.c. phase and in a (Ti—44Al—27V—0.6Fe, wt.%) single-phase γ-TiAl alloy. The chemical composition of the two-phase (γ + β alloy was designed in such a way that the β-phase meets the following functional requirement in the alloy: (a) thermodynamic stability of the β-phase relative to martensite is sufficiently high to prevent martensite formation at the ambient temperature except for the cases when the material is subject to high stress and strain levels as encountered in the vicinity of sharp cracks; (b) volume increase due to the β-phase→martensite transformation is maximum and (c) the initial two phases, γ and β are in a chemical equilibrium at high temperature (≥ 800°C). The chemical composition of the single-phase γ-alloy was selected to it coincides with that of β-TiAl matrix phase in the two-phase alloy. Experimental characterization of the alloys microstructure and fracture toughness showed that a deformation-induced β → α″ martensitic transformation takes place within the β-phase, and that due to the orthorhombic crystal structure of the α″ martensite the transformation is accompanied by a ∼ 2.8% increase in volume. In addition, the occurrence of the martensitic transformation and the accompanied crack-tip shielding effect is found to give rise to a nearly two-fold increase in the fracture toughness relative to that of the single-phase γ-TiAl alloy, in which no martensitic transformation takes place.
Beriberi, White Rice, and Vitamin B: A Disease, a Cause and a Cure

Beriberi, White Rice, and Vitamin B:. Disease, Cause and. Cure by Kenneth J. Carpenter (2000) University of California Press. 282 pages.
Relative Brain Size, Stratification, and Social Structure in Anthropoids

The relationships between relative brain size and both stratification and social structure were examined in a total of 82 species of anthropoids. The species were divided into a total of 42 congeneric groups which consisted of congeneric species with similar ecologies and social structures. The relative brain size (RBS) was calculated for each congeneric group in each superfamily, based on an allometric equation describing the relationship between brain weight and body weight for each superfamily. Among congeneric groups with a common category of diet, RBS was significantly greater for terrestrial groups than for arboreal groups, and for polygynous (i.e. multi-female) groups than for monogynous (single-female) groups. Furthermore, RBS was significantly and positively correlated with the size of the home range per individual for the Cercopithecoidea, and with troop size for frugivorous groups of the Ceboidea. The results obtained suggest that factors associated with terrestriality and polygyny have been involved in the increases in relative brain size of anthropoids.
Dynamic mechanical properties of epoxy resin/epoxidized rubber blends: Effect of phase separated rubber

The dynamic mechanical properties of blends of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A-based epoxy resin and internally epoxidized polybutadiene rubber have been studied. It is shown that the influence of the composition of the continuous phase and of the dispersed phase can be studied not only from the variations of the glass transition temperature but also from the changes in the apparent enthalpy of activation associated with this transition. As the initial rubber content increases, the composition of the dispersed phase remains practically constant while more rubber is able to dissolve in the continuous phase. Analysis of the rubbery plateau region reveals that the shear modulus of the blends is not much affected by the presence of dissolved rubber in the continuous phase but strongly depends on the volume fraction of dispersed phase. This volume fraction can be obtained from the relative drop in shear modulus after modeling the results with the Kerner equation. The results compares well with independent measurements by scanning electron microscopy. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
When to Combine Two Visual Cognition Systems

In computing, informatics and other scientific disciplines, combinations of two or more systems have been shown to perform better than individual systems. Although combinations of multiple systems can be better than each individual system, it is not known when and how this is the case. In this paper, we focus on visual cognition systems. In particular, we conduct an experiment consisting of twenty trials, each focused on a pair of visual cognition systems. The data set is then analyzed using combinatorial fusion. Our results demonstrate that on average, combination of two visual cognition systems can perform better than individual systems only if the individual systems have high performance ratio and cognitive diversity. These results provide a necessary condition as to when two visual cognition systems should be combined to achieve better outcomes.
Water hardness influences Flavobacterium columnare pathogenesis in channel catfish

Abstract Studies were conducted to determine aspects of water chemistry responsible for large differences in pathogenesis and mortality rates in experimental challenges of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus with Flavobacterium columnare ; challenges were conducted in water supplying either the Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center (SNARC) in Stuttgart, Arkansas, or the Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit (WARU) in Stoneville, Mississippi. Waters differed in two major characteristics: compared to SNARC water, WARU water contained appreciable dissolved organic matter (DOM) and very low concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium. In Experiment 1, fish were exposed to a bacterial challenge of F. columnare in aquaria with either SNARC or WARU water. Fish mortality at 4 d was 100% for fish in SNARC water, while no fish died in WARU water. Bacterial adhesion to gill surfaces also differed dramatically in the two waters and was approximately 1900-times higher for fish challenged in SNARC water (more than 800,000 bacterial CFUs/ng extracted DNA) than for fish challenged in WARU water (fewer than 450 CFUs/ng). Experiment 2 was conducted with a lower bacterial challenge to determine which factor, DOM or divalent cation concentration, caused the difference in mortality seen in Experiment 1. Complete removal of DOM from WARU water by carbon filtration did not affect bacterial adhesion to gills nor resulted in greater mortality in challenged fish. Consequently, DOM did not contribute to the differences in mortality seen in Experiment 1. However, removal of most calcium and magnesium from SNARC water by ion-exchange filtration resulted in decreased bacterial adhesion to gill and decreased mortality compared to un-altered SNARC water. It appears that the concentration of divalent cations (hardness) affects the pathogenesis of columnaris disease.
Body image dissatisfaction in preadolescent children

Abstract This study was designed to explore preadolescent children's body image dissatisfaction and to identify psychometrically sound measures of dissatisfaction for this population. Participants were 109 male and 95 female elementary school students ranging from 8 to 10 years of age. Children completed Child Figure Drawings, a revised version of the Body Dissatisfaction scale of the Eating Disorder Inventory (Revised EDI-BD), Anxiety and Happiness and Satisfaction subscales of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), and each child's gender, race, height, and weight were also recorded. The Child Figure Drawings and the Revised EDI-BD were readministered after 2 to 3 weeks. The Revised EDI-BD emerged as a psychometrically sound measure of body dissatisfaction within this age range. Girls demonstrated significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction and lower levels of self-esteem than boys. The results are discussed in terms of the development and implications of body dissatisfaction in preadolescent children.
Peace Profile: Roger Casement

The life, work, and writings of Roger Casement, an early twentieth-century British Foreign Service officer, activist, and gay man, comprise a substantial repository of knowledge for activists and t...
Medical Cost Trajectories and Onsets of Cancer and NonCancer Diseases in US Elderly Population

Time trajectories of medical costs-associated with onset of twelve aging-related cancer and chronic noncancer diseases were analyzed using the National Long-Term Care Survey data linked to Medicare Service Use files. A special procedure for selecting individuals with onset of each disease was developed and used for identification of the date at disease onset. Medical cost trajectories were found to be represented by a parametric model with four easily interpretable parameters reflecting: (i) prediagnosis cost (associated with initial comorbidity), (ii) cost of the disease onset, (iii) population recovery representing reduction of the medical expenses associated with a disease since diagnosis was made, and (iv) acquired comorbidity representing the difference between post- and pre diagnosis medical cost levels. These parameters were evaluated for the entire US population as well as for the subpopulation conditional on age, disability and comorbidity states, and survival (2.5 years after the date of onset). The developed approach results in a family of new forecasting models with covariates.
Connectedness, social support and internalising emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents displaced by the Chechen conflict

The study investigated factors associated with internalising emotional and behavioural problems among adolescents displaced during the most recent Chechen conflict. A cross-sectional survey (N=183) examined relationships between social support and connectedness with family, peers and community in relation to internalising problems. Levels of internalising were higher in displaced Chechen youth compared to published norms among non-referred youth in the United States and among Russian children not affected by conflict. Girls demonstrated higher problem scores compared to boys. Significant inverse correlations were observed between family, peer and community connectedness and internalising problems. In multivariate analyses, family connectedness was indicated as a significant predictor of internalising problems, independent of age, gender, housing status and other forms of support evaluated. Sub-analyses by gender indicated stronger protective relationships between family connectedness and internalising problems in boys. Results indicate that family connectedness is an important protective factor requiring further exploration by gender in war-affected adolescents.
Stable isomorphism of modules over one-dimensional rings

Abstract Two R-modules M and N are said to be stably isomorphic provided M+R( n )≅N+R( n for some n ⩾ 1. In this paper R is always a commutative, reduced, one-dimensional Noetherian ring with finite normalization R, and M and N are torsionfree. All modules are assumed to be finitely generated. There is a natural action of ( R c )∗, the group of units of R c (where c is the conductor of R in R ) on torsionfree R-modules; and the main theorem of this paper is that the orbits of the induced action of ( R c ∗ are exactly the stable isomorphism classes. As applications, we show that stably isomorphic modules are actually isomorphic if R is a domain finitely generated as an R -algebra, with at most one singular real maximal ideal. We give several examples of modules that are stably isomorphic but not isomorphic, illustrating that these hypotheses cannot be significantly weakened. We are grateful to L. S. Levy and the referee for several suggestions that have improved the exposition of this work.
Family history of cancer and risk of breast cancer in the Black Women's Health Study.

Introduction Relatively little research has been conducted on familial breast cancer in African American women.
Effect of low-dose ultrasonic treatment on Spirulina maxima

Abstract Spirulina maxima exposure to ultrasound (16 and 18 W) for 5 s generally resulted in decrease in growth, protein concentration, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, while chlorophyll a concentration was not significantly affected at the 5% level. However, lower doses (8 W) of ultrasound showed a 5% increase in growth in samples receiving a one-time dose of ultrasound on the first day and day 7 of the experiment (US-D-1,7) compared to the control and the ultrasound every other day treatment (US-EOD). Chlorophyll a concentration was not significantly different between the control and US-D-1,7 treatment, but increased in the US-EOD treatment. In addition, protein concentration and SOD activity were decreased in both of the ultrasound treatments compared to the control. For the production of Spirulina on an industrial scale, low doses of ultrasound may provide an environmentally safe method for enhancing the growth of this organism. Conversely, higher doses of ultrasound may provide an environmentally safe method for reducing the growth of harmful cyanobacterial species in growth systems for animal aquaculture
A Low Latency Scheme for Bulk RFID Tag Reading

Passive RFID tags transmit their ID information to a tag reader upon energization by the reader. These transmitted signals, or IDs, may collide if multiple tags transmit their ID simultaneously, requiring repeated energizations by the reader to read all tag IDs successfully. The number of energizations increases with the number of ID bits in the tag and the number of tags to be read. An increase in energizations results in a greater incurred latency to read the tags, and additionally, more transmissions. This is undesirable in an industry environment especially, and with this comes higher expended energy by the reading system, leading to higher system costs. In this paper, a new proposed scheme is evaluated, the shortcut bisected countdown scheme (SBCS), in terms of the number of energizations by a reader. Three different techniques are progressively combined into three schemes in order to cut down on the number of energizations. The final scheme, SBCS, which is a combination of the three techniques, stabilizes on the number of energizations irrespective of the tag ID length and the number of tags to be read, resulting in a distinct advantage for bulk reading. The three schemes are memoryless meaning that the tags are unable to remember if they were read or not; hence the performance of each of the schemes is compared with the Query Tree protocol since it is also memoryless.
The perfect storm: a foreign body and splenic infarct mimicking a sleeve gastrectomy leak.

/10.10 14 A ence: tate U venu .mika Due to its relative simplicity and effectiveness, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has recently become a popular surgical option [1]. In fact, LSG is now the second most common bariatric operation performed in the United States, after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) [2]. Staple-line leaks are the most dreaded complication of LSG, with a reported incidence of 2–3% [3]. A majority (90%) of the leaks are seen in the proximal portion of the sleeve, close to the angle of His, and 80% of the patients are diagnosed after being discharged [3]. Here, we present a rare case of a splenic infarct and foreign body mimicking a late staple-line leak after LSG.
Build A Braveheart: The Missing Linc (RNA)

A novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), Braveheart (Bvht), has been defined as a critical regulator of commitment of the embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to cardiovascular lineages. Bvht activates a cardiovascular gene network and functions upstream of mesoderm posterior 1 (MESP1), a master regulator of a common multipotent cardiovascular progenitor. Bvht mediates epigenetic regulation of commitment to a cardiac lineage by interacting with SUZ12, a component of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Bvht represents the first lncRNA that defines cardiac cell fate and lineage specificity, linking lncRNAs to cardiac development and disease.
Ionizing radiation and the cell cycle: A review

Ionizing radiation has long been known to cause perturbations in the cell cycle. The information regarding these effects on the cell cycle, in particular alterations in cell cycle kinetics, has been used to design various treatment protocols over the years; these efforts have resulted in modest improvements in local control and patient survival. However, the past two decades have seen an eruption of scientific knowledge regarding the molecular biology of the cell cycle, specifically the regulation of cell cycle checkpoints. In this review we discuss the genetic events involved in regulating the G1, S, and G2 checkpoints. In addition, we discuss the potential impact of the recent cloning of the gene for ataxia-telangiectasia. Radiat Oncol Invest 1996;4:147–158. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Civic actions after September 11: Exploring the role of multi-level storytelling

Interpersonal and media storytelling were crucial to information dissemination about the September 11 tragedies. The storytelling processes through which urban residents are transformed into members of a broader community are illustrated by their connections to media and their participation in neighborhood discussions and community organizations after September 11. This study demonstrates how a communication infrastructure approach contributes to understanding participation in civil society after September 11.
Exchange Rate Shocks and U.S. Services and Agricultural Exports: Which Export Sector is More Affected?

In this article, a vector autoregressive model is constructed with monthly data from 1992:1 to 2009:12 to investigate the exchange rate propagation mechanisms to real exports of U.S. services and agricultural sectors. Using plausible identification assumptions consistent with many open economy macro models, the results indicate that exchange rate shocks impact services exports more than they do on agricultural exports. Moreover, the shocks are more persistent on services relative to agricultural exports.
Creating a competitive advantage by building resource capability: the case of Outback Steakhouse Korea.

The case of Outback Steakhouse Korea provides almost a textbook example of a five-point framework for competitive advantage. The framework suggests that companies must manage and blend resources in...
Physics-based field-theoretic design automation tools for social networks and web search

Large-scale computations required in the analysis and design of social network interactions and internet search have traditionally had a flavor distinct from EDA. With scale, density, and personalization on the web, the picture is changing. We show early evidence here that EDA-based methodologies in field simulation may show new techniques for search, relevance in online advertising, and social network simulation.
Progesterone induces Apoptosis in TRAIL‐resistant ovarian cancer cells by circumventing c‐FLIPL overexpression

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) holds great potential as an anticancer drug, since it induces selective cell death in cancer cells but not in normal ones. However, cancer cells often acquire resistance to TRAIL, which hinders its clinical efficacy. We previously demonstrated that progesterone triggers apoptosis in human ovarian cancer (OCa) cells. In the present study, we evaluated the prospect of utilizing progestins in combination with TRAIL to enhance cell death in TRAIL-sensitive (OVCA 420, OVCA 429, and OVCA 433) and -resistant (OVCA 432) OCa cell lines. TRAIL sensitivity (60-80% cell kill) bore no correlation with expression of the TRAIL receptors (DR4, DR5) or their decoys (DcR1 and DcR2), but was associated with activation of caspase-8 and -3, and downregulation of the long isoform of FLICE-like inhibitory protein (c-FLIP(L)), an anti-apoptosis mediator. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of c-FLIP(L) expression restored TRAIL sensitivity in OVCA 432 cells. Induction of c-FLIP(L) overexpression increased TRAIL resistance in TRAIL-sensitive lines. Thus, persistent high level of c-FLIP(L) expression likely mediates TRAIL resistance in OCa cells. Treatment of OCa cells with progesterone enhanced TRAIL-induced cell death (>85%), but only in TRAIL-sensitive cell lines. Combined treatment with two progestins was superior to single progestin treatment, with progesterone plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) achieving over 85% cell kill in both TRAIL-sensitive and -resistant OCa cell lines. Significantly, unlike TRAIL, progestin-induced cell death did not involve c-FLIP(L) downregulation. Hence, combined progestin regimens, with or without TRAIL, may serve as an effective therapy for OCa by circumventing the anti-apoptotic action of c-FLIP(L).
Factors influencing centric relation records in edentulous mouths

Abstract A study was conducted on 35 edentulous patients in which two centric relation recording procedures were evaluated to determine the influence of variables on their duplicability. In the wax recording procedure, the consistency of the recording wax, its degree of hardness, its degree of bilateral homogeneity, the amount of occlusal contact, and the presence or absence of anterior freedom influenced duplicability to a significant level. In the intraoral (needle-point) tracing procedure, the location of the central bearing point, anteriorly, posteriorly, or laterally, the inclination of the central bearing point in relation to the tracing plate (whether it be perpendicular or mouted at an angle to it), and the inclination of the tracing plate in relation to the underlying bearing surfaces played an important part in determining the duplicability of the records. Heavy closing pressure adversely influenced the duplicability of the recordings under these conditions. It is recommended that centric relation records be made with accurately fitting baseplates under minimal pressure that is centralized and distributed uniformly to the underlying denture bearing areas (basal seat).
Estimating Bargaining Strengths of Canadian Chicken Producers and Processors Using a Bilateral Monopoly Framework

This study develops a dynamic price adjustment mechanism for the Canadian chicken industry using a bilateral monopoly framework. The model compares the processors and producers' bargaining strengths in order to determine the equilibrium price of live chickens in Ontario. The theoretical results show how the equilibrium price of live chickens and each party's profit depend on the coefficient of bargaining power. The stochastic properties of price and cost data call for cointegration techniques to infer the bargaining weights. The hypothesis of equal bargaining strengths between processors and producers in Ontario over the 1997–2002 period is strongly rejected by the data. It is shown that chicken processors had greater bargaining power than chicken producers because live chicken prices were highly correlated to chicken producers' average costs. [Econlit citations: C22, L13 and Q13]. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 22: 159–173, 2006.
POPULATION STRUCTURE AND MITOCHONDRIAL POLYPHYLY IN NORTH AMERICAN GADWALLS (ANAS STREPERA)

Abstract We examined population genetic structure in Gadwalls (Anas strepera) to test the prediction that female philopatry and fidelity to migratory flyways have contributed to the partitioning of mitochondrial variation across North America. Sequencing a 658–659 base-pair fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region from 348 Gadwalls, we found two distinct clades that were broadly intermixed across both breeding and nonbreeding populations. Clade A was abundant in North America as well as among published sequences from Eurasia. Clade B was sequenced from 5.5% of North American Gadwalls and was more similar to Asian Falcated Duck (A. falcata) haplotypes than to clade A haplotypes. Maximum likelihood indicated that Gadwall clade B haplotypes were a monophyletic group nested within Falcated Duck haplotypes, which suggests mtDNA introgression of clade B into Gadwalls. However, that topology was weakly supported, and we could not reject topologies that were consistent with incomplete lineage-sort...
Cross section for hard processes involving two quarks and four gluons.

The cross section for hard processes involving two quarks and four gluons is given in a form suitable for fast numerical calculations.
Effect of structured physical activity on prevention of serious fall injuries in adults aged 70-89: randomized clinical trial (LIFE Study)

Objective To test whether a long term, structured physical activity program compared with a health education program reduces the risk of serious fall injuries among sedentary older people with functional limitations. Design Multicenter, single blinded randomized trial (Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study). Setting Eight centers across the United States, February 2010 to December 2011. Participants 1635 sedentary adults aged 70-89 years with functional limitations, defined as a short physical performance battery score ≤9, but who were able to walk 400 m. Interventions A permuted block algorithm stratified by field center and sex was used to allocate interventions. Participants were randomized to a structured, moderate intensity physical activity program (n=818) conducted in a center (twice a week) and at home (3-4 times a week) that included aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance training activities, or to a health education program (n=817) consisting of workshops on topics relevant to older people and upper extremity stretching exercises. Main outcome measures Serious fall injuries, defined as a fall that resulted in a clinical, non-vertebral fracture or that led to a hospital admission for another serious injury, was a prespecified secondary outcome in the LIFE Study. Outcomes were assessed every six months for up to 42 months by staff masked to intervention assignment. All participants were included in the analysis. Results Over a median follow-up of 2.6 years, a serious fall injury was experienced by 75 (9.2%) participants in the physical activity group and 84 (10.3%) in the health education group (hazard ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.66 to 1.23; P=0.52). These results were consistent across several subgroups, including sex. However, in analyses that were not prespecified, sex specific differences were observed for rates of all serious fall injuries (rate ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.31 to 0.95 in men; 1.07, 0.75 to 1.53 in women; P = 0.043 for interaction), fall related fractures (0.47, 0.25 to 0.86 in men; 1.12, 0.77 to 1.64 in women; P = 0.017 for interaction), and fall related hospital admissions (0.41, 0.19 to 0.89 in men; 1.10, 0.65 to 1.88 in women; P=0.039 for interaction). Conclusions In this trial, which was underpowered to detect small, but possibly important reductions in serious fall injuries, a structured physical activity program compared with a health education program did not reduce the risk of serious fall injuries among sedentary older people with functional limitations. These null results were accompanied by suggestive evidence that the physical activity program may reduce the rate of fall related fractures and hospital admissions in men. Trial registration ClinicalsTrials.gov NCT01072500.
Combustion of bulk magnesium in carbon dioxide under reduced-gravity conditions

The burning behavior and flame structure of magnesium in a carbon dioxide atmosphere are studied to assess the feasibility of using metal-carbon dioxide reactions as an in situ resource utilization technology for rocket propulsion and energy generation on other planets. Cylindrical specimens of 2, 3, and 4-mm diameter and length are suspended in a thermocouple wire and radiatively ignited after melting in a pure carbon dioxide environment at 1 atm under reducedgravity conditions. This novel experimental technique allows the study of free-floating bulk metal samples exhibiting a spherically symmetric flame. Spherical flames are obtained during steady-state burning of the metal sample with increasing metal-oxide accumulation in an outer shell. Only intermittent explosions and residual accelerations in the airplane distort the spherical flame shape. Burning times twice as long as in normal gravity and five times longer than in magnesium-oxygen flames are observed. The burning time is proportional to the square of the metal sample diameter. Combustion of magnesium with pure carbon monoxide is not possible without a constant heating of the sample. A numerical model combining gas-phase chemical kinetics and transport mechanisms simulates the one-dimensional, spherically symmetric combustion process by using opposed flows of fuel and oxidizer in a diffusion flame contiguration. The resulting concentration and temperature fields calculated with the model reveal a reaction zone thickness similar to that observed experimentally and a temperature profile close to the measured value. * Research Associate, Member AlAA t Graduate Student $ Graduate Student 5 Professor, Member AIAA Copyright
Apoptosis and drug response

Recent investigation further defines the role of p53 and of signaling events upstream and downstream of p53 in apoptosis following drug-induced DNA damage. The transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1 can be activated, and then directly transactivate FasL in response to chemotherapeutic agents. Death receptors for FasL (Fas) and for TRAIL (DR4, DR5) are emerging as important regulators of drug-induced apoptosis in human cancers, mediated by caspase activation. Apoptosis has been accepted as the predominant mechanism of drug-induced cell death in preclinical experimental models and in clinically sensitive tumors. However, drug-induced cell death can include acute or delayed apoptosis, necrosis, or a delayed mitotic death, and require further delineation for their relative contribution to tumor responses in vivo.
Sensitivity of selected nontarget insects to the carrier of Dipel 4L in the laboratory.

A mixture of water and the carrier of Dipel 4L® (3:1) was applied to selected insect predators and a parasite in a controlled laboratory environment. Corrected mortality from the 9.4:liter/ha application never exceeded 2.1% for any species. The 18.7-liter/ha rate resulted in a statistically significant increase in mortality for Chrysopa carnea Stephens and Hippodamla convergens Guerin and Meneville adults 3 and 7 days after treatment, but not for C. carnea larvae or Aphytis melinus De Bach adults. Corrected mortality for the higher application rate never exceeded 13.4% for any species.
An epic party? Sober thoughts on νηφέμεν (Archil. fr. 4 W.)

This paper argues that the Aeolic inf. νηφέμeν, used instead of expected νήφeιν at the beginning of the pentameter verse (where a contracted biceps is admissible), should be viewed as modeled on πινέμeν (Hes. Op. 592, construed with αἴθοπα οἶνον): the combination of the high-flown ending, best known from the epic dialect, with a root νηφthat otherwise belongs to the colloquial language must have both produced a comic effect in the context of an invitation to get drunk on duty and served as an allusion to the midsummer picnic scene in Hesiod.
Can we agree TERMS? Shaping Techniques for Electronic Resource Management as a model of best practice

Back in 2008, Jill Emery, then at the University of Texas, now at Portland State and Graham Stone from the University and Huddersfield started a discussion about e-resource management.
A low-tech approach: Working with persons with mobility and speech disabilities in an academic library

Bien que la technologie constitue souvent une aubaine pour les personnes handicapees, il suffit parfois d'une solution rudimentaire, ne faisant pas ou peu appel a la technologie. La bibliotheque de l'Universite de l'Etat du Michigan a ainsi mis au point un tableau de mots specifiquement concu pour aider les utilisateurs souffrant de deficiences motrices et linguistisques a exprimer leurs demandes.
Determining Measurement Error for Bohler’s Angle and the Effect of X-Ray Obliquity on Accuracy:

Background. Bohler’s angle (BA) is the most commonly utilized radiographic measurement in the study of calcaneus fractures and has been shown to be prognostic in nature. Therefore, it is critical t...
Toward a formal framework for open-loop stabilization of rhythmic tasks

Recent collaborations between engineers and biologists have led to the identification of a family of biologically-inspired control principles for legged locomotion. It was shown that the passive mechanical musculoskeletal system plays a crucial part in the control of legged locomotion. In fact, in some extreme cases the active control takes the form of a purely feed-forward excitation of this passive mechanical system. RHex—a highly dexterous autonomous hexapod robot—has demonstrated that task-level open-loop control can in fact give rise to exceptional performance over rough surfaces and may be the key to the eventual development of real world products. From an engineering point of view, open-loop controllers are very desirable solutions due to their significantly simpler structure which does not require sensors or related infrastructure. In essence, the ability to control legged locomotion by feed forward controllers brings ease of control—a feature typically attributed to wheeled vehicles—into the field of legged robotics. Unfortunately, to this date the design of open-loop controllers is still a “black art” in which the intuition of the researcher acts as the only design tool. This thesis marks the beginning of a formal framework to design and verify open-loop controllers for dynamical legged locomotion. To this end we consider a very simple open-loop controlled dynamical model—a clock driven 1-DOF hopper—to investigate the basic principles of open-loop control with the overarching goal of identifying sufficient (and hopefully necessary) conditions for stable locomotion. We present an analysis which allows us to study arbitrary excitation patterns. We discuss a computational algorithm for the design of open-loop controllers based on these analytic results. Furthermore, we introduce a family of hierarchical stride-to-stride adaptation laws that take advantage of this open-loop setup. Our numerical studies suggest that some key ideas discovered in this simple illustrative model indeed extend to a wide family of physically relevant setups.
New species of Mycena (Basidiomycota, Agaricales) from California

Two new species of Mycena are described from California: Mycena nivicola , a spring taxon from the High Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges is proposed within section Hygrocyboideae , and M. bulliformis from the Coastal Ranges and Sierra Nevada Foothills is proposed in section Rubromarginatae . Both species are fully described, illustrated, and compared with similar and/or closely related taxa.
Sound and Vibrations of Positive Displacement Compressors

Sound and vibrations of positive displacement compressors , Sound and vibrations of positive displacement compressors , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی
Regulation of cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling through the dual-specificity MAPK phosphatases (DUSPs)

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play a critical role in regulating cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in response to increased workload or pathological insults. The spatiotemporal activities and inactivation of MAPKs are tightly controlled by a family of dual-specificity MAPK phosphatases (DUSPs). Over the past 2 decades, we and others have determined the critical role for selected DUSP family members in controlling MAPK activity in the heart and the ensuing effects on ventricular growth and remodeling. More specifically, studies from mice deficient for individual Dusp genes as well as heart-specific inducible transgene-mediated overexpression have implicated select DUSPs as essential signaling effectors in the heart that function by dynamically regulating the level, subcellular and temporal activities of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) and p38 MAPKs. This review summarizes recent literature on the physiological and pathological roles of MAPK-specific DUSPs in regulating MAPK signaling in the heart and the effect on cardiac growth and remodeling.