cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An HIV-Tat inducible mouse model system of childhood HIV-associated nephropathy

Background: Modern antiretroviral therapies (ART) have decreased the prevalence of HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). Nonetheless, we continue to see children and adolescents with HIVAN all over the world. Furthermore, once HIVAN is established in children, it is difficult to revert its long-term progression, and we need better animal models of childhood HIVAN to test new treatments. Objectives. To define whether the HIV-1 trans-activator (Tat) gene precipitates HIVAN in young mice, and to develop an inducible mouse model of childhood HIVAN. Design/Methods: An HIV-Tat gene cloned from a child with HIVAN was used to generate recombinant adenoviral vectors (rAd-Tat). rAd-Tat and LacZ control vectors (2 x 109) were expressed in the kidney of newborn wild type and HIV-transgenic (Tg26) FVB/N mice without significant proteinuria (n=5 - 8 per group). Mice were sacrificed 7 and 35 days later to assess their renal outcome, the expression of HIV-genes and growth factors, and markers of cell growth and differentiation by RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and/or Western blots. Results: HIV-Tat induced the expression of HIV-1 genes (env) and heparin binding growth factors in the kidney of HIV-Tg26 mice, and precipitated HIVAN in the first month of life. No significant renal changes were detected in wild type mice infected with rAd-Tat vectors, suggesting that HIV-Tat alone does not induce renal disease. Conclusion. This new mouse model of childhood HIVAN highlights the critical role that HIV-Tat plays in the pathogenesis of HIVAN, and could be used to study the pathogenesis and treatment of HIVAN in children and adolescents.
Dec-PPCPP: A Decentralized Predator–Prey-based Approach to Adaptive Coverage Path Planning Amid Moving Obstacles

Enabling multiple robots to collaboratively per-form coverage path planning on complex surfaces embedded in ${{\mathbb{R}}^3}$ in the presence of moving obstacles is a challenging problem that has not received much attention from researchers. As robots start to be practically deployed, it is becoming important to address this problem. A novel decentralized multi-robot coverage path planning approach is proposed that is adaptive to unexpected stationary and moving obstacles while aiming to achieve complete coverage with minimal cost. The approach is inspired by the predator-prey relation. For a robot (a prey), a virtual stationary predator enforces spatial ordering on the prey, and dynamic predators (other robots) cause the prey to be repelled resulting in better task allocation and collision-avoidance. The approach makes the best use of both worlds: offline global planning for tuning of model parameters based on a prior map of the surface, and real-time local planning for adaptive and swift decision making amid moving obstacles and other robots while preserving global behavior. Comparisons with other approaches and extensive testing and validation using different number of robots, different surfaces and obstacles, and various scenarios are conducted.
A Strategic Sensor Placement for a Smart Farm Water Sprinkler System: A Computational Model

Internet of Things (IoT) networking has attracted research with many emerging applications requiring remote control and automation. Effective deployment of IoT sensors is a major concern since it primarily determines the performance of the IoT network. Since multiple mobile sensors are generally involved, it is possible that the sensors are randomly distributed in a remote region at the initial phase then later relocated to some pre-computed optimal location with their full autonomy enabled. In this paper, we propose a computation for the optimal location of water sprinkler sensors of an IoT smart farm network in terms of the relative physical distance between them. The resulting sensors locations ensure minimal overlap coverage area and no uncovered area exists in the candidate farming region. With the proposed strategic deployment of smart water sprinklers sensors, farmers can be assured of the right water distribution for any given area of their farm.
The Diabetic Foot

The worldwide population suffering from diabetes mellitus is increasing steadily: In 1995, it was estimated that there were 135 million individuals with this disease and for 2025 it is projected that there will be 300 million patients (King et al. 1998). An estimated 15 million people in the USA are diabetic (Boulton and Vileikyte 2000).
Food Systems, Food Environments, and Consumer Behavior

Food is critical to good nutrition and health, but it is also essential to culture, society, tradition, religion, and individual values. Food systems consist of everybody and everything involved in bringing food from “farm to fork.” This chapter provides an overview of food systems and the key concepts necessary to understand how food systems function. Food systems consist of all the components and activities related to the production, processing, distribution, preparation, and consumption of food. Farmers and other food producers, consumers, businesses, civil society groups, and governments play major roles in the food system. Food system activities affect health and nutrition outcomes, as well as socio-economic status and the environment. Food supply chains, food environments, and consumer behavior represent three major components of food systems.
P-032 Disparities in stroke: influence of socioeconomic status and race on timely access to mechanical thrombectomy

Objective The present study aims to explore the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) and driving distance on timely access to mechanical thrombectomy. Methods Patient data was collected retrospectively between 2016 and 2020 from a prospectively maintained database. Patients transferred from other facilities with driving distances of over 100 miles and onset-to-arrival (OTA) time and onset-to-puncture (OTP) time over 24 hours were excluded. Patient-level data included age, race, gender, median income based on zip code, driving distance, baseline dependency (mRS >2), baseline NIHSS scores, and wake-up stroke y/n. The driving distance was calculated using the Google Maps API, mapping distance between the center point of a zip code and the hospital’s address. SES was defined by the zip code median income data from the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year Projection and patients’ health insurance coverage. Primary outcomes OTA and OTP times, which were calculated by subtracting last-known-well time from arrival time and puncture time. We used a combination of nonparametric and multiple regression analyses to determine the predictors of outcome. Results Among 305 patients collected, OTA time ranged from 9 to 1349 minutes, while OTP time ranged from 57 to 1422 minutes. Results demonstrated that race (p Conclusions Race demonstrated to be an independent predictor of timely access to a stroke care facility and mechanical thrombectomy, while SES was not. Additional independent predictors were driving distance, wake-up stroke, and baseline functionality. Disclosures A. V. T. Nguyen: None. G. M Cortez: None. M. Baretta: None. A. Aghaebrahim: 6; C; Advisory board for Rapid Medical. E. Sauvageau: None. R. Hanel: 2; C; Medtronic, Stryker, Cerenovous, Microvention, Balt, Phenox, Rapid Medical, Q’Apel. 4; C; InNeuroCo, Cerebrotech, eLum, Endostream, Three Rivers Medical Inc, Scientia, RisT, BlinkTBI, Corindus. 6; C; advisory board for MiVI, advisory board for eLum, dvisory board for Three Rivers, advisory board for Shape Medical, advisory board Corindus..
OBGYN practice patterns regarding combination therapy for prevention of preterm birth: A national survey.

Abstract Objective Our objective was to examine if US obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYNs) practice outside of evidenced-based guidelines and use a combination of interventions to prevent spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Study design An electronic survey was distributed to members of the Pregnancy-Related Care Research Network (PRCRN), and also to members of the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). The survey consisted of questions regarding physician demographics, and the use of interventions to prevent sPTB in women with 1) a prior sPTB, 2) an incidental short cervix (no prior sPTB), and 3) a history of cervical insufficiency. Results The PRCRN response rate was 58.6% (283/483) with an additional 143 responses from SMFM members. Among PRCRN responders, 82.7% were general OBGYNs and 17.3% were Maternal-Fetal Medicine subspecialists. Respondents were from all geographic regions of the country; most practiced in a group private practice (42.6%) or academic institution (31.4%). In women with prior sPTB, 45.2% of respondents would consider combination therapy, most commonly weekly intramuscular progesterone (IM-P) and serial cervical length (CL) measurements. If the patient then develops a short cervix, 33.7% would consider adding an ultrasound-indicated cerclage. In women with an incidental short cervix, 66.8% of respondents were likely to recommend single therapy with daily vaginal progesterone (VP). If a patient developed an incidentally dilated cervix, 40.8% of PRCRN respondents would recommend dual therapy, most commonly cerclage + VP, whereas 64.3% of SMFM respondents were likely to continue with VP only. In women with a history of cervical insufficiency, 47% of PRCRN respondents indicated they would consider a combination of IM-P, history-indicated cerclage and serial CL measurements. Conclusion Although not currently supported by evidence-based medicine, combination therapy is commonly being used by U.S. OBGYNs to prevent sPTB in women with risk factors such as prior sPTB, short or dilated cervix or more than one of these risks.
The Cambridge history of American foreign relations

This is an elegant and concise history of American foreign relations during the Cold War era, based on the most recent American, Chinese, and Soviet literature, written from a post-Cold War perspective. All of the major foreign policy issues, including the origins of the Soviet-American conflict; the extension of the confrontation to Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere on the periphery; wars in Korea and Vietnam; crises involving the Taiwan Straits, Berlin, and Cuba; the rise and fall of detente; imperial overreach; and the critical roles of Reagan and Gorbachev in the 1980s are carefully analysed and clearly explained.
Network simulation for advanced HF communications engineering

Harris Corporation and the State University of New York at Buffalo are conducting a collaborative project to develop an HF network simulation framework based on the ns-2 open source network simulator. The framework will contain models of HF channel characteristics, waveforms, protocols, and typical traffic loads, so as to be useful for analyzing HF radio networks under real-world conditions. This paper presents an overview of the project's objectives and strategy, and discusses an approach to incorporating a model of HF surface wave propagation into the simulation framework. (5 pages)
STUF: Ein flexibler Graphunifikationsformalismus und seine Anwendung in LILOG

Unifikationsbasierte Grammatikformalismen spielen eine immer bedeutendere Rolle in neueren Entwicklungen der Computerlinguistik. Die Lexikalisch-Funktionale Grammatik, die Generalisierte Phrasenstrukturgrammatik und die Kategoriale Unifikationsgrammatik sind Beispiele fur linguistische Beschreibungsmodelle, die als gemeinsame Grundlage die Unifikation komplexer Attribut-Wert-Strukturen verwenden. Der S tuttgart T ype U nification F ormalism (STUF) ist ein flexibler Graphunifikationsformalismus, der es dem Linguisten ermoglicht, die Analysen dieser und anderer Theorien zu kodieren und mit dem Computer zu verarbeiten. In diesem Papier sollen wesentliche Teile von STUF vorgestellt werden und die Anwendung fur die im LILOG-Projekt verwendete CUG demonstriert werden.
On constructing internet-scale p2p information retrieval systems

We initiate a study on the effect of the network topology on the performance of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) information retrieval systems. The emerging P2P model has become a very powerful and attractive paradigm for developing Internet-scale systems for sharing resources, including files, or documents. We show that the performance of Information Retrieval algorithms can be significantly improved through the use of fully distributed topologically aware overlay network construction techniques. Our empirical results, using the Peerware middleware infrastructure, show that the approach we propose is both efficient and practical.
The Impact of Information Technology on the Performance of Diversified Firms

Diversification may increase economic benefits through more efficient utilization of business resources across multiple markets. However, the benefits of these scope economies are often not realized due to costs of coordinating resources in multiple markets. Information technology (IT) is widely used to achieve more efficient coordination by reducing the costs of coordinating business resources across multiple markets. Because of the need for coordination of business resources across multiple markets, diversification can increase the demand for IT. But does increased use of IT improve the performance of firms that are highly diversified? This research tackles this question by undertaking an empirical study of the impact of IT on the performance resulting from diversification, particularly related diversification. The empirical aspect of this subject has received little attention from previous information systems (IS) and economics research. This research also sheds light on the business value of IT by showing the importance of the complementarity of IT and diversification in firm performance, which has also received limited attention in prior IS research.
COPING WITH THE RISKS OF INFECTION BY MALE PROSTITUTES IN TIMES SQUARE

INTRODUCTION Male prostitutes, often called male "hustlers," are a common feature of the urban landscape. However, until recently, research on this population has been relatively sparse. Many researchers have begun to reexamine the phenomenon of male prostitution largely due to the fact that hustlers are at risk of acquiring AIDS (Boulton et a11989; Calhoun, Pickerill 1988; Elifson et al 1989, 1993; Lauderback, Waldorf 1989; Pleak, MeyerBahlburg 1990; Ross 1988; Rotheram-Borus, Koopman 1991). Since male prostitutes frequently engage in the primary means of transmission of the HIV virus unprotected sex with males, unprotected sex with females, and intravenous drug use and needle sharing they are a group at high risk of infection. This is especially true in New York City, which represents a large portion of the HIV/AIDS population. Additionally, the sex trade in Times Square has historically offered a marketplace for a variety ofactivities, participants, and customers. The purpose of this article is to describe some of the techniques used by male prostitutes in Times Square to manage the risks of infection with the HIV virus. Building upon the framework found in Walter Miller's (1958) Lower Class Culture Theory, the various techniques used by hustlers are described as well as how the cultural lore surrounding AIDS inhibits effective prevention measures for hustlers. The information concerning AIDS and its transmission is received, but this information is distorted to the point where the hustlers can describe the risks but avoid taking appropriate risk-reducing measures.
Myeloid differentiation of FdCP1 cells is dependent on Stat5 processing

The IL-3 family of cytokines transduces signals through Stat5 and regulates myeloid development. Previous studies have determined that a carboxy terminally truncated isoform of Stat5 is activated in immature myeloid cells. This isoform, which lacks a transcriptional activation domain, is generated by a protein-processing event. To determine whether Stat5 cleavage plays an important role in the growth and maturation of myeloid progenitors, the FdCP1 model of myeloid maturation was evaluated. FdCP1 cells are IL-3–dependent myeloid progenitors that differentiate into monocytes when cultured in granulocyte macrophage–colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Consistent with their immature phenotype, when FdCP1 cells are cultured in IL-3 they exhibit robust protease activity and signal through truncated Stat5 isoforms. In contrast, maturation leads to a loss of protease activity and a switch to the expression to full-length Stat5 isoforms. Introduction of a noncleavable, full-length Stat5 mutant into undifferentiated FdCP1 cells leads to a partially differentiated phenotype and prevents further differentiation in response to GM-CSF. These results support our hypothesis that Stat5 processing is important for myeloid maturation.
A Resolution of the Vacuum Energy Problem

A new vision of the beginning and expansion of our universe has produced a solution to the vacuum energy problem (also known as "cosmological constant problem"). A new dynamic of cellular spaces and a discrete time has space being produced by a process called spatial condensation (SC). With generic energy defined as Planck's constant times the rate of cellular space production, both the vacuum energy and mass energy contents contribute to the expansion in the ratio 10^123/1, the same ratio of predicted densities by quantum theory and our astronomers. However, unlike mass energy, vacuum energy, like Casimir vacuum energy, does not carry the attribute of mass and so does not gravitate. A geometric derivation of the vacuum energy expansion rate was followed by a second derivation in terms of the evolution of the contents, from radiation to matter to dark mass (not matter). With a new definition of cosmic time, the second derivation was shown to produce exactly the same expansion rate. Free of singularities and inflation, both derivations also produced reasonable values of the cosmological parameters and the second derivation produced a good fit to the supernova Ia data with no acceleration of the expansion rate.
The Signature of the Annular Modes in the Tropical Troposphere

The extratropical annular modes are coupled with a distinct pattern of climate anomalies that spans the circulation of the tropical troposphere. The signature of the annular modes in the tropical troposphere exhibits a high degree of equatorial symmetry. It is associated with upper-tropospheric zonal wind anomalies centered about the equator, midtropospheric temperature anomalies located ;208N and 208S, and opposing mean meridional circulation anomalies that span the subtropics of both hemispheres. The linkages between the annular modes and the tropical circulation are only evident during the cold season months, and are most robust in association with the Northern Hemisphere annular mode (NAM). The coupling between the annular modes and the circulation of the tropical troposphere is consistent with forcing by waves originating at extratropical latitudes. Both annular modes are characterized by anomalies in the eddy momentum flux convergence at tropical latitudes that act to reinforce the changes in the tropical wind and temperature fields. The most pronounced tropical anomalies lag indices of the annular modes by;2 weeks and are found over the eastern tropical Pacific, where climatological westerlies permit extratropical waves to propagate into the deep Tropics. The linkages between the NAM and the tropical tropospheric circulation are
A T lymphocyte-specific transcription complex containing RUNX1 activates MHC class I expression.

MHC class I expression is subject to both tissue-specific and hormonal regulatory mechanisms. Consequently, levels of expression vary widely among tissues, with the highest levels of class I occurring in the lymphoid compartment, in T cells and B cells. Although the high class I expression in B cells is known to involve the B cell enhanceosome, the molecular basis for high constitutive class I expression in T cells has not been explored. T cell-specific genes, such as TCR genes, are regulated by a T cell enhanceosome consisting of RUNX1, CBFβ, LEF1, and Aly. In this report, we demonstrate that MHC class I gene expression is enhanced by the T cell enhanceosome and results from a direct interaction of the RUNX1-containing complex with the class I gene in vivo. T cell enhanceosome activation of class I transcription is synergistic with CIITA-mediated activation and targets response elements distinct from those targeted by CIITA. These findings provide a molecular basis for the high levels of MHC class I in T cells.
Optimization of array tapers subject to transmit constraints

Array tapers are traditionally used only on receive, as classical low-sidelobe tapers would result in a significant reduction in transmitted power and most transmit arrays lack element-level amplitude control. As modern arrays move towards solid-state transmitters distributed to each element there is a desire to more fully harness this flexibility. It has been previously shown that the transmit power loss can be reduced by designing tapers that upper-bound the coefficients while allowing a small number of inner array-factor sidelobes to remain unconstrained. That work is extended here to remove structural limitations of the prior algorithm, admit arbitrary combinations of peak and mean-square constraints on the weights and the array factor, allow controlled “overdriving” of some elements, and allow lower-bounding of the array weights to limit the dynamic range of the taper. These extensions are enabled though the use of second-order cone programming, a popular form of constrained convex optimization.
The Psychiatrist’s Liability for Negligence in the Process of Consent and Treatment

Like all other doctors, according to law the psychiatrist must obtain consent from patients before initiating diagnostic procedures or treatment. Initiating procedures with patients who have not consented to treatment may be actionable under the law of battery. But even if the patient does agree to a particular intervention, the physician can still be sued if he has been negligent in providing sufficient information as to the risks of that procedure. Lawsuits based on the physician’s failure to provide adequate information to the patient are usually adjudicated under the theory of negligence. The physician can be liable not only for treating without consent, but also for treating when the patient consents without having received sufficient information.
Optimal use of biological expert knowledge from literature mining in ant colony optimization for analysis of epistasis in human disease

The fast measurement of millions of sequence variations across the genome is possible with the current technology. As a result, a difficult challenge arise in bioinformatics: the identification of combinations of interacting DNA sequence variations predictive of common disease [1]. The Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) method is capable of analysing such interactions but an exhaustive MDR search would require exponential time. Thus, we use the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) as a stochastic wrapper. It has been shown by Greene et al. that this approach, if expert knowledge is incorporated, is effective for analysing large amounts of genetic variation[2]. In the ACO method integrated in the MDR package, a linear and an exponential probability distribution function can be used to weigh the expert knowledge. We generate our biological expert knowledge from a network of gene-gene interactions produced by a literature mining platform, Pathway Studio. We show that the linear distribution function of expert knowledge is the most appropriate to weigh our scores when expert knowledge from literature mining is used. We find that ACO parameters significantly affect the power of the method and we suggest values for these parameters that can be used to optimize MDR in Genome Wide Association Studies that use biological expert knowledge.
Playing to Teachers’ Strengths: Using Multiple Measures of Teacher Effectiveness to Improve Teacher Assignments

AbstractCurrent uses of value-added modeling largely ignore or assume away the potential for teachers to be more effective with one type of student than another or in one subject than another. This paper explores the stability of value-added measures across different subgroups and subjects using administrative data from a large urban school district. For elementary school teachers, effectiveness measures are highly stable across subgroups, with correlations upward of 0.9. The estimated cross-subject correlation between math and English language arts is around 0.7, suggesting some differential effectiveness by subject. To understand the magnitude of this correlation, I simulate targeted re-sorting of teachers to classrooms based on their comparative advantage. The results suggest that using multiple measures of value added to specialize teachers by subject could produce small average increases in student achievement, and larger increases for some students.
Long-Term Health Effects of Radionuclides in Food and Water Supplies

More than 90 years have elapsed since the discovery of ionizing radiation and its capacity to cause various types of injury. In the meantime, studies of such injuries have received continuing impetus from the growing uses of radiation in medicine, science, industry, and nuclear energy. As a result, the biomedical effects of ionizing radiation have received greater study and are better known than those of any other environmental agent.
Some genetic properties of intrachromosomal recombination.

Intrachromosomal recombination was estimated by the occurrence of unequal crossing over without marker gene exchange in three different, independent tandem duplicaltions in Drosophila melanogaster. Each tandem duplication gave rise to intrachromosomal recombinants. The frequency of intrachromosomal recombination is independent of the genetic length of the tandem duplication. Further, intrachromosomal recombinants were recovered as frequently in ring as in rod X chromosomes implying that the recombination event is not equatable to a single interchromosomal crossover.
The interaction of radiation-generated radicals with myoglobin in aqueous solution—VII. Ferrimyoglobin as a probe of free radical conversion processes

Abstract G -values for the formation of ferromyoglobin have been determined for the continous γ-radiolysis of N 2 O-saturated neutral aqueous solutions containing ferrimyoglobin and unsaturated alcohols or saturated amines under experimental conditions that favor the reaction of . OH/H . radicals with the organic substrates. The effeciencies of reduction of ferrimyoglobin by the radicals formed from allyl alcohol (2-propen-1-ol) increases with increasing concentration (2–290 mM) of the alcohol. In the analogous system with methallyl alcohol (2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol), the observed reduction efficiency is independent of the alcohol concentration. These results are explained by a mechanism that involves H-abstraction at the α-hydroxyl site of the unsubstituted alcohol by the initially-generated β-hydroxyalkyl radicals to produce reductively-active α-radicals; this abstraction does not occur in the substituted alcohol. The yields of reduction of ferrimyoglobin increase significantly with increasing concentrations of ethylamine and 2-propylamine. A mechanism is proposed in which the deprotonated form of the β-aminoalkyl radicals abstract an H atom from the α-amino site of the protonated parent amine to generate reducing α-radicals. The markedly diminished reduction yields obtained for 1,2-hydroxy-amines and 1,2-diamines, compared with their 1,3-analogues, suggest that the 1,2-disubstituted alklyl radicals undergo β-elimination before a reductive encounter with the hemeprotein can occur.
Multicomponent Micropatterns or Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract The excellent optoelectronic, mechanical, and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes have made them very attractive for a wide range of potential applications. However, many applications require the growth of aligned/micropatterned carbon nanotubes. Based on our previous work on the aligned and micropatterned growth of carbon nanotubes, we have recently developed a novel approach towards the micropattern construction of perpendicularly-aligned carbon nanotubes by simply pressing a Scotch tape pre-patterned with a non-adhesive layer onto a non-patterned aligned carbon nanotube film, followed by peeling off the Scotch tape from the quartz substrate in a dry state. In conjunction with the region-specific surface modification, this dry contact transfer method has enabled us to produce various multicomponent carbon nanotube micropatterns in which different components are interposed in an intimate fashion. Examples include micropatterns with self-assembled non-aligned carbon nanotubes interdispersed into the discrete areas in the patterned structure of aligned carbon nanotubes and flexible polymer films with embedded aligned carbon nanotube networks. More recently, we have also developed a simple but effective template-free electroplating method for region-selective deposition of cobalt and nickel nanoparticles for patterned growth of carbon nanotubes. These carbon nanotube micropatterns in which multicomponents are interposed in a controllable fashion should be of significance to many nanotube based multifunctional systems.
Suppression of mouse spermatogenesis by a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist and antiandrogen: failure to protect against radiation-induced gonadal damage

A combined GnRH antagonist (Nal-Glu) and antiandrogen (flutamide) treatment was used to suppress mouse spermatogenesis in an attempt to enhance recovery from stem cells after irradiation, as observed previously in the rat. Two weeks of treatment suppressed the intratesticular testosterone concentration to 10% of the control value, decreased testicular weight to 16% of the control value, and sperm count 2600-fold. Suppression was at least as great as that produced in the rat by Nal-Glu-flutamide. Testicular weights, sperm counts, and histology were indistinguishable from those in normal controls 45 days after the end of the treatment. Despite the suppression of spermatogenesis, the treatment did not enhance recovery of spermatogenesis after damage produced by a 10-Gray dose of radiation; 45 days after irradiation, testicular weight, sperm head counts, and repopulation indexes were as low as in the mice that received no hormone treatment. In contrast to the situation in the rat, after irradiation of mice, a...
North American Dimorphic Fungal Infections in Children

1. Brian L. Montenegro, MD* 2. John C. Arnold, MD*† 1. *Department of Pediatrics. 2. †Division of Infectious Diseases, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, Calif. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Understand the term “dimorphic fungi.” 2. Identify the geographic regions in which coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis occur. 3. Describe the clinical manifestations of infections with the dimorphic fungi endemic to North America. 4. List the diagnostic tests of choice for the different dimorphic fungi. 5. Discuss the general treatments for infections caused by dimorphic fungi. The term “dimorphic fungus” refers to a fungus that assumes one of two different physical forms, as dictated by environmental influences such as temperature and humidity. In the environment, and when grown in culture at ambient temperatures, these mold forms (also known as “saprobic,” “saprophytic,” and “mycelial” forms) consist of long hyphae, which are difficult to distinguish macroscopically from other molds. The saprophytic forms have microscopic aerosolizable elements, which not only lead to wide environmental distribution but also are infectious on inhalation. Following infection in humans, or when grown in culture at 37.0°C, the organisms appear as individual round “yeast” forms. These fungal elements are not contagious but will grow into either the yeast or mold form, depending on the incubation temperature. Histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis, sporotrichosis, penicilliosis, and paracoccidioidomycosis all are infections caused by dimorphic fungi (Table). Histoplasmosis and coccidioidomycosis are relatively well known in North America; blastomycosis and sporotrichosis cause sporadic infections in North America and throughout the rest of the world. Prior to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, only 29 cases of infection due to Penicillium marneffei were reported in the medical literature. Penicilliosis is now a relatively common acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related opportunistic infection in Southeast Asia. Paracoccidioides immitis causes cutaneous and osteoarticular infections, …
Business Imperialism, 1840-1930: An Inquiry Based on British Experience in Latin America

This book is a contribution to the debate on the nature of imperialism, and of economic imperialism in particular. Using a wide range of sources - business, private, press, and government - it examines a number of British business connections with Latin America and its governments before 1930, in banking, insurance, public utilities, shipping, import and export, coffee, and others. The businesses are compared and conclusions reached on the points of influence, power, and control throughout the chain which links producer to consumer, investor to contractor and entrepreneur.
Plant Factors Influencing Enzyme Retting of Fiber and Seed Flax

Retting, which is the microbial activity through which bast fibers are released from nonfiber tissues, is the limiting factor in flax processing. The objective of this work is to identify chemical and structural characteristics in a variety of fiber and seed flax types that influence enzyme retting in a recently developed method. Analyses of flax retted in a series of tests, including two enzyme rettings in some cases, indicated that lignin did not limit the separation of fibers from shive and showed that pectinases in enzyme-retting mixtures could ret fiber and seed flax. However, mature stems, such as that in flax produced for seed, had greater amounts of cutin and wax in the cleaned fiber product, suggesting that the cuticle could be a greater antiquality factor in seed versus fiber flax. With seed flax, the fraction of finer fibers produced during retting was significantly lower than with fiber flax. Results indicated that enzyme retting could be used to obtain flax fibers from seed flax stem residues and add value to this agricultural material.
High prevalence of temporomandibular joint arthritis at disease onset in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, as detected by magnetic resonance imaging but not by ultrasound.

Objective To determine the prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease in a cohort of children with new-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with ultrasound (US) for the detection of acute and chronic changes of TMJ arthritis. Methods Between January 2005 and April 2007, children with newly diagnosed JIA were prospectively evaluated for TMJ arthritis. Prior to imaging, jaw pain and disability were assessed with questionnaires and physical examination. The TMJs of all patients were imaged with MRI and US within 8 weeks of diagnosis. Results Of the 32 patients enrolled, 78% were female, and the median age was 8.6 years (range 1.5–17.2 years). Acute TMJ arthritis was diagnosed in 75% of the children by MRI and in none by US; chronic arthritis was diagnosed in 69% by MRI and in 28% by US. Findings of both acute and chronic TMJ disease were detected by MRI in 53% of the patients. Of those with acute TMJ arthritis, 71% were asymptomatic, and 63% had normal findings on jaw examination. Fifty-six percent of patients with acute disease had an improved maximal incisal opening after corticosteroid injection. Among these responders, 56% had been asymptomatic and had normal jaw examination findings. Conclusion TMJ arthritis was present in the majority of patients with new-onset JIA. Findings on MRI along with responses to treatment among asymptomatic patients with normal jaw examination findings suggest that a history review and physical examination are not sufficient to screen for TMJ disease. Our results also suggest that MRI and US findings are not well correlated, and that MRI is preferable for the detection of TMJ disease in new-onset JIA.
Cell to Cell Communication in Response to Mechanical Stress via Bilateral Release of Atp and Utp in Polarized Epithelia

Airway epithelia are positioned at the interface between the body and the environment, and generate complex signaling responses to inhaled toxins and other stresses. Luminal mechanical stimulation of airway epithelial cells produces a propagating wave of elevated intracellular Ca2+ that coordinates components of the integrated epithelial stress response. In polarized airway epithelia, this response has been attributed to IP3 permeation through gap junctions. Using a combination of approaches, including enzymes that destroy extracellular nucleotides, purinergic receptor desensitization, and airway cells deficient in purinoceptors, we demonstrated that Ca2+ waves induced by luminal mechanical stimulation in polarized airway epithelia were initiated by the release of the 5′ nucleotides, ATP and UTP, across both apical and basolateral membranes. The nucleotides released into the extracellular compartment interacted with purinoceptors at both membranes to trigger Ca2+ mobilization. Physiologically, apical membrane nucleotide-release coordinates airway mucociliary clearance responses (mucin and salt, water secretion, increased ciliary beat frequency), whereas basolateral release constitutes a paracrine mechanism by which mechanical stresses signal adjacent cells not only within the epithelium, but other cell types (nerves, inflammatory cells) in the submucosa. Nucleotide-release ipsilateral and contralateral to the surface stimulated constitutes a unique mechanism by which epithelia coordinate local and distant airway defense responses to mechanical stimuli.
Effects of pulmonary oxygen injury on airway content of surfactant-associated protein A.

ABSTRACT: The use of therapeutic hyperoxia has greatly improved the survival of infants born prematurely. However, high concentrations of oxygen cause pulmonary injury, leading to decreased pulmonary compliance and decreased oxygen diffusion. This injury can result in chronic pulmonary insufficiency. It has been hypothesized that the adverse effects of hyperoxia are mediated, in part, through changes in the pulmonary surfactant system. We investigated the effects of hyperoxia on surfactant-associated protein A (SP-A), the abundant surfactant-specific glycoprotein. Adult male rats were exposed to 85% oxygen for 72 h. Total lung volume and pulmonary compliance were measured, and alveolar surfactant material recovered by lavage. Hyperoxia decreased total lung capacity, and altered inflation and deflation hysteresis patterns. Disaturated phosphatidylcholine and SP-A content were significantly increased in alveolar surfactant material isolated from oxygen-treated rats. SP-A content was also significantly increased in lung tissue from oxygen-treated rats. The SP-A in the lavage of oxygen-treated rats appeared to be intact protein as no proteolytic fragments were detected and the SP-A migrated identically to that recovered from room air animals when analyzed by two-dimensional isoe-lectric focusing. We conclude that the decreased pulmonary compliance associated with pulmonary oxygen injury is not due to quantitative decreases in two major surfactant components, disaturated phosphatidylcholine and SP-A.
Battles for Control: An Overview of Proxy Contests

This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical contributions to the proxy contest literature. The theoretical work, to date, suggests that (1) the use of the proxy contest as a method of taking over a corporation depends on its cost relative to the tender offer; (2) the security voting structure and the debt/equity ratio influence the outcome of the proxy contest; and, (3) the value of a proxy contest can be estimated using the principles of option pricing theory. A review of empirical research indicates that (1) firms which are inefficiently managed are more likely to become the target of a proxy fight; (2) wealth gains accrue to shareholders of contested firms during the contest period; and, (3) incumbent management is more likely to succeed in a proxy fight but not necessarily ‘win’.
The τCstF-64 polyadenylation protein controls genome expression in testis.

The τCstF-64 polyadenylation protein (gene symbol Cstf2t) is a testis-expressed orthologue of CstF-64. Mice in which Cstf2t was knocked out had a phenotype that was only detected in meiotic and postmeiotic male germ cells, giving us the opportunity to examine CstF-64 function in an isolated developmental system. We performed massively parallel clonally amplified sequencing of cDNAs from testes of wild type and Cstf2t−/− mice. These results revealed that loss of τCstF-64 resulted in large-scale changes in patterns of genome expression. We determined that there was a significant overrepresentation of RNAs from introns and intergenic regions in testes of Cstf2t−/− mice, and a concomitant use of more distal polyadenylation sites. We observed this effect particularly in intronless small genes, many of which are expressed retroposons that likely co-evolved with τCstF-64. Finally, we observed overexpression of long interspersed nuclear element (LINE) sequences in Cstf2t−/− testes. These results suggest that τCstF-64 plays a role in 3′ end determination and transcription termination for a large range of germ cell-expressed genes.
Dissolution of a homogeneous porous medium by surface reaction

In this paper a mathematical model is used to predict the time behavior of porosity and permeability of a porous medium being dissolved by acid. Experimentally determined reaction kinetics and pore size distribution are used in the model. The acidizing process studied here is of importance in the stimulation of oil well reservoirs. A polynomial expansion method is used to obtain an approximate solution to an infinite hierarchy of moment equations resulting from application of the capillary model. Experimental porosity and permeability measurements using a sintered glass disk dissolved by hydrofluoric acid are in good agreement with predictions from the model.
Reducing metal artifacts in cone-beam CT images by preprocessing projection data

Purpose: Computed tomography (CT) streak artifacts caused by metallic implants remain a challenge for the automatic processing of image data. The impact of metal artifacts in the soft-tissue region is magnified in cone-beam CT (CBCT), because the soft-tissue contrast is usually lower in CBCT images. The goal of this study was to develop an effective offline processing technique to minimize the effect. Methods and Materials: The geometry calibration cue of the CBCT system was used to track the position of the metal object in projection views. The three-dimensional (3D) representation of the object can be established from only two user-selected viewing angles. The position of the shadowed region in other views can be tracked by projecting the 3D coordinates of the object. Automatic image segmentation was used followed by a Laplacian diffusion method to replace the pixels inside the metal object with the boundary pixels. The modified projection data were then used to reconstruct a new CBCT image. The procedure was tested in phantoms, prostate cancer patients with implanted gold markers and metal prosthesis, and a head-and-neck patient with dental amalgam in the teeth. Results: Both phantom and patient studies demonstrated that the procedure was able to minimize the metal artifacts. Soft-tissue visibility was improved near or away from the metal object. The processing time was 1–2 s per projection. Conclusion: We have implemented an effective metal artifact-suppressing algorithm to improve the quality of CBCT images.
Selective overproduction of human dihydrofolate reductase in a methotrexate-resistant human-mouse somatic cell hybrid

Abstract The development of methotrexate (MTX) resistance in cultured cells results in increased levels of the drug's target enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Stepwise-selected MTX-resistant sublines originating from an MTX-sensitive human-mouse hybrid expressed elevated DHFR levels and human-DHFR specific gene sequence amplification. By high resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gradient electrophoresis, human DHFR was shown to be selectively overproduced in VB2a-100 MTX-resistant cells whereas mouse DHFR protein “spots” present in MTX-sensitive parental hybrid were absent in these cells exhibiting 100 μM MTX resistance. These findings and those in a parallel study indicate that concurrent with overproduction of human DHFR and amplification DHFR sequences in VB2a-100, a loss of mouse-specific DHFR gene sequences occurred.
A Complete Variation Algorithm for Slot and Tab Features for 3D Simulation-Based Tolerance Analysis

Development of tolerance analysis methods that are consistent with the ASME and ISO GD&T (geometric dimensioning and tolerancing) standards is a challenging task. Such methods are the basis for creating computer-aided tools for 3D tolerance analysis and assemblability analysis. These tools, along with the others, make it possible to realize virtual manufacturing, in order to shorten lead-time and reduce cost in the product development process. Current simulation tools for 3D tolerance analysis and assemblability analysis are far from satisfactory because the underlying variation algorithms are not fully consistent with the GD&T standards. Better algorithms are still to be developed. Towards that goal, this paper proposes a complete algorithm for 3D slot features and tab features (frequently used in mechanical products) for 3D simulation-based tolerance analysis. The algorithms developed account for bonus/shift tolerances (i.e. effects from material condition specifications), and tolerance zone interaction when multiple tolerances are specified on the same feature. A case study is conducted to demonstrate the algorithm developed. The result from this work is compared with that from 1D tolerance chart method. The comparison study shows quantitatively why 1D tolerance chart method, which is popular in industry, is not sufficient for tolerance analysis, which is 3D in nature.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Magnetic Field Effect on the Triplet Relaxed Excited States Responsible for the AT and AX Emission Bands of Ga+ and In+ Centers in Alkali Halides

Degree of circular polarization (DCP) and intensity of the A T and A X emission bands in KI : Ga + , KBr : Ga + , KI : In + , KBr : In + , and KCl : In + have been investigated at various temperatures (1.4–4.6 K) and field strengths (0–42 kG). The results concerning the A T band have been qualitatively explained by correlating its relaxed excited state (RES) with the nearly tetragonal minima on the \(\varGamma_{4}\) - (A) adiabatic potential energy surface (APES) and the three tetragonal minima on the \(\varGamma_{1}\) - APES. As to a comparison between the A T and A X bands, they bear similarities in a particular impurity (Ga + or In + ); with a decrease of temperature, for example, both the bands show an increase in the DCP of Ga + and show a decrease in the DCP of In + . The similarities have prompted us to adopt the recent proposal that the A X RES consists of the nearly trigonal minima on the \(\varGamma_{4}\) - (A) APES and the four trigonal minima on the \(\varGamma_{1}\) - APES.
To write what cannot be written: female circumcision in African and Middle Eastern literature

To look at female circumcision (FC)1 critically, whether in its physical nature or in the words which narratively recreate and re‐member it, is to find oneself in the situated perspective of many A...