cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Evidence for Precursors of Sjögren’s Foci in Histologically Normal Lacrimal Glands

Understanding the formation of Sjogren's lymphocytic infiltrates could permit earlier diagnosis and better outcomes. We submitted gene transcript abundances in histologically normal rabbit lacrimal glands to principal component analysis. The analysis identified a cluster of transcripts associated with Sjogren's foci, including messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for C⁻X⁻C motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13) and B-cell activating factor (BAFF), which dominated the major principal component. We interpreted the transcript cluster as the signature of a cluster of integrally functioning cells. Pregnancy and dryness increased the likelihood that the cluster would develop to high levels, but responses were subject to high levels of stochasticity. Analyzing microdissected samples from high- and low-cluster-level glands, we found that certain transcripts, including mRNAs for C⁻C motif chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21), CXCL13, cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4), CD28, CD25, BAFF, and interleukin 18 (IL-18) were significantly more abundant in immune cell clusters (ICs) from the high-cluster-level gland; mRNAs for CCL2, CD25, and IL-1RA were significantly more abundant in acinus-duct axis samples; mRNAs for CCL4, BAFF, IL-6, and IL-10 were more abundant in some acinus-duct samples; cells with high prolactin immunoreactivity were more frequent in interacinar spaces. In conclusion, integrated functional networks comprising Sjogren's infiltrates, such as ICs, acinar cells, ductal cells, and interacinar cells, can form in histologically normal glands, and it is feasible to detect their molecular signatures.
Laser capture microdissection: Big data from small samples

Any tissue is made up of a heterogeneous mix of spatially distributed cell types. In response to any (patho) physiological cue, responses of each cell type in any given tissue may be unique and cannot be homogenized across cell-types and spatial co-ordinates. For example, in response to myocardial infarction, on one hand myocytes and fibroblasts of the heart tissue respond differently. On the other hand, myocytes in the infarct core respond differently compared to those in the peri-infarct zone. Therefore, isolation of pure targeted cells is an important and essential step for the molecular analysis of cells involved in the progression of disease. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is powerful to obtain a pure targeted cell subgroup, or even a single cell, quickly and precisely under the microscope, successfully tackling the problem of tissue heterogeneity in molecular analysis. This review presents an overview of LCM technology, the principles, advantages and limitations and its down-stream applications in the fields of proteomics, genomics and transcriptomics. With powerful technologies and appropriate applications, this technique provides unprecedented insights into cell biology from cells grown in their natural tissue habitat as opposed to those cultured in artificial petri dish conditions.
White matter integrity and functional predictors of response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression.

Background Recent evidence suggests that therapeutic repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an effective treatment for pharmacoresistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD). We recently demonstrated that response to 5 Hz TMS administered to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was predicted by functional connectivity of the medial prefrontal (MPFC) and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC). This functionally-defined circuit is a novel target for treatment optimization research, however, our limited knowledge of the structural pathways that underlie this functional predisposition is a barrier to target engagement research. Methods To investigate underlying structural elements of our previous functional connectivity findings, we submitted pre-TMS diffusion-weighted imaging data from 20 patients with PTSD and MDD to anatomically constrained tract-based probabilistic tractography (FreeSurfer's TRActs Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy). Averaged pathway fractional anisotropy (FA) was extracted from four frontal white matter tracts: the forceps minor, cingulum, anterior thalamic radiations (ATRs), and uncinate fasciculi. Tract FA statistics were treated as explanatory variables in backward regressions testing the relationship between tract integrity and functional connectivity coefficients from MPFC and sgACC predictors of symptom improvement after TMS. Results FA in the ATRs was consistently associated with symptom improvement in PTSD and MDD (Bonferroni-corrected p Conclusion We found that structural characteristics of the ATR account for significant variance in individual-level functional predictors of post-TMS improvement. TMS optimization studies should target this circuit either in stand-alone or successive TMS stimulation protocols.
What is Your Level of Nomophobia? An Investigation of Prevalence and Level of Nomophobia Among Young People in Turkey

This research was conducted to measure the nomophobia levels of young people. The sample of the study consisted of 400 young people living in rural districts of Bursa province in Turkey. The results show that 8.5% of the youth was severely nomophobic, 71.5% were moderate and 20.0% were mildly nomophobic. There was no statistically significant difference between gender and working status and nomophobia level but statistically significant differences were encountered between age and educational status. As young people's age increased, the levels of nomophobia they suffer decreased. They asserted a higher level of nomophobia during high school years. Despite a slight decrease in university years, students' nomophobia levels were higher than the graduates and working youth. When the sub-dimensions of the scale were examined, the 'avoidance' and 'conflict' factors were above the NoSmartPhone Scale (NSPS) mean score, but the interwind identity and attachment factors were below the mean score.
Relational agency from a teacher as researcher perspective

This essay responds to a selection of ideas and theoretical frameworks Sharada Gade uses to conduct her study. The ideas raised by Sharada are placed in the context of the changes and experiences taking place in today’s public school system. Her ideas also provide new insights into the construct of relational agency in accordance with expansive learning activity from a teacher as researcher perspective. The purpose of this response is to shed light on the collaboration that needs to exist between teachers and researchers as curriculum is designed and implemented.
Microbial dark matter driven degradation of carbon fiber polymer composites

Polymer composites have become attractive for structural applications in the built environment due to their lightweight and high strength properties but can suffer from degradation due to environmental factors. While impacts of abiotic factors like temperature and moisture are well studied, little is known about the influence of naturally occurring microbial communities on their structural integrity. Here we apply complementary time-series multi-omics of biofilms growing on polymer composites and materials characterization to elucidate, for the first time, the processes driving their degradation. We measured a reduction in mechanical properties due to molecular chain breakage and reconstructed 121 microbial genomes to describe microbial diversity and pathways associated with their degradation. The composite microbiome is dominated by four bacterial groups including the Candidate Phyla Radiation that possess pathways for breakdown of acrylate, esters, and bisphenol, abundant in composites. Overall, we provide a foundation for understanding interactions of next-generation structural materials with their natural environment that can predict their durability and drive future designs.
Human Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cell Culture Model To Study Host Responses to Chlamydia trachomatis Infection.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the human Fallopian tubes can lead to damaging inflammation and scarring, ultimately resulting in infertility. To study the human cellular responses to chlamydial infection, researchers have frequently used transformed cell lines that can have limited translational relevance. We developed a primary human Fallopian tube epithelial cell model based on a method previously established for culture of primary human bronchial epithelial cells. After protease digestion and physical dissociation of excised Fallopian tubes, epithelial cell precursors were expanded in growth factor-containing medium. Expanded cells were cryopreserved to generate a biobank of cells from multiple donors and cultured at an air-liquid interface. Culture conditions stimulated cellular differentiation into polarized mucin-secreting and multi-ciliated cells, recapitulating the architecture of human Fallopian tube epithelium. The polarized and differentiated cells were infected with a clinical isolate of C. trachomatis, and inclusions containing chlamydial developmental forms were visualized by fluorescence and electron microscopy. Apical secretions from infected cells contained increased amounts of proteins associated with chlamydial growth and replication, including transferrin receptor protein 1, the amino acid transporters SLC3A2 and SLC1A5, and the T cell chemoattractants CXCL10, CXCL11, and RANTES. Flow cytometry revealed that chlamydial infection induced cell surface expression of T cell homing and activation proteins including ICAM-1, VCAM-1, HLA class I and II, and IFNγR. This human Fallopian tube epithelial cell culture model is an important tool with translational potential for studying cellular responses to Chlamydia and other sexually-transmitted pathogens.
Sculpting Spatial Theatricality: Snøhetta’s Petter Dass Museum and Steven Holl’s Knut Hamsun Centre

This essay examines two Norwegian cultural icons: the Lutheran priest and poet, Petter Dass (1647–1707) and the writer and recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1920, Knut Hamsun (1859–195...
A Model Enzymic Extracorporeal Detoxification System. Part II

The feasibility of an enzymic extracorporeal detoxification device may be extended through use of computer design simulations based on experimental evidence. The preliminary design considerations which have been verified experimentally include single-compartment hepatic microsomal oxidation, two-compartment detoxification with a membrane, and a two-step competitive toxification/detoxification reaction. Model toxins considered are ethylmorphine, N,N-demethyl-aniline, and β-naphthylamine. The latter is rendered toxic by hydroxylation at the nitrogen position, and is subsequently detoxified by glucuronidation.
COVID-19 infection control measures and outcomes in urban dialysis centers in predominantly African American communities.

Emory Dialysis serves an urban and predominantly African American population at its four outpatient dialysis facilities. We describe COVID-19 infection control measures implemented and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in the Emory Dialysis facilities. Implementation of COVID-19 infection procedures commenced in February 2020. Subsequently, COVID-19 preparedness assessments were conducted at each facility. Patients with COVID-19 from March 1–May 31, 2020 were included; with a follow-up period spanning March–June 30, 2020. Percentages of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were calculated, and characteristics of COVID-19 patients were summarized as medians or percentage. Baseline characteristics of all patients receiving care at Emory Dialysis (i.e. Emory general dialysis population) were presented as medians and percentages. Of 751 dialysis patients, 23 (3.1%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. The median age was 67.0 years and 13 patients (56.6%) were female. Eleven patients (47.8%) were residents of nursing homes. Nineteen patients (82.6%) required hospitalization and 6 patients (26.1%) died; the average number of days from a positive SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) test to death was 16.8 days (range 1–34). Two patients dialyzing at adjacent dialysis stations and a dialysis staff who cared for them, were diagnosed with COVID-19 in a time frame that may suggest transmission in the dialysis facility. In response, universal masking in the facility was implemented (prior to national guidelines recommending universal masking), infection control audits and re-trainings of PPE were also done to bolster infection control practices. We successfully implemented recommended COVID-19 infection control measures aimed at mitigating the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Most of the patients with COVID-19 required hospitalizations. Dialysis facilities should remain vigilant and monitor for possible transmission of COVID-19 in the facility.
“You” speaks to me: Effects of generic-you in creating resonance between people and ideas

Creating resonance between people and ideas is a central goal of communication. Historically, attempts to understand the factors that promote resonance have focused on altering the content of a message. Here we identify an additional route to evoking resonance that is embedded in the structure of language: the generic use of the word "you" (e.g., "You can't understand someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes"). Using crowd-sourced data from the Amazon Kindle application, we demonstrate that passages that people highlighted-collectively, over a quarter of a million times-were substantially more likely to contain generic-you compared to yoked passages that they did not highlight. We also demonstrate in four experiments (n = 1,900) that ideas expressed with generic-you increased resonance. These findings illustrate how a subtle shift in language establishes a powerful sense of connection between people and ideas.
Deconstructing Pleading Doctrine

Where does pleading doctrine, at the federal level, stand today? The Supreme Court's revision of general pleading standards in Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly has not left courts and litigants with a clear or precise understanding of what it takes to state a claim that can survive a motion to dismiss. Claimants are required to show "plausible entitlement to relief" by to offering enough facts "to raise a right to relief above the speculative level." Translating those admonitions into predictable and consistent guidelines has been illusory. This Article proposes a descriptive theory that explains the fundamentals of contemporary pleading doctrine in a way that gives it some of the clarity and precision it otherwise lacks. The major descriptive thesis posited here is that the central animating principle of contemporary pleading doctrine is the requirement that a complaint - through the use of objective facts and supported implications - describe events about which there is a presumption of impropriety. Getting to that presumption requires different degrees of factual specificity depending upon the factual and legal context of the claim. A secondary descriptive claim is that the doctrine in its current iteration privileges efficiency interests over the justice-related concerns of accuracy and procedural fairness. Unfortunately, this preference unduly harms the right of access to courts for those plaintiffs having claims that require the pleading of information they do not or cannot know. Further, it may be that certain types of claims, such as civil rights and antitrust claims, are more disadvantaged by this preference than others, suggesting that the doctrine needs to be recalibrated to better serve the interests of justice more evenly across different types of cases.
Data-Driven Computational Modeling Identifies Determinants of Glioblastoma Response to SHP2 Inhibition.

Oncogenic protein tyrosine phosphatases have long been viewed as drug targets of interest, and recently developed allosteric inhibitors of SH2 domain-containing phosphatase-2 (SHP2) have entered clinical trials. However, the ability of phosphatases to regulate many targets directly or indirectly and to both promote and antagonize oncogenic signaling may make the efficacy of phosphatase inhibition challenging to predict. Here we explore the consequences of antagonizing SHP2 in glioblastoma, a recalcitrant cancer where SHP2 has been proposed as a useful drug target. Measuring protein phosphorylation and expression in glioblastoma cells across 40 signaling pathway nodes in response to different drugs and for different oxygen tensions revealed that SHP2 antagonism has network-level, context-dependent signaling consequences that affect cell phenotypes (e.g., cell death) in unanticipated ways. To map specific signaling consequences of SHP2 antagonism to phenotypes of interest, a data-driven computational model was constructed based on the paired signaling and phenotype data. Model predictions aided in identifying three signaling processes with implications for treating glioblastoma with SHP2 inhibitors. These included PTEN-dependent DNA damage repair in response to SHP2 inhibition, AKT-mediated bypass resistance in response to chronic SHP2 inhibition, and SHP2 control of hypoxia-inducible factor expression through multiple mitogen-activated protein kinases. Model-generated hypotheses were validated in multiple glioblastoma cell lines, in mouse tumor xenografts, and through analysis of TCGA data. Collectively, these results suggest that in glioblastoma, SHP2 inhibitors antagonize some signaling processes more effectively than existing kinase inhibitors but can also limit the efficacy of other drugs when used in combination.
Estimation and Inference on Nonlinear and Heterogeneous Effects

Multiple regression has been the go-to method for data analysis for generations of scholars due to its transparency, interpretability, and desirable theoretical properties. However, the method's simplicity precludes the discovery of complex heterogeneities in the data. We introduce the Method of Direct Estimation and Inference (MDEI) that embraces these potential complexities, is interpretable, has desirable theoretical guarantees, and, unlike some existing methods, returns appropriate uncertainty estimates. The proposed method uses a machine learning regression methodology to estimate the observation-level effect of a treatment variable. Importantly, we introduce a robust approach to uncertainty estimates. We provide simulation evidence and an application illustrating the performance of the method.
HLA-DNA May Encode Two Unique Protein Products

DNA is a human HLA class II α-chain gene. In contrast to other class II MHC genes (HLA-DR, -DQ, and -DP), which are transcribed and processed into 1.3 kb mRNAs, the DNA gene produces two transcripts of 1.2 kb and 3.5 kb. By sequence analysis of cDNA clones, we have shown that the 3.5-kb transcript is not an unspliced precursor of the shorter transcript. The 3.5-kb transcript is fully spliced and identical to the short transcript except for an extended 3′ untranslated region. In addition, from DNA sequence analysis of several cDNA clones, we found that alternative splicing occurs. The DNA transcript is spliced either as predicted by the genomic sequence (1) or uses an alternative splice site (145 bp 5′ of the α1-exon). This alternative splice results in a change of reading frame and introduces two stop codons just 5′ of the α1-exon. Thus, the DNA gene may encode an entirely different (non-class II) secreted protein when the alternative splice is utilized.
On Modelling Fuzzy Preference Relations

A theory of a fuzzy weak preference relation based on multiple-valued logic is developed. The transitivity property of fuzzy strict preference and indifference relations associated with a fuzzy weak preference relation is established.
Wrongful Convictions Among Women

Abstract Interest in wrongful convictions in the United States criminal justice system has accelerated over the past several decades. Most attention, however, has focused on wrongfully convicted men, leaving largely unexplored the problem of women who are wrongfully convicted. Using two large electronic databases, this study examines the problem of wrongful convictions involving women in the United States since 1970 (N = 42). Case characteristics of wrongfully convicted women are compared with a sample of wrongfully convicted men. Racial differences in the wrongful conviction of white and African American women are also explored.
Fulminant hepatitis and the new G/GBV-C flavivirus

A new virus within the family Flaviviridae, ‘hepatitis’ G/GBV-C, has been incriminated by several authors as a causative factor of idiopathic or cryptogenic fulminant hepatitis, a syndrome of presumed viral aetiology. Review of worldwide data from 22 studies on 364 cases indicates that G/GBV-C infection is present in approximately 20% of idiopathic cases but a similar or even higher prevalence is detected in fulminant hepatitis of viral B, D or C aetiology, reflecting a high rate of parenteral viral exposure rather than a specific aetiology of fulminant hepatic failure. An aetiopathogenic role of G/GBV-C in fulminant hepatitis seems to be further refuted by the analysis of other data in the literature. The presence of G/GBV-C infection in fulminant hepatic failure is largely a result of secondary infection or coinfection. The aetiopathogenetic mystery of cryptogenic or idiopathic fulminant hepatitis remains unsolved.
Earnings and Sectoral Choice of Low-Skill Afghan Workers in Iran: Evidence from Micro-Level Survey Data

Iran hosts the world's second largest Afghan population, consisting of both refugees and undocumented migrants. As a consequence, Afghans have an established presence in the labor markets of certain provinces in Iran that is likely to persist into the foreseeable future.Â Utilizing data from the ILO on establishments that employ both Afghan and Iranian labor, we test for earnings differentials between the two groups using a selection-bias correction model. This specification is proposed under the assumption that workers may be heterogenous with respect to the strength of their labor market contacts, which would have consequences for both the choice of sector and earnings upon employment. Under this specification, we find that while a raw wage gap exists between Iranian and Afghan workers engaged in similar work, measures of human capital explain away this differential, suggesting the absence of wage discrimination against Afghans in these markets. Keywords: Migration, Refugee Crisis, Wage discrimination, Sectoral Choice, Selection Bias, Afghanistan, Iran
Learning to play expertly: a tutorial on Hoyle

HOYLE is a program that learns to play a broad variety of board games very well, in real time. Hoyle is not a traditional game playing artifact: it eschews search and tolerates, even encourages, inconsistent and incomplete knowledge. This paper describes the program's orientation and current status, reports on some of its achievements, and offers some explanation for its prowess.
Adaptive eigen-projection algorithms for 1-D and 2-D antenna arrays

In this paper, we develop 1-dimensional (1-D) and 2-dimensional (2-D) adaptive algorithms that use gradient projections in select sub-spaces for use in antenna beamforming. The 1-D algorithm is essentially a significantly enhanced version of an eigen-projection algorithm that was previously developed for system identification. The 2-D algorithm is based on a stacked configuration of the enhanced 1-D algorithm. Both algorithms are applied to antenna beamforming of uniform linear and planar arrays. Simulation results show better convergence as well as improved beam properties.
EL CARÁCTER CONTINGENTE DE LA NECESIDAD ABSOLUTA EN LA CIENCIA DE LA LÓGICA DE HEGEL

Una de las mas frecuentes criticas dirigidas contra Hegel es que su sistema crea una totalidad finalizante que determina lo que es como absolutamente necesario. La Ciencia de la Logica, siendo el edificio conceptual de dicho sistema, es el lugar mas apropiado para determinar el significado especifico de los conceptos utilizados por Hegel. A continuacion se ofrece un analisis detallado del capitulo sobre realidad (Wirklichkeit), para mostrar como el concepto de necesidad absoluta no solo incluye dentro de si, sino que ademas contiene como elemento estructural, el concepto de contingencia. Con ello se pretende generar una interpretacion deflacionista, en la cual el caracter absolutamente necesario de la realidad no debera entenderse como fundado en un fin pre-existente que determina de manera inexorable la realidad, sino como un movimiento interpretativo, en rememoracion, de su proceso.
Representing and Meaning in History and in Classrooms: Developing Symbols and Conceptual Organizations of Free-Fall Motion

This study offers a psychological role that external representations can play in the process of refining intuitive ideas into scientific knowledge. An argument for this role is presented first through historical analysis of Galileo's ramp experiments and then through documentation of an innovative sixth-grade classroom activity. In both of these cases, engagement with and refinement of external representations of motion were central supports to conceptual and empirical meaning mak- ing. An instructional approach that uses representation activities to support student development of their own conceptual and empirical approaches to a phenomenon stands in contrast to the prevailing trend in science curricula, which focuses exclusively on content acquisition.
Developing a Principle-Based Framework for Evaluating Comprehensive Poverty Solutions Across Contexts

Indicator development literature is reviewed to clarify if a comprehensive framework or set of frameworks exists that can be used to measure poverty solutions across contexts and to identify the conceptual principles that have guided their development. A need for an integrative framework that adopts a tiered approach is warranted. Four guiding principles proposed as key components of a sound framework include capabilities, social inclusion, meaningfulness to those in poverty, and sustainability. Twelve domains are defined and compatible with the guiding principles. Finally, a process for developing a comprehensive, principle based indicator framework of poverty solutions is outlined.
Tau interconverts between diffusive and stable populations on the microtubule surface in an isoform and lattice specific manner

It has been demonstrated that Tau exists on the microtubule lattice in both diffusing and static populations, but how this may relate to Tau function is currently unclear. Tau isoforms are developmentally regulated and have been shown to have disparate effects on microtubule polymerization, the ability to bind microtubules, and the ability to inhibit kinesin. It has also been shown that Tau is sensitive to microtubule stabilizing agents and the ability to affect the persistence length of microtubules and to inhibit kinesin can be altered by stabilizing microtubules with various nucleotide analogs. Given these observations, it is likely the behavior of Tau is dictated by both the isoform of Tau and by structural changes in the microtubule lattice. In the present study, we use single molecule imaging to examine the behavior of the three-repeat short (3RS) isoform and the four-repeat long (4RL) isoform on different microtubule tracks stabilized with either paclitaxel or guanylyl-(α, β)-methylene-diphosphate (GMPCPP). On paclitaxel-stabilized microtubules, we find 3RS-Tau favors the static conformation and forms complexes consisting of 2–3 molecules, while 4RL-Tau predominantly exists as a single molecule equally distributed between the static and diffusing populations. However, on GMPCPP-stabilized microtubules both isoforms favor the diffusing conformation and do not form static complexes composed of more than one Tau molecule. We find both isoforms of Tau interconvert between static and diffusing populations on the microtubule surface, and the equilibrium between these two states depends on both the isoform of Tau and the structure of the underlying microtubule lattice.
APPLICATION OF TGA/DTA/MS TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF STONE

The combined technique TGA/DTA/MS, thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis/mass spectrometry, has been used, in conjunction with other analytical techniques, FTIR, SEM, XRD, and optical microscopy, to analyze a specific patching material that had become seriously discolored on its surface after being used to repair a historic stone pillar at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, New York in the 1980s. The stone patch was found to contain a polyacrylate binder which was associated with the discoloration.
Human Capital Investment Effects On Firm Returns

This paper demonstrates that two measures of firm investment in specific human capital are significantly and positively correlated with long-term rates of return on investment. The final sample of 260 firms is a subset of the 805 firms included in the June 1984 edition of Forbes survey of executive compensation. We utilize two proxies for firm return-net income and cash flow. The return measures are scaled by both book value of total assets and market value of common stock yielding four alternative specifications of the rate of return measure. The firm investment in specific human capital measures are generally found to be significant explanatory variables in the regressions that have returns scaled by book value of assets. These measures of investment are insignificant when market value of common stock outstanding is used to scale the return measures. We interpret these findings to imply that a public or regulatory policy needs to be established to require firms to include at least some basic rudimentary information regarding their human capital investment, such as turnover rates and training cots, in their annual reports.
A Watt-Class, High-Efficiency, Digitally-Modulated Polar Power Amplifier in SOI CMOS

This paper presents a digitally-controlled polar power amplifier implemented in 0.18 um SOI CMOS technology. The output amplitude is determined by a 10 bit Amplitude Control Word (ACW) which controls 31 unary cells and 5 binary-weighted cells. Each unit cell is designed as a 4-stacked FET amplifier to achieve high power. The Digital Power Amplifier (digital PA) achieves peak power of 31.6 dBm at &#62;65% drain efficiency at 900 MHz. Peak power and efficiency are both the highest reported to date for CMOS digital PAs. For 5 MHz WCDMA uplink signals, the digital PA gives 28.3 dBm average output power at 49.5% average drain efficiency while meeting ACPR requirements.
Long-term influence of chemotherapy on steatosis-associated advanced hepatic fibrosis

To determine whether chemotherapy treatment at least 6 months prior to the detection of hepatic steatosis is associated with advanced hepatic fibrosis. Demographics, comorbid conditions, and laboratory data for cancer patients with hepatic steatosis were reviewed. The primary end point of this study was a low probability of fibrosis as calculated by the AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRI)-a surrogate for the absence of histologic bridging fibrosis and/or cirrhosis. Of 279 patients, 117 (41.9 %) were treated with chemotherapy and 197 (66.3 %) had a low probability of fibrosis by APRI. A smaller proportion of patients treated with chemotherapy had a low probability of hepatic fibrosis compared with untreated patients (64.1 vs. 75.3 %, p = 0.04). On multivariable analysis, chemotherapy treatment was a negative predictive factor for a low probability of fibrosis (OR 0.366 [95 % CI 0.184-0.708], p < 0.01). Among chemotherapy-treated patients, 75 (64.1 %) had a low probability of fibrosis. There were no differences in chemotherapy duration (mean 7.8 vs. 7.5 cycles) and interval from last dose to steatosis diagnosis (24.3 vs. 21.4 months) between patients with and without a low probability of fibrosis. A smaller proportion of patients treated with irinotecan or 5-fluorouracil had a low probability of fibrosis (37.3 vs. 66.7 %, p = 0.04). On multivariable analysis, irinotecan or 5-fluorouracil treatment was a negative predictive factor for low probability of fibrosis (OR 0.277 [95 % CI 0.091-0.779], p = 0.02). Prior chemotherapy treatment, especially with 5-fluorouracil or irinotecan, is a negative predictor for the absence of advanced hepatic fibrosis among patients with steatosis.
Ageing and the circadian and homeostatic regulation of human sleep during forced desynchrony of rest, melatonin and temperature rhythms

1. The circadian timing system has been implicated in age-related changes in sleep structure, timing and consolidation in humans. 2. We investigated the circadian regulation of sleep in 13 older men and women and 11 young men by forced desynchrony of polysomnographically recorded sleep episodes (total, 482; 9 h 20 min each) and the circadian rhythms of plasma melatonin and core body temperature. 3. Stage 4 sleep was reduced in older people. Overall levels of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep were not significantly affected by age. The latencies to REM sleep were shorter in older people when sleep coincided with the melatonin rhythm. REM sleep was increased in the first quarter of the sleep episode and the increase of REM sleep in the course of sleep was diminished in older people. 4. Sleep propensity co-varied with the circadian rhythms of body temperature and plasma melatonin in both age groups. Sleep latencies were longest just before the onset of melatonin secretion and short sleep latencies were observed close to the temperature nadir. In older people sleep latencies were longer close to the crest of the melatonin rhythm. 5. In older people sleep duration was reduced at all circadian phases and sleep consolidation deteriorated more rapidly during the course of sleep, especially when the second half of the sleep episode occurred after the crest of the melatonin rhythm. 6. The data demonstrate age-related decrements in sleep consolidation and increased susceptibility to circadian phase misalignment in older people. These changes, and the associated internal phase advance of the propensity to awaken from sleep, appear to be related to the interaction between a reduction in the homeostatic drive for sleep and a reduced strength of the circadian signal promoting sleep in the early morning.
Intentional unsafe sex (barebacking) among HIV-positive gay men who seek sexual partners on the Internet

While unsafe sex has been reported throughout the HIV epidemic, the underlying assumption has been that most persons do not seek to purposely have unprotected sex. Within the gay community, the term 'barebacking' has emerged to refer to intentional unsafe anal sex. The prevalence of barebacking is evidenced among gay men, particularly those who are HIV-positive, by the number of internet sites devoted to barebacking and the number of men seeking sexual partners through the use of the internet. To gain insight into barebacking, a sample of 112 HIV-positive gay men were recruited from internet sites where men seek to meet each other for sex. The majority of participants (84%) reported engaging in barebacking in the past three months, and 43% of the men reported recent bareback sex with a partner of unknown serostatus. These results indicate the potential for widespread transmission of HIV to uninfected men by the partners they meet on the internet. Analyses revealed that men who reported bareback sex only with HIV-positive partners scored lower in sexual adventurism than those who had bareback sex regardless of partner serostatus. A significant correlation was observed between defining masculinity as sexual prowess and intentional unprotected anal sex. There are serious implications for HIV prevention efforts, in that internet-based education should be a priority in order to reach men who rely on this mechanism to find sexual partners.
Matrix continued fraction expansion and inversion by the generalized matrix Routh algorithm

Abstract A generalized matrix Mouth algorithm is established to expand n matrix transfer function into the matrix continued fraction of three matrix Cauer forms. By the use of the generalized matrix Routh algorithm and state-space techniques. a method is established for performing the matrix continued fraction inversion. The procedure is amenable to digital computation.
Reply to Boslough: Is Greenland Pt anomaly global or local?

Besides providing additional arguments against the Pt depositing event (1) as a cause of the Younger Dryas cooling, Boslough’s letter (2) raises an important question about the scale of this event. Indeed, a localized deposition of Pt by the Cape York meteorite shower is an attractive hypothesis considered by us initially (3), but abandoned because of (i) a large difference in the Pt/Ir ratios between the Cape York iron and the Pt anomaly in the GISP2 ice core, and (ii) a long ingrowth time of the anomaly (∼20 y), significantly exceeding the expected lifetime (∼5 y) of fine dust in the atmosphere. Such a long ingrowth time is unlikely to result from a later disturbance of ice because both chemical (sulfate) and particle (volcanic ash) spikes induced by volcanic eruptions before and after the Pt anomaly are typically contained within a thin ice layer deposited over 1–2 y. Therefore, the alternative assumed by us is either an abnormally high dust suspension time in the stratosphere or multiple injections of Pt-rich materials to the atmosphere, or both. In either case, a global anomaly is expected.
Studies of the temperature-dependent conformation and phase separation of polyriboadenylic acid solutions at neutral pH

Abstract The conformation of polyriboadenylic acid (poly A) in aqueous solutions at neutral pH has been investigated under “ideal”, Θ solvent conditions, as a function of temperature. The studies were carried out on fractions of well-defined molecular weight obtained by reversible phase separation of the polymer in sodium chloride solutions more concentrated than 1 m . Under such conditions, poly A is soluble at low and high temperatures, but only partially miscible in a range centered on 35 to 40 °C. The extent of the range varies with molecular weight, and polymer and salt concentrations. The upper and lower Θ temperatures for solvents in the range of sodium chloride concentrations from 1 to 1.33 m were derived from the phase diagrams. Light-scattering experiments yielded the molecular weights, radii of gyration and second virial coefficients ( A 2 ) of several fractions at various salt concentrations, in the temperature range −2 to 62.4 °C. At a fixed salt concentration, A 2 vanished at two temperatures, the upper and lower Θ temperatures for that solvent. In this way it was possible to obtain values of the radius of gyration at various Θ temperatures which were unperturbed by solvent effects, thus separating long-range solvent-dependent influences on molecular conformation from the influences of short-range interactions due to base stacking. The sedimentation velocity and viscosity behavior of poly A as a function of salt concentration and temperature were also studied. In 1 m -NaCl, both the sedimentation coefficient and intrinsic viscosity vary as M 0.5 at a temperature quite close to the Θ temperature. The results show that poly A forms a highly extended structure at low temperature but that this structure is rapidly disrupted as the fraction of bases in stacks falls below unity. The observations are consistent with the existence of a structure formed by a non-co-operative process.
Recent advances in stratification and film formation of latex films; attenuated total reflection and step‐scan photoacoustic FTIR spectroscopic studies

Surfactant-latex molecular level interactions as well as transient effects during latex film formation play an important role in latex technology. This review article focuses on the siloxane effects on anionic sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate (SDOSS) surfactant exudation during latex coalescence and quantitative analysis of SDOSS distribution at the both film-air (F-A) and film-substrate (F-S) interfaces. Attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was utilized for characterization of the interactions between SDOSS and styrene-butyl acrylate latex copolymers. In addition, studies of SDOSS stratification along with depth-profiling analysis during latex film formation utilizing step-scan photoacoustic (S 2 -PAS) FTIR spectroscopy illustrate that SDOSS content is enriched at the F-A interface and decreases as the penetration depth increases across the latex film thickness.
Inferring Driver Intent: A Case Study in Lane-Change Detection:

This paper introduces a robust, real-time system for detecting driver lane changes. Under the framework of a “mind-tracking architecture,” the system simulates a set of possible driver intentions a...
ELIZABETH TONKIN, Narrating our pasts: The social construction of oral history . (Cambridge studies in oral and literate culture, 22.) Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Pp. xiv, 171. [Pb reprint, 1995; $16.95.]

Tonkin treats a complex and timely set of ideas when she studies the relationships between oracy and literacy, oral narrative performance and written texts, memory and history and society. To discuss these areas of scholarly debate, she employs a multidisciplinary, sometimes contentious variety of studies and assertions. Her efforts mostly succeed in promoting her claims for the necessity of blurring past distinctions and categories in the study of oral history, and for taking a much more performative/interactive view of its construction in a living context.
Interfacial Effects of Plasma Treatment on Fiber Pull-Out

Surface modification of organic reinforcement fibers by exposure to certain plasmas appears to have considerable potential as a means for improving the performance of composites. Such treatments can change fiber surface properties, leaving the core of the fiber virtually unaffected so that the mechanical properties of the fibers remain unaltered. Previous studies [1–5] have shown that plasma treatment of polymeric fibers can modify surface energetics and that the acid/base characteristics of a fiber surface can be altered by exposure to plasmas of acidic or basic gases. Although several publications [6,7] have reported that the mechanical properties of composites reinforced with plasma-treated fibers are enhanced, there has been no direct evidence to show the impact of fiber surface plasma treatment on interfacial shear strength.
B-lymphocyte subpopulations

B lymphocytes are exceptionally diverse, partly because different clones have membrane receptors with specificities for different antigens and partly because the cells exist in a series of distinct differentiation states and may constitute more than a single cellular lineage. In this article John Kung and William Pail discuss heterogeneity with particular reference to the subpopulations of immunoglobidin-bearing B lymphocytes and their distinctive properties.
Revisiting the Baranof-Leech River hypothesis for early Tertiary coastwise transport of the Chugach-Prince William terrane

Abstract According to the Baranof–Leech River hypothesis originally proposed in 1982, (1) schists on southern Baranof Island in southeastern Alaska were contiguous with the Leech River schist on southern Vancouver Island until 40 Ma, and (2) both rock units were part of the 2200 km long Chugach–Prince William terrane, which was displaced northward about 1100 km after 40 Ma. Isotopic data obtained since 1982 show that the syn-magmatic metamorphism that produced the Baranof and Leech River schists occurred at 50 Ma, not at 40 Ma. Large-magnitude coastwise slip of the terrane is therefore post-50 Ma. Igneous rocks in the Baranof and Leech River units are part of the Sanak–Baranof magmatic belt of forearc magmatism, which has been ascribed to the early Tertiary subduction of an oceanic ridge. The slab window also gave rise to early Eocene, near-trench plutonic and volcanic rocks on North American basement in the North Cascades of Washington State, and probably to coeval igneous rocks on the western coast of Vancouver Island. These igneous suites in the forearc fix the location of the intersection of the ridge with the continental margin 50 Myr ago at latitude ca. 48–49°N (present-day coordinates). Paleomagnetic data obtained since 1982 imply that before 50 Ma, the parts of the Chugach–Prince William terrane that were to become the Baranof and Leech River schists were south of 48–49°N. From 61 to 50 Ma, the northward movement of the terrane relative to North America can be reconciled with the southward migration of forearc magmatism in the Chugach–Prince William terrane if the ridge–trench intersection was fixed at 48°N (present-day coordinates). The Border Ranges fault system is the on-land structure that most likely accommodated hundreds of kilometers of post-early Eocene displacement.
STUDIES OF OXIDATIVE METABOLITES USING 31-P NMR SPECTROSCOPY IN NEWBORN NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS

STUDIES OF OXIDATIVE METABOLITES USING 31-P NMR SPECTROSCOPY IN NEWBORN NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS
Caveats Regarding the “Solvent/Non-Solvent” and SELS Approaches in Size-Exclusion Chromatography and Related Methods

A rarely documented, yet industrially popular, approach to the size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and related analysis of polymers that do not dissolve in common solvents (i.e., those solvents that are employed as mobile phases in high-throughput SEC systems) is to dissolve these analytes in a different solvent and to then inject this solution onto an SEC system that employs a non-solvent as mobile phase. A variant of this approach, known as solvent enhanced light scattering (SELS), is employed to compensate for low optical contrast between analyte and mobile phase. Both the “solvent/non-solvent” and SELS approaches can provide results for a given sample in the form of chromatograms from which, using an in-place calibration curve, molar mass averages and distributions may be calculated. There appear to be no reports, however, on the accuracy of the solvent/non-solvent and SELS approaches. To this effect, the former were evaluated here (with an eye on implications for the latter), using well-characterized...
Time and type of admission to a surgical intensive care unit

Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) is a tertiary care hospital with a Level 1 (USA) Trauma Center Designation. Increasing level of patient acuteness, high census levels, decreasing resident staffing and financial concerns have led to intensive care unit (ICU) organization and staffing changes. ICU care is being redefined at DUMC via pursuit of a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of critically ill patients. As part of this initiative, analysis of Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) admissions was performed for January through March 1998. This analysis showed that 45% of admissions occurred when there was no attending in house. To fulfill the missions of patient care, education, research, cost-containment, optimal bed utilization and appropriate reimbursement for services, we instituted around-the-clock board-certified intensivist coverage in the SICU. Continuing analysis of admission distribution confirms that half of admissions occur at night and breakdown of type of admission indicates that these admissions are the patients most requiring active resuscitation and supervision of resident management.
Good Climate Governance: Only a Fragmented System of International Law Away?

Fragmentation is the hallmark of international environmental law—it is both the key to its success and the pathway to its unraveling. Recognizing that law is an essential component of systems of supranational climate governance, addressing gaps between international legal systems is fundamentally important to the legitimacy of international law and to on-going attempts to use international law as a central component in efforts to address climate change. This article analyzes developments in international environmental law with a view towards suggesting how efforts to develop an international climate change legal regime—and a broader system of global climate governance—highlight the pressing need to look more closely at the linkages between climate change and other areas of international law and to begin thinking about ways to minimize gaps and maximize cooperation among international environmental institutions and between international environmental law and other spheres of international law.