cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calling on Reserves Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Growth Factor in Cardiac Repair

Tissue injury elicits a regenerative response designed to restore its function through replacement of damaged cells. Such repair is thought to involve lineage-specific, tissue-specific progenitor cells that have been identified in most tissues, including the heart.1–3 The effectiveness of this repair ranges from minimal to complete, depending, among other factors, on the involved organ and the age of the individual in question, with certain organs such as the brain or the heart thought to have very low repair potential. Furthermore, little role has been ascribed to bone marrow–derived progenitors in adult tissue repair. Recent studies, however, have challenged both of these paradigms. The notion that the heart is a terminally differentiated organ without the capability of self-renewal has been challenged by the discovery of cardiac-specific progenitor cells residing in the myocardium.3 However, it is unclear how much functional effect such repair processes have and whether they can be effectively stimulated with pharmacological or biological therapies. Article p 3097 The beneficial effects observed after transplantation of various cell types into the myocardium in animal models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI)4 have led to the initiation of clinical studies even though the mechanism of these effects remains uncertain. The cell types tested in the setting of acute myocardial ischemia have ranged from unfractionated to different fractions of bone marrow–derived or peripheral blood mononuclear cells delivered by percutaneous intramyocardial or intracoronary injections.4 Essentially all studies have suggested some biological effectiveness, although in all cases, this conclusion is tempered by the uncontrolled nature and the small size of the trials. Nevertheless, the suggested benefits of cell therapy in AMI settings led Ince et al to perform the study reported in the current issue of Circulation .5 Instead of carrying out injections of one or another cell population, the authors …
Use of outcome data by purchasers and consumers: new strategies and new dilemmas

Objective. The complexities involved in measuring outcomes of care are perceived as a core challenge of health services research. However, the complexities associated with making outcomes data useable for purchasers and consumers are just beginning to be recognized. The purpose of this paper is to outline some of the barriers to purchaser and consumer use of clinical outcome (and other performance) data and to identify strategies for supporting greater use of these data. Dilemmas associated with current and proposed strategies are highlighted and recommendations are proposed. Evidence. Three recent studies focusing on consumer and purchaser use of outcome data are used to illustrate barriers. The decision research literature is also drawn upon to describe the information processing challenges faced by purchasers and consumers when using performance information for making choices. Findings. Information packaging strategies and decision support tools designed to overcome barriers are described, and dilemmas associated with their use are outlined. One major concern is that if we adopt strategies to make report card data more digestible, we may be trading off some of the market effects (e.g. improved health plan performance) that justify report card efforts in the first place.
Changing Paradigms of Seat Belt and Air Bag Injuries: What We Have Learned in the Past 3 Decades

This commentary article explores the impact of the use of seat belts over the past three decades, supplemented in recent years with the use of air bags. The authors focus on injuries caused by, rather than prevented by, these safety devices. Multiple studies confirm that seat belts, when compared with no restraints, have decreased fatalities by 43%-50% and serious injuries by 45%-55%. However, compliance with seat belts is still not close to 100%. The authors stress that while it is vital for the public to continue to be made aware of these reductions in injury and fatalities from restraint systems, the medical community and in particular, trauma physicians, need to have an increased awareness of the myriad of injuries that can be sustained from those same life-saving systems. They report the findings of their literature review, in five areas: mechanism of action of current restraint systems, individual organ injury patterns (air bag injuries), seat belt injuries, intestinal injury resulting from seat belts, and the diagnostic imaging of hollow viscus injuries. The authors conclude that intestinal injuries from automobile accidents are more common in restrained occupants and the seat belt mark should result in a heightened suspicion for intraabdominal injury to the physician caring for the injured occupant. The vast majority of air bag injuries are minor, but when air bags are used without a seat belt, the risk of cervical spinal cord injury is increased.
A new three-phase two-switch ZVS PFC DCM boost rectifier

A new, three-phase, two-switch, power-factor-correction (PFC) rectifier that can achieve less than 5% input-current total harmonic distortion (THD) and features zero-voltage switching (ZVS) of all the switches over the entire input-voltage and load ranges is introduced. The proposed rectifier also offers automatic voltage balancing across the two output capacitors connected in series, which makes it possible to use downstream converters designed with lower-voltage-rated component that offer better performance and are less expensive than their high-voltage-rated counterparts. In addition, the proposed rectifier also exhibits low common-mode EMI noise. The performance of the proposed rectifier was evaluated on a 2.8-kW prototype with a 780-V output that was designed to operate in 340–520-V L-L, RMS input-voltage range.
The effect of indexing on the complexity of object recognition

An examination is made of the problem of selecting models from a library, and the combinatorics of determining that a candidate object is not present in the data are examined. It is shown that the expected search is again exponential, implying that naive approaches to indexing are likely to carry an expensive overhead, since exponential work is needed to weed out each incorrect model. The analytical results are shown to be in agreement with empirical data for cluttered object recognition. >
A computer assessment of the effect of hindfoot alignment on mechanical axis deviation

Lower limb malalignment is a common cause of disability that increases risk of osteoarthritis (OA). Treatment of OA may require an osteotomy or arthroplasty, which mandate accurate evaluation of mechanical loading on the limbs to achieve optimal alignment and minimal implant wear. Surgical planning uses a conventional method of mechanical axis deviation (MADC) measured from the center of the femoral head to the center of the ankle. This method fails to account for hindfoot deformity distal to the ankle. We used a computer model to compare MADC with the ground mechanical axis deviation (MADG), drawn from the center of the hip to the ground reaction point. Average anatomic measurements were analyzed with a range of knee and hindfoot angle variation in single leg stance, double leg stance, toe off and heel strike. MADG was consistently higher than MADC, suggesting a more complete estimate of weight-bearing axis that considers hindfoot deformity.
Fifteen principles of software engineering

Because the product of software engineering is not physical, physical laws do not form a suitable foundation. Instead, software engineering has had to evolve its principles based solely on observations of thousands of projects. The following are probably the 15 most important principles: (1) make quality number one priority; (2) high-quality software is possible; (3) give products to customers early; (4) determine the problem before writing requirements; (5) evaluate design alternatives; (6) use an appropriate process model; (7) use different languages for different phases; (8) minimize intellectual distance; (9) put technique before tools; (10) get it right before you make it faster; (11) inspect code; (12) good management is more important than good technology; (13) people are the key to success; (14) follow hype with care; and (15) take responsibility. An additional 15 software engineering principles are also listed. >
Mechanical design of ultraprecision weak-link stages for nanometer-scale x-ray imaging

A nanopositioning diagnostic setup has been built to support the Argonne Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) nanoprobe instrument commissioning process at the APS. Its laser Doppler interferometer system provides subnanometer positioning diagnostic resolution with large dynamic range. A set of original APS designed ultraprecision PZT-driven weak-link stages with high-stiffness motor-driven stages has been tested with this diagnostic setup. In this paper we present a preliminary test result of the ultraprecision weak-link sta ge system developed for the CNM hard x-ray nanoprobe instrument at APS sector 26. A test result for a novel laminar weak-link mechanism with sub-centimeter travel range and sub-nanometer positioning resolution is also introduced in this paper as a future work.
Effects of plants on the removal of hexavalent chromium in wetland sediments.

The effect of two wetland plants, Typha latifolia L. (cattail) and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud (common reed), on the fate of Cr(VI) in wetland sediments was investigated using greenhouse bench-scale microcosm experiments. The removal of Cr(VI) was monitored based on the vertical profiles of aqueous Cr(VI) in the sediments. The Cr(VI) removal rates were estimated taking into account plant transpiration, which was found to significantly concentrate dissolved species in the sediments. After correcting for evapotranspiration, the actual Cr(VI) removal rates were significantly higher than would be inferred from uncorrected profiles. On average, the Cr(VI) removal rates were 0.005 to 0.017 mg L -1 d -1 , 0.0003 to 0.08 mg L -1 d -1 , and 0.004 to 0.13 mg L -1 d -1 for the control, T. latifolia, and P. australis microcosms, respectively. The fate of the removed Cr(VI) was examined by determining the quantity and chemical speciation of the Cr in the sediment and plant materials. Chromium(III) was the dominant form of Cr in both the sediment and plants, and precipitation of Cr(III) in the sediment was the major pathway responsible for the disappearance of aqueous Cr(VI) from the pore water. Incubation results showed that abiotic reduction was the primary mechanism underlying Cr(VI) removal in the microcosm sediments. Organic compounds produced by plants, including root exudates and mineralization products of dead roots, are thought to be the factor that is either directly or indirectly responsible for the gap between Cr(VI) removal efficiencies in the sediments of the vegetated and unvegetated microcosms.
Properties of the NORTA method in higher dimensions

The NORTA method for multivariate generation is a fast general purpose method for generating samples of a random vector with given marginal distributions and given product-moment or rank correlation matrix. However, this method has been shown to fail to work for some feasible correlation matrices. (A matrix is feasible if there exists a random vector with the given marginal distributions and the matrix as the correlation matrix.) We investigate how this feasibility problem behaves as the dimension of the random vector is increased and find the problem to become acute rapidly. We also find that a modified NORTA procedure, augmented by a semidefinite program (SDP) that aims to generate a correlation matrix "close" to the desired one, performs well with increasing dimension.
Dynamic plantar pressure parameters associated with static arch height index during gait.

Abstract Background Although extreme values of arch height have been associated with increased risk for overuse injury, knowledge is limited regarding the association between arch height and plantar pressure distributions during gait. The primary purpose of this study was to explore which plantar pressure measurements during gait were associated with static arch height and arch height index. Methods Static arch height, arch height index, and dynamic plantar pressure distributions were collected for 1000 subjects (566 males, 434 females, 30.6 [SD 8.0] years, 171.1 [SD 9.3] cm, 76.9 [SD 14.7] kg). A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to determine the most parsimonious set of plantar pressure parameters associated with arch height. The predicted values were used to calculate dynamic arch height index. Correlation and residual analysis were performed to assess the association between statically and dynamically determined arch height indices. Findings A 5-variable model (F = 296.6; P Interpretation A multivariate model generated by plantar parameters during gait was able to predict 60% of the variability in static arch height. This model consisted of variables that appear to be clinically plausible and inform the association between static arch height and dynamic foot posture. Future researchers should address the association between statically and dynamically determined AHI values with lower extremity overuse injuries.
Quantifying Disturbance in Terrestrial Communities: Abundance–Biomass Comparisons of Herpetofauna Closely Track Forest Succession

Herpetofauna are frequently cited as ideal indicators for environmental and restoration monitoring due to their importance to ecological functioning, dominance of vertebrate biomass, and sensitivity to environmental change. Despite this relevance, herpetofauna have yet to be fully integrated into comprehensive, community-scale restoration monitoring methodologies. We tested the applicability of one such method, abundance–biomass comparisons (ABCs), to monitoring restoration success in a longleaf pine ecosystem currently undergoing restoration via prescribed burning. W statistics (a metric of environmental perturbation) for herpetofaunal assemblages in longleaf pine stands managed under varying fire intervals closely tracked forest succession from recently burned longleaf pine stands to those characterized by longer times since last burn and high levels of hardwood encroachment. Our results suggest that ABCs may be an applicable method for terrestrial restoration monitoring that encompasses entire faunal assemblages and allows for generality in restoration or disturbance response. We emphasize, however, that applications of this method and others need to take into account the specific ecological characteristics of study organisms and the natural history of study sites to avoid incorrect interpretations of disturbance response and inappropriate management recommendations.
A multi-robot approach to stealthy navigation in the presence of an observer

We propose a simple, reactive method for multiple robots carrying out sequential low-visibility navigation in the presence of an observer. Initially, the robots have no map of the environment but know the locations of the observer and goal. They generate an occupancy grid representation of the environment which is modeled using potential fields with embedded task information. These fields are combined and navigation waypoints extracted. Each robot carries out its traverse independently and shares its experience with its successor. The experience information consists of the occupancy grid and a filtered version of the traveled path used to assist the subsequent robot to traverse a lower visibility path. This produces a robust and reactive solution for stealthy navigation since there is no global path planning and the robots are not committed to any particular path. Experiments in simulation and real outdoor environments substantiate the approach and demonstrate the benefits of sharing information in reducing cumulative visibility. The experiments also demonstrate the algorithm's versatility in taking advantage of an environment that changes between robot traverses.
A 1.8-GHz Spur-Cancelled Fractional- N Frequency Synthesizer With LMS-Based DAC Gain Calibration

A 1.8-GHz wideband DeltaSigma fractional-N frequency synthesizer achieves the phase noise performance of an integer-N synthesizer using a spur-cancellation digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC gain is adaptively calibrated with a least-mean-square (LMS) sign-sign correlation algorithm for better than 1% DAC and charge pump (CP) gain matching. The proposed synthesizer phase-locked loop (PLL) is demonstrated with a wide 400-kHz loop bandwidth while using a low 14.3-MHz reference clock, and offers a better phase noise and bandwidth tradeoff. Using an 8-bit gain-calibrated DAC, DeltaSigma-shaped divider ratio noise is suppressed by as much as 30 dB. The second-order DeltaSigma fractional-N PLL exhibits in-band and integrated phase noises of -98 dBc/Hz and 0.8deg. The chip, fabricated in 0.18-mum CMOS, occupies 2 mm2, and consumes 29 mW at 1.8-V supply. The spur cancellation and correlation function consumes 30% additional power
Transient immune suppression of inapparent carriers infected with a principal neutralizing domain-deficient equine infectious anaemia virus induces neutralizing antibodies and lowers steady-state virus replication.

The genetic variation of equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) clearly affects the antigenic properties of the viral envelope; however, effects on immunogenicity remain undefined, although widely assumed. Here, the immunogenicity is reported of a novel, neutralization-resistant, pony-isolate envelope EIAVPV564ΔPND that contains a 14-residue deletion in the designated principal neutralizing domain (PND) of the gp90 protein. Two ponies inoculated with a chimeric virus, EIAVΔPND, containing the EIAVPV564ΔPND envelope in a reference provirus strain, remained asymptomatic through 14 months post-inoculation, producing high steady-state levels of envelope-specific antibodies but no detectable serum-neutralizing antibodies. Consequent dexamethasone-induced immune suppression produced characteristic EIA that resolved concomitantly with the development of high-titre, strain-specific, neutralizing antibodies and a 100-fold reduction in steady-state virus loads. These results demonstrate: natural variations in the EIAV envelope have profound effects on both antigenic and immunogenic properties; the PND is not required for neutralizing antibody responses; and transient immune suppression can enhance established host immunity to achieve more effective control of steady-state lentivirus replication.
Computational Modeling of Solvent Effects on Protein-Ligand Interactions Using Fully Polarizable Continuum Model and Rational Drug Design

This is a brief review of the computational modeling of protein-ligand in- teractions using a recently developed fully polarizable continuum model (FPCM) and rational drug design. Computational modeling has become a powerful tool in under- standing detailed protein-ligand interactions at molecular level and in rational drug design. To study the binding of a protein with multiple molecular species of a ligand, one must accurately determine both the relative free energies of all of the molecular species in solution and the corresponding microscopic binding free energies for all of the molecular species binding with the protein. In this paper, we aim to provide a brief overview of the recent development in computational modeling of the solvent ef- fects on the detailed protein-ligand interactions involving multiple molecular species of a ligand related to rational drug design. In particular, we first briefly discuss the main challenges in computational modeling of the detailed protein-ligand interactions involving the multiple molecular species and then focus on the FPCM model and its applications. The FPCM method allows accurate determination of the solvent effects in the first-principles quantum mechanism (QM) calculations on molecules in solu- tion. The combined use of the FPCM-based QM calculations and other computational modeling and simulations enables us to accurately account for a protein binding with multiple molecular species of a ligand in solution. Based on the computational mod- eling of the detailed protein-ligand interactions, possible new drugs may be designed rationally as either small-molecule ligands of the protein or engineered proteins that bind/metabolize the ligand. The computational drug design has successfully led to discovery and development of promising drugs.
The Two-Surface System

In this chapter, we move one step closer to the precise definition of the module. Here we study the general two-surface system and assemble a collection of formulas and equations for use in subsequent chapters.
Non-canonical interactions between plant proteins and lectins cause false positives in lectin blots

Lectins are proteins that specifically recognize and non-covalently bind to soluble carbohydrates or to the carbohydrate moieties of glycoproteins or glycolipids. Historically,lectin-blot analysis has been widely used as a tool for structural characterization of many mammalian glycoconjugates. In the present study, we demonstrate that the application of this technique to screen sugar moieties of plant proteins results in numerous false positives. Plants lack the enzyme machinery necessary to perform sialylation, however many bands appear upon probing of N. benthamiana L. leaf proteins with Maacia amurensis agglutinin (MAA) that recognizes specifically N-linked or core 2 O-linked glycans containing Neu5Ac/Gc-I±2,3GalI²-1,4GlcNAc/Glc and O-linked glycans containing the trisaccharide Neu5Ac-3GalI²1-3GalNAc. The non-canonical binding is a direct result of sample preparation for SDS PAGE, because native proteins do not show an affinity to MAA-agarose resin. Moreover, inhibition with known hapten fails to prevent binding of MAA to plant proteins in lectin blots. We also provide evidence that interactions of a hydrophobic nature contribute, at least in part, to the non-specific binding, and that other lectins â€“ Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA) and Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA) â€“ also bind non-specifically to plant proteins. In conclusion, lectin blot analysis of plant proteins should always be verified by probing the binding specificity with a known hapten inhibitor alongside appropriate mammalian glycoprotein controls. Alternatively, non-specific binding can be avoided if lectin affinity chromatography of the native plant proteins is performed prior to lectin blots analysis.
On the aggregation of prioritized belief structures

The focus of this work is to provide a procedure for aggregating prioritized belief structures. Motivated by the ideas of nonmonotonic logics an alternative to the normalization step used in Dempster's rule when faced with conflicting belief structures is suggested. We show how this procedure allows us to make inferences in inheritance networks where the knowledge is in the form of a belief structure.
128. The relationship between inflammation and fatigue development in patients with head and neck cancer receiving IMRT

This study sought to assess relationships between fatigue and inflammatory mediators in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). This longitudinal study investigated HNC patients pre- to 1-month post-IMRT. Fatigue was assessed by the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20. Plasma interleukin (IL)-6 and soluble TNF receptor2 (sTNFR2) were determined using ELISA (R& D Systems), and acute phase proteins (CPR) were determined using a standard turbidimetric assay. Paired t-test and regression analysis were used to examine fatigue and inflammatory mediator changes over time and their association. Forty-seven patients with non-metastatic HNC were consented and enrolled and 80% were Caucasian males (age: mean = 58, SD = 10). All were treated with IMRT (60–70 Gy); 82% received chemotherapy; 26% had prior definitive surgery. Fatigue, IL6, and sTNFR2 increased significantly from pre- to 1-month post-IMRT (Fatigue: pre: 46.70 SD 14.11 vs. post: 58.49 SD 15.35, t = 5.05, p = 0.000; IL6: pre: 5.39 SD 5.01 vs. post: 8.67 SD 8.75, t = 2.57, p = 0.013; sTNFR2: pre: 2.76 SD 1.14 vs. post: 4.28 SD 2.07, t = 7.65, p = 0.000). Univariate regression models showed significant relationships between the increase of both IL-6 and sTNFR2 (p = 0.004 and p = 0.008, respectively) as well as CRP (p = 0.044) and increase in fatigue from baseline to 1-month. These findings indicate positive associations between treatment-induced inflammation and fatigue in HNC patients. Future studies antagonizing inflammation may serve to reduce the development of fatigue in this patient population.
The Influence of Atmosphere Composition and Nutrients on the Germination of Rhizomucor Pusillus Sporangiospores

Sporangiospores of Rhizomucor pusillus contained in nine liquid cultures were incubated (45 C) in aerobic, microaerophilic, and anaerobic atmospheres for up to 30 h. In aerobic atmospheres germination occurred in three of the cultures after only 3 h of incubation. A marked reduction in spore germination occurred when spores were incubated in microaero? philic atmospheres, with germination occurring in all the cultures after 30 h of incubation. Spores did not germinate in any of the liquid cultures incubated anaerobically for 30 h. James et al. (8) reported that the self-heating of organic matter contained in crocks would occur only if the material was aerated, indicating that the thermogenic microflora contained therein require oxygen for growth. Rhizomucor pusillus (Lindt) Schipper and other species of thermophilic fungi have been isolated from decomposing organic matter (4), but little was published concerning the oxygen requirements of these organisms until 1975 (3). In their study, Deploey and Fergus (3) determined the oxygen requirements for growth of a number of thermophilic fungi including R. pusillus. They reported that R. pusillus did not grow when incubated on an undefined medium for 10 da in an atmosphere con? taining pure nitrogen, and macroscopic growth did not occur until the oxygen concentration of the incubator atmosphere was increased to 0.3%. They also observed that higher concentrations of oxygen were required for growth when a defined medium was used, but spore germination was not studied. Although some studies of spore germination by R. pusillus and other thermophilic fungi (1, 7, 9) have been done, no reports could be found concerning how incubation in low oxygen atmospheres and liquid nutrients (defined and undefined) influence the germinability of R. pusillus sporangiospores. This investigation was done to pro? vide this information and the results are reported herein. materials and methods
Choosing to Stay: (Im)Mobility Decisions Amongst Mongolia’s Ethnic Kazakhs

AbstractOne of the defining characteristics of globalization is the increased flow of migrants across international borders. Fluctuating migration flows in rural communities of the Global South have the potential to significantly contribute to or undermine the livelihoods of local residents. Households that choose not to migrate, that remain immobile, play a key role in sustaining rural communities. Migration studies in the Global South, however, have largely neglected these households. Utilizing questionnaire and life history interview data collected between 2006 and 2009, we examine immobility amongst the Kazakh ethnic minority population in rural Mongolia. Our findings challenge the dichotomous portrayal of immobile households as either ‘left behind’ or ‘embedded’ within their community, providing evidence that immobility decisions are both fluid and flexible and require more interrogation from scholars. Our findings help broaden the social and cultural context in which immobility studies are conducted...
CIHR spurns Aboriginal researchers' call for reconciliation

Aboriginal health projects received less than 1% of the funding awarded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in its first major competition since restructuring — an outcome Aboriginal researchers say illustrates the need to reconcile the new system with the vast inequities in
Sucralfate Inhibition of Tumor Cell Implantation in the Murine Urinary Bladder

Superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder has a 50 to 70% recurrence rate. Recurrences may be related to tumor cell implantation during transurethral resection which disrupts the glycosaminoglycan layer of the bladder. This study demonstrated decreased tumor formation in murine bladders which were pre-treated with sucralfate, a synthetic glycosaminoglycan, prior to tumor cell instillation. These results suggest a possible role for sucralfate as a glycosaminoglycan supplement.
Assessment of Health Risk from Historical Use of Cosmetic Talcum Powder.

This study's objective is to assess the risk of asbestos-related disease being contracted by past users of cosmetic talcum powder. To our knowledge, no risk assessment studies using exposure data from historical exposures or chamber simulations have been published. We conducted activity-based sampling with cosmetic talcum powder samples from five opened and previously used containers that are believed to have been first manufactured and sold in the 1960s and 1970s. These samples had been subject to conflicting claims of asbestos content; samples with the highest claimed asbestos content were tested. The tests were conducted in simulated-bathroom controlled chambers with volunteers who were talc users. Air sampling filters were prepared by direct preparation techniques and analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (PCM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectra, and selective area diffraction (SAED). TEM analysis for asbestos resulted in no confirmed asbestos fibers and only a single fiber classified as “ambiguous.” Hypothetical treatment of this fiber as if it were asbestos yields a risk of 9.6 × 10−7 (under one in one million) for a lifetime user of this cosmetic talcum powder. The exposure levels associated with these results range from zero to levels far below those identified in the epidemiology literature as posing a risk for asbestos-related disease, and substantially below published historical environmental background levels. The approaches used for this study have potential application to exposure evaluations of other talc or asbestos-containing materials and consumer products.
Mobile Phone Expansion and Opportunities for e-Governance in Africa

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has invaded every sphere of human life and it is changing not only how people interact but also how governments serve their constituents in a process generally termed as digital or e-government. E-government is especially relevant for sub-Saharan African countries where public administration is characterized by limited capacity and lack of skilled personnel. Unfortunately, broadband and internet that drive most e-government activities elsewhere are lacking in sub-Saharan Africa but mobile phone subscription is massive and still growing. Given the widespread use of mobile phones in the region, one would expect that plans for sub-Saharan African countries to engage their citizens would start with the massively subscribed mobile phone and steadily expand to include such less available technologies as the internet. Regrettably, the potentials of the mobile phone for digital government remain largely unexplored in the region. Accordingly, this paper investigates reasons behind the neglect of mobile phone aided e-government programs in sub-Saharan Africa.
What Happened? Are We Asking or Telling?

A conceptual parallel is created between studies in anthropology and natural science. A space occupied by “the conceptualization” is argued to not only parallel symbolically the scientifically conceived value of volume as space, but to have an equal meaning- the spaces of the conceptual ordering of nature as manifestations of energy are held to be paralleling manifestations of the same energies that mold the environment. A growing historical asceticism attributed to the individual in struggles with nature and himself becomes destructive universally as the consequence of scientific activities that are focused from raw curiosities that are distant from real symbolic meaning.
HEMOGLOBIN ENGINEERING: CONSEQUENCES OF ALTERATIONS AT FUNCTIONALLY SENSITIVE SITES PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CHEMICAL OR ENZYMATIC ATTACK

In the long course of evolutionary change, the structural properties of proteins have evolved to allow them to act as catalysts in specialized biological reactions. We are now at the threshold of a new phase in biochemical research which involves the practical application of chemical expertise in order to bring about alterations in intracellular enzymatic activity. The need for a means of altering the properties of sickle cell hemoglobin in order to prevent red cell sickling is providing an additional impetus to the development of techniques for successful enzyme engineering. Because of the apparent uniqueness of protein's topology, modifying agents can be targeted to specific sites on the molecule. Given the human hemoglobin tetramer, we propose that the sites most susceptible to chemical or enzymatic attack are (a) key residues which coordinate the iron to the protein, (b) the N- and C-terminal residues of the α- and β-chains, and (c) the highly charged β-chain pocket on the dyad axis, a site which forms hemoglobin's major anion binding site. We have examined the functional consequences of alterations at these sites through studies of mutant human hemoglobins. Data is presented comparing the properties of normal and mutant human hemoglobins. These mutant forms can be used as models in the selection of specific modifying agents to be used in red cell engineering. Approaches to intracellular hemoglobin modification are presented with the hope that modifiers previously felt to be unacceptable will be tried.
Cognition and Consolidation

There are certain facts concerning the nature of learning in laboratory animals as well as ordinary human beings that make it difficult (and perhaps even impossible) for us to discover the neural processes and processing which enable us to learn and remember. Some of the most important and perplexing of these facts were revealed by the research of Edward Chace Tolman and his students in the Department of Psychology at Berkeley. It is through the Berkeley influence that we learned that we must distinguish learning from performance. Performance is observed.
Automorphic Forms on SL2 (R)

This book provides an introduction to some aspects of the analytic theory of automorphic forms on G=SL2(R) or the upper-half plane X, with respect to a discrete subgroup G of G of finite covolume. The point of view is inspired by the theory of infinite dimensional unitary representations of G; this is introduced in the last sections, making this connection explicit. The topics treated include the construction of fundamental domains, the notion of automorphic form on G\"G and its relationship with the classical automorphic forms on X, Poincare series, constant terms, cusp forms, finite dimensionality of the space of automorphic forms of a given type, compactness of certain convolution operators, Eisenstein series, unitary representations of G, and the spectral decomposition of L2 (G\"G). The main prerequisites are some results in functional analysis (reviewed, with references) and some familiarity with the elementary theory of Lie groups and Lie algebras. Graduate students and researchers in analytic number theory will find much to interest them in this book.
Can Relative Biological Effectiveness be Used for Treatment Planning in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Single-dose relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values have been determined for the radiations encountered in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) [6] and can provide useful guidance for the tolerance to be expected. The difficulty of microdosimetric determination of dose [5], the rapidly varying mix of constituent high- and low-LET radiations with depth, the possible synergistic interaction between high- and low-LET radiations [8], and the strong dependence of biological efficacy on the distribution of boron within the cell are all factors limiting the usefulness of RBEs. Large animal studies are necessary to determine late-effect tolerance. To design, interpret, compare, and apply these studies to clinical use, it may be more practical to divide factors influencing RBE in to two groups: (a) estimated tolerance dose (ETD), which can be inferred from other experience reasonably well; and (b) compound factor (CF), which is much more variable as a function of microdosimetry and boron compound.
6-DoF Haptic Rendering Using Continuous Collision Detection between Points and Signed Distance Fields

We present an algorithm for fast continuous collision detection between points and signed distance fields, and demonstrate how to robustly use it for 6-DoF haptic rendering of contact between objects with complex geometry. Continuous collision detection is often needed in computer animation, haptics, and virtual reality applications, but has so far only been investigated for polygon (triangular) geometry representations. We demonstrate how to robustly and continuously detect intersections between points and level sets of the signed distance field. We suggest using an octree subdivision of the distance field for fast traversal of distance field cells. We also give a method to resolve continuous collisions between point clouds organized into a tree hierarchy and a signed distance field, enabling rendering of contact between rigid objects with complex geometry. We investigate and compare two 6-DoF haptic rendering methods now applicable to point-versus-distance field contact for the first time: continuous integration of penalty forces, and a constraint-based method. An experimental comparison to discrete collision detection demonstrates that the continuous method is more robust and can correctly resolve collisions even under high velocities and during complex contact.
Ligament shortening compared to vaginal colpopexy at the time of hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse

The performance of a colpopexy at the time of hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse is a potential indicator of surgical quality. However, vaginal colpopexy has not been directly compared with the classic technique of ligament shortening and reattachment. We sought to test the null hypothesis that there is no difference in prolapse recurrence between the techniques. We performed a retrospective chart review of 330 vaginal hysterectomies performed for prolapse, comparing symptomatic and/or anatomic recurrence rates between patients having a vaginal colpopexy (uterosacral ligament suspension or sacrospinous ligament suspension) and those having ligament shortening and reattachment. Clinically relevant variables significantly associated with recurrence in a univariate analysis were used to create a multivariable logistic regression model to predict recurrence. With a mean follow-up of 20 months, there was no significant difference between symptomatic and/or anatomic recurrence rates: 19.4 % of patients (41 of 211) having colpopexy vs. 11.8 % of patients (14 of 119) having ligament shortening (p = 0.07). Baseline prolapse stage was higher in patients having colpopexy (median 3, IQR 2 – 5) than in those having ligament shortening (median 2, IQR 1 – 3; p ≤ 0.0001). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the procedure performed was not associated with recurrence (OR 1.57, 95 % CI 0.79 – 3.12). A baseline prolapse of 4 cm or greater was associated with recurrence (OR 2.63, 95 % CI 1.32 – 5.22), as was the time since hysterectomy (OR 1.02 per month, 95 % CI 1.01 – 1.04). When compared with vaginal colpopexy, selective use of the ligament shortening technique at the time of vaginal hysterectomy was associated with similar rates of prolapse recurrence. Preoperative prolapse size was the factor most strongly associated with recurrence.
Right Brain: Breaking bad news Communication education for neurology trainees

The stories are frighteningly similar—a normal pregnancy taken to term, a perinatal crisis, followed by an emergent cesarean section and infant transport to a tertiary hospital, where therapeutic hypothermia is initiated. I usually meet the family shortly after arrival, at which point I am charged with helping them understand the next steps. Like so many others, I frequently find myself in complex discussions with families about prognostic uncertainty, advanced care planning, and lifelong disability. Navigating these conversations poorly can have devastating consequences. In many conditions I treat, whether or not a child dies does not rest on my ability to learn, understand, or recommend treatment, but instead on the outcome of conversations in which a family considers whether to withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment. As a neonatal neurointensivist, these high-stakes conversations are the most critical interventions I perform. The authors thank Drs. Renee Boss and Claire Creutzfeldt for critical review of the manuscript.
Self Psychology, Object Relations Theory and Supportive Psychotherapy

A clinical theory of supportive psychotherapy that provides an explanatory model for its mode of therapeutic action can be developed through an examination of the work of Heinz Kohut and object relations theorists such as Ronald Fairbairn and D.W. Winnicott. Central to Kohut's theory of therapy is the premise that in the treatment situation a "good object" is provided for the patient in the form of a therapist who will be internalized, and thus mitigate or repair deficits in the self-structure resulting from inadequate early parenting. The object relations theorist Ronald Fairbairn also emphasizes the importance of the "satisfactory transference situation" to therapeutic change consistent with the author's view that fostering and maintaining the positive transference is a critical technical component in at least the earlier phases of supportive psychotherapy. D.W. Winnicott's conception of the "holding environment" is particularly relevant to the "frame" of supportive psychotherapy through such elements as ensuring the "safety" of the therapeutic situation, and the therapist not allowing anxiety and other affects to mount to intolerable and disorganizing levels. Central to the therapeutic posture of these clinicians is the adoption of an intensely emphatic introspective stance vis-a-vis the patient, which is seen was a critical component of supportive psychotherapy. The effective use of empathy aids the maintenance of the positive transference and facilitates the internalization by the patient of aspects of the interactive process in supportive psychotherapy, thus effecting therapeutic change.
Abstract 5463: Role of the endothelin axis in astrocyte and endothelial cell mediated chemoprotection of cancer cells

Background. Recent evidence suggests that astrocytes protect cancer cells from chemotherapy by stimulating the upregulation of anti-apoptotic genes in cancer cells. We investigated the possibility that activation of the endothelin axis orchestrates survival gene expression and chemoprotection in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and H226 lung cancer cells. Methods. Cancer cells, murine astrocytes, and murine fibroblasts were cultured in isolation and expression of endothelin (ET) peptides and ET receptors (ET A R and ET B R) was compared with expression on cancer cells and astrocytes (or cancer cells and fibroblasts) that were co-incubated for 48 hours. Type-specific endothelin receptor antagonists were used to evaluate the contribution of ET A R and ET B R to astrocyte-induced activation of the protein kinase B (AKT)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways, anti-apoptotic gene expression, and chemoprotection of cancer cells. We also investigated the chemoprotective potential of brain endothelial cells and microglial cells. Results. Gap junction signaling between astrocytes and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells stimulates upregulation of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-8 expression in cancer cells, which increases ET-1 production from astrocytes and ET receptor expression on cancer cells. ET-1 signals for activation of AKT/MAPK and upregulation of survival proteins that protect cancer cells from taxol. Brain endothelial cell-mediated chemoprotection of cancer cells also involves endothelin signaling. Dual antagonism of ET A R and ET B R is required to abolish astrocyte- and endothelial cell-mediated chemoprotection. Conclusions. Bidirectional signaling between astrocytes and cancer cells involves upregulation and activation of the endothelin axis, which protects cancer cells from cytotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. Citation Format: Mark S. Kim, Hyun Jin Choi, Ho-Jeong Lee, Junqin He, Qiuyu We, Robert R. Langley, Sin-Jin Kim, Isaiah J. Fidler. Role of the endothelin axis in astrocyte and endothelial cell mediated chemoprotection of cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5463. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5463
Bortezomib Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Adoptively Infused Natural Killer Cells In Vivo: A Novel Approach To Override KIR-Mediated Inhibition of NK Cell Cytotoxicity.

Abstract Natural killer (NK) cell killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) interactions with self MHC class I molecules can regulate NK cell function; such interactions typically inactivate NK cells potentially providing a dominant mechanism through which malignant cells evade host NK cell-mediated immunity. Recently we found that the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib up-regulated surface expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2 (TRAIL-R2) on a variety of different human malignant cells rendering them susceptible to NK cell-mediated apoptosis in vitro; this effect appears to override KIR ligand-mediated NK cell inactivation, overcoming tumor resistance to both allogeneic KIR ligand-matched and autologous NK cell cytotoxicity. We also found that murine tumors were sensitized by bortezomib to the cytotoxic effects of syngeneic NK cells; the killing of RENCA and LLC1 tumors in vitro by syngeneic BALB/c and C57BL/6 NK cells respectively was enhanced when tumors were exposed to 10nM of bortezomib for 18h. Here, we show that the combined treatment of bortezomib followed by syngeneic NK cell infusions significantly delays tumor growth in tumor bearing animals. While treatment with bortezomib or interleukin-2 activated syngeneic NK cells alone had little effect on tumor growth, the combined treatment significantly delayed growth of RENCA tumors in BALB/c mice and LLC1 in C57BL/6 mice (p Download : Download high-res image (204KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure. Left - BALB/c mice were injected with RENCA tumor cells (100.000 cells i.v) and treated with bortezomib (5ug/mouse i.v) on days 5, 12 and 19 followed by injection of sygeneric NK cells (2×106 i.v) on days 6,13 and 20. All animals received IL-2 (100.000 U i.p on days 6–9,13–16 and 20–23). Animals were euthanized on day 25 and evaluated for pulmonary metastasies. Right - C57BL/6 mice were injected with LLC1 tumor cells (500.000 s.c) and treated with bortezomib (15ug/mouse i.p) on day 14 followed by a single injection of syngeneic NK cells (1×106 i.v) on day 15. All mice were treated with IL-2 (100.000U i.p on days 15–18). Data depicts tumor sizes on day 28 post tumor injection.
Large-scale visible and infrared optical phased arrays in silicon nitride

Large-scale optical phased arrays at 635nm and 1550nm wavelengths are demonstrated with aperture sizes up to 4×4mm2. A diffraction limited spot with a record 0.021°×0.021° divergence and output powers as high as 400mW are shown.