cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The safety and efficacy of a two-dose daclizumab (zenapax) induction therapy in liver transplant recipients.

Background Induction therapy with daclizumab has been shown to be efficacious in the prevention of acute rejection in kidney transplant patients. The routine use of antibody induction therapy in liver transplantation has not gained widespread acceptance, except in the cases of renal insufficiency. The recent approval of daclizumab prompted us to initiate this pilot study using induction therapy in those patients at risk for developing posttransplant renal insufficiency. Methods This nonrandomized study examined the use of daclizumab in 39 of the last 97 liver transplants performed at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. The daclizumab group received 2 mg/kg intravenously before organ engraftment, and 38 of the 39 received 1 mg/kg intravenously on postoperative day 5. The control group consisted of the remaining 58 contemporary patients. Additional immunosuppression consisted of steroids, tacrolimus, or microemulsion cyclosporine in all patients and mycophenolate mofetil in selected patients. Results Pretransplant demographics were not significantly different between the groups. In the induction group there were significantly fewer males, 14 (36%) vs. 34 (59%) (P=0.03). They had greater renal insufficiency at the time of transplant, serum creatine 1.9+/-0.37 mg/dl vs. 0.8+/-0.5; P=0.0009, and more patients were at higher acuity (status 1 and 2A): 12 (31%) vs. 3 (5%) P=0.0006 than in the noninduction group. By postoperative day 7, renal function improved in the induction group such that it was not significantly different from the noninduction group and remained similar throughout the rest of the follow-up. The induction group also experienced significantly less acute rejection, 7 (18%) vs. 23 (40%) (P=0.02) than in the noninduction group in the first 6 months. The 1-, 3-, and 6-month patient survival rates were similar in the induction group, 97.4%, 97.4%, and 97.4%, vs. non-induction 94.8%, 93.0%, and 93% (P=NS). The incidence of cytomegalovirus, in the first 6 months, in the induction group was four (10%) vs. five (9%) (P=NS) in the noninduction group. Conclusion In the pilot study, induction therapy with daclizumab was safe, facilitated improvement in renal function, and appeared to reduce the incidence of acute rejection. Combination therapy with daclizumab may be an important adjunct in immunosuppressive strategies for liver transplant recipients.
Tie2-dependent VHL knockdown promotes airway microvascular regeneration and attenuates invasive growth of Aspergillus fumigatus

Microvascular ischemia and infections are associated with the development of chronic rejection following lung transplantation. The von Hippel–Lindau protein (VHL) controls protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), regulates vascular repair, and improves tissue perfusion. Here, we studied the role of VHL in microvascular repair by orthotopically transplanting tracheas into mice with VHL haplodeficiency in Tie2 lineage cells. We showed that VHL haplodeficiency prolonged airway microvascular perfusion and promoted tissue blood flow through the production of the angiogenic factors, SDF-1 and angiopoietin 1. VHL-haplodeficient pulmonary endothelial cells exhibited increased angiogenic activity, resistance to serum deprivation-induced cell death, and enhanced microvascular repair. By contrast, in recipient mice with HIF-1α deficiency in Tie2 lineage cells, microvascular repair was significantly diminished and suggested that recipient-derived HIF-1α normally participates in the repair of alloimmune-mediated microvascular damage. To evaluate the translational impact of our findings, we compared VHL-haplodeficient mice with wild-type controls using a model of Aspergillus airway infection. In 83 % of the VHL-haplodeficient recipients, Aspergillus fumigatus was noninvasive in contrast to 75 % of wild-type mice in which the mold was deeply invasive. Our study demonstrated that stabilization of HIF-1α in angiogenic cells, through Tie2 cell VHL haplodeficiency, promoted airway microvascular regeneration and vascular normalization and thereby minimized tissue ischemia and hypoxia. By also mitigating the virulence of A. fumigatus, a common pathogen and itself a risk factor for the development of lung transplant rejection, the selective enhancement of HIF-1α expression has the prospect of offering several novel therapeutic effects to transplant recipients.
Why use the home sleep test

I read with interest the balanced editorial in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine mentioning some of the changes in sleep medicine today. Many of these changes are diffi cult to keep up with and are affecting the quality of patient care. In the USA, much of the decision regarding the option of an attended nocturnal polysomnogram versus an unattended home sleep test is based on an insurance company’s criteria for allowing a nocturnal polysomnogram. Existing home sleep tests are not standardised and miss several important conditions like narcolepsy, central and mixed sleep apnoea, cardiac arrhythmias during sleep, and movement disorders. Not all diagnoses in sleep medicine are obstructive sleep apnoea. Insurers argue that if diagnoses other than sleep apnoea are suspected clinically, they will reconsider the financial coverage for an in-laboratory attended sleep study. This decision is often made by a nurse or medical director with no sleep medicine training. Home sleep tests have become available to many non-sleep trained physicians including internists, family practitioners, cardiologists, and ear, nose, and throat physicians, to name a few. As a result, there has been a growing trend of ordering a home sleep test followed by no follow-up or a trial of auto continuous positive airway pressure. This is a dangerous trend because we are missing other sleep diagnoses and losing patients to poor compliance. As is well known, compliance with continuous positive airway pressure is notoriously poor if not followed on a regular basis, preferably by trained sleep physicians. Obviously in an age of cost containment, there are no easy answers, but I along with many of my sleep medicine colleagues feel that the pendulum has swung too far. Availability of a home sleep test should be regulated and restricted to sleep medicine physicians. The home sleep test technology should be standardised. The choice of test, nocturnal polysomnogram or home sleep test, should be decided by the evaluating sleep physician with insurance company oversight, but not control. A home sleep test should be restricted to follow up of patients with a previous diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea with a signifi cant change in body weight, or to follow up the effectiveness of airway surgery or mandibular advancement devices. They could also be used as a ruleout test in patients with a low pretest probability of obstructive sleep apnoea. Large head-to-head studies of patients who have been tested on both a nocturnal polysomnogram and a home sleep test could prove to be quite benefi cial.
Effect of cigarette smoking in epidemiological studies of lung cancer.

This paper describes a method for adjusting the analysis of occupational/environmental lung cancer risks for the effects of cigarette smoking in cohort and case-control studies. The method uses a function that relates an individual's death rate to his age and cigarette smoking history. Two such functions are examined. The first depends on total packs of cigarettes smoked and age. The second, based on the multistage theory of carcinogenesis, depends on age, age at start of smoking, and subsequent smoking rates. The lung cancer rates predicted by these two functions are compared to those observed in cohort studies of male British physicians and U.S. veterans, and in a case-control study of non-Hispanic white men in New Mexico. Neither of the cohort data sets distinguished the fit of the two functions. The New Mexico data were fit better by the second function, though both functions overpredicted death rates among ex-smokers. Each function explained substantially more variation in the New Mexico data than did any of several logistic regression models involving categorical variables for age and smoking.
Transcription-independent role for human mitochondrial RNA polymerase in mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis

Human mitochondrial RNA polymerase, POLRMT, is required for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription and forms initiation complexes with human mitochondrial transcription factor B2 (h-mtTFB2). However, POLRMT also interacts with the paralogue of h-mtTFB2, h-mtTFB1, which is a 12S ribosomal RNA methyltransferase required for small (28S) mitochondrial ribosome subunit assembly. Herein, we show that POLRMT associates with h-mtTFB1 in 28S mitochondrial ribosome complexes that are stable in the absence of mitochondrial transcription and distinct from transcription complexes containing POLRMT and h-mtTFB2. Overexpression of POLRMT in HeLa cells increases 12S rRNA methylation by h-mtTFB1 and reduces the steady-state levels of mtDNA-encoded proteins and respiration, apparently because of a decrease in fully assembled 55S mitochondrial ribosomes. We propose that POLRMT interacts directly with h-mtTFB1 in 28S mitochondrial ribosomes to augment its 12S rRNA methyltransferase activity, and that together they provide a checkpoint for proper 28S and 55S mitochondrial ribosome assembly. Thus, POLRMT is multi-functional, forming distinct protein complexes that regulate different steps in mitochondrial gene expression, at least one of which does not involve transcription per se. The significance of these results is discussed with regard to the mechanism and regulation of human mitochondrial gene expression and the potential multi-functionality of RNA polymerases in general.
Dose–response effect of ergocalciferol therapy on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration during critical illness

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the dose–response relationship between ergocalciferol therapy and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in enterally fed, critically ill patients with traumatic injuries. Methods A retrospective cohort of critically ill patients with traumatic injuries and vitamin D deficiency (25-OH vitamin D 75 nmol/L, if the patient experienced hypercalcemia (ionized calcium >1.34 mmol/L), when the patient was discharged from the ICU, or if enteral nutrition was discontinued. Results Sixty-five patients (16, 18, and 31 per dosage group) were examined. One (6%), two (11%), and eight (26%) patients achieved normal 25-OH vitamin D concentrations after 2 to 4 wk of ergocalciferol therapy for each dosage group, respectively ( P P P = NS). Conclusions Ergocalciferol therapy improved baseline serum 25-OH vitamin D concentrations but was inadequate for consistently achieving normal serum concentrations of 25-OH vitamin D during critical illness. The trend in increasing appearance of mild hypercalcemia for the highest dosage group is concerning.
Spin ratchets: A one-way street for spin current

A way to generate and control spin currents without magnetic fields or magnetic materials may be possible using dissipative quantum ratchets in the presence of spin–orbit coupling.
Estimating soil properties in heterogeneous land‐use patches: a Bayesian approach

Cities provide unique opportunities for integrating humans into ecology. Using data from a socio-ecological inventory of metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, we explore the contribution of human-related variables to explaining observed variation in soil nitrate-N (NO 3 -N) and total carbon (C) concentrations across the city, agricultural fields, surrounding desert, and mixed regions. Conventional modeling approaches in such a setting would lead to examination of spatial relationships over the entire study area or on subsets of the data independently. However, the spatial relationships for NO 3 -N and C may be different in each of these regions. Here we estimate. the correlation coefficients for influential variables toward soil NO 3 -N and C across the entire region, while at the same time accounting for potentially differing spatial patterns in each of these regions. Soil NO 3 -N shows markedly greater spatial autocorrelation in the desert regions, while the soil C shows varying amounts of spatial relationships in the different regions.
PULMONARY HYPERTENSION (PH) AND CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA (CDH)

Despite rapid diagnosis, modern surgical technique and intensive pre- and post-operative care, survival of infants with CDH who present within the first 24 hours of life is poor. Some authors suggest that the degree of lung hypoplasia is often the determinant in survival. In our experience almost all infants with CDH can be adequately ventilated following surgery, yet many of these infants subsequently die. After surgery for CDH, 4 infants had blood sampled from pre-and postductal sites. All infants demonstrated R→L shunting suggesting PH. A 5th infant who became progressively hypoxic following surgery underwent cardiac catheterization. No congenital cardiac lesions were found. However, PH with R→L shunting through the foramen ovale and ductus arteriosus (DA) were demonstrated. In addition left pulmonary venous desaturation was present. Both tolazoline (TZL) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) were injected directly into the main pulmonary artery (MPA). Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) dropped, systemic arterial saturation rose, and pulmonary circulation improved. It was unclear whether the improvement was fortuitous. Subsequently PAP rose and repeat doses of TZL and CPZ administered into the MPA caused little response, 14 hours later the infant died. PH complicating CDH probably occurs frequently. Establish ment of pulmonary normotension may be necessary for survival.
Cell death in the avian blastoderm: resistance to stress-induced apoptosis and expression of anti-apoptotic genes.

Cell death in the avian blastoderm: resistance to stress-induced apoptosis and expression of anti-apoptotic genes
What Works to Improve Student Literacy Achievement? An Examination of Instructional Practices in a Balanced Literacy Approach

A core assumption of the San Diego City Schools (SDCS) reform effort was that improved instructional practices, aligned with a balanced literacy approach, would be effective in improving student outcomes. This article explores this hypothesis by presenting findings from an analysis of classroom instruction data collected in 101 classrooms in 9 high-poverty elementary schools. Data were collected using a literacy observation tool adapted from prior research. The study found a prevalent focus on reading comprehension instruction and on students' active engagement in making meaning from text. Teachers' use of higher-level questions and discussion about text were substantially higher than that found by a prior study using the same instrument in similar classrooms elsewhere. Hierarchical Linear Modeling analyses of instruction and student outcome data indicate that teacher practices related to the higher-level meaning of text, writing instruction, and strategies for accountable talk were associated with growth...
Über die Synthese von Isorhamnetinglykosiden, I. Isolierung und Synthese zweier Flavonol-glykoside von Cereus grandiflorus Mill.

Aus den Bluten von Cereus grandiflorus Mill. wurden neben bekannteren Flavonolglykosiden zwei Isorhamnetinglykoside isoliert und als 3.5.7.4′-Tetrahydroxy-3′-methoxy-flavon-3-mono-β-D-galaktosid (Cacticin) und 3.5.7.4′-Tetrahydroxy-3′-methoxy-flavon-3-β-D-rutinosid (Narcissin) aufgeklart. Die Synthese beider Glykoside gelang nach einem allgemein fur Polyhydroxyflavonol-3-glykoside anwendbaren, neuen Verfahren aus 7.4′-Dibenzyl-isorhamnetin und den entsprechenden Acetobromzuckern.
On the definition of local control

Local control of cancer-the total and permanent disappearance of the disease from the primary site-is a major goal of radiation therapy in many cases. It is surprising, therefore, that in the radiotherapy literature there is no uniform definition of the term “local control rate.” The methods of calculation vary so greatly from one institution to the next that direct comparison of treatment results is often impossible. Let us take as an example a group of 100 patients treated by irradiation for squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx between 2 and 10 years ago. We will assume that 50 patients died of distant metastases, uncontrolled neck disease. or intercurrent disease within 2 years of the date their treatment began, without ever developing evidence of disease recurrence at the primary site. We will further assume that in 30 patients local failure occurred, with all relapses occurring by 36 months after the start of treatment (28 within 2 years). Twenty patients were continuously free of local recurrence for at least 2 years (up to 10 years). Following are some of the ways that the “local control rate” for this group of patients would be reported by various authors.
A comparison of skull and femur lead levels in adult rats

Abstract The purpose of the study was to elucidate the relationship between skull and femur lead levels in laboratory rats. Forty-eight female rats were given one of four lead chloride drinking water solutions: 0.05, 0.58, 17, or 352 ppm lead. Two animals from each group were sacrificed after 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 24 weeks of treatment. Both femurs and the frontal and parietal bones of the skull were removed from each animal and analyzed for lead concentration by atomic absorption spectroscopy. A significant accumulation of lead was observed in femurs and skull bones only from animals in the 352 ppm lead treatment group. The lead concentrations of the femurs were significantly higher than skull lead concentrations for all groups and this relationship was described using a linear regression equation.
Identification of somatostatin-containing neurons in primary cultures of rat cerebral cortex.

Abstract The expression of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity was investigated in primary cultures of dissociated cerebral cortical tissue from the rat. A subpopulation of neurons in the cortical cultures exhibited intense staining for somatostatin. These somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons corresponded to 1.25% of the total neuronal population. Stained neurons were typically small with a soma size of 10 20 μm. The majority of somatostatin-containing cells had stellate and bipolar morphology, with the bipolar class predominating.
Particle cracking in discretely reinforced materials with the voronoi cell finite element model

Abstract In this paper, a two dimensional small deformation Voronoi Cell finite element model is developed to model damage in heterogeneous materials by particle cracking or splitting. It incorporates a ductile elastic–plastic matrix material containing an arbitrary dispersion of brittle elastic inclusions. Inclusions may be of arbitrary shapes and sizes. Damage initiation by micro-cracking or splitting of the inclusions is assumed to follow a maximum principal stress theory or Rankine criterion. Complete particle cracking or splitting is assumed at the onset of damage. The model accounts for progressive particle fracture in complex microstructures without any user interference. Various microstructural morphologies are simulated to verify the effectiveness of the model.
Ring-puckering vibration of μ-mercaptodiborane and 1-deutero-μ-mercaptodiborane

Abstract The ring-puckering vibraion of μ-mercaptodiborane and DSB 2 H 5 have been investigated. The 1 ← 0 transition is assigned to the Q branch at 306.5 cm −1 . The ring conformation is planar and the vibration primarily harmonic. The potential function for this vibration is V ( Z ) = 7.22 × 10 5 Z 4 + 5.433 × 10 4 Z 2 (cm −1 ) where Z is the displacement coordinate in A.
Regional distribution and relative amounts of glutamate decarboxylase isoforms in rat and mouse brain.

Abstract The levels of the two isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) were measured in 12 regions of adult rat brain and three regions of mouse brain by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting with an antiserum that recognizes the identical C-terminal sequence in both isoforms from both species. In rat brain the amount of smaller isoform, GAD 65 , was greater than that of the larger isoform, GAD 67 , in all twelve regions. GAD 65 ranged from 77–89% of total GAD in frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, midbrain, olfactory bulb, periaqueductal gray matter, substantia nigra, striatum, thalamus and the ventral tegmental area. The proportion of GAD 65 was lower in amygdala and cerebellum but still greater than half of the total. There was a strong correlation between total GAD protein and GAD activity. In the three mouse brain regions analysed (cerebellum, cerebral cortex and hippocampus) the proportion of GAD 65 (35,47, and 51% of total GAD) was significantly lower than in the corresponding rat-brain regions. The amount of GAD 67 was greater than the amount of GAD 65 in mouse cerebellum and was approximately equal to the amount of GAD 65 in mouse cerebral cortex and hippocampus.
Diakoptics in Shipboard Power System Simulation

A partitioning scheme for transient simulation of shipboard power systems (SPS) is presented. Using diakoptics, the piecewise transient solution to a ungrounded AC-radial (3phi) ring-bus system is found. Cable tie-lines (floating pi-segments) on the SPS ring are converted to hexagon equivalents by discretization and decoupled via source-transportation, diakoptics, and exploiting mutual-susceptance links. Transient simulation results from circuit simulation (as a whole) and via diakoptics (piecewise) are compared and discussed.
Links between maternal and child psychopathology symptoms: mediation through child emotion regulation and moderation through maternal behavior.

This study examined the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology symptoms with 7–12 year-old children (N = 97; 44 boys, 53 girls, M age = 9.14, SD = 1.38) and their mothers (M age = 38.46, SD = 6.86). Child emotion regulation mediated the links between maternal psychopathology and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In turn, the indirect effect was dependent on the level of maternal support in response to youth’s expressions of negative emotions when considering particular constellations of maternal reactions and type of psychopathology symptoms. The findings indicate that the relations between maternal and child psychopathology symptoms and child emotion regulation are complex and vary by context. Regardless of the complexity, however, for both internalizing and externalizing symptoms in youth, the results suggest that building adaptive emotion regulation skills is an important target for prevention among children who are at risk for problems due to exposure to maternal psychopathology.
Depression of automaticity of the rabbit SA node by bepridil and nifedipine

Abstract The effects of bepridil and nifedipine, newly developed Ca 2+ antagonists, were studied on the spontaneous action potentials of the true pacemaker cell preparations (0.5 × 0.5 mm) obtained from the rabbit sino-atrial (SA) node. At the lower concentrations, bepridil (10 −6 M) and nifedipine (10 −8 M) decreased the spontaneous activity in accordance with the decrease of the maximum rate of rise of the action potential (V max ), without changing the maximum diastolic potential (MDP) and the 50% action potential duration (APD 50 ). At the high concentrations, bepridil (5 × 10 −6 M) and nifedipine (5 × 10 −8 M) stopped the sinus automaticity with the depolarization of the MDP. The action potential could not be induced by the hyperpolarizing electrical stimulation in the presence of the higher concentration of these drugs. The results suggest that bepridil and nifedipine have a primary effect of the blocking action on the SA node slow channels, similar to the action of verapamil. This can account for their negative chronotropic action.
Current Status and Future Prospects of Clinical Psychology Toward a Scientifically Principled Approach to Mental and Behavioral Health Care

The escalating costs of health care and other recent trends have made health care decisions of great societal import, with decision-making responsibility often being transferred from practitioners to health economists, health plans, and insurers. Health care decision making increasingly is guided by evidence that a treatment is efficacious, effective–disseminable, cost-effective, and scientifically plausible. Under these conditions of heightened cost concerns and institutional–economic decision making, psychologists are losing the opportunity to play a leadership role in mental and behavioral health care: Other types of practitioners are providing an increasing proportion of delivered treatment, and the use of psychiatric medication has increased dramatically relative to the provision of psychological interventions.Research has shown that numerous psychological interventions are efficacious, effective, and cost-effective. However, these interventions are used infrequently with patients who would benefit f...
Selenium as an electron acceptor during the catalytic mechanism of thioredoxin reductase

Mammalian thioredoxin reductase (TR) is a pyridine nucleotide disulfide oxidoreductase that uses the rare amino acid selenocysteine (Sec) in place of the more commonly used amino acid cysteine (Cys) in the redox-active tetrapeptide Gly-Cys-Sec-Gly motif to catalyze thiol/disulfide exchange reactions. Sec can accelerate the rate of these exchange reactions (i) by being a better nucleophile than Cys, (ii) by being a better electrophile than Cys, (iii) by being a better leaving group than Cys, or (iv) by using a combination of all three of these factors, being more chemically reactive than Cys. The role of the selenolate as a nucleophile in the reaction mechanism was recently demonstrated by creating a mutant of human thioredoxin reductase-1 in which the Cys497-Sec498 dyad of the C-terminal redox center was mutated to either a Ser497-Cys498 dyad or a Cys497-Ser498 dyad. Both mutant enzymes were incubated with human thioredoxin (Trx) to determine which mutant formed a mixed disulfide bond complex. Only the mu...
Case Report: Post-Surgical Lung Hernia

Abstract Lung herniation is an extremely rare complication of thoracotomy. 1 Less than 300 cases of lung hernia have been reported in the English literature. A case of lung hernia following open lung biopsy and a review of the literature is presented.
Isolation and characterization of 12 microsatellites for the commercially important sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria

Sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria, are long-lived, highly migratory, bathydemersal, commercially important fishes that inhabit continental slope waters of the North Pacific Ocean. Here we describe 12 microsatellite loci developed for sablefish, and cross-species amplification in skilfish, Erilepis zonifer. Microsatellites were developed from one sablefish and characterized using 55 juveniles collected in the eastern Gulf of Alaska. The number of alleles ranged from 3 to 27 per locus, and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.074 to 0.964. There was no significant evidence for linkage disequilibrium or departure from Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium. Ten of the 12 microsatellite loci were successfully amplified in skilfish. These new microsatellites were developed for use in sablefish fishery management and conservation applications including selecting broodstock for aquaculture operations and defining population boundaries for stock assessments.
A cellulose column cleanup for organophosphorus pesticides

Abstract A simple, rapid method to clean up toxicological samples has been developed. The method greatly improves the matrix contribution to TLC or GLC analysis.
The chain rule for functions with a matrix argument

Abstract It is well known that the chain-rule equation (d/dt)f(A(t))=A′(t)f′(A(t)) is valid if A(t)A′(t) =A′(t)A(t). We investigate the extent to which the converse holds.
The Influence of Material Properties and Confinement on the Dynamic Penetration of Alumina by Hard Spheres

The ability of a ceramic to resist penetration by projectiles depends, in a coupled manner, on its confinement and its mechanical properties. In order to explore the fundamental inter-relationships, a simulation protocol is required that permits the microstructure and normative properties (hardness and toughness) to be used as input parameters. Potential for attaining this goal has been provided by a recent constitutive model, devised by Deshpande and Evans (DE) [2008, "Inelastic Deformation and Energy Dissipation in Ceramics: A Mechanics-Based Dynamic Constitutive Model, " J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 56, pp. 3077―3100] that incorporates the contributions to the inelastic strain from both plasticity and microcracking. Before implementing the DE model, various comparisons with experimental measurements are required. Previously, the model has been successfully used to predict the quasistatic penetration of alumina by hard spheres. In the present assessment, simulations of the dynamic penetration of confined alumina cylinders are presented as a function of microstructure and properties and compared with literature measurements of the ballistic mass efficiency. It is shown that the model replicates the measured trends with hardness and grain size. Motivated by this comparison, further simulations are used to gain a basic understanding of the respective roles of plasticity and microcracking on penetration and to elucidate the phenomena governing projectile defeat.
Computer-aided planning in orthognathic surgery—systematic review

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to evaluate the accuracy and benefits of computer-aided planning in orthognathic surgery. The search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, LILACS, and SciELO. The articles identified were assessed independently and in a blinded manner by two authors using selection criteria and eligibility criteria. The database search yielded 375 studies. Following the application of search and eligibility criteria, a final nine studies were included in the systematic review. The level of agreement between the authors in the study selection process was substantial (κ=0.767) and study eligibility was considered excellent (κ=0.863). The accuracy of translation was <1.2mm in the maxilla (vertical) and <1.1mm in the mandible (sagittal), and for rotation was <1.5° in the maxilla (pitch) and <1.8° in the mandible (pitch). Two studies showed a medium potential risk of bias and six studies showed a high potential risk of bias. Computer-aided planning in orthognathic surgery was considered accurate for the studies included in this systematic review. However, the low quality of these studies means that randomized clinical trials are needed to compare computer-aided planning to conventional planning in orthognathic surgery.
Intermittency in a piecewise-linear circuit

The first example of the intermittency phenomenon observed from the canonical realization of Chua's circuit family is presented. The intermittency was confirmed by experiments on the laboratory circuit and by computer simulation of the circuit model. An analysis of the geometrical structure of the vector field is presented, and the mechanism of the intermittency is identified, as a codimension 1 bifurcation. The results enrich the dynamics and show that all three major routes to chaos can be found in this circuit family. >
2,3,7,8-Tetracholorodibenzo-p-Dioxin Exposure Disrupts Granule Neuron Precursor Maturation in the Developing Mouse Cerebellum

The widespread environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has been linked to developmental neurotoxicity associated with abnormal cerebellar maturation in both humans and rodents. TCDD mediates toxicity via binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a transcription factor that regulates the expression of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and growth regulatory molecules. Our previous studies demonstrated that cerebellar granule neuron precursor cells (GNPs) express transcriptionally active AhR during critical developmental periods. TCDD exposure also impaired GNP proliferation and survival in vitro. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that TCDD exposure disrupts cerebellar development by interfering with GNP differentiation. In vivo experiments indicated that TCDD exposure on postnatal day (PND) 6 resulted in increased expression of a mitotic marker and increased thickness of the external granule layer (EGL) on PND10. Expression of the early differentiation marker TAG-1 was also more pronounced in postmitotic, premigratory granule neurons of the EGL, and increased apoptosis of GNPs was observed. On PND21, expression of the late GNP differentiation marker GABA(A alpha 6) receptor (GABAR(A alpha 6)) and total estimated cell numbers were both reduced following exposure on PND6. Studies in unexposed adult AhR(-/-) mice revealed lower GABAR(A alpha 6) levels and DNA content. In vitro studies showed elevated expression of the early differentiation marker p27/Kip1 and the GABAR(A alpha 6) in GNPs following TCDD exposure, and the expression patterns of proteins related to granule cell neurite outgrowth, beta III-tubulin and polysialic acid neural cell adhesion molecule, were consistent with enhanced neuroblast differentiation. Together, our data suggest that TCDD disrupts a normal physiological role of AhR, resulting in compromised GNP maturation and neuroblast survival, which impacts final cell number in the cerebellum.
Climate-induced variations of geyser periodicity in Yellowstone National Park, USA

The geysers of Yellowstone National Park, United States, attract millions of visitors each year, and their eruption dynamics have been the subject of extensive research for more than a century. Although many of the fundamental aspects associated with the dynamics of geyser eruptions have been elucidated, the relationship between external forcing (Earth tides, barometric pressure, and precipitation) and geyser eruption intervals (GEIs) remains a matter of ongoing debate. We present new instrumental GEI data and demonstrate, through detailed time-series analysis, that geysers respond to both long-term precipitation trends and to the seasonal hydrologic cycle. Responsiveness to long-term trends is reflected by a negative correlation between the annual averages of GEIs and stream flow in the Madison River. This response is probably associated with long-term pressure changes in the underlying hydrothermal reservoir. We relate seasonal GEI lengthening to snowmelt recharge.
Precautionary principles and risk analysis

I trace the development of precautionary principles, starting with radiation protection, to the regulations in place in the year 2002 and to the formulation by the European Union of the Precautionary Principle, and their relation to risk analysis, including cost benefit analysis.
MASS: meta-analysis of score statistics for sequencing studies

Summary: MASS is a command-line program to perform meta-analysis of sequencing studies by combining the score statistics from multiple studies. It implements three types of multivariate tests that encompass all commonly used association tests for rare variants. The input files can be generated from the accompanying software SCORE-Seq. This bundle of programs allows analysis of large sequencing studies in a time and memory efficient manner. Availability and implementation: MASS and SCORE-Seq, including documentations and executables, are available at http://dlin.web.unc.edu/software/. Contact: ude.cnu.soib@nil
Identification of novel network components from temporal microarray profiles of malaria parasite

A significant roadblock to the use of genomic data for understanding gene networks in infectious pathogens is our inability to assign functionality to a large fraction of the genes. Nowhere is this more problematic than in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, in which 60% of the genes are annotated as "hypothetical". To circumvent this problem we proposed to employ wavelets, feature extraction, kernel based supervised learning, and pattern recognition algorithms to explore temporal expression profiles from the complex and dynamic developmental cycle in the parasite and discover crucial network components.
A model of wear in curved mammal teeth: controls on occlusal morphology and the evolution of hypsodonty in lagomorphs

Abstract Cheek teeth of some mammalian herbivores exhibit pronounced changes in occlusal size and shape through wear, purportedly caused by strong curvature. Such changes are extreme in the upper cheek teeth of extinct, dentally archaic lagomorphs. Morphologic and taxonomic turnover in lagomorphs suggests that these dentally archaic forms may have been unable to develop hypselodont (ever-growing) cheek teeth. This study investigates how the interaction of tooth shape and wear can cause occlusal size and shape changes, and potentially impose structural constraints on crown height. These constraints may help explain extinction of mammals with teeth like archaic lagomorphs, evolution and diversification of other mammalian herbivores during the late Miocene, and the relative paucity of hypsodont cheek tooth shapes in extant mammals. I first quantify two-dimensional curvature accounting for shape differences observed in hypsodont teeth, P4s of the archaic lagomorphs Russellagus and Hesperolagomys, which exhibi...
Intravenous overdose of insulin glargine without prolonged hypoglycemic effects.

Abstract Background Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin that can cause prolonged hypoglycemia when misdosed or overdosed subcutaneously. There are no reports of intravenous overdoses of insulin glargine. Objectives We present a case of a patient inadvertently given a large intravenous dose of insulin glargine (100 units) who had an unremarkable course. Case Report A 46-year-old woman with a history of type 2 diabetes was found to be hyperglycemic and was mistakenly given an intravenous bolus of 100 units of insulin glargine. She did not become hypoglycemic, did not require parenteral dextrose, and her blood sugar readings stabilized within 3 h. She was admitted and observed for 17 h and discharged without complication. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first report of a significant intravenous insulin glargine administration. This patient had an unremarkable course and recovered without any parenteral glucose. This case, along with prior studies on healthy volunteers, suggests that unlike subcutaneous overdoses, intravenous insulin glargine misdose/overdose may not need prolonged observation; an observation time of 6 h may be sufficient in these patients.
Compartmentalization of the Exocyst Complex in Lipid Rafts Controls Glut4 Vesicle Tethering

Lipid raft microdomains act as organizing centers for signal transduction. We report here that the exocyst complex, consisting of Exo70, Sec6, and Sec8, regulates the compartmentalization of Glut4-containing vesicles at lipid raft domains in adipocytes. Exo70 is recruited by the G protein TC10 after activation by insulin and brings with it Sec6 and Sec8. Knockdowns of these proteins block insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Moreover, their targeting to lipid rafts is required for glucose uptake and Glut4 docking at the plasma membrane. The assembly of this complex also requires the PDZ domain protein SAP97, a member of the MAGUKs family, which binds to Sec8 upon its translocation to the lipid raft. Exocyst assembly at lipid rafts sets up targeting sites for Glut4 vesicles, which transiently associate with these microdomains upon stimulation of cells with insulin. These results suggest that the TC10/exocyst complex/SAP97 axis plays an important role in the tethering of Glut4 vesicles to the plasma membrane in adipocytes.
Correlation of cognitive and social outcomes among children with autism spectrum disorder in a randomized trial of behavioral intervention

Although social impairments are considered the hallmark deficit of autism, many behavioral intervention studies rely on cognitive functioning as a primary outcome. Fewer studies have examined whether changes in cognition are associated with changes in social functioning. This study examined whether cognitive gains among 192 students from 47 kindergarten-through-second-grade autism support classrooms participating in a year-long behavioral intervention study were associated with gains in social functioning. Children's gains in cognitive ability were modestly associated with independent assessors' and teachers' evaluations of social functioning but were not associated with changes in parent ratings. Observed social gains were not commensurate with gains in cognition, suggesting the need both for interventions that directly target social functioning and relevant field measures of social functioning.
Does War Belong in Museums? The Representation of Violence in Exhibitions (Muchitsch, ed.)

This work is a book review considering the title Does War Belong in Museums? The Representation of Violence in Exhibitions edited by Wolfgang Muchitsch.
Social Dimensions of Engineering Design: Observations from Mudd Design Workshop III

This paper reports on the Mudd Design Workshop III held at Harvey Mudd College (HMC) in May 2001 to provide a forum for engineers and social scientists acting as designers, researchers, and educators, to explore social and societal issues in and for engineering design education. Sessions were devoted to social and systems issues and themes in design; collaboration in design; and pedagogical and institutional issues in design education. Major emergent themes included the need for dialogue about the social dimensions of engineering design to extend across entire college and university faculties, the use of design to enhance the study of values and ethics in undergraduate curricula, the importance of the framing of design problems, and the pedagogical choices made in design courses. Before leaving, participants made commitments to work toward change at least in their own environments.
Optical parametric oscillator dependence on pump laser beam quality

Experimentation with a pulsed, angle-tuned LiNbO 3 optical parametric oscillator revealed the dependence of pump power depletion and conversion efficiency on pump laser beam divergence. Mathematical expressions, developed for these parameters, were based on a spherical-wave model. Calculated results and comparison with experimental observations indicate the degree to which phasefront curvature affects parametric oscillator performance.
Fabrication and characteristics of Germanium-On-Insulator substrates

The fabrication of Germanium-On-Insulator (GeOI) by wafer bonding and ion-cut approach was investigated. With cyclic HF/DIW cleaning and N2 plasma surface activation, large-area layer transfer of GeOI substrates was realized by ion-cut processes with bulk Ge wafer as the donor wafer. The GeOI substrates are thermally stable up to 550°C annealing and surface roughness can be smoothed down to 0.3 nm RMS by Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP). After surface polishing, Epi-Ge on Si wafer can also be used as the donor wafer to realize layer transfer. Four-probe configuration Pseudo-MOSFET was employed to characterize the electrical properties of the transferred Ge and the Ge/SiO2 bonding interface. At Ge/SiO2 interface, GeOI substrates show both accumulation and inversion conduction modes. High-temperature forming gas annealing in the vicinity of 500°C?600°C has shown the best carrier mobilities, with the interface trap density and interface fixed charge density as low as 1010/cm2. The extracted bulk hole mobility of the annealed GeOI is near 500 cm2/V-s, which is higher than that of silicon (300 cm2/V-s) at the same doping concentration level.
Intergovernmental Lobbying in the States

Although intergovernmental interest groups are one of the more powerful interests operating in state capitals, we know very little about them. Using survey data of lobbyists in three states, we conclude that intergovernmental lobbyists today occupy an enviable position. Intergovernmental lobbyists bring to the job characteristics typically cited as important for successful lobbying (good salaries, governmental experience and experience as a lobbyist). The lobbying techniques of intergovernmental representatives differ significantly from their nongovernmental counterparts. Intergovernmental lobbyists are significantly less likely to do favors for public officials, engage in informal contacts and advertise. They avoid involvement in elections and campaigns. Nevertheless, decision-makers seek them out. They appear to possess an “insider status” by virtue of their position as governmental representatives.
The role of macrophage/microglia and astrocytes in the pathogenesis of three neurologic disorders: HIV-associated dementia, Alzheimer disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Macrophage/microglia (M phi) are the principal immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) concomitant with inflammatory brain disease and play a significant role in the host defense against invading microorganisms. Astrocytes, as a significant component of the blood-brain barrier, behave as one of the immune effector cells in the CNS as well. However, both cell types may play a dual role, amplifying the effects of inflammation and mediating cellular damage as well as protecting the CNS. Interactions of the immune system, M phi, and astrocytes result in altered production of neurotoxins and neurotrophins by these cells. These effects alter the neuronal structure and function during pathogenesis of HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD), Alzheimer disease (AD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). HAD primarily involves subcortical gray matter, and both HAD and MS affect sub-cortical white matter. AD is a cortical disease. The process of M phi and astrocytes activation leading to neurotoxicity share similarities among the three diseases. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1-infected M phi are involved in the pathogenesis of HAD and produce toxic molecules including cytokines, chemokines, and nitric oxide (NO). In AD, M phis produce these molecules and are activated by beta-amyloid proteins and related oligopeptides. Demyelination in MS involves M phi that become lipid laden, spurred by several possible antigens. In these three diseases, cytokine/chemokine communications between M phi and astrocytes occur and are involved in the balance of protective and destructive actions by these cells. This review describes the role of M phi and astrocytes in the pathogenesis of these three progressive neurological diseases, examining both beneficent and deleterious effects in each disease.
A Relativistic Quark Model for Hadrons

Relativistically covariant quantum mechanics with direct interaction is used to construct a model of several confined particles. Suggested by the three-gluon vertex of QCD this model is characterized by an interaction center and therefore called «the bola model». It is a phenomenological model with the aim of affording easy and reliable computations of meson and baryon mass spectra for given interactions. The presentation is preceded by a corresponding classical relativistic dynamics.
Laparoscopic single stage procedure for perforated choledochal cyst

Spontaneous perforation of choledochal cyst is a rare presentation. Complicated choledochal cysts are routinely managed by staged open surgical procedures for excision and reconstruction [1, 2]. Complex laparoscopic surgery in infants is an evolving field but no reports have been published describing a minimal invasive approach to the management of spontaneous perforation of choledochal cyst. We report a case of perforated choledochal cyst in a 12 week old, female which was managed by single stage laparoscopic resection of the cyst with biliary reconstruction. She presented with fever and bilious vomiting for 4 days. She had chemical pancreatitis and further work up showed her to have a perforated choledochal cyst. After conservative treatment of her pancreatitis, she underwent laparoscopic resection of the choledochal cyst with reconstruction. She had an uneventful postoperative recovery. This is the first ever reported case of laparoscopic management of a perforated choledochal cyst in infants which was managed by single stage laparoscopic surgery with immediate reconstruction.