cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Idiopathic Renal Lithiasis: New Developments in Evaluation and Treatment

The term “idiopathic” renal lithiasis refers to the various types of stones formed in the kidney for which there is no clearly identifiable cause. Recent advances in renal stone research, particularly in the clarification of pathogenetic mechanisms, have provided improved definition and necessitated reclassification of causes for Ca stones. The purpose of this discussion is to review our own scheme for classification of Ca urolithiasis, and to consider new developments in pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management.
The cytoskeleton of the cultured human trabecular cell: characterization and drug responses

To determine the organization of the three major cytoskeletal elements of cultured human trabecular meshwork cells (actin filaments, microtubules and intermediate filaments), we employed fluorescence microscopy and stereo-transmission electron microscopy of extracted, S-1 labeled and critical-point dried cells. Morphologic changes resulting from treatment with cytochalasin B, colchicine, taxol and nocodozole were also characterized. Compared with the cynomolgus monkey trabecular cell, morphologic differences in overall cell shape and orientation of both actin filaments and microtubules were noted. However, the responses to cytoskeletal active drugs were quite similar. Taxol, nocodozole and colchicine had a marked effect on microtubule organization, while nocodozole and colchicine had a marked effect on vimentin filament organization. None of these drugs produced marked changes in human trabecular cell shape. In contrast, treatment with the anti-actin drug cytochalasin B resulted in both a marked change in cell shape associated with organizational changes in all three cytoskeletal elements. These studies suggest a central role of actin filaments in determining overall cell shape and cytoskeletal organization in the cultured human trabecular cell.
A ACEITAÇÃO ESTRATÉGICA DA RELIGIÃO DO OUTRO EM O GUARANI DE JOSÉ DE ALENCAR

A formacao da cultura brasileira e percebida em O Guarani de Jose de Alencar atraves do ambiente e dos personagens presentes na obra. O personagem Peri nao possui religiao e sua lingua materna e o tupi, aprende o portugues para se comunicar com a familia de Dom Antonio de Mariz, sendo o portugues sua lingua oficial. Por meio de textos relacionados a religiao, observa-se a aceitacao estrategica entre as diferencas relacionadas a fe encontrada na obra, sendo esta o catolicismo dos portugueses e o panteismo do indio Peri, crenca esta professada pelos indigenas, povos primitivos que nao conheciam nenhum tipo de religiao. Palavras-chave: Religiao. O Guarani. Jose de Alencar. Literatura Brasileira.
Machine Learning-Assisted Discovery of Solid Li-Ion Conducting Materials

We discover many new crystalline solid materials with fast single crystal Li ion conductivity at room temperature, discovered through density functional theory simulations guided by machine learning-based methods. The discovery of new solid Li superionic conductors is of critical importance to the development of safe all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. With a predictive universal structure–property relationship for fast ion conduction not well understood, the search for new solid Li ion conductors has relied largely on trial-and-error computational and experimental searches over the last several decades. In this work, we perform a guided search of materials space with a machine learning (ML)-based prediction model for material selection and density functional theory molecular dynamics (DFT-MD) simulations for calculating ionic conductivity. These materials are screened from over 12 000 experimentally synthesized and characterized candidates with very diverse structures and compositions. When compared to a r...
A McMansion for the Suburban Mob Family: The Unfulfilling Single-Family Home of The Sopranos

Abstract:Television depictions of suburban single-family homes often involve large abodes and happy families. The Sopranos' presentation of the family's McMansion—with its associated meanings, complicated family life, and particular suburban setting—challenges portrayals of suburban homes and families by suggesting the McMansion does not lead to satisfaction.
Socioeconomic burden of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in endemic areas of Anhui Province, eastern China.

Understanding the socioeconomic burden of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is important for making decisions on health resources allocation. This study aimed to assess the economic burden of patients with this syndrome in endemic areas of the Anhui Province in 2018. A total of 114 patients were recruited, and the median age was 63.5 years, 62 (54.4%) were female, 97 (85.1%) were farmers, 108 (94.7%) were survival patients, and 71 (62.3%) had a family monthly income less than $453.3. The median times of hospital visits and hospitalizations of patients were three times, and the median lost work days of these patients, caregivers and visitors were 14.5 days, 14.5 days and 7.5 days, respectively. The median direct costs of the patient were $3,761.6, and the median indirect costs were $508.3. Taking direct and indirect costs into consideration, the median total economic costs of patients were $4,323.9, and the total annual cost of 2018 was $1,396,913.6. Although 113 (99.1%) patients had medical insurance, only 25.8% of costs were covered by reimbursement, and the total cost paid for by the patients and their families was $1,041,073.6 in 2018. Our findings revealed that the patients and their families had a significant economic burden, and preventive measures should be strengthened in endemic areas. The findings also provided baseline data for assessing the cost-effectiveness of the vaccines or anti-viral drugs in the near future in China.
Safety of an extended-release injectable moxidectin suspension formulation (ProHeart® 12) in dogs.

The safety of ProHeart® 12 (PH 12; extended-release injectable suspension; 10% moxidectin in glyceryl tristearate microspheres) was evaluated in four studies using Beagle dogs and one study using ivermectin-sensitive Collies. The recommended dose is 0.5 mg/kg subcutaneously once yearly. Study 1: safety margin was evaluated as 3 treatments of PH 12 (0× (control); 1× (recommended dose); 3× (3 times recommended dose) and 5× (5 times recommended dose) in 12 months via clinical observations, body weights, food consumption, injection site observations, physical examinations, moxidectin tissue assay, pharmacokinetics, and clinical and anatomic pathology. Study 2: safety in breeding-age males was demonstrated by semen testing at 14-day intervals from Day 7 to Day 91 post-treatment (0× or 3×). Study 3: reproductive safety in females was demonstrated by monitoring dams and litters following treatments (0× or 3×) administered during breeding, gestation, or lactation. Study 4: safety in dogs surgically implanted with adult heartworms was evaluated by clinical and laboratory monitoring following treatment with 0× or 3× administered 61 days post-implantation. Study 5: safety in ivermectin-sensitive dogs (120 µg/kg SC) was by clinical monitoring for 1 week after administering 1×, 3× or 5×. Study 1: slight swelling clinically detectable at some 3× and 5× injection sites was characterized microscopically as granulomatous inflammation, like tissue responses to medical implants, interpreted as non-adverse. Pharmacokinetics were dose-proportional and there was little or no systemic accumulation. Residual moxidectin mean (range) at 1× injection sites after 1 year was 16.0% (0.045–37.6%) of the administered mass. Studies 2 and 3: no effects were identified in reproductive indices (females) or semen quality characteristics (males). Study 4: PH 12 produced marked reductions in circulating microfilariae and lower numbers of adult heartworms, but no adverse clinical signs were identified. Study 5: there were no abnormal clinical signs at 1×, 3× or 5× overdoses of PH 12 in ivermectin-sensitive dogs. PH 12 has a > 5× safety margin in both normal and ivermectin-sensitive dogs, has no effects on canine reproduction, and is well tolerated in heartworm-positive dogs. The only treatment-related finding was non-adverse, granulomatous inflammation at the injection site.
Ecological momentary assessment of the snacking environments of children from racially/ethnically diverse households

Abstract Children consume nearly one-third of their daily energy intake as snacks (i.e., eating occasions that occur between meals); thus there is a growing interest in understanding what snacking occasions look like in the homes of young children. This study makes use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to 1) examine differences in the contextual factors, including location, food preparation style, people present, presence of media devices, and overall atmosphere, between meal and snack occasions; and 2) explore differences in the context of snacking occasions across children's gender and weight status. Data for the current study came from the Family Matters Study, which included 150 families with children aged 5–7 years old (n = 25 from each of the following groups: Black/African American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali, White). Parents completed an 8-day EMA observation period, during which they were surveyed after each eating occasion with the study child; questions explored contextual factors including location, food preparation style, people present, presence of media devices, and the overall atmosphere of each eating occasion. Differences between meals and snacks were observed; a smaller percentage of snacks (compared to meals) were prepared by the parent, consisted of only homemade food, and were planned ahead of time, as opposed to being served in response to a child's request. Snacks were more likely than other meals to be eaten on the couch and in the presence of a screen. Furthermore, important differences in snacking context were observed by child gender and weight status. Findings illuminate opportunities to improve children's overall dietary intake via interventions focused on improving the quality of foods served during snacks, as well as the contextual environment in which snacks are eaten.
Femoral revision for periprosthetic fracture in total hip arthroplasty

Periprosthetic fracture can create significant morbidity in the arthroplasty population. Patients with periprosthetic fracture have been shown to have worse outcomes and higher mortality than patients undergoing elective revision THA. In this review, we will focus on Vancouver B2 and B3 fractures. Both of these fracture types are associated with a loose primary prosthesis and warrant revision surgery. There are many different options for fixation choice of the femoral prosthesis, and preference has been evolving over the last 30 years. Currently, we use monoblock, tapered, fluted, titanium stems for all periprosthetic fracture revision surgeries.
Assessment of Crash Location Accuracy in Electronic Crash Reporting Systems

Over the past several years, traffic fatality rates in South Carolina have been consistently ranked among the highest in the country. Furthermore, South Carolina incurs an annual economic loss of o...
Evaluation of resin sealer penetration of dentin following different final rinses for endodontic irrigation using confocal laser scanning microscopy.

The aim of the study was to assess the depth of sealer penetration into dentinal tubules following different final rinses and indirectly evaluate precipitation of irrigating solutions. Methods: 52 extracted maxillary incisors were prepared to size 40/04 with 6% sodium hypochlorite irrigating solution. Following power analysis, teeth were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 13) according to final rinse. Group 1 - 17% EDTA, Saline and 2% Chlorhexidine solution; Group 2 - SmearOFF™; Group 3 - Qmix® ; and Group 4 - saline control. Obturation was performed with gutta percha and resin sealer mixed with rhodamine-B-isothiocyanate dye using warm vertical compaction. Teeth were sectioned into apical, middle, and coronal thirds using Buehler diamond saw at 3, 6 and 9 mm from the apex. Sections were examined under confocal laser scanning microscopy, and images were exported to Image J software to measure the maximum depth of sealer penetration circumferentially. Data were analysed using a generalised linear model and post hoc multiple comparisons with significance set at P < 0.05. Group 3 had the highest depth of penetration. There were statistically significant differences between Groups 2 and 3 and control for all sections, Group 1 and control in apical section only. Conclusion: Recently developed final rinses produced higher sealer penetration and more patent dentinal tubules than using EDTA and chlorhexidine sequentially.
Response to: The need of reliable warning signs for dysphagia in Parkinson’s disease: an often-overlooked issue

We thank Dr. Marano and his colleagues for the interest in our paper and taking the time to highlight the complicated process of dysphagia in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) with their study [...
Oral Health and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Unique Collaboration between Dentistry and Occupational Therapy

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at risk for oral health disparities. With the dramatic rise in ASD prevalence to 1 in 54 children, it is likely that an increasing number of dental practitioners will encounter or be asked to treat children with ASD. This paper reviews explanations related to the increasing prevalence of ASD, provides reasons why children with ASD are at increased risk for poor oral health, and discusses unique interprofessional collaborations between dental practitioners and occupational therapists. Occupational therapists and dentists can work together to plan modifications to the dental environment or adapt dental protocols to reduce some of the barriers encountered by those with ASD, provide desensitization strategies before the clinic visit, or help a child with emotional regulation during clinical treatments.
An unsupervised 2D-3D deformable registration network (2D3D-RegNet) for cone-beam CT estimation.

Acquiring CBCTs from a limited scan angle can help to reduce the imaging time, save the imaging dose, and allow continuous target localizations through arc-based treatments with high temporal resolution. However, insufficient scan angle sampling leads to severe distortions and artifacts in the reconstructed CBCT images, limiting their clinical applicability. 2D-3D deformable registration can map a prior fully-sampled CT/CBCT volume to estimate a new CBCT, based on limited-angle on-board cone-beam projections. The resulting CBCT images estimated by 2D-3D deformable registration can successfully suppress the distortions and artifacts, and reflect up-to-date patient anatomy through deformable registration. However, traditional iterative 2D-3D deformable registration algorithm is very computationally expensive and time-consuming, which takes hours to generate a high quality deformation vector field (DVF) and the CBCT. In this work, we developed an unsupervised, end-to-end, 2D-3D deformable registration framework using convolutional neural networks (2D3D-RegNet) to address the speed bottleneck of the conventional iterative 2D-3D deformable registration algorithm. The developed 2D3D-RegNet was able to solve the DVFs within 5 seconds for 90 orthogonally-arranged projections covering a combined 90⁰ scan angle, with DVF accuracy superior to 3D-3D deformable registration, and on par with the conventional 2D-3D deformable registration algorithm. We also performed a preliminary robustness analysis of 2D3D-RegNet towards projection angular sampling frequency variations, as well as scan angle offsets. The synergy of 2D3D-RegNet with biomechanical modeling was also evaluated, and demonstrated that 2D3D-RegNet can function as a fast DVF solution core for further DVF refinement.
In vivo assessment of corneal mechanical response to heartbeat measured by heartbeat OCE

Corneal biomechanical properties can provide important information to measure tissue health. Elastography provides a useful tool to measure the biomechanical properties of tissues in vivo, but typically relies on measuring a response to external excitation. Passive elastography is a method to assess mechanical response to physiological pressures, which can be useful in the field of ophthalmology. In this work, we utilize our technique, Hb-OCE, to measure the mechanical properties of cornea in vivo. Furthermore, we were able to successfully distinguish stiffness in an untreated and crosslinked cornea using this technique, demonstrating its effectiveness as a tool for measuring corneal biomechanics.
Student Learning and Principles for Assessment

This chapter introduces key terms from the literature of assessment, and provides strategies for designing and evaluating valid and reliable assessments of students’ learning in socially engaged fields.
The Impact of Medical Marijuana Legalization on Opioid Prescriptions

Since the late 1990s, opioids have been increasingly prescribed for pain treatment in the U.S as a result of aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies. This has resulted in more than 450,000 opioid overdose deaths since then. In the same time period, several U.S. states have legalized medical marijuana, a drug that can also be used for pain relief. As a result, medical marijuana can be used as a substitute for opioids, leading to a reduction in opioid prescriptions. On the other hand, marijuana use can lead to increased substance abuse, leading to a potential increase in opioid prescriptions. The lack of scientific and medical knowledge along with the uncertain regulatory environment vis-a-vis medical marijuana use also makes it possible that its legalization has no impact on opioid prescriptions. With claims data from a large health insurance company in the U.S. between 2006 and 2016, we study the effect of medical marijuana legalization on opioid prescriptions, leveraging the temporal variation in state-wise legalization. We find that, on average, opioid prescriptions decreased after medical marijuana legalization for all three outcome metrics that we consider (number of prescriptions, total days of supply, and total dosage in MME). We also find that the role of physicians in reducing opioid prescriptions after legalization is more prominent than their corresponding role in increasing opioid prescriptions.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in airborne particulate matter (PM2.0) emitted during floor waxing: A pilot study

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), with their water- and heat-resistant properties, have been widely used in industrial and consumer products, including floor waxes. Adverse health effects are associated with PFAS exposures (e.g., increased risk of cancer and immunotoxicity); however, exposures resulting from the use of PFAS-containing products are poorly understood. This study examines PFAS emissions during professional floor stripping/waxing and their potential for occupational exposures. We measured PFASs in dust and airborne particulate matter (PM2.0, aerodynamic diameter ≤2.0 μm) before, during, and after floor stripping/waxing activities in three rooms in a university building. PM2.0 samples were analyzed for 34 targeted PFASs by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC/ESI-MS/MS). In total, ten PFASs were detected in PM2.0 collected during floor stripping/waxing. Five were consistently higher during floor stripping/waxing compared to before (two with 95% confidence interval): perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid, perfluorobutanoic acid, perfluorohexanoic acid, perfluoroheptanoic acid, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid. For these five, estimated exposures during floor stripping were 80.6, 320.5, 83.8, 29.6, and 157.7 pg m−3 per hour of floor stripping, respectively, one order of magnitude greater than typical residential indoor and two orders of magnitude greater than ambient outdoor concentrations. Estimated emission rates were 3.0, 9.6, 3.4, 1.5, and 6.5 ng h−1m−2, respectively (34.6% uncertainty). Inhalation occupational exposures were in the range of 9.42–23.2 pg per kg body weight per hour of floor stripping across the five PFASs.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus persistence in Vero cells.

Background Several coronaviruses establish persistent infections in vitro and in vivo, however it is unknown whether persistence is a feature of the severe acute respiratory syndorme coronavirus ( SARS-CoV) life cycle. This study was conducted to investigate viral persistence. Methods We inoculated confluent monolayers of Vero cells with SARS-CoV at a multiplicity of infection of 0. 1 TCID 5 0 and passaged the remaining cells every 4 to 8 days for a total of 11 passages. Virus was titrated at each passage by limited dilution assay and nucleocapsid antigen was detected by Western blot and immunofluoresence assays. The presence of viral particles in passage 11 cells was assessed by electron microscopy. Changes in viral genomic sequences during persistent infection were examined by DNA sequencing. Results Cytopathic effect was extensive after initial inoculation but diminished with serial passages. Infectious virus was detected after each passage and viral growth curves were identical for parental virus stock and virus obtained from passage 11 cells. Nucleocapsid antigen was detected in the majority of cells after initial inoculation but in only 10% -40% of cells at passages 2 - 11. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of viral particles in passage 11 cells. Sequence analysis at passage 11 revealed fixed mutations in the spike (S) gene and ORFs 7a - 8b but not in the nucleocapsid (N) gene. Conclusions SARS-CoV can establish a persistent infection in vitro. The mechanism for viral persistence is consistent with the formation of a carrier culture whereby a limited number of cells are infected with each round of virus replication and release. Persistence is associated with selected mutations in the SARS-CoV genome. This model may provide insight into SARS-related lung pathology and mechanisms by which humans and animals can serve as reservoirs for infection.
Prognostic Correlations and Response to Treatment in Advanced Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

Summary Four-hundred twenty-six patients with disseminated melanoma were analyzed, all of whom were treated with chemotherapy. There was a high correlation with hepatic metastases and elevated lactic dehydrogenase levels. Although there were frequent false-positive lactic dehydrogenase levels, normal lactic dehydrogenase levels were consistently associated with a normal liver. Central nervous system disease was a major cause of morbidity and mortality in metastatic melanoma. Eleven % of the patients in this study had evidence of central nervous system disease at onset. The only treatment that was proven to be effective in these patients was whole-brain radiotherapy with concomitant dexamethasone administration. There were certain areas of anatomical involvement that correlated with an improved survival. These were patients that had pulmonary metastases only (median survival, 10 months) and patients with disease limited to the skin and s.c. tissue (median survival), 11 months). The median survival for all patients was 4.7 months. The response rate to a variety of treatment regimens with 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide was 18% (75 of 426) for all patients and 23% for evaluable patients only. There was an increased response to 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidiazole-4-carboxamide for nonvisceral involvement (28%), compared with visceral involvement (13%). The addition of 1,3-bis[2-chloroethyl-1-nitrosourea appeared to have an increased response rate for pulmonary and other visceral involvement, compared with 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide alone.
Mechanisms of HPV transmission in the era of HPV prevention vaccines

The rate of HPV transmission between men and women is central to the current discussion of whether there is a public health benefit to vaccinating both males and females or only females against HPV infection to reduce the burden of cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions. This review examines the existent literature with respect to HPV and cancer, the association between natural immunity and HPV acquisition in females, HPV prevalence in males and its association to disease in women, and estimates of HPV concordance and transmissibility between heterosexual partners. Throughout this review the research needed to fill in the information gaps with respect to quantifying the rate of HPV transmission between partners will be highlighted.
Assessment Of Acoustic Adaptations For Noise Compensation In Marine Mammals

Abstract : Marine mammals use sound for communication and navigation in the ocean. Studies of noise compensation mechanisms used by marine mammals can provide a starting point for research to uncover new techniques of improving signal transmission in a noisy marine environment. These noise compensation mechanisms can be used to improve Navy system designs for underwater detection, communication, and navigation. Understanding how marine mammals compensate for noise can also be used to help predict and reduce impacts of man-made noise. A comprehensive review of documented vocal responses to noise by animals was used to develop testable hypotheses of general vocal responses to particular noise types. These hypotheses were then tested through analysis of acoustic data collected from North Atlantic right whales (E. glacialis). The results allowed us to assess the general vocal compensation mechanisms that marine mammals employ to cope with noise in a shallow water coastal environment and how these function in the presence of man-made noise sources of different types.
Demonstration that orf2 Encodes the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Transactivating (Tat) Protein and Characterization of a Unique Gene Product with Partial Rev Activity

The long PCR technique was used to amplify the three size classes of viral mRNAs produced in cells infected by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). We identified in the env region a new splice acceptor site that generated two transcripts, each coding for an 11-kDa protein, p11(rev), whose function is unknown. The small-size class of mRNAs included two bicistronic orf2/rev mRNAs and two rev-like mRNAs, consisting only of the second exon of rev and coding for a 15-kDa protein, p15(rev). p15(rev) contained the minimal effector domain of Rev and was sufficient to mediate partial Rev activity. The bicistronic mRNAs encoded two distinct proteins, one of 23 kDa corresponding to Rev and a 9-kDa protein encoded by the orf2 gene. The orf2 gene product is a protein of 79 amino acids with characteristics similar to those of the Tat (transactivator) proteins of the ungulate lentiviruses. Transient expression assays, using the FIV long terminal repeat (LTR) to drive transcription of the bacterial gene for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase demonstrated that the orf2 gene transactivates gene expression an average of 14- to 20-fold above the basal level. Deletion mutants of the FIV LTR were generated to locate sequences responsive to transactivation mediated by the orf2 gene. A 5' deletion mutant that removed the AP1 site resulted in residual low-level transactivation by orf2. Further experiments using LTR mutants with internal deletions identified three regions located between positions -126 and -47 relative to the cap site that were important for orf2-directed transactivation. These regions include the AP1 site, a C/EBP tandem repeat, and an ATF site.
Homogeneous Droplet Nucleation Rates Derived from Cirrus Cloud Measurements

Cloud microphysical simulations have shown that a unique scenario for cloud glaciation is required to reproduce the two independent datasets. Specifically, it involves delaying the initial nucleation of ice crystals until the droplets grow to measurable sizes, at which time a number of droplets must freeze and rapidly affect the glaciation of the cloud. Only the homogeneous nucleation process can reproduce these features, since this rate is a combined function of temperature, time, and drop volume. The consideration of solution droplet effects, which modifies the effective droplet temperature, further confines the crystal production zone. Although heterogeneous nucleation could have contributed to cloud glaciation, we have estimated from mixed mode nucleation simulations that the maximum number of crystals formed from condensation freezing would be <50 l−1 at -35°C, implying that the numbers of IN present in the upper troposphere are small in comparison to those typically measured at the surface.
Disulfide-Linked Oligomers of the Major Outer Membrane Protein of Chlamydiae

Abstract The major outer membrane protein of chlamydial elementary bodies was identified in dimer, trimer, and other multimeric forms. These natural multimers were stabilized by disulfide-mediated cross-linking. Such cross-linking of outer membrane proteins may play an important role in the formation and evolution of chlamydial cell wall structure.
Long-term Follow-up of Children with Testicular Tumours: Surgical Issues

Summary— Testicular tumours are rare in childhood. The clinical, pathological and follow-up details of 48 children are presented. The combined approach of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy is confirmed as being extremely effective. Transcrotal orchiectomy is not an appropriate surgical procedure. Testicular biopsy is detrimental to prognosis.
Hepatitis C virus replication and potential targets for direct-acting agents

We finally stand at the brink of novel, oral, direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Basic science research has lead to a greater understanding of the viral life cycle and identified numerous potential targets for therapy. Early compounds were plagued by inconsistent in vivo activity and side effects that led to discontinuation of investigational efforts. However, several agents have now progressed to phase 2 human studies and two protease inhibitors have completed enrolment for their phase 3 clinical trials and look promising. Thus, while it appears that protease inhibitors will likely be the next available drugs for the treatment of HCV infection, the quest for additional therapeutic agents will continue. The future of HCV therapy lies in multidrug cocktails of several agents targeted against a variety of targets. In the near future these agents will be added to the current standard therapy consisting of pegylated interferon and ribavirin; however, the ultimate and probably realistic goal will be to develop multidrug oral regiments to replace the need for interferon.
Locus of control and the effects of success and failure in young and community‐residing aged women1

A study was conducted to examine reactions to success and failure in young and elderly subjects. Young and aged women, previously classified as internals or externals according to scores on a version of Rotter's (1966) Locus of Control Scale, were asked to work on cognitive problems while listening to bursts of noise. Two experimental conditions were created. One group (perceived success) was led to believe they were successfully avoiding bursts of noise by correctly solving the problems. A second group (perceived failure) believed they were unsuccessful at the problems and not avoiding noises. To test the generality of the effects of the treatments, subsequent performance was assessed on first, a similar task administered by the original experimenter, and secondly, on a dissimilar task given by a different experimenter in another setting. Results on a similar task indicated that subjects showed poor performance following failure regardless of age or locus of control classification. However, internals performed better than externals after both success and failure treatments. Testing the generality of these effects with a dissimilar task, results indicated that externals tended to perform somewhat more poorly after failure and internals somewhat better after failure. However, these I-E differences in reactions to success and failure were largely due to the elderly group, and old-externals showed the poorest performance after failure. The results were interpreted in terms of the particular importance of locus of control as a determinant of adaptability to stress in the elderly.
Somatic sensory properties of caudal bulbar reticular neurons in the cat (Felis domestica)

Abstract Discharges were recorded extracellularly with tungsten microelectrodes from single neurons that were located in the cat's caudal bulbar reticular formation in anesthetized or decerebrated preparations. The responses to qualitatively and quantitatively graded mechanical and thermal stimuli were analyzed with respect to the lowest stimulus intensity needed to elicit a response, the response pattern evoked by the adequate stimulus, the receptive field size and the position of the receptive field on the body surface. The most typical neuron found in both types of preparations had an excitatory response when a heavy-noxious somatic stimulus was applied to a receptive field that was restricted to the face. The cutaneous fields were large and in some cases extended over the entire head. The qualitative classification of a heavy-noxious stimulus was confirmed by a close correlation between thermal and pressure thresholds of the units and psychophysical evaluations of various stimulus intensities. It was concluded that the caudal medullary reticular formation was physiologically distinguishable from more rostral parts of the brain stem reticular formation because of the functional specificity of a large proportion of the units in this part of the reticular formation.
Predicting student success: A 10-year review using integrative review and meta-analysis

This article describes research funded by a Dean's New Investigator Award conducted to describe and evaluate nursing education research on predictors of retention, graduation, and National Council Licensure Examination success of baccalaureate-degree nursing students through an integrative review and meta-analysis of nursing research. The sample (n = 47) for the integrative review included all nursing research conducted within the years 1981 to 1990 related to predicting student success that had at least one nurse author and was published in US nursing journals or dissertations from a US university. Four studies from the corpus were appropriate to be treated meta-analytically. Ninety-four per cent of the studies were descriptive, used convenience samples, and most often identified quantitative measures, including American College Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test, and grade point average as predictor variables. Findings of the integrative review showed grade point averages in nursing and science courses as the greatest cognitive predictors of student success and parental education and age as the greatest demographic predictors. The meta-analysis portion of the study showed significant effectiveness of interventions used in the experimental studies. The Fail-Safe N (N fs ) was used to assess the comprehensiveness and exhaustiveness of the literature searches. The N fs = 162 studies indicated that it would require 162 studies to overturn the conclusions.
REACTION D(d,n)$sup 3$He AT 0$sup 0$ WITH POLARIZED BEAM: A NEW SOURCE OF POLARIZED NEUTRONS FROM 7 TO 18 MeV.

Experimental results are reported for the neutron polarization from the reaction $\mathrm{D}(d,n)^{3}\mathrm{He}$ at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with the incoming beam polarized to the extent ${p}_{3}={p}_{33}\ensuremath{\approx}0.82$ perpendicular to the direction of motion, where ${p}_{3}$ and ${p}_{33}$ are components of vector and tensor polarizations, respectively. The measured neutron polarization varies in the range 0.65 to 0.72 for ${E}_{d}$ in the range 4.1 to 15.1 MeV. The measurements are consistent with a process in which the neutron spin suffers little interaction. The influence of the deuteron $D$ state is noted. Comparison is made to several other sources of polarized neutrons, with the conclusion that near ${E}_{n}=10$ MeV this process is outstanding.
A posteriori error estimates for linear equations

This paper describes upper and lowerp-norm error bounds for approximate solutions of the linear system of equationsAx=b. These bounds imply that the error is proportional to the quantity $$\left\| r \right\|_2^2 \left\| {A^T r} \right\|_q^{ - 1} $$ wherer is the residual andq is the conjugate index top. The constant of proportionality is larger than 1 and lies in a specified range. Similar results are obtained for approximations toA ?1 and solutions of nonsingular linear equations on general spaces.
Correlates of protection efficacy induced by vaccinia virus‐specific CD8+ T‐cell epitopes in the murine intranasal challenge model

The recent identification of a large array of different vaccinia virus-derived CD8+ T-cell epitopes offers a unique opportunity to systematically analyze the correlation between protective efficacy and variables such as kinetics of expression and function of viral proteins, binding affinity to MHC molecules, immunogenicity, and viral antigen processing/presentation. In the current study, 49 different H-2b restricted epitopes were tested for their ability to protect peptide-immunized C57Bl/6 mice from lethal i.n. challenge with vaccinia virus. The epitopes varied greatly in their ability to confer protection, ranging from complete protection with minimal disease to no protection at all. The function or kinetics of the viral antigen expression did not correlate with protective efficacy. However, binding affinity partially predicted protection efficacy and ultimately epitope immunogenicity and recognition of infected cells offered the best correlation.
Senior Project Design Success and Quality: A Systems Engineering Approach

The capstone project, in most undergraduate engineering programs is the final phase of an academic career. It allows students to take knowledge acquired through the program and apply it to an innovative industry or research project. A well designed senior project affords the student the opportunity to demonstrate the skills and to model the behaviour, which are inherent in the education goals of the program. Most capstone projects focus on technical skills but soft skills oftentimes are not built into the experience. During the past three years we have observed that a significant amount of Sr. Design teams in our Electrical Engineering (EE) department do not complete the projects in a timely manner. We find that lack of technical knowledge is rarely the cause; more often the causes include lack of communication skills, lack of experience in organizing work in a team environment, and a bias towards focusing on the device level at the expense of having a clear, high level end-to-end view of the project. This paper describes our efforts to address these gaps through the incorporation of Systems Engineering disciplines into our undergraduate capstone course in EE and our results so far; thus, leading to more qualitative, competitive and successful projects.
OLFACTORY DISCRIMINATION: ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL SPATIOTEMPORAL BASIS.

Simultaneous recordings were taken from two widely separated branches of the olfactory nerve of the frog. Odors from a variety of chemical substances were blown into the nares, and each elicited a different response magnitude ratio between the two branches. In addition, the time lapse between the two nerve responses differed for different chemicals. This suggests a time-space encoding of the mucosal response to odors.
Extent of Hydration of Dimethyl Sulfoxide in Aqueous Solution

The maximum hydration of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in aqueous solution at 25° was investigated by the deviation of experimental values of fluidity, dielectric constant, refractive index, density, and molar refraction from values calculated by linear interpolation between the values of the two pure liquids as a function of mole fraction. The maximum deviation in fluidity and dielectric constant occurred at the ratio of three water molecules per DMSO molecule; this is the maximum hydration. The magnitude of the maximum deviation was 203% for fluidity and 4% for dielectric constant. The maximum deviation in refractive index and molar refraction occurred at water-DMSO molar ratios of 2:1 and 1:1. These two values are shown to be low.
Diallel Analysis of Aflatoxin Accumulation in Maize

Aflatoxin, a toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus Link:Fries, occurs naturally in maize (Zea mays L.). It is a potent carcinogen, and its presence markedly reduces the value of grain. Host-plant resistance to A. flavus infection and subsequent aflatoxin accumulation is generally considered a desirable means of reducing losses to aflatoxin. Maize germplasm lines with resistance to aflatoxin contamination have been developed in Mississippi. Four of the aflatoxin-resistant lines and six other lines were used as parents to produce a diallel cross. The diallel cross was evaluated for resistance to aflatoxin contamination in field trials conducted in Mississippi in 2005 and 2006. General combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) were highly significant sources of variation each year. Reciprocal effects were not significant in 2005 or in the combined analysis over years. In the analysis over years, GCA effects for reduced aflatoxin were highly significant for the four lines developed as sources of resistance: Mp313E, Mp494, Mp715, and Mp717. The GCA effect for reduced aflatoxin was also highly significant for Mo18W and NC406. These lines should be use-ful in developing maize lines and hybrids with resistance to aflatoxin contamination. Breeding methods that maximize the use of GCA should be effective in enhancing resistance to aflatoxin accumulation when using these germplasm lines.
Effective Medium Approach to Critical Saturation

Multiple embedding of an effective medium formula is used to model dielectric constant and conductivity of shaly sandstones as functions of water saturation and critical saturation. The model, which was tested on salinity-domain data and frequency-domain data in previous studies, is used to generate curves of dielectric constant versus water saturation. These theoretical curves closely agree with measurements made by other authors on the samples in question. Special emphasis is placed upon definitions of volume fractions used in the model, and how these volume fractions are affected by variations in water saturation. The model is unique in its capability of predicting values below the critical saturation.
ASA grade and Charlson Comorbidity Index of spinal surgery patients: correlation with complications and societal costs

Abstract Background context The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status Classification System (ASA grade) are useful for predicting morbidity and mortality for a variety of disease processes. Purpose To evaluate CCI and ASA grade as predictors of complications after spinal surgery and examine the correlation between these comorbidity indices and the cost of care. Study design/setting Prospective observational study. Patient sample All patients undergoing any spine surgery at a single academic tertiary center over a 6-month period. Outcome measures Direct health-care costs estimated from diagnosis related group and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Methods Demographic data, including all patient comorbidities, procedural data, and all complications, occurring within 30 days of the index procedure were prospectively recorded. Charlson Comorbidity Index was calculated from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification ( ICD-9-CM ) codes and ASA grades determined from the operative record. Diagnosis related group and CPT codes were captured for each patient. Direct costs were estimated from a societal perspective using Medicare rates of reimbursement. A multivariable analysis was performed to assess the association of the CCI and ASA grade to the rate of complication and direct health-care costs. Results Two hundred twenty-six cases were analyzed. The average CCI score for the patient cohort was 0.92, and the average ASA grade was 2.65. The CCI and ASA grade were significantly correlated, with Spearman ρ of 0.458 (p Conclusions American Society of Anesthesiologists and CCI scores are useful comorbidity indices for the spine patient population, although neither was completely predictive of complication occurrence. A spine-specific comorbidity index, based on ICD-9-CM coding that could be easily captured from patient records, and which is predictive of patient likelihood of complications and mortality, would be beneficial in patient counseling and choice of operative intervention.
Synthesis and cleavage of core‐labile poly(alkyl methacrylate) star polymers

Core-cleavable star polymers were synthesized by the coupling of living anionic poly(alkyl methacrylate) arms with either dicumyl alcohol dimethacrylate (DCDMA) or 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-hexanediol dimethacrylate (DHDMA). This synthetic methodology led to the formation of star polymers that exhibited high molecular weights and relatively narrow molecular weight distributions. The labile tertiary alkyl esters in the DCDMA and DHDMA star polymer cores were readily hydrolyzed under acidic conditions. High-molecular-weight star polymer cleavage led to well-defined arm polymers with lower molecular weights. Hydrolysis was confirmed via 1H NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the star polymers demonstrated that the DCDMA and DHDMA star polymer cores also thermally degraded in the absence of acid catalysts at 185 and 220 °C, respectively, and the core-cleavage temperatures were independent of the arm polymer composition. The difference in the core-degradation temperatures was attributed to the increased reactivity of the DCDMA-derived cores. TGA/mass spectrometry detected the evolution of the diene byproduct of the core degradation and confirmed the proposed degradation mechanism. The DCDMA monomer exhibited a higher degradation rate than DHDMA under identical reaction conditions because of the additional resonance stabilization of the liberated byproduct, which made it a more responsive cleavable coupling monomer than DHDMA. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3083–3093, 2003
Efficient Beam-Column Element with Variable Inelastic End Zones

The paper presents a new beam-column element that combines computational efficiency with accuracy. The element uses only one monitoring section in each end inelastic zone of the structural member, but accounts for the spread of inelastic deformations under strain hardening response. It is, therefore, a variable inelastic zone model that combines the benefit of integrating the section moment-curvature response with the computational efficiency of concentrated hinge models for beams and columns. The element is more accurate than current distributed inelasticity models in simulating the monotonic and cyclic inelastic response of beams and columns under typical curvature distributions, while being much more cost effective. The element is also suitable for softening response, as long as a relation is available between the length of the softening zone and element response parameters.
Mid-infrared noninvasive in vivo glucose detection in healthy human subjects

A novel hollow-core fiber based mid-infrared noninvasive in vivo sensor, capable of clinically accurate predictions of glucose concentrations ranging from 80 - 160 mg/dL in healthy humans, is presented.
Blood Urea Nitrogen in Guernsey Cattle

Abstract The blood urea nitrogen of 236 Guernsey cows was measured in each quarter for 2 yr. The 12-month mean was 11.83mg per 100ml blood plasma (range-2.9 to 22.4). Seasonal changes showed a significant (P