cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Response of a Directive Antenna to Incoherent Radiation

The relative response of directive antennas is dependent on the mechanism whereby the energy is conveyed. This fact, which often seems to be neglected, is of particular importance when the energy arriving at a receiving antenna can be represented in terms of a spectrum of incoherent plane-wave components. Such may be true frequently in the extraoptical propagation of microwaves. A study of an idealized situation is presented which compares the behavior of several pencil-beam antennas of varying aperture. A brief comparison with some recent observations is made.
Mobile sensor deployment for a dynamic cluster-based target tracking sensor network

This paper presents a mobile sensor deployment algorithm within a hybrid sensor network, which consists of some mobile sensors and a relatively large number of static sensors. For a target tracking task, a cluster is constructed and updated dynamically for tracking upon detection of an event. A cluster construction algorithm in a sparsely deployed sensor network is addressed. Mobile sensors are used to fill the coverage holes inside the cluster. A scalable mobile sensor deployment algorithm based on static sensor cluster is presented and analyzed. Minimum spanning circle (MSC) of a polygon acts as the metric for dynamic clustering. Simulations have been used to verify the proposed algorithms.
Behavioral treatments for Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric condition associated with substantial distress and functional impairment. Pharmacotherapy has traditionally been considered the first-line intervention for this condition, but there is strong evidence that behavior therapy is a comparably effective treatment option. Here we review empirically supported behavior therapy protocols for treating TS and the evidence associated with each. Potential mechanisms through which behavior therapy operates and concerns surrounding the utilization of behavioral interventions are also discussed.
The Irish Land Question After 1870

The explanations put forth during the nineteenth century to account for Ireland's economic condition may be grouped under three heads. The first was associated with the conceptual framework of the English classical economists and stressed overpopulation and excessive subdivision. A second approach, which might be called the underdeveloped-country explanation, emphasized the need for social overhead capital—drainage, flood control, communications, and education. The third approach argued that defects in the land tenure system were at the root of Ireland's failure to develop a prosperous economy.
Scalar Travel Documentaries: Animating the Limits of the Body and Life

Scalar travel documentaries and their adaptations in interactive media present animated models of the body’s interior and the physical worlds at a variety of scales. Featuring increasingly comprehensive animated images at microscopic and macroscopic scales, they help scientists better understand the structure of the universe. This article examines the poetics of scale and the diverse rhetorical mechanisms used in these documentaries. In Powers of Ten and Cosmic Voyage, for instance, the metronomic overview of the underlying organization of the natural world generates ideological discourses on the position of humankind in the universe. The mechanical gaze these films produce, it is argued, reveals the instrumentality of new modes of knowledge and the posthuman nature of our perception. Finally, comparing the various ways with which scalar documentaries animate scientific models, this article suggests that the visions of the natural world these films construct should be more reflexive of the limits of repre...
Atypical lymphocytosis in children

A complete blood count performed during the evaluation of a febrile or traumatized child may show the presence of atypical lymphocytosis. Although atypical lymphocytes occur in several conditions, they are most closely associated with infectious mononucleosis (IM). We initiated a study to determine if the presence in children of atypical lymphocytosis without the triad of splenomegaly, pharyngitis, and adenopathy is a manifestation of IM. Heterophil antibody (HA) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) titers were performed on 45 children with ⩾5% atypical lymphocytes. None had a significant HA titer. Thirty-three were seronegative for EBV, and 11 had titers indicative of past infection. One child had an antibody pattern suggesting a recent EBV infection; none had a titer consistent with acute IM. We conclude that isolated atypical lymphocytosis does not point to infectious mononucleosis.
Processing architectures for smart pixel systems

Smart pixel architectures offer important new opportunities for low-cost, portable image processing systems. They provide greater I/O bandwidth and computing performance than systems based on CCD and microprocessors. However, finding a balance between performance, flexibility, efficiency, and cost depends on an evaluation of target applications. This paper describes several promising architectural approaches for the realization of videoputer systems and outlines example implementations being pursued at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Striatal lesions interfere with acquisition of a complex maze task in rats

The 14-unit T-maze has proven to be a valuable tool for investigating age-associated memory impairment (AAMI). While another task widely used to evaluate AAMI, the water maze, is primarily used to evaluate allocentric hippocampal-dependent spatial memory, the 14-unit T-maze can assess egocentric procedural memory. Although several brain structures, e.g. hippocampus, parietal cortex, have been implicated in acquisition and retention performance in the 14-unit T-maze, there has been no evaluation of the involvement of the striatum, a brain region implicated in procedural learning and memory. The current study revealed that excitotoxic lesions of the medial or lateral striatum significantly impaired acquisition, as measured by errors and latency, on this task without disruption of motor function. These results indicate that the 14-unit T-maze most likely is requires a large egocentric procedural learning component, and previously observed AAMI may involve age-related dysfunction of the striatum.
Differences in the distribution of F-actin in outer hair cells along the organ of Corti

There is evidence of differences in the structure, innervation and physiological responses between outer hair cells (OHCs) of the basal and apical turns of the mammalian cochlea. In this study we have used rhodamine-labelled phalloidin to investigate the differential distribution of F-actin in OHCs along the organ of Corti of the guinea pig. Isolated OHCs and surface preparations and cryosections of the organ of Corti were studied. F-actin was observed in stereocilia and the cuticular plate of all OHCs. In addition, some OHCs had a network of F-actin extending from the cuticular plate towards the nucleus. This infracuticular network was observed in most OHCs of the apical cochlear turns but was not seen in any OHCs of the basal turn. These microstructural differences between OHCs of the base and apex could be related to differences in OHC function between the apical and basal portions of the cochlea.
IMMUNOLOGIC PRODUCTION OF ANTIANGIOTENSIN : II. PRODUCTION AND DETECTION OF ANTIANGIOTENSIN

The parenteral administration of benzoylangiotensin II-azo-BGG to rabbits produced an antiserum with antiangiotensin activity. Antiangiotensin inhibited the biological action of p-aminobenzoylangiotensin II, valine5-angiotensin II (free acid form), isoleucine5-angiotensin II and valine5-angiotensin II (amide form), but it was totally inert towards angiotensin 1. Antiangiotensin activity was distinguished from that of serum angiotensinase by the following observations: (a) an angiotensinase-free γ-globulin fraction contained antiangiotensin, (b) angiotensinase inactivated angiotensin II (both the amide and free acid forms) and angiotensin I in contrast to the remarkable specificity for angiotensin II exhibited by antiangiotensin. Serological demonstration of antiangiotensin included: (a) a comparison of its precipitin reaction with the angiotensin BGG complex with the reaction with BGG alone, (b) the partial inhibition of the precipitin reaction with the angiotensin BGG complex by angiotensin II, (c) a precipitin reaction with a different angiotensin II protein complex (cat serum). Angiotensin II administered parenterally as the free polypeptide was not antigenic.
Cumulation from Proper Specification: Theory, Logic, Research Design, and “Nice” Laws

Jim Ray has set out a challenge to students of international conflict: how can we improve our research to do better in the cumulation of knowledge and understanding of international phenomena? While most of the commentary in this special issue revolves about more technical statistical issues, the questions that Ray raises must also be addressed not just on statistical/methods grounds, but within the context of broader theoretical concerns and theoretical specification. That is the aim of this article. Drawing on the concept of the “research triad” of logic, theory, and methodology presented by Most & Starr (1989), this article will stress the relationship of theory to the development of research designs that will permit both the additive and integrative cumulation of knowledge. This article will discuss how statistical model specification can be informed by broader principles of research design, demonstrating how Ray's basic points are supported by earlier, complementary, and converging lines of argument.
Double Jeopardy Addressing Diabetes and Eating Disorders Among Adolescents in the School Setting

Eating disorders are more common in youth with diabetes, especially females, and not only interfere with diabetes management but can increase the risk for diabetes-related complications. School nurses may be the first to recognize eating disorders among students with diabetes. They are an integral part of a multidisciplinary team, connecting students and families to both health care and community resources, ensuring that mental, physical, and social needs are addressed.
Vision Testing Is Additive to the Sideline Assessment of Sports-Related Concussion (S19.006)

OBJECTIVE: We examined the King-Devick (K-D) test, a vision-based test of rapid number naming that requires saccadic eye movements, as a complement to the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, 3rd edition (SCAT3) for diagnosis of concussion. BACKGROUND: Visual signs and symptoms are common in concussion; adding a vision-based test may increase diagnostic power for clinicians and others evaluating athletes on the sidelines. DESIGN/METHODS: Baseline and post-concussion data for the University of Florida men’s football, women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams were collected, including K-D test, Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) and Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). Post-Concussion Scale (PCS) was also used to assess symptom reporting. Analyses examined changes in scores from baseline to post-injury. The relation of changes in scores for K-D vs. SAC and BESS was determined, as was the relation of K-D scores to symptoms (PCS). Immediate Post-concussion and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) scores, obtained as part of routine clinical practice for concussion management, but not diagnoses, were also correlated with K-D and SAC scores at baseline. RESULTS: Among 30 athletes with first concussion during their athletic season (n=217 total), differences from baseline to post-injury (witnessed event or time of reporting) showed worsening of K-D time scores in 79%, while SAC showed a 蠅2-point worsening in 52%. Combining K-D and SAC captured abnormalities in 89%; adding the BESS identified 100% of concussions. Symptom severity scores on the PCS worsened from baseline with increases in K-D scores (p<0.001); among specific symptoms, light and noise sensitivities were particularly well correlated with K-D worsening. Baseline scores for the ImPACT testing visual motor speed sub-score were worse for athletes who required longer times to complete the K-D test at baseline (p<0.001, linear regression). CONCLUSIONS: Adding a vision-based test may allow us to detect more athletes with concussion. This is particularly important since not all athletes reliably report symptoms of concussion, including those related to visual function. Study Supported by: NIH K24 EY 018136. Disclosure: Dr. Marinides has nothing to disclose. Dr. Galetta has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Questcor, and Teva Neuroscience. Dr. Clugston has received research support from Banyan Biomarkers. Dr. Balcer has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Questcor, Novartis, and Vaccinex.
Influence of chemical and electrostatic gradients on diffusion in microemulsions

Nonequilibrium diffusion behavior in nonionic and ionic surfactant microemulsion systems has been studied experimentally using the open-ended capillary method. Experimental results for these systems have been compared with a drop theory of diffusion for microemulsions under conditions where large concentration and electrostatic gradients exist. The results show good agreement in concentration profiles between theory and experiment for the microemulsion components—water, benzene, and phenol. Furthermore, under certain conditions the theory predicts that over a limited time interval phenol will diffuse from low-concentration regions to regions of higher concentration. This phenomenon has been observed.
Massive GI bleeding in a patient with 2 small AVMs in the small intestine: a case report

A 53 year-old Caucasian man with no previous history of gastrointestinal bleeding presented with sudden, massive hematochezia and abdominal pain; his hemoglobin dropped from 12 to 8.3. Colonoscopy revealed coagulated blood in a diverticulum, but bleeding recurred after cautery of the lesion.
Multi-target tracking using proximity sensors

We consider the problem of tracking multiple moving targets in a continuous field using proximity sensors, which are binary sensors that can sense target presence by performing local energy detection subject to noise. Compared with more sophisticated sensors, proximity sensors have the advantage of having lower costs and lower energy consumption, but also the disadvantage of being less accurate. In this paper, we propose a hybrid tracking scheme where a coarse-scale tracking is first performed by proximity sensors to narrow down the areas of interest, and then a fine-scale tracking is performed by high-end sensors to estimate the exact target locations, with our focus on the former. In contrast to classic multi-target tracking which assumes 1-1 association between measurements and targets, we show that proximity measurements do not have such association and thus require a different objective. Formulating the coarse-scale tracking as a problem of tracking the histograms of targets in a cell-partitioned field, we develop both an optimal and two approximate solutions via Bayesian Filtering (BF). In particular, one of our approximate solutions decouples the tracking of different targets and thus reduces the dimensionality of BF by relaxing the likelihood function, and the other further reduces the problem into discrete space by quantizing the target mobility model and the relaxed likelihood function. Together with the optimal solution, they provide flexible tradeoffs between accuracy and complexity. Simulations show that the proposed solutions can effectively track targets to the accuracy of a cell and thus reduce uncertainty for the fine-scale tracking.
Sensitivity and Specificity of an Improved Rapid Latex Agglutination Test for Identification of Methicillin-Sensitive and -Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates

The performance of a second-generation rapid agglutination kit, Slidex Staph Plus (SSP; bioMerieux), was compared to those of the Slidex Staph (SS; bioMerieux), Staphaurex (SRX; Murex Diagnostics), and BBL Staphyloslide (BBL; Becton Dickinson) kits by using 508 clinical isolates composed of 150 methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) organisms, 154 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) organisms, and 204 non-S. aureus Staphylococcus spp. Of the 508 isolates tested, 75% were fresh clinical isolates, with the remainder taken from five different freezer collections. All four agglutination tests had comparable sensitivities for MSSA and MRSA. However, the SS kit was significantly less specific (93.1%) than the three other tests (P > 0.05, McNemar test). These results demonstrate that the new rapid latex agglutination kit, SSP, was more specific for the identification of S. aureus than the previous version and performed comparably to the SRX and BBL kits.
Noise performance of 0.35-/spl mu/m SOI CMOS devices and micropower preamplifier from 77-400 K

MOS transconductance and white noise is described from weak through strong inversion to facilitate the design of a 0.35-/spl mu/m, partially-depleted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS micropower, low noise preamplifier. This analysis is extended to cryogenic temperatures where MOS subthreshold slope is reduced significantly from its expected value. Transconductance and white noise for an input PMOS device in moderate inversion and non-input NMOS device in strong inversion are measured and compared to predicted values for 77-400 K. Transconductance increases, and input-referred white-noise voltage decreases at 77 K, while input-referred flicker noise remains relatively unchanged. Finally, a micropower, low-noise preamplifier is presented. The measured input-referred white noise is 69 nV/Hz/sup 1/2/ at 293 K dropping to 56 nV/Hz/sup 1/2/ at 86 K for a differential input stage bias current of 1 /spl mu/A. The flicker-noise corner frequency is approximately 20 Hz, permitting use with deep space mission sensors like gyros having low frequency output signals.
Abducted: The Lord's Resistance Army and Forced Conscription in Northern Uganda

Since the late 1980s, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a spiritualist rebel group with no clear political agenda, has abducted tens of thousands of children and adults to serve as porters and soldiers. Experience of forced conscription into the LRA is traumatic and varies in scope and intensity. Children and youth – some as young as 7 and 8 years old – have been forced to mutilate and kill civilians, including members of their own families and communities. In 1994, a group of parents of abducted children to establish the Gulu Support the Children Organization (GUSCO), a reception center in Gulu that provides medical care, counseling, and a number of other services. More than 20,000 children and youth have since passed through GUSCO and other reception centers throughout northern Uganda. In December 2005, the Berkeley-Tulane Initiative on Vulnerable Populations launched The Database Project to better document abduction and help improve the capacity of 8 reception centers in the northern districts of Gulu, Kitgum, Pader, Apac, and Lira to collect and analyze information about former LRA abductees. At the time, these centers were still providing housing and care to hundreds of children and youth. This report presents the findings of the project, which analyzes the overall incidence of abduction based on those data and provides recommendations aimed at improving the process of reintegrating former LRA abductees into their communities.
Register allocation by puzzle solving

We show that register allocation can be viewed as solving a collection of puzzles. We model the register file as a puzzle board and the program variables as puzzle pieces; pre-coloring and register aliasing fit in naturally. For architectures such as PowerPC, x86, and StrongARM, we can solve the puzzles in polynomial time, and we have augmented the puzzle solver with a simple heuristic for spilling. For SPEC CPU2000, the compilation time of our implementation is as fast as that of the extended version of linear scan used by LLVM, which is the JIT compiler in the openGL stack of Mac OS 10.5. Our implementation produces x86 code that is of similar quality to the code produced by the slower, state-of-the-art iterated register coalescing of George and Appel with the extensions proposed by Smith, Ramsey, and Holloway in 2004.
A transparent monitoring tool for shared-memory multiprocessors

Monitoring and debugging of parallel programs is complicated by race conditions, which can cause software monitoring to alter program behavior. To avoid these unwanted modifications of program execution, the authors present a flexible scheme for transparently monitoring parallel programs in a shared-memory environment. To achieve transparency, the monitor observes causal relations between events in different threads of execution, and intervenes when an impending event would change the order of occurrence of causally related events, as compared to unmonitored execution of the same program. Constructs used to support this monitoring scheme are developed, including mechanisms to deal with unsynchronized and coarse grained clocks. The monitoring scheme requires the instrumentation of every shared-memory access. To measure the overhead created by this intrusion, a prototype monitor has been implemented. Preliminary performance results produced by the prototype are presented and discussed. >
Modeling Adhesion of Micro/Nanoparticles Under Shear Flow for Nanomedicine Application

Adhering to diseased cells via specific binding is critical in determining the functionality of nanoparticle targeted delivery. This is evident specifically since delivery happens in complex human cardiovascular system. This paper focuses on developing computational methods for micro and nanoparticle adhesion.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Sports Talk: How Gender Shapes Discursive Framing of Title IX

Existing scholarship has shown that the media and interest groups play an important role in the shaping of the public's perception of reality and in establishing the quality of democratic discourse on public policy questions. In turn, interest group actors employ different media and grassroots strategies in hopes of exploiting discursive opportunities that advance their cause. This study explores recent public policy debates over Title IX to illustrate how gender undergirds the discursive framing choices made by interest groups and presented in the media coverage. I find that framing, especially in the media, reinforces enduring cultural aspects of masculinity in sports.
Academically-Based Community Service and University-Assisted Community Schools as Complementary Approaches for Advancing, Learning, Teaching, Research and Service: The University of Pennsylvania as a Case Study in Progress

The service-learning movement has nearly arrived.1 Witness this volume, the 18 volume series on service-learning and the disciplines, the extraordinary growth of Campus Compact from 12 member institutions in 1985 to nearly 800 colleges and universities in 2000, and the focus on service-learning by influential national higher education associations such as the American Council on Education, Association of American Colleges and Universities, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, and American Association for Higher Education. Although relatively silent on service-learning, the prestigious Association of American Universities, an organization of 61 American and two Canadian research universities, has recently focused on issues of community service and university-community relationships.2
Corticomotoneuronal Postspike Effects in Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist, Digit, and Intrinsic Hand Muscles During a Reach and Prehension Task

We used spike-triggered averaging of rectified electromyographic activity to determine whether corticomotoneuronal (CM) cells produce postspike effects in muscles of both proximal and distal forelimb joints in monkeys performing a reach and prehension task. Two monkeys were trained to perform a self-paced task in which they reached forward from a starting position to retrieve a food reward from a small cylindrical well. We compiled spike-triggered averages from 22 to 24 separate forelimb muscles at both proximal (shoulder, elbow) and distal (wrist, digits, intrinsic hand) joints. Of 174 cells examined, 112 produced postspike effects in at least one of the target muscles. Of those cells, 45.5% produced postspike effects in both proximal and distal forelimb muscles. A nearly equal number (44.7%) produced postspike effects in distal muscles only, whereas a clear minority (9.8%) produced postspike effects in only proximal muscles. The majority of CM cells (71.4%) produced effects in two or more muscles, with an average muscle field of 3.1 +/- 2.1 (mean +/- SD) for facilitation plus suppression. Of 345 postspike effects identified, 70.7% were facilitation effects and 29.3% were suppression effects. The large majority of effects (72.2%) were in distal muscles. When averaged by joint, the latency and peak magnitude of postspike facilitation showed a stepwise increase from proximal to distal joints. The results of this study show that the majority of CM cells engaged in coordinated forelimb reaching movements facilitate and/or suppress muscles at multiple joints, including muscles at both proximal and distal joints. The results also show that CM cells make more frequent and more potent terminations in motoneuron pools of distal compared with proximal muscles.
The wide scope of philosophy of biology

The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Biology is a collection of 25 substantial essays which are ‘‘written especially to give the reader an introduction to one of the most vibrant areas of scholarship today, and at the same time to move the subject forward dramatically’’. This Handbook largely succeeds at both of these tasks. The Handbook is unlike a number of other companions or encyclopedia collections as its authors write opinionated pieces on topics which do not always attempt to be comprehensive. It begins with a helpful introduction by Ruse followed by a history of the philosophy of biology written by the late David Hull. It ends with a piece on the rhetoric of Stephen Jay Gould which I found quite interesting, even though perhaps not ‘‘philosophical’’. In between, the essays showcase the large variety of topics and approaches that fall under the heading ‘‘philosophy of biology’’. The philosophy of biology is now a discipline in its own right and is a growth industry. The rising prevalence of the life sciences combined with the trend toward specialization in philosophy indicates that its phenomenal growth is likely to continue. The field is now large enough that it is undergoing its own divisions and trends of increased specialization as well. Like any field, much of the work resists classification, but there are rough categories of the kind of work that qualifies as philosophy of biology. There is a great deal of work that continues to be done dealing with problems where conceptual issues mix with empirical ones within the science itself. Sometimes, but not always, authors utilize these biological problems to address more general issues in the philosophy of science. In this Handbook, some central problems in the field are ignored—other than a brief historical section on group selection in Ruse’s chapter on ‘‘Darwinian Evolutionary Theory’’, the levels of selection problem is not mentioned. Likewise, there is no direct discussion of the
Systemic treatment in breast cancer: a primer for radiologists

Cytotoxic chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and molecular targeted therapy are the three major classes of drugs used to treat breast cancer. Imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and bone scintigraphy each have a distinct role in monitoring response and detecting drug toxicities associated with these treatments. The purpose of this article is to elucidate the various systemic therapies used in breast cancer, with an emphasis on the role of imaging in assessing treatment response and detecting treatment-related toxicities. • Cytotoxic chemotherapy is often used in combination with HER2-targeted and endocrine therapies. • Endocrine and HER2-targeted therapies are recommended in hormone-receptor- and HER2-positive cases. • CT is the workhorse for assessment of treatment response in breast cancer metastases. • Alternate treatment response criteria can help in interpreting pseudoprogression in metastasis. • Unique toxicities are associated with cytotoxic chemotherapy and with endocrine and HER2-targeted therapies.
Just Say 'No' to Logical Negativism

Karl Popper’s influential philosophy of science had the enthusiastic support of well-known scientists, and has even played a significant role in the U.S. legal system. Assessing the true value of Popper’s contribution to our understanding of science is complicated by the fact that, besides the authentic, uncompromisingly falsificationist Popper, there is also a shadow Popper who offers more modest, and more plausible, ideas. But the authentic Popper’s original and distinctive claims about science are indefensible; and the shadow Popper’s more defensible ideas are not original. The Critical Common-sensist approach developed in my Defending Science — Within Reason resolves the difficulties of Popper’s Logical Negativism, and provides a much more plausible account of the scientific enterprise.
Not All Generic Concerta Is Created Equal Comparison of OROS Versus Non-OROS for the Treatment of ADHD

Treatment effectiveness between equivalent doses of non-OROS (osmotic controlled release oral delivery system) methylphenidate ER and OROS methylphenidate ER (brand name Concerta) was examined in a clinical case series of children and adolescents followed for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Conners-Third Edition: Parent Rating Scale was used to compare ADHD symptoms when patients were taking non-OROS versus OROS at follow-up visits. A repeated-measures mixed-model approach was used to compare treatment effectiveness. The entire sample (N = 14) demonstrated a reduction in the mean score on the Inattention Scale from clinically significant (T-score > 65) to not clinically significant (T-score < 65) when patients were changed from non-OROS to OROS at the same dosage (mean T-score reduction = 23, p < .0001). The reduction in mean T-score after changing from non-OROS to OROS at the same dosage is indicative of improvement in symptoms of ADHD. Results provide empirical support for US Food and Drug Administration concerns regarding the therapeutic equivalence of non-OROS versus OROS for the treatment of ADHD.
Abstract 575: A novel warming strategy for improving neutrophil recovery following total body irradiation

Total body irradiation (TBI) exposure damages not only the hematopoietic compartment but also at least two other important immunological barriers to infection: the gut mucosa and the skin. This leaves those exposed to sufficient doses of radiation highly susceptible to infection. In order to prevent illness or death from microbial invaders, new strategies are needed that can safely and rapidly boost leukocyte numbers. We hypothesized that mildly elevating core temperature, which we and others have shown previously to alter leukocyte numbers and migration patterns, following a non-myeloablative dose of TBI, will enhance immune reconstitution through a thermally sensitive, cytokine driven bone marrow release of granulocytes to the peripheral blood. This hypothesis was generated from the following initial observations: C57BL/6 mice were given TBI (3Gy) followed 2 hours later by a mild heating (where core body temperature was elevated to 39.5°C). In mice that were heated following TBI, a significant increase in recovery rate of peripheral blood granulocytes was observed by day 8 compared to mice that received radiation alone or heating alone. In addition, G-CSF concentration was increased two fold in the serum of radiated/heated mice correlating with the increased granulocyte recovery. G-CSF production was driven by IL-17 production in the intestine seen only when radiation was followed by heat treatment. IL-17 was later confirmed to be necessary for the thermal enhancement of neutrophil recovery when the effect of heating after radiation was lost in the IL-17R knockout mouse model. Flow analysis of the bone marrow from wild type mice revealed comparable percentages of hematopoietic stem cells in the control (63.3±2.8% of LSK were CD34-) and the radiation/heat-treated groups (62.0±1.2% of LSK were CD34-); however, there was a significantly lower percentage of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow of the radiation-alone group (43.4±1.7%; p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 575. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-575
Distinguishing personality and biodata items using confirmatory factor analysis of multitrait-multimethod matrices

Hard biodata, soft biodata, and personality items were developed to measure three personal constructs (Dependability, Demeanor, and Ambition). This resulted in nine sets of items forming a three-method (personality, soft biodata, and hard biodata) by three-trait (Dependability, Demeanor, and Ambition) Multitrait-Multimethod (MTMM) matrix. Four models were proposed to represent the nine scales and each was tested on a sample of 477 job applicants and subsequently cross-validated on a sample of 958 job applicants, using confirmatory factor analysis. The model where the personality and soft biodata items represented one factor and the hard biodata items represented another, distinct factor, was both the best fitting and most parsimonious model, thus confirming Asher's (1972) taxonomy.
How Do You Surmise The Appropriateness of Commercial or Scientific Information

©2013 The Authors. Published by the JScholar under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited. How do you assess the claims that dental companies or researchers make about their products when you are busy in your dental practice? It is plausible that clinicians are continuously exposed to claims from both commercial and scientific sources which place a product in the best possible light in terms of health promotion or disease prevention. It can also be argued that such claims should have been evaluated carefully and interpreted in the context of the clinician’s practice prior to the usage of the innovation becoming a mainstay in clinical practice.
Surveillance on hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Jiangxi province from 2008 to 2012

Objective To analyze the incidence rate and animal hosts from surveillance data collected in Jiangxi province from 2008to 2012, and explore the epidemiological characteristics and trend of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS). Methods With descriptive study, the surveillance data of HFRS morbidity from 2008 to 2012 in Jiangxi and the data from the HFRS monitoring point of Gaoan county were analyzed. Results 2 238 cases of HFRS were reported with 51 deaths. The average annual incidence rate was 1.01 per 100 000, and fatality rate was 2.28%, from 2008 to 2012 in Jiangxi. Both cases and incidence rate were on the rise, the ratio between the incidence rate of autumn-winter peak and spring peak had also rose. Most of the cases were adults. The incidence rate of male was higher than female(χ2=305.21, P0.01);There were no differences of fatality rate between male and female(χ2=1.40, P0.05);Among the cases, farmers were accounted for the majority.The density of rat in Gaoan HFRS monitoring point was 2.22%, there was no difference between indoors and outdoors(χ2=0.25, P0.05); The main host indoors was sewer rat,while that outdoors was rattus losea. The average index of rats with virus was 0.021 7, with increase in 2011-2012. Conclusion The incidence rate of HFRS in Jiangxi increases significantly from 2008 to 2012. It is essential to strengthen the epidemic surveillance,carry out deratization work, and improve public immunity to control the raise of human incidence rate of HFRS.
Analysis on epidemic characteristics of rubella in Xianyang City from 2005-2012

[Objective]To understand the epidemiological characteristics of rubella in Xianyang City,provide scientific basis for the prevention and control of rubella.[Methods]The descriptive epidemiological method was applied to analyze the incidence of rubella in Xianyang City from 2005-2012.[Results]A total of 958 rubella cases were reported in Xianyang City from 2005-2012,and the incidence rate was between 0.52 /lakh and 5.88 /lakh.The cases occurred in every months of the year,and the peak season was April to June.Most of patients were student,accounting for 52.82% of the total cases,followed by the scattered children and kindergarten children,which respectively accounted for 19.31% and 14.61% of the total cases.The cases mainly focused on children aged 0-14 years old,who were kindergarten children,primary and middle school students,accounting for 75.26% of the total cases.The male to female ratio was 1.21∶ 1.[Conclusion]The incidence rate of rubella shows a rising trend in Xianyang City.To effectively protect the high risk population,it is necessary to adjust the rubella vaccine immunization strategy,take the routine immunization of two doses vaccine,and implement the rubella vaccination among fertile women and serological monitoring of rubella virus.
Toward Online Verification of Client Behavior in Distributed Applications.

Existing techniques for a server to verify the correctness of client behavior in a distributed application suffer from imprecision, increased bandwidth consumption, or significant computational expense. We present a novel method for a server to efficiently search for a code path through the client that “explains” each client message, even though the server does not know local inputs to the client that might have caused the message. This method gives rise to a precise client verification technique that consumes no additional bandwidth and that validates most legitimate client messages much faster than previous such techniques. Our technique can gain even further improvements with a minimal increase in bandwidth use. We detail this innovation and use it to verify client behavior in two client-server games, namely XPilot and TetriNET. In our best configuration, verification often keeps pace with TetriNET gameplay.
Current Urology Views on Desirable Characteristics for First-Time Employment

Abstract Introduction Urological practices vie for a small number of graduating urology residents every year. In this study we determine the most desirable characteristics that current urology residents seek upon first-time employment. Methods A 19-question survey was created and e-mailed to all 124 ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) accredited urology residencies in the United States. This link was forwarded to the urology residents for the 2013-2014 academic year. Results A total of 232 responses were obtained, comprised of 187 from male residents (80.6%) and 43 from female residents (18.5%). Residents were primarily interested in practicing in a large urban area (153 of 232, 65.9%) or suburban setting (140, 60.3%), and 24 considered a rural location (10.3%). Female respondents were significantly more likely to consider a rural environment (p = 0.02). The most important choices when choosing a practice were geographic location (116 of 232, 50%) and proximity to family (51, 21.9%). The majority were very interested in part-time or full-time use of a physician assistant or nurse practitioner (188 of 232, 81%), and only 1 was not interested (0.4%). Overall 136 residents (58.6%) stated that they would use them for clinic and office procedures. Conclusions Most residents seek an urban or suburban setting in a group private practice. They prefer to work 40 to 60 hours per week close to their family or in a specific geographic region. Enticing residents to a rural setting may be difficult. The use of nurse practitioners or physician assistants is extremely desirable to current residents.
Operation Desert Shield and Storm: impact on undergraduate and graduate internal medicine education.

We evaluated the impact of mobilization during Operation Desert Shield and Storm on undergraduate and graduate internal medicine education. Surveys were sent to the 425 residency program directors and 128 chairs of departments of medicine of U.S. medical schools in February 1991. Among graduate programs (46% response), 1.6% of full-time faculty, 0.2% of voluntary faculty, and 0.1% of residents were mobilized. No full-time faculty, voluntary faculty, and residents were mobilized at 77%, 90%, and 93% of programs, respectively. Negative impact ranged from none (68%) to significant (2%). For undergraduate education (51% response), 1.2% of full-time faculty, 0.1% of voluntary faculty, and 0.3% of residents were activated. Sixty-three percent reported no full-time faculty, 97% no voluntary faculty, and 86% no residents activated. Negative impact ranged from none (53%) to significant (4%). The effect of mobilization was small, and program directors and chairs should feel comfortable supporting participation in reserve activities.
The Effect of Attachment and Self-Control on Status Offending among Puerto Rican High School Students

This study tests the cross-cultural applicability of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime and self-control theory by examining self-reported status offenses among a sample of Puerto Rican adolescents. Data come from a 2005 sample of 298 youth ages 14–19, representing both the public and private school systems in Puerto Rico. Using a series of multivariate regressions, three hypotheses were tested. First, low attachment to parents, schools, peers, and church will positively and significantly predict status offenses among both public and private students. Second, low self-control will positively and significantly increase status offenses among each group. Finally, the effects of attachment on offending will be mediated by self-control. Results show support for both social control theory (via institutional attachment) and general theory of crime (via self-control). Both the measures of attachment and self-control contribute to explaining status offenses. Self-control partially mediates the effects of attachment on status offenses.
Relativistic Calculations of Transition Amplitudes in the Helium Isoelectronic Sequence

The helium atom and helium-like ions occupy a special position in atomic physics as the simplest multielectron systems. Unlike atoms and ions with many electrons, the fact that only two electrons are present allows calculations of extremely high accuracy to be carried out in the nonrelativistic case. At low Z, the leading relativistic and QED corrections can be calculated as perturbations. However, at higher Z it is desirable to start from a completely relativistic formalism. A well-known problem of any such formalism is the correct treatment of negative-energy states, which, if included improperly, lead to the continuum dissolution problem discussed by Sucher. This problem can be avoided by using the no-pair Hamiltonian, which excludes negative-energy states. Configuration interaction (CI) techniques were used to carry out accurate calculations of energies of n = 1 and n = 2 states along the helium isoelectronic sequence, starting from the no-pair Hamiltonian. Similar calculations were carried out in using interactive techniques. It is the purpose of this chapter to extend these calculations to evaluate transition amplitudes along the helium isoelectronic sequence. Specifically, we present highly accurate theoretical calculations of single-photon transition amplitudes and transition rates for 2-2 and 2-1 transitions in helium-like ions withmore » charges in the range Z = 2-100. Amplitudes for the electric-dipole (E{sub 1}) transitions 2{sup 1}P{sub 1} {r_arrow} 1 {sup 1}S{sub o}, 2{sup 1}P{sub 1} {r_arrow} 2{sup 1}S{sub o}, 2{sup 3}P{sub o,1,2} {r_arrow} 2{sup 3}S{sub 1}, w{sup 1}P{sub 1} {r_arrow}, and 2{sup 3}P{sub 1} {r_arrow} 1{sup 1}S{sub o} are calculated in length form and in velocity form. Amplitudes for the magnetic-dipole M{sub 1} transitions 2{sup 3}S{sub 1}{r_arrow} 1 {sup 1}S{sub o} and the magnetic-quadrupole (M{sub 2}) transitions 2{sup 3}P{sub 2} {r_arrow} 1 {sup 1}S{sub o} are evaluated in velocity form. 78 refs., 5 figs., 16 tabs.« less
An examination of sleep quality in veterans with a dual diagnosis of PTSD and severe mental illness

Poor sleep quality is one of the most frequently reported symptoms by veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and by veterans with severe mental illness (SMI; i.e., schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, major depression with or without psychotic features). However, little is known about the compounding effects of co-occurring PTSD/SMI on sleep quality in this population. Given the high rates of comorbidity and poor functional outcomes associated with sleep dysfunction, there is a need to better understand patterns of poor sleep quality in this population. The present study provides a description of sleep quality in veterans with a dual diagnosis of PTSD/SMI relative to veterans with PTSD only. Results indicated that, despite similar reports of PTSD symptom severity between the groups, veterans with PTSD/SMI reported higher levels of poor sleep quality than veterans only diagnosed with PTSD. Specifically, veterans with PTSD/SMI reported significantly greater difficulties with sleep onset and overall more sleep disturbance than their non-SMI counterparts. Implications of the findings are discussed within the context of an existing model of insomnia and suggest that more comprehensive sleep assessment and the provision of targeted sleep interventions may be helpful for those with a dual diagnosis of PTSD/SMI.
The Involution Debate

This chapter discusses an important current debate that illustrates many of the indeterminacies and historiographical challenges that have been raised in earlier chapters: a debate over the nature of China’s economic development since 1600. Was China on a path of steady growth or asphyxiating involution? Neither the facts, nor the institutional descriptions, nor the interpretations of these facts and descriptions, are yet settled. So the case presents an excellent opportunity to observe the historians at work.
Advantages of CVD stacked gate oxide for robust 0.5 mu m transistors

Several attractive device characteristics achieved by implementing thermal/CVD (chemical vapor deposited) stacked gate oxide have been observed. A CVD stacked gate oxide process is shown to dramatically reduce process-induced device degradation problems such as threshold voltage scatter as compared with conventional thermal gate oxide. A tighter channel length distribution and wider channel width can be provided by the stacked gate dielectric. The low voltage failures on SRAM defect arrays and the mid-gap interface state density are both about 4* smaller for stacked dielectric than for the conventional thermal oxide. These attractive advantages make a CVD stacked gate oxide a promising candidate for submicron technology. >