cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prognosis with levetiracetam versus topiramate treatment in epilepsy: a systematic review

Objective To evaluate the clinical treatment efficacy and safety of levetiracetam (LEV) versus topiramate (TPM) in epilepsy.Methods Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,EMbase,PubMed,SCIE,CNKI,Chinese periodical full-text database,Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Wanfang Database were used to select the related literature about epilepsy treated with levetiracetam and topiramate published from 2003 to 2013; randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected.The Cochrane Collaboration RevMan5.0 software was used for data analysis.Results Six RCTs involving 1588 patients were included with all trials published in English,among which 648 accepted LEV treatment and 940 accepted TPM treatment.Meta analysis results showed no statistically significant differences on the total effective rate between the TEV and TMP treatment groups (OR=0.82,95％CI=[0.63-1.07],P=0.150).But there were differences on cognitive disorders between the two groups (OR=0.73,95％CI=[0.56-0.94],P=0.020).Conclusion It seems that LEV and TPM have equal efficacy in the clinical medication treatment for epilepsy; however,LEV treatment has higher risk of causing cognitive abnormalities than TPM treatment. Key words: Levetiracetam; Topiramate; Epilepsy; Randomized controlled trial; Systematic review
Some Comments on Situations in the Midcontinental Middle Woodland

This discussion provides commentary on the articles included in this guest-edited issue of the Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology on Middle Woodland ceremonial situations in the North American m...
Slow-Light Standing Wave Resonances in an Inverse-Designed Grating for Wide Surface-Normal Free-Space Beam Projection

We demonstrate a 300 micrometer-long apodized photonic grating coupler designed to support spatially-broad standing-wave resonances. Our device enables converting the waveguide single-mode to a collimated free-space Gaussian beam emanated normally to a chip for potential applications in atomic physics, optical communication, and laser technology.
Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Identification of Patients With CKD Using Electronic Health Records

Rational & objective Screening for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is recommended for patients with diabetes and hypertension as stated by their respective societies. However, CKD, a silent disease usually detected at later stages, is associated with low socioeconomic status (SES). We assessed whether adding census tract SES status to the standard screening approach improves our ability to identify patients with CKD. Study design Screening test analysis SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS: Electronic health records (EHR) of 256,162 patients seen at a healthcare system in the 7 county Minneapolis/St.Paul area and linked census tract data. Exposures First quartile of census tract SES [median value of owner occupied housing units ( 25 years with a Bachelor's degree or more ( 30mg/g or UPCR >150mg/g or UA>30mg/g] ANALYTIC APPROACH: Sensitivity, specificity, and number needed to screen (NNS) to detect CKD if we screen patients who have hypertension and/or diabetes and/or who live in low SES tracts (belonging to the first quartile of any of the three measures of tract SES) vs. standard approach. Results CKD was prevalent in 13% of our cohort. Sensitivity, specificity, and NNS of detecting CKD after adding tract SES to the screening approach was 67% [95%CI: 66.2, 67.2] , 61% [95%CI: 61.1, 61.5] and 5, respectively. With the standard approach, sensitivity of detecting CKD was 60% [95% CI: 59.4, 60.4], specificity was 73% [95%CI: 72.4, 72.7] and NNS was 4, respectively. Limitations One healthcare system and selection bias CONCLUSIONS: Leveraging patients' addresses from the EHR and adding tract level SES to standard screening approach modestly increases the sensitivity of detecting patients with CKD at a cost of decreased specificity. Identifying further factors that improve CKD detection at an early stage are needed to slow the progression of CKD and prevent cardiovascular complications.
Taxation Policy in Virtual Worlds: Issues Raised by Second Life and Other Unstructured Games

Massively Multiplayer Online Economic Games involving the creation and trade of virtual goods are rapidly gaining in popularity. Although most individuals participate for their own social or entertainment purposes, a substantial number of participants rely on the sale of virtual goods as an important source of real wealth. To date, these economic returns have largely escaped taxation due to the lack of a well‐developed body of tax law in this area. This paper examines whether and when taxes should be assessed on virtual world income. We conclude that an in‐game sale of a virtual asset constitutes an income realization event for federal income tax purposes. In contrast to prior research, we also suggest that members be allowed to defer recognizing their virtual earnings until they are converted into real world currency.
Orange Class Identification using Neural Networks and Transfer Learning

In order to increase the sales of fruits, quality, and type of fruit play an important role. Underdeveloped countries still use traditional visual examination to inspect the type and quality of oranges as they are very similar to each other with some differences. This manual examination has a great chance of errors as human perceptions have some limitations. A recent development in the field of computer sciences, especially Machine learning and Artificial Neural networks made it possible to train the computers for the classification of oranges and other fruits. This paper presents the classification of oranges between four varieties (Kinnow, Mosambi, Shakri, and Red blood) that can be found in Pakistan in a very large amount. Dataset used consists of 400 self-captured images. Every class consists of a total of 100 images, 80% of images were used for training purposes. The proposed model was tested on 20% images. The proposed study also signifies the importance of data augmentation and Transfer Learning in the classification process. Dataset was enhanced by using augmentation transforms. By training a Convolutional Neural Network with original dataset accuracy of 80% was achieved. This accuracy of the model was improved to 83.75% when trained with augmented dataset furthermore Resnet-50 with some layers was trained with original and augmented datasets to improve the accuracy of the classifier. Accuracy of 82.5% was achieved when Resnet-50 was trained with the original dataset. This accuracy jumped to 87.5% when the augmented dataset was used.
A hierarchical and collaborative BRD4/CEBPD partnership governs vascular smooth muscle cell inflammation.

Bromodomain protein BRD4 reads histone acetylation (H3K27ac), an epigenomic mark of transcription enhancers. CCAAT enhancer binding protein delta (CEBPD) is a transcription factor typically studied in metabolism. While both are potent effectors and potential therapeutic targets, their relationship was previously unknown. Here we investigated their interplay in vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) inflammation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) revealed H3K27ac/BRD4 enrichment at Cebpd in injured rat carotid arteries. While genomic deletion of BRD4-associated enhancer in SMCs in vitro decreased Cebpd transcripts, BRD4 gene silencing also diminished Cebpd mRNA and protein, indicative of a BRD4 control over CEBPD expression. Bromodomain-1, but not bromodomain-2, accounted for this BRD4 function. Moreover, endogenous BRD4 protein co-immunoprecipitated with CEBPD, and both proteins co-immunoprecipitated the Cebpd promoter and enhancer DNA fragments. These co-immunoprecipitations (coIPs) were all abolished by the BRD4-bromodomain blocker JQ1, suggesting a BRD4/CEBPD /promoter/enhancer complex. While BRD4 and CEBPD were both upregulated upon tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) stimulation of SMC inflammation (increased interleukin [IL]-1b, IL-6, and MCP-1), they mediated this stimulation via preferentially elevated expression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα, versus PDGFRβ), as indicated by loss- and gain-of-function experiments. Taken together, our study unravels a hierarchical yet collaborative BRD4/CEBPD relationship, a previously unrecognized mechanism that prompts SMC inflammation and may underlie other pathophysiological processes as well.
Pediatric Resuscitation Education in the Age of COVID-19: A pilot study of pediatric advanced life support training in low-middle income countries via videoconferencing

Despite improving medical care worldwide, vast healthcare disparities remain in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). In Haiti, the under-5 mortality rate is more than double the rate of the Dominican Republic on the other side of the island. Through a partnership with St. Damien and Hospital Bernard Mevs in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, healthcare providers have collaborated to improve pediatric emergency care and outcomes by teaching American Heart Association (AHA) courses in Haiti. Due to COVID-19, many global health initiatives, including through the University of Minnesota, have been postponed indefinitely. In efforts to continue working toward improved delivery of care, we sought to pilot a remote AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course in Haiti. We delivered a complete AHA PALS course through videoconferencing, with participants engaging in hands-on procedures and simulations. We surveyed participants’ confidence in relevant skills and knowledge pre- and post-course. Results showed significantly improved ratings in 12 of the 18 surveyed items (p<0.05). Participant satisfaction in the video-based delivery of the course indicated that videoconferencing may be an effective method of course delivery. Videoconferencing shows promise as a successful tool to continue global health education.
Large‐conductance calcium‐activated K + channels, rather than K ATP channels, mediate the inhibitory effects of nitric oxide on mouse lymphatic pumping

Background and purpose KATP channels are negative regulators of lymphatic vessel excitability and contractility and are proposed to be targets for immune cell products that inhibit lymph transport. Previous studies in rat and guinea pig mesenteric lymphatics found that nitric oxide (NO)-mediated inhibition of lymphatic contraction was prevented or reversed by the KATP channel inhibitor, glibenclamide. We revisited this hypothesis using mouse lymphatic vessels and KATP channel knock out mice. Experimental approach Mouse popliteal lymphatics were isolated and contractility was assessed using pressure myography. K+ channel expression was determined by PCR analysis of FACS-purified lymphatic smooth muscle cells. Key results The NO-producing agonist, ACh, and the NO donor, NONOate, both produced dose-dependent inhibition of spontaneous lymphatic contractions that were blocked by the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, ODQ, or the PKG inhibitor, Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMPS. Surprisingly, the inhibitory effects of both were preserved in Kir6.1-/- vessels, suggesting that KATP channels did not mediate NO-induced responses. We hypothesized a role for BK channels, given their prominence in arterial smooth muscle. Indeed, BK channels were expressed in mouse lymphatic smooth muscle and NS11021 (a BK channel activator) caused dilation and reduced contraction frequency, whereas iberiotoxin and Penitrem A (BK channel inhibitors) produced right-shifts in NONOate concentration-response curves. Conclusion and implication NO inhibition of mouse lymphatic contractions primarily involves activation of BK channels rather than KATP channels. Thus, BK channels are a potential target for therapeutic reversal of lymph pump inhibition by NO generated by immune cell activation of iNOS in chronic lymphedema.
Early life exposure to greenness and executive function and behavior: An application of inverse probability weighting of marginal structural models.

Abstract Increasingly, studies suggest benefits of natural environments or greenness on children's health. However, little is known about cumulative exposure or windows of susceptibility to greenness exposure. Using inverse probability weighting of marginal structural models (IPW/MSM), we estimated effects of greenness exposure from birth through adolescence on executive function and behavior. We analyzed data of 908 children from Project Viva enrolled at birth in 1999–2002 and followed up until early adolescence. In mid-childhood (median 7.7 years) and early adolescence (13.1 years), executive function and behavior were assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Greenness was measured at birth, early childhood, mid-childhood, and early adolescence, using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. We used inverse probability weighting of marginal structural models to estimate effects of interventions that ensure maximum greenness exposure versus minimum through all intervals; and that ensure maximum greenness only in early childhood (vs. minimum through all intervals). Results of the effects of “maximum (vs. minimum) greenness at all timepoints” did not suggest associations with mid-childhood outcomes. Estimates of “maximum greenness only in early childhood (vs. minimum)” suggested a beneficial association with mid-childhood SDQ (−3.21, 99 %CI: −6.71,0.29 mother-rated; −4.02, 99 %CI: −7.87,-0.17 teacher-rated). No associations were observed with early adolescent outcomes. Our results for “persistent” maximum greenness exposure on behavior, were not conclusive with confidence intervals containing the null. The results for maximum greenness “only in early childhood” may shed light on sensitive periods of greenness exposure for behavior regulation.
A ESCUTA DOS PROFISSIONAIS COM SUDEZ INSERIDOS NAS ORGANIZAÇÕES: PELA AMPLITUDE DOS SENTIDOS NO MUNDO DO TRABALHO

Este artigo analisa as experiencias dos trabalhadores com surdez objetivando compreender as contingencias enfrentadas por estes profissionais no contexto organizacional. A pesquisa, de caracteristica qualitativa e descritiva, foi desenvolvida com 14 profissionais surdos que possuem vinculo empregaticio, sendo a coleta de dados realizada atraves de questionarios do Google Forms. Os resultados indicam possibilidades bastante restritas de comunicacao nas organizacoes, reduzindo as oportunidades de relacionamento com os colegas pela ausencia de tradutores de Libras e desconhecimento da lingua de sinais. As possibilidades de reconhecimento e ascensao profissional para os participantes nao se efetivam mesmo diante da capacitacao tecnica e aumento da escolaridade. A visibilidade das contingencias vivenciadas pelos profissionais com surdez no trabalho pode contribuir para a qualificacao inclusiva do âmbito organizacional enquanto espaco de pertencimento e participacao social relevantes.
Investigation of Two-Electron-Hole Pair Resonances in Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Our combined experimental and theoretical effort provide the first evidence for the presence of two-electron-hole pair resonances (or the biexciton states) in semiconductor quantum dots. Differential absorption measurements reveal the presence of an induced absorption feature on the high energy side of the bleached one-pair (exciton) resonance. The theory confirms that this induced absorption is the result of generation of excited biexciton states.
Challenges in developing intelligent geosystems (and the pros/cons of interdisciplinary research)

In this article, we examine the challenges of developing intelligent wireless geosystems and the pros and cons of interdisciplinary research. First, we summarize the range of current practices in wireless sensor network research projects by analyzing recent contributions in the literature. Specifically, for each wireless sensor network project, we compile details regarding the scope (e.g., simulation, testbed, real deployment), the type of mote used (e.g., TinyOS, Android, Arduino), and the type of sensors used (e.g., inertial, biological). Next, we discuss reasons why Arduino based wireless devices are perhaps the future of applied wireless sensor network research. Arduino-based systems are inexpensive, easy to use, readily available, well documented, 100% open-source (hardware and software), object oriented, extendable (using the "shield" concept), and flexible (e.g., in terms of radio choices). Lastly, we discuss the pros and cons of interdisciplinary research; that is, we highlight the struggle between working on difficult, relevant, inherently multi-disciplinary research problems while maintaining scholarship in individual fields.
Enzymatic synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid. XXXV. A 3'-hydroxylribonucleotide binding site of Escherichia coli deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase.

Abstract A site distinct from that for binding a deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate is available on Escherichia coli DNA polymerase for binding a 3'-hydroxylribonucleotide. Strict specificity for nucleotides with both a 3'-hydroxyl group in the ribose configuration and a 5'-phosphate linkage suggest a relationship of this site to the one that binds the primer terminus of a DNA chain.
Postmodernism, Processing, and the Profession: Towards a Theoretical Reading of Minimal Standards

As Frank Burke noted in 1981, evidence-based practice rather than theory tends to dominate professional literature about archives. The papers presented at archival conferences and published in journals often concern themselves with the quotidian functions of archives: processing, description, access, preservation, reference, education, and (in the decades since Burke wrote) digitization. This situation is hardly surprisingly given the fundamentally practical ‐ indeed pragmatic ‐ thrust of archival work. The field is often referred to as a science, not a theory, and abstract concepts neither offer concrete solutions to the immediate questions of daily practice nor provide new techniques for managing collections. Focusing on the practical, however, has its own limitations, and the restrictions of a practice-based literature and profession led Burke to compare archivists to a “large corps of parish priests when no one has bothered to devise a theology
Strategic Environmental Taxation and International Trade

Using a model of monopolistic competition with two countries, where we allow for technological asymmetries, we examine the relationship between intra-industry trade and environmental regulation. The decisions on emission standards set by each country show strong strategic interactions. We show that while regulations act as strategic substitutes in closed economies, this relationship may change once the countries open up to trade, depending on how the share of intra-industry trade between the two countries compares to the elasticity of substitution. While opening to trade unambiguously increases welfare, environmental regulations may increase or decrease depending on the share of intra-industry trade. In addition, we find a non-monotonic relationship between emissions and productivity.
Penn State's world campus: mainstreaming a virtual campus initiative

INTRODUCTION Pennsylvania State University’s World Campus enrolled its first students in January 1998. The World Campus is one of several “virtual campus” initiatives within higher education in the United States and abroad. Penn State built the World Campus as its 25 campus, fully integrating it into the mainstream of the University’s academic life as part of an institution-wide web of innovation. It completed its first full year of operation in June 1999, initially offering courses in 10 credit and noncredit certificate and degree programs in some of Penn State’s most highly regarded disciplines. At that time, the World Campus had admitted 861 students and generated 896 individual course enrollments. It had also attracted national attention as a “bellwether institution” in the emerging online learning field. The idea of a “virtual university” has moved distance education into the mainstream of higher education. The creation of the World Campus illustrates the complexity of planning a significant technology-based innovation directed at positioning a major comprehensive university to meet the need for lifelong education in an information society. This case study provides a detailed examination of the strategies used in the development of a distance education campus and the lessons learned in the first year of World Campus operation.
Species Diversity Across Nutrient Gradients: An Analysis of Resource Competition in Model Ecosystems

The capture and efficient use of limiting resources influence the competitive success of individual plant species as well as species diversity across resource gradients. In simulations, efficient nutrient acquisition or nutrient retention by species were key predictors of success when nutrients were limiting. Increased nutrient supply favored species with characteristics that improved light interception or light use. Ecological theory suggests that low diversity on fertile sites may be a consequence of competitive exclusion by one or a few species with superior light-interception characteristics. On infertile sites, competitive exclusion may be a function of superior nutrient-acquisition characteristics in species. At intermediate fertility, a shift from single-resource specialization to a balanced effort in the acquisition of multiple resources should allow for greater species diversity. Thus, a unimodal relationship between diversity and nutrient supply, vegetation biomass, or productivity is predicted. However, simulations demonstrated alternate relationships depending on the ecosystem characteristic to which diversity was compared. Diversity was greatest at intermediate total biomass but increased monotonically with net primary production and nitrogen (N) supply. The highest diversity occurred midrange on a scale of community-level leaf area to fine-root length ratios, which in the context of the model indicates that the vegetation as a whole was simultaneously limited by both N and light and that effort toward the acquisition of both resources is distributed in such a way that both resources are equally exploited. Diversity was lowered by the presence of species with a superior ability to sequester resources.
Tort claims analysis in the Veterans Health Administration for quality improvement.

Tort claims have been studied for various reasons. Several studies have found that most tort claims are not related to negligent adverse events and most negligent adverse events do not result in tort claims. Several studies have examined the disposition of tort claims to understand the likelihood of payment once a claim has been made. Still others have proposed that tort-claims trend analysis may help administrators target their quality-improvement efforts and identify problems with quality that would not otherwise be captured. In this article, we conduct a tort-claims analysis to explore areas for quality improvement, specifically for patient safety, in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Patient safety is an increasingly highlighted aspect of health-care delivery. Failure to assure patient safety can result in bad clinical outcomes, additional costs of care, and a negative organizational image. Filing a tort claim is one way for an individual to express concern about an organization. For our analysis, we draw from resolved tort claims in the Veterans Health Administration from fiscal years 1989 to 2000.
Chemical carcinogens induce cadmium resistance and activate metallothionein genes in cadmium sensitive S49 mouse cells

Treatment of cadmium-sensitive (Cds) metallothionein-negative S49 mouse cells with two direct-acting chemical carcinogens (N-ethylnitrosourea or N-acetoxy-2-acetylamino-fluorene) or with u.v. radiation induced a large increase in phenotypically stable cadmium-resistant (Cdr) variants. In contrast, treatment with any of three agents which alkylate proteins (N-ethylmaleimide, iodoacetate, or phenylmethyl-sulfonyl fluoride) was without effect. Similarly, treatment with 2-acetylaminofluorene (a pre-carcinogen) or with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (a tumor promoter) did not result in an increase in Cdr variants. Initial studies indicate that in many variants the metallothionein-I gene, the metallothionein-II gene, or both have been activated. Thus the induction of cadmium resistance in Cds cells is a potentially useful system to explore the activation of quiescent genes by carcinogens.
Serological Tests on Soluble Antigens from Mice Infected with Cryptococcus neoformans and Sporotrichum schenckii.

SummaryThe experiments showed that soluble antigens of the fungus agents occur in the tissues of mice infected with Cryptococcus neoformans and with Sporotrichum schenckii, and that these antigens are readily detectable by tests with appropriate antiserums. Soluble antigen was found also in the blood of Cryptococcus-infected mice.
The future of prior art searching at the United States patent and trademark office

Abstract The United States Patent and Trademark Office has experienced an increased volume and complexity of patent applications in recent years, with resulting problems in maintaining pendency times and quality. As part of the Office’s 21st Century Strategic Plan to deal with this and other problems, the outsourcing of prior art patent searches has been proposed. In this article the author explains the current situation––including the existing partial use of search contractors, briefly surveys some solutions adopted in other patent offices, and then details the outsourcing proposals. It is intended that the contracting out of searches will proceed initially by means of a proof of concept pilot conducted on the search reports prepared by the Office on international applications under the PCT. Contractors will need to be able to demonstrate technical and legal competence, that there is no conflict of interest between these and other searches they carry out, and that they will maintain strict confidentiality. If successful, a wider implementation will be rolled out, with procedures in place to ensure that high quality searches are provided on a continuous basis. Analogous contracting out of classification and reclassification functions is also described.
The Use of Management and Marketing Textbook Multiple-Choice Questions: A Case Study

Abstract Management and marketing professors classified multiple-choice questions in four widely adopted introductory textbooks in their respective disciplines according to the two basic cognitive levels of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives: knowledge and intellectual ability and skill. Eighty-seven percent of management and 65% of marketing questions measure the lower level, knowledge. Textbook test files classify the cognitive level of their questions, but overrate, on the average, 20% of management and 15% of marketing questions. These inaccuracies put unwary instructors at risk of selecting questions that require less thinking than they may intend in their educational objectives.
Generativity and Productive Pursuits: Pathways to Successful Aging in Late Midlife African American and White Women

The current study aims to examine correlates of successful aging in the context of midlife, by examining its relationship to generativity, or providing for the next generation (Erikson in Dimensions of a new identity: the 1973 Jefferson lectures in the humanities, W. W. Norton & Co., Oxford, 1974). This research identifies productive activities (e.g., paid work, sports and recreation) and spiritual commitment as potential moderators of the generativity–successful aging relationship, since engagement in these activities has been suggested to benefit health. Furthermore, we examine how these interactions differ for a sample of 237 middle-aged women (mean age = 61), depending on race. Results indicate that, whereas generativity and successful aging are related for the overall sample, this relationship is moderated by sports and recreation activities, and to a lesser extent, spiritual commitment. Importantly, spiritual commitment is associated with a positive relationship between generativity and successful aging, while sports and recreation is associated with a negative one. When viewed by race, spiritual commitment, and sports and recreation activities moderate the relationship specifically for White women, while paid work does so for Black women. This research highlights the importance of examining different pathways between generativity and aging successfully.
Intimate partner violence among immigrant Nigerian women in the United States: An analysis of internet commentaries on the murders of nine Nigerian women by their male spouses

Abstract From 2005 to 2008, nine Nigerian female nurses were murdered in the U.S. by their husbands. Other than media (notably internet) information on the incidents, this situation and the general issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Nigerian immigrant community is yet to gain awareness in scholarship. This paper is a discussion of IPV in the context of internet commentaries posted by Nigerians in the wake of the murder incidents. The commentaries mostly attribute the murders to acculturative tensions in Nigerian patriarchal gender relations and economic-based gender role-reversal in U.S-based immigrant Nigerian families. The paper commences with a narrative of Nigerian immigration into the U.S. in order to situate Nigerian nurses in the migration process and to position Nigerian immigrants in IPV literature. It transitions into a description of data collection and analysis of internet commentaries upon which the paper is based, findings and discussion of findings, and a conclusion.
Infrared Properties (3-5 μm) Of Ion Plated Thin Films

Thin films deposited by standard electron beam evaporation have a columnar microstructure and consequential water adsorption which is not prevalent in fully dense ion plated optical coatings. In electron beam evaporated films the water becomes an intrinsic part of the film since the packing density is less than unity, and causes absorption at and around 3 μm. In contrast, the absence of water in ion plated films makes a number of oxide coatings suitable for use in the first atmospheric window (3-5 μm). In this study, the spectral transmission curves of single layer and broadband multilayer coatings in the 4000 - 2000 cm-1 range show clearly that ion plated coatings do not contain any water, while electron beam evaporated thin films have strong absorption around 3400 cm-1. The refractive indices of several oxide, silicon nitride, and pure silicon films are shown to be consistently higher for ion plating than for electron beam evaporation, also indicating a higher packing density.© (1989) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Densities, Viscosities, Refractive Indices, and Surface Tensions for the Ternary Mixtures of 2-Propanol + Benzyl Alcohol + 2-Phenylethanol at T = 308.15 K

Densities, viscosities, refractive indices, and surface tensions for the ternary system of 2-propanol + benzyl alcohol + 2-phenylethanol were measured at T = 308.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Densities were determined using a vibrating-tube density meter. Viscosities were measured with an automatic Ubbelholde capillary viscometer. Refractive indices were measured using a digital Abbe-type refractometer. Surface tensions were determined by the Wilhelmy-plate method. The experimental data are used to calculate excess molar volumes VE, deviations in the viscosity Δη, deviations in the refractive index ΔnD, and deviations in the surface tension Δσ. The calculated quantities VE, Δη, ΔnD, and Δσ were fitted to the variable-degree polynomials.
Novel technique for addressing streak artifact in gated dual-source MDCT angiography utilizing ECG-editing

Streak artifact is an important source of image degradation in computed tomographic imaging. In coronary MDCT angiography, streak artifact from pacemaker leads in the SVC can render segments of the right coronary artery uninterpretable. With current technology in clinical practice, there is no effective way to eliminate streak artifact in coronary MDCT angiography entirely. We propose a technique to minimize the impact of streak artifact in retrospectively gated coronary MDCT angiography by utilizing small shifts in the reconstruction window. In our experience, previously degraded portions of the coronary vasculature were able to be well evaluated using this technique.
The usefulness of computed tomography scans in cystic fibrosis patients with chronic sinusitis.

BackgroundThis study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) scans of the sinuses in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) as an outcomes measurement for medical and surgi...
Secondary flow in horizontal channels heated from below

Experiments have been performed to investigate onset and development of the buoyancy driven secondary flow in a horizontal parallel plate channel with uniform bottom heating. Flow visualization in water (Pr ≈ 7) was performed by injecting a continuous sheet of dye into the bottom boundary layer just up-stream of the heated surface, and operating conditions in the ranges 125 < Re < 1,000 and4.7 x 104 < Gr * < 8.0 x 106 were considered. Top, side, and end views revealed onset of the secondary flow as thermal plumes, which rise from the heated surface and form pairs of counter-rotating vortices. Subsequent development of the flow is characterized by a breakdown in the regular plume structure and transition to buoyancy driven turbulence. Onset of the secondary flow is advanced by increasing the heat flux and/or decreasing the flow rate, and results may be correlated in terms of a critical Grashof number and a dimensionless longitudinal distance. Liquid crystal sheets applied to the heated surface reveal significant spanwise temperature variations due to the secondary flow. The unsteadiness of the flow is discussed and comparisons are made to previous experimental and numerical work.
Engineered lipids that cross-link the inner and outer leaflets of lipid bilayers.

The application of supported lipid bilayer systems as molecular sensors, diagnostic devices, and medical implants is limited by their lack of stability. In an effort to enhance the stability of supported lipid bilayers, three pairs of phosphatidylcholine lipids were designed to cross-link at the termini of their 2-position acyl chain upon the formation of lipid bilayers. The cross-linked lipids span the lipid bilayer, resembling naturally occurring bolaamphiphiles that stabilize archaebacterial membranes against high temperatures. The three reactions investigated here include the acyl chain cross-linking between thiol and bromine groups, thiol and acryloyl groups, and cyclopentadiene and acryloyl groups. All three reactive lipid pairs were found to cross-link in liposomal membranes, as determined by thin-layer chromatography, ion-spray mass spectrometry, and 1H NMR. The monolayer film properties of the reactive amphiphiles were characterized by surface pressure−area isotherms and showed that stable monola...
The human in human information acquisition: Understanding gatekeeping and proposing new directions in scholarship

Abstract Humans exhibit a fundamental reliance on interpersonal relations for the acquisition of information. Gatekeepers, who help link people with unknown information, are the “humans” in this human information-seeking process. The gatekeeping phenomenon has been studied in diverse disciplines and this article examines these research literatures to reveal that gatekeepers arise in discourse communities by different means, including cultural certification, informal nomination, or by virtue of their social positions. This multidisciplinary analysis of gatekeeping reveals that information practices are immensely contextual and contingent on the social environment. It enables and substantiates a collectivist perspective of library and information science (LIS). Moreover, this theoretical orientation also prompts us to apply social network analysis (SNA) to LIS in order to study and determine how the characteristics of social relationships and structures affect access to information resources.
Set1 cooperates with CENP-B in genome organization and transcriptome regulation

Chromatin modifiers impose regulatory controls over diverse chromosomal processes including transcription, nuclear organization, and genome stability. Here we reveal an unexpected role for the histone methyltransferase Set1 (KMT2) as a general transcriptional repressor of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome. Set1 localizes to repetitive elements and represses both forward and reverse transcripts associated with centromeric and subtelomeric heterochromatin and Tf2 long terminal repeats (LTRs) retrotransposons distinct from its H3K4 methylation (H3K4me) activity. Set1 cooperates with Abp1, the S. pombe homolog of the mammalian centromere binding protein B (CENP-B), to mediate its repression of Tf2s. Intriguingly, Set1 helps organize dispersed Tf2s into distinct nuclear foci termed Tf bodies, the integrity of which requires class I/II histone deacetylases (HDACs) and Sirtuin. Our study uncovers dual roles for Set1 in the maintenance of euchromatin and heterochromatin, and its cooperation with a functional transposase-containing transcription factor to mediate repression and genome organization of dispersed retrotransposons.
Determining dioxin-like compounds in selected Korean food

To measure the levels of dioxin-like compounds, pork, mackerel, cheese and milk were analyzed. The food samples were obtained at three different markets in Seoul. All the samples were animal origin and their lipid contents ranged from 4% to 34%. After extraction, extracts were cleaned up by sulfuric acid impregnated silica gel, purified on a series of silica gel, alumina, carbon column chromatography and then analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry. The levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans for pork, mackerel, cheese and milk were 0.0008, 0.8663, 0.002 and 0.0236 pgTEQ/g wet weight, respectively. In addition, the levels of non-ortho coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls for pork, mackerel, cheese and milk were 0.0041, 1.5781, 0.0259 and 0.0353 pgTEQ/g wet weight, respectively. Among food samples analyzed, pork showed the lowest level of dioxin-like compounds.
Digital Motion Imagery, Interoperability Challenges for Space Operations

With advances in available bandwidth from spacecraft and between terrestrial control centers, digital motion imagery and video is becoming more practical as a data gathering tool for science and engineering, as well as for sharing missions with the public. The digital motion imagery and video industry has done a good job of creating standards for compression, distribution, and physical interfaces. Compressed data streams can easily be transmitted or distributed over radio frequency, internet protocol, and other data networks. All of these standards, however, can make sharing video between spacecraft and terrestrial control centers a frustrating and complicated task when different standards and protocols are used by different agencies. This paper will explore the challenges presented by the abundance of motion imagery and video standards, interfaces and protocols with suggestions for common formats that could simplify interoperability between spacecraft and ground support systems. Real-world examples from the International Space Station will be examined. The paper will also discuss recent trends in the development of new video compression algorithms, as well likely expanded use of Delay (or Disruption) Tolerant Networking nodes.
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage in Patients with AIDS

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a relatively infrequent complication seen in patients with AIDS. As with non-HIV-infected individuals, upper GI bleeding is much more common than lower GI bleeding. In patients with AIDS, upper GI bleeding can result from etiologies related to underlying HIV infection [cytomegalovirus (CMV), Kaposi's sarcoma, idiopathic esophageal ulcers, etc] or be unrelated to HIV infection (peptic ulcer, portal hypertension, Mallory-Weiss tear, etc.). Lower GI bleeding is caused predominantly by etiologies related to underlying HIV disease; CMV colitis is the most common cause. In contrast to non-HIV-infected individuals, hemorrhoids and anal fissures can result in significant bleeding in AIDS patients because of associated thrombocytopenia. Management of GI bleeding in AIDS patients is similar to patients without HIV infection, and includes resuscitation, identification of the bleeding source, achieving hemostasis, and preventing recurrent bleeding. Several etiologies that cause GI bleeding in patients with AIDS can be diagnosed through endoscopy, either by their characteristic endoscopic appearance or mucosal biopsies.
The Cloakroom Rule of International Reserves: Reserve Creation and Resources Transfer

The cloakroom theory of commercial banking, 337. — The cloakroom rule for international reserves, 339. — The Bretton Woods Agreements, 339. — The cloakroom function of the IMF, 340. — Expanding the functions of the IMF. 341. — Three fundamental propositions, 342. — The "correct" rate of monetary expansion, 344. — Who gets the money first, 346. — Distributing the new international money, 347. — The first round of spending, 349. — The probability of an early turn-around, 350. — The transfer of real resources to developing countries, 352. — Summary and conclusions, 354.
HomeLab: shared infrastructure for home technology field studies

Researchers who develop new home technologies using connected devices (e.g. sensors) often want to conduct large-scale field studies in homes to evaluate their technology, but conducting such studies today is quite challenging, if not impossible. Considerable custom engineering is required to ensure hardware and software prototypes work robustly, and recruiting and managing more than a handful of households can be difficult and cost-prohibitive. To lower the barrier to developing and evaluating new technologies for the home environment, we call for the development of a shared infrastructure, called HomeLab. HomeLab consists of a large number of geographically distributed households, each running a common, flexible framework (e.g., HomeOS [4]) in which experiments are implemented. The use of a common framework enables engineering effort, along with experience and expertise, to be shared among many research groups. Recruitment of households to HomeLab can be organic: as a research group recruits (a few) households to participate in its field study, these households can be invited to join HomeLab and participate in future studies conducted by other groups. As the pool of households participating in HomeLab grows, we hope that researchers will find it easier to recruit a large number of households to participate in field studies.
Glycomic Characterization of Prostate Specific Antigen and Prostatic Acid Phosphatase in Prostate Cancer and Benign Disease Seminal Plasma Fluids

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) are glycoproteins secreted by prostate epithelial cells, and have a long clinical history of use as serum biomarkers of prostate cancers. These two proteins are present at significantly higher concentrations in seminal plasma, making this proximal fluid of the prostate a good source for purifying enough protein for characterization of prostate disease associated changes in glycan structures. Using seminal fluid samples representative of normal control, benign prostatic disease and prostate cancers, PAP and PSA were enriched by thiophilic absorption chromatography. Released N-linked glycan constituents from both proteins were analyzed by a combination of normal phase HPLC and MALDI-TOF spectrometry. For PSA, 40 putative glycoforms were determined, and 21 glycoforms were determined for PAP. PAP glycans were further analyzed with a hybrid triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometer to assign specific glycoform classes to each of the three N-linked sites. The glycans identified in these studies will allow for more defined targeting of prostate disease-specific changes for PAP, PSA and other secreted prostatic glycoproteins.
Epidermal growth factor can induce apoptosis in neuroblastoma

Abstract Background/Purpose In previous studies, incubation of doxorubicin-resistant neuroblastoma SK-N-SH (Dox-R) cells with epidermal growth factor (EGF) decreased extracellular signal–regulated kinase activation. Because extracellular signal–regulated kinase activation is associated with cell proliferation, we hypothesized that EGF could induce apoptosis and decrease the rate of cell growth in these cells. Methods The growth of wild-type (WT) SK-N-SH and Dox-R cells after incubation with EGF concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 ng/mL was determined by a colorimetric assay. Apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst staining and DNA laddering in WT, Dox-R, and cisplatin-resistant cells treated with EGF (100 ng/mL). Cleaved caspase-3 and EGF receptor (human epidermal growth factor receptor [HER1-HER4]) expression were verified by Western blot and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. Results Epidermal growth factor decreased WT cell growth at concentrations between 50 and 100 ng/mL; Dox-R cell growth was attenuated at all EGF concentrations. Apoptosis was observed in WT and Dox-R cells incubated with EGF. Maximal cleaved caspase-3 expression occurred in WT cells treated with EGF 100 ng/mL and in Dox-R treated with EGF 5 to 10 ng/mL. Epidermal growth factor did not induce apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant cells. HER2 and HER3 transcription was maximal in WT and Dox-R cells, respectively. Conclusions Wild-type and Dox-R cells exhibited decreased cell growth after EGF treatment because of apoptosis. This involved caspase-3 activation and could work through HER2 and HER3 receptors.
THE EFFECTS OF CONSTANT VERSUS VARIED REINFORCERS ON PREFERENCE AND RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

Previous research has demonstrated that factors such as reinforcer frequency, amount, and delay have similar effects on resistance to change and preference. In the present study, 4 boys with autism made choices between a constant reinforcer (one that was the same food item every trial) and a varied food reinforcer (one that varied randomly between three possible food items). For all 4 boys, varied reinforcers were preferred over constant reinforcers, and they maintained higher response rates than constant reinforcers. In addition, when a distraction (a video clip) was introduced, responding maintained by varied reinforcers was more resistant to distraction than responding maintained by constant reinforcers. Thus, the present experiment extended the generality of the relation between preference and resistance to change to variation in reinforcer quality.
The impact of SOI MOSFETs on low power digital circuits

Encouraged by the promising results of SOI device-based studies, CMOS on SOI has recently been suggested for the low power digital applications. In this paper, the crucial effects of SOI device characteristics on switching circuits is investigated, and the relative merits of SOI and bulk devices for circuit applications are compared. As a result, the impact of the floating body on SOI circuit performance and the related device solutions are discussed.