cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental changes in raphide-forming cells of Vanilla planifolia and Monstera deliciosa.

Raphide-forming cells in Vanilla planifolia and Monstera deliciosa differ from those of adjacent cells, and from other known cell types. The cytoplasm of cells destined to produce raphide crystals can be differentiated very early in development. Clear coincident patterns of change in plastids, endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, and crystal complexes indicate an interrelationship among these subcellular components in the production of raphide crystals. A previously unknown plastid form, apparently a modification of major portions of existing plastids, is initiated with the early stages of raphide formation. Ultimately the modified portion of these plastids appear to atrophy and are lost. An internal product accumulates in the latter stages of raphide cell development. This product appears to be evolved from elements of the endoplasmic reticulum but its composition is unknown.
Cytochrome P-450scc: enzymology, and the regulation of intramitochondrial cholesterol delivery to the enzyme.

The mechanism and properties of the adrenal cortex enzyme system which catalyzes the side chain cleavage of cholesterol to form pregnenolone are summarized. Cytochrome P-450scc, an integral inner mitochondrial membrane protein, interacts with its electron donor adrenodoxin via an aqueous-exposed (matrix side) site, and with its substrate cholesterol via an active site in communication with the hydrophobic phospholipid milieu. In a purified, phospholipid vesicle-reconstituted system, membrane-dissolved cholesterol interacts rapidly with and can be readily metabolized by the membrane-associated cytochrome, and thus represents a readily accessible cholesterol pool. Evidence for a rapidly metabolizable mitochondrial substrate pool (presumably that in the inner mitochondrial membrane) and the regulation by ACTH of cholesterol movement from other site(s) (presumably the outer mitochondrial membrane) into the reactive pool is reviewed; additional evidence is provided which supports the idea that the outer mitoch...
The injection of the delayed neurotoxin tri‐o‐tolyl phosphate into embryonating chicken eggs and its effects on subsequent chick development

Tri-o-tolyl phosphate (TOTP) was injected into the yolk sac of 120-h chicken embryos at concentrations equivalent to 200,100, 50, 25, or 0 (vehicle control) microgram TOTP/g egg. On d 22 of incubation, all live hatchlings were wing-banded, weighed, and housed in a brooder battery according to treatment level. Birds were examined daily for mortality as well as for development of clinical signs indicative of delayed neurotoxicity. Body weights were determined at weekly intervals for 4 wk. At the end of the fourth week, all birds were killed and necropsied. Liver, spleen, bursa of Fabricius, ovary or testes, and comb (male only) were removed and weighed. The injection of 200 microgram TOTP/g egg significantly depressed hatchability when compared to controls. Chick mortality was not significantly affected by TOTP injection. Clinical symptoms characteristic of delayed neurotoxicity did not develop during the 4-wk observation period. TOTP injection caused a transient growth depression that disappeared by 4 wk of age in both sexes. Organ weighs at 4 wk of age were not consistently affected by the treatment.
Comprehensive Transcriptome Profiling in Tomato Reveals a Role for Glycosyltransferase in Mi-Mediated Nematode Resistance

Root-knot nematode (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) is a major crop pathogen worldwide. Effective resistance exists for a few plant species, including that conditioned by Mi in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). We interrogated the root transcriptome of the resistant (Mi+) and susceptible (Mi–) cultivars ‘Motelle’ and ‘Moneymaker,’ respectively, during a time-course infection by the Mi-susceptible RKN species Meloidogyne incognita and the Mi-resistant species Meloidogyne hapla. In the absence of RKN infection, only a single significantly regulated gene, encoding a glycosyltransferase, was detected. However, RKN infection influenced the expression of broad suites of genes; more than half of the probes on the array identified differential gene regulation between infected and uninfected root tissue at some stage of RKN infection. We discovered 217 genes regulated during the time of RKN infection corresponding to establishment of feeding sites, and 58 genes that exhibited differential regulation in resistant roots compared to uninfected roots, including the glycosyltransferase. Using virus-induced gene silencing to silence the expression of this gene restored susceptibility to M. incognita in ‘Motelle,’ indicating that this gene is necessary for resistance to RKN. Collectively, our data provide a picture of global gene expression changes in roots during compatible and incompatible associations with RKN, and point to candidates for further investigation.
The criticality of retained supersaturation content on superstrengthening processes in aluminum alloys

Effet de deux mecanismes de surrenforcement thermomecanique sur la criticalite de la teneur en solute sursature du materiau sur la possibilite d'atteindre au surrenforcement. Etude sur l'alliage 3004 A
To respond or not to respond: T cells in allergic asthma

The incidence of allergic asthma has almost doubled in the past two decades. Numerous epidemiological studies have linked the recent surge in atopic disease with decreased exposure to infections in early childhood as a result of a more westernized lifestyle. However, a clear mechanistic explanation for how this might occur is still lacking. An answer might lie in the presently unfolding story of various regulatory T-cell populations that can limit adaptive immune responses, including T helper 2 (TH2)-cell-mediated allergic airway disease.
Accelerated superfractionated radiotherapy for inflammatory breast carcinoma: complete response predicts outcome and allows for breast conservation

Abstract Purpose: Chemotherapy and accelerated superfractionated radiotherapy were prospectively applied for inflammatory breast carcinoma with the intent of breast conservation. The efficacy, failure patterns, and patient tolerance utilizing this approach were analyzed. Methods and Materials: Between 1983 and 1996, 52 patients with inflammatory breast carcinoma presented to the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals of VCU and the New England Medical Center. Thirty-eight of these patients were jointly evaluated in multidisciplinary breast clinics and managed according to a defined prospectively applied treatment policy. Patients received induction chemotherapy, accelerated superfractionated radiotherapy, selected use of mastectomy, and concluded with additional chemotherapy. The majority were treated with 1.5 Gy twice daily to field arrangements covering the entire breast and regional lymphatics. An additional 18–21 Gy was then delivered to the breast and clinically involved nodal regions. Total dose to clinically involved areas was 63–66 Gy. Following chemoradiotherapy, patients were evaluated with physical examination, mammogram, and fine needle aspiration × 3. Mastectomy was reserved for those patients with evidence of persistent or progressive disease in the involved breast. All patients received additional chemotherapy. Results: Median age was 51 years. Median follow-up was 23.9 months (6–86) months. The breast preservation rate at the time of last follow-up was 74%. The treated breast or chest wall as the first site of failure occurred in only 13%, and the ultimate local control rate with the selected use of mastectomy was 74%. Ten patients underwent mastectomy, 2 of which had pathologically negative specimens despite a clinically palpable residual mass. Response to chemotherapy was predictive of treatment outcome. Of the 15 patients achieving a complete response, 87% remain locoregionally controlled without the use of mastectomy. Five-year overall survival for complete responders was 68%. This is in contrast to the 14% 5-year overall survival observed with incomplete responders. The 5-year actuarial disease-free survival and overall survival for the entire patient cohort was 11% and 33%, respectively. All patients tolerated irradiation with limited acute effects, of which all were managed conservatively. Conclusion: Our experience demonstrates that induction chemotherapy, accelerated superfractionated radiotherapy, and the selected use of mastectomy results in excellent locoregional control rates, is well tolerated, and optimizes breast preservation. Based on our present results, we recommend that a patient’s response to induction chemotherapy guide the treatment approach used for locoregional disease, such that mastectomy be reserved for incomplete responders and avoided in those achieving a complete response.
Kinetics of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase at high protein concentration

Kinetic parameters of ribulos-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBP carboxylase) are usually evaluated in dilute solutions ( in vivo at 100–200 mg ml−1 and a total protein concentration 300–400 mg ml−1. Enzymes can change their catalytic properties upon ‘crowding’. Hence it became of interest to determine whether RuBP carboxylase elicits any properties not observable in dilute solution. Pre-steady state progress curves of fully activated enzyme showed an initial burst followed by a slower rate of product formation. The extent of the burst increased as concentration ratios of RuBP and RuBP carboxylase decreased. The burst corresponds to 1/8 turnover per holoenzyme or 1 turnover per active site. No discontinuity in progress curves was observed with partially activated enzyme.
Antibodies and antibody-fusion proteins as anti-angiogenic, anti-tumor agents

Abstract It is well established that the “switch” from an avascular to the vasculogenic phenotype is required for growth as well as metastasis of the tumor. Multiple regulators of angiogenesis, positive and negative, have been described. Due to the tumor growth dependence on angiogenesis, anti-angiogenic therapy is rapidly evolving as anticancer strategy. Antibodies and inhibitors directed against pro-angiogenic signaling proteins and growth factors pathways have been shown to mediate anti-tumor activity in preclinical models as well as in clinical trials. The development of anti-angiogenic antibody therapy had great impact in the treatment of human cancers. Bevacizumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody has been approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Other antibodies and Fc fusion proteins targeting VEGFR, nerve and blood vessel guidance pathways (Robo4), plasma membrane adhesion receptors (known as integrins) or selectively neutralizing the interaction between the angiopoietins and their receptors are being tested in preclinical models and clinical trials. Direct angiogenesis inhibitors have also been tested in an attempt to suppress pathologic angiogenesis. The prototypic anti-angiogenic peptides endostatin and angiostatin had generated enormous enthusiasm initially, but so far they have not fulfilled their promise in the human setting in part due to the instability of these proteins and their short serum half-lives. We have proposed increasing the effect of the anti-angiogenic agents by targeting them to the tumor microenvironment through the creation and optimization of anti-tumor anti-angiogenic peptide fusion proteins. We have tested this hypothesis using an antibody-endostatin fusion protein with specificity for the HER2/neu target antigen in breast and other solid tumors. Linkage of the endostatin to anti-HER2 antibody could expand the spectrum of anti-tumor activities of Herceptin by focusing the anti-angiogenic properties of endostatin on HER2 expressing targets and creating a multifunctional angiogenic inhibitor with powerful anti-tumor activity. Our data indicate that Traztuzumab targeting sequences fused with endostatin may possess significantly enhanced anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor activity. We anticipate therefore that such fusion proteins, could be combined with conventional chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical procedures and will prove superior to antibody (e.g. Traztuzumab) or endostatin administered alone. The combination of fusion protein with other angiogenic strategies such as PDGF blockade, VEGF blockade, thrombospondin-1 as well as with chemotherapy remains to be tested. Targeting anti-angiogenics using this and/or similar targeting strategies may in theory enhance the efficacy of this versatile approach and improve patient outcomes.
Heat transfer and thermoelectric design considerations for a ground-source thermo generator

An energy harvesting device designed to produce small (sensor-scale) amounts of electric power is being developed at Mississippi State University, USA. The device will use the daily temperature difference between the air and the ground as input to a thermoelectric generator. The advantages of such a passive device include high reliability, long life-span, low visibility, night-time power production and ruggedness. In this paper, previous results which demonstrated optimum thermoelectric design parameters for this small /spl Delta/T case are extended to include effects of linearly and sinusoidally varying thermal resistance in the heat exchangers. Such variation would occur in an operating device from changes in the air-side convective heat transfer coefficient, for example. It is shown that for the linear case an optimum is reached at the geometric mean of the two extremes in thermal resistance. A closed form function of the mean value and fluctuation magnitude provides the optimum for the sinusoidal case.
Glucosim: Educational Software for Virtual Experiments with Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

GLUCOSIM is an educational software package that simulates blood glucose and insulin dynamics in healthy individuals and patients with type 1 diabetes. It is being used to assist biomedical and chemical engineering students in visualizing the dynamic variations in blood glucose concentration in response to external variations such as food consumption and insulin administration. A nutritional database has been integrated to GLUCOSIM to provide meal inputs to the simulation. The simulator has been improved by the modification of mathematical models, and it has been adapted to include currently available commercial insulin brands
Bone mineral density and age-related maculopathy in older women.

Author(s): Seitzman, Robin L; Mangione, Carol M; Cauley, Jane A; Ensrud, Kristine E; Stone, Katie L; Cummings, Steven R; Hochberg, Marc C; Hillier, Teresa A; Yu, Fei; Coleman, Anne L; Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group | Abstract: ObjectivesTo determine whether bone mineral density (BMD) is associated with age-related maculopathy (ARM) risk in older women.DesignCross-sectional analysis at Year 10 (1997/98) of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF).SettingFour clinical centers in the United States.ParticipantsOne thousand forty-two randomly sampled SOF participants who attended the Year 10 clinic visit.MeasurementsARM status was determined from fundus photographs using a modification of the Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System 6-level severity scale used in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. Total hip BMD was measured at Year 10 using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Information on potential confounders, including age, reproductive hormone exposures, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, nutrition, education, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and physical activity, was ascertained with questionnaires.ResultsThe prevalence of ARM was 50% (46% had early ARM and 4% had late ARM). After potential confounder adjustment, greater BMD was associated with lower odds of ARM (odds ratio (OR) per 1 standard deviation increase in BMD=0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.70-0.96). Women in the highest quartile of BMD had lower odds of ARM than those in the lowest quartile (OR=0.63, 95% CI=0.41-0.97) and those in the lowest three quartiles combined (OR=0.66, 95% CI=0.48-0.91).ConclusionHigher levels of BMD may be associated with lower risk for ARM. The underlying mechanism is unknown, although BMD may be a marker for lifetime endogenous estrogen exposure. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings and further investigate the nature of the relationship between BMD and ARM.
Predictors of Long-Term Outcome in 45 Men with Antisocial Personality Disorder

We sought to determine variables predictive of outcome in a group of 45 men with antisocial personality disorder followed up a mean of 29 years following hospitalization. Based on personal interviews, interviews with informants, and medical and legal records, sufficient information was available to rate the global outcome in 45 men. The Global Assessment Scale (GAS) was also used to measure functioning in 44 men at intake and follow-up. Twenty-six (57.8%) were rated as having "any improvement." Univariate analysis showed men experiencing improvement were more likely to have high GAS scores at intake, were not currently alcoholic, were older, and were followed over a longer period of time. Low GAS scores at intake and the interaction between the GAS score at intake and current alcoholism independently predicted poor outcome on regression analysis. A low GAS score at intake and shorter follow-up also independently predicted poor outcome, even though stepwise regression revealed the strongest single predictor to be the interaction between the initial GAS score and age at follow-up. In summary, long-term outcome in antisocial males is associated with an initial level of severity, alcohol consumption at follow-up, and both age at follow-up and length of follow-up. Initial severity best predicts outcome among men not currently alcoholic who have been followed over a long period of time.
Female representation in law enforcement: The influence of screening, unions, incentives, community policing, CALEA, and size.

Using data over 4,000 agencies, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of community, organization, and economic factors on the representation of women in law enforcement. The results highlight the influence that police executives and community leaders have on gender diversity by way of creating a greater demand for women in the profession. Higher levels of female officer representation were associated with organizations that emphasize community policing; have higher education requirements, more incentives and benefits, no physical fitness screening criteria, and no collective bargaining rights; belong to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies; and serve larger and more racially and ethnical diverse communities.
Post-oral appetite stimulation by sugars and nonmetabolizable sugar analogs.

Post-oral sugar actions enhance the intake of and preference for sugar-rich foods, a process referred to as appetition. Here, we investigated the role of intestinal sodium glucose cotransporters (S...
Achieving Less Than 2% 3- $\sigma$ Mismatch With Minimum Channel-Length CMOS Devices

Offset and speed are critical yet conflicting design parameters in high-speed amplifiers and comparators, especially those used to process the characteristically high-frequency low-amplitude signals of today's wireless transceiver systems. As device area is decreased to reduce parasitic capacitances and hence achieve higher bandwidth, random mismatches inherently increase. The proposed Survivor strategy circumvents this tradeoff by fabricating a number of small-geometry device pairs on-chip (each of which have high bandwidth) and having the IC self-select the best-matched set of devices during start-up and/or power-on-reset events and use them in critical portions of the circuit. In the experiments conducted on a prototype fabricated using a 0.6-mum CMOS technology, a mirror using the best-matched minimum channel-length pair chosen from a bank of 32 pairs (6 mum/0.6 mum) had a 3-sigma offset performance (1.94%) similar to that of a mirror using 48 mum/4.8 mum devices (1.91%) and hence a bandwidth that was 64 times higher (BW6/0.6ap64BW48/4.8)
Levels of emotion and levels of consciousness

Merker makes a strong case for the upper brain stem as being the neural home of primary or phenomenal consciousness. Though less emphasized, he makes an equally strong and empirically supported argument for the critical role of the mesodiencephalon in basic emotion processes. His evidence and argument on the functions of brainstem systems in primary consciousness and basic emotion processes present a strong challenge to prevailing assumptions about the primacy of cognition in emotion-cognition-behavior relations.
A supervised learning approach for fast object recognition from RGB-D data

Object recognition serves obvious purposes in assisted living environments, where robotic devices can be used as companions to assist humans in need. The recent introduction of vision based sensors, which are able to extract depth sensing information about the environment, in addition to the traditional RGB video, presents new opportunities and challenges for more accurate object recognition.The current work, presents an object recognition approach that uses RGB-D point cloud data and a novel feature extraction methodology, in combination with well-known supervised learning algorithms, to achieve accurate, real-time recognition of a large number of objects. In our experiments, we use a dataset of household objects organized into 51 categories, and evaluate the recognition accuracy and time efficiency of a set of different supervised learning methods.
Real time collaborative intelligent solutions

In this paper, we share our experience of the real-time aspects of collaborative intelligent systems. We discuss the representation of application domain knowledge using a job description language (JDL) and FIPA specification. We also present the architecture of the intelligent agents that enables the integration of knowledge and system capabilities. Finally, we describe aspects of collaborative systems relative to system scalability and validation through simulation.
Online-learned classifiers for robust multitarget tracking

In this paper, we propose online-learned classifiers for data association in multitarget tracking. The classifiers are dynamically constructed and incrementally online learned using image patches, which are associated based on location proimity. A biological inspired architecture is used to compute the classification label of image patch. The extracted image patches are coded and learned by a 3-layer neural network that implements in-place learning. We employ minimum-cost network flow optimization to associate tracks with the image patches based on their appearance and location proximities. The presented framework is applied to learn 11 targets encountered in a PETS2009 data set. Cross validation results show that the overall recognition accuracy is above 93%. The comparison with other learning algorithms is promising. The results of the implemented multitarget tracker demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF 3 UNIQUE URETERAL STENTS:: INVESTIGATION OF A POISEUILLE FLOW PATTERN

Purpose: The pattern of flow in the stented ureter (intraluminal and/or extra luminal) has only been defined for the standard pigtail stent. No data are available on stent flow for any specialty stents. To our knowledge we present the first investigation characterizing the type of flow through a stent (Poiseuille versus nonPoiseuille flow).Materials and Methods: Flow was measured in an unstented ureter, a standard 7Fr double pigtail stent and the 7/3Fr Tail † stent, 7Fr Spirastent ‡ and 14/7Fr endopyelotomy stent using a previously developed stent flow model. In vitro pressure flow studies were also done in nonfenestrated 14/7Fr, Tail and standard 7Fr stents. These stents were infused at a constant flow rate of 2 to 10 ml. per minute with monitoring of the corresponding pressure gradients. Resistance to flow was determined for these stents using pressure flow plots and Poiseuille’s law.Results: In vivo the 7Fr pigtail, 14/7Fr endopyelotomy and 7/3Fr Tail stents had statistically similar flow rates. Flow t...
Perfect reconstruction of digital spectrum from nonuniformly sampled signals

In this paper, we consider the problem of reconstructing the digital spectrum from a set of nonuniformly spaced time samples of a signal. Specifically, we deal with the situation where the timing offsets of each sampling instance are known and have a periodic structure. Examples include the random equivalent time sampling system of a digital scope, and an ultra high speed waveform digitizing system with interleaved A/D converters. An algorithm which allows one to reconstruct the digital spectrum perfectly is derived, and a numerical example is presented. The algorithm is non-iterative and precise, and should prove to be useful in many applications.
An energy-efficient 64-QAM MIMO detector for emerging wireless standards

A power/area aware design is mandatory for the MIMO (Multi-Input Multi-Output) detectors used in LTE and WiMAX standards. The 64-QAM modulation used in the MIMO detector requires more detection effort compared to the smaller constellation sizes widely implemented in the literature. In this work we propose a new architecture for the K-best detector, which unlike the popular multi-stage architecture used for K-best detectors, implements just one core. Also, we introduce a slight modification to the K-best algorithm that reduces the number of multiplications by 44%, and reduces the total power consumption by 27%, without any noticeable performance degradation. The overall architecture consumes only 24KGate, which is the smallest area compared to the other implementations in the literature. It also results in an at least 4-fold greater throughput-efficiency (Mbps/KiloGate) compared to the other detectors, while consuming a small power. The decoder implemented in a commercial 130nm process provides a data-rate of 107Mbps, and consumes 54.4mW.
Beam position noise and other fundamental noise processes that affect optical storage

The semiconductor diode lasers that are used for optical data storage are known to show large intensity noise. One means of rejecting such noise is to use a differential split detector to read stored data as well as to follow servo tracks etc. Such a strategy is subject to beam position noise a hitherto obscure effect which cannot always be neglected. This paper will discuss the management of diode laser noise which -under ideal conditions - can actually be pushed below the shot noise limit.
Interaction of L2 with β-Actin Directs Intracellular Transport of Papillomavirus and Infection

Viruses that replicate in the nucleus, including the primary causative agent of cervical cancer, human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), must first cross the cytoplasm. We compared the uptake of HPV16 virus-like particles (VLPs) either with or without the minor capsid protein L2. Whereas VLPs containing only the major capsid protein L1 were diffusely distributed within the cytoplasm even 6 h post-infection, VLPs comprising both L1 and L2 exhibited a radial distribution in the cytoplasm and accumulated in the perinuclear region of BPHE-1 cells within 2 h. L2 of HPV16 or bovine papillomavirus was shown to bind to a 43-kDa cellular protein that was subsequently identified as -actin by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight analysis. A conserved domain comprising residues 25–45 of HPV16 L2 was sufficient for interaction with -actin. HPV16 L2 residues 25–45 fused to green fluorescent protein, but not green fluorescent protein alone, colocalized with actin and caused cell retraction and disruption of the microfilament network. Finally, wild-type L2, but not L2 with residues 25–45 deleted, facilitated HPV16 pseudovirion infection. Thus, binding of -actin by L2 residues 25–45 facilitates transport of HPV16 across the cytoplasm during infection, and blockade of this novel interaction may be useful for prophylaxis.
Immunological Localization of Mosquito Ovary Ecdysteroidogenic Hormone I and Fruit Fly Insulin Receptor in Adult Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract The neurohormone ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone I (OEH I), originally identified from Aedes aegypti (L.), has an effect on mosquito ecdysteroidogenesis. Would there be a similar presence and function in other adult flies, e.g., black blow fly, Phormia regina (Meigen)? One pair of median neurosecretory cells (MNCOEH I) and one pair of lateral neurosecretory cells (LNCOEH I) were immunopositive to OEH I antiserum in the brain of sugar-fed and liver-fed female P. regina. In addition, two pairs of neurosecretory cells (SOGNCOEH I) positive to this antiserum were found in the suboesophageal ganglion only in adult female P. regina at 16, 20, 23, 28, 36, and 72 h after a liver meal. In addition to the positive pairs of MNCOEH I and LNCOEH I in females, there were four more pairs of positive neurons (MSNFNCOEH I) in the region between the MNCOEH I and the esophageal foramen in P. regina males, but not in females. The presence of OEH I in male flies needs further attention as to the function of this horm...
Review of Family Relational Stress and Pediatric Asthma: The Value of Biopsychosocial Systemic Models

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children. Despite dramatic advances in pharmacological treatments, asthma remains a leading public health problem, especially in socially disadvantaged minority populations. Some experts believe that this health gap is due to the failure to address the impact of stress on the disease. Asthma is a complex disease that is influenced by multilevel factors, but the nature of these factors and their interrelations are not well understood. This paper aims to integrate social, psychological, and biological literatures on relations between family/parental stress and pediatric asthma, and to illustrate the utility of multilevel systemic models for guiding treatment and stimulating future research. We used electronic database searches and conducted an integrated analysis of selected epidemiological, longitudinal, and empirical studies. Evidence is substantial for the effects of family/parental stress on asthma mediated by both disease management and psychobiological stress pathways. However, integrative models containing specific pathways are scarce. We present two multilevel models, with supporting data, as potential prototypes for other such models. We conclude that these multilevel systems models may be of substantial heuristic value in organizing investigations of, and clinical approaches to, the complex social-biological aspects of family stress in pediatric asthma. However, additional systemic models are needed, and the models presented herein could serve as prototypes for model development.
Effect of music-based multitask training on cognition and mood in older adults

Background: in a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial, we investigated whether 6 months of music-based multitask training had beneficial effects on cognitive functioning and mood in older adults.Methods: 134 community-dwellers aged ≥65 years at increased risk for falling were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 66) who attended once weekly 1-h supervised group classes of multitask exercises, executed to the rhythm of piano music, or a control group with delayed intervention (n = 68) who maintained usual lifestyle habits, for 6 months. A short neuropsychological test battery was administered by an intervention-blinded neuropsychologist at baseline and Month 6, including the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the clock-drawing test, the frontal assessment battery (FAB) and the hospital anxiety (HADS-A) and depression scale.Results: intention-to-treat analysis showed an improvement in the sensitivity to interference subtest of the FAB (adjusted between-group mean difference (AMD), 0.12; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.25; P = 0.047) and a reduction in anxiety level (HADS-A; AMD, -0.88; 95% CI, -1.73 to -0.05; P = 0.039) in intervention participants, as compared with the controls. Within-group analysis revealed an increase in MMSE score (P = 0.004) and a reduction in the number of participants with impaired global cognitive performance (i.e., MMSE score ≤23; P = 0.003) with intervention.Conclusion: six months of once weekly music-based multitask training was associated with improved cognitive function and decreased anxiety in community-dwelling older adults, compared with non-exercising controls. Studies designed to further delineate whether training-induced changes in cognitive function could contribute to dual-task gait improvements and falls reduction, remain to be conducted.
THE IMPACT OF PATIENT ADVOCACY: THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SAN FRANCISCO EXPERIENCE

ABSTRACTPurpose: Although the principal goals of health care advocacy are to raise awareness of specific issues and make them national priorities, it is important that physicians should recognize that advocacy is a multidimensional phenomenon. In 1997 a group of scientists, administrators, clinicians and patients met to discuss individual goals, needs and areas of mutual interest in the areas of prostate cancer care and research. A formal advocacy group was established and advocates were integrated into the administration and planning process in specific areas of the clinical and research program.Materials and Methods: In an effort to quantitate and communicate the impact of this group we assessed outcomes in the last 5 years in 4 areas matched to group interests and priorities, namely research, clinical trials, patient services and philanthropy.Results: Improvements in all assessed metrics were noted (18% to 1,796%), most substantially in the areas of research grants (286%) and philanthropy (1,796%). The...
Bouts, Changeovers, and Units of Operant Behavior

Responding of various types occurs as bouts of activity separated by pauses. Deprivation and reinforcement affect the tendency to initiate and persist engaging in bouts but have little effect on performance once engaged. Such a two-state conception encourages time-based measurement even when the response is recorded as a brief, discrete event like a lever press. The two-state conception also emphasizes that response rate, as commonly calculated, is a mixture of different units controlled by different sets of variables. Focusing on the components of the two states--especially bout-initiations (or changeovers)--might help solve some puzzles presented by total response-rate data and might help clarify how schedules of reinforcement affect response rate.
Nierentransplantation bei Kindern unter 2 Jahren — Ergebnisse und Indikationen von 93 Transplantationen zwischen 1965 und 1992

Die Nierentransplantation hat sich im Verlauf der vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnte als Therapie der Wahl zur Behandlung der terminalen Niereninsuffizienz bei Erwachsenen und Adoleszenten durchgesetzt. Verbesserungen der operativen Technik und der postoperativen Nachsorge, sowie Fortschritte in der Organpraservation und Immun-suppression haben bei diesen Patienten zu einer 1-Jahr Transplantatfunktionsrate von uber 90% gefuhrt [3]. Im Gegensatz hierzu ist die Nierentransplantation zur Behandlung des chronischen Nierenversagens bei Kindern vor allem in Hinsicht auf die langfristigen Konsequenzen der Immunsuppression umstritten [1, 2]. Wir berichten hier uber unsere Erfahrungen mit Nierentransplantationen bei Kindern unter zwei Jahren, welche an unserem Zentrum im Verlauf der vergangenen drei Jahrzehnte durchgefuhrt wurden.
Equivalence of Llewellyn and space charge wave equations

The Llewellyn equations are shown to yield results identical with the space charge wave equations when the Llewell n matrix is iterated over very many very short regions approximating a nearly constant average electron velocity.
Conflict resolution strategies between preceptor and resident—A case-based scenario

Preceptors play a critical role in the education of pharmacy students and residents in the practice setting. Preceptor development programs are necessary to facilitate continued advancement of preceptors’ teaching skills and ensure the quality of instruction provided. The American Society of
Nonoperative treatment of intermediate severity lateral compression type 1 pelvic ring injuries with minimally displaced complete sacral fracture.

Objectives:Controversy exists regarding optimum management of lateral compression type 1 (LC1) pelvic ring injuries (OTA type 61-B2.1), particularly in patients with complete sacral fractures. We hypothesized that nonoperative treatment would result in acceptable functional outcomes.Design:Database
Chemical and Thermophysical Characterization of an Algae-Based Hydrotreated Renewable Diesel Fuel

Second-generation renewable fuels are synthesized through biochemical and thermochemical processes from nonfood biomass feedstock. The resultant fuels are similar to aliphatic synthetic fuels produced through the Fischer–Tropsch process, which contain mainly linear and lightly branched alkanes. We applied the advanced distillation curve method to an algae-based hydrotreated renewable naval distillate fuel (HRD-76) to measure its boiling temperature as a function of distillate volume fraction. Analysis of the bulk fuel sample through nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry showed the principal components to be linear and branched alkanes containing 14–18 carbon atoms. The speed of sound and density of the fuel were estimated from its composition and compared with experimental data measured with a density and sound speed analyzer. The estimates were within 5% of the experimental values. The boiling temperature, density, and composition data were used to estimate th...
Why Do Managers Voluntarily Issue Cash Flow Forecasts?: voluntary cash flow forecasts

We study a relatively recent change in voluntary disclosure practices by management, namely, the issuance of cash flow forecasts. We predict and find that management issues cash flow forecasts to signal good news in cash flow, to meet investor demand for cash flow information, and to precommit to a certain composition of earnings in terms of cash flow versus accruals, thus reducing the degree of freedom in earnings management. Our results also suggest that management discloses good news in cash flow to mitigate the negative impact of bad news in earnings, to lend credibility to good news in earnings, and to signal economic viability when the firm is young. Our finding that management cash flow forecasts primarily convey good news is in contrast to the generally negative nature of management earnings guidance and suggests that different incentives drive firms' disclosure of different financial information.
Formation of nitrosoproline in rats.

SummaryFasting rats were given L-proline and sodium nitrite by stomach tube. N-Nitroso-L-proline was found in the stomach contents after 15 min; the amounts were related to the quantity of reactants administered. The results show that nitrosamines can be formed in the stomach of rats under the experimental conditions described here.
Information Filtering by Adaptive User Profiles with Feature Selection

This paper proposes a new approach for constructing user profiles based on user feedback.In contrast to earlier approaches,which typically represents profiles as a single weighted interest vector,it represents user profiles as a single integrated vector and a multiple interest vectors,and takes feature selection into the system to reach higher performance.This flexible approach allows the profile to more accurately represent complex user interests and faster to locate for information of interest.
Resistance of Blattella germanica to nine kinds of commonly used insecticides

Objective To determine resistance of Blattella germanica to nine kinds of common used insecticides,and explore the prevention and management strategy on monitoring foundation.Methods Contacting with chemical cover in jar.Results The resistance index of field-collected strains of Blattella germanica were 1.73-2.38 to beta-cypermethrin,1.20-1.25 to azamethiphos,5.58-9.68 to permethrin,7.66-13.58 to cypermethrin,1.33-4.55 to deltamethrin,1.48-1.59 to bate-cyfluthrin,1.08-1.55 to phoxim,9.90-∞ to DDVP,1.02-2.52 to chlorpyrifos.Conclusion Because of the difference of insecticides and use frequency in different units of the same region,insecticide resistance condition is also inconsistent.Knowing the chemical application history is important for cockroach control.
Research of IEDs Substation Control Layer Communication Message Commissioning System

This paper proposes a novel scheme for IEDs communication message debugging.Without disturbing the normal communication among control system of the station-control layer and IEDs,it develops a set of message-checking system based on IEC60870-103 protocol and IEC61850 standard,which can link with station-control system well and simulate IED’s any transmission message,such as switch value,self-checking alarm and tripping information,the accurate and efficient commission of IEDs communication message transmission is implemented very well.The experimenta1 results prove that the scheme is correct,feasible and secure.
Miniature explosive bonding for electrical interconnections

Although explosive energy has been used for a number of years to produce large scale, solid phase bonds, its small scale use entails unique problems. Current studies have dealt with these problems, producing a safe, reliable bonding method scaled to the needs of the electronics industry.
PROBLEMS AND APPLICATION OF LICHENOMETRY TO GEOMORPHIC STUDIES, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO

The use of lichenometry for dating neoglacial deposits in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado encounters several dif
Cardiovascular Toxicity of Cholinesterase Inhibitors

Publisher Summary Organophosphates (OPs) cause histopathological changes in cardiac tissue, and, depending on the dosage, can seriously affect the functioning of the heart. In severe cases of OP intoxication, the heart goes into ventricular fibrillation. Progress in the development of antidotes against OP-caused cardiovascular toxicity depends on detailed parsing of the underlying cellular processes. Such an approach requires insight into how muscle responds to the presence of toxic insult, and a description of the changes initiated. The chapter addresses these issues by discussing the effect of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition on contractile tissue, and the results obtained by the use of high-performance computer simulation of the cellular processes to lend better insight into the modulation of electrophysiology by OPs. The results suggest the nature of pharmacological approaches that need to be considered to treat OP toxicity. Computer simulations of OP-affected cellular processes can add considerable new insights into the mechanisms responsible for the modulation of cardiac electrophysiological processes. It is shown that inhibition of chloride transport can change overshoot of action potential, and thus, it can stop the action potential firing. Process simulations can quantify the nature and magnitudes of the incurred changes, and the deviation from the normal conditions. There is a need for additional cellular experimental data on membrane currents and ion concentrations in various cellular compartments under pathological conditions. Such data will make the simulation of the cardiac cycle of the whole heart possible and suggest pharmacological intervention strategies to overcome the effect of OP on cardiac tissue.
Diagnosing Capitalism: Vital Economics and the Structure of Sympathy in Gaskell's Industrial Novels

The received wisdom about Elizabeth Gaskell’s industrial novels is that they are meant to inspire sympathy in readers. Critics often suggest that by representing the suffering of laborers, Gaskell ...
Evaluation of Common Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Urgent Setting.

Abstract Introduction Musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints comprise approximately 20% of primary care and emergency department visits annually in the United States. At the same time, there is a shortag...
Economic Analyses of an Alcohol Misconduct Prevention Program in a Military Setting.

ABSTRACT Objective: The economic burden associated with alcohol misuse, in particular early attrition or discharge associated with alcohol-related incidents (ARIs), is significant in military settings. We assessed the potential economic benefit of a brief alcohol intervention program, the Alcohol Misconduct Prevention Program (AMPP), initially implemented at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Technical Training site for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) from October 1, 2010, to December 31, 2012. Methods: We conducted cost-effectiveness and cost–benefit analyses of the AMPP from the perspective of the USAF. Program effectiveness was measured as the number of ARIs avoided after the AMPP implementation, and program benefit was measured as the potential cost savings related to reductions in ARIs. One-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine the robustness of base case results. Results: The AMPP resulted in the avoidance of 59 ARIs which cost $9,869 for every ARI avoided. For every dollar invested in the AMPP,...
Synthetic alpha-synuclein fibrils cause mitochondrial impairment and selective dopamine neurodegeneration in part via iNOS-mediated nitric oxide production

Intracellular accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) are hallmarks of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Exogenous addition of preformed α-syn fibrils (PFFs) into primary hippocampal neurons induced α-syn aggregation and accumulation. Likewise, intrastriatal inoculation of PFFs into mice and non-human primates generates Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites associated with PD-like neurodegeneration. Herein, we investigate the putative effects of synthetic human PFFs on cultured rat ventral midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. A time- and dose-dependent accumulation of α-syn was observed following PFFs exposure that also underwent phosphorylation at serine 129. PFFs treatment decreased the expression levels of synaptic proteins, caused alterations in axonal transport-related proteins, and increased H2AX Ser139 phosphorylation. Mitochondrial impairment (including modulation of mitochondrial dynamics-associated protein content), enhanced oxidative stress, and an inflammatory response were also detected in our experimental paradigm. In attempt to unravel a potential molecular mechanism of PFFs neurotoxicity, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase was blocked; a significant decline in protein nitration levels and protection against PFFs-induced DA neuron death were observed. Combined exposure to PFFs and rotenone resulted in an additive toxicity. Strikingly, many of the harmful effects found were more prominent in DA rather than non-DA neurons, suggestive of higher susceptibility to degenerate. These findings provide new insights into the role of α-syn in the pathogenesis of PD and could represent a novel and valuable model to study DA-related neurodegeneration.