cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ligand trap for the activin type IIA receptor protects against vascular disease and renal fibrosis in mice with chronic kidney disease

The causes of cardiovascular mortality associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are partly attributed to the CKD–mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD). The causes of the early CKD-MBD are not well known. Our discovery of Wnt (portmanteau of wingless and int) inhibitors, especially Dickkopf 1, produced during renal repair as participating in the pathogenesis of the vascular and skeletal components of the CKD-MBD implied that additional pathogenic factors are critical. In the search for such factors, we studied the effects of activin receptor type IIA (ActRIIA) signaling by using a ligand trap for the receptor, RAP-011 (a soluble extracellular domain of ActRIIA fused to a murine IgG-Fc fragment). In a mouse model of CKD that stimulated atherosclerotic calcification, RAP-011 significantly increased aortic ActRIIA signaling assessed by the levels of phosphorylated Smad2/3. Furthermore, RAP-011 treatment significantly reversed CKD-induced vascular smooth muscle dedifferentiation as assessed by smooth muscle 22α levels, osteoblastic transition, and neointimal plaque calcification. In the diseased kidneys, RAP-011 significantly stimulated αklotho levels and it inhibited ActRIIA signaling and decreased renal fibrosis and proteinuria. RAP-011 treatment significantly decreased both renal and circulating Dickkopf 1 levels, showing that Wnt activation was downstream of ActRIIA. Thus, ActRIIA signaling in CKD contributes to the CKD-MBD and renal fibrosis. ActRIIA signaling may be a potential therapeutic target in CKD.
Telomere diminution as a cause of immune failure in old age: an unfashionable demurral.

The hypothesis that cellular proliferation leads to telomere shortening, which in turn leads to replicative failure, which in turn leads to a failure of immune function in aged individuals, is here evaluated against the published evidence about the nature and pace of immune decline in animals and humans. Although the evidence is strong that telomere shortening in late-passage human lymphocyte and non-lymphocytic cell lines induces a state in which the cells can no longer divide, there is no compelling evidence to suggest that replicative senescence of this kind is an important contributor to immune deficiency in old age. On the contrary, the accelerated pace of immune decline in mice and rats, whose telomeres are much longer than those of humans, argues strongly that the factors that pace age-dependent immune decline do not include telomere shortening. In addition, three subsidiary arguments - (a) the decline with age in naive T cell proliferation despite their relatively long telomeres; (b) the preservation of T cell proliferation in Werner9s syndrome patients despite their cell lines9 proclivity to replicative senescence in vitro ; and (c) the ability of PMA and ionomycin to stimulate proliferation in T cells from old donors, but not in late-passage T cell lines - all support the conclusion that aging of the immune system in living animals is not a consequence of the kind of replicative senescence typically caused by short telomeres in vitro.
Scent Apparatus of the Male Cabbage Looper, Trichoplusia ni

The scent apparatus of the male cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), consists of 3 groups of scent scales. The largest scales are the hairpencils, termed here the large scent brush, which consist of 4-mm-long hollow scales that arise from 2 ventral tubes on the 8th abdominal segment. On each side of the 8th and 9th segments are hollow scales 1.5 mm long that form the small scent brushes. The 3rd structure is a patch of minute scales located on the ventral rim of the 8th sternite which forms the roof of the fold containing the hairpencils. All these scales arise from large glandular cells characterized by a very large nucleus and a microvilli-lined apical reservoir. The glandular cells of the hairpencils and small scent brushes atrophy within 2 days after emergence but those of the scent scale patch are continuously active. The hairpencils are known to be odoriforous, and the glandular nature of the other scales suggests that they are also.
Control of a canonical separated flow

A stalled airfoil can exhibit up to three natural frequencies associated with the separated flow: that of the shear layer, the separation bubble, and the wake. This work investigates these flow phenomena using a simplified canonical setup and targets their frequencies with zero-net mass-flux (ZNMF) actuation in order to effectively and efficiently reduce the extent of the separation. First, boundary layer separation is created on a flat plate model, devoid of curvature that would otherwise include effects particular to the type of aerodynamic body, by imposing an adverse pressure gradient via a ZNMF suction/blowing boundary condition on the tunnel ceiling. At a chord Reynolds number of 10, the nominal two-dimensional characteristics of the flow are verified. The uncontrolled flow is characterized, including identification of the key flow frequency content, prior to strategically targeting this content with unsteady actuation. The identified natural frequencies of the shear layer and wake are then targeted via open-loop ZNMF sinusoidal and burst-modulated (BM) forcing. The results clearly indicate the ability to reattach the separated flow using significantly reduced Cμ values via BM forcing compared to sinusoidal forcing at the actuator resonance frequency.
Life History and Ecology of the Moth Sameodes albiguttalis, a Candidate for Biological Control of Waterhyacinth

Larvae of the pyralid moth, Sameodes albiguttalis (Warren), caused heavy but, sporadic damage to waterhyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms in Argentina. Females laid an avg of 300 eggs each, usually in injuries, on the plant leaves. The larvae fed inside the petioles and bud of the plant and pupated in white cocoons in the bulbous-type petioles. Eggs required 4 days to hatch, the 5 larval instars took a total of 21 days to pupate, and pupae took 7 days to emerge. In the laboratory, 95.6% of the eggs survived, 54.3% of the larvae, and 96% of the pupae. With optimum conditions in the laboratory, the population was calculated to increase 1.16 times/day, or 150 times/generation of 34 days, and to double each 4.7 days. Five generations/year occurred in the field, and maximum populations measured were 130 larvae and pupae/l00 plants. A braconid parasitoid heavily attacked larval populations and a pathogen, Nosema invadens or nr., infected all stages in the field in Argentina. Sameodes albiguttalis would probably be an effective control agent if released in regions where it is not native. A synergistic effect between it and weevils of the genus Neochetina is predicted. The factors affecting its potential effectiveness are discussed.
The Ventilatory Response to Carbon Dioxide in Patients Who Have Recovered from Cardiogenic Pulmonary Oedema

1. The arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide in a group of patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema was compared with their ventilatory response to carbon dioxide after recovery from the acute episode of pulmonary oedema. 2. There was no significant correlation between the degree of carbon dioxide retention during acute pulmonary oedema and the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide after recovery.
Philadelphia chromosome positive childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

In a 3-yr period, the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1) was found in 4 of 43 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in whom chromosomes were studied at diagnosis. The clinical, morphological, cytochemical, and immunologic findings in the Ph1-positive (PH1+) CASES WERE CONsistent with typical childhood ALL, indicating that identification of cases requires chromosome studies. A review of all reported cases of Ph1 + childhood ALL shows that Ph1 + patients are older and have higher initial platelet and white blood cell counts (WBC) than most children with ALL. However, a life table comparison between the reported cases of Ph1 + ALL in children and randomly selected age-, sex-, and WBC-matched controls with ALL shows the duration of first marrow remission to be significantly shorter (p less than 0.02) for the Ph1 + cases Ph1 + ALL is a distinct subtype of childhood ALL that is not rare and can be identified only by cytogenetic studies. The prognosis is poor. Cytogenetic studies should be done prospectively in a large group of children with ALL to define further the subgroup of patients and to confirm the findings of this retrospective analysis.
Jong-sung You, Democracy, Inequality and Corruption: Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines Compared

Over the years much ink has been spilt asserting that democracy and economic growth reduce corruption. Indeed, conventional wisdom holds that weakened democratic institutions and poor economic deve...
Spall fracture in additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V

We present a study on the spall strength of additive manufactured (AM) Ti-6Al-4V. Samples were obtained from two pieces of selective laser melted (SLM, a powder bed fusion technique) Ti-6Al-4V such that the response to dynamic tensile loading could be investigated as a function of the orientation between the build layers and the loading direction. A sample of wrought bar-stock Ti-6Al-4V was also tested to act as a baseline representing the traditionally manufactured material response. A single-stage light gas-gun was used to launch a thin flyer plate into the samples, generating a region of intense tensile stress on a plane normal to the impact direction. The rear free surface velocity time history of each sample was recorded with laser-based velocimetry to allow the spall strength to be calculated. The samples were also soft recovered to enable post-mortem characterization of the spall damage evolution. Results showed that when the tensile load was applied normal to the interfaces between the build layer...
Cytokine Measurement by Flow Cytometry

In the years since intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) was first developed (1), this method has become a standard way to analyze the functions of immune cells by flow cytometry. It has been used with specific antigen stimulation (2, 3) to read out T cell populations responsive to vaccines (4–6), pathogens (7, 8), cancer (9–11), or allergens (12), in both human and animal models. The technique has been combined with MHC-peptide multimer staining (11, 13), including combinatorial tetramer staining that allows the interrogation of many epitope specificities at once (14, 15). Combined assays with tetramers can be done by first staining with tetramer(s), then stimulating with a nonspecific agent such as PMA+ionomycin, which bypasses the tetramer-occupied T cell receptors. ICS has also increasingly been used with detection of CD154 (16, 17) or CD107a (18) induction, as markers of activation and degranulation, respectively. When used with cell surface and other intracellular phenotyping markers, such multiparameter ICS assays are a tool of choice for functional characterization of T cells and other cytokine-producing cell populations. ICS has also successfully been converted to the mass cytometry platform (19) allowing the use of many more simultaneous markers without significant spillover between readouts.
Optimization of Man-Machine Interface for Real-Time Visual Information Transfer to the Visually Handicapped

Abstract The research is directed at investigation of the parameters involved in optimization of the man-machine interface for transmission, recognition and individual control of real-time visual information access for the visually handicapped. Three overlapping areas are considered -- the visual information access with the concept of controlled feedback for distance, depth of field, focus and angle of observation; the basic parameters of physiological neural integration combined with the electro-mechanical interface of vibrator-matrix-to-skin information exchange and recognition; and the detail of micro miniature circuit design to provide the optimum signal processing and transducer excitation. The theoretical solutions are implemented in a prototype capability used experimentally to validate the system operation and to identify critical parameter values. The boundary values of non-invassive acceptance, neural X-Y correlation and recognition, and skin sensitivity versus pain thresholds resulted in the selection of a vibrotactile array as the man-machine interface, each of the miniature vibrators being individually driven at four levels of excitation with controlled presentation parameters of random, sweep, and trace, and with possible selection of mode by the operator. The paper presents the theory and experimental results of threshold and recognition sensitivity versus the control parameters of pulse shape, repetition frequency, duty cycle, pulses per burst, and recovery period for skin adaptation versus driving power and noise level. The visual information access was optimized using a light-sensitive RAM with a 128x256 matrix array, reduced to fit the tactile unit, coupled to a focusing lens with eventual capability to control depth of focus and visual field angle. Signal processing and vibrator drive requirements involve the theoretical design and optimization of microprocessor circuits capable of providing the necessary control of the critical parameters of wave shape, randomization of vibrator excitation, sweep, trace, or random presentation together with four levels of amplitude representing four gray levels of light. Vibrator noise is reduced to 70dBC or less by special excitation pulse wave shaping and storing of the pulse in memory. The paper presents details of the three system areas, their experimental validation on both sighted and blind subjects, with possible feedback optimization capabilities available to the operator.
Detection of Sub-Design Rule Shorts for Process Development in Advanced Technology Nodes

Electric shorts down to atomic scale have emerged as the most critical yield detractors in advanced technology process development. In this paper, we demonstrate successful detection by various charging dynamic effects which stem from the transistor level response under electron beam exposure. We found that charging dynamic effects coupled with photon or scan direction are exceptionally useful for critical voltage contrast defect detection. Correlation with other characterization methods on the same defective location from electron beam inspection scan shows consistent results for various shorting mechanisms.
Validation of a mixture-averaged thermal diffusion model for premixed lean hydrogen flames

The mixture-averaged thermal diffusion model originally proposed by Chapman and Cowling is validated using multiple flame configurations. Simulations using detailed hydrogen chemistry are done on one-, two-, and three-dimensional flames. The analysis spans flat and stretched, steady and unsteady, and laminar and turbulent flames. Quantitative and qualitative results using the thermal diffusion model compare very well with the more complex multicomponent diffusion model. Comparisons are made using flame speeds, surface areas, species profiles, and chemical source terms. Once validated, this model is applied to three-dimensional laminar and turbulent flames. For these cases, thermal diffusion causes an increase in the propagation speed of the flames as well as increased product chemical source terms in regions of high positive curvature. The results illustrate the necessity for including thermal diffusion, and the accuracy and computational efficiency of the mixture-averaged thermal diffusion model.
Converging or Diverging: Shifting Ethnoracial Composition and the Urban-suburban Distinction in Attitudes toward Immigrants in Houston, 1995–2016:

We examine the political position of the suburbs relative to the city by focusing on attitudes toward immigrants. Using 22 years of survey data for the Houston area, this paper addresses three ques...
Distributed MPPT for modular differential power processing in scalable photovoltaic system

This paper presents a distributed control strategy for Panel to Panel (P2P) transfer method in Modular Differential Power Processing (mDPP). There can be a coupling effect between the different PV panels when mDPP is implemented. To mitigate this coupling effect, a voltage inner loop and power outer loop control strategy is proposed to track the maximum power point of the PV panel as well as convert only the differential power between mismatched PV modules. The simulation results validate the stability and MPPT accuracy. Hardware prototype is built and exhibits performance advantages.
Nasal Vestibule, Nasal Cavity, and Paranasal Sinuses

Malignant disease of the nose and sinuses accounts for only a small proportion of human cancers. The challenge to the managing physician on the other hand is usually greater than that presented by cancer in many other sites. The advanced stage of disease at presentation and the proximity of critical normal structures mandates a high degree of technical competence in order to produce acceptable results. An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to insure optimal diagnosis, staging, therapy and rehabilitation. The spectrum of malignancies encountered in this region is broad, further confusing the principles of management. In this chapter, major emphasis is placed on the therapy of epithelial neoplasms arising from the mucosal lining of the nasal chambers. Salient features of non-epithelial tumors are mentioned separately where appropriate.
Introduction to Biological Systems

Living organisms are composed of macromolecules like DNA, RNA, proteins, and carbohydrates that dictate various processes. This chapter provides a glimpse of biological macromolecules and their interplay resulting in biological process or pathways.
An Overview of Non-Classical/Classical Thermal-Structural Models and Computational Methods for Analysis of Engineering Structures

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of nonclassical/classical thermal-structural models and computational methods for the analysis of engineering structures. The fusion of both the fields of heat conduction in solids and continuum elasticity results in the so-called field of dynamic thermoelasticity. Because of the complex nature of the structural components/configurations encountered in engineering practice, numerical computational methods play an important role for the fields of heat transfer, and the associated structural analysis. Thermoelasticity represents a generalization of the heat conduction and the elasticity theories. The theory based on Fourier's law of heat conduction is known as the classical theory of thermoelasticity. The basic difference between explicit methods and implicit methods is the computational solution procedure and the choice of time steps. In explicit methods, the unknowns at the current time level can be directly evaluated from the previously known values. The continuity equation for a single phase continuum is also elaborated in the chapter.
Psychosocial Interventions for Couples Coping with Cancer: A Systematic Review

This chapter systematically reviews the efficacy of existing psychosocial interventions in cancer involving couples on patients’ and their partners’ quality of life (QOL). We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled studies of psychosocial interventions conducted with cancer patients and their partners published between 1980 and 2011 that were aimed at improving the patient’s and/or the partner’s QOL. Using bibliographic software and manual review, two independent raters reviewed 744 articles and identified 19 articles for inclusion. Owing to the varied or sometimes absent theoretical basis, the varied intervention approaches used, and the diversity in outcomes reported, it is difficult to discern a clear pattern of results. Studies that were aimed at improving communication, reciprocal understanding, and intimacy appeared effective in reducing distress and improving relationship functioning in one or both partners. However, such interventions appear to benefit only a subset of couples—particularly those who have poorer functioning relationships, greater cancer-related distress, or poor communication skills at the outset. Questions also remain regarding at what point in the illness and treatment trajectory couples’ interventions should be delivered, and how long they should continue. Two areas that appear to be fruitful for future intervention include expanding choice of outcomes to include health behaviors and designing sexual interventions that include both patients and their partners. More research is also needed to determine whether intervention modality affects intervention efficacy and whether technologically based interventions are easier to disseminate and are cost-effective.
CT of Cardiac and Paracardiac Masses

There is a broad spectrum of cardiac and paracardiac masses, which includes nonneoplastic as well as neoplastic lesions, both benign and malignant lesions. In addition, there are several normal variants that may mimic masses. CT scan has become an important imaging modality in the evaluation of these cardiac and paracardiac masses due to several advantages such as high spatial resolution, good temporal resolution, wide field of view, and multiplanar reconstruction capabilities. It is particularly valuable in patients who have contraindications for undergoing MRI. CT is ideal for detection of calcifications and evaluation of vascular supply in cardiac masses. In this article, we review the role of CT in the evaluation of cardiac and paracardiac masses.
“This Isn’t Just About Us”: Articulations of Feminism in Media Narratives of Athlete Activism:

Historically, the world of sport has served as a symbolic site for social justice, ushering change in the wider society and inspiring movements that often do not directly or solely tie to sport. Re...
Case 3: Polyuria and Polydipsia in an 11-year-old Boy.

1. Tejasvi K. Dasari, BS* 2. Shabana Yusuf, MD, MEd† 1. *Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 2. †Division of Pediatrics Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX An 11-year-old boy presents to the emergency department (ED) with a 1-month history of intermittent vomiting and fatigue. Further history revealed a 10-lb (4.5-kg) weight loss during the past few months, progressively decreasing energy and appetite, and polyuria and polydipsia for more than 2 months. Within the past month he was observed drinking approximately 2 gal (7.6 L) of water a day and urinating 10 or more times a day, including 2 to 3 times during the night. Although he did not endorse a history of headache, weakness, or paresthesia, he reported intermittent blurry vision and dizziness. During the past few months, he had been evaluated by his pediatrician multiple times for these concerns. Six months before ED presentation his weight was 93.7 lb (42.5 kg) (74th percentile) and his height was 60 in (152.4 cm) (85th percentile). Two weeks before the ED visit his weight had declined to 86.6 lb (39.3 kg) (45th percentile) and his height was 61 in (155 cm) (82nd percentile), indicating a change in BMI from 18.3 (65th percentile) to 16.4 (34th percentile) during this period. He had undergone evaluations for diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus (DI), which were negative; results of an upper gastrointestinal series were negative as well. A serum osmolality ordered by his pediatrician 10 days before his ED visit was 292 mOsm/kg (292 mmol/kg) (normal range, 278–305 mOsm/kg [278–305 mmol/kg]); urine osmolality was 99 mOsm/kg (99 mmol/kg) (normal range, 50–1,200 mOsm/kg [50–1,200 mmol/kg]), and his serum sodium level was 137 mEq/L (137 mmol/L) (normal range, 135–146 mEq/L [135–146 mmol/L]). On ED arrival his vital signs were stable. Physical evaluation showed …
Methodological considerations for a better somatosensory gating paradigm: The impact of the inter-stimulus interval.

Abstract Sensory gating (SG) is a neurophysiological phenomenon whereby the response to the second stimulus in a repetitive pair is attenuated. This filtering of irrelevant or redundant information is thought to preserve neural resources for more behaviorally-relevant stimuli and thereby reflect the functional inhibition of sensory input. Developing a SG paradigm in which optimal suppression of sensory input is achieved requires investigators to consider numerous parameters such as stimulus intensity, time between stimulus pairs, and the inter-stimulus interval (ISI) within each pair. While these factors have been well defined for the interrogation of auditory gating, the precise parameters for eliciting optimal gating in the somatosensory domain are far less understood. To address this, we investigated the impact of varying the ISI within each identical pair of stimuli on gating using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Specifically, 25 healthy young adults underwent paired-pulse electrical stimulation of the median nerve with increasing ISIs between 100 and 1000 ​ms (in 100 ​ms increments). Importantly, for correspondence with previous studies of somatosensory gating, both time-domain and oscillatory neural responses to somatosensory stimulation were evaluated. Our results indicated that gating of somatosensory input was optimal (i.e., best suppression) for trials with an ISI of 200–220 ​ms, as evidenced by the smallest gating ratios and through statistical modeling estimations of optimal suppression. Importantly, this was true irrespective of whether oscillatory or evoked neural activity was used to calculate SG. Interestingly, oscillatory metrics of gating calculated using peak gamma (30-75 ​Hz) power and frequency revealed more robust gating (i.e., smaller ratios) than those calculated using time-domain neural responses, suggesting that high frequency oscillations may provide a more sensitive measure of SG. These findings have important implications for the development of optimal protocols and analysis pipelines to interrogate SG and inhibitory processing with a higher degree of sensitivity and accuracy.
Living Ethnomusicology: Paths and Practices

Despite their differences, oral history and ethnomusicology are related by their reliance on interviewing. Gathering information verbally is a traditional component of ethnomusicological fieldwork,...
On the surface expression of bottom features in free-surface flow

Laboratory experiments were carried out in an open-channel recirculating water flume for different bottom treatments and a variety of flow conditions. We acquired overhead images of the free surface downstream of the bottom features and used these to train convolutional neural network based classifiers. Using these classifiers, we demonstrate that information acquired at the surface alone can be used to differentiate between the physical features that lie at the bottom boundary. We show that although external physical processes, such as winds, can modulate the free surface, they do not necessarily eliminate the free-surface signature of the submerged bottom features. Our results provide strong motivation for future studies that probe the physical processes responsible for transporting information about the bottom of the flow to the surface.
Development of a Core Set for Knee Dysfunction Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: A Cross-sectional Study.

Abstract Objective To develop an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core set for patients with knee dysfunction. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting The study was conducted at all levels of care (general community, primary care units, rehabilitation clinics/centers, hospital). Participants Participants (N=388) with knee dysfunction with or without clinical diagnosis of knee pathology, with or without complaint of pain, with or without instability, and/or with or without knee movement restriction of any type. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Participants were assessed using the core sets for acute and postacute musculoskeletal conditions, the subjective form from the International Knee Documentation Committee scale, the self-report of general health and functionality, and the general health and functionality classified by the researcher. To identify the categories that best explain knee dysfunction, linear regression analyses were performed. Results Twenty-four categories were identified from the 75 core set categories for acute and postacute musculoskeletal conditions. Eleven categories belong to the component body functions, 3 represent body structures, 7 represent activities and participation, and 3 represent environmental factors. Conclusions A core set for knee dysfunction that can be used at all levels of health care was proposed, which offers a system for disability assessment related to knee dysfunction, including environmental and social factors. These factors are important for a broad assessment because they include the multiple aspects of functionality, usually not considered in other knee dysfunction assessment instruments. Further analysis of the content and construct validity of the core set is required.
Holiday Stress and Other Sorrows

During these years many Austrian scientists who had emigrated returned for summer visits to Vienna and while there, they visited Arthur Haas who was building a dense web of relationships toward his goal of a permanent position as a professor. Yet his personal relationship began to suffer and his wife began to travel independently. Although Haas himself always claimed limited financial resources, she had inherited a substantial fortune from her father, which helped her to finance her excursions.
Thoracolumbar Spinal Arterial Anatomy, with Special Consideration Given to Spine Intervention

This chapter considers the vascularization of the vertebral column and spinal cord, emphasizing its impact on percutaneous spine intervention. The intersegmental artery remains close to its primitive configuration in the thoracic and lumbar regions; it is modified at the cervical and sacral levels to form the vertebral artery and the median and lateral sacral arteries. The intersegmental branches supplying the spinal cord, often concealed by muscular, osseous, or bronchial arteries, represent an important source of complication during spine procedures. The chapter uses numerous examples to illustrate the spine vascularization under normal and pathological conditions.
The immediate and long-term effects of exercise and patient education on physical, functional, and quality-of-life outcome measures after single-level lumbar microdiscectomy: a randomized controlled trial protocol.

Low back pain remains a costly quality-of-life-related health problem. Microdiscectomy is often the surgical procedure of choice for a symptomatic, single-level, lumbar disc herniation in younger and middle-aged adults. The question of whether a post-microdiscectomy exercise program enhances function, quality of life, and disability status has not been systematically explored. Thus, the overall purpose of this study is to assess immediate and long-term outcomes of an exercise program, developed at University of Southern California (USC), targeting the trunk and lower extremities (USC Spine Exercise Program) for persons who have undergone a single-level microdiscectomy for the first time. One hundred individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who consent to undergo lumbar microdiscectomy will be recruited to participate in this study. Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) one session of back care education, or 2) a back care education session followed by the 12-week USC Spine Exercise Program. The outcome examiners (evaluators), as well as the data managers, will be blinded to group allocation. Education will consist of a one-hour "one-on-one" session with the intervention therapist, guided by an educational booklet specifically designed for post-microdiscectomy care. This session will occur four to six weeks after surgery. The USC Spine Exercise Program consists of two parts: back extensor strength and endurance, and mat and upright therapeutic exercises. This exercise program is goal-oriented, performance-based, and periodized. It will begin two to three days after the education session, and will occur three times a week for 12 weeks. Primary outcome measures include the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, SF-36® quality of life assessment, Subjective Quality of Life Scale, 50-foot Walk, Repeated Sit-to-Stand, and a modified Sorensen test. The outcome measures in the study will be assessed before and after the 12-week post-surgical intervention program. Long-term follow up assessments will occur every six months beginning one year after surgery and ending five years after surgery. Immediate and long-term effects will be assessed using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). If significant interactions are found, one-way ANOVAs will be performed followed by post-hoc testing to determine statistically significant pairwise comparisons. We have presented the rationale and design for a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment regimen for people who have undergone a single-level lumbar microdiscectomy.
A Case Study in Tightly Coupled Multi-paradigm Parallel Programming

Programming paradigms are designed to express algorithms elegantly and efficiently. There are many parallel programming paradigms, each suited to a certain class of problems. Selecting the best parallel programming paradigm for a problem minimizes programming effort and maximizes performance. Given the increasing complexity of parallel applications, no one paradigm may be suitable for all components of an application. Today, most parallel scientific applications are programmed with a single paradigm and the challenge of multi-paradigm parallel programming remains unmet in the broader community. We believe that each component of a parallel program should be programmed using the most suitable paradigm. Furthermore, it is not sufficient to simply bolt modules together: programmers should be able to switch between paradigms easily, and resource management across paradigms should be automatic. We present a pre-existing adaptive runtime system (ARTS) and show how it can be used to meet these challenges by allowing the simultaneous use of multiple parallel programming paradigms and supporting resource management across all of them. We discuss the implementation of some common paradigms within the ARTS and demonstrate the use of multiple paradigms within our featurerich unstructured mesh framework. We show how this approach boosts performance and productivity for an application developed using this framework.
Data management: Graduate student's awareness of practices and policies

This poster presents the preliminary results from a survey on the data management practices of graduate students. We investigate what graduate students know about data management from the technical aspects such as the familiarity and use of tools and technologies along with their participation and familiarity with data standards and policies. Preliminary data shows that graduate students lack awareness of data management policies, technologies, and practices when it comes to storing, accessing, and sharing data. The aim of this work is to provide insight on the data literacy needs of graduate students.
The action of estrogen and progesterone on the gonadotropin content of the pituitary of the monkey (Macaca mulatta).

IN a recent review, Greep and Jones (1) indicated that though a great deal is known concerning the action. of the pituitary hormone on the target organs, very little is known “as to what the secretory products of the target organs do to the pituitary gland.” It is universally accepted now that the ovary is under the control of three gonadotropins from the anteriorpituitary. These are the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the luteotropic hormone (LTH). There is no doubt that the gonadotropins are in turn regulated by the sex steroids but their specific role in regulating the hypophysis is still questionable. A marked increase in the gonadotropin concentration of the hypophysis after castration has been demonstrated in the guinea pig (2), the rabbit(3) and the rat (4). In 1932, Zondek (5) reported an increase in the gonadotropin concentration of the urine of castrated men and women. The results obtained from treatment with estrogenic substances have been somewhat more cont...
A 21-to-54.5GHz transformer-coupled varactorless 45nm CMOS VCO

A dual-resonance mode millimeter-wave VCO with a transformer-coupled resonator in 45nm SOI CMOS is presented that achieves a record tuning range of 88.5% and generates frequencies in 21.1-to-54.5GHz range while consuming only 8-16mW from a 1V supply. Switched capacitor banks and a switched coupled inductor provide coarse tuning, while fine frequency tuning is performed with current-mode tuning. With phase noise lower than -107dBc/Hz at 10MHz offset, the FOM T of this VCO is better than-185.4 dB.
A simulator for evaluating methods for the detection of lesion-deficit associations.

Although much has been learned about the functional organization of the human brain through lesion-deficit analysis, the variety of statistical and image-processing methods developed for this purpose precludes a closed-form analysis of the statistical power of these systems. Therefore, we developed a lesion-deficit simulator (LDS), which generates artificial subjects, each of which consists of a set of functional deficits, and a brain image with lesions; the deficits and lesions conform to predefined distributions. We used probability distributions to model the number, sizes, and spatial distribution of lesions, to model the structure-function associations, and to model registration error. We used the LDS to evaluate, as examples, the effects of the complexities and strengths of lesion-deficit associations, and of registration error, on the power of lesion-deficit analysis. We measured the numbers of recovered associations from these simulated data, as a function of the number of subjects analyzed, the strengths and number of associations in the statistical model, the number of structures associated with a particular function, and the prior probabilities of structures being abnormal. The number of subjects required to recover the simulated lesion-deficit associations was found to have an inverse relationship to the strength of associations, and to the smallest probability in the structure-function model. The number of structures associated with a particular function (i.e., the complexity of associations) had a much greater effect on the performance of the analysis method than did the total number of associations. We also found that registration error of 5 mm or less reduces the number of associations discovered by approximately 13% compared to perfect registration. The LDS provides a flexible framework for evaluating many aspects of lesion-deficit analysis.
Inhibition of collagen gene expression by interferon‐γ: Novel role of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ)

By inhibiting collagen synthesis, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) plays a key role in maintaining connective tissue homeostasis, but the mechanisms are not well-understood. In addition to intracellular signaling through the canonical JAK-STAT transduction pathway, IFN-gamma was recently shown to regulate gene expression via the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta) as well. Because C/EBPbeta is a crucial mediator of immune and inflammatory responses, and has been implicated in regulation of collagen synthesis by tumor necrosis factor-alpha, we examined its role in the inhibitory effects of IFN-gamma. The results demonstrated that IFN-gamma caused increased C/EBPbeta expression in dermal fibroblasts and enhanced its binding to cognate DNA sequences in the alpha2(I) procollagen gene (COL1A2) promoter in vitro and in vivo. Disruption of C/EBP binding by deletion or site-directed mutagenesis abrogated the inhibition of collagen promoter activity in transient transfection assays, as did cotransfection with dominant negative C/EBPbeta, indicating a functional role of cellular C/EBPbeta in mediating the IFN-gamma response. Rapid phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 MAP kinases induced by IFN-gamma was accompanied by phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of cellular C/EBPbeta, and pretreatment of fibroblasts with ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor blocked C/EBPbeta phosphorylation, as well as inhibition of COL1A2 promoter activity, elicited by IFN-gamma. These results provide compelling evidence for a novel C/EBPbeta-dependent IFN-gamma signaling pathway responsible for inhibition of collagen gene transcription. Taken together with recent reports, the findings indicate that intracellular pathways mediating negative regulation of collagen synthesis in response to distinct inflammatory signals that converge on C/EBPbeta.
Depths and water content of magma chambers in the Aleutian and Mariana island arcs

On pseudoternary diagrams, locations of experimentally produced melt compositions that coexist with plagioclase and anhydrous mafic minerals vary as functions of pressure (a geobarometer) and water content (a geohygrometer). Projection of rock compositions onto diagrams allows constraints to be placed on magma chamber depths and meltwater content. Application of the experimentally calibrated geobarometer and gehygrometer to Aleutian and Mariana rock suites suggests Aleutian magma chambers to be at depths of 7 to 17 km (pressures from 2 to 5 kbar) and meltwater content of andesites near 2 wt%. Mariana magma chambers are at shallow depths (pressure less than 2 kbar), and their water content is less than 2 wt%, probably near 1 wt%. Magma chamber depths can be interpreted to be controlled by density differences between crystallizing magmas and crust, which in turn may be controlled by crustal thermal structure. Differences in water content are correlated with amounts of sediment incorporated into basaltic magmas formed near the subducting oceanic slab.
Oil-dispersant mixtures: understanding chemical composition and its relation to human toxicity

The ability for the water accommodated fraction (WAF) of oil-dispersant mixtures to become aerosolized following natural sea surface activity markedly increases the probability of inhalation exposure to this aerosolized mixture and subsequent adverse respiratory health effects. Thus, the purpose of this study was to elucidate the chemical composition of WAF of these mixtures as well as determine how this relates to lung epithelial cell cytotoxicity. WAF was prepared by mixing each dispersant (Corexit 9500/9527/9580) with crude oil. For “chemical constituent fingerprinting,” these prepared WAF were extracted prior with dichloromethane, analyzed by Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and qualitatively evaluated using the NIST08 database. Results from chemical analysis revealed an increase in structure complexity of the WAF oil-dispersant mixtures when compared to WAF of crude oil only. This complexity was characterized by high molecular weight compounds such as alkyl derivatives, esters, and polycyclic ar...
TRANSITION-EDGE SUPERCONDUCTING ANTENNA- COUPLED BOLOMETER

We are developing a single pixel antenna coupled bolometric detector. Our device consists of a dual slot microstrip antenna coupled to an Al/Ti/Au voltage-biased transition edge superconducting bolometer (TES). The coupling architecture involves propagating the signal along superconducting microstrip lines and terminating the lines at a normal metal resistor on a thermally isolated island where the TES is also located. The device, which is inherently polarization sensitive, is optimized for 140GHz band measurements. Dark testing of the bolometer element showed a noise equivalent power of 2.0 × 10 -17
Chromatographic-fluorometric analysis of antileprotic sulfones.

Abstract Modifications to the power supply system of a spectrophotofluorometer are described. These modifications stabilize the output of the xenon arc lamp and permit the determination of nanogram quantities of antileprotic sulfones. The sulfones are removed from plasma by a single extraction with ethyl acetate, then separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography on silica, and detected in the effluent by their fluorescence. The method is specific, rapid, and reproducible.
Advanced 3-D imaging for the evaluation of pancreatic cancer with multidetector CT.

Background. Pancreatic cancer remains the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Surgery is the only option for cure. Multidetector computed tomography (CT) and advanced postprocessing techniques, can provide solutions for difficult problems in diagnosing and staging disease, and can aid radiologists in communicating findings to surgeons and oncologists. Multiplanar reformats can provide additional information on involvement of the portal vein, hepatic artery, and common bile duct. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) images and volume rendered images can aid in identification of important vascular variants. MIP images can show the relationship of tumor to the pancreatic duct or biliary tree. Curved reformatted images can show the relationship of tumor to the pancreatic duct or vascular structures.
Getting clinical trial results into practice: design, implementation, and process evaluation of the ALLHAT Dissemination Project.

Background Conventional dissemination of clinical trial results has inconsistent impact on physician practices. A more comprehensive plan to influence determinants of prescribing practices is warranted.Purpose To report the response from the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s requirement for dissemination and evaluation of trials with potential immediate public health applicability.Methods ALLHAT’s dissemination plan had two-components: (1) a traditional approach of media coverage, scientific presentation, and publication; and (2) a theory-based approach targeting determinants of clinician behavior. Strategies included: (1) academic detailing, in which physicians approach colleagues regarding blood pressure management, (2) direct patient messages to stimulate communication with physicians regarding blood pressure control, (3) approaches to formulary systems to use educational and economic incentives for evidence-ba...
Vertebrate odorant receptors.

Olfactory transduction begins with the binding of an odorous molecule to a protein receptor—odorant receptor—on the cell surface of olfactory neuron. Odorant receptors are encoded by a large gene family belonging to the superfamily of G-protein-coupled, seven-transmembrane-domain receptors. Since the identification of the receptor gene family in 1991, a considerable amount of progress has been made in the study of odorant receptors, including aspects of spatial and temporal expression pattern, the genomic organization of the receptor genes, regulation of expression, and receptor function. These studies are of critical importance in understanding how the olfactory system recognizes and distinguishes thousands of odors.
Role of epithelial nitric oxide in airway viral infection

The airway mucosal epithelium is the first site of virus contact with the host, and the main site of infection and inflammation. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the airway epithelium is vital to antiviral inflammatory and immune defense in the lung. Multiple mechanisms function coordinately to support high-level basal NO synthesis in healthy airway epithelium and further induction of NO synthesis in the infected airway of normal hosts. Hosts deficient in NO synthesis, such as those patients with cystic fibrosis, have impaired antiviral defense and may benefit from therapies to augment NO levels in the airways.