cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antinuclear autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Purpose of review The production of autoantibodies against nuclear antigens is the hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus. Among the large number of autoantibodies known, only a limited number appear to be clinically important. The various autoantibodies have different clinical significance in lupus patients. In this review, we will discuss the various antinuclear autoantibodies detected in lupus patients, their potential pathogenic role, and their usefulness in clinical practice. Recent findings Recent advances include the clear demonstration of autoantibody transport into living cells, a process that clearly includes interactions with a number of cellular components that may play a role in cellular dysfunction and disease. Also, the anti-Sm B/B' response originates from a single antigenic epitope that appears to be the same structure in different patients, before spreading to other epitopes and becoming the typically mature, complex humoral autoimmune anti-Sm autoantibody response. Summary The existing data strongly support a central role of autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of lupus. Better characterization of autoantibodies, their mechanisms of production, and their interactions with various cellular constituents will clarify the pathogenesis of this disease.
Managing the Intravenous Calcium Shortage: Evaluation of Calcium Chloride Stability in 0.9% Sodium Chloride and Dextrose 5% Water Polyvinyl Chloride Bags

Background: Intravenous calcium chloride (CaCl) is commonly used by inpatient practitioners for a myriad of indications from electrolyte abnormalities to advanced cardiac life support. Currently, a paucity of data is available regarding the stability of CaCl after preparation of intravenous admixtures.Purpose: This study evaluated the physical and chemical stability of CaCl 10% diluted in 0.9% sodium chloride or dextrose 5% water polyvinyl chloride bags.Method: CaCl 10% solution (1000 mg) was diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride or dextrose 5% water 100 mL for injection to a final concentration of 10 mg/mL. CaCl 10% solution (2000 mg) was diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride or dextrose 5% water 150 mL for injection to a final concentration of 13.3 mg/mL. Each of the preparations were stored at room temperature (23-25°C) and exposed to fluorescent light. Samples of each preparation were analyzed on days 0, 2, 3, 5, and 7. Sterility and physical stability were assessed. Chemical stability of CaCl was evaluated b...
Rice bran oil lowers serum total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol and apo B levels in nonhuman primates

The hypolipidemic response of rice bran oil (RBO) was investigated in nonhuman primates fed semi-purified diets containing blends of oils which included RBO at 0-35% Kcals as dietary fat. The studies demonstrated the following: (a) the degree of reduction of serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) was highly correlated with initial serum cholesterol levels of the monkey on the stabilization diet; (b) the content of rice bran oil in the diet was the predominant factor influencing serum TC, LDLC and apoB causing up to a 40% reduction in LDLC without affecting high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) when RBO was the sole dietary oil fed; (c) the cholesterol-lowering capabilities of RBO were not explained by its fatty acid composition. These studies suggest that RBO may be an additional vegetable oil which lowers serum cholesterol levels by unique mechanisms which will require further study.
Ossifying fibroma: A clinicopathologic study of sixty-four cases

Sixty-four cases of neoplastic benign fibro-osseous lesions are presented, with clinical and radiographic follow-up in 23 instances. A marked predilection for female patients was observed, with the majority or cases arising in the molar-premolar region of the mandible. Radiographically, these neoplasms are well demarcated and may be radiolucent, radiolucent with central opacification (target appearance), or multilocular radiolucent. A benign fibro-osseous histopathologic pattern is observed with osseous, cemental, and/or ovoid-curvoid calcified deposits. This feature, along with confinement to tooth-bearing regions, supports a periodontal ligament origin. It appears that the distinction between cementifying and ossifying variants is academic, as no behavioral differences exist. The recurrence rate following curettage was found to be 28%.
Deciding co-observability is PSPACE-complete

In this note, we reduce the deterministic finite-state automata intersection problem to the problem of deciding co-observability for regular languages using a polynomial-time many-one mapping. This demonstrates that the problem of deciding co-observability for languages marked by deterministic finite-state automata is PSPACE-complete. We use a similar reduction to reduce the deterministic finite-state automata intersection problem to deciding other versions of co-observability introduced in a previous paper. These results imply that the co-observability of regular languages most likely cannot be decided in polynomial time unless we make further restrictions on the languages. These results also show that deciding decentralized supervisor existence is PSPACE-complete and therefore probably intractable.
Effect of Ventricular Rate on the Cardiac Output in the Dog with Chronic Heart Block

The effect of heart rate on cardiac output and associated rate induced hemodynamic changes in dogs with chronic heart block is presented and discussed. At heart rates below 60/min., the stroke volume was maximum and relatively constant, and the cardiac output was largely rate-dependent. These relationships did not exist at ventricular rates above 60/min. Cinefluorographic evidence of decreased diastolic ventricular filling with increasing ventricular rates is presented. At very slow and very fast ventricular rates, the cardiac output decreased despite an increase in right atrial and right ventricular end-diastolic pressure. At slow rates the decreased output was due to rate alone, while at rapid rates it was attributed to the decreased diastolic filling period and resistance to ventricular distention, resulting in decreased diastolic filling.
The COMSY: Code for the Detecting of Piping Degradation Due to Flow-Accelerated Corrosion

For the aging and plant life management the integrity of the mechanical component and structure is one of the key objectives. In most cases, only a small percentage of mechanical components are subject to significant degradation, e.g. flow-accelerated corrosion which may affect this integrity or the function of the component. Flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) is a degradation process resulting in wall thinning of piping, vessels, heat exchanger and further equipment made of carbon and low alloy steel. The FAC degradation mechanism occurs only locally under specific condition of flow, water chemistry, temperature and materials applied. The establishment and implementation of a long term strategy is essential to the success of a plant’s FAC program. Effective measures to reduce FAC effects are e.g.: • Optimizing the water chemical treatment (e.g. high-AVT); • Apply improved material concepts for replaced components or lines and/or sufficient wall thickness margins; • Apply qualified repair technologies (e.g. METCO spraying, sheet metal cladding). In case of changes in system operation conditions (e.g. power uprate) the effect on FAC degradation rates should be analyzed before implementation and appropriate precautions should be initiated. For this purpose AREVA NP GmbH has developed the computer code COMSY, which utilities more than 30 years of experience resulting from operational experience and research activities. The COMSY code provides the capability to establish a program guided technical documentation by utilizing a virtual plant model which includes information regarding thermal hydraulic operation, water chemical conditions and materials applied for mechanical components. It provides the option to perform a plant-wide screening for identifying system areas, which are sensitive for degradation mechanisms like FAC. If a system area is identified as being susceptible to degradation, a detailed analysis function enables the condition-oriented service life evaluation of vessels and piping systems in order to localize and conservatively quantify the effect of degradation. Based on these forecasts with COMSY, specific strategies can be developed to mitigate the effect of degradation and inspection activities can be focused on degradation sensitive areas.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Theorizing a ‘halfie’ researcher’s identity in transnational fieldwork

The topic of how reflexivity ought to be utilized in the global aspect of research is yet to be fully theorized in educational research. Through the use of rigorous reflexivity, this paper examines a ‘halfie’ researcher’s negotiation of insider and outsider identities within his transnational home/field site of Nepal. By examining how identities are reconfigured within transnational spaces, the paper analyzes the intricacies of negotiating legitimacy and reciprocity with participants. Although the literature on reflexivity asks researchers to be ‘open’ about their identities, the author explores how one can be open yet also be complicit in the research process. The article proposes that (halfie) researchers be accountable for their contradictory identities in transnational sites and recognize the sociocultural contexts in which they do fieldwork.
Introduction to the Surface Spectra of Oxides

Due to their technological importance and an increasing scientific interest, a set of data from oxide surfaces has been collected for publication in two special issues of Surface Science Spectra. This Introduction to these two special issues summarizes the data to be presented and provides short overviews of trends in both the physics and chemistry of metal-oxide surfaces and of some important aspects of the techniques used to examine these surfaces. The surface spectroscopies discussed in relation to oxides include: valence band photoemission (ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron based), core level photoemission (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), (reflection) electron energy loss spectroscopy (R)EELS, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), scanning probe methods, and ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS). Brief sections also discuss the nature of stoichiometric oxide surfaces, the physics and chemistry of defects on these surface...
Application of a Complex Nusselt Number to Heat Transfer During Compression and Expansion

Heat transfer during compression and expansion can be out of phase with bulk gas-wall temperature difference. An ordinary convective heat transfer model is incapable of predicting this phenomenon. Expressions for compression/expansion heat transfer developed from simple conduction models use a complex heat transfer coefficient. Thus, heat flux consists of one part proportional to temperature difference plus a second part proportional to rate of change of temperature. Surface-averaged heat flux was calculated from experimental pressure-volume data for piston-cylinder gas springs over a range of speeds, pressures, gases, and geometries. The complex Nusselt number model proved capable of correlating both magnitude and phase of the measured heat transfer as functions of an oscillation Peclet number.
Metastatic bronchogenic carcinoma to the maxilla.

Abstract Three case histories of metastatic tumors from the lung to the maxilla, based on a ten-year survey of bronchogenic carcinoma in a Veterans Administration Hospital, are reported. The lesions were all squamous cell carcinomas and were diagnosed after the primary lesion was known and widespread metastasis was evident. Because metastatic lesions can mimic primary oral disease, a thorough clinical and historical evaluation is indispensable for establishing the diagnosis.
Defect creation in electronic materials

The status of understanding of defect creation in electronic materials, primarily semiconductors, is reviewed. Included are a survey of threshold values and a discussion of the various parameters on which the energy dependence of damage production depends. The subjects of subthreshold damage and ionization-produced damage are also discussed.
End-Diastolic Pressure-Volume Relationship in Sepsis: Relative Contributions of Compliance and Equilibrium Chamber Volume Differ☆

Abstract Background. Compliance is a complex parameter to measure both clinically and in the laboratory. Investigations in recent years have interpreted changes in the end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship (EDPVR) as changes in compliance. However, without considering the equilibrium chamber volume (LV volume when transmural pressure = 0), changes in the EDPVR may not reflect changes in left ventricular chamber compliance. In the present study, chamber compliance was differentiated from equilibrium chamber volume to determine their respective contributions to the EDPVR in a clinically relevant animal model of chronic sepsis. Materials and methods. Rats were made septic by intraperitoneal injection of a cecal slurry (200 mg/kg; 5 ml/kg of 5% dextrose in water). At 1, 3, and 7 days post-sepsis induction, hearts were perfused on an isolated heart apparatus. A latex balloon was placed in the left ventricle to record peak systolic and end-diastolic pressures at various volumes, and the starting volume in the balloon was recorded. Systolic performance was evaluated by calculating the developed pressure (systolic pressure minus end-diastolic pressure) and peak dP/dt at end-diastolic pressures of 5 and 10 mm Hg. Results. Developed pressure and peak dP/dt were impaired 3 days after sepsis induction and continued to be so through Day 7 of sepsis. The diastolic data were fitted to an exponential equation, the results of which indicated a strong leftward shift in the EDPVR through 7 days of sepsis with a concomitant decrease in equilibrium chamber volume. The LV chamber compliance decreased at 1 day after sepsis induction, as indicated by significant changes in regression coefficients for the curves, transiently returned toward control by Day 3, but decreased again by 7 days of sepsis. Conclusions. Our data indicate that early in sepsis, compliance changes contribute to a left-shifting EDPVR, but at later times in the course of the disease, unstressed chamber volume becomes an important determinant of the left shift. The decrease in compliance (suggesting diastolic dysfunction) occurred prior to systolic impairment, which may have valuable prognostic implications for septic patients.
Cattle grazing behavior with season-long free-choice access to four forage types

This experiment investigated how season-long, free-choice grazing affected weekly cattle grazing behavior and resource use. Our objectives were to determine if known forage preferences change through the season, if feedbacks from previous grazing intensity affect current use, and if resources such as water and salt in combination with a shorter forage base increase grazing time compared to previously rested pasture. Two replicate 24.4-ha grazing enclosures contained four forage types: smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) and native range. Each forage type was divided into three sub-areas containing either: a water source, a salt block, or forage deferred from use before the experiment (rested). Resource use was tracked with analysis of aerial photos of the pastures before and after the 3-year study and with weekly direct observation of animal use of each area of the pastures. As each season progressed, use of smooth bromegrass declined and use of crested wheatgrass and western wheatgrass increased. Use of native range remained relatively constant and low throughout the study. The previously rested sub-areas of the replicate pastures had significantly and substantially more grazing than those with salt or water. Significant auto-correlation in the data was well described by an auto-regressive parameter comprised of the sum of the previous 2 weeks grazing time, which showed gradual shifts in forage preference from 1 week to the next. Aerial photo analysis supported the findings of the behavioral data; preference between forage types changed over time, and grazing use within pastures was uneven and negatively correlated with salt and water sites. Cattle can rotate themselves among various pasture types if given free-choice; and season-long grazing may be an effective system if a variety of forage types are available.
Current quality and performance tradeoffs under active power factor correction

Active power factor correction provides near unity power factor, at the expense of large filters to handle double-frequency power. When active correction is not used and converter regulation is the main control objective instead, poor power factor results. It is shown that a tradeoff between power factor and filter size can be supported. Through computer analysis, it is found that there is a specific supply current waveform that should be used to achieve a given power factor target with minimum filter size. For reasonable power factors (such as 70% to 100%), the current waveforms meet requirements in IEC 61000-3-2 over a wide range of supply power level. The results point the way to reduced cost power supplies.
Lipid-mediated glycosylation of a white matter membrane glycoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 24,000.

White matter membrane preparations from pig brain catalyze the transfer of [14C]mannose from exogenous [14C]mannosylphosphoryldolichol into an endogenous oligosaccharide lipid. Under the same incubation conditions label is also incorporated into endogenous membrane glycoproteins. The enzymatic labeling of both classes of endogenous acceptors is stimulated by the addition of Ca2+. Several enzymatic properties of the mannosyltransferase activity responsible for the transfer of mannose from mannosylphosphoryldolichol into the oligosaccharide lipid intermediate have been examined. The [Man-14C] oligosaccharide lipid synthesized by this in vitro system has the solubility, hydrolytic and chromatographic characteristics of a pyrophosphate-linked oligosaccharide derivative of dolichol. The free [Man-14C]oligosaccharide liberated from the carrier lipid by mild acid treatment is estimated to contain 8 glycose units. All of the [14C]mannosyl units in the [Man-14C]oligosaccharide derived from exogenous [14C]mannosylphosphoryldolichol are released as free [14C]mannose by an α-mannosi-dase. No [14C]mannose is released during incubation with a β-mannosidase. The presence of an N,N′-diacetylchitobiose unit at the reducing end of the lipid-bound [Man-14C]oligosaccharide is indicated by its susceptibility to digestion by endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H. Pronase digestion of the enzymatically labeled [Man-14C]glycoprotein yields a single [Man-14C]gly-copeptide fraction on Bio-Gel P-6 that appears to be slightly larger than the free [Man-14C]oligosac-charide released from the carrier lipid by mild acid hydrolysis. The [Man-14C]glycopeptide is cleaved by endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H, and the neutral [Man-14C]oligosaccharide product appears to be identical to the product formed when the lipid-bound [Man-14C]oligosaccharide is degraded by the endoglycosidase. The glycopeptide linkage in the [Man-14C]glycoprotein is stable to mild alkali treatment. These results are consistent with the dolichol-linked [Man-14C]oligosaccharide, mannosy-lated via exogenous [14C]mannosylphosphoryldoiichol, being subsequently transferred en bloc from dolichyl pyrophosphate to asparagine residues in endogenous membrane polypeptide acceptors. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the [Man-14C]glycoprotein, labeled when white matter membranes are incubated with [14C]mannosylphosphoryldolichol. revealed a major labeled polypeptide with an apparent mol wt of 24,000. A minor labeled membrane glycoprotein is also seen, having an apparent mol wt of 105,000.
Observation of molecular dissociation along several exit channels with parametric four-wave mixing

Multichannel dissociation of electronically-excited Rb/sub 2/ has been observed with an atomic wavepacket which serves as a sensitive detector. We identify several exit channels through analysis of the amplitude and phase of radiation produced by four-wave-mixing.
Extracranial traumatic carotid artery dissections in children: a review of current diagnosis and treatment options.

Object Currently, no diagnostic or treatment standards exist for extracranial carotid artery dissection (CAD) in children after trauma. The purpose of this study was to review and describe the characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of this rather uncommon sequelae of pediatric trauma. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed to examine the pertinent studies of traumatic extracranial carotid artery (CA) injuries in children. Results No randomized trials were identified; however, 19 case reports or small case series consisting of 34 pediatric patients were found in the literature. The diagnosis of CAD was made in 33 of 34 patients only after the onset of ischemic symptomatology. Twenty-four of 34 patients underwent cerebral angiography to confirm diagnosis; MR angiography affirmed the diagnosis in 6 of 34 patients. There was little published experience with CA ultrasonography or CT angiography for diagnosis. Thirty of 34 patients were treated with medical therapy or observation; 2 of 4...
HAPTEN-REACTIVE INDUCER T CELLS I. Definition of Two Classes of Hapten-specific Inducer Cells*

Hapten-reactive inducer T cell clones can be divided into two groups based on their activation specificity. The first and largest group is conjugate specific. These clones are activated only by hapten coupled to the same carrier protein used for in vitro selection. The second group, which is quite rare, is hapten specific. Clones of this type are activated by hapten coupled to all foreign and autologus proteins tested. Both types of clones corecognize soluble antigen in association with products of the I-A locus. The hapten-specific cells were used to analyze the molecular basis of I-A vs. I-E gene control. The physiologic significance of hapten- and carrier-specific inducer T cells in the response to foreign antigens and autoantigens is discussed.
Recapitulation of the Effects of the Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E7 Oncogene on Mouse Epithelium by Somatic Rb Deletion and Detection of pRb-Independent Effects of E7 In Vivo

Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) E7 oncogene is known to contribute to the development of human cervical cancer, the mechanisms of its carcinogenesis are poorly understood. The first identified and most recognized function of E7 is its binding to and inactivation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (pRb), but at least 18 other biological activities have also been reported for E7. Thus, it remains unclear which of these many activities contribute to the oncogenic potential of E7. We used a Cre-lox system to abolish pRb expression in the epidermis of transgenic mice and compared the outcome with the effects of E7 expression in the same tissue at early ages. Mice lacking pRb in epidermis showed epithelial hyperplasia, aberrant DNA synthesis, and improper differentiation. In addition, Rb-deleted epidermis (i.e., epidermis composed of cells with Rb deleted) exhibited centrosomal abnormalities and failed to arrest the cell cycle in response to ionizing radiation. Transgenic mice expressing E7 in skin display the same range of phenotypes. In sum, few differences were detected between Rb-deleted epidermis and E7-expressing epidermis in young mice. However, when both E7 was expressed and Rb was deleted in the same tissue, increased hyperplasia and dysplasia were observed. These findings indicate that inactivation of the Rb pathway can largely account for E7's phenotypes at an early age, but that pRb-independent activities of E7 are detectable in vivo.
Integrated optical pulse generation system for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser system

The optical pulse generation system (OPG) produces the initial pulse that is shaped, spatially and temporally, frequency modulated, amplified to 22 X and injected into the 192 main amplifier chains of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser system.
Two Δ9-stearic acid desaturases are required for Aspergillus nidulans growth and development

Abstract Unsaturated fatty acids are important constituents of all cell membranes and are required for normal growth. In the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, unsaturated fatty acids and their derivatives also influence asexual (conidial) and sexual (ascospore) sporulation processes. To investigate the relationship between fatty acid metabolism and fungal development, we disrupted the A. nidulans sdeA and sdeB genes, both encoding Δ9-stearic acid desaturases responsible for the conversion of palmitic acid (16:0) and stearic acid (18:0) to palmitoleic acid (16:1) and oleic acid (18:1). The effects of sdeA deletion on development were profound, such that growth, conidial and ascospore production were all reduced at 22 and 37 °C. Total fatty acid content was increased over 3-fold in the ΔsdeA strain, reflected in up-regulation of the expression of the fasA gene encoding the α chain of the fatty acid synthase, compared to wild type. Stearic acid accumulated approximately 3-fold compared to wild type in the ΔsdeA strain, while unsaturated fatty acid production was decreased. In contrast, disruption of sdeB reduced fungal growth and conidiation at 22 °C, but did not affect these processes at 37 °C compared to wild type. Interestingly, ascospore production was increased at 37 °C for ΔsdeB compared to wild type. Total fatty acid content was not increased in this strain, although stearic acid accumulated 2-fold compared to wild type, and unsaturated fatty acid production was decreased. Combining the ΔsdeA and ΔsdeB alleles created a synthetic lethal strain requiring the addition of oleic acid to the medium for a modicum of growth. Taken together, our results suggest a role for sdeA in growth and development at all temperatures, while sdeB is involved in growth and development at lower temperatures.
INFLATION AND QUALITY DISPERSION

One questionable aspect of price posting with directed search is the strong commitment by sellers to commit to the advertised terms of trade. In this paper I explore the welfare implications of assuming that sellers cannot commit and vary the quality of their output ex post according to realized demand. I show that such lack of commitment translates into lower participation by buyers, lower average quality, and a consumption-equivalent loss of 0.3% of annual GDP.
Time-domain simulation of switched networks using the Chebyshev series

An efficient integration routine based on the Chebyshev series expansion is given. Adoption of a Chebyshev expansion minimizes the order of the polynomial approximation which together with a number of basic properties of the expansion results in an efficient integration method. Furthermore, integration error control may conveniently be approached by monitoring the coefficients of the expansion. The proposed error control scheme varies the expansion order while keeping the step size fixed. A software program for the simulation of networks with ideal switches was written which incorporates the above features. Two examples, one of a nonswitched network and the other a switched network, are given to illustrate the speed and accuracy of the program and effectiveness of the error control scheme. To quantify the advantages of the proposed scheme, a comparison is made with a previously developed simulator (viz. LAPS) and also a commercially available SPICE program. >
Experiments on Upstream-Migrating Submarine Knickpoints

Abstract Laboratory studies are commonly used to improve our understanding of physical processes that are very difficult or almost impossible to investigate in their natural settings. Erosion impacts on large-scale submarine morphology are good examples. We present the results of a preliminary laboratory study focused on submarine knickpoints, which are bed depressions bounded by steep walls upstream and a gentle slope downstream, originated by the passage of a turbidity current over an erodible bed. Eight experiments using different materials were performed in a facility capable of running continuous turbidity currents. The sediments used in these experiments were: kaolin clay, two different silica flours, and fine sand. Silica flours and fine sand were each used as single sediments in four experiments. The other four experiments were performed using a mixture of these sediment types. The bed deposit was formed by a net-depositional turbidity current. The total sediment concentration by volume in the experiments was 5% in one experiment and 10% in the other seven. The discharge ranged from 0.009 to 0.055 l/s. Each experiment started with an initial slope in the channel bed of 15% (8.53°). As the experiments progressed, the bed deposit inside the flume built up. Knickpoints were observed in four of the eight experiments. Knickpoints formed under a wide variety of conditions; they were found when one material or a combination of materials was used in the tests and when the turbidity current was partially and totally distributed over the channel. Measured width of the bed depressions ranged from 2 to 4 cm, length ranged from 3 to 6 cm, and the estimated maximum depth was close to 0.5 cm. Calculations of the speed of upstream migration indicate values in the vicinity of 0.5 mm/s. Upscaled geometric dimensions based on these laboratory experiments fairly reproduce bed depressions observed on a field scale in earlier studies. These laboratory observations suggest that the body of the turbidity current is responsible for the upstream migration of the knickpoint.
MIST: Cellular data network measurement for mobile applications

The rapid growth in the popularity of cellular networks has led to aggressive deployment and a rapid expansion of mobile services. Services based on the integration of cellular networks into the Internet have only recently become available, but are expected to become very popular. One current limitation to the deployment of many of these services is poor or unknown network performance, particularly in the cellular portion of the network. Our goal in this paper is to motivate and present the Mobile Internet Services Test (MIST) platform, a new distributed architecture to measure and characterize cellular network performance as experienced by mobile devices. We have used MIST to conduct preliminary measurements; evaluate MIST’s effectiveness; and motivate further measurement research.
Economic Costs of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis and Cost-Effectiveness of Vaccination in Developing Countries

Background. Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children worldwide. We evaluated the economic burden of rotavirus and the cost-effectiveness of vaccination from the health care perspective. Methods. Estimates were based on existing epidemiological data, cost estimates, vaccine coverage, and efficacy data, as well as hypothetical vaccine prices. Outcome measures included health care and societal costs of rotavirus and benefits and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of vaccination. Sensitivity analyses evaluated the impact of estimate uncertainty.Results. Treatment costs increased with income level, and health burden decreased; however, burden varied across regions. On the basis of current vaccination coverage and timing, rotavirus vaccination would annually prevent 228,000 deaths, 13.7 million hospital visits, and 8.7 million disability-adjusted life-years, saving $188 million in treatment costs and $243 million in societal costs. At $5 per dose, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio in low-, lower-middle–, and upper-middle–income countries was $88, $291, and $329 per disability-adjusted life-year averted, respectively, and $3,015, $9,951 and $11,296 per life saved, respectively. Vaccination would prevent 45% of deaths and 58% of associated medical visits and costs. Conclusions. Vaccination is a cost-effective strategy to reduce the health and economic burden of rotavirus. The cost-effectiveness of vaccination depends mostly on vaccine price and reaching children at highest risk of mortality
The performance appraisal interview and evaluation of student performances in speech communication courses

The performance appraisal interview can be applied to evaluation of student speeches and other performances. Selecting ideas from authorities on organizational management, the article describes three methods of conducting the appraisal interview, discusses the merits of the three methods of evaluating student performances, and offers suggestions for implementing the preferred third method, the Problem‐Solving approach.
Mechanisms of Acute Kidney Injury and Repair

The pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI) is complex and varies to some extent based on the particular cause. Inflammation contributes to this pathophysiology in a variety of contexts. Inflammation can result in reduction in local blood flow to the outer medulla, with adverse consequences on tubule function and viability. Both the innate and adaptive immune responses are important contributors to inflammation. With ischemia/reperfusion, endothelial cells express a number of adhesion molecules which have counterreceptors on leukocytes. A number of vasoactive mediators that are released with injury, such as nitric oxide, may also affect leukocyte–endothelial interactions. There is obstruction of the microvasculature as well as enhanced vasoconstriction. Tubule epithelial cells generate proinflammatory and chemotactic cytokines. In response to bilateral ischemia/reperfusion injury, mouse kidneys produce D series resolvins and protectins which reduce intrarenal inflammation and limit injury. Injection of mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells is protective against renal injury as assessed by serum creatinine measured 24 h after ischemia. The mechanism of such protection may be through intrarenal paracrine effects to decrease inflammation or by systemic immune modu­lation. The epithelial cells that replace the lost cells derive from surviving tubular epithelial cells.
The Scholar, The Liberal Ideal, and the Philosophy of Science

Benedetto Croce was to live much of his life during the turbulent period in the history of Italy which had far-reaching consequences for the history of Europe and the world. At the end of World War II, this Senator of the Kingdom of Italy and Minister of Public Instruction, owing to his age, refused the request of Albert Einstein and others to offer himself for the leadership of a war-weary, war-torn Italy. Croce’s whole life might be seen as an attempt, in the midst of the authoritarianism of the right and of the left, to discover what is living and what is dead in the philosophy of Hegel.
Understanding Model Risk Management -- Model Rationalization in Financial Industry

Building a good financial Model Risk Management(MRM) system requires advanced skills in technology, econometrics and financial businesses. Very often we have businesses that have different models with similar functionality. The question that we are trying to answer in the paper is how to rationalize different models within an Enterprise Risk Management(ERM) of in organization. It is a dilemma that Risk Management Practitioners are struggling with. Very often they are looking for someone who can understand their business ideas and transform them to technology solutions or come up with technology solutions to support their MRM ideas. While quantitative Analysts are very critical in this type of project, very often they fail in the software development skills that are required. We are witnesses these struggles where some model risk leaders fail to find some good technologists or econometricians to implement their risk management philosophy. Also we have cases where technologists or econometricians cannot receive proper requirements to implement the functionality that the business needs. Here we are trying to understand how we can rationalize on different models that have some common functionality. For example how to look at or consolidate the functionality of the following models, such as Probability of Default (PD), Loss Given Default (LGD), Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses (ALLL), Stress Testing (ST) and others Financial Models. In this paper, we will present a framework for Model Rationalization or how to consolidate models. Also we will present a methodology that can be used to test a model that has been consolidated through our framework, Model Rationalization.
Transfer printing enabled soft composite films for tunable surface topography

Transfer printing, an emerging manufacturing technique for heterogeneous material integration, is combined with the unique mechanics of soft composite films to realize a responsive surface for tunable topography in this work. Soft composite films are fabricated by transfer printing thin silicon ribbons on elastomeric films in a staggered manner. The corrugation formation in soft composite films requires a well-organized spatial distribution of the silicon ribbons which is enabled by transfer printing processes developed here. The corrugation development in response to applied stretching is characterized by optical metrology and the results fit with the numerical model to a good extent. The experimental results reveal that the maximum corrugation amplitude of the film can go beyond 25% of the total film thickness. Furthermore, the effect of geometrical and material parameters on corrugation formation is investigated experimentally and numerically. The results shown here suggest an alternative way to induce tunable surface topography.
Undergraduate student perceptions of personal social media risk

This paper describes a study designed to collect student perceptions of the personal risks incurred when using social media. The study used the Delphi method to rank the social media risks perceived by students. The students' rankings were compared to the personal risks identified and ranked by a group of Library and Information Science professionals. Although there is some agreement between the rankings from the two groups, there are also considerable differences. The paper suggests that educating students about the actual risks they face in using social media is important, and should include all students. For students specializing in information security, it suggests that additional emphasis should be placed on learning about human behavior and social engineering.
Accurate Prediction of Hydrocarbon Interactions with Zeolites Utilizing Improved Exchange-Correlation Functionals and QM/MM Methods: Benchmark Calculations of Adsorption Enthalpies and Application to Ethene Methylation by Methanol

The adsorption enthalpy of light hydrocarbon molecules in both acidic and neutral zeolite MFI has been investigated with a range of computational methods. The role of cluster model size and density functional theory methodology is examined by comparison with high quality ab initio wave function theory MP2 results and experimentally determined heats of adsorption. The commonly applied B3LYP functional performs poorly in benchmark studies due to an inadequate description of intermolecular interactions. The functionals ωB97X-D and M06-2X predict adsorption enthalpies consistent with experimental values over three classes of adsorbates. A hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method is required to converge calculated thermochemical properties with respect to cluster model size in a manner that is computationally efficient. The accuracy of both QM and QM/MM methods is highly sensitive to choice of level of theory and cluster size, requiring the use of large basis sets, large cluster models, and ...
Prothrombin Studies, Especially in the Newborn

While Rodda' considered that an increase above normal in both bleeding time and coagulation time in the newborn was sufficient indication for treatment by injection of blood or serum, • it may be said that all the older methods of studying blood coagulation have failed clinically in detecting hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Sanford et al., using the prothrombin method of Howell, reported that prothrombin has a high value for the first few days of life, then falls to approximately adult values, and further stated that all substances involved in blood coagulation are high during this time. Warner et al. showed that, in obstructive jaundice, the clotting time of whole blood and the Duke bleeding time were usually normal despite considerable reduction in prothrombin. The same is true in the newborn in certain cases. In a recent study of the possible effects of vitamin K on the clotting phenomenon of blood of the newborn, the only reference we found in the literature to the use of the newer methods of prothrombin study in the newborn was that of Brinkhous et al. who used their titration method of prothrombin determination and reported their findings in a study of 21 apparently normal infants and of one case of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Of their cases, only 8 were examined during the first week of life, and in these all observations were made on cord blood except one, which was made on the fifth day of life. These authors found the
Fabrication Method of Porous Alumina Compacts Containing Submicron Pores

The purpose of the present investigation was to establish the production technique of porous compacts of ceramics containing fine pores. Alumina powders of various particle sizes blended with solvent were pressed under 300kg/cm2 and then fired at 1000°-1375°C, and the characteristics of the obtained compacts were measured. Combination of ultrafine alumina having primary particle diameter of 20nm with liquid paraffin (viscosity at 40°C was 14 cSt, quantity was 3.5 times of the true volume of alumina) gave highly porous compacts containing fine pores. However the ultrafine alumina powder had to be pretreated by water to prevent cracking in firing. Porosity and specific surface area were 78% and 53m2/g, respectively, for the compact fired at 1000°C, and 66% and 6m2/g for that at 1350°C. Pore diameter in the compacts fired at 1000° and 1350°C were less than 12μm and distributed having peaks at 0.03 and 0.26μm, respectively.
Does Nifedipine Enhance the Cardiovascular Depressive Effects of Bupivacaine

Inadvertent intravenous administration of bupivacaine has been shown to cause cardiovascular collapse in patients. Patients undergoing peripheral vascular surgery have a high incidence of coronary artery disease and frequently receive calcium channel antagonists such as nifedipine for treatment of angina. In this study, the effects of an accidental intravenous injection of bupivacaine during regional anesthesia in patients taking nifedipine was simulated using dogs. The sling-trained dogs had baseline hemodynamic values recorded. Each dog was given a 10-mg sublingual loading dose of nifedipine in alcohol solvent followed by intravenous infusion of nifedipine at a rate of 5/micrograms/kg/min. After hemodynamic measurements were taken, increasing boluses of intravenous bupivacaine were administered until a 50% decrease in maximum left ventricle change in pressure with respect to time (LV dP/dt max) was observed. On the next day of the experiment, baseline hemodynamic measurements were recorded. The dog was given only the alcohol solvent portion of the nifedipine solution at a dosage and rate equivalent to that of the first day of the experiment. Next, increasing boluses of intravenous bupivacaine were administered exactly as on the first day until a 50% decrease in LV dP/dt max was observed. The results demonstrated that the total dose of bupivacaine given with nifedipine (8.7 +/- 3.7 mg/kg) to reach a 50% drop in LV dP/dt max was significantly less than the total dose of bupivacaine given without nifedipine (14.5 +/- 4.9 mg/kg); and the main effect of the combination of nifedipine and bupivacaine was to accentuate the decrease in LV dp/dt max caused by bupivacaine with the elimination of the compensatory increase in systemic vascular resistance to maintain blood pressure.
Observations on the experimental infection and cellular pathology of transmissible gastroenteritis in piglets.

SUMMARY Hysterotomy-derived, colostrum-deprived piglets were inoculated orally with a strain of transmissible gastroenteritis virus that had been isolated originally in the United Kingdom. Piglets which were injected when 5, 9 or 11 days old developed the clinical disease, but piglets which were 19 days old at infection failed to show symptoms. The changes observed at post-mortem examination were consistent with acute infection, as were the histological changes. A variety of ultrastructural changes in intestinal epithelial cells were recorded including alterations to microvilli, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and other cytoplasmic components. Virus particles were identified in ultrathin sections from one piglet.
Determination of zeranol/zearalenone and their metabolites in edible animal tissue by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection and confirmation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A sensitive method is described for the determination and confirmation of zeranol and zearalenone, as well as their isomers and metabolites, in edible animal tissue. The analytes are extracted from tissue with methanol, hydrolyzed enzymatically, cleaned up by acid-base partitioning, determined by liquid chromatography (LC) with electrochemical (EC) detection, and confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). LC analysis is performed by isocratic elution with a buffered mobile phase using a Nova-Pak reverse-phase C18 column with amperometric EC detection at +0.90 V. Capillary GC/MS analysis of the trimethylsilyl derivatives provides mass spectral confirmations.
On the Similar Effects of Chemical Reduction and Electrical Stimulation in Walking Leg Nerve Bundles of the Spider Crab

Fluorescence techniques have been used to measure the binding of Mercurochrome to crustacean leg nerve bundles and reversal of binding by 2-mercaptoethanol. It was demonstrated that both parameters are increased by electrical stimulation of the nerve bundle. In this study it is shown that prior treatment of the nerve preparation with dithiothreitol or hydrazine sulfate increases the binding and the conduction-blocking activity of Mercurochrome to about the same extent as that induced by electrical stimulation. Following chemical reduction, electrical stimulation produces no further increase in binding or conduction block by the mercurial over and above the effect of reduction alone. Unlike electrical stimulation, however, reducing agents do not increase the release of bound Mercurochrome or reversal of the conduction block by 2-mercaptoethanol. The data are compatible with the possibility that electrolytic reduction of disulfides may be involved in a conformational change in membrane proteins during electrical excitation.
Standardized Patients Provide a Reliable Assessment of Athletic Training Students' Clinical Skills.

Context: Providing students reliable objective feedback regarding their clinical performance is of great value for ongoing clinical skill assessment. Since a standardized patient (SP) is trained to consistently portray the case, students can be assessed and receive immediate feedback within the same clinical encounter; however, no research, to our knowledge, has documented the reliability of the SP at assessing student performance. Objective: To determine if SPs provide a reliable assessment of athletic training students' performance in obtaining a patient history and completing a physical examination relative to athletic training faculty. Design: Reliability study. Setting: Athletic training simulation lab. Patients or Other Participants: Two SPs and 2 athletic training faculty assessed 35 students (n = 20 junior; n = 15 senior) in athletic training cohorts from a public liberal arts institution in southeast United States. Intervention(s): Athletic training students completed 2 SP encounters per semester...