cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of the foreign body response to implanted sensor models through device-based delivery of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, masitinib.

Abstract The host foreign body response (FBR) adversely effects the performance of numerous implanted biomaterials especially biosensors, including clinically popular glucose-monitoring sensors. Reactive formation of a fibrous capsule around implanted sensors hinders the transport of essential analytes to the sensor from the surrounding tissue, resulting in loss of glucose response sensitivity and eventual sensor failure. Several strategies have sought to mitigate the foreign body response's effects on CGM sensors through the use of local delivery of pharmaceuticals and biomolecules with limited success. This study describes release of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor – masitinib – from the sensor implant to target tissue resident mast cells as key mediators of the FBR. Model implants are coated with a composite polymer hydrophilic matrix that rapidly dissolves upon tissue implantation to deposit slower-degrading polymer microparticles containing masitinib. Matrix dissolution limits coating interference with sensor function while establishing a local controlled-release delivery depot formulation to alter implant tissue pharmacology and addressing the FBR. Drug efficacy was evaluated in a murine subcutaneous pocket implant model. Drug release extends to more than 30 days in vitro . The resulting FBR in vivo , evaluated by implant capsule thickness and inflammatory cell densities at 14, 21, and 28 days, displays statistically significant reduction in capsule thickness around masitinib-releasing implant sites compared to control implant sites.
Financial Management Challenges In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Strategic Management Approach

Abstract : Due to their significant role in creation of new jobs, rise in GDP, entrepreneurship and innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are recognized as the the drivers of socio-economic growth, both in developed and developing economies. In Turkey, 99.9 % of all enterprises fall into SME category. Therefore, the significance of SMEs for Turkish economy and society is much higher in Turkey, compared to other emerging and developed countries. Small and medium-sized companies are faced with a number of challenges whereas the problems arising from “poor financial management” are reported as the major causes of business failures in SMEs. Strategic financial management (SFM) which is a research area that has attracted the interest of researchers after 2010, is one of the key managerial areas of SMEs, due to its vital role on the survival, growth and performance of SMEs. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the central role of financial management and identify the financial management challenges and practices that influence the organizational performance in Turkish SMEs, from a strategic management perspective. Within the course of this paper, the importance and challenges of SMEs in Turkey are presented in the first section, while the literature on strategic and financial management in SMEs are reviewed in the second part. In the third section, the recent strategic financial management concept, the implications of strategic financial management practices for SMEs in Turkey and the relationships between strategic financial management practices and SME performance, are discussed. Small and medium sized enterprise finance in Turkey is a developing research area, therefore this paper aims to make a significant contribution to the existing literature by analyzing the major challenges at the conduct of financial management in Turkish SMEs and the influence of strategic financial management practices on the performances of small and medium sized companies in Turkey. Additionally, the conceptual framework developed is expected to be useful to academics in developing an agenda for future empirical research.
Urinary n-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase as a screening technique for vesicoureteral reflux

Abstract Objective. To determine if urinary N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) assays could be applied as a screening test for early detection of vesicoureteral reflux. Methods. Two hundred eighty-eight urine samples from children undergoing voiding cystourethrography (VCU) for a variety of urologic problems were assayed for N-acetylbeta-glucosaminidase using spectrophotofluorimeter techniques. Sample creatinine levels were also determined using an auto analyzer. The urinary NAG to creatinine ratio for each patient was then compared to their VCU results, which were interpreted independently of the assay values and graded according to the International Reflux Classification system. The NAG to creatinine ratios were then classified according to their grade of reflux, and the mean NAG levels, plus one standard deviation, were calculated for each as well as for the nonrefluxing controls. Statistical analysis was done with P values obtained by Student's t-test. Results. A total of two hundred thirty-two specimens were evaluable with ninety (38.8%) samples collected from refluxing patients and one hundred forty-tw o (61.2%) samples from nonrefluxers. The NAG levels standardized to urine creatinine revealed a mean value among refluxers of 15.514 μmol/g creatinine. This compared with a mean value of 14.611 μmol/g creatinine in the nonrefluxing group, with the difference being insignificant. When the mean NAG levels were compared for each grade of reflux to the nonrefluxing controls, only grade V had a significant elevation (44.561 μmol/g creatinine) above the nonrefluxers (P = 0.0001). Conclusions. With the exception of grade V vesicoureteral reflux, urinary NAG levels do not reliably detect the presence of reflux and therefore cannot be accurately applied as a screening test for detection of this common urologic problem.
Metabolic studies of glycerol-induced acute renal failure in the rat

Abstract Glycerol was used to induce acute renal failure (ARF) in rats. It caused a decrease of kidney ATP levels to 48% of control at 6 hr which remained low up to 48 hr. ATP + ADP + AMP(AXP) was 55% of control at 6 and 24 hr and 64% at 48 hr. Lactate levels were fourfold control levels at 0.25, 1, and 6 hr, and twofold at 24 and 48 hr. Hemoglobinemia and hemoglobinuria occurred within 0.25 hr. By light microscopy, casts at 6 hr, necrosis of renal cortex at 24 hr, and necrosis with some regeneration at 48 hr were seen. Fructose at the same dose also lowered ATP and AXP levels to a similar degree as glycerol within the same time intervals, but hemoglobinemia, hemoglobinuria, necrosis, or ARF was not evident. Dihydroxycetone at the same dose maintained ATP and AXP at control values with no hemoglobinemia, hemoglobinuria, necrosis, or ARF. Both fructose and dihydroxyacetone resulted in high lactate levels (sevenfold) within 0.25 hr. Saline loading prior to glycerol infection ameliorated ARF but did not improve the AXP levels or the morphologic lesion. Results indicate that glycerol-induced ARF is not solely the result of a hyperosmolar effect, adenosine release, casts, or pigments. The changes in AXP (particularly ATP) levels reflect an early metabolic disturbance which is part of the process and may predispose toward ARF in the presence of additional factors.
A method for registration of full-limb radiographs to knee MRI.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major source of morbidity in the aging population with a prevalence of over 16 % in people older than 45 [1]. Previous studies have correlated lower extremity alignment with disease progression [2]. This is defined by the mechanical axis, which is the vector running from the center of the hip joint to the center of the talar dome and can be measured on weight-bearing full limb radiographs [2]. Varus alignment, when the mechanical axis passes medial to the central point between the tibial spines, has been linked to progression of structural damage in the medial compartment of the knee, while valgus alignment, when the mechanical axis passes lateral to the central point between the tibial spines, has been linked to progression of lateral compartment disease [3, 4]. Thus, evaluation of a patient’s lower extremity alignment is important in the assessment of knee OA and treatment planning. Another principal imaging modality in knee OA, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, has become increasingly utilized for the assessment of joint damage [5, 6]. To improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of knee OA, it would be useful to directly compare the location of damage in relation to the mechanical axis in the knee joint. However, it is not possible to localize the mechanical axis on a clinical knee MRI as the hip and ankle joints are not included in the imaging field of view (FOV). In addition, most MR imaging is not performed with the patient bearing weight, and full-limb magnetic resonance imaging is not often performed. Approximations of these alignment angles can be measured using limited FOV radiographs as well as the portion of the knee visualized on knee MRI. However, studies using radiographs limited to the knees showed that these measurements have limited correlation with the true mechanical axis [7]. To determine the location of the mechanical axis relative to damage identified on knee MRI, we present a method of registering full-limb radiographs to coronal knee MR images. We also present as an example, implementation of this method for quantification of the spatial relationship between the mechanical axis and areas of bone marrow edema-like signal on knee MR images.
Multi-tenant fair share in NoSQL data stores

NoSQL data stores see considerable attention today in big data, cloud hosted environments because of their fault tolerance, distribution and high availability. Shared NoSQL data stores are preferred for their ability to serve multiple tenants simultaneously which can improve resource utilization and lower management costs. Fair share in this setting can be a problem in that NoSQL data stores can be weak in preventing interference between tenants. We propose a methodology for multi-tenant fair share in a NoSQL store, in particular Cassandra. The approach uses an extended version of the deficit round robin algorithm to schedule tenant requests, and has local weight adjustment and slow tenant handling to improve the system throughput. Empirical results show that our approach is able to provide fair share for multi-tenancy.
Toward exceeding the Shockley-Queisser limit: photoinduced interfacial charge transfer processes that store energy in excess of the equilibrated excited state.

Nanocrystalline (anatase), mesoporous TiO2 thin films were functionalized with [Ru(bpy)2(deebq)](PF6)2, [Ru(bq)2(deeb)](PF6)2, [Ru(deebq)2(bpy)](PF6)2, [Ru(bpy)(deebq)(NCS)2], or [Os(bpy)2(deebq)](PF6)2, where bpy is 2,2‘-bipyridine, bq is 2,2‘-biquinoline, and deeb and deebq are 4,4‘-diethylester derivatives. These compounds bind to the nanocrystalline TiO2 films in their carboxylate forms with limiting surface coverages of 8 (± 2) × 10-8 mol/cm2. Electrochemical measurements show that the first reduction of these compounds (−0.70 V vs SCE) occurs prior to TiO2 reduction. Steady state illumination in the presence of the sacrificial electron donor triethylamine leads to the appearance of the reduced sensitizer. The thermally equilibrated metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited state and the reduced form of these compounds do not inject electrons into TiO2. Nanosecond transient absorption measurements demonstrate the formation of an extremely long-lived charge separated state based on equal concentrations ...
Suprasupermolecular Chemistry: Infinite Networks from Nanoscale Metal−Organic Building Blocks†

Nanoball structures decorated by 24 sulfonate or 24 methoxy moieties, 1 and 2, respectively, are able to act as nodes for the generation of infinite networks.
Energy-dependent activation of the temperature-sensitive DNA polymerases induced by bacteriophage T4 gene 43 mutants.

Abstract Temperature shift experiments with temperature-sensitive mutants in T4 gene 43 indicate that the production of a functional T4 DNA polymerase involves the energy-dependent conversion of an inactive precursor to the active enzyme. Comparisons of the inactive precursor with the active polymerase have demonstrated that the energy-dependent activation affects both the polymerase and 3′ → 5′ exonuclease activities of the enzyme. Despite evidence suggesting that the energy source for the activation process is a high-energy phosphate compound, the energy-dependent step does not appear to involve covalent modification of the enzyme.
Physical encapsulation and controlled assembly of lipid bilayers within flexible substrates

Biomolecular networks formed from droplet interface bilayers (DIB) use principles of phase separation and molecular self-assembly to create a new type of functional material. The original DIB embodiment consists of lipid-encased aqueous droplets surrounding by a large volume of oil contained in a shallow well. However, recent results have shown that, by reducing the amount of oil that separates the droplets from the supporting substrate, physically-encapsulated DIBs display increased durability and portability. In this paper we extend the concept of encapsulated biomolecular networks to one in which phase separation and molecular self-assembly occur entirely within internally-structured reservoirs of a solid material. Flexible substrates with 200μm wideby- 200μm deep internal microchannels for holding the aqueous and oil phases are fabricated from Sylgard 184 polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using soft-lithography microfabrication techniques. Narrowed apertures along the microchannels enable the use of the regulated attachment method (RAM) to subdivide and reattach lipid-encased aqueous volumes contained within the material with an applied external force. The use of perfluorodecalin, a fluorocarbon oil, instead of hexadecane eliminates absorption of the oil phase into the PDMS bulk while a silanization surface treatment of the internal channel walls maximizes wetting by the oil phase to retain a thin layer of oil within the channels to provide a fluid oil/water interface around the aqueous volumes. High-quality 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPHPC) lipid bilayers formed within the prototype substrates have electrical resistance between 1-100GΩ, enabling the measurement of single and few-channel recordings of alpha-hemolysin (αHL) and alamethicin proteins incorporated into the bilayers.
Antibody-mediated targeting of differentiation inducers to tumor cells: inhibition of colonic cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. A preliminary note.

Summary A differentiation inducer (sodium butyrate) encapsulated in liposomes that are in turn covalently linked to an anti-Lex monoclonal antibody, SH1 (IgG3 isotype), was successfully targeted to human colonic adenocarcinoma HRT-18 and HT29 cells expressing Lex antigen in vitro as well as in vivo in athymic nu/nu mice. Tumor cell growth was significantly inhibited and was associated with changes in cell morphology and increases in membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase, indicating the occurrence of butyrate-induced differentiation.
A geometric process for spatial reorientation in young children

DISORIENTED1–3 rats and non-human primates reorient themselves using geometrical features of the environment2,4–6. In rats tested in environments with distinctive geometry, this ability is impervious to non-geometric information (such as colours and odours) mark-ing important locations and used in other spatial tasks7. Here we show that adults use both geometric and non-geometric information to reorient themselves, whereas young children, like mature rats, use only geometric information. These findings provide evi-dence that: (1) humans reorient in accord with the shape of the environment; (2) the young child's reorientation system is impervious to all but geometric information8, even when non-geometric information is available and is represented by the child-such information should improve performance and is used in similar tasks by the oriented child; and (3) the limits of this process are overcome during human development.
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome as a Consequence of Botulinum Therapy to the Upper Trapezii: A Case Report

Scapular upward rotation is predominantly achieved via a force coupling involving the upper and lower trapezius and the serratus anterior. Although studies have shown a relationship between abnormal scapular motion and subacromial impingement, it has been unclear whether the altered scapular biomechanics represent a cause, or consequence, of impingement. We present a 49-year-old woman with refractory myofascial pain of many years duration who developed subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) following a series of botulinum toxin injections to the bilateral upper trapezii. Although botulinum therapy effectively reduced the patient's refractory myofascial pain, signs and symptoms of SIS developed in association with the upper trapezii weakness after the third set of injections. Botulinum therapy was discontinued and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication markedly reduced the new symptoms, which completely resolved within 3 months. This case, which afforded a unique opportunity to follow the consequences of weakening scapular stabilizers over time, provides evidence for the etiologic role of scapular dyskinesis in SIS and shows that SIS is a potential complication of botulinum therapy for myofascial pain involving the scapular stabilizers.
Determination of the Oil/ Water Distribution Coefficients of Glyceryl Trinitrate and Two Similar Nitrate Esters

Abstract The oil/water distribution coefficients of glyceryl trinitrate, chloroglyceryl dinitrate (l-chloro-2,3-propanediol dinitrate), and ethylglyceryl trinitrate (1,2,3- pentanetriol trinitrate) are determined. The analytical method employed (described in detail) is based on the reduction of a portion of the nitrate of each ester to the nitrite upon alkaline hydrolysis. This was determined by diazotization of sulfanilic acid and subsequent coupling with N-(l-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine and measuring the color spectrophotometrically.
Regulation of the preprotachykinin-I gene promoter through a protein kinase A-dependent, cyclic AMP response element-binding protein-independent mechanism.

Preprotachykinin-I (PPT) gene expression is regulated by a number of stimuli that signal through cyclic AMP (cAMP)-mediated pathways. In the present study, forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase stimulator, significantly increased PPT mRNA levels in PPT-expressing RINm5F cells, an effect paralleled by an increase in PPT promoter-luciferase reporter construct activity. The forskolin-induced stimulation of PPT transcription was protein kinase A dependent (PKA), as shown by blockade with the PKA inhibitor N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino) ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide. We found that the activation protein 1/cAMP response element (AP1/CRE) site centered at − 196 relative to the transcription start site was important for basal and forskolin-induced PPT promoter activity. Because of the involvement of PKA and the similarity of the AP1/CRE element to consensus CRE sequences, we investigated the role of CRE-binding protein (CREB) in the regulation of the PPT promoter. Surprisingly, overexpression of a dominant-negative CREB (i.e. CREB-A) did not affect basal or forskolin-induced PPT promoter activity. Furthermore, binding of CREB to the PPT promoter AP1/CRE site was not demonstrable in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Rather, our experiments suggested that c-Jun is a member of the complex that binds to this site. We conclude that, at least in RINm5F cells, cAMP-mediated up-regulation of PPT gene expression does not involve CREB or CREB-related transcription factor recruitment to the AP1/CRE site.
Correlates and prevalence of prostatitis in a large community-based cohort of older men

Abstract Objectives To describe the prevalence and correlates of self-reported history of prostatitis in terms of lower urinary tract symptoms and associated dissatisfaction in community-dwelling older men. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis from a prospective cohort study of 5821 men aged 65 years and older recruited from six clinical centers. Results Overall, 1439 men (25%) self-reported a history of prostatitis. Men with a history of prostatitis were more likely to self-report a history of prostate cancer (26% versus 7%; P P P P Conclusions A self-reported history of prostatitis is common in older men and was associated with self-reported prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia and increased severity of lower urinary tract symptoms and associated dissatisfaction. Because of the potential detection bias, recall bias, and the cross-sectional nature of the study, limiting causal inference, the associations among these urologic conditions require additional study.
The proton form factor measurements at Jefferson Lab, past and future

Use of the double-polarization technique to obtain the elastic nucleon form factors has resulted in a dramatic improvement of the quality of two of the four nucleon electromagnetic form factors, GEp and GEn. It has also changed our understanding of the proton structure, having resulted in a distinctly different Q2-dependence for both GEp and GMp, contradicting the prevailing wisdom of the 1990’s based on cross section measurements, namely that GEp and GMp obey a “scaling” relation μGEp ∼ GMp. A related consequence of the faster decrease of GEp revealed by the Jefferson Lab (JLab) polarization results was the disappearance of the early scaling F2/F1 ∼ 1/Q2 predicted by perturbative QCD. In three experiments, GEp(1), GEp(2) and GEp(3), in Halls A and C at JLab, the ratio of the proton’s electromagnetic elastic form factors, GEp/GMp, was measured up to four momentum transfer Q2 of 8.5 GeV2 with high precision, using the recoil polarization technique. The initial discovery that the proton form factor ratio measured in these three experiments decreases approximately linearly with four-momentum transfer, Q2, for values above ∼ 1 GeV2, was modified by the GEp(3) results, which suggests a slowing down of this decrease. There is an approved experiment, GEp(5), to continue these measurements to 15 GeV2. A dedicated experimental setup, the super bigbite spectrometer (SBS), will be built for this purpose. It will be equipped with a new focal plane polarimeter to measure the polarization of the recoil protons. In this presentation, I will review the status of the proton elastic electromagnetic form factors, mention succinctly a number of theoretical approaches to describe results and show some features required for the future GEp(5) experiment.
Examining the Influence of Delinquent Peer Association on the Stability of Self-Control in Late Childhood and Early Adolescence: Toward an Integrated Theoretical Model

Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990) general theory of crime and Akers' social learning theory (1998) have been given considerable attention in the criminological literature. Despite the empirical support for these theories, it is commonplace to test these theories as competing or conflicting theoretical frameworks. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) (N = 629), we examine two related research questions: (1) is self-control relatively stable in late childhood and early adolescence? and (2) does delinquent peer association influence the stability of self-control in late childhood and early adolescence? The results suggest that perhaps a more theoretically integrated approach (social learning and self-control synergistic theory, SSST) is plausible, rather than discussing these two theories as distinct and competing frameworks. Theoretical implications and study limitations are also discussed.
Visual feedback to stabilize head position for fMRI.

Head motion is a common cause of technical failure in functional magnetic resonance imaging. A simple visual alignment system has been developed to provide visual feedback to the subject about his or her head position. The subject is able to readjust his or her head position accurately during a study, should motion occur. This sighting system is incorporated into a visor that fits onto the commercial head coil. The accuracy of correcting head motion and activation maps obtained with this device are demonstrated. The cognitive workload of using the alignment system does not significantly alter the activation pattern associated with eye movement paradigms. Magn Reson Med 41:1039–1043, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Social loafing and self-evaluation with an objective standard

Abstract It has been found that social loafing, the finding that participants working together put out less effort than participants working alone, can be eliminated by the prospect of evaluation of individual outputs. In this work, the role of the experimenter as evaluator has been emphasized. However, when the experimenter cannot evaluate individual outputs, the participants are also unable to do so. In the present experiment, it was demonstrated that the potential for self-evaluation was sufficient to eliminate the loafing effect. In this study, the participants could evaluate themselves by comparing their performances to an objective standard, the number of signals presented in a vigilance task. Previous research has demonstrated similar effects using a social standard. Taken together, these experiments suggest that the possibility of evaluation by an external source is not required to eliminate the loafing effect; the potential for self-evaluation alone is sufficient to do so. These findings are discussed in relation to current theories of self-evaluation.
Statistical 3D shape analysis of gender differences in lateral ventricles

This paper aims at analyzing gender differences in the 3D shapes of lateral ventricles, which will provide reference for the analysis of brain abnormalities related to neurological disorders. Previous studies mostly focused on volume analysis, and the main challenge in shape analysis is the required step of establishing shape correspondence among individual shapes. We developed a simple and efficient method based on anatomical landmarks. 14 females and 10 males with matching ages participated in this study. 3D ventricle models were segmented from MR images by a semiautomatic method. Six anatomically meaningful landmarks were identified by detecting the maximum curvature point in a small neighborhood of a manually clicked point on the 3D model. Thin-plate spline was used to transform a randomly selected template shape to each of the rest shape instances, and the point correspondence was established according to Euclidean distance and surface normal. All shapes were spatially aligned by Generalized Procrustes Analysis. Hotelling T 2 twosample metric was used to compare the ventricle shapes between males and females, and False Discovery Rate estimation was used to correct for the multiple comparison. The results revealed significant differences in the anterior horn of the right ventricle.
The susceptibility of Serratia marcescens to sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

The sensitivities of strains of Serratia marcescens isolated from clinical specimens, to trimethoprim (TMP), sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), and to a combination of the two drugs (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) were examined. All strains were sensitive to TMP (MICs, 0.1-1 ELg/ml) with varying degrees of sensitivity to SMZ (MICs, 1.0 tg/ml). Potentiation of antibacterial activity of the two drugs together was indicated by the larger clear zones of inhibition around the combination disk and by results of checkerboard titrations of combinations of the two drugs. Small colonies were present in many of the zones around the TMP and SMZ disks on Mueller-Hinton agar and sensitivity test agar (Wellcome), with and without 5% lysed horse blood.
Divalent cations and heparin/heparan sulfate cooperate to control assembly and activity of the fibroblast growth factor receptor complex

Polypeptides of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family are ubiquitous bioregulators within tissues whose activity is controlled by heparan sulfates within the pericellular matrix. FGF and the ectodomain of their transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors (FGFR) exhibit heparin-binding domains that when juxtaposed in a FGF middle dotFGFR complex can accommodate a single, potentially bivalent, decameric polysaccharide chain in a ternary complex. Here we show that the interaction of heparin with FGF ligands is not affected by divalent cations. In contrast, the high affinity interaction (apparent Kd = 10 nM) of heparin with FGFR requires Ca2+ or Mg2+ at physiological concentrations. Divalent cations maintain FGFR in a heparan sulfate-dependent state in respect to FGF binding and an FGF- and heparan sulfate-dependent state in respect to autophosphorylation. A model is proposed where divalent cations and heparan sulfate cooperate to maintain FGFR in a conformation that restricts trans-phosphorylation between intracellular kinase domains. The restriction is overcome by FGF or constitutively as a common consequence of diverse mutations in FGFR associated with skeletal and craniofacial abnormalities.
Universal deformation rings of modules over Frobenius algebras

Abstract Let k be a field, and let Λ be a finite dimensional k-algebra. We prove that if Λ is a self-injective algebra, then every finitely generated Λ-module V whose stable endomorphism ring is isomorphic to k has a universal deformation ring R ( Λ , V ) which is a complete local commutative Noetherian k-algebra with residue field k. If Λ is also a Frobenius algebra, we show that R ( Λ , V ) is stable under taking syzygies. We investigate a particular Frobenius algebra Λ 0 of dihedral type, as introduced by Erdmann, and we determine R ( Λ 0 , V ) for every finitely generated Λ 0 -module V whose stable endomorphism ring is isomorphic to k.
Nerve growth factor protects the neonatal brain against hypoxic–ischemic injury

Nerve growth factor (NGF) has been shown to protect specific neurons that express its signaling receptor, trkA, from a variety of insults. There are some data, in particular in the developing brain, indicating that NGF has neuroprotective actions that extend beyond cells expressing trkA. In this study, we asked whether NGF would protect against brain injury in a neonatal model of hypoxia-ischemia. Postnatal day (PD) 7 rat pups received a right carotid ligation and were then exposed to hypoxic conditions. Prior to carotid ligation and 48 hours later, pups received an intracerebroventricular injection of NGF or denatured NGF dissolved in vehicle or vehicle alone. Brains were then assessed at PD21. In vehicle- and denatured NGF-treated animals, there was significant damage (30-40% volume loss) to both the striatum and cortex ipsilateral to the carotid ligation. In contrast, little damage (10% volume loss) was observed in most NGF-treated animals. NGF injection studies revealed that NGF stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of trkA in multiple brain regions. These results show that NGF appears globally neuroprotective to the developing brain in a neonatal model of hypoxia-ischemia and that there may be novel mechanisms in vivo through which NGF exerts its protective actions.
SOA Solution Reference Architecture

In this tutorial, we present the results of abstracting a reference architecture for SOA based on multiple projects during the past 6 years. As an example SOA Solution Reference Architecture, the SOA Solution Stack (S3) defines the layers, architectural building blocks, design decisions, patterns, options and architectural decisions and the separation of concerns needed to model, architect, assemble, deploy and manage an end-to-end solution in the context of a service-oriented approach. The SOA Solution Stack (a.k.a. Service-oriented Solution Stack) provides a blue print for an enterprise or application architecture scope. The SOA Solution Stack is based on establishing the building blocks of SOA: services, components and flows that collectively support business processes and goals. The meta-data underlying each layer and relationship between layers can further facilitate SOA in bridging the gap between business and IT from solution modeling to solution realization.
Palliative Care in Pediatrics

Palliative care for children is not about dying; rather, it is about helping children and families to live to their fullest and to restore wholeness while facing complex medical conditions. Family centered pediatric palliative care is the art and science of improving quality of life and attending to suffering for children with life-threatening conditions; the basic principles are presented and discussed in this article.
Sensitivity study of asynchronous algorithms in disk buffer cache memory

Studies the sensitivity of asynchronous algorithms in disk buffer cache memory. The algorithms allow for writing the files into the buffer cache by the processes. The number of active processes in the system and the length of the queue to the disk buffer cache are considered in sensitivity study. This information is obtained dynamically during the execution of the algorithms. The time for a block to become available for updating in the buffer cache is given. The number of blocks available for updating in the buffer cache is derived. The performance of the algorithms is compared. It is shown that the proposed algorithms allow for better performance than an algorithm that does not use information about the system load. >
A broadband three-dimensional isotropic NRI medium

In this paper, a three-dimensional, fully-isotropic, broadband negative-refractive-index medium is proposed. The structure has a negative-index bandwidth of 24% and a simulated loss of 0.063dB/cell at the operating frequency of 1.5GHz (where n ≈ −1). The fabrication process for this metamaterial, which utilizes stereolithography, is described. This process allows for mass production of the metamaterial's constitutive elements, making the construction of large slabs possible.
Transformations of Markov processes in fault tolerant interconnected systems

Safety-critical control systems use fault tolerant interconnections of components to minimize the effect of randomly triggered faults. The system availability process indicates whether or not the interconnection is operating correctly at each time instant. It is a 2-state process that results from the transformation of the stochastic processes characterizing the availability processes of the interconnected components. To analyze closed-loop systems controlled by these fault tolerant interconnected components, it is important to determine the characteristics of the system availability process. When the availability processes of the interconnected components are independent homogeneous Markov chains, the statistical nature of the system availability process is characterized. In particular, it is shown that the system availability process is not necessarily Markov, but has a well-defined one-step transition probability matrix that approaches a constant stochastic matrix at steady-state. Since it is simpler to analyze switched closed-loop systems when the switching process is Markov, conditions for the system availability process to be a Markov chain for all initial distributions are determined. A sufficient stability condition is given when the system availability process is a non-homogeneous Markov chain for a class of initial distributions.
Nonthermal electromagnetic fields: From first messenger to therapeutic applications

Nonthermal pulsed electromagnetic fields, from low frequency to pulse-modulated radio frequency, have been successfully employed as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of delayed and non-union fractures, fresh fractures and chronic wounds. Recent increased understanding of the mechanism of action of electromagnetic fields (EMF) has permitted technologic advances allowing the development of EMF devices which are portable and disposable, can be incorporated into dressings, supports and casts, and can be used over clothing. This broadens the use of non-pharmacological, non-invasive EMF therapy to the treatment of postoperative pain and edema to enhance surgical recovery. EMF therapy is rapidly becoming a standard part of surgical care, and new, more significant, clinical applications for osteoarthritis, brain and cardiac ischemia and traumatic brain injury are in the pipeline. This study reviews recent evidence which suggests that calmodulin (CaM)-dependent nitric oxide signaling is involved in cell and tissue response to weak nonthermal EMF signals. There is abundant evidence that EMF signals can be configured a priori to increase the rate of CaM activation, which, in turn, can modulate the biochemical cascades living cells and tissues employ in response to external insult. Successful applications in pilot clinical trials, coupled with evidence at the cellular and animal levels, provide support that EMF is a first messenger that can modulate the response of challenged biological systems.
BCH-based Compactors of Test Responses with Controllable Masks

This paper presents a novel approach to compacting test response results for a multiple scan chains design. The compactors are based on (n+1, k) extended BCH code and guarantee detecting up to 2t single-bit errors and any odd number of single-bit errors, where n, k, t are integers depending on the particular BCH code used. Another technique uses controllable masks to handle any number of X?s on test responses. The techniques have ability to detect more single-bit errors with minimum numbers of compactor outputs and can be used to reduce tester channels, test application time, and test data volume, independent of circuit under test (CUT) and fault models.
ANALYSIS OF THREE DEGREE OF FREEDOM 6 6× TENSEGRITY PLATFORM

The mechanism studied in this paper is a three degree of freedom 6×6 tensegrity structure. A tensegrity structure is one that balances internal (pre-stressed) forces of tension and compression. These structures have the unique property of stabilizing themselves if subjected to certain types of disturbances. The structure analyzed in this paper consists of two rigid bodies (platforms) connected by a total of six members. Three of the members are noncompliant constant-length struts and the other three members consist of springs. For typical parallel mechanisms, if the bottom platform is connected to the ground and the top platform is connected to the base by six compliant leg connectors, the top platform will have six degrees of freedom relative to the bottom platform. However, because three of the six members connecting the two platforms are noncompliant constant-length struts, the top platform has only three degrees of freedom. The primary contribution of this paper is the analysis of the three degree of freedom tensegrity platform. Specifically, given the location of the connector points on the base and top platforms, the lengths of the three noncompliant constant-length struts, and the desired location of a point embedded in the top platform measured with respect to a coordinate system attached to the base, all possible orientations of the top platform are determined.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Cost analysis of an active surveillance strategy for Clostridium difficile using an agent-based simulation

Clostridium difficile (CD) is one of the most common nosocomial infections in the United States. Rapid identification and isolation of hospitalized patients with CD colonization or infection is critical to preventing transmission.
Training School Personnel to Identify Interventions Based on Functional Behavioral Assessment

Over 15 years after passage of legislation requiring the use of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to inform the development of positive behavior support plans (BSPs) in special education, schools are still struggling to implement BSPs based on FBA and the function of behavior. A primary concern is that school teams regularly fail to use function of behavior to generate behavioral interventions, even after completing an FBA and receiving training. The current study evaluated outcomes of an efficient 60-min training that taught explicit strategies for using function of behavior and FBA information to identify function-based intervention through modeling, guided practice, and feedback using student vignettes for escape-maintained and attention-maintained behaviors. The training yielded significant, positive results in participants’ ability to identify function-based interventions on behavioral vignettes. Future research and next steps are suggested for expanding the training to address the challenge of ...
Quantitative reconstruction from truncated projections

We prove that some kinds of truncation are entirely admissible for region-of-interest (ROI) reconstructions, contrary to the long-standing folklore that 2D tomography is "all or nothing." The proof is based on a link between the Hilbert transforms of parallel beam and fan beam projections which was recently used by Noo et al to achieve ROI image reconstruction on less than a short scan, provided no fanbeam truncation occurs. We extend the use of this link to achieve quantitative ROI reconstruction in the presence of truncated projections. Our results are illustrated with a specific example of a parallel-hole detector of length 24 cm and an elliptical object of axes 15 cm and 30 cm. The detector rotates 180 degrees about a point on the long axis at 11.25 cm from the (say, right) boundary. The right half of the ellipse, the ROI in this case, is not truncated although the left side is truncated in many views. The ROI can be accurately reconstructed, as is verified by our simulation. This result brings new understanding to the fundamental mechanisms of tomography. Practical applications of this result appear in SPECT when using multi-segment slant-hole collimators where the effective detector length is determined by the segment dimensions. There may be applications for ROI reconstruction in PET since we now know that not all LORs must be used. Iterative reconstruction algorithms might benefit from the reduced data requirement for ROI reconstruction.
Buffer management in shared-memory Time Warp systems

Mechanisms for managing message buffers in Time Warp parallel simulations executing on cache-coherent shared-memory multiprocessors are studied. Two simple buffer management strategies called the sender pool and receiver pool mechanisms are examined with respect to their efficiency, and in particular, their interaction with multiprocessor cache-coherence protocols. Measurements of implementations on a Kendall Square Research KSR-2 machine using both synthetic workloads and benchmark applications demonstrate that sender pools offer significant performance advantages over receiver pools. However, it is also observed that both schemes, especially the sender pool mechanism, are prone to severe performance degradations due to poor locality of reference in large simulations using substantial amounts of message buffer memory. A third strategy called the partitioned buffer pool approach is proposed that exploits the advantages of sender pools, but exhibits much better locality. Measurements of this approach indicate that the partitioned pool mechanism yields substantially better performance than both the sender and receiver pool schemes for large-scale, small-granularity parallel simulation applications.The central conclusions from this study are: (1) buffer management strategies play an important role in determining the overall efficiency of multiprocessor-based parallel simulators, and (2) the partitioned buffer pool organization offers significantly better performance than the sender and receiver pool schemes. These studies demonstrate that poor performance may result if proper attention is not paid to realizing an efficient buffer management mechanism.
Leptin Is a Metabolic Gate for the Onset of Puberty in the Female Rat

The timing of puberty onset in mammals is tightly coupled to the animal’s nutritional and metabolic state. We conducted two experiments to test the hypothesis that leptin acts as a metabolic signal for the onset of puberty. In the first experiment, we administered leptin (6.3μ g/g twice daily) to a group of normal prepubertal female rats and compared their rate of sexual maturation to that of two control groups. The group of leptin-treated animals and one group of control animals were allowed to eat ad lib, while the other group of control animals was pair-fed to the leptin-treated group. Food intake in the leptin-treated group was reduced to approximately 80% of the ad lib-fed control group, resulting in retarded growth in both leptin-treated and pair-fed animals. All measured indices of pubertal maturation—age at vaginal opening, age at first estrus, ovarian weight, ovulatory index (corpora lutea/ovarian section), uterine weight, and uterine cross-sectional area—were significantly delayed in the pair-fe...
Cofermentation of cellobiose and galactose by an engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strain

We demonstrate improved ethanol yield and productivity through cofermentation of cellobiose and galactose by an engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain expressing genes coding for cellodextrin transporter (cdt-1) and intracellular β-glucosidase (gh1-1) from Neurospora crassa. Simultaneous fermentation of cellobiose and galactose can be applied to producing biofuels from hydrolysates of marine plant biomass.
Contribution of Alcohol Abuse to Cerebellar Volume Deficits in Men With Schizophrenia

Background: It is controversial whether cerebellar tissue volume deficits occur in schizophrenia and, if so, what regions and tissue types are affected. Complicating such investigations is the high incidence of alcoholism comorbidity in patients with schizophrenia that itself can contribute to cerebellar abnormalities. Method: We studied 61 healthy men (control subjects), 25 men with alcoholism, 27 men with schizophrenia, and 19 men comorbid for schizophrenia and alcoholism with the use of magnetic resonance imaging. Cerebellar structures were outlined manually, tissue classification was determined statistically, and regional volumes were corrected for normal variation in head size and age. Results: Patients with schizophrenia alone had enlarged fourth ventricles (1.5 SD relative to controls) but showed no cerebellar tissue volume deficits. The alcoholic group had gray and white matter vermian deficits (˛0.5 SD), most prominent in anterior superior lobules, and gray matter hemisphere deficits (˛0.8 SD), but not fourth ventricle enlargement. The comorbid group had cerebellar hemisphere (˛1.3 SD) and vermian gray matter volume deficits (˛0.7 SD) and fourth ventricular enlargement (1.6 SD); these abnormalities were greater than in either singlediagnosis group, despite significantly lower levels of alcohol consumption compared with the alcoholic group. Gray matter volume in the anterior superior vermis correlated with lifetime alcohol consumption in the schizophrenic and comorbid groups when combined. Conclusions: Cerebellar tissue volume deficits were detected in schizophrenia only when accompanied by alcoholism. By contrast, fourth ventricular enlargement occurred in schizophrenia even without alcoholism, although it was exacerbated by alcoholism. These findings support a model of cerebellar supersensitivity to alcohol-related tissue volume deficits in schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000;57:894-902
Non-intrusive sensing techniques for the discrimination of energized electric cables

The implementation of a piezoelectric acoustic sensor for nonintrusive detection of the energization status of 3-/spl phi/ electric power cables is presented. Simultaneous excitation of a piezoelectric crystal by acoustic vibrations and electric field may occur. The Fourier spectral analysis of the sensor's output signal is used to determine the current loading status of the cable. Test results are included for both shielded and nonshielded 3-/spl phi/ cables. Also, the possible use of an optical fiber interferometer for acoustic wave detection is discussed.