cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: towards a better understanding for the practicing nephrologist

Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common histopathological lesion that can represent a primary podocytopathy, or occur as an adaptive phenomenon consequent to nephron mass reduction, a scar from a healing vasculitic lesion, direct drug toxicity or viral infection among other secondary causes. Thus, the presence of an FSGS lesion in a renal biopsy does not confer a disease diagnosis, but rather represents the beginning of an exploratory process, hopefully leading ultimately to identification of a specific etiology and its appropriate treatment. We define primary FSGS as a 'primary' podocytopathy characterized clinically by the presence of nephrotic syndrome in a patient with an FSGS lesion on light microscopy and widespread foot process effacement on electron microscopy (EM). Secondary FSGS is commonly characterized by the absence of nephrotic syndrome and the presence of segmental foot process effacement on EM. Failure to accurately differentiate between the primary and secondary forms of FSGS has resulted in many patients undergoing unnecessary immunosuppressive treatment. Here, we review some key points that may assist the practicing nephrologist to distinguish between primary and secondary FSGS.
Approximation of total visceral adipose tissue with a single magnetic resonance image

Background A single axial image measured between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae (L4-L5) is most frequently chosen to approximate total abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume, but growing evidence suggests that this measurement site is not ideal. Objective The objective was to determine the single magnetic resonance (MR) image that best approximates the total VAT volume in a biracial sample of healthy subjects. Design We used contiguous abdominal MR images to measure VAT area and summed them to determine total VAT volume. The sample included 820 healthy men and women (n = 692 whites, 128 blacks) aged 18-88 y. Results A range of MR images had equally high correlations with total VAT in each race and sex group. The image 6 cm above L4-L5 (L4-L5 + 6) was within the best equivalent range for all race and sex groups. The L4-L5 + 6 image crossed the L3 vertebra in 85% of subjects and crossed the L2-L3 intervertebral space or the L2 vertebra for 15% of subjects. Linear regression models indicated that the L4-L5 + 6 image explained 97% of the variance in total abdominal VAT volume, and additional covariates did not increase the R(2) value significantly. The L4-L5 image explained 83% of the variance in VAT volume, and the covariates accounted for an additional 7% of the variance. Rank-order values for VAT can change if total VAT volume is approximated by a single image area. Whereas 25% of subjects changed rank by >or=10% with the L4-L5 image, only 3% changed rank to that degree with the L4-L5 + 6 image. Conclusions A single MR image located approximately at the L3 vertebra can accurately estimate total VAT volume in blacks and whites of both sexes.
High order matched interface and boundary method for elliptic equations with discontinuous coefficients and singular sources

This paper introduces a novel high order interface scheme, the matched interface and boundary (MIB) method, for solving elliptic equations with discontinuous coefficients and singular sources on Cartesian grids. By appropriate use of auxiliary line and/or fictitious points, physical jump conditions are enforced at the interface. Unlike other existing interface schemes, the proposed method disassociates the enforcement of physical jump conditions from the discretization of the differential equation under study. To construct higher order interface schemes, the proposed MIB method bypasses the major challenge of implementing high order jump conditions by repeatedly enforcing the lowest order jump conditions. The proposed MIB method is of arbitrarily high order, in principle. In treating straight, regular interfaces we construct MIB schemes up to 16th-order. For more general elliptic problems with curved, irregular interfaces and boundary, up to 6th-order MIB schemes have been demonstrated. By employing the standard high-order finite difference schemes to discretize the Laplacian, the present MIB method automatically reduces to the standard central difference scheme when the interface is absent. The immersed interface method (IIM) is regenerated for a comparison study of the proposed method. The robustness of the MIB method is verified against the large magnitude of the jump discontinuity across the interface. The nature of high efficiency and low memory requirement of the MIB method is extensively validated via solving various elliptic immersed interface problems in two- and three-dimensions. ee-dimensions.
Tautomeric states of the active-site histidines of phosphorylated and unphosphorylated IIIGlc, a signal-transducing protein from escherichia coli, using two-dimensional heteronuclear NMR techniques

IIIGlc is an 18.1-kDa signal-transducing phosphocarrier protein of the phosphoenolpyruvate:glycose phosphotransferase system from Escherichia coli. The 1H, 15N, and 13C histidine ring NMR signals of both the phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of IIIGlc have been assigned using two-dimensional 1H-15N and 1H-13C heteronuclear multiple-quantum coherence (HMQC) experiments and a two-dimensional 13C-13C-1H correlation spectroscopy via JCC coupling experiment. The data were acquired on uniformly 15N-labeled and uniformly 15N/13C-labeled protein samples. The experiments rely on one-bond and two-bond J couplings that allowed for assignment of the signals without the need for the analysis of through-space (nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy) correlations. The 15N and 13C chemical shifts were used to determine that His-75 exists predominantly in the N epsilon 2-H tautomeric state in both the phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of IIIGlc, and that His-90 exists primarily in the N delta 1-H state in the unphosphorylated protein. Upon phosphorylation of the N epsilon 2 nitrogen of His-90, the N delta 1 nitrogen remains protonated, resulting in the formation of a charged phospho-His-90 moiety. The 1H, 15N, and 13C signals of the phosphorylated and unphosphorylated proteins showed only minor shifts in the pH range from 6.0 to 9.0. These data indicate that the pK alpha values for both His-75 and His-90 in IIIGlc and His-75 in phospho-IIIGlc are less than 5.0, and that the pK alpha value for phospho-His-90 is greater than 10. The results are presented in relation to previously obtained structural data on IIIGlc, and implications for proposed mechanisms of phosphoryl transfer are discussed.
A Pill for HIV Prevention: Déjà Vu All Over Again?

Recent FDA approval of tenofovir-emtricitabine for prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has led to concern about implementation of this strategy. Fifty years ago, a very similar national and international debate occurred when the oral contraceptive pill ("the Pill" or "OCP") was approved. Contentious issues included OCP safety, cost, and the potential impact on sexual behavior--many of the same concerns being voiced currently about PrEP. In this article, we review the social and medical history of OCP, drawing parallels with the current PrEP debate. We also explore the key areas where PrEP differs from its forbear: lower efficacy, presence of drug resistance, and a more circumscribed (and marginalized) target population. A thoughtful approach to PrEP implementation, bearing in mind the historical insights gained from the 1960s, might serve as well as we begin this new chapter in the control of the HIV epidemic.
Characterization of Candida albicans RNA triphosphatase and mutational analysis of its active site

The RNA triphosphatase component (CaCet1p) of the mRNA capping apparatus of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans differs mechanistically and structurally from the RNA triphosphatase of mammals. Hence, CaCet1p is an attractive antifungal target. Here we identify a C-terminal catalytic domain of CaCet1p from residue 257 to 520 and characterize a manganese-dependent and cobalt-dependent NTPase activity intrinsic to CaCet1p. The NTPase can be exploited to screen in vitro for inhibitors. The amino acids that comprise the active site of CaCet1p were identified by alanine-scanning mutagenesis, which was guided by the crystal structure of the homologous RNA triphosphatase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Cet1p). Thirteen residues required for the phosphohydrolase activity of CaCet1p (Glu287, Glu289, Asp363, Arg379, Lys396, Glu420, Arg441, Lys443, Arg445, Asp458, Glu472, Glu474 and Glu476) are located within the hydrophilic interior of an eight-strand β barrel of Cet1p. Each of the eight strands contributes at least one essential amino acid. The essential CaCet1p residues include all of the side chains that coordinate manganese and sulfate (i.e., γ phosphate) in the Cet1p product complex. These results suggest that the active site structure and catalytic mechanism are conserved among fungal RNA triphosphatases.
GEOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS ON GLOBAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY

Anthropogenic forcing of global climate is a concept with great political appeal but generally ignores basic concepts of science, particularly geological knowledge. Much of the current popular debate focuses on decadal variation in global temperature and ignores the natural variability inherent in geological records ranging in scale from centuries to eras. Discussions about geological constraints require understanding that geological science views the earth processes as being in disequilibrium, geology is a temporal science, and the energy budget of the earth is controlled by radiogenic and solar inputs creating a single dynamic Earth system. One illustration of the geological constraints on global climate is the congruence of widespread glacial episodes (icehouses) and warm periods (greenhouses) with continental plate configurations. During icehouse events (Late Precambrian, Carboniferous, Neogene), continents are arranged so as to disrupt equatorial ocean currents, distributing heat unevenly and providing polar moisture to sustain large-scale glaciers. During greenhouse events, earth-circling equatorial currents are presumed from lack of physical barriers. The conclusion is that tectonic distribution of topography and placement of continents control the geometry of ocean currents which in turn determine Earth climate.
Improved statistics for determining the Patterson symmetry from unmerged diffraction intensities

Procedures for detecting the point-group symmetry of macromolecular data sets are examined and enhancements are proposed. To validate a point group, it is sufficient to compare pairs of Bragg reflections that are related by each of the group's component symmetry operators. Correlation is commonly expressed in the form of a single statistical quantity (such as Rmerge) that incorporates information from all of the observed reflections. However, the usual practice of weighting all pairs of symmetry-related intensities equally can obscure the fact that the various symmetry operators of the point group contribute differing fractions of the total set. In some cases where particular symmetry elements are significantly under-represented, statistics calculated globally over all observations do not permit conclusions about the point group and Patterson symmetry. The problem can be avoided by repartitioning the data in a way that explicitly takes note of individual operators. The new analysis methods, incorporated into the program LABELIT (http://cci.lbl.gov/labelit), can be performed early enough during data acquisition, and are quick enough that it is feasible to pause to optimize the data collection strategy.
The Use of Trade Books in Secondary Science and Mathematics Instruction: Classroom Strategies.

The purpose of this paper is to provide secondary science and mathematics teachers with a variety of methods for incorporating trade books (i. e., fiction, nonfiction, biographies, autobiographies, reports of discoveries, poetry, science fiction) into their instruction. These activities include group problem solving, art projects, poem and song composition, drama, and character journal writing. Examples of books and quotes are included.
Lattice architectures for signal expansion by Gaussian set wavelets with applications to recognition

Three issues are discussed. The first issue is the feasibility of nonorthogonal basis functions (BFs) for the representation of signals and images in particular. Novel BFs are suggested for signal expansion which are based on Gaussian sets (GSs) and Gaussian set wavelets (GSWs). Even though GSs are nonorthogonal, they are found to be quite efficient in the exploitation of local redundancies of signals. The second issue concerns a novel method of expansion for recognition applying template-similar functions as BFs. The results show significant improvement over traditional recognition methods. The third issue deals with hardware implementation of the above methods using adaptive lattice architectures that exploit the central limit. >
Quantitative Imaging of Transcription in Living Drosophila Embryos Links Polymerase Activity to Patterning

Spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression are fundamental to every developmental program. The resulting macroscopic domains have been mainly characterized by their levels of gene products. However, the establishment of such patterns results from differences in the dynamics of microscopic events in individual cells such as transcription. It is unclear how these microscopic decisions lead to macroscopic patterns, as measurements in fixed tissue cannot access the underlying transcriptional dynamics. In vivo transcriptional dynamics have long been approached in single-celled organisms, but never in a multicellular developmental context. Here, we directly address how boundaries of gene expression emerge in the Drosophila embryo by measuring the absolute number of actively transcribing polymerases in real time in individual nuclei. Specifically, we show that the formation of a boundary cannot be quantitatively explained by the rate of mRNA production in each cell, but instead requires amplification of the dynamic range of the expression boundary. This amplification is accomplished by nuclei randomly adopting active or inactive states of transcription, leading to a collective effect where the fraction of active nuclei is modulated in space. Thus, developmental patterns are not just the consequence of reproducible transcriptional dynamics in individual nuclei, but are the result of averaging expression over space and time.
Cell Type and Distribution in the Porcine Temporomandibular Joint Disc

Purpose Surprisingly little is known about the cellular composition of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc, which is a crucial piece of the puzzle in tissue engineering efforts. Toward this end, cell types were identified and quantified regionally in the TMJ disc. Materials and Methods Porcine TMJ discs were examined by histology, electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Histology consisted of hematoxylin and eosin staining to identify regional variation of cell type and cell numbers. Transmission electron microscopy was used to elucidate differences in organelle content and pericellular matrix between TMJ disc cells and chondrocytes from hyaline cartilage. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the presence of smooth and skeletal muscle character in the TMJ disc. Results The overall ratio of fibroblasts to chondrocyte-like cells in the TMJ disc was approximately 2.35 to 1, with the highest relative number of chondrocyte-like cells in the intermediate zone. Electron microscopy revealed distinct differences between TMJ disc chondrocyte-like cells and chondrocytes from hyaline cartilage with respect to organelles and the pericellular region. Immunostaining identified smooth muscle in the form of vessels, which were most prominent in the anterior band. Skeletal muscle was not observed. Conclusion The cells of the TMJ disc are distinctly different from cells of hyaline cartilage, and consequently should not be referred to as chondrocytes. TMJ disc cells are comprised of heterogeneously distributed subpopulations, with fibroblasts predominating over fibrochondrocytes.
Investigation of The Microstructure of Shales in The Oil Window

Summary We present the results of a microstructural study of oil window organic shales, with samples from the Avalon, Bakken, and Woodford shale plays. The results of this study are placed within the framework of an overview of shale microstructure in both the oil and gas windows. Results show shales in the oil window possess a significantly different microstructure than those in the gas window with a general lack of porosity in the organic matter of oil window shales. While this fits the current idea of porosity development in the organic matter occurring during the generation of gas, several deviations to this rule of thumb are observed. Some oil window Avalon samples exhibit porosity in the organic matter. Other Avalon samples exhibit fractures contained solely within the organic matter that have the appearance of hydraulic fracturing possible due to oil generation within the organic matter. In addition, several of the gas window Woodford samples exhibit a mixture of porous and non-porous regions of organic matter within microns of each other. From this two important observations are made:
Rejoinder---Robust Prediction and Unrealistic Assumptions

In the response to my commentary on his 2007 editorial entitled “It's the Findings, Stupid, Not the Assumptions,” Steven Shugan raises a number of thought-provoking ideas. In this rejoinder, I focus on three issues that Shugan and I hold the most divergent views. First, while Shugan uses the terms “realistic” and “realism” in several different meanings, I define the realism of an assumption as the extent to which it corresponds with the real world. Second, Shugan makes a strong claim that predictions can be objectively evaluated whereas assumptions cannot. I refute his claim by arguing that testing predictions and testing assumptions follow the same research process of checking whether the proposition concerned corresponds with reality. Third, Shugan maintains that given predictive accuracy, assumptions need not be realistic. I hold an opposite view for the obvious reason that the same prediction may be generated by completely different mechanisms, which in turn are based on different assumptions. Last but not least, the example of socialist economic planning shows that unrealistic assumptions can generate dangerous theories.
Language loss in Guatemala: A statistical analysis of the 1994 population census

This study examines several approaches linguists have taken to explain native language attrition. Five attitudinal factors linked to ethnolinguistic vitality are examined: minority status, access to, and participation in, institutions and markets, cultural strength, education, and migration. Each factor was quantified into proxy variables using information compiled from the 1994 Guatemalan national population census. After constructing the data set, the author used regression analysis of the proxy variables to determine the significance of each attitudinal factor. Minority status, participation in institutions and markets, education, and migration all showed statistically significant correlations with language attrition among Maya speakers in Guatemala. Cultural strength, however, did not show a statistically significant correlation to language loss in the country.
Nonintrusive load disaggregation computer program to estimate the energy consumption of major end uses in residential buildings

Abstract This paper presents a new computer program for nonintrusive disaggregation of the total electricity consumption of a house into the major end uses. The computer program has two modes: (1) sampling and (2) evaluation. In the sampling mode, the operating characteristics (of each end use are determined from data collected over a period of several days using at least one current sensor per appliance. In the evaluation mode, only the main electric entrance of the house is monitored, and the electric signal is analyzed to disaggregate the total energy consumption. The errors in estimating the energy shares of three major end uses (water heater, baseboard heater and refrigerator) are less than 10% for most evaluation scenarios.
Design of Monolithic CMOS LDO Regulator With ${\rm D} ^{2}$ Coupling and Adaptive Transmission Control for Adaptive Wireless Powered Bio-Implants

This paper presents a monolithic CMOS low drop-out regulator for adaptive wireless powered bio-implants. A dual-loop control scheme is proposed to enhance load/DVS transient response, without a filter capacitor. The inner loop employs a direct dynamic coupling technique to improve transient response by directly detecting voltage variations through a capacitive coupling high-pass filter. Meanwhile, the outer loop adopts an adaptive transmission control to improve the regulator's large-signal transient response. The regulator is intrinsically stabilized without frequency compensation. Both small-signal and large-signal analysis are provided as design guidelines. The proposed regulator was fabricated with a 0.35-μm CMOS process, with an active die area of 0.35 μm2. Experimental results demonstrate a 1.6-μs/V down-tracking and 2.2- μs/V up-tracking speed for DVS reference tracking, with undershoot/overshoot voltages controlled below 90 mV. Without a filter capacitor, the output voltage of the regulator recovers within 2.0 μs for 100-mA load change, with less than 90-mV variation. The current/power efficiency stays above 93/78% over the entire interested load current range, with a peak value of 99.96/91.1%, respectively.
Color Seamlessness in Multi-Projector Displays Using Constrained Gamut Morphing

Multi-projector displays show significant spatial variation in 3D color gamut due to variation in the chromaticity gamuts across the projectors, vignetting effect of each projector and also overlap across adjacent projectors. In this paper we present a new constrained gamut morphing algorithm that removes all these variations and results in true color seamlessness across tiled multi-projector displays. Our color morphing algorithm adjusts the intensities of light from each pixel of each projector precisely to achieve a smooth morphing from one projector's gamut to the other's through the overlap region. This morphing is achieved by imposing precise constraints on the perceptual difference between the gamuts of two adjacent pixels. In addition, our gamut morphing assures a C1 continuity yielding visually pleasing appearance across the entire display. We demonstrate our method successfully on a planar and a curved display using both low and high-end projectors. Our approach is completely scalable, efficient and automatic. We also demonstrate the real-time performance of our image correction algorithm on GPUs for interactive applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that presents a scalable method with a strong foundation in perception and realizes, for the first time, a truly seamless display where the number of projectors cannot be deciphered.
A practical and reliable method for measuring ethane and pentane in expired air from humans.

Abstract We describe a method for the collection of expired air and further document the performance of our analytical technique that is used to measure ethane and pentane simultaneously. Four minutes of breathing hydrocarbon-free air before collection effectively removed high concentrations of residual ambient ethane and pentane from the lungs, with washout times up to 30 min resulting in no further reductions in breath hydrocarbons. Mean (±SE) exhalation rates (pmol/kg b.wt./min) in 11 subjects were 2.4 ± 0.6 for ethane and 1.5 ± 1.3 for pentane. Total intraindividual variability in exhalation rates (as percent coefficient of variation, %CV), measured from 4 subjects on at least 6 different days, was greater for pentane (44% CV) than for ethane (29% CV). Analytical variability contributed 6% to the total %CV. Advantages of the method are described, and reasons for the large variability in values reported in the literature are discussed.
The Impact of Exchange Rates On Hotel Occupancy

In many of our Hospitality and Tourism programs our students are usually required to take only the most basic finance course, this can leave them drastically under prepared for real world situations. Hospitality and Tourism is the world’s single largest industry and probably one the industries most affected by foreign exchange movements. This “exposure”, if you will, is a direct result of the discretionary nature of Hospitality and Tourism spending. This paper explores the relationship of foreign exchange rates of the five major tourist markets (Great Britain, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Mexico, and compares the changes in currency values to the changes in the hotel occupancy of the 7 major U.S. tourist destinations. (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Washington DC, Las Vegas, and Orlando) We utilized exchange rate data from Oanda Foreign Exchange website http://www.oanda.com/convert/fxhistory , and Hotel Occupancy data provided by Smith Travel Research. http://www.smithtravelresearch.com/smithtravelresearch/
The specialization of general purpose processor architecture elements for programmable digital signal processors

The architectures of programmable digital signal processors have design constraints with different weights from general purpose microprocessors. The author considers how these differences have led to specializations of general purpose microprocessor architectural techniques.
CONTEXT-DEPENDENT KIN DISCRIMINATION IN LARVAL FOUR-TOED SALAMANDERS HEMIDACTYLIUM SCUTATUM (CAUDATA: PLETHODONTIDAE)

We studied kin discrimination in the larvae of the four-toed salamander Hemidactylium scutatum. The results of a spatial affinity assay supported the hypothesis that larvae can recognize kin and do so whether they have been raised alone or with siblings. Larvae were attracted to siblings and did not avoid non-siblings. Two additional experiments tested the hypothesis that kin discrimination is a function of predator density. The consistent predator avoidance pattern of larval H. scutatum was to lower activity level. In the experiment characterized by a higher predator density, sibling groups of larvae exposed to a predator lowered their amount of swimming more than larvae in mixed sibling groups. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of context-dependent kin discrimination and suggest that individuals can balance costs and benefits of behaviors as a function of ecological and social factors. This study is the first to demonstrate kin recognition in the larval stage of any species in the family ...
The Education of American Indians

Most of the material in this paper has been taken from To Live on This Earth: American Indian Education by Estelle Fuchs and Robert J. Havighurst. New York: Doubleday, 1972.
The Audacity to Hope Regulatory Restraint Will Prevail

Much ink already has been spilled over the September 21st announcement by FCC Chairman Genachowski to circulate a notice of proposed rulemaking expanding and codifying the FCC's four Internet policy principles. The key question is whether the FCC possesses the statutory authority it would require to expand and codify the Internet policy principles? No, at least not for the reasons the agency has advanced to date. The question of regulatory jurisdiction is not so directly implicated when the FCC propounds broad, but unenforceable, policy principles, as it did with its 2005 Internet Policy Statement. But legally binding "rules of the road," must rest on a convincing factual predicate and must come within the scope of the regulatory powers delegated to the FCC by Congress. And it is the latter that is called into question by the FCC's reliance on the doctrine of "ancillary jurisdiction" in its Comcast P2P Order, currently on review before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, a court not especially hospitable to such claims. Given the stakes, the Brief is surprisingly tepid in its defense of this exercise of the FCC's ancillary jurisdiction. The Brief eschews detailed arguments in support of all seven statutory provisions it cited in the Comcast P2P Order, and rests its case almost entirely on section 230(b). The remainder of the Brief offers only the barest support for the other sources of ancillary jurisdiction discussed in the Comcast P2P Order. In fact, in its opening pages, the Brief attempts to locate support for the ancillary jurisdiction claim on yet an eighth statutory provision, section 543. which was not even cited in the underlying order! The FCC will find that the Communications Act constrains its ability to do much more than issue broad statements of policy and principle concerning the provision of Internet services.
Increased incidence of thyroid cancer among breast cancer survivors: an analysis of the SEER-9 database (1973–2011)

Aims: We sought to re-examine the incidence of thyroid cancer among breast cancer survivors by performing a population-based, cohort analysis using the SEER-9 database. Methods: We identified 704,370 breast cancer patients, 49,663 thyroid cancer patients and 1526 patients who developed thyroid cancer after breast cancer (B1T). Results: Risk for developing thyroid cancer is greatest among survivors diagnosed with breast cancer at age less than 50 years. In general, B1T patients are younger with smaller tumors, and have a greater percentage of invasive ductal carcinoma. They develop thyroid cancer at an older age, and have a greater percentage of aggressive subtypes. Conclusion: Recognition of this association between thyroid and breast cancer should prompt increased awareness in these cancer patient populations.
Effects of the Attractive Potential Range on the Phase Behavior of Small Clusters of Colloidal Particles

We report the findings of a computational study designed to discover the effects of changing the range of a depletion-based attractive potential on the phase behavior of assemblies of 32 colloidal particles. The tunable model potential has been experimentally realized using a system of silica particles and hydrogel depletants in previous work. Using Monte Carlo umbrella sampling with coarse graining in two order parameters, we generate free energy landscapes that indicate coexistence between phases. When the range of the depletion interaction is short, a fluid-like phase is in equilibrium with a relaxed face-centered cubic (FCC) crystalline phase. As the interaction length is increased to about 20 % of the silica particle radius, a relaxed hexagonal close-packed structure is observed in coexistence with the relaxed FCC structure.
The dentinal bridge in pulp-involved teeth

Abstract The frequency of dentinal bridge formation as evidence of a healing diseased pulp was examined histologically in 223 carious human teeth. This number included 183 teeth treated by the standard pulp-capping procedure, nineteen teeth treated by pulpotomy, and twenty-one teeth which could have been treated by either of the two procedures but were extracted without treatment as a control. The teeth were processed routinely for histologic studies. Examination of the serial longitudinal sections revealed that the formation of a dentinal bridge had occurred in 64 per cent of the teeth treated with the direct pulp-capping technique and in 33 per cent of those treated with the pulpotomy technique. The bridge formation was classified anatomically as complete and incomplete and histomorphologically as fibrillar, globular, and tubular.
ATPS-68COMBINATION OF TOPOISOMERASE II POISON BERUBICIN WITH STAT3 INHIBITOR WP1066BLOCKS POTENTLY TUMOR GROWTH IN GMB MODELS

BACKGROUND: Berubicin (WP744) is a DNA binding agent and potent topoisomerase II poison designed and synthesized in our laboratory. Preclinical studies demonstrated that WP744 is a potent anticancer agent with nanomolar potency in glioma cells. WP744 was shown to effectively cross blood-brain barrier (BBB) and displayed antitumor activity in orthotopic glioma models. WP744 gained IND approval and subsequent Phase I clinical trials shows clinical benefits (including complete response) in selected brain tumor patients. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is an oncogenic transcription factor that is activated in numerous tumors including GBM. WP1066, an analog of caffeic acid benzyl ester (CABE, a component of propolis), is a potent inhibitor of activated STAT3 (STAT3-Y705) designed in our laboratory. WP1066 is currently undergoing preclinical development and has demonstrated anticancer activity in multiple cancer models including GBM. WP1066 similarly to WP744 is able to cross BBB. The goal of this study is to assess therapeutic effects of WP744 in combination with WP1066 in the in vitro and in vivo GBM models. RESULTS: WP744 and WP1066 were tested in a panel of GBM cell lines including GSC cell lines. Both, WP744 and WP1066, effectively induce apoptosis and inhibit cells growth at low nanomolar and micromolar concentrations, respectively. Dosing schedule for a combination in vivo therapy was tested in CD-1 mice. The proof-of-principle efficacy study was performed in subcutaneous U87 GBM tumor model and demonstrated superior tumor growth inhibition in a group receiving combination of WP1066 and WP744. CONCLUSION: Proposed novel therapeutic strategy involving two compounds (WP744 and WP1066) with significant CNS uptake that are mechanistically complementary is highly promising and our results warrant further evaluation in different brain tumor models. Consistent activity of WP744 combination with WP1066 in a broader range of tumors would open possibility for its future clinical evaluation.
Analysis and Discussion on Drawing up Emergency Plan for Power Supply Enterprises

This paper analyzes the problems during the progress of drawing up emergency plan by power supply enterprises,proposes the processes and methods to draw up scientific emergency plan.Finally the methods proposed in this paper are proved to be feasible, scientific,instructional and practical through three-year empirical analysis of Baoji Power Supply Bureau.
Finding Primitive Roots Pseudo-Deterministically.

Pseudo-deterministic algorithms are randomized search algorithms which output unique solutions (i.e., with high probability they output the same solution on each execution). We present a pseudo-deterministic algorithm that, given a prime p, finds a primitive root modulo p in time exp(O( p log p log log p)). This improves upon the previous best known provable deterministic (and pseudo-deterministic) algorithm which runs in exponential time p 1 4+o(1). Our algorithm matches the problem’s best known running time for Las Vegas algorithms which may output di↵erent primitive roots in di↵erent executions. When the factorization of p 1 is known, as may be the case when generating primes with p 1 in factored form for use in certain applications, we present a pseudo-deterministic polynomial time algorithm for the case that each prime factor of p 1 is either of size at most logc(p) or at least p1/c for some constant c > 0. This is a significant improvement over a result of Gat and Goldwasser [5], which described a polynomial time pseudo-deterministic algorithm when the factorization of p 1 was of the form kq for prime q and k = poly(log p). We remark that the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis (GRH) implies that the smallest primitive root g satisfies g  O(log(p)). Therefore, assuming GRH, given the factorization of p 1, the smallest primitive root can be found and verified deterministically by brute force in polynomial time.
Infrared Mapping of Peripheral Vascular Disorders

Thermography facilitates the detection of both the “cold” spots of occlusive processes and the “hot” areas of inflammation. A valuable adjunct to the diagnosis and management of circulatory disease in the extremities, it can often eliminate the radiation exposure of angiography.
Population Pharmacokinetics: Development of a Medical Intensive Care Unit-Specific Gentamicin Dosing Nomogram

ObjectiveThis study was designed to develop a population-specific dosing nomogram for gentamicin in medical intensive care unit (MICU) patients using the population pharmacokinetic program nonparametric expectation maximization (NPEM).DesignObservational clinical gentamicin dosing data were collected, entered into the USC*PACK database program PASTRX, and downloaded into the population pharmacokinetic program NPEM. NPEM generated population pharmacokinetic parameter values that were used to develop a gentamicin dosing nomogram. The nomogram was tested in the next 15 patients admitted to MICU to determine accuracy. Doses given per the MICU and the Hull-Sarubbi nomograms were compared with doses based on actual patient-specific pharmacokinetic parameter values. Reliability coefficients (intraclass correlation coefficients) were calculated to assess the agreement between observations.SettingData were gathered from patients receiving gentamicin therapy in the MICU, Presbyterian University Hospital, Pittsburgh...
Mechanisms of p185HER2 expression in human non-small cell lung cancer cell lines.

To identify mechanisms that allow p185HER2 expression in lung cancer, we performed Western, Southern, and Northern blot analyses of 14 cell lines derived from human non-small cell lung carcinomas and one cell line derived from a human mesothelioma. Human bronchiole epithelial cells and rat type II pneumocytes were found to express p185HER2 at low to undetectable levels by Western blot technique. In contrast, 13 lung cancer cell lines expressed p185HER2, and eight of these 13 expressed p185HER2 at levels at least 2-fold higher than that found in normal bronchiole epithelial cells or type II pneumocytes. Genomic Southern analysis showed that amplification of the HER2 gene was present in only one of the eight cell lines that expressed p185HER2 at these higher levels. Increased levels of steady-state HER2 mRNA occurred in the remaining seven cell lines. We conclude that in human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines the most common mechanism resulting in increased p185HER2 expression is due to mechanisms t...
Introduction: Approaching the Real

This book concerns the concept of the ‘Real’ in the work of the French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan. Lacan proposed an ambitious, at times highly abstract, and always philosophically suggestive, reading of Freud, intended to provide a strong theoretical basis for the creative renewal of psychoanalytic practice. In what follows, I aim to provide a sustained, synthetic reading of the broad sweep of Lacan’s work, from articles written in the 1940s on the question of primary narcissism in the formation of the ego through to his final seminars 30 years later, with a view to reconstructing perhaps the most elusive of his concepts, the ‘Real’. The Real, I argue, must be understood as the central, determining concept of Lacan’s work, early and late, without which his metapsychology would succumb to one of two fates: either the temptations of linguistic idealism, whereby psychoanalysis would risk being reduced to a form of hermeneutics; or a theoretical and clinical overinvestment in the narcissistic projections of the ego, rendered as the properly curative object of analysis.2
Basic Photophysical and Photochemical Concepts

Although man was not present to observe the event, the first photochemical reaction probably occurred billions of years ago. High-energy solar radiation (λ < 2000 A) undoubtedly was an important factor in the development of large molecules, polymers, and eventually polypeptides from the primitive earth’s reducing atmosphere (methane, ammonia, and hydrogen). However, from man’s point of view, the greatest photochemical “breakthrough” occurred when the first few quanta of light were absorbed by a rudimentary photosynthetic unit, resulting in the release of molecular oxygen to the atmosphere, thus paving the way for all higher life: $$nH_2 O + nCO_2 + light\,\,\,absorder \xrightarrow{{hv}}\,\,\left( {CH_2 O} \right)n + nO_2$$ (1.1)
Supplementary control for SVC to improve the converter commutation performance of HVDC

Considering the close relationship between commutation failure of HVDC and the voltage at inverter side, this paper studies the method to improve converter commutation performance with the help of SVC. In order to overcome the drawback of single-object control and further reduce the probability or commutation failure duration of HVDC system, the signal of AC line current as a supplementary control object is introduced to design a multi-object controller for SVC system. The CIGRE Benchmark HVDC model with SVC is simulated in electromagnetic transient program PSCAD/EMTDC to verify that the multi-object control strategy proposed is superior to single-object controller and realizes multi-object control to improve the system's stability and converter commutation performance of HVDC.
Localised surface plasmon-like resonance generated by microwave electromagnetic waves in pipe defects

AbstractLocalised surface plasmon (LSP)-like resonance phenomena were simulated in COMSOL Multiphysics™, and the electric field enhancement was evaluated in eight pipe defects using the microwave band from 1.80 to 3.00 GHz and analysed by finite element analysis (FEA). The simulation was carried out, in each defect case, on a pipe that has 762 mm length and 152.4 mm inner diameter, and 12.7 mm pipe wall thickness. Defects were positioned in the middle of the pipe and were named as follows; SD: Square Defect, FCD: fillet corner defect, FD: fillet defect, HCD: half circle defect, TCD: triangle corner defect, TD: triangle defect, ZD: zigzag defect, GD: gear defect. The LSP electric field, and scattering parametric (S21, and S11) waves were evaluated in all cases and found to be strongly dependent on the size and the shape of the defect rather than the pipe and or the medium materials.
Rhombohedral super hetero epitaxy of cubic SiGe on trigonal c-plane sapphire

New rhombohedral super-hetero-epitaxy technology was developed at NASA. This epitaxy technology enables the growth of unprecedented cubic-trigonal hybrid single crystal structures with lattice match on sapphire (Al 2 O 3 ) substrates, hence with little strain and very few defects at the interface.
Newton-Krylov method in solving drift-flux two-phase flow problems for both pre-CHF and post-CHF conditions at steady state

Abstract This paper presents numerical simulations of two-phase flow heat transfer for both pre-CHF and post-CHF conditions typical in light water nuclear reactors. The conjugate heat transfer problem is modeled with one-dimensional four-equation drift-flux two-phase flow model for coolant flow and two-dimensional heat conduction equation in solid walls/rods. Fully implicit time integration schemes were employed, and the resulted non-linear equations were solved with a Newton-Krylov method. For the drift-flux two-phase flow model, the EPRI drift-flux closure correlation is used to model the relative motion between the two phases. Additional closure correlations were adopted from REALP5-3D to further improve the model accuracy in complex two-phase flow applications. These correlations are applied to determine two-phase flow regime, wall boiling heat and mass transfer, interfacial heat and mass transfer, and two-phase flow frictional pressure drop. Three sets of experiments were used for code validation, including Bartolomei subcooled flow boiling in vertical pipes, FRIGG boiling tests in vertical bundles, and Bennett heated tube tests. RELAP5-3D simulation results were also provided to perform code-to-code benchmark. Overall, numerical results of this work showed good agreements with both experimental data and RELAP5-3D simulation results. Discrepancy between them were also identified in post-CHF region, which suggests necessary further improvement. This work represents the first successful application of Newton-Krylov method in solving four-equation drift-flux two-phase flow problems with a full realistic boiling curve.
Neurological syndromes driven by postinfectious processes or unrecognized persistent infections.

Purpose of review The immune system serves a critical role in protecting the host against various pathogens. However, under circumstances, once triggered by the infectious process, it may be detrimental to the host. This may be as a result of nonspecific immune activation or due to a targeted immune response to a specific host antigen. In this opinion piece, we discuss the underlying mechanisms that lead to such an inflammatory or autoimmune syndrome affecting the nervous system. We examine these hypotheses in the context of recent emerging infections to provide mechanistic insight into the clinical manifestations and rationale for immunomodulatory therapy. Recent findings Some pathogens endure longer than previously thought. Persistent infections may continue to drive immune responses resulting in chronic inflammation or development of autoimmune processes, resulting in damage to the nervous system. Patients with genetic susceptibilities in immune regulation may be particularly vulnerable to pathogen driven autoimmune responses. Summary The presence of prolonged pathogens may result in chronic immune stimulations that drives immune-mediated neurologic complications. Understanding the burden and mechanisms of these processes is challenging but important.
An Effective Purification Process for the Nuclear Radiation Detector Tl6SeI4

The semiconductor Tl6SeI4 was previously identified as a promising semiconductor for room temperature nuclear radiation detection. As the detection performance and carrier transport strongly depend on the concentration of impurity energy levels acting as scattering centers and carrier trapping, material purification is a crucial prerequisite step to obtain spectroscopic-grade detector performance. In this contribution, we present a highly efficient purification method using a bent ampule for evaporating Se, Tl2Se, and TlI precursors for Tl6SeI4. On the basis of impurity analysis performed by glow discharge mass spectroscopy, the main impurities in Tl2Se were identified to be Pb, Bi, and Al, while in TlI the main impurities are Al and Sn. The bent-ampule method successfully reduces or removes the Cl, Pb, and Te impurities from the Se precursor, the Pb, Bi, and Al impurities from the Tl2Se precursor, and removes Sn from TlI. Informed by the analysis results, density functional theory calculations were perfo...
Metal-GaAs(110) Interfaces Formed at Low Temperature: From Adsorbate- to Metal-Induced Gap States

After two decades of research on metal-semiconductor interfaces, the problem of the formation of Schottky barriers is still very much present (and controversial) 1. The origin and nature of the interface states which pin the Fermi level (EF) at metal-semiconductor interfaces remain uncertain. The difficulty in resolving this issue stems from the diversity of metal-semiconductor interfaces and from the complexity of their chemistry, morphology and atomic structure. Progress has been made in the understanding of the microscopic structure of some of these interfaces with low energy electron diffraction (LEED)2,3, ion channeling4, total energy minimization calculations5,6 and with the recent development of scanning tunneling microscopy7. Enough remains unknown, however, that interface structure, interdiffusion, defects or metallization still raise unanswered questions about the pinning process. In addition, Vitturo et al. have recently indicated that deep levels in the bulk of the materials used for most Schottky barrier formation studies, ie. liquid-encapsulated Czochralski GaAs, might be responsible for the narrow range of EF pinning in the gap, and that pinning occurs in a much wider range on (100) surfaces of substrates grown by molecular beam epitaxy8. This result adds another dimension to an already difficult and overly discussed subject.