cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic aortic aneurysm resection.

PURPOSE To describe a laparoscopic technique for resection of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). METHODS The operation is based on the principle of retroperitoneal reinforced staple exclusion of the aneurysm sac with aortobifemoral or aortoiliac bypass using gas and gasless laparoscopic techniques. Patients were eligible for this procedure if their infrarenal AAAs (with or without iliac artery involvement) were considered appropriate for surgical resection; however, renal or other visceral arterial stenoses, aneurysmal disease requiring surgical treatment, and/or aneurysms of the hypogastric arteries excluded patients from laparoscopic AAA resection. RESULTS Of 31 candidates for this procedure, 9 were excluded owing to high surgical risk. Twenty-two patients (16 males; age range 62 to 88 years) were deemed appropriate for the laparoscopic procedure. Maximum aneurysm diameter ranged from 4.0 to 8.0 cm. The operation was completed successfully in 20 (91%) patients. Two (9%) deaths in high-risk patients admitted early to the study occurred within 30 days of surgery. The only major complication was an injured ureter, for which a nephrectomy was performed. Comparison to a historical cohort of conventionally treated patients showed that the study group needed less ventilator support, had shorter intensive care and hospital stays, and resumed diet earlier despite relatively prolonged anesthesia and aortic clamping times. CONCLUSIONS The laparoscopic approach to infrarenal AAAs appears feasible, with several potential advantages in low- and moderate-risk patients. Once the technique is optimized, randomized prospective studies will be needed to verify the apparent benefits demonstrated by these initial patients.
The likely cause of the EGRET GeV anomaly and its implications

Abstract Analysis of data from the EGRET γ-ray detector on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory indicated an anomaly in the form of an excess diffuse galactic flux at GeV energies over that which was theoretically predicted. Various explanations for this anomaly have been put forth, including the invocation of supersymmetric dark matter annihilation. We reexamine these explanations here, including a new discussion of the possible systematic errors in the sensitivity determination of the EGRET detector. We conclude that the most likely explanation of the EGRET “GeV anomaly” was an error in the estimation of the EGRET sensitivity at energies above ∼1 GeV. We give reasons why such a situation could have occured. We find evidence from our new all-sky analysis which is inconsistent with the assumption that the anomaly can be a signal of supersymmetric dark matter annihilation. We also reconfirm the original results of the EGRET team on the extragalactic γ-ray background spectrum. There are important implications of our analysis for the upcoming gamma ray large area telescope (GLAST) mission.
Pharmacokinetics of intravenous chlorpheniramine in children

The disposition of chlorpheniramine was examined in seven children, 6-14 years of age, following a 0.1-mg/kg iv dose. Postinjection serum chlorpheniramine levels in each subject declined biexponentially, with the greatest intersubject variability occurring in the initial distribution of the drug. The volume of distribution at steady state ranged from 1.20 to 5.46 liters/kg. The chlorpheniramine serum clearance varied approximately twofold (234-470 ml/hr/kg) and generally decreased with age. The chlorpheniramine elimination half-life in children (mean of 9.6 hr) appeared shorter than that in adults, probably due to higher chlorpheniramine serum clearance in children.
Secreted thrombospondin-1 controls platelet sensitivity to NO

Many functions have been suggested for the large amounts of thrombospondin-1 that are stored in α-granules of platelets. Isenberg et al describe a new role whereby thrombospondin-1 counteracts NO and allows platelet activation to take place in situations in which NO is being generated.
Ion Concentrations and Recombination in Expanding Low Pressure Sparks

Passage of a capacitor discharge through a low pressure gas between electrodes results in an abrupt expansion of the gas along any avenues open to it. In hydrogen, the expanding luminous gas shows strong Stark broadening. Applying this effect, ion concentrations have been measured ranging up to 30 percent of the initial particle concentration. Intensity measurements indicate that the quantized radiation is a result of electronic recombination. Time and space studies show that the ion concentration appears to reach a maximum at some remote position down the expansion avenue, but that all discharges reach a maximum at about the same time.
Protein kinase C regulates dopamine D4 receptor-mediated phospholipid methylation.

Abstract Dopamine D4 receptors (D4 receptors) mediate dopamine-stimulated, folate-dependent phospholipid methylation. To investigate possible regulation of this multi-step D4 receptor-mediated phospholipid methylation cycle by protein kinases, specific kinase activators and inhibitors were studied in SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma cells, using [ 14 C] formate to label folate-derived single-carbon groups. Phorbol dibutyrate (PDB), an activator of protein kinase C, stimulated basal phospholipid methylation and also shifted the dose–response curve for dopamine-stimulated phospholipid methylation to the right by more than an order of magnitude. Calphostin C, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, had little effect on basal phospholipid methylation but significantly inhibited dopamine-stimulated phospholipid methylation and also blocked the stimulatory response to PDB. Chelerythrine, which inhibits protein kinase C and other kinases, strongly inhibited both basal and dopamine-stimulated phospholipid methylation. Forskolin, an activator of protein kinase A, inhibited basal and dopamine-stimulated phospholipid methylation, but only at high concentrations while Rp-cAMP, an inhibitor of protein kinase A, did not block this effect. Inhibition of protein kinase G produced a modest decrease in dopamine-stimulated phospholipid methylation, but neither sodium nitroprusside, which increases nitric oxide (NO) production and activates protein kinase G, nor the NO synthase inhibitor N -nitro- l -arginine had any effect on basal or dopamine-stimulated phospholipid methylation. These observations indicate that protein kinase C is an important regulator of basal and D4 receptor-mediated folate-dependent phospholipid methylation, whereas protein kinase A and protein kinase G have a lesser or minimal role.
Plant litter : its dynamics and effects on plant community structure

We discuss the dynamics of plant litter, the effects of litter on the chemical and physical environment, the direct and indirect effects of plant litter on plant populations and communities, and different adaptative traits that may be related to litter accumulation. The production of litter depends primarily on the site productivity, but other properties of the environment, as well as chance, may introduce important variation. The existence of time lags between the production of plant organs and their transformation into litter appears as a relevant character of litter dynamics seldom included in models. Herbivory, and other processes that destroy biomass or reduce productivity, may reduce the amount of litter produced. The destruction of litter encompasses a complex of interactions. The main processes, including physical and chemical degradation, consumption by invertebrates and decomposition, are differentially affected by the environment and by the physical and chemical characteristics of the litter itself. The relative importance of those processes varies among systems.
Cementum annulation and age determination in Homo sapiens. I. Tooth variability and observer error

In order to test the feasibility of cementum annulations to estimate age in humans, observer error and tooth variability in cementum ring counts were evaluated in a sample of 42 mandibular canine and first premolar pairs. Additionally, two sectioning techniques were evaluated. Demineralized thin sections (7 micron) stained with hematoxylin are the preferred technique since their age related variance is greater than 75% for all tooth types examined. In contrast, less than 50% of the total variance was accounted for among individuals when mineralized sections (80 micron) stained with alizarin red were used. Intertooth variability in ring counts of demineralized sections was large between canines and premolars (43%). Premolars provide counts with lower interobserver error and are the preferred tooth. In an expanded sample (N = 51) of demineralized premolars, intraobserver and interobserver error accounted for 2% and 5% of the total variance, respectively. Evaluation of several experimental designs showed that increasing the number of slides per tooth has the greatest effect on reducing variance followed by increasing the number of observers. Increasing the number of observations has little effect. Cementum ring counts are measurable to a highly repeatable extent and provide a level of repeatability greater than that reported for the pubic symphysis and auricular surface aging techniques.
Magnetic Surface Modes: Classification, New Types, and Simple Method of Solution

A physical interpretation of the eigenvalue equation is used to obtain the frequencies and spin configurations of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic surface modes and to provide a classification of these modes. A physical understanding of the features of surface modes also is provided. Since all spins precess at the same frequency in a normal mode, the frequency can be obtained from the equations of motion of one, or sometimes two or three, spins near the surface. One class of surface modes is the changed-surface-parameter class, in which the missing neighbors of a surface spin are compensated for by a changed parameter, such as an exchange constant, at the surface. Another is the equivalent-layer class, in which the crystal contains equivalent layers such that the net torque on each spin $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{S}}$ on an equivalent layer exerted by all spins on the surface side of $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{S}}$ is zero. Two new types of surface waves are studied. In the first, the spin precession changes phase as well as amplitude as a function of the distance from the surface. In the second, a surface layer of spins is antiparallel to the bulk spins.
Introduction: kinship and family in international context

Kinship and family have been an interest and focus of multidisciplinary research for decades. Sociologists, demographers, anthropologists, historians, and economists have defined and redefined family from many perspectives. There are many forms of family. The predominant family form in western society today is the nuclear family, comprised of a married couple and their children. Beyond the nuclear family, and more prevalent in many parts of the world, there are several forms of the extended family, including the stem family, consisting of one adult child with his spouse and his parents, the multigenerational family, where several generations of family members reside together; and the joint family, where married siblings co‐reside.
MO‐F‐110‐01: Analysis of Distribution of Procedure Time and Dose in Interventional Radiography (IR): Setting Thresholds for Case Review

Purpose: It is traditional to review clinical cases when the time or entrance skindose (ESD) reach or surpass certain thresholds (e.g. 60 minutes or 2Gy). We believe that the relevant threshold should be more closely tied to the clinical procedure performed. We aim to provide relevant time and dose thresholds for flagging IR procedures for quality assurance (QA) review by statistically characterizing the distribution of cases for each procedure type. Methods: Fluoroscopic time and cumulative air kerma (AK) were manually recorded for all IR procedures. We generated a report that separated data by procedure type, and estimated the ESD. For each procedure type, outliers were removed and we calculated the mean (x) and standard deviation (SD) for time and ESD distributions. We set the flagging threshold for time and ESD as x+2SD for each procedure. Results: For Neuro (NIR) and Vascular (VIR) whereby cases are interventional or therapeutic (e.g. TIPS, embolization), the distribution yielded an average dose at or greater than 2Gy. Over a three month period, the percent of total procedures flagged using 2Gy and x+2SD thresholds were 24.1% and 7.1% for NIR and 17.2% and 6.9% for VIR, respectively. Conversely, for lower‐dose procedures (e.g. PICC/port/drain placements, GI, GU), the average dose is less than 2Gy, and the flagged cases were 2.8% and 7.1% for the respective thresholds. Conclusions: In addition to thresholds based on radiation injury, thresholds based on population statistics for given procedures should be used for QA review. Doing so provides a relevant threshold for identifying cases that deliver higher dose with respect to other identical procedure types. For high‐dose procedures where the mean ESD is often over 2Gy, the number of review cases will be limited. For lower‐dose procedures where the mean ESD is less than 2Gy, case review includes atypically high dose administration.
Photoelectrochemistry in particulate systems. Photosensitized charge injection into opaque TiO2 semiconductor powder as probed by time-resolved diffuse reflectance laser flash photolysis

Abstract Fluorescence emission of phenosafranin dye was quenched when this dye was adsorbed on TiO 2 particles. Diffuse reflectance laser flash photolysis measurements have shown transient absorption corresponding to the cation radical of phenosafranin when the dye adsorbed on TiO 2 was excited with a 532 nm laser pulse. The process of charge injection into TiO 2 particles was further confirmed by comparing the results of the diffuse reflectance and emission experiments with those from the dye-coated silica particles. Dependence of relative efficiency of charge injection on the surface coverage of the dye has also been elucidated.
Highly sensitive harsh-environment sensor based on innovative long-period gratings

In this paper, a unique all-fiber tunable filter based on the combination of single resonant band long period grating (LPG) and harsh environment electro-optic polymer second cladding layer is presented. The single resonant band LPG is used to select the resonant wavelength and the tuning of resonant wavelength is realized by changing the refractive index of electro-optic polymer cladding layer via external electric field. Although the basic operational principle and implementation of this unique tunable filter have been previously reported by authors, this paper is focused on athermal operation design and synthesis of harsh environment electro-optic polymer, which enhances the practicability of proposed tunable filter.
Coming to grips: 3D printing for accessibility

In this demonstration, we discuss a case study involving a student with limited hand motor ability and the process of exploring consumer grade, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology in order to create a viable assistive solution. This paper extends our previous research into DIY tools in special education settings [1] and presents the development of a unique tool, GripFab, for creating 3D-printed custom handgrips. We offer a description of the design process for a handgrip, explain the motivation behind the creation of GripFab, and explain current and planned features of this tool.
Performance analysis of 13 methods to solve the galerkin method equations

Abstract We report on an experimental study of the effectiveness of 13 methods to solve the systems of linear equations obtained using the Galerkin method with bicubic Hermite polynomial basis functions applied to two-dimensional elliptic partial differential equations. The study concludes that, within 99% confidence levels, the iteration methods considered provide an advantage over the usual Gauss elimination methods. The cross-over point for iteration methods becoming most efficient is usually for about an 11 by 11 grid (observed range: 7 by 7 to 17 by 17). These results support the conjecture that iteration with optimal parameter is as effective for finite element method systems of equations as it is known to be for finite difference method equations. These results are not in agreement with theoretical expectations about the asymptotic behavior of sparse matrix methods: some possible sources of the discrepancy are listed.
Working memory and the design of health materials: a cognitive factors perspective.

Abstract Objective Working memory and other supportive cognitive processes involved in learning are reviewed in the context of developing patient education materials. We specifically focus on the impact of certain design factors such as text format and syntax, the inclusion of images, and the choice of modality on individuals’ ability to understand and remember health information. Methods A selective review of relevant cognitive and learning theories is discussed with regard to their potential impact on the optimal design of health materials. Results Working memory is measured as an individual's capacity to hold and manipulate information in active consciousness. It is limited by necessity, and well-designed health materials can effectively minimize extraneous cognitive demands placed on individuals, making working memory resources more available to better process content-related information. Conclusions Further research is needed to evaluate specific design principles and identify ideal uses of print versus video-based forms of communication for conveying information. Practice implications The process of developing health materials should account for the cognitive demands that extrinsic factors such as modality place on patients.
Evolving concepts of type 2 diabetes management with oral medications: new approaches to an old disease.

ABSTRACTBackground: Type 2 diabetes is often accompanied by co-morbid conditions such as hypertension and dyslipidemia, which, coupled with persistent hyperglycemia, result in significant macrovascular and microvascular complications. Type 2 diabetes treatments focus primarily on controlling hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia to stabilize the disease and minimize complications. Despite treatment, control of hyperglycemia and the conditions associated with type 2 diabetes are suboptimal in the majority of patients. Research efforts have concentrated on the development of new therapies for type 2 diabetes, including agents that could be used both as monotherapy and in combination with established oral antidiabetic agents to improve glycemic control and reduce the disease burden on patients.Objective: To review published literature on oral agents in development for type 2 diabetes, with a focus on their mechanism of action and impact on concomitant risk factors.Methods: After identifying oral agen...
Responding to disadvantaged and vulnerable families: A catholic charities perspective

For alienated families, the parish can be the source of support and acceptance they so desperately need.
Prenyl proteins in eukaryotic cells: a new type of membrane anchor

Recent studies have indicated that eukaryotic cells contain proteins that are post-translationally modified by long-chain, thioether-linked prenyl groups. These proteins include yeast mating factors, ras proteins and nuclear lamins. The modification occurs on a cysteine residue near the C terminus and appears to initiate a set of additional protein modification reactions that promote attachment of the proteins to specific membranes.
Abstract 5438: Resistance to β1 integrin inhibition in HER2 amplified cancers is mediated by HER3

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Our previous work focused on investigating β1 integrin as a target for BC, alone and with radiation therapy. It is well recognized that there is significant cross talk between the EGFR family of receptors and β1 integrin signaling, and a relative resistance of HER2+ BC to β1 integrin inhibitory agents. In 2006, we published our findings that β1 integrin inhibition enhanced the effect of trastuzumab in HER2+ BC. Subsequently, others and we reported that β1 integrin inhibition enhanced the cytostatic effect of multiple HER2-targeted therapies in HER2+ BC. However, the nature of cross talk between β1 integrins and HER2, and the role of β1 integrin in HER2+BC resistance remains unknown. In addition, HER2+BCs have higher rates of local recurrence after radiotherapy, consistent with previous work showing relative radioresistance in HER2+BC. The most potent mitogenic HER2 signaling in HER2+BC occurs upon heterodimerization with HER3. We hypothesized that HER3 could mediate significant resistance to β1 integrin targeting in HER2+BC. To test this, we correlated β1 integrin and HER3 expression levels in SKBR3 cells over several time points using WB. Inhibitions of β1 integrin activity or shRNA knockdown of HER3 lead to upregulation of HER3 and β1 integrin, respectively. To test whether HER3 knockdown enhanced β1 integrin inhibition, we estimated proliferation by quantitating Ki-67 expression in SKBR3 cells in response to treatment. β1 integrin inhibition lead to a ∼50% reduction in Ki-67 positive cells (48%-22%), which was further enhanced by 50% with HER3 knockdown (12%), p<0.05. In addition, HER3 knockdown enhanced the cytostatic effect of ionizing radiation (IR) by ∼50% (32% to 14%), p<0.05. Enhanced cytostasis was correlated with a significant down modulation of p-HER2 and p-473 Akt on WB. In conclusion, our data indicate that HER3 plays a role in mediating resistance to β1 integrin inhibition in HER2+BC. Further mechanistic and in vivo validation are on going. Citation Format: Catherine C. Park, Dhara Amin, Hui Zhang, Mark Moasser. Resistance to β1 integrin inhibition in HER2 amplified cancers is mediated by HER3. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5438. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5438
Intrinsic mechanisms and application principles of general fuzzy logic through Yin-Yang analysis

Based on Yin-Yang analysis, the intrinsic mechanisms among t-norms, t-conorms, negation, CNF, DNF, and axioms are analyzed in two aspects: first in the mathematical aspect, the basic root being, ''the relation and combination between the increasing functions and the decreasing ones'', and second in the philosophical aspect, the fundamental Yin-Yang principle being, ''the compensatory and dialectical thinking methods combining the positive analysis and the negative analysis''. Furthermore, some problems with t-norms and t-conorms are briefly studied in such fields as (1) the basic interactions in the Boolean system, the fuzzy system, and the general fuzzy system; (2) the relationship between the axioms and CNF = DNF; (3) The relationship between CNF and DNF based on the 16 fuzzy compositions (4) the construction of the uncertain map which is an extension of the fuzzy map or Karnaugh map; (5) the extensive compensation principle dealing with single-valued fuzzy sets and interval-valued sets. The conclusion is that Yin-Yang analysis is a universal methodology to develop a general theory to handle the complex problems of uncertainty and find concrete approaches to them.
Inverse Ratio Ventilation in ARDS: Improved Oxygenation without AutoPEEP

Inverse ratio ventilation and related ventilatory modes (eg, pressure release ventilation) have been applied to patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with apparent beneficial effects on arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation. While several mechanisms of improved gas exchange have been postulated, many intensive care physicians believe that the development of occult PEEP (autoPEEP; intrinsic PEEP) leads to the observed rise in oxygen saturation. We report here our findings in a patient whose improved oxygenation on inverse ratio ventilation could not be attributed to autoPEEP.
Effect of thermal treatment on the reducibility of alumina-supported nickel catalysts

Abstract The reducibility of a series of alumina-supported nickel catalysts was studied subsequent to various thermal treatments carried out within a temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) apparatus. After thermal treatment at 773 K under argon, the reduced and passivated catalyst showed no reduction profile during TPR. On the other hand, normal reducibility does occur if a TPR procedure is conducted either immediately after room temperature exposure of the reduced catalyst to oxygen or after thermal treatment at 393 K under argon. A model presented earlier [ Appl. Catal., 31 (1988) 229] describing dynamic changes in the structure of alumina-supported nickel catalysts during thermal cycling is consistent with this suppression in reducibility.
Idealization in unitarian metaphysics

The aim of the paper is to propose an understanding of idealization in terms of Nowak’s unitarian metaphysics. Two natural interpretations of the procedure are critically discussed and rejected as inadequate. The first account of idealization is unable to explain why idealized factors cease to exert influence on the investigated magnitude. The second account of idealization solves this problem but does so at the cost of blurring the distinction between idealization and abstruction. Moreover, it faces the consequence that the process of idealization instead of leading to a sharper understanding of phenomena will normally result in making the picture more and more probabilistic. I propose a third account of idealization in unitarian terms that solves all three problems.
A novel class II MHC molecule with unusual tissue distribution

The repertoire of mature class II-restricted T cells is generated through a complex process of selection whereby early T cells confront class II molecules in the thymus, especially on epithelial cells. Expression of class II molecules on such cells is prominent both in the cortex and in the medulla. We have identified a novel class II molecule, H-20, which is expressed only in epithelial cells of the thymic medulla and in B cells. The unusual tissue distribution and the nonpolymorphic nature of H-20 suggest that its function is different from that of classical class II molecules.
Gamete selection for improving physiological resistance to white mold in common bean

White mold (WM), caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, is a widespread disease of dry and green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in North America. Gamete selection (GS) was effective to combine and pyramide resistant genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) for common bacterial blight. Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of GS to introgress physiological resistance to white mold. Two inter-gene-pool double-cross populations were developed. Selection for WM resistance was practiced from F1 to F4. Thirteen selected F1:5 breeding lines of each population and their four parents were evaluated. Two separate inoculations were made on each plant 1 week apart using a cut-stem method. The WM reaction was scored at 16, 23, and 33 days post inoculation (DPI) using a scale from 1 (no disease) to 9 (severely diseased or dead). In F1, 52% of Pop I (USPT-WM-1/CORN 601//USPT-CBB-1/92BG-7) and 67% of Pop II (Chase/I9365-25//ABL 15/A 195) susceptible plants were discarded. In F4, only 1.2% of families from Pop I, and 0.9% for Pop II, survived the selection process. An average of 20.5% gain in WM resistance was obtained for both populations in F4. Four breeding lines of Pop I had significantly (P = 0.05) lower WM score (4.1–4.6) and four were equal (4.7–4.9) to the best WM-resistant parent 92BG-7 (4.9), while ten breeding lines of Pop II were equal (4.5–4.8) to the best WM-resistant parent A 195 (4.6). Thus, GS was effective for improving WM resistance in common bean.
A synthesis of fluid and thermal transport models for metal foam heat exchangers

Metal foam heat exchangers have considerable advantages in thermal management and heat recovery over several commercially available heat exchangers. In this work, the effects of micro structural metal foam properties, such as porosity, pore and fiber diameters, tortuosity, pore density, and relative density, on the heat exchanger performance are discussed. The pertinent correlations in the literature for flow and thermal transport in metal foam heat exchangers are categorized and investigated. Three main categories are synthesized. In the first category, the correlations for pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient based on the microstructural properties of the metal foam are given. In the second category, the correlations are specialized for metal foam tube heat exchangers. In the third category, correlations are specialized for metal foam channel heat exchangers. To investigate the performance of the foam filled heat exchangers in comparison with the plain ones, the required pumping power to overcome the pressure drop and heat transfer rate of foam filled and plain heat exchangers are studied and compared. A performance factor is introduced which includes the effects of both heat transfer rate and pressure drop after inclusion of the metal foam. The results indicate that the performance will be improved substantially when a metal foam is inserted in the tube/channel.
Speech recoding in reading

Three experiments explored whether recoding to speech during reading occurs before lexical access, after lexical access, or not at all. Experiments I and III determined the effects of a concurrent shadowing task, which disrupts recoding, on decisions requiring lexical information retrieval but not sentence comprehension (synonymy and category decisions) and on sentence acceptability judgments. These effects were compared to the effect of shadowing on phonemic decisions, which require recoding, and graphemic decisions, which, as shown by Experiment II, do not involve recoding. The results suggest that subjects did not recode to speech while making the synonymy and category decisions, but did recode during the acceptability decisions. This pattern of results provides support for a model of reading sentences in which speech recoding occurs after lexical access and facilitates the temporary storage of words necessary for sentence comprehension.
Locally harvested foods support serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D sufficiency in an indigenous population of Western Alaska.

Background . Low serum vitamin D is associated with higher latitude, age, body fat percentage and low intake of fatty fish. Little documentation of vitamin D concentrations is available for Alaska Native populations. Objective . This study was undertaken to investigate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations of the Yup’ik people of southwestern Alaska in relation to demographic and lifestyle variables, particularly with the use of locally harvested (local) foods. Design . Cross-sectional study. Methods . We estimated 25(OH)D, dietary vitamin D and calcium, percent of energy from local foods and demographic variables in 497 Yup’ik people (43% males) aged 14–92 residing in southwestern Alaska. Sampling was approximately equally divided between synthesizing and non-synthesizing seasons, although the preponderance of samples were drawn during months of increasing daylight. Results . Mean vitamin D intake was 15.1±20.2 µg/d, while local foods accounted for 22.9±17.1% of energy intake. The leading sources of vitamin D were local fish (90.1%) followed by market foods. Mean 25(OH)D concentration was 95.6±40.7 nmol/L. Participants in the upper 50th percentile of 25(OH)D concentration tended to be older, male, of lower body mass index, sampled during the synthesizing season, and among the upper 50th percentile of local food use. Conclusions . A shift away from locally harvested foods will likely increase the risk for serum 25(OH)D insufficiency in this population. Keywords: Vitamin D; 25-hydroxyvitamin D; Alaska Natives; Traditional Foods; Seasonality; Dietary transition (Published: 20 March 2014) Citation: Int J Circumpolar Health 2014, 73 : 22732 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v73.22732
The Phyllochron: Where Do we Go in the Future?

This paper integrates, expands, and applies information from seven articles written for a symposium on the use of phyllochron concepts for describing shoot development in grasses. Generally, no one environmental factor is a perfect predictor of plant development rate. Factors that influence development rate include genetics, nutrition, water supply, day length, light, and temperature. Average air temperature, when accumulated in the form of a degree-day sum, does at times correlate linearly with plant developmental descriptors such as the Haun stage. The interval between visual appearance of successive leaves (the phyllochron) may be approximated as a constant number of degree-days for such a situation. If not only the visual extension of plant organs but the initiation of both vegetative and reproductive organs at active growing points can be linearly correlated with average temperature sums, an elegantly simple line diagram illustrates the full season synchronous initiation and development of all plant vegetative and reproductive parts. Development of each organ at the cellular level may be represented. This simple but complete representation of synchronous development based on the phyllochron provides a foundation for describing and improving understanding of the genetic and environmental control of grass development rate
Matrices of Green's type of steady-state heat conduction in multiply connected piecewise homogeneous regions

The author's modification of the method of functional equations is used for accurate evaluation of steady-state thermal fields generated by a point concentrated source in two-dimensional multiply connected regions that are occupied with piecewise homogeneous materials. Resolving potentials are built with the aid of matrices of Green's type, which are constructed for simply connected piecewise homogeneous regions. Importance of operating with readily computable representations of such matrices is emphasized. Since the sets of field (observation) and source points in the resolving potentials never coincide, the boundary value problems to consider reduce to some functional (integral type) equations with relatively smooth kernels. It is shown that not only the heat distribution but also the flux components caused by a point source are accurately computable within the approach.
Dynamic control of modeled tonic-clonic seizure states with closed-loop stimulation

Seizure control using deep brain stimulation (DBS) provides an alternative therapy to patients with intractable and drug resistant epilepsy. This paper presents novel DBS stimulus protocols to disrupt seizures. Two protocols are presented: open-loop stimulation and a closed-loop feedback system utilizing measured firing rates to adjust stimulus frequency. Stimulation suppression is demonstrated in a computational model using 3000 excitatory Morris-Lecar model neurons connected with depressing synapses. Cells are connected using second order network topology to simulate network topologies measured in cortical networks. The network spontaneously switches from tonic to clonic as synaptic strengths and tonic input to the neurons decreases. To this model we add periodic stimulation pulses to simulate DBS. Periodic forcing can synchronize or desynchronize an oscillating population of neurons, depending on the stimulus frequency and amplitude. Therefore, it is possible to either extend or truncate the tonic or clonic phases of the seizure. Stimuli applied at the firing rate of the neuron generally synchronize the population while stimuli slightly slower than the firing rate prevent synchronization. We present an adaptive stimulation algorithm that measures the firing rate of a neuron and adjusts the stimulus to maintain a relative stimulus frequency to firing frequency and demonstrate it in a computational model of a tonic-clonic seizure. This adaptive algorithm can affect the duration of the tonic phase using much smaller stimulus amplitudes than the open-loop control.
Excitation of giant dipole and giant quadrupole states in nuclei

Abstract Calculations are presented for the excitation by protons of giant dipole ( T = 1) and quadrupole ( T = 0) states in nuclei. Two simple models are used for the transition densities and potentials in the dipole excitation. The usual deformed optical potential is applied to the quadrupole transitions. The strengths are determined by exhausting the linear energy-weighted sum rules. The relationship to the effective charges needed for transitions between low excited states is discussed. The isovector coupling potential is determined by analysis of (p, n) transitions to analog states. Comparison with data for 61 and 182 MeV protons shows the dipole excitation is too weak, but inclusion of the quadrupole state gives good agreement with the measurements.
Writing home/decolonizing text(s)

The article draws on postcolonial and feminist theories, combined with critical reflection and autobiography, and argues for generating decolonizing texts as one way to write and reclaim home in a postcolonial world. Colonizers leave home to seek power and control elsewhere, and the colonized suffer loss of home as they know it. This dislocation from home is analyzed in terms of the material (outer), educational, and psychic (inner) reaches of colonization. Furthermore, under colonization, the self is split, alienated from itself, ‘home’ becomes rife with contradictions, and text(s) and education are shaped by Eurocentrism and ‘us–them’ binaries. Finally, implications for decolonization – including engaging and generating decolonizing text(s) – are discussed.
Demonstration of antibodies against enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in sera of children of various ages.

A study on the presence of Escherichia coli 0111, 055, and 026 hemagglutinins and agglutinins in the sera of children and adults selected at random yielded the following results. The E. coli hemagglutination test proved to be far more sensitive for the detection of these antibodies than the conventional bacterial agglutination test. A relationship was found to exist between the presence of E. coli hemagglutinins and the age of the individuals; these antibodies were found in over 90 per cent of human sera selected at random from individuals 12 years of age and older, and less than 14 per cent of sera from infants up to the age of 3 months. Placental transfer of E. coli hemagglutinins was demonstrated in only 3 out of 26 cases, and in these instances the maternal antibody titers were from 4 to 16 times higher than those of the cord blood. These E. coli hemagglutinins were demonstrated also with red blood cells modified with purified lipopolysaccharides, indicating that they react with the somatic antigens of these serogroups of E. coli. The specificity of the hemagglutinins was established by absorption tests, utilizing red blood cells modified by one or the other of the lipopolysaccharides. E. coli 0111, 055, and 026 hemagglutinins were demonstrated in 2 commercial gamma globulin preparations, indicating that these antibodies are not restricted to a population in a small geographical area. The potential diagnostic usefulness of the E. coli hemagglutination test deserves further investigation.
Effects of organism allocation on toxicity test results

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of nonrandom allocation of organisms to treatments in aquatic toxicity tests on lethal concentration estimates. Random allocation of organisms is prescribed to avoid the introduction of systematic bias in these tests; however, completely random assignment is usually impractical. A source of systematic bias in a nonrandom allocation scheme is the potential inverse relationship between organism hardiness and the order in which organisms are captured for assigning to treatment (i.e., less hardy and hence more sensitive individuals are captured first). A Monte Carlo simulation experiment was performed to examine such an inverse relationship for a variety of random allocation schemes, focusing on the mortality endpoint in the fathead minnow larval survival and growth toxicity test. Results of the computer simulation experiment indicated that nonrandom allocation of organisms can produce significant bias in estimates of lethal concentration values. Any attempt at randomization resulted in approximately unbiased estimates of lethal concentration values; however, variance of the estimates increased as allocation schemes deviated from the completely random allocation. This study illustrates the importance of proper training of laboratory personnel to implement some form of random organism allocation. Furthermore, many partial random allocation schemes (i.e., those allocating more than one organism at a time) may still yield unbiased estimates of potency endpoints.
Episodic aging and end states of comets

It is known that comets are aging very rapidly on cosmic scales, because they rapidly shed mass. The processes involved are (i) normal activity - sublimation of ices and expulsion of dust from discrete emission sources on and/or below the surface of a comet's nucleus, and (ii) nuclear fragmentation. Both modes are episodic in nature, the latter includes major steps in the comet's life cycle. The role and history of dynamical techniques used are described and results on mass losses due to sublimation and dust expulsion are reviewed. Studies of split comets, Holmes-like exploding comets, and cataclysmically fragmenting comets show that masses of 10 to 100 million tons are involved in the fragmentation process. This and other information is used to investigate the nature of comets' episodic aging. Based on recent advances in understanding the surface morphology of cometary nuclei by close-up imaging, a possible mechanism for large-scale fragmentation events is proposed and shown to be consistent with evidence available from observations. Strongly flattened pancake-like shapes appear to be required for comet fragments by conceptual constraints. Possible end states are briefly examined.
Using Semantic-Level Tags in HTML/XML Documents

We demonstrate that the development and use of mark-up techniques specifying semantic-level information and the development of advanced browser systems for interpreting these mark-ups appropriately for users with different capabilities can help make universal access a reality. We give several examples of semantic-level tags and attributes and show how they facilitate universal access as well as potentially address other issues in web design such as validation. We describe at least one way that advanced browsers could process such tags. Finally, we outline steps that would be appropriate for developing such mark-up languages and incorporating them into advanced browsers. The use of semantic-level tags allows for universal access to be built in at the early stages of design rather than be tacked on at the end or, even worse, not provided at all.
On the electro-optic measurements in organic single-crystal films

We present a detailed study of the electro-optic modulation in single-crystal thin films of organic materials, taking into account the effects due to multiple internal reflections and absorption of optical radiation in the crystal film and the substrate. Optical transmission expressions are derived for the widely employed field-induced birefringence measurement configuration by developing a coupled optical cavity formalism and incorporating complex electro-optic coefficient tensor elements and refractive indices in Maxwell's wave equation. This treatment is applied to the electro-optic measurements in the single-crystal films of an important and popular organic molecular salt, 4'-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium tosylate. The results show that the conventional interpretation of the measured responses, where the aforesaid effects are neglected for simplicity, would lead to substantial errors in the determination of the electro-optic coefficients, which is validated by the wide variation of reported experimental results in the literature.
Obstruction of the fetal urinary tract.

Understanding the mechanisms of fetal obstructive uropathy will be essential for the specific management of the wide clinical spectrum of congenital obstructive conditions, including selecting observational therapy for mild cases and attempting to maximize renal function in severe cases. Recog- nition of the unique aspects of fetal renal obstruction is essen- tial to formulate a useful research program, as the lessons of postnatal acquired obstruction are not directly transferable to congenital obstruction. Experimental studies of renal obstruc- tion have demonstrated alterations in the developmental regu- lation of growth and differentiation in the fetal kidney. De- pending on the gestational timing and severity of obstruction, growth may be impaired or accelerated. Similarly, patterns of altered differentiation may indicate immaturity or accelerated maturation, as well as aberrant differentiation. Concomitant with altered development, there is evidence that normal renal regulatory mechanisms, including the renin-angiotensin system Children 's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and renal hemodynamics, may be affected by obstruction, possibly as compensatory responses. The mechanisms of these various alterations remain to be defined, but are likely to involve combinations of biomechanical signal transduction, growth factor expression, and responses of specific renal au- toregulatory mechanisms. Fetal renal obstruction remains in- completely defined. The body of experimental evidence mdi- cates that investigation of mechanisms regulating growth and differentiation is likely to yield important understanding of fetal renal obstruction to permit more accurate prognosis and management. Viewing fetal renal obstruction as a disorder of kidney development, with disordered growth and differentia- tion, suggests a definition of obstruction as a condition, that-if uncorrected-will lead to impairment in the ultimate functional potential of the kidney. Intervention should aim to maximize functional potential rather than to simply maintain the status quo. (J Am Soc Nephrol 8: 653-663, 1997)
Improved sound-based localization through a network of reconfigurable mixed-signal nodes

This paper presents a low cost implementation of the phase-based sound localization method proposed in Halupka et al [2]. The implementation uses PSoC programmable mixed-signal embedded System on Chip, which incorporates microcontroller, on-chip SRAM and flash memory, programmable digital blocks and programmable analog blocks, all integrated on the same chip. In order to improve the localization accuracy, filter corner frequency reconfiguration and gain reconfiguration is implemented. A wireless sensor network implementation is also presented. An extensive set of experiments are provided to explore the advantages of dynamic reconfigurability as well as the network implementation.
Student teams and jigsaw techniques in an undergraduate CSE project course

The use of jigsaw techniques in a multidisciplinary, project-oriented, introductory computational science and engineering course is described. The course revolves around the study and completion of four projects, each devised and taught by a team of faculty drawn from several departments. This paper discusses the execution of a single project in the course and the use of a jigsaw team structure in its execution. Jigsaw techniques are implemented by forming project teams composed of members with designated areas of expertise. Project team members with common areas of expertise are then formed into secondary expert teams. The project team maintains responsibility for completion of the project while the expert teams are responsible for mastering their designated areas as well as developing a strategy for teaching the members of their project team what they have learned. All students are evaluated equally in each area of expertise. The effectiveness of the jigsaw technique is determined through the use of peer, group, and individual assessment.