cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protecting critical connection sites of a custom cast abutment with a protector cap during fabrication.

Abstract Custom castable abutments with metal bases can be waxed and cast. However, the devesting stage may damage the milled metal base when airborne-particle abrasion is used. This may affect the abutment-to-implant joint, as well as the screw seat. Either of these can result in an improper connection that may produce a negative effect on joint performance. This technique describes the use of a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufactured zirconia protector cap and peg, placed before investing, that shield against airborne-particle damage during devesting.
Sedation and Analgesia for the Critically Ill Child: Ketamine

Sedation and analgesia are essential components of the day-to-day management of critically ill pediatric patients. Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has been used for decades for its sedative and analgesic properties. In the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), ketamine has been used for a variety of indications, commonly for procedural sedation. At subanesthetic doses, ketamine is also used for acute and chronic pain management, often as an adjunct to opioid or as an opioid-sparing agent. This chapter will discuss the pharmacology, indications, dosing, and side effects of ketamine, relevant to its use in the PICU.
China's Hegemonic Intentions and Trajectory: Will It Opt for Benevolent, Coercive, or Dutch‐Style Hegemony?

China's unprecedented economic growth led some scholars to conclude that it will replace the United States as the future global hegemon. However, China's intentions in exercising future global leadership are yet unknown and difficult to extrapolate from its often contradictory behaviour. A preliminary overview of China's island building in the South China Sea reveals its potentially coercive intentions. This inference is consistent with the analysis of those who prognosticate China's violent rise. Conversely and simultaneously, China's participation in peacekeeping operations and its global investments evince its benevolent hegemonic intentions, which are congruent with the argument of those who predict China's peaceful hegemonic ascent. Confronted with these divergent tendencies in China's recent international relations, and assuming its continued rise, it is, thus, essential to examine China's strategic intentions and how these may ultimately project its violent or peaceful hegemonic rise. This article argues that the “Third Way” or “Dutch‐style” hegemony is highly instructive in this context and, thus, should be examined and added to the existing debate on China's rise as either a benevolent or coercive hegemon. We argue that Dutch‐style hegemony may be the most viable way for China to proceed in its global hegemonic ascendancy.
Role of the AlGaN Cap Layer on the Trapping Behaviour of N-Polar GaN MISHEMTs

We investigate the static and dynamic (trapping) performance of N-polar Gallium Nitride MIS-HEMT devices as a function of the aluminum concentration in the top cap layer (22%, 34% and 46%). The analysis is based on combined dc characterization, double pulse measurements, and threshold voltage transient investigation. The de results demonstrate that the use of high aluminum concentrations in the cap layer results in a lower gate leakage current (around 9 µA/mm for % Al=46, compared to 70 µA/ mm for %Al=22, measured at V Gs =-7 V and V DS =15 V). In addition, pulsed and transient investigation showed that the use of high Al concentration in the cap layer can substantially suppress the current collapse (slump ratio = 15 % for %Al=46, compared to 26 % for %AI=22). Trapping is ascribed to the presence of a defect state located at E C -0.5 eV, which is responsible for a threshold voltage shift. The results point out the key role of the AlGaN cap layer on the performance of AlGaN-based HEMTs, and give indication on how to optimize the performance of the devices.
Plato's Charmides: An Interpretative Commentary

The Charmides is a difficult and enigmatic dialogue traditionally considered one of Plato's Socratic dialogues. This book provides a close text commentary on the dialogue which tracks particular motifs throughout. These notably include the characterization of Critias, Charmides, and Socrates; the historical context and subtext, literary features such as irony and foreshadowing; the philosophical context and especially how the dialogue looks back to more traditional Socratic dialogues and forward to dialogues traditionally placed in Plato's middle and late period; and most importantly the philosophical and logical details of the arguments and their dialectical function. A new translation of the dialogue is included in an appendix. This will be essential reading for all scholars and students of Plato and of ancient philosophy.
Classification of Mechanical Ventilation Devices

Ventilators, or more precisely, the modes they deliver, can be classified by the variables that are controlled (e.g., pressure or volume), as well as those that start (or trigger), sustain (or limit), and end (cycle) inspiration and those that maintain the expiratory support (or baseline pressure). Microprocessor and sensor technology has increased the quality and quantity of ventilator output feedback available (Fig. 10.1). These advances in technology have led to several different targeting schemes that warrant further classification (Chap. 44).
Massive cardiac hypertrophy

Abstract A series of 15 hearts weighing 1,000 gm. or more is reported. Fourteen of these were encountered among 11,595 consecutive necropsies (1 in 828). The principal associated lesions were hypertension and arteriolar nephrosclerosis, syphilitic aortic insufficiency and severe rheumatic mitral and aortic valvulitis. Individual instances of acromegaly with hypertension, severe coronary arteriosclerosis and chronic mediastinopericarditis were encountered. Extreme cardiac hypertrophy (1,000 gm. or more) is found almost exclusively among men (about 95%), and all 15 of our patients were men. A number of factors acting in combination appeared to be of etiologic importance in the production of extreme degrees of cardiac hypertrophy in our patients. These included sex, chronic hypertension, arteriolar nephrosclerosis or glomerulonephritis, severe valvular disease and long periods of cardiac decompensation. In the patient with acromegaly, an additional factor was hypersecretion of growth hormones.
Expanding the femtosecond crystallography toolkit

The “21st century of biology” is built on advances in protein structure determination developed over the last five decades. Exponential growth in the number of determined protein structures has largely been driven by new technologies in protein X-ray crystallography, including synchrotron X-ray sources, X-ray detectors, computational tools, and methods of handling protein crystals. In consequence, the time to acquire a routine, complete crystallographic dataset has gone from years to minutes. However, many important macromolecular structures are still undetermined and many challenges remain, especially in cases where crystals are either hard to obtain, particularly sensitive to X-ray damage, or exhibit transient states that are difficult to capture by structural analysis. The latest tool in the crystallographic arsenal, the X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) (1), promises to help surmount these challenges (2), provided efficient ways are found to handle crystals in the demanding XFEL environment. In PNAS, Cohen et al. (3) show that crystal handling technology developed primarily for use at synchrotron storage ring X-ray sources can also be effectively adapted for use at XFELs.
An investigation of mothers’ and tween daughters’ clothing preferences and purchase intentions toward a prosocial clothing company

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to invoke a consumer socialization approach to compare mothers and tween daughters on variables that may shape their clothing preferences and consumption behaviors. Additionally, this study explored the variables that predict how mothers and daughters respond to Pretty Brainy, an online clothing company that incorporates prosocial messaging into its product design and marketing. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 106 mother-daughter pairs using an online survey. In completing the survey, participants were instructed to view and evaluate the Pretty Brainy brand web site and clothing. Findings – Mothers and daughters assigned similar degrees of importance to several clothing characteristics – including aesthetics/design, comfort, fit, use of socially responsible construction/production methods, and use of high performance technology – providing support for the consumer socialization model. Mothers and daughters were not similar on all clothing const...
Oral Chemotherapeutic Agents

Oral chemotherapeutic agents have been available for decades, and there has been an accelerated expansion in their development during the recent decade. Oral chemotherapeutic agents offer obvious advantages in terms of convenient and noninvasive administration, flexibility and adaptability of dosing, as well as financial and staff time savings. Compared to intravenous agents, oral chemotherapeutic agents generally exhibit substantial interindividual pharmacokinetic variability. Many factors contribute to this variability, including physiological, pathological, environmental, and genetic factors. Unique to oral agents, poor and variable bioavailability is one important source of the interindividual pharmacokinetic variability. This chapter discusses the factors influencing bioavailability of oral chemotherapeutic agents, with focus on the first-pass metabolism by cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), intestinal efflux by ABCB1 transporter, and other factors such as concomitant administration of antiacid medications, food effect, and surgery. Oral chemotherapeutic agents can be classified as traditional cytotoxic agents and novel molecularly targeted agents, hormonal agents, and immune-modulating agents. Each class of agents is unique with regard to its mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, mechanisms of drug resistance, and clinical use. This chapter provides an overview of the major classes of oral chemotherapeutic agents, particularly highlighting examples whereby genetic variations in the genes involved in the drug disposition or drug–target interaction influence the pharmacokinetics and/or response. Keywords: oral chemotherapeutic agents; bioavailability; cytotoxic agents; tyrosine kinase inhibitors; pharmacogenetics
Reactivity of thiol groups in active and inactive forms of a mitochondrial nucleoside diphosphokinase.

Abstract Incubation of a highly purified, Mg++-dependent nucleoside diphosphokinase (EC 2.7.4.6) of bovine liver mitochondria with p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate (CMS) caused activation at low concentrations and inactivation at higher concentrations of CMS. Inactivation was greatly accelerated in the presence of Mg++, suggesting that Mg++ stabilizes a form of the enzyme in which essential thiol groups are more reactive to CMS. MgADP, on the other hand, completely prevented inactivation of the enzyme by CMS. Free ADP, ATP, and MgATP alone gave slight protection, and AMP, flavin mononucleotide, flavin adenine dinucleotide, NAD+, NADP+, and pyrophosphate were completely ineffective. These findings indicate that MgADP favors an equilibrium form of the enzyme with diminished reactivity of essential thiol groups. They are also consistent with earlier studies (Goffeau, A., Pedersen, P. L., and Lehninger, A. L., J. Biol. Chem., 242, 1845 (1967)) showing that MgADP is a potent inhibitor of enzyme activity. Magnesium uridine diphosphate and magnesium cytidine diphosphate also protected against inactivation by CMS in proportion to their effectiveness as inhibitors of the enzymatic reaction. The apparent binding constants of MgADP, either as substrate or inhibitor, remained unchanged in the presence of CMS, suggesting that the mercurial is able to react selectively with one form of the enzyme while leaving the other form completely active. Addition of 2-mercaptoethanol caused activation at low concentrations, but at high concentrations produced an inhibited state of the enzyme. MgADP did not protect against the inhibitory effect of mercaptoethanol. From these experiments, at least three equilibrium forms of the enzyme can be recognized: an active form stabilized by Mg++, an inhibited form stabilized by MgADP, and an inactive form in which the essential thiol group (or groups) is oxidized.
The detection of the Sc-44 nuclear de-excitation lines and hard X-ray emission from Cas A

We discuss the detection of Sc-44 (product of Ti-44) in the supernova remnant Cas A with the BeppoSAX-PDS instrument, and elaborate on the nature of the hard X-ray continuum, which is not only important for correctly estimating the Sc-44 flux, but is interesting in its own right. We apply the lower hybrid wave electron acceleration model to the hard X-ray data and use upper limits on the cosmic ray injection spectrum to infer that B > 2 mG. We conclude with the prospects of observing nuclear decay lines and electron-positron annihilation in Cas A with INTEGRAL.
SnoN activates p53 directly to regulate aging and tumorigenesis

We have identified SnoN as a direct activator of p53 to accelerate aging and inhibit tumorigenesis. SnoN has been shown previously to promote proliferation and transformation by antagonizing TGFβ signaling. We show that elimination of this TGFβ antagonistic activity of SnoN in vivo results in accelerated aging and resistance to tumorigenesis. The SnoN knockin mice display a shortened lifespan, decreased reproductivity, osteoporosis, reduced regenerative capacity, and other aging phenotypes, similar to that found in mice expressing an active p53. These activities of SnoN rely on the ability of SnoN to activate p53. SnoN can bind directly to p53 and compete with Mdm2 for binding to p53, preventing p53 ubiquitination and degradation and additionally facilitating p53 acetylation and phosphorylation. SnoN also binds to p53 on the promoter of p53 responsive genes to promote transcription activation. This activation of p53 by SnoN is necessary for its antitumorigenic and progeria activities in vivo because elimination of one copy of p53 reverses the aging phenotypes and accelerates tumorigenesis. Thus, we have revealed a novel function of SnoN in regulating aging and tumorigenesis by directly activating p53.
Chronic nicotine exposure and brain nicotinic receptors--influence of genetic factors.

Publisher Summary Nicotine is the most potent psychoactive agent in tobacco, and many studies indicate that people adjust their tobacco use in an attempt to carefully titrate their plasma nicotine levels. Furthermore, pretreatment with the nicotinic receptor antagonist, mecamylamine, results in an increase in tobacco use. In addition, several studies have demonstrated that people differ in sensitivity to nicotine. The chapter discusses the role of genetic factors in regulating first dose sensitivity to nicotine and the development of tolerance to nicotine. The young males from families with a positive history for alcoholism are less affected by alcohol, both behaviorally and physiologically (prolactin and cortisol release), than are young males from families that do not have a history of alcoholism. Alternatively, it may be that those individuals who develop tolerance to the actions of nicotine are more likely to persist in using tobacco; i.e. smokers are those individuals who develop tolerance to the noxious actions of nicotine thereby uncovering the reinforcing actions. Receptor changes are more related to the development of dependence on nicotine. Analysis of this potential role will require the development of adequate methods of quantifying a nicotine withdrawal syndrome, if it exists, in the mouse.
Hydrogenolysis of methyl chloride on metals

Metal-catalyzed hydrogenolysis reactions of carbon-halogen bonds have received less attention than hydrogenolysis reactions of carbon-carbon bonds. In this note the authors report results of a study on the hydrogenolysis of methyl chloride over a number of metals supported on silica. The products of the reaction are methane and hydrogen chloride. Somewhat earlier, a similar study was completed for the hydrogenolysis of the carbon-carbon bond in ethane, and, more recently, for the hydrogenolysis of the carbon-nitrogen bond in methylamine. Establishing activity patterns for the hydrogenolysis of these different types of bonds provides useful information regarding the specificity of metal catalysts for this important class of reactions. 12 references.
Vector quantization: a tool for exploration and analysis of multivariate images

We discuss how vector quantization, a technique well known for data compression, can be applied to exploratory data visualization. This technique is especially useful for multivariate imagery, because it reduces the data to a manageable size, without stripping important features. Previous visualization methods are able to combine up to three variables per pixel into an integrated display. Our vector quantization technique allows us to integrate essentially any number of variables per pixel. Furthermore, the cluster analysis inherent in vector quantization has the property of identifying relationships within the data, based on similarity of textural and sample features. We use straightforward techniques to visualize these relationships interactively. The result is a tool that applies to a wide variety of imagery visualization problems. Our prototype uses contrast enhancement, color scales, and highlighting for interactive feature extraction. We show examples from panchromatic and multispectral earth observation satellites and medical imagery.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Truth and the Lure of Method

Dans cet article, l'A discute de l'ouvrage Remaking Modernity, consacre a la sociologie historique aux Etats-Unis
Ocular Toxicity of Fluorouracil after Vitrectomy

The retinal and corneal toxicity of fluorouracil in the rabbit eye after lensectomy and vitrectomy depended on both the dosage and the frequency of intraocular injection and was reversible at certain dosages. All eyes in Group I (1.25 mg of fluorouracil every 12 hours for four days and then every 24 hours for three days) had opaque corneas by three days; these did not clear for four weeks. Histologic studies showed loss of photoreceptor outer segments and loss of ribosomes in all the retinal cells examined. The electroretinographic b-wave decreased to 0% of the baseline value (no b-wave), and did not recover after three weeks. In Group 2 eyes (1.25 mg of fluorouracil every 24 hours for seven days), corneal opacification increased to a maximum after two weeks and gradually decreased by four weeks. The electroretinographic b-wave diminished to 9.6% of the baseline value at two weeks but later recovered to 62.5% of the baseline value at three weeks. Histologic studies showed loss of photoreceptor outer segments and ribosomes at nine days; both returned to near normal after five weeks. Clinical, electrophysiologic, and histologic studies showed no toxicity in Group 3 eyes (0.5 mg of fluorouracil every 24 hours for seven days). This dosage of fluorouracil exerts a significant antiproliferative effect on injected retinal pigment epithelial cells and is well tolerated by the rabbit eye.
Progress and approaches in mapping the surfaces of human follicle-stimulating hormone: comparison with the other human pituitary glycoprotein hormones.

Abstract The pituitary gly.coprotein hormones, including human follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH), are involved in the physiologic functions of receptor binding, in subunit association during assembly and processing, and in untoward effects such as antibody formation during clinical intervention. These activities derive from specific macromolecular associations; a major research trend has been to map the surfaces of these glycoprotein hormones (hFSH, hLH, hCG, and hTSH) into discrete areas responsible for each activity by using a variety of biochemical approaches. Each surface domain or determinant of the hormone is likely to comprise discontinuous amino acid sequences, from one or both subunits, assembled into a precise, unique, macromolecular surface. The paradigm of antigen-antibody interaction may help to explain how the surfaces are assembled, how the common α-subunit combines with the unique β-subunit of each, and how the receptor interacts with heterodimeric hormone.
Are the opposing selection pressures on exposed and protected shores sufficient to maintain genetic differentiation between gastropod populations with high intermigration rates

Throughout the world intertidal gastropods living on exposed rocky shores differ strikingly in a number of morphological and life history traits from those on protected shores. Where surf is heavy gastropods tend to be smaller and to have thinner and smoother shells with larger apertures than do those from sheltered areas where crab predation is more intense. These morphological differences can occur within a species and there is evidence that they can be partially genetic and partially environmental. In addition the convergence of shell features in each habitat suggests that there are consistent differences between the selective pressures on exposed shores and the selective pressures on protected shores. I constructed a simulation model for a polygenic trait that experiences different selective pressures on exposed and sheltered shores. The results show that genetic differences can be maintained between the two populations despite high intermigration rates. Replacement of a portion of the random environmental variance with adaptive environmental variance reduces the effect of selection and thus the size of the difference maintained between the two populations. Genetic differentiation between exposed and protected populations can persist for significant periods of time and may have sometimes been the first step in speciation.
Mapping As You Go

The advent of high throughput molecular technologies has led to an expectation that breeding programs will use marker-trait associations to conduct marker-assisted selection (MAS) for traits. Many challenges exist with this molecular breeding approach for so-called complex traits. A major restriction to date has been the limited ability to detect and quantify marker-trait relationships, especially for traits influenced by the effects of gene-by-gene and gene-by-environment interactions. A further complication has been that estimates of quantitative trait loci (QTL) effects are biased by the necessity of working with a limited set of genotypes in a limited set of environments, and hence the applications of these estimates are not as effective as expected when used more broadly within a breeding program. The approach considered in this paper, referred to as the Mapping As You Go (MAYG) approach, continually revises estimates of QTL allele effects by remapping new elite germplasm generated over cycles of selection, thus ensuring that QTL estimates remain relevant to the current set of germplasm in the breeding program. Mapping As You Go is a mapping-MAS strategy that explicitly recognizes that alleles of QTL for complex traits can have different values as the current breeding material changes with time. Simulation was used to investigate the effectiveness of the MAYG approach applied to complex traits. The results indicated that greater levels of response were achieved and these responses were less variable when estimates were revised frequently compared with situations where estimates were revised infrequently or not at all.
The measurement of some (p, n) and (p, 2n) reaction cross sections at 400 MeV

Abstract Cross sections for (p, n) and (p, 2n) reactions at 400 MeV were measured for targets of 52Cr, 63Cu, 77Se, and 124Te. The magnitude of the cross sections, and the σ(p, 2n) σ(p, n) ratio are compared with similar measurements on other target systems. A possible explanation for the trend obtained in the data is suggested.
Escape of Gases from Planetary Atmospheres

IN NATURE of March 29 (p. 515), Dr. Stoney, in referring to a paper by the writer in the January number of the Astrophysical Journal, raises the question as to the correctness of the use of Maxwell's distribution of velocities in computing the escape of gases from the earth's atmosphere. He maintains that this distribution does not hold at its attenuated limits. In my paper I have not taken conditions which may exist there, but boundary conditions, which are much more favourable to the escape of the molecules of a gas, and certainly compatible with the kinetic theory, if we are to accept such a theory at all.
Pesticide tolerances and their relevance as safety standards

Following an investigation of the relationship between pesticide tolerances and safety, it is concluded that pesticide tolerances are not relevant as safety standards. This conclusion is based upon the findings that theoretical exposures to legal levels of pesticides in the diet may pose greater than negligible risks, while exposures to most illegal residues are of no apparent toxicological significance. Thus, the common and logical views that "legal" residues are "safe" while "illegal" residues are "unsafe" are not supported by scientific evidence. Pesticide tolerances do serve important roles as enforcement tools, and tolerance enforcement programs are useful in the regulation of international trade and provide economic disincentives that may discourage pesticide misuse and emphasize compliance with regulations. Since tolerances are not appropriate as safety standards, however, legislative food safety proposals focusing upon revocation or reduction of tolerances and upon increasing enforcement capabilities may result in little benefit to public health.
Type 1 Regulatory T cells (Tr1) in autoimmunity

The ability of IL-10 producing Type 1 regulatory T cells (Tr1) to restrain the activation of effector immune cells during autoimmune responses underscores their essential role in maintaining immune tolerance. While mouse studies have demonstrated that increasing the numbers and/or function of Tr1 cells could improve the course of autoimmune diseases, the inability to generate Tr1 cells in vitro in large numbers has hampered identification of the molecular mechanisms responsible for their differentiation. Interleukin-27 (IL-27), a member of the IL-12 heterodimeric cytokine family, was identified as an important cytokine that suppresses effector TH17 cells and promotes the generation of Tr1 cells. Tr1 cells dampen autoimmunity and tissue inflammation partly through their secretion of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10. Here we review the molecular mechanisms involved in IL-27-induced Tr1 cell differentiation, with a focus on the role of two transcription factors, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and c-Maf. We also discuss how ligands that bind to AhR and affect the biology of IL-27-induced Tr1 cells can be exploited as a therapeutic approach to alleviate human autoimmune diseases.
Testicular toxicity and reduced Sertoli cell numbers in neonatal rats by di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and the recovery of fertility as adults.

Neonatal and adult rats (1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 weeks of age) were given five daily oral doses of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (0, 10, 100, 1000, 2000 mg/kg) and histological changes in the testes were examined 24 hr after the last dose. Relative testis weights were reduced at doses of 1000 mg/kg in 1, 2, 3, and 6-week-old but not in 12-week-old rats, while doses of 2000 mg/kg were fatal to suckling rats and caused decreased relative testis weight but not death in 6- and 12-week-old rats. In neonatal rats (1 week old), DEHP (1000 mg/kg) caused a 35% decrease in Sertoli cell numbers while 2- and 3-week-old rats showed losses of spermatocytes but not of Sertoli cells. The 6- and 12-week-old rats showed loss of both spermatids and spermatocytes at 1000 and/or 2000 mg/kg. Total testicular zinc concentrations were decreased in 12-week-old but not in suckling (3-week) or weaned (6-week) rats. The results support the hypothesis that the Sertoli cell is the primary testicular target of phthalate ester toxicity since effects were observed at an age when only Sertoli cells were present. Fertility was assessed in mating trials in adult male rats after neonatal exposure to DEHP on Days 6–10. Although Sertoli cell number was reduced 24 hr after the last dose, the numbers were normal at 6 and 13 weeks of age. However, at 6 weeks there was a dose-related decrease in maturation of the spermatids in the tubules. There were no consistent changes in fertility, implantation rate, or numbers of live fetuses in untreated females mated with the DEHP-treated males. However, there were decreases in testis weight and testicular spermatid numbers at 13 and 19 weeks but not at 11, 12, 16, or 23 weeks of age. Therefore, a loss of Sertoli cells due to DEHP exposure neonatally did not affect the fertility of the rats as adults, but may have caused subtle effects on sperm production.
Elevated pre-transplant pulmonary vascular resistance is not associated with mortality in children without congenital heart disease: A multicenter study

Background Traditionally, an elevated pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) has been a relative contraindication to pediatric orthotopic heart transplantation. This study examined the risk of elevated pre-transplant PVRI on early (30-day) and intermediate-term mortality in pediatric heart transplant recipients without congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods A review of the prospective multicenter Pediatric Heart Transplant Study registry identified all patients without CHD in whom a pre-transplant PVRI was recorded. Of 35 participating centers, 29 reported heart transplants in children with a markedly elevated PVRI (> 5 WU × m 2 , corresponding to the highest quartile). Multiphase parametric analysis was performed, adjusting for potential risk factors to assess the association of PVRI with early and intermediate-term mortality. Results Between 1993 and 2011, 1,909 children without CHD underwent heart transplantation at a median age of 9.7 years (range, 1.6 months–18 years). Of those, 795 (42%) had a recorded or calculable pre-transplant PVRI, and PVRI > 5 WU × m 2 was present in 193 patients (24%). For all recipients, median pre-transplant PVRI was 3.15 WU × m 2 (range, 0.4–23 WU × m 2 ); 2.8 WU × m 2 in infants 2 in patients aged 1 to 10 years, and 3.0 WU × m 2 in patients aged > 10 years ( p = 0.03). Multivariable hazard analysis controlling for graft ischemic time and pre-transplant ventilation showed no association of elevated PVRI with early mortality (relative risk, 1.2; p = 0.66), nor with intermediate mortality when controlled for year of transplant, age, race, and pre-sensitization (relative risk, 0.7; p = 0.27). Conclusions Elevation of PVRI did not affect post-transplant survival in this large, multicenter cohort of pediatric heart transplant recipients without CHD, suggesting that the barrier of elevated PVRI can be successfully overcome in this population.
Modeling methods and a branch and cut algorithm for pharmaceutical clinical trial planning using stochastic programming

We discuss methods for the solution of a multi-stage stochastic programming formulation for the resource-constrained scheduling of clinical trials in the pharmaceutical research and development pipeline. First, we present a number of theoretical properties to reduce the size and improve the tightness of the formulation, focusing primarily on non-anticipativity constraints. Second, we develop a novel branch and cut algorithm where necessary non-anticipativity constraints that are unlikely to be active are removed from the initial formulation and only added if they are violated within the search tree. We improve the performance of our algorithm by combining different node selection strategies and exploring different approaches to constraint violation checking.
Solving Multicommodity Capacitated Network Design Problems Using Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithms

Evolutionary algorithms can be applied to a variety of constrained network communication problems with centric type models. This paper shows that with real-world complex network communication problems of this type, sophisticated statistical search is required. This situation occurs due to the fact that these optimization problems are at least NP-complete. In order to appreciate the formal modeling of realistic communication networks, historical network design problems are presented and evolved into more complex real-world models with associated deterministic and stochastic solution approaches discussed. This discussion leads into the design of an innovative multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) to solve a very complex network design problem variation called the multicommodity capacitated network design problem (MCNDP). This variation represents a hybrid real-world communication architecture as reflected in real-world network centric models with directional communications, multiple objectives including costs, delays, robustness, vulnerability, and operating reliability within network constraints. Nodes in such centric systems can have multiple and varying link capacities as well as rates and information (commodity) quantities to be sent and received. Each commodity can also have independent prioritized bandwidth and spectrum requirements. The nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is selected as the MOEA framework which is modified and parallelized to solve the generic MCNDP. Since the MCNDP is highly constrained but with an enormous number of possible network communication topologies, a novel initialization procedure and mutation method are integrated resulting in reduced search space. Empirical results and analysis indicate that effective topological Pareto solutions are generated for use in highly constrained, communication-based network design.
What do results of common sequential fractionation and single-step extractions tell us about P binding with Fe and Al compounds in non-calcareous sediments?

Correct identification of P forms together with their main Fe and Al binding partners in non-calcareous sediments is of crucial importance for evaluation of P cycling in water bodies. In this paper, we assess extraction methods frequently used for this purpose, i.e., a sequential five-step fractionation (water, bicarbonate buffered dithionite solution (BD), NaOH, HCl, nitric-perchloric acid), ascorbate extraction (pH ∼7.5), and oxalate extraction (pH ∼3), directly on a range of laboratory prepared Fe and Al minerals enriched with adsorbed P. Extraction selectivity and efficiency for particular P, Fe and Al forms were also verified by specific combinations of these extraction methods applied on freshwater sediment samples. In the sequential fractionation, BD was highly effective in dissolving both amorphous and crystalline Fe (hydr)oxides and the associated P, while neither FeS nor Al (hydr)oxides were dissolved. The following NaOH extraction effectively dissolved both amorphous and crystalline Al (hydr)oxides. The high solubilizing power of BD and NaOH to dissolve crystalline Fe and Al oxides that have only a small P-sorption ability prevents the use of resulting Fe/P and Al/P ratios as simple predictors of total P sorption capacity of sediments and soils. Ascorbate non-selectively extracted small proportions of FeS and amorphous Fe and Al (hydr)oxides, but significant amounts of adsorbed P, which hinders its use for the characterization of P forms in non-calcareous sediments. Similar nonselective characteristics were found for oxalate extractions. As oxalate extracts most of the adsorbed phosphate, it is not possible to use it unambiguously to determine specific Fe/P and Al/P ratios of active complexes. However, this method is convenient (and more selective than NaOH step in the sequential fractionation) for the determination of amorphous Al (hydr)oxides.
Accurate measurement of the transmitral gradient in patients with mitral stenosis: A simultaneous catheterization and Doppler echocardiographic study

Abstract Objectives . This study compared the accuracy of Doppler echocardiography with that of conventional cardiac catheterization in the measurement of transmitral gradients in patients with mitral stenosis. Background . Simultaneous measurement of left atrial and left ventricular pressures is the most accurate method for determination of the mean mitral valve gradient in patients with mitral stenosis. Because of the inherent risks of transseptal catheterization, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure has been used in many invasive laboratories for determination of the mean mitral valve gradient. Recent studies have observed significant errors when pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was used for these measurements. Doppler echocardiography provides a noninvasive alternative for measurement of the transmitral gradient, but its relative accuracy has remained unclear. Methods . Seventeen patients with mitral stenosis who underwent transseptal cardiac catheterization had simultaneous measurement of 1) transmitral gradient by direct left atrial and left ventricular pressures, 2) transmitral gradient by pulmonary capillary wedge and left ventricular pressures, and 3) transmitral gradient by Doppler echocardiography. Results . Transmitral gradient measured by pulmonary capillary wedge and left ventricular pressures significantly overestimated the gradient obtained by direct measurement of left atrial pressure, with a mean (±SD) difference of 3.3 ± 3.5 mm Hg (or 53%). Correcting the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure for the phase shift resulted in better correlation, but a consistent overestimation still remained, with a mean difference of 2.5 ± 2.9 mm Hg (or 43%). The best correlation with the smallest variability was comparison of the Doppler-derived mean gradient with the gradient from direct measurement of left atrial and left ventricular pressures, with a mean difference of 0.2 ± 1.2 mm Hg. Conclusions . Compared with the transmitral gradient obtained by direct measurement of left atrial and left ventricular pressures, the Doppler-derived gradient is more accurate than that obtained by conventional cardiac catheterization and should be considered the reference standard.
Characterization of the mouse FTZ-F1 gene, which encodes a key regulator of steroid hydroxylase gene expression

The cytochrome P450 steroid hydroxylases are coordinately regulated by steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1), a protein expressed selectively in steroidogenic cells. Based on its expression in steroidogenic tissues and DNA-binding specificity, we isolated a putative SF-1 cDNA from an adrenocortical cDNA library. As evidence that this cDNA encodes SF-1, we now show that it is selectively expressed in steroidogenic cells, that an antiserum against its protein product specifically abolishes the SF-1-related gel-shift complex, and that its coexpression increases promoter activity of the 21-hydroxylase 5'-flanking region in transfection experiments. Sequence analyses of the SF-1 cDNA revealed that it is the mouse homolog of fushi tarazu factor I (FTZ-F1), a nuclear receptor that regulates the fushi tarazu homeobox gene in Drosophila. A second FTZ-F1 homolog, embryonal long terminal repeat-binding protein (ELP), was recently isolated from embryonal carcinoma cells. SF-1 and ELP cDNAs are virtually identical for 1017 ba...
The 154-year record of sea level at San Francisco: extracting the long-term trend, recent changes, and other tidbits

A data adaptive method called ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) is used to examine the 154-year record of monthly sea level at San Francisco. The mode that is lowest in frequency corresponds to the long-term trend. The next highest mode corresponds to an oscillation with a period of ~100 years and may be related to solar variability. When this mode is combined with the long-term trend, the rate of increase in sea level starts to decrease by ~1980. The next lower mode corresponds to interdecadal time scales and thus includes the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. When combined with the two lower modes, sea level itself starts to decrease by the mid-1990s. These results are consistent with the most recent results from the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), and may be the first obtained from a tidal record. Prior to conducting EEMD, corrections for glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) and the inverse barometer (IB) effect were applied. The effect of applying the GIA correction was relatively small, but the IB correction reduced the slope of the long-term trend in sea level by almost 15%. This reduction is due to a long-term increase in the variance of sea level pressure. To determine if the 10–15 year ENSO modulation cycle could be detected from the decomposition we first compared the envelope from the mode associated with ENSO, with the two adjacent modes that were lower in frequency. Spectral analysis revealed no significant maxima in the ENSO mode envelope, but a major peak in the spectrum for the two adjacent modes, with a period of 12.8 years. This is consistent with a local response to El Nino warming for the ENSO mode, but a non-local response for the two adjacent modes. A similar analysis was performed for the Southern Oscillation Index and a spectral maximum was found between 12 and 16 years, consistent with our non-local interpretation of the previous two modes.
Acellular dermal matrix in the management of high-risk abdominal wall defects.

Abstract Background Ventral hernia repair in the face of a contaminated field or with questionable skin coverage requires either complex abdominal wall flaps or a staged repair. The development of biologic prostheses has altered the approach to these difficult clinical problems. Methods The study population consisted of human acellular dermal matrix (HADM) implantation into wounds considered high risk, defined as either infected or with poor skin coverage. Patient demographics, preoperative risk factors and infection data, postoperative wound complications, and long-term results were collected. Results Twenty-nine patients were identified in whom ADM was implanted into high-risk hernia defects. Forty-five percent developed a postoperative wound occurrence, with 31% requiring the wound to be either treated open or with a percutaneous drain. Ninety-six percent went on to heal without event. The follow-up evaluation averaged 182 days. Eighty-nine percent were repaired successfully with one surgery. Three recurrences have been identified. Conclusions The use of ADM allowed for successful primary closure in 90% of patients with intermediate- to long-term follow-up evaluation. A postoperative wound occurrence rate of 45% shows the use of this material in resisting infection. ADM can be used in ventral hernia repair in high-risk wounds with a high degree of success.
Population Balance Model-Based Hybrid Neural Network for a Pharmaceutical Milling Process

Population balances are generally used to predict the particle size distribution resulting from the processing of a particulate material in a milling unit. The key component of such a model is the breakage function. In this work we present an approach to model breakage functions that has utility for situations in which determination of the breakage function from first principles is difficult. Traditionally, heuristic models have been used in those situations but the unstructured nature of such models limits their applicability and reliability. To address this gap, we propose a semi-empirical hybrid model that integrates first principles knowledge with a data-driven methodology that takes into account the material properties, mill characteristics, and operating conditions. The hybrid model combines a discrete form of population balance model with a neural network model that predicts the milled particle size distribution given material and mill information. We demonstrate the usefulness of this approach for compacted API ribbons milled in a lab scale Quadra conical mill for different materials and mill conditions. Comparisons are also given to the predictions obtained via a purely neural network model and a population balance model with a linear breakage kernel.
Antioxidative Activities of Natural Compounds Found in Plants

The antioxidative activity of natural plant productslacinilene A, naringin, galangin, and rutinwas examined using lipid peroxidation systems consisting of either ethyl linoleate, ethyl linolenate, or ethyl arachidonate plus Fenton's reagent. Inhibitory activity of plant products toward malonaldehyde (MA) formation from lipids was measured using gas chromatography. Lacinilene A, which showed the strongest antioxidative acitivity among the chemicals tested, inhibited MA formation from ethyl linolenate and ethyl arachidonate by 100% at the levels of 3.0 and 0.5 μmol, respectively. Natural flavonoid compounds naringin, galangin, and rutin exhibited appreciable antioxidative activities at doses lower than 0.125 μmol. Rutin, which exhibited the strongest activity among the three flavonoids, inhibited MA formation from ethyl arachidonate by 70% at the level of 0.125 μmol. These flavonoids exhibited only slight inhibition of MA formation at levels higher than 0.5 μmol from the ethyl esters of the three fatty acid...
TO-Lock: Removing Lock Overhead Using the Owners' Temporal Locality

The performance of locking is critical, as programming languages with built-in thread support are coming into wide use. Many techniques for optimizing Java monitors have been proposed, based on the observation that the locks are rarely contended for in many applications. However, the problem of the performance degradation in SMP environments caused by necessary serializations of the processors' execution has not been addressed for shared objects. We propose a new algorithm for this problem. It uses simple instructions to acquire the lock by exploiting the owner locality for objects even if the ownership has migrated among the threads. Our algorithm is particularly effective for SMP environments because we can remove the overhead of the serialization caused by complex atomic operations for uncontended locks by allowing the lock operation and the code protected by the lock to be executed in parallel. We verified the safety of the algorithm by using a software tool, Spin. The experimental results of our bench-marking on an SMP machine using Intel Xeon processors showed that our algorithm can significantly improve the performance by 83% on average compared to the case using a complex atomic instruction.
When Computer Technologies Meet the Learning Sciences: Issues and Opportunities

Abstract This article explores how insights from the learning sciences can guide the effective use of computer technologies to promote learning and how these technologies make new types of learning opportunities possible. The discussion is organized to provide three illustrations of how the introduction of new technologies can have “ripple effects” that influence many different aspects of the teaching and learning processes. We discuss these examples from the perspective of a framework for thinking about teaching and learning based on principles from the 1999 book by Bransford, Brown, and Cocking, How People Learn. Finally, we explore how rapid advances in technology both require and support changes in how we as researchers and teachers do our work.
Video activity detection using compressed domain motion trajectories for H.264 videos

Surveillance videos are often compressed for transmission or storage. It is desirable to be able to perform automatic event detection in the compressed domain directly. In this paper, we investigate the use of motion trajectories for video activity detection in the compressed domain. We show that it is possible to extract reliable motion trajectories directly from compressed H.264 video streams. To overcome the problems caused by unreliable motion vectors, we propose to include the information from the compressed domain prediction residuals to make the tracking more robust. We also show a real world application based on the classification of the motion trajectories to detect vacant or occupied parking spaces.