cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
P63 Role of Nutrition and Life Skills in Substance Use Recovery

Background Sustained recovery from substance use disorder (SUD), remains a significant problem, with 40 to 60% of recovering individuals relapsing within 12 months. Individuals in recovery often have nutrition-related disorders, including malnutrition, poor mental health, and altered body composition. Despite this, there is a lack of nutrition programming in recovery programs. Objective This study aimed to determine the role of nutrition in recovery programs as well as what is prioritized in recovery through the perspectives of recovery program directors and individuals in recovery. Study Design/Setting/Participants Two recovery programs, 1 collegiate recovery and 1 sober living house, participated in this study, with 2 program directors and 16 recovering individuals completed cognitive interviews/focus groups and surveys. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Thematic analysis using NVIVO 12 software was conducted separately for program director and recovering individual responses. Results Fifty-three themes and 30 subthemes were generated. Overall, directors and recovering individuals in the collegiate recovery program emphasized a holistic approach to recovery with a focus on wellness. Sober living participants expressed a desire to achieve independence and normalcy. All participants stated the value of social support in being integral to maintaining recovery. Collegiate recovery program directors had the strongest support for nutrition. All recovering individuals noted nutrition's importance in recovery, but that it becomes a priority later in the recovery process. All recovering individuals expressed the desire to learn life-skills, including budgeting and eating healthily in order to improve their chances of long-term recovery. Conclusion This research can help to improve the quality and offering of recovery programs by informing potential nutrition and life-skills interventions for recovering individuals.
Subcutaneous daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj in newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma

Daratumumab, a human immunoglobulin G1 kappa monoclonal antibody that targets CD38, is currently approved as monotherapy and in varying combinations with approved anti-myeloma regimens in both newl...
Multiple Regression—More Than One Predictor

In Chapter 8 we introduce the algebra and geometry behind the fitting of a linear model relating a single response variable to one or more explanatory (predictor) variables using the criterion of least squares. In this chapter we consider in more detail situations where there are two or more predictors.
Utilization of treated swine wastewater for greenhouse tomato production.

An integrated system has been developed to recycle waste organics and treated wastewater from a swine farm to make value-added products and to protect the environment from potential contamination. The farm is a farrow-to-wean swine operation with approximately 4,000 sows. A high-strength wastewater (chemical oxygen demand, 18,000 mg/l; total Khejdal nitrogen, 1,600 mg/l; total phosphorus, 360 mg/l) is produced from the swine operation. An ambient-temperature anaerobic digester has been used to treat the swine wastewater and to produce biogas (from an average 475 m 3 /day in winter to 950 m 3 /day in summer). The biogas is combusted in an engine to produce electricity (around 900 kW-hr/day). The digester effluent that is rich in nutrients (N, P, and minerals) is then utilized for fertigation for greenhouse tomato production. A trickling nitrification biofilter has been developed to convert ammonium in the effluent into nitrate. The nitrified anaerobic effluent is used as both fertilizer and irrigation water for approximately 14,400 tomato plants in greenhouses. Experimental data indicate that the tomato greenhouses have used approximately 12 m 3 of the effluent and 3.84 kg nitrogen per day. At the same time, the greenhouses have a daily yield of 520 kg (37 g/plant) of marketable fruit.
Intracellular state of the chromosome of bacteriophage lambda: I. The eclipse of infectivity of the bacteriophage DNA

DNA has been extracted from bacteria in which phage lambda multiplies or is injected and its infectivity determined by the method of Kaiser. The DNA of lambda is not infectious when lambda is in the prophage state. Most of the DNA injected by lambda in infection is converted instantaneously to a noninfectious form, whether the recipient is a sensitive bacterium or an immune lysogen. During replication, either after infection or after induction of a lysogenic strain, the viral DNA is not infectious. A maturation step involving late protein synthesis produces infectious lambda DNA.
For entertainers At FIE

Engineering faculty members possess many skills, insights, and abilities that may go unnoticed by their professional colleagues when their primary contact occurs at professional meetings. However, the students of the exemplary faculty members may well know that the professor enjoys playing a banjo, or guitar, or piano. Another group of students may know that their faculty member earns spending money as a stand-up-comic outside the classroom. Some faculty in engineering paint with water colors, oils, and other media. When do the faculty members reveal this other aspect of their life to trusted professional colleagues? At the Grand Old Opry Hotel in Nashville a few years ago, the FIE organizing committee allowed a group of engineering faculty to host their first session late one night and entitled it, "For Entertainers Only." The name was used to protect the reputation of the faculty, in case there were violent uprisings concerning the 'right-brain' actions. Inhibited and courageous performers did allow a few nonperformers into the room and the show went long after the nominal closing time.
Impact on inter symbol interference (ISI) noise due to simulation error

In this paper, we are going to discuss the error in determining the actual intersymbol interference noise (ISI) due to different circuit simulation methodology, while using a standard circuit simulator. In this paper, we have compared three different methods to predict accurately ISI noise. All three methods show that errors caused by circuit simulation can make the eye worst. We have also shown a method which allows one to determine that error and calculate the actual range of ISI noise. As we move towards sampling mVolt signals at the receiver end (Bhattacharyya, 2004 and Bhattacharyya, 2005), one needs to minimize the error that arises due to circuit simulation methodology. This is essential, in order to predict the actual performance of the interconnect.
Gender, stress in childhood and adulthood, and trajectories of change in body mass.

Abstract Despite substantial evidence of the linkage between stress and weight change, previous studies have not considered how stress trajectories that begin in childhood and fluctuate throughout adulthood may work together to have long-term consequences for weight change. Working from a stress and life course perspective, we investigate the linkages between childhood stress, adulthood stress and trajectories of change in body mass (i.e., Body Mass Index, BMI) over time, with attention to possible gender variation in these processes. Data are drawn from a national longitudinal survey of the Americans' Changing Lives ( N = 3617). Results from growth curve analyses suggest that both women and men who experienced higher levels of childhood stress also report higher levels of stress in adulthood. At the beginning of the study period, higher levels of adulthood stress are related to greater BMI for women but not men. Moreover, women who experienced higher levels of childhood stress gained weight more rapidly throughout the 15-year study period than did women who experienced less childhood stress, but neither childhood nor adulthood stress significantly modified men's BMI trajectories. These findings add to our understanding of how childhood stress—a more important driver of long-term BMI increase than adult stress—reverberates throughout the life course to foster cumulative disadvantage in body mass, and how such processes differ for men and women. Results highlight the importance of considering sex-specific social contexts of early childhood in order to design effective clinical programs that prevent or treat overweight and obesity later in life.
Impact of Directional Antennas on Ad Hoc Routing

Previous research on directional antennas has been confined mostly to medium access control. However, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of directional antennas on the performance of routing protocols as well. In this paper, we identify the issues and evaluate the performance of an omnidirectional routing protocol, DSR, when executed over directional antennas. Using insights gained from simulations, we propose routing strategies suitable for directional communication. Our analysis shows that by using directional antennas, ad hoc networks may achieve better performance. However, scenarios exist in which omnidirectional antennas may be suitable.
SITES OF THE 5S RIBOSOMAL GENES IN DROSOPHILA. I. THE MULTIPLE CLUSTERS IN THE VIRILIS GROUP

Drosophila melanogaster 125I-5S RNA was annealed to salivary gland preparations of 6 species in the virilis group of Drosophila. Two patterns of annealing were found. D. virilis, D. montana and D. borealis showed three 5S gene clusters on chromosome 5; Sd–f and Wc–j were strongly labeled, but Xa–e was weakly labeled. D. montana and D. borealis have a greater percentage of their total 5S cistrons at S d–f than does D. virilis. D. americana americana, D. americana texana and D. novamexicana showed 2 sites labeled; no label was seen at Sd–f while Wc–j was weakly labeled and Xa–e was strongly labeled, the reciprocal of the previous pattern in the W-X region. Hybrids between D. a. americana and D. virilis showed no difference in chromosome banding at the sites of the 5S clusters despite their pattern differences. D. a texana x D. virilis, on the other hand, did show a difference in staining the Xa–e region. These patterns fall squarely into the biosystematic groupings deduced by many previous workers.
Formulation of a Criterion for Preventing Self-Loosening of Threaded Fasteners Due to Cyclic Transverse Loading

In the paper, a novel criterion is developed for preventing the self-loosening of preloaded threaded fasteners under cyclic transverse loading. For a known cyclic excitation, the system parameters are used in the formulation of a closed form solution for the minimum fastener preload required for preventing self-loosening. The effect of several key variables is investigated; this includes bearing and thread friction coefficients, bolt grip length, thread pitch, material, and the cyclic amplitude of the transverse excitation. An experimental setup and test procedure is established. Comparison between the experimental and analytical clamp load variation results shows that the proposed criterion can accurately predict the requirements for preventing self-loosening.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Lack of threshold for anisotonic cell volume regulation.

Most cells possess mechanisms that are able to detect cellular volume shifts and to signal the initiation of appropriate volume regulatory responses. However, the identity and characteristics of the detecting mechanism remain obscure. In this study, we explored the influence of hypertonic and hypotonic challenges of varying magnitude on the characteristics of the ensuing regulatory volume increase (RVI) and regulatory volume decrease (RVD) of cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells (CBCECs). The main question we asked was whether a threshold of stimulation existed that would unleash a regulatory response. CBCECs (passage 1–3) were seeded on rectangular glass coverslips and grown for 1–2 days. We used a procedure based on detection of light scattering to monitor the transient volume changes of such plated cells when subjected to osmotic challenge. The osmometric responses were asymmetric: cells shrank faster than they swelled (by a factor of 3). Complete volume regulatory responses took 10–12 min. Bumetanide (50 μM) resulted in incomplete (50%) RVI. We found no threshold as the cells examined responded to hypertonic and hypotonic stimuli as low as 1%. There was some gradation as stimuli of <4% resulted in incomplete volume regulation. The degree of activation of the volume responses grew as an exponential buildup with the strength of the anisotonic challenge. We discuss how our observations are consistent with volume sensing mechanisms based on both ionic strength and the cytoskeleton.
Search Engines for Tomorrow's Scholars

Today's scholars face an outstanding array of choices when choosing search tools: Google Scholar, discipline-specific abstracts and index databases, library discovery tools, and more recently, Micr...
Amniotic membrane transplantation for the repair of severe conjunctival dehiscence after strabismus surgery with adjustable sutures.

Purpose To evaluate the outcome of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) for the repair of severe conjunctival dehiscence that occurred during or after fornix-incision strabismus surgery with adjustable sutures. Design Retrospective, interventional case series. Methods Four patients in whom severe conjunctival dehiscence developed during or after strabismus surgery were treated with amniotic membrane grafts. The extent of conjunctival reepithelization over sclera, range of ocular motility, and patient comfort were evaluated immediately after the surgery and at 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Results The mean follow-up period was 16 weeks (range 4 to 28 weeks). Conjunctival dehiscence was detected 0 to 14 days after surgery. AMT was performed 0 to 14 days later. The conjunctival defect was reepithelized in all patients by the fourth postoperative week without evidence of scarring or restriction of motility. Conclusions In the treatment of large conjunctival defects that may follow strabismus surgery, AMT may be an alternative to conservative management or primary conjunctival closure.
Highly conducting, soluble, and environmentally-stable poly(3-alkylthiophenes)

Homopolymers and copolymers of 3-alkylthiophenes incorporating alkyl groups equal to or greater than butyl in size can be handled in solution and form highly conducting, environmentally-stable compositions on doping.
A surface potential change in the membranes of frog skeletal muscle is associated with excitation‐contraction coupling.

1. Voltage changes and intramembrane charge movements in the transverse tubule membranes (T-system) of frog fast twitch muscle fibres were compared using the potentiometric dye WW-375 and a Vaseline-gap voltage clamp. As shown previously, the potentiometric dye reports a dynamic surface potential change that occurs on the myoplasmic face of the T-system membranes when the macroscopic potential applied across the surface membrane exceeds the mechanical threshold (about -60 mV). 2. The voltage dependence of the extra surface potential change and charge movement were found to be similar. Both activated with a sigmoid voltage dependence centred around -35 to -40 mV, and saturated at voltages above 0 mV. Both processes inactivated upon sustained depolarization, with a mid-point for inactivation of -40 mV. 3. Pharmacological agents which alter charge movement and excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling altered the non-linear surface potential change in a parallel manner. Perchlorate, which potentiates charge movement and E-C coupling, slowed the activation and deactivation of both charge movement and the non-linear surface potential change at voltages above -40 mV, and shifted the voltage dependence of both processes by 13 14 mV to more negative voltages. Dantrolene, which depresses charge movement and E-C coupling, shifted the voltage dependence of both processes to more positive voltages. Nifedipine, which suppresses charge movement and E-C coupling, reduced the magnitude of both charge movement and the non-linear surface potential change. 4. The non-linear surface potential change remained after the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was depleted of Ca2+, suggesting that it is not a consequence of Ca2+ release. 5. These results suggest that the non-linear surface potential change is closely associated with movements of the voltage sensor (dihydropyridine (DHP) receptor) that control E-C coupling and/or signal transduction across the triadic junction. We propose that the movement of charged intramembrane domains of the DHP receptor which generate charge movement drive a subsequent movement of charged intracellular molecular domains that move within about 1 nm of the T-system membrane to generate a measurable change in surface charge. For example, the postulated mobile surface charges could be on an intracellular domain of the voltage sensor or closely associated protein, or could be a charged molecular domain of a protein that associates/dissociates with T-system membrane or DHP receptor during E-C coupling.
Drag reduction in polysaccharide solutions

Abstract Dilute solutions of many polysaccharides have lower frictional resistance in pipe flow than pure water. As yet unexplained, this effect may have important industrial ramifications.
Does Alzheimer's disease spread, and is it causally related to aluminum?

Abstract Degenerative diseases probably do not spread but, rather affect the nervous system according to local vulnerability. Reports concerning aluminum in Alzheimer's disease have been remarkably inconsistent if it is to be considered causal.
Physical Activity Monitors: Do More Sensors Mean Better Precision?

Physical activity is essential to health. Accelerometry-based activity monitors are widely used in clinical and epidemiological research settings; however, only measuring body movement may prohibit accurate prediction of energy expenditure. Recent technological advancements allow synchronous measurements of heart rate, body temperature, acceleration, and other physiological responses and record them in detail (every minute or finer precision). Current multisensor devices are small, wireless, and capable of continuously recording data over several days or weeks, making them readily applicable in the free-living environment. Future studies should focus on developing strategies to optimize sensor data for accurate and robust predictions of clinically pertinent outcome parameters, such as total daily energy expenditure and physical activity energy expenditure. There is also a need for calibration instruments to allow users to standardize devices in their own laboratory or clinic. We also call for more transparency in publishing sensor properties and modeling algorithms, rather than proprietary or “black-box” prediction approaches.
Short-range correlations in the electron gas

The effects of short-range correlations on the properties of the electron gas are studied using an approach phrased in the polarization potential language of Pines and Nozi\`eres. It was argued by Lowy and Brown that two-body terms make up the dominant contribution to the effective interaction for large momentum transfers. In the region of small-momentum transfers it is known that the random-phase approximation provides an adequate picture of the electron gas. With these two regions of large- and small-momentum transfers in mind, a polarization propagator is constructed to interpolate between them. A number of sum rules, among them the $f$-sum rule, involving the imaginary part of the polarization propagator, were found to be satisfied. The failure of our theory to satisfy the compressibility sum rule is discussed in detail. We present here the results for the local $t$-matrix, the dynamic and static form factors, and the pair correlation function. That our pair-correlation function remains positive and is essentially the same as in the paper of Lowy and Brown indicates that the physics and not the formalism is responsible for the results we obtain.
Can females benefit from selfing avoidance? Genetic associations and the evolution of plant gender

Evolutionary stability of dioecy and nuclear gynodioecy in higher plants requires that females produce over twice as many successful seeds as hermaphrodites. This fitness differential is widely thought to derive primarily from the advantages of outcrossing caused by high selfing rates and inbreeding depression in the hermaphrodite. This study hypothesized that (i) extraordinarily high deleterious mutation rates are necessary to double female seed success due to outcrossing, and (ii) the large difference in outcrossing rates between sex morphs causes differential purging of these mutations, resulting in additional genetic selection on male sterility. Using genetically explicit models, I showed that the phenotypic outcrossing advantage requires at least one new highly recessive deleterious mutation per genome per generation, regardless of selection coefficient. However, under this mutational regime, differential purging created strong genetic selection against recessive male sterility that overwhelmed the phenotypic selection in favour of outcrossing. In very small populations and for dominant male sterility, this genetic selection was weaker or absent. This first genetically explicit study of the outcrossing advantage of unisexual females may shed new light on both the genetic and selective conditions for the evolution of gynodioecy and dioecy.
Alginate/PEO-PPO-PEO composite hydrogels with thermally-active plasticity.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels with high strength and toughness have received significant interest in recent years. Here, we report thermally active composite hydrogels comprising alginate and one of two poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymers. Temperature-sensitive structural and mechanical changes are probed using calorimetry, neutron scattering, shear rheology, unconfined compression, and fracture. Below the lower gelation temperature, LGT, the mechanical properties are dominated by alginate. As the LGT is reached, the contribution of PEO-PPO-PEO to the mechanical properties is activated, resulting in order-of-magnitude increases in elastic modulus. Under compression, we show the evolution of plasticity for the composite hydrogels as the LGT is approached and surpassed, resulting in dramatic increases in fracture stress compared to neat alginate hydrogels. Plasticity was observed above the LGT and may be attributed to restructuring from the slidin...
Perceptions of control over social outcomes and student behavior

Locus of control and classroom behavior data were gathered from 223 randomly selected students in 75 senior high and junior high school classrooms. The major purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between LOC orientation regarding social outcomes and two types of classroom behavior: considerate vs. hostile, and task-oriented vs. distractible. Results showed moderate positive correlation between internality and both Considerate and Task-Oriented behavior. The strongest relationship observed was that between perceptions about the teacher's control over negative outcomes and the students' behavior. Differences in relations were observed for males and females.
New pelvic symptoms are common after reconstructive pelvic surgery

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the incidence of new pelvic symptoms after reconstructive pelvic surgery and its impact on surgical outcomes. Study Design Women undergoing surgery for prolapse (POP) and/or urinary incontinence underwent preoperative and 3 month postoperative assessment: urodynamics, pelvic organ prolapse quantification, and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20). Postoperative assessment included Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), satisfaction, and new symptom questionnaire. Results Forty-two percent (33/79) reported new pelvic symptoms: incontinence (27%), urgency (25%), frequency (23%), difficult defecation (22%), voiding difficulty (10%), and POP (2%). Women with new symptoms differed from those without: higher postoperative mean PFDI-20 scores ( P P = .02 for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory, and P = .02 Colorectal-Anal Inventory); 58% vs 83% improved on PGI-I, compared with 83% ( P = .01); 33% vs 83% completely satisfied ( P ≤ .001). Conclusion Women report high rates of new pelvic symptoms after surgery, which are associated with decreased self-reported improvement and satisfaction despite improvement on validated quality of life measures.
Cytotoxic and cytokine inducing properties of Candida glabrata in single and mixed oral infection models

Oral candidiasis is a common opportunistic infection, with Candida albicans being the most prevalent etiologic agent and Candida glabrata emerging as an important pathogen. C. glabrata is frequently co-isolated with C. albicans from oral lesions. Although C. albicans has been shown to trigger significant cytokine responses and cell damage, C. glabrata has not been systematically studied yet. The purpose of this study was to characterize the ability of C. glabrata to induce proinflammatory cytokine responses and host damage as a single infecting organism and in combination with C. albicans, using in vitro models of the oral mucosa. In monolayer oral epithelial cell cultures, C. glabrata failed to induce a significant interleukin-1α and interleukin-8 cytokine response and showed lower cytotoxicity, compared to C. albicans. However, C. glabrata triggered a significantly higher granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor response than C. albicans. C. glabrata strains showed a strain-dependent tissue damaging ability and a superficial invasion of the mucosal compartment in a three-dimensional (3-D) in vitro model of the human oral mucosa and submucosa. In the 3-D system, co-infection failed to promote host damage beyond the levels of infection with C. albicans alone. These studies indicate that C. glabrata induces cytokines in human oral epithelium in a strain-specific manner, but its tissue/cell damaging ability, compared to C. albicans, is low. Synergy between C. glabrata and C. albicans in cytokine induction and host damage was not observed with the strains tested.
Biomass, productivity and life history traits of Juncus militaris Bigel. In two Rhode Island (U.S.A.) freshwater wetlands

Abstract Above-ground and below-ground production of Juncus militaris Bigel., a freshwater emergent macrophyte, was measured in lacustrine stands at two sites in Rhode Island. Emergent shoot biomass was highest in late summer or early fall at both sites (305 and 437 g m −2 ). Submergent leaves were present from late fall to early summer, yet the biomass they contributed (68 and 55 g m −2 ) was much lower than that of below-ground biomass (528 and 1014 g m −2 ) at both sites. Maximum shoot densities at the two sites were not significantly different (672 and 655 shoots m −2 ). Net emergent productivity was 387 and 485 g m −2 year −1 . The emergence of J. militaris shoots in two cohorts that had significantly different maximum heights, growth and inflorescence production caused the bimodality in the seasonal distribution of emergent productivity. Submergent productivity was 68 and 55 g m −2 year −1 , below-ground productivity was 244 and 587 g m −2 year −1 and total productivity was 698 and 1127 g m −2 year −1 . Water depth appeared to be a major factor affecting interstand differences in emergent shoot production, heights and lengths of inflorescences, and delays in senescence. Substratum nutrient content, particularly low ammonium-nitrogen concentrations, may have been responsible for interstand differences in below-ground biomass. The submergent and emergent life forms of J. militaris displayed a distinct phenological dichotomy that may be partially responsible for the competitive success of this species.
Effect of a barrier at the superconducting-normal metal interface

A superconducting-normal metal sandwich, in which there is a potential barrier at the interface, is considered. The Tomasch effect amplitude is shown to be reduced by a factor related to the barrier transmission coefficient. We then derive from first principles the boundary conditions obeyed by the kernel in the Gor'kov gap equation at the interface, within the diffusion approximation. This represents the first ab initio calculation of the “second” de Gennes boundary condition.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dermorphin in the horse

Dermorphin is a μ-opioid receptor-binding peptide that causes both central and peripheral effects following intravenous administration to rats, dogs, and humans and has been identified in postrace horse samples. Ten horses were intravenously and/or intramuscularly administered dermorphin (9.3 ± 1.0 μg/kg), and plasma concentration vs. time data were evaluated using compartmental and noncompartmental analyses. Data from intravenous administrations fit a 2-compartment model best with distribution and elimination half-lives (harmonic mean ± pseudo SD) of 0.09 ± 0.02 and 0.76 ± 0.22 h, respectively. Data from intramuscular administrations fit a noncompartmental model best with a terminal elimination half-life of 0.68 ± 0.24 (h). Bioavailability following intramuscular administration was variable (47-100%, n = 3). The percentage of dermorphin excreted in urine was 5.0 (3.7-10.6) %. Excitation accompanied by an increased heart rate followed intravenous administration only and subsided after 5 min. A plot of the mean change in heart rate vs. the plasma concentration of dermorphin fit a hyperbolic equation (simple Emax model), and an EC(50) of 21.1 ± 8.8 ng/mL was calculated. Dermorphin was detected in plasma for 12 h and in urine for 48 or 72 h following intravenous or intramuscular administration, respectively.
Control of Intellectual Assets in Client Relationships: Implications for Innovation

SUMMARY This empirical study of business-to-business service firms examines the determinants and effects of control rights to intellectual assets in a property rights theoretic framework. Regression analyses using survey data suggest that service suppliers who retain control over their intellectual output are more innovative. In long-term relationships, service firms’ clients may thus be better off balancing their need to control outsourced activities with the suppliers’ incentives to invest in learning and innovation. Additionally, and aligned with property rights theoretic predictions, service suppliers’ bargaining power and their indispensability in service projects are positively associated with their ability to retain control rights. In contrast, innovation capabilities are not very significant in determining control rights allocation between service suppliers and their clients.
Architecture and the four encounters with complexity

Abstract In the surge of scientific revelations concerning chaos, cybernetics and systems theory since the Second World War, architecture has been drawn into several encounters with dynamic complexity. Architects have often danced with this complexity, but there has never been a full embrace—the encounters only amounting to skirmishes between two radically different perspectives. Increasingly however, these two histories of design and science are convergent, drawn together by forces of post-industrial knowledge, society, globalization, economic interdependence and ecological sustenance. Through past literature, that convergence can be framed by four modes of architectural complexity—wicked, messy, ordered and natural—but the history of these encounters has seldom been couched in terms of their teleological and dynamic influences, nor have their separate operations been characterized or connected in a way that adds coherence. This paper addresses this missing history by making explicit distinctions between...
Monitoring indirect presentation of alloantigens by utilizing the autologous processing machinery of dendritic cells in-vitro.

Abstract Background : Judicious individualization of immunosuppression protocols requires the ability to monitor the recipients' specific immune response towards the allograft. While several indirect presentation studies have been reported, currently there are no consistently reliable means to assess the state of transplant acceptance. A potential explanation might be the lack of established kinetics for in-vitro indirect presentation assays. Methods : Dendritic cell (DCs) were used as self-specific “processing machinery” for the generation of allogeneic peptide repertoire tailored by the individual's capacity to process antigens via the indirect pathway. The kinetics of antigen processing and presentation of newly acquired antigens was then assessed to define the following: (1) Optimal time to introduce apoptotic–allogeneic cells to DCs; (2) optimal time for processing before induction of DC maturation; and (3) optimal time for stimulation of autologous T cells by the pulsed DCs. Results : Altering kinetic parameters associated with time allotted for antigen processing; antigen presentation and DCs maturation, showed substantial variations in the level of T cell activation, as was documented by mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR)-like proliferation assays. Further experiments using allogeneic cellular extracts showed similar variations in T cell stimulation by monitoring T cell precursor frequencies and interferon (IFN)-γ secretion ELISPOT assays. Using the appropriate kinetic parameters, we have also shown difference in T-cell-subsets (CD4, CD8) precursor frequencies and cytokine secretion in response to different antigenic sources. Conclusions : The ability to construct an in-vitro, recipient-tailored, donor-specific, indirect presentation assay is dependent on essential kinetic parameters associated with antigen processing and presentation, as described in this report. Moreover, the use of this approach may circumvent the need for identifying specific immunogenic peptides for cancer-related or other vaccine-development studies.
A superstring neutrino-dominated Universe?

Recent observations1 indicate the existence of significant largescale structure on scales >40 ho−1 Mpc. That this is also the typical scale for surviving structure in the hot dark matter models for galaxy formation (for example, neutrinos with masses mv ˜ 30 eV) may not be a coincidence (ref. 2; D. N. Schramm, Fermilab preprint 86/70, 1986). If neutrinos are to be reinstated as the leading candidates for the dark matter of the Universe, it becomes crucial to understand the origin of their mass in the context of the superstring3–9. Here we examine the possibility for small but non-zero neutrino masses in a class of superstring models6 giving rise to acceptable low-energy phenomenology.
Reduced Crystallinity and Mobility of Nylon-6 Confined near the Organic–Inorganic Interface in a Phosphate Glass-Rich Nanocomposite Detected by 1H–13C NMR

The effects of confinement of solid polyamide 6 in a nanocomposite with a rigid inorganic glass, a hybrid organic–inorganic material with potential applications in optoelectronics, gas/liquid barrier membranes, and heterogeneous catalysis, have been investigated by 13C, 1H–13C, and 1H–1H solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The material is synthesized by melt blending 90 vol % of a low-Tg tin fluorophosphate glass (Pglass) with 10 vol % polyamide 6 (PA6). 13C NMR with selective spectroscopy of rigid and mobile segments shows a 2-fold suppression of the average crystallinity of PA6 in the composite. The reduction in crystallinity, to ca. 5%, is even more pronounced for PA6 near the interface with Pglass, as seen in selective 13C spectra of PA6 near the organic–inorganic interface obtained by two-dimensional 1H–13C correlation NMR. The spectrum after a 13C T1 filter indicates a reduced mobility of the interfacial PA6 polymer, which is in ∼5 nm thick domains according to 1H spin-diffusi...
The encounter at the crossroads in Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus*

Toward the midpoint of the OT Jocasta, in a bid to convince Oedipus of the unreliability of oracles, recalls the old prophecy that Laius was destined to die at the hands of his son. Jocasta points out that this prediction proved doubly mistaken, since Laius was killed by foreign robbers at a crossroads and his newborn child was exposed on the desolate mountainside (707–25). To Jocasta's surprise, Oedipus responds with agitation. He questions her closely about the circumstances of Laius' death and then embarks on an autobiographical narrative that touches on his early life in Corinth and his journey to Delphi, reaching its rhetorical climax with the description of his own fateful encounter at the very crossroads mentioned by Jocasta.
A Problem for the Closure Argument

Contemporary discussions of skepticism often frame the skeptic’s argument around an instance of the closure principle. Roughly, the closure principle states that if a subject knows p, and knows that p entails q, then the subject knows q. The main contention of this paper is that the closure argument for skepticism is defective. We explore several possible classifications of the defect. The closure argument might plausibly be classified as begging the question, as exhibiting transmission failure, or as structurally inefficient. Interestingly, perhaps, each of these has been proposed as the correct classification of Moore’s proof of an external world.
Pretaping of the Aorta Prior to Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation

SURGICAL repair of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is one of the most common cardiovascular procedures performed in veterinary and human medicine.1–3 The techniques have been well documented and used successfully.2–5
The biology of NK cells and their receptors affects clinical outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT)

Natural killer (NK) cells were first identified for their capacity to reject bone marrow allografts in lethally irradiated mice without prior sensitization. Subsequently, human NK cells were detected and defined by their non-major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxicity toward transformed or virally infected target cells. Karre et al. later proposed 'the missing self hypothesis' to explain the mechanism by which self-tolerant cells could kill targets that had lost self MHC class I. Subsequently, the receptors that recognize MHC class I to mediate tolerance in the host were identified on NK cells. These class I-recognizing receptors contribute to the acquisition of function by a dynamic process known as NK cell education or licensing. In the past, NK cells were assumed to be short lived, but more recently NK cells have been shown to mediate immunologic memory to secondary exposures to cytomegalovirus infection. Because of their ability to lyse tumors with aberrant MHC class I expression and to produce cytokines and chemokines upon activation, NK cells may be primed by many stimuli, including viruses and inflammation, to contribute to a graft-versus-tumor effect. In addition, interactions with other immune cells support the therapeutic potential of NK cells to eradicate tumor and to enhance outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Image Distortion Effects in SAR Subsurface Imaging and a New Iterative Approach for Refocusing and Coregistration

High-resolution subsurface imaging and topography estimation in deserts is very useful in many applications such as oil-field and ground-water explorations and archaeological surveys. To address this problem, we previously developed a subsurface imaging interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) concept that can estimate the subsurface topography. However, the image resolution of such a system is rather limited by the current techniques available for SAR focusing and InSAR image coregistration as the propagation effects and phase-front distortion caused by the top layer are not accounted for. In this paper, we discuss different image aberrations that result from the top-surface topography, including geometric and defocusing distortion. The issue created by subsurface caustics and their effect on SAR imaging are discussed. We then present a new approach to estimating and correcting such aberrations. By using simulations and measurements, it is shown that up to an order of magnitude improvement in the subsurface image resolution as well as significant improvement on subsurface interferogram coherence can be achieved. The proposed approach is based on the application of a previously developed subsurface inversion algorithm and a newly developed fast subsurface InSAR simulator. The results are verified numerically using 3-D simulations of different sand-dune geometries and an experiment using scaled-model measurements under laboratory conditions.
Particle motion near and inside an interface

The motion of a spherical particle near the interface between two immiscible viscous fluids undergoing simple shear flow is considered in the limit of small Reynolds and capillary numbers where the interface exhibits negligible deformation. Taking advantage of the rotational symmetry of the boundaries of the flow with respect to the axis that is normal to the interface and passes through the particle centre, the problem is formulated as a system of one-dimensional integral equations for the first Fourier coefficients of the unknown components of the traction and velocity along the particle and interface contours. The results document the particle translational and angular velocities, and reveal that the particle slips while rolling over the interface under the influence of a simple shear flow, for any viscosity ratio. In the second part of the investigation, the motion of an axisymmetric particle straddling a planar interface is considered. The results confirm a simple exact solution when a particle with top-down symmetry is immersed half-way in each fluid and translates parallel to the interface, reveal a similar simple solution for a particle that is held stationary in simple shear flow, and document the force and torque exerted on a spherical particle for more general arrangements. The onset of a non-integrable singularity of the traction at the contact line prohibits the computation of the translational and angular velocities of a freely suspended particle convected under the action of a shear flow.
Molecular Etiology of Parkinson Disease: Recent Progress

Parkinson disease (PD) is one of the most widespread neurodegenerative disorders. In North America alone it affects 1 million people. It is a multifactorial disorder caused by genetic, various biological and environmental factors. One of the important features of PD is the dementia, which is believed to be due to the loss of dopaminergic neurons. In some cases the disease can be inherited as an autosomal dominant or recessive trait but in the majority of cases it is acquired. The biological causes of the disorder are unknown. The identification of mutations in the parkin gene in the autosomal recessive case and alpha-synuclein gene in autosomal dominant cases has opened a new avenue for studies to understand the basic biochemical mechanisms of pathogenesis. Although several types of treatments such as transplantation of cells that produce L-Dopa and direct gene delivery using adeno-associated viral vectors may correct animal models of PD, their usefulness in the human is not yet clear. A better understand...
Acute effects of ethanol on pattern reversal and flash-evoked potentials in rats and the relationship to body temperature

Abstract The effects of acute ethanol treatment on flash and pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (FEPs and PREPs, respectively) were examined in three experiments using Long-Evans rats. The relationships of evoked potential parameters with blood ethanol concentration and body temperature were examined. In Experiment 1, rats were treated i.p. with vehicle or 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 g ethanol/kg body weight, and tested 30 min later. The 2.0 g/kg group had prolonged latencies of PREP peaks, no changes in PREP peak-to-peak amplitudes, and lower body temperatures than saline-treated controls. The peak latency shifts were significantly correlated with both blood ethanol concentration and body temperature, and were of a magnitude to be expected from similar changes in body temperature alone. Experiment 2 measured both PREPs and paired-flash FEPs in rats 30 min after injection of either 0, 0.5 or 2.0 g/kg ethanol. PREP changes were found following treatment with the high dose which were similar to those of Experiment 1. Some FEP peak latencies were prolonged and peak-to-peak amplitudes were reduced by both doses of ethanol, despite the fact that body temperatures were reduced at only the high dose. At 2.0 g/kg ethanol, the FEP changes in latency, but not amplitude, were in accordance with what would be expected from body temperature changes alone. The third study attempted to investigate the role of reduced body temperature in producing the visual evoked potential changes by testing at room temperatures of 22 or 30°C. Contrary to expectations, the rats receiving 2 g/kg ethanol were approx. 1°C cooler than controls at both room temperatures. Evoked potential latencies were greater in ethanol-treated rats than controls at both room temperatures. There were no significant effects of ethanol on FEP amplitudes. Overall, the effects of low doses of ethanol were independent of temperature changes, but the effects of higher doses of ethanol (2.0 g/kg) could not be distinguished from those produced by differences in body temperature alone.
How China Sees the Arctic: Reading Between Extraregional and Intraregional Narratives

In May 2013, China gained observer status in the Arctic Council, exemplifying its growing legitimacy as a regional actor in the eyes of the eight countries with territory north of the Arctic Circle. Yet since China remains an extraregional state without territory in the Arctic, Chinese officials continue to bolster their state’s legitimacy as an Arctic stakeholder through two spatially inconsistent but mutually reinforcing grand regional narratives. On the one hand, Chinese officials recognize the salience of territory and presence in the Arctic, underscoring their country’s “near-Arctic” location and polar scientific expeditions. On the other hand, officials depict the Arctic as a maritime, global space where climate change has potential ramifications for the entire planet. Significantly, these reframings are affecting intraregional states’ perceptions of the Arctic, demonstrating how a region’s territorial extent, symbolic meaning, and institutional form emerge through the ongoing conversation between e...
Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Treatment of Glenohumeral Instability

The intimate contact between articular surfaces of the humeral head and glenoid labrum contribute to glenohumeral stability. When the articular surface area of these 2 surfaces is decreased, as with the presence of a bony Bankart lesion or an engaging Hill-Sachs lesion, the shoulder is more prone to dislocation. Although osteochondral allograft transplantation has become widely popular for the treatment of osteochondral defects of the knee, it is less used for treating bony defects of the humeral head. We present a case in which a 16-year-old male athlete with multiple anterior shoulder dislocations underwent arthroscopic repair of a Bankart lesion. His arthroscopic repair ultimately failed and on subsequent magnetic resonance imaging he was found to have a large, engaging Hill-Sachs defect. He underwent arthroscopic osteochondral allograft transplantation to correct the humeral head bony deformity. As of the 1-year follow-up, the patient has had no recurrences and had returned to his normal level of activity.
A tutorial on fundamental model structures for railway timetable optimization

Abstract This guide explains the role of railway timetables relative to all other railway scheduling activities, and then presents four fundamental timetable formulations suitable for optimization. Timetabling models may be classified according to whether they explicitly model the track structure, and whether the timetable is intended to be periodic or not (aperiodic). The presentation of models is organized to facilitate the selection of a model by planning objective and available data, regardless of the specific traffic carried or network size.