cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monotone and convex quadratic spline interpolation

A method for producing interpolants that preserve the monotonicity and convexity of discrete data is described. It utilizes the quadratic spline proposed by Schumaker (1983) which was subsequently characterized by De Vore and Yan (1986). The selection of first order derivatives at the given data points is essential to this spline. An observation made by De Vore and Yan is generalized, and an improved method to select these derivatives is proposed. The resulting spline is completely local, efficient, and simple to implement.
The left ventricle undergoes biomechanical and gene expression changes in response to increased right ventricular pressure overload.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) results in right ventricular (RV) pressure overload and eventual failure. Current research efforts have focused on the RV while overlooking the left ventricle (LV), which is responsible for mechanically assisting the RV during contraction. The objective of this study is to evaluate the biomechanical and gene expression changes occurring in the LV due to RV pressure overload in a mouse model. Nine male mice were divided into two groups: (a) pulmonary arterial banding (PAB, N = 4) and (b) sham surgery (Sham, N = 5). Tagged and steady-state free precision cardiac MRI was performed on each mouse at 1, 4, and 7 weeks after surgery. At/week7, the mice were euthanized following right/left heart catheterization with RV/LV tissue harvested for histology and gene expression (using RT-PCR) studies. Compared to Sham mice, the PAB group revealed a significantly decreased LV and RV ejection fraction, and LV maximum torsion and torsion rate, within the first week after banding. In the PAB group, there was also a slight but significant increase in LV perivascular fibrosis, which suggests elevated myocardial stress. LV fibrosis was also accompanied with changes in gene expression in the hypertensive group, which was correlated with LV contractile mechanics. In fact, principal component (PC) analysis of LV gene expression effectively separated Sham and PAB mice along PC2. Changes in LV contractile mechanics were also significantly correlated with unfavorable changes in RV contractile mechanics, but a direct causal relationship was not established. In conclusion, a purely biomechanical insult of RV pressure overload resulted in biomechanical and transcriptional changes in both the RV and LV. Given that the RV relies on the LV for contractile energy assistance, considering the LV could provide prognostic and therapeutic targets for treating RV failure in PH.
A catalog of prominence eruptions detected automatically in the SDO/AIA 304 Å images

Abstract We report on a statistical study of prominence eruptions (PEs) using a catalog of these events routinely imaged by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in the 304 A pass band. Using an algorithm developed as part of an LWS project, we have detected PEs in 304 A synoptic images with 2-min cadence since May 2010. A catalog of these PEs is made available online ( https://cdaw.gsfc.nasa.gov/CME_list/autope/ ). The 304 A images are polar-transformed and divided by a background map (pixels with minimum intensity during one day) to get the ratio maps above the limb. The prominence regions are defined as pixels with a ratio ≥2. Two prominence regions with more than 50% of pixels overlapping are considered the same prominence. If the height of a prominence increases monotonically in 5 successive images, it is considered eruptive. All the PEs seen above the limb are detected by the routine, but only PEs with width ≥15° are included in the catalog to eliminate polar jets and other small-scale mass motions. The identifications are also cross-checked with the PEs identified in Nobeyama Radioheliograph images ( http://solar.nro.nao.ac.jp/norh/html/prominence/ ). The catalog gives the date, time, central position angle, latitude, and width of the eruptive prominence. The catalog also provides links to JavaScript movies that combine SDO/AIA images with GOES soft X-ray data to identify the associated flares, and with SOHO/LASCO C2 images to identify the associated coronal mass ejections. We examined the statistical properties of the PEs and found that (1) the surges generally occur only in the active region belt while prominences are found in all latitudes, and (2) the high-latitude PE speed decreased with the decreasing of the average polar magnetic field strength of the previous cycle.
Adam Smith's Prudence (Self Interest-Self Love) Was the Bedrock Foundation and Necessary Condition for the Attainment of All Other Virtues in the Theory of Moral Sentiments and the Wealth of Nations

There can’t be too much self-interest or self love, Prudence, for Adam Smith (or Aristotle, Aquinas, Augustine, Buddha, etc.). Without prudent conduct and behavior at the individual level, nothing else is possible. Prudence is the bedrock foundation upon which all other virtues are build. There can be no successful display of courage, temperance, self command, justice, beneficence, benevolence, charity, concern for others or the interests of others, without prudence having been practiced successfully first. Economists, especially, have very great difficulty with Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments and The Wealth of Nations because economists have been raised and trained as Benthamite Utilitarians in their earlier years as undergraduate and graduate students. They thus end up reading Smith only after they have already been exposed to and digested Bentham’s contrary view of self interest, which directly conflicts with Smith’s Virtue ethics approach. Bentham was an acknowledged practitioner and enthusiastic advocate of egoist behavior. There are no other interests except self(ish) interests for the egoist. Bentham sought to destroy Virtue ethics. Utilitarianism as a school of ethics is in direct conflict with Virtue ethics because it claims that only the future monetary consequences of actions matter. Understanding Adam Smith requires rejecting Utilitarianism completely. Maximizing one’s Utility, where money is used as a proxy by Bentham for one’s utility, means exactly what it states-accumulating the most amount of money for oneself and no one else. Smith never incorporated any form of utilitarianism into his ethical approach. Economists generally fail to grasp that, while only consequences matter for utilitarians, Virtue ethicists include consequences as one aspect of many that must be analyzed and considered.
Wrestling with difficult histories in the classroom and beyond

Scholarship on so-called difficult histories has increased substantially in recent decades, both in academic and public spheres (Epstein & Peck, 2017; Shuster, 2018). Focusing on teaching and learn...
Transient Thermal Performance using Phase Change Material Integrated Topology Optimized Heat Sinks

Abstract Phase change materials represent a unique opportunity for mitigating thermal transients sustained during the operation of electronics without major increases in the overall system’s weight, size and power consumption. However, their integration poses challenges stemming from the low thermal conductivity associated with PCM. The present study aims to use Topology optimization (TO) to generate optimal heat spreading structures that can be coupled with PCM to enhance the heat transfer rate. Given the complexity of the generated fin geometries, additive manufacturing (AM), specifically Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), is used to fabricate the heat sinks. Experimental results indicated the ability of the topology-optimized thermal conductivity enhancers (TCE) to improve PCM performance significantly relative to a benchmark design with plate fins. Additionally, TO along with AM were utilized to build a hybrid heat sink with combined conduction-convection-latent cooling. Under a pulsed load of 50 W, the hybrid heat sink exhibited the capacity to lower peak temperature by up to 18.9 °C relative to a benchmark plate fin design of similar dimensions.
Ancient Paria, Bolivia: Macrobotanical Remains Recovered from an Administrative Site on the Royal Inca Highway

Tawantinsuyu was the great Inca Empire estimated to have encompassed 3,000 miles of western South America, including parts of present-day Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. Many studies have focused on various aspects of Inca culture, on the major sites of the Empire, and on mapping the extensive Inca road system. Fewer studies address the varying use of plants at these major administrative centers. This present chapter presents the paleoethnobotanical investigations of the redistribution/administrative center, Khota Chullpa or the ancient site of Paria (Ce-01), and associated qollqas or storage structures (Ce-51) along the Inca highway in the Paria Basin, Department of Oruro, Bolivia. In particular, plant remains that indicate the subsistence strategies, as well as the use of possible hallucinogenic and medicinal plants. These plant remains provide a perspective on the functions of this administrative center as more than just a place to store and account for everyday economic goods like maize and potatoes.
Gender and Sexual Identity in Adolescence: A Mixed-Methods Study of Labeling in Diverse Community Settings:

Understandings of sexual and gender identity have expanded beyond traditional binaries, yet we know little about adolescents’ appropriation of identity labels across diverse communities. In a mixed...
Validation of clinically relevant thresholds of esophagogastric junction obstruction using FLIP Panometry.

Background & Aims This study aimed to assess the accuracy of functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP) panometry to detect esophagogastric junction (EGJ) obstruction assigned by high-resolution manometry (HRM) and the Chicago Classification version 4.0 (CCv4.0). Methods Six hundred eighty-seven adult patients who completed FLIP and HRM for primary esophageal motility evaluation and 35 asymptomatic volunteers (controls) were included. EGJ opening was evaluated with 16-cm FLIP during sedated endoscopy via EGJ-distensibility index (DI) and maximum EGJ diameter. HRM was classified according to CCv4.0 and focused on studies with a conclusive disorder of EGJ outflow (ie, achalasia subtypes I, II, or III; or EGJ outflow obstruction with abnormal timed barium esophagogram) or normal EGJ outflow. Results All 35 controls had EGJ-DI >3.0 mm2/mmHg and maximum EGJ diameter >16 mm. Per HRM and CCv4.0, 245 patients had a conclusive disorder of EGJ outflow, and 314 patients had normal EGJ outflow. Among the 241 patients with reduced EGJ opening (EGJ-DI Conclusions FLIP panometry accurately identified clinically relevant conclusive EGJ obstruction as defined by CCv4.0 in patients evaluated for esophageal motor disorders. Thus, FLIP panometry is a valuable tool for both independent and complementary evaluation of esophageal motility.
MMC-Based Grid Integration of PV-BESS with Power Grid Support Capabilities

Renewable energy integration in the smart grid - including solar photovoltaic (PV) systems - presents stability and reliability challenges due to their intermittent behavior. Integrating battery energy storage systems (BESS) with PV systems is one of the key solutions to these grid challenges, which improves the grid-tied PV systems' performance. Due to scalable and modular structure, modular multilevel converters (MMC) have been recently considered as a promising power electronic technology for grid integration of PV-BESS. This paper proposes a novel full-bridge submodule MMC (FBMMC)-based PV-BESS, where each full-bridge submodule (FBSM) is interfaced with a PV module through a DC-DC converter to realize independent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and full control over the MMC DC-link where a large BESS is connected to support grid ancillary services. This BESS is used to cover the mismatch between the PV system power output and the grid demand. The proposed topology and its control systems are tested for a 13-level MMC system under different solar irradiance conditions and grid power demand.
Understanding Budget Cuts within Student Services in Community Colleges: A Critical Review of Practical Responses for Human Resource Leaders

Using a critical lens, this article discusses some of the most common recommendations for human resource and community college leaders on how to respond to budget cuts to student affairs and suppor...
Resolution of hypoglossal nerve palsy after coil embolization of an anterior condylar confluence fistula

A 69-year-old female presented with 2-year history of slurred speech, left-sided pulsatile tinnitus, and left-sided hypoglossal nerve palsy. Cerebral angiography demonstrated a left anterior condylar confluence fistula. She was treated with a transvenous coil embolization of the left condylar fistula pocket.
Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether-47 increases the risk of post-partum depression.

Introduction Post-partum depression (PPD) affects up to 19.1% of pregnancies and is associated with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, inflammation, and reductions in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Previous work by our team suggests that environmental toxins such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) enhance placental inflammation and reduce BDNF production. Nearly, 100% of studied women in California have some level of exposure to these compounds due to extensive use of the flame retardants. High levels of exposure to PBDEs has been linked to increased risk of adverse pregnancy complications associated with placental inflammation such as preterm birth and gestational diabetes but their effects on risk of PPD is unclear. Objective To determine if PPD is associated with higher levels of PBDE-47, the most common PBDE congener in maternal plasma. Methods PBDE-47 was quantified in first trimester plasma samples collected from a cohort of 367 asymptomatic pregnant women that were routinely screened for depressive symptoms for 1 year post-partum. Data were analyzed using general linear models and multivariable logistic regression to determine if higher levels of PBDE-47 in the first trimester are associated with development of PPD. Results Women who developed PPD (n = 22) had significantly higher PBDE-47 levels in their plasma (p=.031) relative to those in which PPD was not diagnosed. Logistic regression analysis suggested that each two-fold increase in PBDE-47 concentrations increased the risk of PPD by 22% (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.47). Groups were similar regarding PTB rate, race-ethnicity, parity, child's sex, maternal pre-pregnancy obesity status, maternal age, family income, and study center. Results remained significant after adjustment for these possible confounding factors. Conclusions These results suggest that PBDE-47 exposure in the first trimester is associated with increased risk of PPD.
The vicious cyclin of addiction.

Drug addiction is a major therapeutic challenge, as little is known about the changes in neural function that occur during its development. DNA microarray analysis has revealed a new component in the dopamine-receptor–signaling cascade that may contribute to the neural and behavioral plasticity associated with addiction.
Constitutional Courts and Democratic Hedging

New democracies have emerged in unprecedented numbers in the period since the fall of the Soviet Union. Virtually all of these countries have created constitutional courts tasked with imposing constitutional constraints on the new democratic process. These courts should be unencumbered by a Madison v. Marbury moment as their role is to oversee the legislative products of the new democracies. The question then arises why the strong reliance on constitutional courts in these new democracies, a reliance not present in the last great wave of democratizations following World War II.This article analyzes the role of constitutional courts in stabilizing new democracies as they emerge from authoritarianism. Relying on both contractual and strategic considerations, the article presents a picture of constitutional courts as mediating or “hedging” the transition to democracy by offering the prospect of further resistance to one-party domination that has doomed many new democracies. By potentially lending an institutional ally to the losers in the first period of government formation, constitutional court may aid in resisting the process in which the first election is a contest for who gets to assume the power of the state, and in which the first election also proves to be the last election. This analysis is applied to the work that courts have done in shoring the institutional structures of divided government in counties from Eastern Europe to South Africa, and including restored competitive democracies in South Korea and Mexico. The argument then turns to the jurisprudence which does and should follow from the role of courts in stabilizing the transition to democracy.
Biosynthesis of Phage-specific Initiation Dipeptides A PURIFIED BIOSYNTHETIC SYSTEM DERIVED FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract This report describes the properties of a purified Escherichia coli protein synthetic system which accurately translates the initial codons of the bacteriophage f2 maturation, coat, and RNA synthetase cistrons. In order to assay cistron recognition easily and to accumulate specific intermediates in the translation of a natural message, we have restricted in vitro synthesis to the formation of the initial formyldipeptides corresponding to the three f2 cistrons. This is accomplished by preventing the initial, G factor-requiring translocation reaction through the use of small amounts of monospecific anti-G factor antibody or the antibiotic fusidic acid. The reaction requires initiation-competent ribosomes which are depleted of elongation factors by repeated washings in low ionic strength buffer. Initiation in this system is quite specific. The initial f2 coat dipeptide, N-formylmethionylalanine, is readily converted into the expected coat tripeptide, N-formylmethionylalanylserine, if translocation is permitted. In addition, synthesis of the initial f2 RNA synthetase dipeptide, N-formylmethionylserine, is specifically repressed in the presence of f2 coat protein, indicating that this purified system is sensitive to translational control.
Are the markets for financial assets efficient

Abstract The analysis in this paper addresses the efficient markets hypothesis as it pertains to the markets for financial assets. Both weak form efficiency and semistrong form efficiency are investigated for three different financial assets - common stocks, preferred stocks and government bonds. For these assets the markets are indicated to be weak form efficient based on monthly data covering the period January 1974 to June 1988. In the case of semistrong form efficiency, the financial assets markets are efficient with respect to the supply of money for the period after October 1979 but not before. This anomaly is attributed to the different procedures used by the Federal Open Market Committee between the two periods for controlling the growth rate of the money supply.
Performing blackness, forming whiteness: Linguistic minstrelsy in Hollywood film1

The ideological and indexical aspects of linguistic representation have been extensively examined in contemporary sociolinguistics both through investigations of language crossing in everyday interaction and through analyses of mediatized linguistic performances. Less well understood are the indexicalmeaningsachievedwhenlanguagecrossingitselfbecomesthefocus of linguistic representation. One prominent instance of this phenomenon is the use of African American English by European American actors in Hollywood films as part of what is argued to be a complex language-based formofblackfaceminstrelsy.Asmocklanguage,linguisticminstrelsyinsuch films involves sociolinguistic processes of deauthentication, maximizing of intertextual gaps, and indexical regimentation of the performed language, but unlike earlier forms of minstrelsy these performances are typically problematized within the films as transgressions of the ideology of racial essentialism. In the two films analyzed in detail in the article, linguistic minstrelsy is shown both to reproduce and to undermine the symbolic dominance of hegemonic white masculinity.
Age-Related Testosterone Decline is due to Waning of Both Testicular and Hypothalamic-Pituitary Function

Hypogonadism is a condition in which the endogenous secretion of testosterone is either insufficient or inadequate to maintain serum testosterone levels within normal range, and may manifest as a variety of signs and symptoms. Age-related hypogonadism is due to a combination of primary hypogonadism (testicular failure) and secondary hypogonadism (hypothalamic-pituitary axis failure). This review provides insight into the mechanisms resulting in the multifactorial nature of acquired androgen-deficiency, and outlines the current controversy regarding testosterone-replacement therapy in aging males.
Inhibition of CD40 signaling pathway by tyrphostin A1 reduces secretion of IL-12 in macrophage, Th1 cell development and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in SJL/J mice

Abstract Activation of antigen presenting cells through the interaction of CD40 with its ligand is a critical co-stimulatory signal for IL-12 production and Th1 differentiation. Tyrphostins are organic molecules that inhibit the phosphorylation of protein tyrosine kinases. We show that tyrphostin A1 inhibits CD40L-stimulated IL-12 production in macrophage cultures and antigen-induced generation of Th1 cells. Our data also show that tyrphostin A1 blocks CD40L-induced translocation of NF-κB to the nucleus, and reduces the activation of IL-12 p40 gene. In vivo therapy with A1 leads to decrease in generation of myelin basic protein (MBP) specific encephalitogenic T cells. In addition, treatment of SJL/J mice with A1 results in attenuation of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE).
Transplantation immunity in mammalianpregnancy; mechanisms of fetal protection against immunologic rejection*

The regularity with which genetically disparate homografts undergo rejection by theirhost raises the question as to how the mammalian fetus avoids immunologic rejection by the mother. The fetus differs genetically from the mother because of factors inherited from the father and is attached to the uterine wall in a manner in some ways resembling that of a graft. Experimental evidence indicates that fetal protection against maternal immunologic attack is dependent on a placental barrier requiring at least two specific properties: (1) a trophoblastic layer low or lacking in transplantation antigens and (2) the ability to limit the exchange of cells, especially leukocytes, between mother and fetus.
Autoradiographic visualization and characterization of [3H]ouabain binding to the Na+, K+-ATPase of rat brain and pineal

Abstract Ouabain binds to the catalytic subunit of Na + , K + -ATPase and specific [ 3 H]ouabain binding can be used as a measure of the number of active enzyme molecules present in a given tissue. Specific [ 3 H]ouabain binding can be demonstrated in frozen, cryostat sections from rat brain and pineal and these sites have the characteristics of Na + , K + -ATPase. Incubations carried out in the absence of ATP or the presence of excess unlabeled ouabain reduces specific binding by ⩾ 98%. The addition of K + or omission of Mg 2+ also result in a decrease in specific binding. Strophanthidin, digoxin and digoxigenin displace [ 3 H]ouabain binding with IC 50 values of 0.73, 0.48 and 1.4 μM, respectively. Scatchard analyses of specific [ 3 H]ouabain binding in brain sections shows a single class of non-interacting binding sites with an apparent affinity( K d ) of 339 nM and a maximal binding capacity ( B max ) of 34.9 pmol/mg protein. [ 3 H]Ouabain binding is unevenly distributed throughout the brain with the olfactory nuclei, superior colliculus, dentate gyrus, pontine nuclei and pineal gland having a relatively high density of binding sites. The outer layers (1–3) of the cerebral cortex show more labeling than the inner layers (4–6) and most other brain areas have intermediate levels of [ 3 H]ouabain binding sites, whereas white matter has virtually no specific binding. Computer-assisted densitometry was used to measure changes in specific [ 3 H]ouabain binding after kainic acid injection into the caudate nucleus. An initial increase in [ 3 H]ouabain binding was observed at 1 and 24 h after lesioning and a decrease in [ 3 H]ouabain binding was evident by 9 days after lesioning. This technique should prove useful for studying the regulation of Na + , K + - ATPase in discrete brain regions under various experimental conditions.
Low lipid level reference sera with human serum matrix

We describe a simple procedure for preparing low lipid level reference sera containing concentrations of nonlipid components similar to the concentrations in human serum. A portion of human serum is delipidized with colloidal silicic acid, and the delipidated serum, in selected proportions, is combined with the native serum. These reference materials can be used as internal or external quality controls in conjunction with low total cholesterol and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol determinations in serum or plasma. They can also be used as controls with low triglyceride determinations.
Laser treatment of scars.

BACKGROUNDErythematous and hypertrophic scars may occur after surgical procedures. This paper describes a novel technique for their resolution.OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this paper is to describe long-term results of treating erythematous, hypertrophic scars with the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser (
Renal late effects in patients treated for cancer in childhood: A report from the Children's Oncology Group

Improvements in childhood cancer therapy have led to increasing numbers of long-term survivors. These survivors are at risk for a variety of late effects due to the disease itself, treatment exposures (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy), underlying medical problems, and health behaviors. The COG LTFU Guidelines are risk-based, exposure-related recommendations for the identification and management of late effects due to therapies utilized in the treatment of childhood cancer, and are designed for asymptomatic survivors presenting for routine medical follow-up 2 or more years after completion of cancer therapy. The COG Guidelines Task Force on Urinary Tract Complications conducted an extensive review of the medical literature via MEDLINE. Specific treatment exposures which were reviewed include nephrectomy, chemotherapy regimens known to be nephrotoxic (cisplatin, carboplatin, ifosfamide, and methotrexate), and renal irradiation. Literature sources were ranked according to the strength of evidence and are cited in the review. This review summarizes the literature that supported the recommendations for cancer survivors at risk for nephrotoxicity previously outlined in the Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers (COG LTFU Guidelines).
Performance differences between addicts and non-addicts

Methadone addicts and non-addict controls were tested before and after receiving up to 10 mg of methadone on simple visual reaction time tests and on a vigilance type visual attention test. Addicts were faster than controls on pre-drug testing, although there were no pre-drug differences between groups on the attention task. Addicts maintained faster reaction times than controls even when money was offered as an incentive for speed. Additional methadone did not affect addict performance on any of the tasks. Methadone slowed control reaction times in a doserelated fashion. No significant attention decrements were seen after methadone in controls. Visual reaction time differences between addicts and controls cannot be attributed to group differences in motivation or ability to attend. Slowing of reaction time with acute dose of methadone in controls cannot be attributed to the effect of the drug on attention. An hypothesized drug-induced decrease in visual sensitivity with acute dose in controls and a drug-induced increase in visual sensitivity with chronic dose in addicts can account for the presented data.
Establishment of Permanent Brown Adipocyte Cell Lines Achieved by Transfection with SV40 Large T Antigen and ras Genes

Abstract We established multiple clonal cell lines by transfection of primary rat fetal brown adipocytes (BAT) with constitutive or inducible gene constructs of SV40 large T antigen (SVLTag) alone or in combination with transforming or normal ras genes. While primary BAT cell cultures stop growing and expressing uncoupling protein (UCP) after several passages in culture, our transfected cell lines could be propagated indefinitely and kept properties specific of BAT cells. Interestingly, cells transfected with ras genes alone did not survive as permanent cell lines. In contrast, cells transfected with SVLTag alone or in combination with various ras genes could readily be established as continuous cell lines. BAT cells transfected with SVLTag alone showed fibroblastic, flat morphology and clear contact inhibition of growth. In contrast, cells contransfected with SVLTag and ras genes were more fusiform and possessed increased proliferative capacity. Thus, cells cotransfected with normal ras reached higher cell density at confluency, while cells cotransfected with transforming ras were clearly refractile, lost contact inhibition of growth, and presented a transformed phenotype. These results are consistent with the notion that ras genes are inefficient at overcoming senescence of primary BAT cells and can only confer improved proliferative ability to cells that have already been immortalized by a cooperating SVLTag gene. RNA analysis showed that most transfected cell lines expressed UCP along with the exogenously transfected genes. This demonstrated that genuine BAT cells, and not other possible contaminating cell lineages, gave rise to our selected cell lines. The variety of cell lines generated may correspond to various stages of progression through BAT development and therefore be useful to characterize signaling pathways and metabolic regulation of this particular tissue.
Estimate of pyroclastic flow velocities resulting from explosive decompression of lava domes

APPARENTLY benign silicic domes or lava flows can travel for several kilometres and then suddenly collapse to generate pyroclastic phenomena capable of causing widespread destruction, as happened recently at Mount Unzen in Japan1. Two sources have been proposed for the energy that propels such 'Pelean' or 'Merapi'-type2 pyroclastic flows: gravitational col-lapse (supplemented by heating and expansion of air) and sudden expansion of pressurized gases from inside the lava flow. If gravity controls the energy transfer, then areas likely to be affected can be predicted on the basis of topography3, and the resulting deposits will bear a simple relationship to the part of the lava flow from which they issued. But if gas pressure adds a significant contribution, hazard assessment becomes more difficult because gas decompression adds velocities beyond those acquired by gravitational forces, putting much larger areas at risk and forming pyroclastic deposits that are much more difficult to relate to their source. Here we estimate the initial velocities of pyroclastic flows generated by dome disintegration for a range of lava compositions and volatile contents, and offer a conceptual framework for correlating the dynamics of dome-front collapse with the resulting sediment record. Our results indicate that explosive decompression at distal portions of domes can cause velocities comparable to gravitational collapse, especially in cases where volatiles become locally concentrated above equilibrium values.
Nuclear factor-κB is constitutively activated in primitive human acute myelogenous leukemia cells

Human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is thought to arise from a rare population of malignant stem cells. Cells of this nature, herein referred to as leukemic stem cells (LSCs), have been documented for nearly all AML subtypes and appear to fulfill the criteria for stem cells in that they are self-renewing and give rise to the cells found in many leukemic populations. Because these cells are likely to be critical for the genesis and perpetuation of leukemic disease, the present studies sought to characterize unique molecular properties of the LSC population, with particular emphasis on the transcription factor, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Previous experiments have shown that unstimulated human CD34(+) progenitor cells do not express NF-kappaB. In contrast, primary AML CD34(+) cells display readily detectable NF-kappaB activity as assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and gene expression studies. Furthermore, detailed analyses of enriched AML stem cells (CD34(+)/CD38(-)/CD123(+)) indicate that NF-kappaB is also active in the LSC population. Given the expression of NF-kappaB in leukemic, but not normal primitive cells, the hypothesis that inhibition of NF-kappaB might induce leukemia-specific apoptosis was tested by treating primary cells with the proteasome inhibitor MG-132, a well-known inhibitor of NF-kappaB. Leukemic CD34(+)/CD38(-) cells displayed a rapid induction of cell death in response to MG-132, whereas normal CD34(+)/CD38(-) cells showed little if any effect. Taken together, these data indicate that primitive AML cells aberrantly express NF-kappaB and that the presence of this factor may provide unique opportunities to preferentially ablate LSCs.
Sedation during regional anesthesia: inhalation versus intravenous.

Purpose of review Sedation of patients either with or without regional anesthesia is discussed to ascertain sedation requirements in the two groups. The differences between ‘monitored anesthesia care’ and conscious sedation are defined. Several current and promising methods with which we can evaluate a patient's degree or level of sedation are assessed. Also noted are safety concerns regarding monitoring solutions for patients undergoing monitored anesthesia care. Well established techniques, including some which are decidedly ‘low tech’, are examined. Several routes of intravenous administration are discussed along with patient variables. Sevoflurane sedation is mentioned with regards to administration, advantages and drawbacks. Recent findings Several modalities have been studied for evaluation of a patient's level of sedation, some of which have little applicability in the operating room. Processed electroencephalographic monitoring has tremendous promise but is currently not reliable enough to assess sedation level. Sevoflurane has a role in sedation, providing the limitations are understood. One drawback of sevoflurane is its greater degree of disinhibition when compared with intravenous agents, necessitating conversion to general anesthesia. Summary Evaluating the degree of patient sedation is a need that technology has yet to meet. Several techniques have been tried in intensive care units but have little utility in the operating room. Utilization of processed electroencephalogram waveforms has the greatest potential but is of limited value at the present time. Sevoflurane is demonstrated to have a limited role in sedation but may prove useful in specific circumstances.
Two Constructal Routes to Minimal Heat Flow Resistance via Greater Internal Complexity

We show that the geometry of the heat flow path between a volume and one point can be optimized in two fundamentally different ways. In the growth method of the original constructal theory the structure is optimized starting from the smallest volume element of fixed size. Growth, or optimal numbers of constituents assembled into larger volumes, is one route to resistance minimization. In the design method the overall volume is fixed, and the designer works inward' by optimizing the internal features of the heat flow path. The design method is new. The two methods produce comparable geometric results in which the highconductivity channels form constructal tree networks, and where the low-conductivity material fills the interstices. For simplicity, it is assumed that the high-conductivity channels and their tributaries make 90-deg angles. In both approaches, the overall resistance decreases as the internal complexity of the conductive composite increases. In the growth method the number of constituents in each assembly can be optimized. In the design method, some of the constituent numbers cannot be optimized: these numbers assume the roles of weak parameters
Electric susceptibility and d.c. conductivity of crystalline TTFTCNQ

Abstract An experimental study has been made of the intrinsic d.c. and microwave conductivity of “high purity” crystalline TTFTCNQ. The maximum normalized peak conductivity in each case was found to be about 50 times the room temperature value. The cavity perturbation technique, used to determine the microwave conductivity and low temperature dielectric constant, is also shown to be a useful contactless method for measuring the thermal expansion.
MO‐G‐BRB‐06: Integrating Carbon Nanotube and Micropallet Technologies for Microbeam Radiotherapy Biology Research

Purpose: Microbeam radiotherapy(MRT) is a preclinical therapy that has been shown in animal experiments to have a selective ability to eradicate tumor cells while sparing normal tissue. However, potential MRT clinical application is hindered by the lack of understanding of the biological mechanisms involved. To study DNA damage and repair mechanisms and cell survival under MRTirradiation, our objective is to integrate a carbon nanotubefield emissiontechnology‐enabled high dose rate (100's Gy/s) electron microbeam with a micropallet array technology‐enabled cell retrieval and analysis system. The focus of this presentation is a feasibility demonstration of the integrated system for MRT cellular irradiation. Methods: We have upgraded our carbon nanotube field emission‐based prototype cell irradiator system to produce a single or multiple ∼40 micron wide electron MRT beams at a dose rate range of several hundred Gy per second. Dosimetry is measured using GAFCHROMIC HD‐810 film. SW480 colon cancer cells are plated on individual square micropallets of 60 or 100 micron in size, placed in a customized culture dish. Cells can be collected from each individual micropallet while remaining adherent to their growth surface for further analysis. Results: We have demonstrated the MRT cellular irradiation using gamma‐H2AX, a nuclear histone protein that becomes phosphorylated in proximity to IR‐induced DNA double strand breaks. The MRT radiation beam profile shown by staining fixed cells post‐ IR for phospho‐H2AX was consistent with calculation. Conclusions: We have developed an integrated MRT cellular irradiation and analysis system using carbon nanotubefield emissiontechnology and micropallet array technology. We have characterized the dosimetry and demonstrated the feasibility of MRT beam irradiation in cellular irradiation for future mechanistic research on microbeam therapy. Acknowledgements: This work is partially supported by North Carolina University Cancer Research Fund.
Using a multinomial tree model for detecting mixtures in perceptual detection.

In the area of memory research there have been two rival approaches for memory measurement– signal detection theory (SDT) and multinomial processing trees (MPT). Both approaches provide measures for the quality of the memory representation, and both approaches provide for corrections for response bias. In recent years there has been a strongcase advanced for the MPT approach because of the finding of stochastic mixtures on both target-present and target-absent tests. In this paper a case is made that perceptual detection, like memory recognition, involves a mixture of processes that are more readily modeled by a MPT model. The Chechile (2004) 6P memory measurement model is modified in order to apply to the case of perceptual detection; this new MPT model is called the Perceptual Detection (PD) model. The properties of the PD model are developed, and the model is applied to some existing data of a radiologist examining CT scans. The PD model brings out novel features that were absent from a standard SDT analysis. Also the topic of optimal parameter estimation on an individual-observer basis is explored with Monte Carlo simulations. Thesesimulations reveal that the mean of the Bayesian posterior distribution is a more accurate estimator than the corresponding maximum likelihood estimator (MLE). Monte Carlo simulations also indicate that model estimates based on only the data from an individual observer can be improved upon (in the sense of being more accurate) by an adjustment that makes the mean estimate for a group of individuals equal to the estimate based on the data pooledacross all the observers. This result is discussed as an analogous statistical finding to the improvements over the MLE demonstrated by the James-Stein shrinkage estimator in the case of the linear, multi-group normal model.
In vitro propagation and homing of liver-derived dendritic cell progenitors to lymphoid tissues of allogeneic recipients. Implications for the establishment and maintenance of donor cell chimerism following liver transplantation.

Dendritic cell (DC) progenitors were propagated in liquid culture from nonparenchymal cells resident in normal mouse (B10.BR; H-2 k , I-E + ) liver in response to granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The liver-derived DC progenitors were MHC class II -/dim and did not express counter receptors for CTLA-4, a structural homologue of the T cell activation molecule CD28. Following subcutaneous or intravenous injection, these liver-derived cells migrated to T cell-dependent areas of lymph nodes and spleen of unmodified, allogeneic (B10; H-2 b ; I-E - ) recipients, where they were identified 1-5 days, and 1 and 2 months after injection by their strong surface expression of donor MHC class II (I-E k ) and their dendritic morphology. Maximal numbers of liver-derived DC in the spleen were recorded 5 days after injection. Both clusters of strongly donor MHC class II + cells- and (more rarely) dividing cells-could also be identified, suggesting cell replication in situ. Using the same techniques employed to generate DC progenitors from normal liver, GM-CSF-stimulated cells were propagated for 10 days from the bone marrow and spleen of nonimmunosuppressed mice sacrificed 14 days after orthotopic liver transplantation (B10;H-2 b →C3H;H-2 k ). Immunocytochemical staining for recipient and donor MHC class II phenotype revealed the growth both of host cells with DC characteristics, and of cells expressing donor alloantigens (I-A b ). These results are consistent with the growth, in response to GM-CSF, of donor-derived DC from progenitors seeded from the liver allograft to recipient lymphoid tissue. The functional activity of the progenitors of chimeric DC and the possible role of these cells in the establishment and maintenance of donor-specific tolerance following liver transplantation remain to be determined
Cost-effectiveness of new WHO recommendations for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in a resource-limited setting.

OBJECTIVE: Nigeria has high rates of mother-to-child HIV transmission. We sought to determine whether new WHO recommendations for long-course antiretroviral therapy (ART) prophylaxis are cost-effective for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV compared to short-course strategies in Nigeria. DESIGN: We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis from a health-system perspective with a target population consisting of HIV-infected pregnant women in Nigeria. METHODS: A decision-analysis model compared two strategies for PMTCT: intervention - long-course maternal triple ART [zidovudine/lamivudine/efavirenz (ZDV/3TC/EFV)] beginning at 14 weeks gestation through the end of breastfeeding with infant ART per new WHO guidelines (option B); and minimal standard of care (MSOC) in Nigeria - short-course dual ART (ZDV/3TC) from 34 weeks gestation to 1 week postpartum with single-dose nevirapine for infant and mother at labor/delivery. The primary outcomes were expected costs pediatric HIV cases and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) accrued with each strategy; cost-effectiveness was represented using incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). RESULTS: If implemented at the level of antenatal coverage in Nigeria (58%) mother-to-child HIV transmission could be reduced to 16.1% with MSOC and 12.8% with the intervention. At current pregnancy rates the intervention would prevent 7680 infant HIV cases and avert 230 400 DALYs annually compared to MSOC. The average health-system cost of the intervention was US$ 401 per pregnancy compared to $293 per pregnancy with MSOC. The intervention was associated with an ICER of $113 per-DALY-averted compared to MSOC and was highly cost-effective using a willingness-to-pay threshold of per-capita Nigerian GDP. CONCLUSION: Implementation of new WHO recommendations for extended maternal and infant prophylaxis is highly cost-effective compared to short-course regimens for PMTCT of HIV in Nigeria.
GIS technologies for aquatic macrophyte studies: I. Database development and changes in the aquatic environment

Geographic information system (GIS) and digital database technologies provide a link between landscape-scale ecological studies and resource management applications. A case study involves the development of an extensive GIS database for upper Lake Marion, South Carolina that includes macrophyte distributions for 1972–1988, bathymetry, sedimentation and water chemistry. This database was utilized to assess changes in the aquatic environment related to management practices such as herbicide applications for aquatic plant control. Although the herbicides were found to be very effective, spraying must be repeated annually to maintain open water areas clear of aquatic vegetation. Without herbicides macrophytes quickly reinvade and proceed in normal successional patterns to establish submergent and emergent aquatic plant beds. The PC-based procedures developed in this study can be utilized by local resource managers to assess the impact of management practices on the aquatic environment.
Working with hoarding vs. non-hoarding clients: A survey of professionals' attitudes and experiences

Abstract Eighty-four self-identified healthcare or service professionals (71% professional organizers, 19% healthcare workers, 10% social service workers) completed an internet survey of their experiences with, and attitudes toward, one hoarding and one non-hoarding client. When working with hoarding clients, professionals described feeling increasingly frustrated and irritated, reported poorer working alliance, and harbored greater patient rejection attitudes than when working with non-hoarding clients. Hoarding clients were described as having less insight and understanding, with a higher frequency of intervention–interfering behaviors, and diminished adherence. Working alliance and patient rejection attitudes were significantly predicted by clients' intra- and inter-session behaviors, particularly difficulty answering questions appropriately, poor insight, arguing, and lack of active participation in treatment. Recommendations for treatment modifications are intended to improve working alliance and decrease patient rejection attitudes for professionals working with hoarding clients.