cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulating the differentiation status of ex vivo-cultured anti-tumor T cells using cytokine cocktails

The genetic modification of CD8+ T cells using anti-tumor T-cell receptors (TCR) or chimeric antigen receptors is a promising approach for the adoptive cell therapy of patients with cancer. We previously developed a simplified method for the clinical-scale generation of central memory-like (Tcm) CD8+ T cells following transduction with lentivirus encoding anti-tumor TCR and culture in the presence of IL-2. In this study, we compared different cytokines or combinations of IL-2, IL-7, IL-12, IL-15, and IL-21 to expand genetically engineered CD8+ T cells. We demonstrated that specific cytokine combinations IL-12 plus IL-7 or IL-21 for 3 days followed by withdrawal of IL-12 yielded the phenotype of CD62LhighCD28high CD127highCD27highCCR7high, which is associated with less-differentiated T cells. Genes associated with stem cells (SOX2, NANOG, OCT4, and LIN28A), were also up-regulated by this cytokine cocktail. Moreover, the use of IL-12 plus IL-7 or IL-21 yielded CD8 T cells showing enhanced persistence in the NOD/SCID/γc−/− mouse model. This defined cytokine combination could also alter highly differentiated TIL from melanoma patients into cells with a less-differentiated phenotype. The methodology that we developed for generating a less-differentiated anti-tumor CD8+ T cells ex vivo may be ideal for the adoptive immunotherapy of cancer.
Making formal methods education effective for professional software engineers

Abstract A critical issue in the design of a professional software engineering degree program is the way in which formal methods are integrated into the curriculum. The approach taken by most programs is to teach formal techniques for software development in a separate course on formal methods. In this paper we detail some of the problems with that approach and describe an alternative in which formal methods are integrated across the curriculum. We illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of this alternative in terms of our experience of using it in the Master of Software Engineering Program at Carnegie Mellon University.
High affinity peptide histidine isoleucine-preferring receptors in rat liver.

Abstract Peptide Histidine Isoleucine (PHI) is generally considered a low affinity agonist for Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) receptors. In this study, we investigated the presence and characteristics of [ 125 I]-PHI binding sites on rat liver membranes. Detergents at nonsolubilizing concentrations (1 mM CHAPS or 0.01% Tween-20) were included in the assay buffer to reduce adsorptive loss of PHI to acceptable levels and permit measurement of PHI-binding to receptors. Under these conditions, binding of PHI to liver membranes was time- and temperature-dependent, reversible and saturable. Unlabeled PHI was 9.7-fold more potent than VIP, and 357-fold more potent than secretin in displacing [ 125 I]-PHI binding. Scatchard analysis suggested the presence of two classes of PHI receptors, with Kd 27 pM and 512 pM. The data from [ 125 I]-PHI and [ 125 I]-VIP binding studies suggested that one class of receptors was PHI-preferring, and the other, equally reactive with PHI and VIP. The concentration of immunoreactive PHI, measured by radioimmunoassay, in blood from the hepatic portal vein of anesthetized rats was 2-fold higher than that from the hepatic vein, suggesting uptake of circulating PHI by the liver.
Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon and Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death Due to Ventricular Arrhythmias: A Case Report and Review of Literature

We report a case of coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) in a patient who underwent coronary angiography due to anginal chest pain and recurrent syncope with complete normalization of flow after intracoronary adenosine. He was noted to have multiple episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia on holter monitor and increased QTc dispersion on surface electrocardiogram (EKG). He responded very well to oral dipyridamole therapy with complete resolution of his symptoms and no episodes of ventricular tachycardia on the event recorder at 3 months. We review the diagnosis and clinical features of CSFP and its association with increased QTc dispersion and the role of oral dipyridamole therapy in this condition. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Advances in soil testing and plant analysis analytical technology

Abstract The soil and plant analyst of today has a wide variety of analytical tools to choose from compared to the analyst of just a few years ago. The development of new instrumentation and equipment that applies to soil testing and plant analysis, and their application to both the small and large laboratory will be discussed. Areas covered will include equipment for sample preparation using automated and microwave digestion, measurement techniques to include colorimetry, potentiometry, plasma atomic emission and atomic absorption spectrometry, ion chromatography, nitrogen and sulfur analyzers, robotics, instrument control and data handling.
SEF/IL-17R (SEFIR) Is Not Enough: AN EXTENDED SEFIR DOMAIN IS REQUIRED FOR IL-17RA-MEDIATED SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION*

IL-17, the hallmark cytokine of the Th17 population, mediates immunity to extracellular pathogens and promotes autoimmune immunopathology. The signaling mechanisms triggered by the IL-17 receptor (IL-17RA) and related receptors are strikingly different from other cytokine subclasses. Namely, IL-17Rs contain a conserved SEF/IL-17R (SEFIR) subdomain that engages Act1, leading to activation of TRAF6, NF-κB, and other events. Although the SEFIR is critical for signaling, the molecular details of the functional subdomains within IL-17RA remain poorly characterized. Here, we provide a detailed structure-function analysis delineating the C-terminal boundary of the SEFIR-containing region of IL-17RA. We show that functionality of this domain requires a large extension to the previously identified SEFIR motif. In contrast to the SEFIR, this extension is not conserved among IL-17R family members. Surprisingly, Act1 recruitment is not sufficient for downstream signaling activation, whereas ubiquitination of TRAF6 correlates tightly with functional receptors. We further demonstrate that IL-17RA exhibits signaling properties that are nonredundant with other IL-17R family members. Finally, we report that IL-17 signals synergistically with lymphotoxin-α3, using the same signaling motifs within IL-17RA. These studies provide new insight into the structure-function relationships of IL-17RA and reveal distinct signaling differences among IL-17R family members.
Light scattering in the cornea.

The physical basis for the transparency of the cornea to visible light is investigated theoretically in terms of the molecular structure as depicted by electron microscopy. Electron micrographs show that the major portion of the cornea contains long cylindrical fibrils arranged in a quasi-random fashion, with local order extending over distances comparable to the wavelength of light. Heretofore, the generally accepted explanation of transparency has been in terms of a supposed crystalline arrangement of the fibrils, because this was the only distribution that could ensure transparency on a simple theoretical basis. Thus, the non-crystalline structure shown by the electron microscope has been widely regarded as an artifact due to the fixation procedure. In the present work, the light scattering from the fibrils is formulated in terms of their radial distribution function, which is determined by numerical analysis of electron micrographs. Comparison of theoretical results and experimental values for transmittance through rabbit cornea shows that the quasi-regular quasi-random structure revealed by the electron microscope is not in conflict with transparency.
Color Contrast In Polarizer/Retarder Optical Systems

Trains of polarizers and retarder elements can be devised to produce nearly any desired color. This paper is concerned with the values of retardation which will produce the largest color contrast between the two positions of parallel and crossed polarizers. The specific systems investigated consist of the case of a retarder between two polarizers and the case of three polarizers and two retarders.
Photon-counting 1.55 μm optical communications with pulse-position modulation and a multimode upconversion single-photon receiver

We report single-photon frequency upconversion of multimode light from 1.55 to 0.532 mum and demonstrate an end-to-end optical link that emulates photon-starved communications and atmospheric propagation. Using 64-ary PPM and a 1/2-rate serially concatenated turbo code we achieve a decoded efficiency of 0.3 detected photons/bit.
A study of the effects of time and temperature on the fiber/matrix interface strength using the microbond test

Abstract With samples of p-aramid fibers embedded in a DGEBA-based epoxy (T g = 110 °C), a series of experiments were conducted by the microbond method to determine the effect of testing rate and temperature on the fiber/matrix interfacial shear strength (IFSS). Microbond tests were conducted over three orders of magnitude of testing rate (0.1–100 mm min −1 ) and a range of temperatures (21–130 °C). While the general trend observed is that the IFSS decreased with increasing testing rate, the effect was more pronounced below T g than near or above T g , where the IFSS seemed to be insensitive to testing rate. We have analyzed these data by using an exponential breakdown model proposed by Zhurkov, enabling the determination of an activation energy for the failure process.
Application of a Frequency Domain Approach in Analysis of a Statistical Signal Estimator

In estimating a finite length signal vector that has been corrupted by additive stationary noise, a variety of statistical estimation forms exist. These forms may be based on least squares, maximum likelihood, empirical Bayes, or minimax principles. Often, the actions of such forms are not readily evident, in contrast to those of frequency domains forms used in engineering and based on an infinite time assumption. In this paper we demonstrate the use of a frequency domain approximation of a statistical signal estimator which belongs to a class of minimax forms. This approximation results in the discovery of a fundamental flaw common to that entire class of estimators. The simple form of the approximation also leads to an improved version which is, in an example, shown to perform better than the original estimator for a variety of noise processes. Finally, for the white noise situation, it is shown that the estimator, which becomes a classic, often used statistical form, is an empirical Wiener filter form which is so simple that it could be improved upon with minimal effort.
Variation in Adult and Juvenile Arrest Rates: The Influence of City Size and Metropolitan Environment

Since the mid-1990s, the index crime rate has steadily decreased while the rate for Part II offenses has increased. The current study examines these differences from 1990 to 2004 using arrest rate data from the 35 largest cities in the state of Texas. Cluster regression analyses is employed to examine the effect of city size and city location, whether the city is part of a larger metropolitan area or “stand-alone,” to explain variation in juvenile and adult arrest rates by category of offense (violent, property, Part II) while controlling for the influence of social disorganization variables. Findings indicate that differences exist in the arrest rates for almost all types of offenses in mid-size versus very large cities. Contrasting adult versus juvenile arrest rates, city size and city location offer limited explanation for variation over time. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of suggested policy and research directions.
Hippo coactivator YAP1 upregulates SOX9 and endows esophageal Cancer cells with stem-like properties

Cancer stem cells are proposed to initiate and maintain tumor growth. Deregulation of normal stem cell signaling may lead to the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs); however, the molecular determinants of this process remain poorly understood. Here we show that the transcriptional co-activator YAP1 is a major determinant of CSC properties in non-transformed cells and in esophageal cancer cells by direct upregulation of SOX9. YAP1 regulates the transcription of SOX9 through a conserved TEAD binding site in the SOX9 promoter. Expression of exogenous YAP1 in vitro or inhibition of its upstream negative regulators in vivo results in elevated SOX9 expression accompanied by the acquisition of CSCs properties. Conversely, shRNA-mediated knockdown of YAP1 or SOX9 in transformed cells attenuates CSC phenotypes in vitro and tumorigenecity in vivo. The small molecule inhibitor of YAP1, Verteporfin (VP) significantly blocks CSCs properties in cells with high YAP1 and a high proportion of ALDH1+. Our findings identify YAP1 driven SOX9 expression is a critical event in acquisition of CSC properties, suggesting that YAP1 inhibition may offer an effective means of therapeutically targeting the CSC population.
Uniqueness of two phaseless non-overdetermined inverse acoustics problems in 3-d

AbstractUniqueness is proven for two non-overdetermined 3-d inverse problems of the determination of the spatially distributed sound speed in the frequency dependent acoustic PDE. The main new point is the assumption that only the modulus of the scattered complex valued wave field is measured on a certain set. The phase is unknown.
Failed triple therapy in a treatment-experienced patient with genotype 6 hepatitis C infection

Purpose The first published report of the use of triple therapy in a patient with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 infection—a treatment that was prescribed due to incorrect HCV genotyping and which ultimately failed—is presented. Summary A 70-year-old male U.S. resident of Vietnamese descent requested treatment for chronic HCV infection acquired decades earlier. He reported experiencing hepatitis C treatment failures twice before—13 years prior (interferon alfa monotherapy for six months) and 7 years prior (standard dual therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for nine months). Initial viral genotyping indicated infection with HCV genotypes 1a and 6c (a form of mixed HCV disease amenable to triple therapy), and treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2a, ribavirin, and boceprevir was initiated. By week 8 of triple therapy, the patient’s viral load had decreased from 15,700,000 (7.20 log) to 462,882 (5.67 log) IU/mL, but the viral load subsequently rebounded to baseline levels, and treatment was discontinued at week 16. When repeat HCV genotyping was performed, it was discovered that initial genotyping was incorrect and that the man’s infection involved not mixed genotypes but only genotype 6; he was not an appropriate candidate for triple therapy. The case emphasizes the need for clinicians to be cognizant of potential HCV genotyping errors, particularly with regard to patients of Southeast Asian descent. Conclusion Three courses of interferon-based treatment, including triple therapy with boceprevir, failed to produce a sustained therapeutic response in a 70-year-old ethnic Vietnamese man with genotype 6 HCV infection.
The Labor Supply Response of Twenty-Year Families in the Denver Income Maintenance Experiment

This paper presents results of an analysis of the labor supply response of 20-year families in the Denver Income Maintenance Experiment. The results indicate that 20-year husbands and wives do not reduce their labor supply relative to control families while 20-year single female heads of families reduce their labor supply by about the same amount as similar families on the 3and 5-year programs. The results suggest that the limited duration of the 3and 5-year experiments may not have caused major biases in the estimated treatment effects, although the imprecise estimates resulting from the small sample sizes of the 20-year experiment greatly qualify this conclusion.
Short‐tailed temperature distributions over North America and implications for future changes in extremes

Some regions of North America exhibit nonnormal temperature distributions. Shorter-than-Gaussian warm tails are a special subset of these cases, with potentially meaningful implications for future changes in extreme warm temperatures under anthropogenic global warming. Locations exhibiting shorter-than-Gaussian warm tails would experience a greater increase in extreme warm temperature exceedances than a location with a Gaussian or long warm-side tail under a simple uniform warm shift in the distribution. Here we identify regions exhibiting such behavior over North America and demonstrate the effect of a simple warm shift on changes in extreme warm temperature exceedances. Some locations exceed the 95th percentile of the original distribution by greater than 40% of the time after this uniform shift. While the manner in which distributions change under global warming may be more complex than a simple shift, these results provide an observational baseline for climate model evaluation.
Catastrophic sinkhole formation in Kansas: A case study

Sinkholes represent a hazard to property and human safety in a wide variety of geologic settings across the globe. In most cases, the subsidence rate of a sinkhole represents the most significant potential impact and risk to public safety. Since 1979, the Kansas Geological Survey has studied numerous sinkholes using high-resolution seismic reflection in an attempt to better understand the mechanisms that control their formation. Most sinkholes in central Kansas form as a result of dissolution of the Permian Hutchinson salt (Figure 1). The fluid source and associated pathway responsible for leaching these bedded evaporites have been natural, anthropogenic, and a combination of both. Sinkholes have been a part of the landscape in the North American midcontinent long before modern oil, gas, and mineral exploration, but clearly the activities of man have played a significant role in both increasing the number of sinkholes and affecting their subsidence rates.
Online reinforcement learning control of unknown nonaffine nonlinear discrete time systems

In this paper, a novel neural network (NN) based online reinforcement learning controller is designed for nonaffine nonlinear discrete-time systems with bounded disturbances. The nonaffine systems are represented by nonlinear auto regressive moving average with exogenous input (NARMAX) model with unknown nonlinear functions. An equivalent affine-like representation for the tracking error dynamics is developed first from the original nonaffine system. Subsequently, a reinforcement learning-based neural network (NN) controller is proposed for the affine-like nonlinear error dynamic system. The control scheme consists of two NNs. One NN is designated as the critic, which approximates a predefined long-term cost function, whereas an action NN is employed to derive a control signal for the system to track a desired trajectory while minimizing the cost function simultaneously. Offline NN training is not required and online NN weight tuning rules are derived. By using the standard Lyapunov approach, the uniformly ultimate boundedness (UUB) of the tracking error and weight estimates is demonstrated.
LUGrid: Update-tolerant Grid-based Indexing for Moving Objects

Indexing moving objects is a fundamental issue in spatiotemporal databases. In this paper, we propose an adaptive Lazy-Update Grid-based index (LUGrid, for short) that minimizes the cost of object updates. LUGrid is designed with two important features, namely, lazy insertion and lazy deletion. Lazy insertion reduces the update I/Os by adding an additional memory-resident layer over the disk index. Lazy deletion reduces update cost by avoiding deleting single obsolete entry immediately. Instead, the obsolete entries are removed later by specially designed mechanisms. LUGrid adapts to object distributions through cell splitting and merging. Theoretical analysis and experimental results indicate that LUGrid outperforms former work by up to eight times when processing intensive updates, while yielding similar search performance.
On the use of redundant manipulator techniques for control of platoons of cooperating robotic vehicles

In this correspondence, we discuss the parallelism between redundant manipulator control and the control of platoons (or swarms) of autonomous vehicles. We cast the platoon formation synthesis problem in an analogous manner to traditional redundancy resolution, and discuss techniques for real-time reactive path generation and control of the platoon. The efficacy of the proposed approach is demonstrated through simulation experiments.
Combined source channel frame replenishment coding

The authors propose a combined source-channel coding scheme which provides error protection in order to improve the coding performance over noisy channels for three frame replenishment coding techniques. The scheme provides a trade-off between the reconstruction accuracy associated with the source coder and the degree of error protection. The simulation results demonstrate that a small amount or error protection provides a significant improvement in performance without sacrificing transmission bandwidth. >
Using predictive analysis to improve invoice-to-cash collection

It is commonly agreed that accounts receivable (AR) can be a source of financial difficulty for firms when they are not efficiently managed and are underperforming. Experience across multiple industries shows that effective management of AR and overall financial performance of firms are positively correlated. In this paper we address the problem of reducing outstanding receivables through improvements in the collections strategy. Specifically, we demonstrate how supervised learning can be used to build models for predicting the payment outcomes of newly-created invoices, thus enabling customized collection actions tailored for each invoice or customer. Our models can predict with high accuracy if an invoice will be paid on time or not and can provide estimates of the magnitude of the delay. We illustrate our techniques in the context of real-world transaction data from multiple firms. Finally, simulation results show that our approach can reduce collection time up to a factor of four compared to a baseline that is not model-driven.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Delineates the Ischemic Area-at-Risk and Myocardial Salvage in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background— The area at risk (AAR) is a key determinant of myocardial infarction (MI) size. We investigated whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurement of AAR would be correlated with an angiographic AAR risk score in patients with acute MI. Methods and Results— Bright-blood, T2-prepared, steady-state, free-precession MRI was used to depict the AAR in 50 consecutive acute MI patients, whereas infarct size was measured on gadolinium late-contrast-enhancement images. AAR was also estimated by the APPROACH and DUKE angiographic jeopardy scores and ST-segment elevation score. Myocardial salvage was calculated as AAR minus infarct size. Results are mean±SD unless specified otherwise. Patients were 61±12 years of age, 76% had an ST-segment elevation MI, and 20% had a prior MI. All underwent MRI 4±2 days after initial presentation. The relation between MRI and the APPROACH angiographic estimates of AAR was similar (overall size relative to left ventricular mass was 32±12% vs 30±12%, respectively, P =0.33), correlated well ( r =0.78, P <0.0001), and had a 2.5% bias on Bland-Altman analysis. The DUKE jeopardy score underestimated AAR relative to infarct size and was correlated less well with MRI ( r =0.39, P =0.0055). ST-segment elevation score underestimated infarct size in 19 subjects (50%) and was not correlated with MRI ( r =0.27, P =0.06). Myocardial salvage varied according to Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade at the end of angiography/percutaneous coronary intervention ( P =0.04), and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade was a univariable predictor of myocardial salvage ( P =0.011). In multivariable analyses, infarct size was predicted by T2-prepared, steady-state, free-precession MRI ( P <0.0001). Conclusions— T2-prepared, steady-state, free-precession MRI delineates the AAR and enables estimation of myocardial salvage when coupled with a measurement of infarct size.
Shared decision-making as a cost-containment strategy: US physician reactions from a cross-sectional survey

Objective To assess US physicians’ attitudes towards using shared decision-making (SDM) to achieve cost containment. Design Cross-sectional mailed survey. Setting US medical practice. Participants 3897 physicians were randomly selected from the AMA Physician Masterfile. Of these, 2556 completed the survey. Main outcome measures Level of enthusiasm for “Promoting better conversations with patients as a means of lowering healthcare costs”; degree of agreement with “Decision support tools that show costs would be helpful in my practice” and agreement with “should promoting SDM be legislated to control overall healthcare costs”. Results Of 2556 respondents (response rate (RR) 65%), two-thirds (67%) were ‘very enthusiastic’ about promoting SDM as a means of reducing healthcare costs. Most (70%) agreed decision support tools that show costs would be helpful in their practice, but only 24% agreed with legislating SDM to control costs. Compared with physicians with billing-only compensation, respondents with salary compensation were more likely to strongly agree that decision support tools showing costs would be helpful (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7). Primary care physicians (vs surgeons, OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.6) expressed more enthusiasm for SDM being legislated as a means to address healthcare costs. Conclusions Most US physicians express enthusiasm about using SDM to help contain costs. They believe decision support tools that show costs would be useful. Few agree that SDM should be legislated as a means to control healthcare costs.
σ-π Rearrangements of Organotransition Metal Compounds in Homogeneous Catalysis

Since the isolation of triphenyltris(tetrahydrofuran)chromium(III)1 as an intermediate in the synthesis of Hein’s η-arenechromium complex,2 many examples of an important class of organometallic reactions, η-η rearrangements, have been reported. These rearrangements are of both theoretical and practical interest since they appear to be very important in homogeneous catalytic processes, and therefore, a knowledge of the physical and chemical factors which govern this phenomenon is essential.
Vibrational spectrum and potential constants for S2F10

Abstract The i.r. and Raman spectra of S 2 F 10 vapor have been observed and new assignments have been made for several of the fundamental modes. In particular the band pumped in laser dissociation experiments [1] is an E 1 radial SF stretch rather than a B 2 axial SF stretch as earlier assigned [2, 3]. From matrix-isolation i.r. spectra some of the 32 S 32 S→ 32 S 34 S isotope shifts have been observed. From the results, with the aid of literature data on SF 6 to make judicious constraints, a general quadratic force field for S 2 F 10 has been estimated; the SF bonds are somewhat weaker than those of SF 6 .
Gas6–Axl Receptor Signaling Is Regulated by Glucose in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Objective— The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl and its ligand Gas6 are involved in the development of renal diabetic disease. In vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) Axl is activated by reactive oxygen species and stimulates migration and cell survival, suggesting a role for Axl in the vascular complications of diabetes. Methods and Results— We investigated the effect of varying glucose concentration on Axl signaling in VSMCs. Glucose exerted powerful effects on Gas6-Axl signaling with greater activation of Akt and mTOR in low glucose, and greater activation of ERK1/2 in high glucose. Plasma membrane distribution and tyrosine phosphorylation of Axl were not affected by glucose. However, coimmunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that glucose changed the interaction of Axl with its binding partners. Specifically, binding of Axl to the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase was increased in low glucose, whereas binding to SHP-2 was increased in high glucose. Furthermore, Gas6-Axl induced migration was increased in high glucose, whereas Gas6-Axl mediated inhibition of apoptosis was greater in low glucose. Conclusion— This study demonstrates a role for glucose in altering Axl signaling through coupling to binding partners and suggests a mechanism by which Axl contributes to VSMC dysfunction in diabetes.
Interference With Hemoglobin A1c Determination by the Hemoglobin Variant Shelby

Hemoglobin variant carrier status was found in a 46-year-old African American man following detection of a falsely elevated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) by ionexchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC, VARIANT A1c, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, CA). Additional analysis of the hemoglobin variant using the Beta Thal Short program (Bio-Rad) revealed an unknown peak with a retention time of 4.84 minutes and a proportion of 26.3%. No mass shift in alpha-globin or beta-globin proteins was observed by mass spectrometry. DNA sequencing revealed a missense mutation in 1 beta-globin allele corresponding to the hemoglobin Shelby trait. The patient was asymptomatic with a normal hemoglobin value of 13.6 g/dL (136 g/L) but had increased target cells on a peripheral blood smear. An alternative method for HbA1c determination using boronate-affinity HPLC provided a value of 3.9% (0.04; reference range, 4.0%-6.9% [0.04-0.07]), more consistent with the patient's recent blood glucose values in the normal range.
Surface landmark selection and matching in natural terrain

In this paper we present an algorithm for robust absolute position estimation in natural terrain based on landmarks extracted from dense 3-D surfaces. Our landmarks are constructed by concatenating pose dependent oriented surface points with pose invariant surface signatures into a single feature vector; this definition of landmarks allows a priori pose information to be used to constrain the search for landmark matches. The first step in our algorithm is to extract landmarks from stable and salient surface patches. These landmarks are then stored in a closest point search structure with which landmarks are matched efficiently using available pose constraints and invariant values. Finally, an iterative pose estimation algorithm, based on least median squares, is wrapped around landmark matching to eliminate outliers and estimate absolute position. To validate our algorithm, we show hundreds of absolute position estimation results from three different natural scenes. These results show that our algorithm can incorporate constraints on position and attitude for efficient landmark matching and match small and dense scene surface patches to large and coarse model surfaces.
A Concept of Maternity Care

A model is presented for providing continuous family-centered maternity care. Emphasis is placed on continuity of care, the potential for cooperation between the doctor's office and the hospital, and the central role the family's personal decision-making processes should play in nursing care relevant to the 1970s.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in a rat hepatoma

Abstract A rat hepatoma, induced by feeding acetylaminofluorene (AAF), followed by phenobarbital, shows an aldehyde dehydrogenase activity that greatly exceeds that of normal liver. When tissue extracts are subjected to electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel, a single band of activity is obtained from normal liver, but several bands are obtained from hepatoma.
Sensitivity analysis of excimer fluorescence generated from charged particle excitation

"' Sensitivity analysis is a powerful first-order mathematical technique that identifies the major reactions, the effects of errors in rate constants, pressure effects, and temperature effects in a plasma chemistry type model. Several methods of sensitivity analysis have been discussed in the literature. This paper describes the successful implementation of the state transition matrix method to the sensitivity analysis of a Xe~ plasma chemistry model using both e-beams and ions for excitation. The ion excited plasma study is important to the field of nuclear-pumped lasers. This model examines 8 species and 37 reactions.
Metabolic drug interactions between angiogenic inhibitor, TNP-470 and anticancer agents in primary cultured hepatocytes and microsomes.

The potential metabolic drug interactions between TNP-470, a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis, and several commonly used anticancer agents, such as cyclophosphamide, taxol, and minocycline, were investigated in vitro using primary cultured hepatocytes and microsomes of rhesus monkeys. After incubation of hepatocytes with 5 μM [3H]TNP-470, rapid and extensive formation of six metabolites was observed, with M-II and M-IV being the predominant metabolites. After 30 min of incubation in the presence of 250 μM cyclophosphamide, concentrations of unchanged TNP-470 and M-IV were increased with values of 1.00 ± 0.02 and 1.49 ± 0.01 μM compared with control values of 0.67 ± 0.09 (p = .02), 1.39 ± 0.03 μM (p
Hybrid Gas Bearings With Controlled Supply Pressure to Eliminate Rotor Vibrations While Crossing System Critical Speeds

Micro-turbomachinery (MTM) implements gas bearings in compact units of enhanced mechanical reliability. Gas bearings, however, have little damping and wear quickly during transient rub events. Flexure pivot tilting pad bearings offer little or no cross-coupled stiffnesses with enhanced rotordynamic stability; and when modified for hydrostatic pressurization, demonstrate superior rotordynamic performance over other bearing types. External pressurization stiffens gas bearings thus increasing system critical speeds, albeit reducing system damping. Most importantly, measurements demonstrate that external pressurization is not needed for rotor super critical speed operation. In practice, the supply pressure could be shut off at high rotor speeds with substantial gains in efficiency. The paper introduces a simple strategy, employing an inexpensive air pressure regulator to control the supply pressure into the hybrid bearings, to reduce or even eliminate high amplitudes of rotor motion while crossing the system critical speeds. Rotor speed coast-down tests with the pressure controller demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. A simple on-off supply pressure control, i.e. a sudden increase in pressure while approaching a critical speed, is the best since it changes abruptly the bearing stiffness coefficients and moves the system critical speed to a higher speed. A rotordynamic analysis integrating predicted bearing force coefficients forwards critical speeds in agreement with the test results. Predicted rotor responses for the controlled supply conditions show an excellent correlation with measured data. The experiments validate the predictive tools and demonstrate the controllable rotordynamic characteristics of flexure pivot hybrid gas bearings.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The role of religious affiliation in Christian and unaffiliated bereaved emerging adults' use of religious coping.

Though research on bereavement has grown, few studies have focused on emerging adults. To add to the literature, the authors administered the RCOPE to a sample of bereaved college students (analyzed sample N = 748) and explored the relationship between self-reported religious affiliation and religious coping strategies used and endorsed as "most helpful." Results highlight the rich topography of bereavement previously unexamined in understudied populations (i.e., emerging adults, religiously unaffiliated). Specifically, the Christians/affiliated used "negative" religious coping strategies most often, yet identified "positive" strategies as "most helpful," whereas the unaffiliated instead used "positive" strategies most often and identified "negative" strategies as "most helpful."
Printed circuit board insertion loss measurement metrology comparison

Channel loss is a dominant factor for the signaling performance of high-speed I/O's. Some platform design guides clearly specify the printed-circuit board (PCB) trace-only loss requirement. The via effect has a big impact on the loss of the entire channel and how to characterize the loss of a stripline design with the via effect being de-embedded is very important for a designer to select the right material and manufacturing process control, balancing the platform cost and performance requirement. An improper selection of PCB material may result in either a costly over design or an increased risk of platform performance. This is especially true for traces on a thicker board with long via or any board with long via stub. Furthermore, the impact of via and via stub is more prominent when low-loss PCB material is used. A few methods for PCB trace loss characterization have been widely used in the industry, including Thru-Reflect-Line (TRL), Delta-L and Smart Fixture De-embedding (SFD), to remove the unwanted via effect in striplines. Some of methods, such as TRL, require a series of measurement procedures with many de-embedding structures. How to effectively remove via effect through a simple, efficient, and accurate approach in the high volume measurement is critical for platform designers, as well as PCB suppliers. In this paper, a study on PCB insertion loss measurement metrology is conducted to compare the accuracy and efficiency of different characterization methods.
Analysis of target multipaths in WiFi-based passive radars

In this study, the authors investigate the effects on the range measurement accuracy of a WiFi-based passive radar when multiple copies of signal, from the same target, are received due to propagation through a rich-scattering environment. These multipath returns from stationary scatters induced range measurement inaccuracies in passive radars including offset of the target from its true range, smearing of the target in range dimension or appearance of ghost targets. Relationship between range measurement inaccuracies due to target multipaths and range resolution of transmission waveform has been studied. A two-step solution, that is, signal separation followed by equalisation, is also proposed to mitigate the effects of multipaths in WiFi-based passive radars.
E-108 pulserider stent for challenging basilar tip aneurysms involving scas and pcas

To describe the experience of two challenging basilar tip aneurysms that involved the origins of bilateral SCAs and PCASs successfully treated with PulseRider bifurcation stent. A large basilar tip aneurysm case that was successfully treated with PulseRider T-shaped bifurcation stent after a failed Y-stenting attempt. Case description Both patients were treated as a part of ANSWER Trial. An early 70s female patient was found to have a broad-based large basilar tip aneurysm during her work up for right symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. The aneurysm incorporated bilateral PCAs and SCAs. Bilateral P1 and P2 segments showed extreme tortuosity, which made single or Y-stenting challenging. The aneurysm was first embolized with double microcatheter and balloon assisted techniques. However, it continued to grow from the large remnant. A Y-stenting attempt failed once due to the PCA tortuosity. The recanalized growing aneurysm measured 20mm in the largest dimension. A 10mm span T-shaped PulseRider was delivered through a 0.021 microcatheter and could be placed within the base of the recanalized aneurysm just above the PCA origins. A total of 25 coils were deployed into the aneurysm. The final angiogram showed complete obliteration of the aneurysm and patency of the PCAs and SCAs. Due to the large size and also aggressive coiling, the patient experienced worsening of mass effect to the midbrain and upper pons, which was successfully treated with steroid. Brain MRI showed FLAIR high signal in the cerebral peduncle and belly of the upper pons. No DWI high signal was found in bilateral PCA territories. Another case was a late 50s female with a previously ruptured small wide-necked basilar tip aneurysm that incorporated the posterior wall of the basilar artery near the origins of PCAs and SCAs. In acute phase, the dome and bleb of the aneurysm was first embolized with balloon assist technique. However, the aneurysm recanalized from the remnant. The largest dimension of the recanalized aneurysm measured 6mm. An eight mm span T-shaped PulserRider was deployed with each tip placed into the PCAs. The wing of the PulseRider delineated the aneurysm neck for the subsequent embolization and the body also provided adequate protection for the embolization of the aneurysm base that incorporated the PCA and SCA origins. The aneurysm was successfully embolized with 10 coils. Conclusion The PulseRider’s unique ability to protect bifurcation branches without catheterizing into those branches enabled the successful embolizations. The body of the pulseRider also provides some protection. Disclosures S. Tateshima: 2; C; Pulsar Vascular. S. Seth: None. C. Liang: None. N. Patel: None. A. Ismail: None. D. Freeman: None. V. Szeder: None. R. Jahan: None. G. Duckwiler: None.
Psychometric Issues in the Assessment of Creativity

In this first section, an overview of the remaining seven divisions of the chapter is presented. The second section affords a brief description of categories of instrumentation to provide the reader with a foundation within which the psychometric issues in the assessment of creativity can be viewed. In the third section, psychometric concerns pertaining to construct validity, content validity, and criterion-related validity are addressed. Subsequent to an abbreviated review of the meaning of reliability, concerns regarding optimal approaches to the estimation of reliability of creativity measures are considered in the fourth section. The impact upon reliability and validity of scoring procedures is examined in the fifth section with particular emphasis on the presence of fluency as a confounding factor in the interpretation of scores of measures of divergent thinking. The sixth section provides a survey of a number of the difficulties encountered in establishing normative data for the understanding of scores on measures of creativity. A cursory exploration of a few selected issues in the administration of tests of creativity follows in the seventh section, and the eighth section contributes a concluding statement.
THE FUNDING EFFECT IN SCIENCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE JUDICIARY

Public policies and legal decisions implemented during the 1980s have created new incentives for universities, publiclysupported nonprofit institutes, and their faculties to commercialize scientific and medical research. Academic-industry and nonprofitfor-profit collaborations have led to the development of revised institutional norms that accommodate new organizational relationships. Among the most pronounced changes, which have been documented in a number of research studies, are that secrecy has replaced openness, privatization of knowledge has replaced communitarian values, and the commodification of discovery has replaced the norm that university-generated knowledge is a free good that is part of the intellectual commons.
Liberalism and the Habsburg monarchy, 1861–1895

In his engagingly written book, Jonathan Kwan analyses liberalism in Habsburg Austria from 1861, when the parliament was reintroduced and censorship was lifted, through 1895, when the final cabinet...
Hot exciton luminescence in ZnTe/MnTe quantum wells

It has been established experimentally in a number of wide gap II–VI semiconductors, notably ZnTe, that the recombination spectrum of photon energies at and above the band gap often consists of well defined peaks which are separated by LO phonon energies. These peaks follow the photon energy of excitation and are in that sense Ramanlike. Many orders may be seen with strong resonance enhancement at the band gap.1 The physical issues subject to debate have been (1) the distinction between hot luminescence (HL) and resonance Raman scattering (RRS) and (2) whether the energetically relaxing electron-hole pair maintains an excitonlike character throughout the entire secondary emission process. We show here how the availability of a ZnTe based quantum well with advanced experimental methods gives us direct insight into this problem.
Estimating Elasticities with PIMS Data: Methodological Issues and Substantive Implications

Though the PIMS data have been used extensively to relate profitability both to specific firm marketing actions and to market conditions, no attempt has been made to estimate directly the magnitude...
Moderation under Fire: the Arms Trial Crisis, the Lower Falls Road Curfew and Anglo-Irish Cooperation on Northern Ireland

When the Northern Ireland Troubles began, Taoiseach Jack Lynch resolved to pursue a policy of non-violence and cooperation with the British government in order to facilitate reform in the North. Lynch' s moderate program was rejected by elements within his own party and challenged by escalating violence in Northern Ireland. By the middle of 1970 the Arms Trial Crisis exposed the depths of opposition to Lynch from within the cabinet while the Lower Falls Road Curfew alienated Northern nationalists from the British Army. Despite these pressures Lynch firmly stood to his moderate stance. He skilfully placated the public opinion in Ireland that favoured a more belligerent stance toward Great Britain' s policies in Northern Ireland, while avoiding any real damage to Anglo-Irish relations. Lynch also extracted some concessions from London by exploiting the possibility that he might be replaced by a much more militant government in Dublin unless his moderate policies showed some results.
Does 3-Dimensional In Vivo Component Rotation Affect Clinical Outcomes in Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty?

Abstract Background Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is an effective treatment for single-compartment osteoarthritis. Limited studies have examined the relationship between component rotation and functional outcomes, with no existing consensus to guide "optimal" UKA component rotation. Our study aims to study the effect of 3-dimensional (3D) in vivo UKA component axial rotation on functional outcomes by determining (1) how much component axial rotation variability exists in UKA? and (2) does 3D in vivo UKA component axial rotation affect functional outcomes? Methods Sixty-six UKAs from 58 consecutive patients (36 male [62.1%], age 63.7 ± 9.2 years, body mass index 28.2 ± 4.9 kg/m 2 , and mean follow-up time 49.2 months) were imaged in weight-bearing standing position using biplanar radiography. We performed multiple comparisons to analyze the relationship between 3D UKA component alignment and European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), UCLA activity score, and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores. Results Significant improvements in EQ-5D, EQ-5D (United States adjusted), and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (Sport/Rec) scores were noted postoperatively. However, high variability in 3D UKA femoral (6.2° ± 6.5°) and tibial (4.6° ± 6.4°) component positioning was observed. A trend toward better outcome scores in lower angles of femoral ( Conclusion Patients with UKA femoral and/or tibial component rotation angles within 3° ER to 3° IR of neutral component alignment reported better functional outcomes. Surgeons should be cognizant of the high variability noted in UKA component axial rotation and its potential correlation with functional scores.
Loxosceles Reclusa (Araneae: Loxoscelidae) Found in Maine, USA

During June 1981 a male and female Loxosceles reclusa were found in Maine, USA. Both spiders were probably transported to Maine during midwinter by a family who moved there from Oklahoma. Introduction of female spiders into domestic habitats could potentially establish breeding colonies well beyond the known natural range of L. reclusa . Numerous alleged spider-bite cases have recently been reported in Maine; however, no Loxosceles spider has been directly associated with these bites.