cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Ventilator Resource Management Using a Network Optimization Model and Predictive System Demand

Abstract The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is overwhelming global healthcare delivery systems due to the exponential spike in cases requiring specialty tests, facilities and equipment, including complex, precision devices like ventilators. In particular, the surge in critically ill patients has revealed a significant deficiency in regional availability of respiratory care ventilators. The authors offer a mathematical framework for ventilator distribution under scarcity conditions using an optimized network model and solver. The framework is interoperable with existing COVID-19 healthcare demand models and scales for different user-defined system sizes, including hospital networks, city, state, regional and national-scale prioritization. The authors’ approach improves current capabilities for medical device resource management within the existing incident command system while accounting for availability of devices, ventilation treatment time periods, disinfection and cleaning between patients, as well as shipping logistics time. The authors present a proof of concept using a high fidelity COVID-19 data set from Colorado, discusses how to scale nationally, and emphasizes the importance of applying ethical human-in-the-loop decision making when using this or similar approaches to managing medical device resources during epidemic emergencies.
Retinoids in the visual cycle: role of the retinal G protein-coupled receptor

Driven by the energy of a photon, the visual pigments in rod and cone photoreceptor cells isomerize 11-cis-retinal to the all-trans configuration. This photochemical reaction initiates the signal transduction pathway that eventually leads to the transmission of a visual signal to the brain and leaves the opsins insensitive to further light stimulation. For the eye to restore light sensitivity, opsins require recharging with 11-cis-retinal. This trans-cis back conversion is achieved through a series of enzymatic reactions composing the retinoid (visual) cycle. Although it is evident that the classical retinoid cycle is critical for vision, the existence of an adjunct pathway for 11-cis-retinal regeneration has been debated for many years. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-retinal G protein-coupled receptor (RGR) has been identified previously as a mammalian retinaldehyde photoisomerase homologous to retinochrome found in invertebrates. Using pharmacological, genetic, and biochemical approaches, researchers have now established the physiological relevance of the RGR in 11-cis-retinal regeneration. The photoisomerase activity of RGR in the RPE and Muller glia explains how the eye can remain responsive in daylight. In this review, we will focus on retinoid metabolism in the eye and visual chromophore regeneration mediated by RGR.
Plastic bronchitis associated with adenovirus serotype 7 in children

Plastic bronchitis is an uncommon but severe respiratory disease characterized by formation of casts in tracheobronchial tree. It can lead to airway obstruction and even respiratory failure. Plastic bronchitis is mostly seen in both post-cardiac surgery patients, especially Fontan procedure, and infections including those caused by influenza viruses, Mycoplasma pneumoniae or tuberculosis. But it has rarely been reported to be associated with adenovirus infection. We report 2 cases of plastic bronchitis arising from adenovirus serotype 7 infection, manifested in repeated high fever, cough, and progressive dyspnea, and were diagnosed and eventually cured by bronchoscopy. Plastic bronchitis is a rare, variable and potentially fatal disease. In the cases we described, the cause was associated with adenovirus serotype 7 and its treatment required intervention with bronchoscopy and adequate control of the underlying disease.
The antitussive cloperastine improves breathing abnormalities in a Rett Syndrome mouse model by blocking presynaptic GIRK channels and enhancing GABA release.

Abstract Rett Syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused mainly by mutations in the MECP2 gene. One of the major RTT features is breathing dysfunction characterized by periodic hypo- and hyperventilation. The breathing disorders are associated with increased brainstem neuronal excitability, which can be alleviated with GABA agonists. Since neuronal hypoexcitability occurs in the forebrain of RTT models, it is necessary to find pharmacological agents with a relative preference to brainstem neurons. Here we show evidence for the improvement of breathing disorders of Mecp2-disrupted mice with the brainstem-acting drug cloperastine (CPS) and its likely neuronal targets. CPS is an over-the-counter cough medicine that has an inhibitory effect on brainstem neuronal networks. In Mecp2-disrupted mice, CPS (30 mg/kg, i.p.) decreased the occurrence of apneas/h and breath frequency variation. GIRK currents expressed in HEK cells were inhibited by CPS with IC50 1 μM. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings in locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal tegmental nucleus (DTN) neurons revealed an overall inhibitory effect of CPS (10 μM) on neuronal firing activity. Such an effect was reversed by the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (20 μM). Voltage clamp studies showed that CPS increased GABAergic sIPSCs in LC cells, which was blocked by the GABAB receptor antagonist phaclofen. Functional GABAergic connections of DTN neurons with LC cells were shown. These results suggest that CPS improves breathing dysfunction in Mecp2-null mice by blocking GIRK channels in synaptic terminals and enhancing GABA release.
An Adaptive SPT Rule for Scheduling and Testing Heterogeneous Jobs

Motivated by common practices in maintenance and healthcare operations, in which diagnostic activities precede service, we study the problem of scheduling jobs with random processing times on a server that can test jobs (i.e., perform a diagnostic procedure) prior to serving them in order to observe their durations. On one hand, testing utilizes the server and increases service delays, but on the other hand, testing reduces uncertainty and informs future scheduling decisions, which contributes to reducing overall delays. We consider two cases in which tests are either optional or mandatory prerequisites for processing heterogeneous jobs whose random processing times (and in some cases weights) are statistically different. For several interesting cases of optional testing problems, we develop an adaptive shortest processing time (SPT) rule, which characterizes the optimal policy using intuitive testing thresholds given by closed-formulas. We then show that a generalization of these thresholds forms an optimal index policy for mandatory testing problems. Our work provides tools for analyzing similar problems, as well as practical insights on how to prioritize uncertainty reduction efforts, in order to reduce delays in service systems.
Fairness, escalation, deference, and spite: strategies used in labor-management bargaining experiments with outside options

Abstract We review two recent cases of labor-management bargaining when outside options are in play and notice that structurally similar negotiations end differently. We hypothesize that behavioral factors are important and conduct an experiment. We find conflict is common when one side has an outside option despite relatively generous offers. We also find that firms who search for outside options, but do not take them, make more generous counteroffers than non-searching firms and that, overall, searching triggers concessions from unions unless the union has previously been hung out to dry by a firm who accepted an outside option.
Alternative models and randomization techniques for Bayesian response-adaptive randomization with binary outcomes:

Background:Bayesian response-adaptive designs, which data adaptively alter the allocation ratio in favor of the better performing treatment, are often criticized for engendering a non-trivial proba...
A Systematic Review of the Roles and Contributions of Peer Providers in the Behavioral Health Workforce.

Context Peer providers with lived experiences of mental health and substance use are a growing component of the workforce responsible for the prevention and treatment of behavioral health disorders. This systematic literature review aims to better define the roles of peers and their unique contributions to behavioral health care. Evidence acquisition Researchers searched MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, and Scopus databases for studies published between January 1, 2013 and April 3, 2020. Studies were included if they (1) were experimental or observational studies, (2) included an adult population of people with a behavioral health disorder, and (3) used paid peer providers in addition to traditional behavioral health services. Researchers extracted sample demographics, intervention characteristics, outcome data, and significant associations from studies that met inclusion criteria and assessed the trends in these data in May 2020. Evidence synthesis A total of 23 articles assessing peer-provided services were included. Peers were employed most frequently in mental healthcare roles in the Department of Veterans Affairs, hospital, and community health facilities. A total of 14 studies observed significant clinical improvements in participants’ social functioning, quality of life, patient activation, and behavioral health. A majority of studies involved the supervision of peers and required peers to have completed training in service delivery. Conclusions Peers are effective providers of behavioral health treatment and relapse prevention services who encourage recovery through resilience building, empowerment, and self-advocacy. There remains a need for more evidence-based interventions on the efficacy of peers in substance use disorder treatment and the impact of formalized certification and training opportunities.
Untangling conflicting messages

Anthelmintic resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle has been worsening over the past 2 decades and is now a global problem. Though the problem was originally seen primarily in Cooperia, which is not a highly pathogenic species, we now know that other more pathogenic species have become drug resistant as well. With no new classes of anthelmintics in the cattle product pipeline, we will need to be better stewards of the drugs we have now, as they will need to last us for a long time. Thus, there is a need to use our anthelmintics differently and smarter than in the past. In this paper we present several strategies for improving the sustainability of parasite control in cattle that will both reduce the development of resistance while maintaining good productivity. Furthermore, we should not just assume a drug works or does not work; testing using the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) should be performed on every farm. This is the only way to make evidence-based decisions on optimal drug choices. Optimally, the strategies promoted here should have been instituted years ago. However, it is not too late, and the sooner these strategies are implemented widely, the more successful the beef industry will be in controlling parasites both now and in the future.
Management of Complicated Type A Aortic Dissection: The Cornell-New York Presbyterian Approach

Acute type A aortic dissection (ATTAD) remains a surgical emergency associated with high mortality. Aortic branch malperfusion complicates up to one third of cases, often affecting multiple vascular beds, and is a strong risk predictor of poor outcomes. The prognostic implications are dependent on the affected end organs, with coronary, cerebral, and visceral malperfusion syndromes portending the worst outcomes. Debate continues regarding appropriate management of ATAAD complicated by malperfusion syndromes. Primary aortic repair remains the most commonly practiced treatment that potentially resolves malperfusion while minimizing the risk of aortic rupture. However, when advanced end organ damage is evident a strategy of immediate intervention to the malperfused vascular bed with delayed aortic repair has gained in popularity. Unfortunately, aortic rupture can occur while awaiting a return to normal homeostasis after this interventional first approach. We examine the data in support of both treatment algorithms and propose considerations for approaches that maximize improved outcomes.
Clark Gracia. African Market Women: Seven Life Stories from Ghana. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2010. vii + 265 pp. Photographs. Glossary. Appendix. Index. Bibliography. $24.95. Paper.

Gracia Clark. African Market Women: Seven Life Stories from Ghana. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2010. vii + 265 pp. Photographs. Glossary. Appendix. Index. Bibliography. $24.95. Paper. African Market Women is a wonderfully evocative compilation of seven life histories from Kumasi, Ghana, of women Gracia Clark encountered in the course of a lifetime of fieldworkwith marketers and study of the anthropology of marketing. In the introduction Clark says, "I could honor them most effectively by promoting more respect for their indigenous economic knowledge" (7). And so she does, by recording what they chose to tell her about themselves and their lives. The results are highly individualized accounts that focus on different aspects of the lives according to the women's interests. Clark followed a noninvasive methodology, without a questionnaire to structure the multiple interviews with each woman. She then read back die transcripts done by Twi transcribers/ translators to die women, allowing them to edit out anything they wished, and only lightiy edited the end text herself to produce the manuscript. In that editing she eliminated some repetition and most of the questions she had interjected. Adding to the ethical aspects of this work, Clark is transparent about her own subject position with regard to her subjects and about the conditions that obtained during die recording of the interviews. Thus the life histories are interactive in that their subjects had direct input not just in creating their stories but also in editing them. Readers can thus evaluate these narratives according to the conditions of their creation. The stories have much to tell us about trade in Kumasi in the late twentiedi century (the interviewing was done in 1994, for the most part). Readers with a strong interest in how women's market trade is organized, profitable or not, enabled or impeded, strategized, endured, exploited, and conducted, will find much to enlighten them here. However, even though the bulk of the content is economic in focus, there is also substantial coverage of such topics as marriage, initiation rites, family economy in general, family structure and inheritance, and religion in women's lives. One of the more interesting aspects is the description of inheritance that documents in several cases the decline of matrilineal practices in favor of patrilinearity, which is favored in Ghanaian law. The high value placed on wisdom derived from experience is also evident. The discussions of how market commodity queens are selected is revealing and counter to stereotype. Also evident is the increasing dependence on husbands for key resources, as I predicted in the 1970s, but there is also a newer strategy of sending one or more children abroad. …
The Effect of Front-Edge Rounding and Rear-Edge Shaping on the Aerodynamic Drag of Bluff Vehicles in Ground Proximity

Wind tunnel measurements on a rectangular vehicle-like shape and on two detailed, scale-model trucks have been employed to define the front and rear edge geometries that minimize aerodynamic drag. Optimum configurations are identified with sufficient detail for commercial vehicle design purposes. Comparisons of the model-scale measurements with limited measurements on a full-scale straight truck in a large wind tunnel support the interpretation of these test results.
Mitral commissurotomy in pregnancy.

Abstract Four cases of rheumatic heart disease with mitral stenosis associated with pregnancy treated by mitral commissurotomy have been reported. Three of these operations were done prior to pregnancy and the fourth at the fifteenth week of gestation. The results have all been favorable. It should be emphasized that this operation is only an adjunct in the treatment of the pregnant cardiac patient and does not replace the accepted principles of management of these patients.
Richardson‐Dushman Equation Monograph

Nomographic Richardson-Dushman equation solutions for thermionic electron emission devices, giving current density for various work functions and electrode temperatures
Microgrid protection using system observer and minimum measurement set

Summary Microgrids work in two modes, grid connected and islanded. Short circuit levels in islanded mode tend to be small compared to those in grid-connected mode. Moreover, power flows in microgrids are not always unidirectional. For these reasons, it is difficult to protect microgrids using relaying strategies traditionally used in distribution systems. In this paper, a new technique is presented which uses a state observer to detect and identify faults that occur within the zone of protection, regardless of whether the microgrid is islanded or grid connected. The proposed system can be centralized or decentralized. In addition, based on system observability, the required number of measurements can be reduced, thereby reducing the cost of the proposed protection system. It is possible to devise a low-cost protection system using the proposed approach. The performance of the proposed method in protecting IEEE 34 node test feeder is demonstrated on an Alternative Transient Program (ATP). The proposed approach is shown to be effective in grid-connected and islanded modes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Komponentenmodell für die Strategische Lieferkettenentwicklung

Der Einkauf im Unternehmen hat sich in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten von einer rein operativen Funktion zu einer strategischen Kernfunktion entwickelt, wobei dem „klassischen“ Lieferantenmanagement eine herausge-hobene Bedeutung bei der Generierung von Unternehmenswert zukommt Dieser Beitrag erweitert den Bezugsrahmen des Lieferantenmanagements auf die gesamte Lieferkette und fuhrt das Konzept der strategischen Lieferkettentwicklung ein. Um bei der praktischen Umsetzung auftretende, komplexe Probleme in der Lieferkettengestaltung zu losen, wird ein Komponentenmodell zur strategischen Lieferkettenentwicklung vorgestellt, das sowohl eine dynamische Modellierung von Lieferketten als auch die Bewertung von Netzen unterstutzt.
Role of serotonin in sleep mechanisms

Since near the time of its discovery over 40 years ago, the serotonergic system has been implicated in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. While early studies indicate that serotonin (5-HT) was associated with the initiation and maintenance of sleep, later studies indicate that serotonergic neurons also play a role in inhibiting sleep. As reviewed in this paper, the complex effects of 5-HT in the regulation of sleep is due in part to the fact that 5-HT can act at different areas of the brain that have been associated with the control of sleep and wake. In addition, the recent discovery of multiple 5-HT receptors through the mammalian brain led to the finding that different 5-HT receptors are selectively involved in the regulation of the different sleep states.
Engaging the Public in Environmental Decisions: Strategies for Environmental Education and Communication

Environmental education and communication (EEC) includes a broad range of teaching methods, topics, audiences, and media channels all of which will be useful in moving our world toward sustainability. Experts in many nations have worked over the last 30 years to provide distinct definitions, guides, objectives, and standards that will help educators develop and evaluate effective programs. The North American Association for Environmental Education, for example, has developed four sets of guidelines for developing materials, for preparing environmental educators, for teaching youth, and for developing non-formal environmental education programs [12]. These guidelines are being converted into certification programs to help improve the profession. The majority of these resources, guidelines, and programs are designed for educators of youth. Indeed, the opportunities to influence the school curriculum and teacher preparation programs attract us to work with ministries of education to institutionalize environmental education. In these nations we have a chance to influence how youth perceive their environment and the skills they bring to decisions about sustainability. Where federal programs are not likely, out-of-school programs for youth through clubs and community centers offer substantial environmental education options. Youth-based environmental education programs provide information, build understanding, and improve skills needed for working together to achieve sustainability.
Regulation of miR-24, miR-30b, and miR-142-3p during macrophage and dendritic cell differentiation potentiates innate immunity.

miRNAs are ubiquitous regulators of human biology. Parallel profiling of in vitro monocyte-to-Mw and monocyte-to-DC differentiation revealed static, convergent, and divergent expression of miRNA. Bioinformatic and network analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs implicated miR-24, miR-30b, and miR-142-3p as negative regulators of intracellular signaling pathways, triggered not only by differentiation factors (M-CSF/GMCSF/IL-4) but also from PRRs. Manipulation of miR-24, miR-30b, and miR-142-3p expression during the differentiation of mD-Mw and mD-DC differentiation had minimal impact on the acquisition of phenotype but significantly abrogated the ability of these cells to mount inflammatory responses to pathogen-associated stimuli. Forced expression of these miRNAs, which are downregulated during differentiation, inhibited release of inflammatory cytokines [TNF-a, IL-12(p40), IL-6] upon stimulation with LPS. Functional analysis revealed overlapping mechanisms of inhibition, including surface expression of TLR4/CD14/MD-1 and intracellular PKCa/ NF-kB activation. Potential intermediary targets of the TLR4-NF-kB axis included members of the PI3K and MAPK families and PKC isoforms. These results demonstrate the requirement of miR-24, miR-30b, and miR-142-3p down-regulation for the generation of fully functional Mw sa nd DCs.J. Leukoc. Biol. 98: 195–207; 2015.
Glucosphingolipid synthesis in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract The transfer of glucose from UDP-[ 14 C]glucose to endogenous acceptors has been examined using a particulate fraction prepared from Dictyostelium discoideum . In the presence of EDTA, the sole product is a 14 C-labeled glucolipid with the chemical and chromatographic properties of a monoglucosylceramide containing a hydroxy fatty acid. While the reaction does not require a divalent cation, various cations stimulate or inhibit the transferase activity. Other nucleotide sugars have little or no effect on the reaction. Preliminary studies suggest that glycosphingolipid metabolism is developmentally regulated in D. discoideum .
25-Hydroxycholecalciferol-binding globulin in human plasma

1. 1. Following in vivo administration to human subjects, 25-[3H]hydroxycholecalciferol in their plasma was found to be eluted from DEAE-cellulose columns with 0.1 M sodium phosphate (pH 5.8). Similar fractions from in vitro labelled plasma were filtered on Sephadex G-100, and polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis showed a heterogeneous preparation in which 85% of the 25-[3H]hydroxycholecalciferol was bound to an inter-α globulin, and < 10% associated with the major protein constituent, albumin. 2. 2. The molecular weight of the binding protein was 40000–45000, as estimated by its elution from Sephadex G-100 columns. Sucrose density ultracentrifugation revealed the [3H]sterol-protein complex to have a sedimentation coefficient of 3.1 S. 3. 3. Competitive displacement of 25-[3H]hydroxycholecalciferol by various sterols revealed the following order of decreasing potency: 25-hydroxycholecalciferol >cholecalciferol >ergocalciferol. 7-Dehydrocholesterol, cortisol and cholesterol were not found to be competitive. 4. 4. The protein-sterol complex was reversibly dissociated by increased temperature. Specific binding ability was irreversibly lost following exposure to 65°, pH 3.0 solutions, trypsin and neuraminidase.
Does Central Nervous System Injury Result in Increased Cerebral Spinal Fluid Erythropoietin Concentration in Neonates and Children

Does Central Nervous System Injury Result in Increased Cerebral Spinal Fluid Erythropoietin Concentration in Neonates and Children?
Inorganic and organic nitrogen uptake by the toxigenic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia australis (Bacillariophyceae)

Abstract The nitrogen uptake capabilities of the toxigenic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia australis (Frenguelli), freshly isolated from Monterey Bay California, were examined in unialgal laboratory cultures at saturating photosynthetic photon flux densities (100 μmol photons m−2 s−1) and 15 °C. The kinetics of nitrogen (nitrate, ammonium, urea and glutamine) uptake as a function of substrate concentration were estimated from short (20.5 min) incubations using the 15N-tracer technique. Based on the estimated maximum specific uptake rates and measures of N affinity (the initial slope of the uptake versus nutrient concentration curve), nitrate is the preferred nitrogen substrate, followed by glutamine and ammonium, which are equivalent. Rates of urea uptake by P. australis did not saturate at concentrations as high as 36 μg-at N L−1, and urea uptake as a function of concentration could not be described by Michaelis–Menten kinetics over the concentration gradient tested. Although there is a clear preference for nitrate at equivalent concentrations (compared to ammonium, urea, and glutamine), these laboratory results demonstrate the capability of this pennate diatom to utilize both inorganic and organic forms of nitrogen, supporting field observations that P. australis blooms during both upwelling and non-upwelling conditions off the west coast of North America. Substantial differences in the nitrogenous nutrition of P. australis can be expected in these environments, and anthropogenic inputs of N substrates such as ammonium and urea can support its growth, and may contribute significantly to both harmful diatom blooms and the maintenance of seed populations at non-bloom abundances, particularly during periods of reduced or absent upwelling.
Energy Harvesting from Atmospheric Variations - Theory and Test

The last two decades have offered a dramatic rise in the use of digital technologies such as wireless sensor networks that require small isolated power supplies. Energy harvesting, a method to gather energy from ambient sources including sunlight, vibrations, heat, etc., has provided some success in powering these systems. One of the unexplored areas of energy harvesting is the use of atmospheric temperature variations to obtain usable energy. This paper investigates an innovative device to extract energy from atmospheric variations using ethyl chloride filled mechanical bellows. The apparatus consists of a bellows filled with ethyl chloride working against a spring in a closed and controlled environment. The bellows expand/contract depending upon the ambient temperature and the energy harvested is calculated as a function of the bellows' length. The experiments showed that 6 J of energy may be harvested for a 23 °C change in temperature. The numerical results closely correlated to the experimental data with a deviation of 1%. In regions with high diurnal temperature variation, such an apparatus may yield approximately 250 μW depending on the ambient temperature range.
Fiber Optic Cable Systems For Shipboard Tests And Trials

ABSTRACT The U. S. Navy has determined a need for a new approach to data transfer during various shipboard tests. The approach will be based upon a fiber optic cable system for several reasons; large bandwidth, immunity to electro­ magnetic interference, and light weight in contrast to a comparable copper cable system. The Navy currently runs many tests on new ships before they are placed in unrestricted service. These tests range in scale and include tests on the propulsion system, electrical systems, and structural components in sometimes rugged environments. These tests are conducted by several Navy organizations and each test team must hard wire all sensors, recording equipment, communication lines, etc., independent of any permanent ship system. This requires a great amount of time and materials each time a test is conducted. A fiber optic cable system that can be installed once during construction of the ship that is flexible and capable of accommodating all types of data is proposed. Since this system is permanent it must have minimum impact on current ship designs. The final system plan, along with design requirements and performance analysis will be presented.
Interactions between a blue-green reversible photoreceptor and a separate UV-B receptor in stomatal guard cells

Stomatal opening exhibits two main peaks of activity in the visible range-a red peak, mediated by photosynthesis, and a blue peak, mediated by one or more blue light (BL) photoreceptors. In addition, a pronounced peak in the UV-B region has been characterized, as has a smaller UV-A peak. The BL-induced stomatal opening can be reversed by green light (GL). Here we report that UV-B-induced opening is also antagonized by GL. To determine whether UV-B is being absorbed by the BL photoreceptor or by a separate UV-B receptor, the UV-B responses of two different Arabidopsis mutants, npq1 and phot1/phot2, were tested. Both putative BL-photoreceptor mutants exhibited normal stomatal opening in response to UV-B, consistent with the existence of a separate UV-B photoreceptor. Moreover, GL failed to antagonize UV-B-induced stomatal opening in the phot1/phot2 double mutant and only partially antagonized UV-B opening in npq1. Thus, both phot1 and phot 2, as well as zeaxanthin, are required for the normal GL inhibition of UV-B. A model for a photoreceptor network that regulates stomatal opening is presented. Unlike the situation in guard cells, the UV-B bending response of Arabidopsis hypocotyls during phototropism appears to be mediated by phototropins.
MicroRNA Regulation of Adipose Derived Stem Cells in Aging Rats

Background Perturbations in abdominal fat secreted adipokines play a key role in metabolic syndrome. This process is further altered during the aging process, probably due to alterations in the preadipocytes (aka. stromal vascular fraction cells-SVF cells or adipose derived stem cells-ASCs) composition and/or function. Since microRNAs regulate genes involved both in development and aging processes, we hypothesized that the impaired adipose function with aging is due to altered microRNA regulation of adipogenic pathways in SVF cells. Methodology and Principal Findings Alterations in mRNA and proteins associated with adipogenic differentiation (ERK5 and PPARg) but not osteogenic (RUNX2) pathways were observed in SVF cells isolated from visceral adipose tissue with aging (6 to 30 mo) in female Fischer 344 x Brown Norway Hybrid (FBN) rats. The impaired differentiation capacity with aging correlated with altered levels of miRNAs involved in adipocyte differentiation (miRNA-143) and osteogenic pathways (miRNA-204). Gain and loss of function studies using premir or antagomir-143 validated the age associated adipocyte dysfunction. Conclusions and Significance Our studies for the first time indicate a role for miRNA mediated regulation of SVF cells with aging. This discovery is important in the light of the findings that dysfunctional adipose derived stem cells contribute to age related chronic diseases.
Hydro-thermal fatigue of polymer interfaces

Abstract We have developed an experimental procedure for measuring the crack growth along polymer interfaces under hydro-thermal (HT) fatigue conditions [relative humidity (RH) is held constant while the temperature is cycled]. The technique has been used to test an interface between an anhydride-cured epoxy and a polyimide (PMDA/ODA). Our sample is a trilayered cantilever beam with the epoxy bonded over a polyimide coated metallic beam. The displacement of the metallic beam at the lowest temperature in the thermal cycle is measured and is converted into the HT crack growth along the interface. The experimentally determined HT crack growth per unit temperature cycle (da/dN) is correlated to the maximum difference in the thermal strain energy release rate at the crack tip during each temperature cycle (ΔG). While the Paris law relationship (where da/dN increases as a power of ΔG) holds for thermal (T) fatigue, it does not hold true for HT da/dN measured under high RH. We have modeled the HT da/dN as a summation of two components: (a) the da/dN due to T-fatigue and (b) the da/dN due to the stress-assisted water attack (SAWA) along the interface for a given T-cycle. While an empirical power law relationship describes the T-fatigue, the SAWA is described by a thermally activated kinetics model. Our model predicts the experimental observations and measurements well and provides an insight into the mechanisms behind the failure of the polyimide/epoxy interface during HT fatigue.
Absence of ferromagnetism in epitaxial films of ultrathin Pd, Rh, and Rh on Pd grown on Au(100).

{ital In} {ital situ} longitudinal and polar Kerr-effect measurements were used to search for ferromagnetism in films of Pd/Au(100), Rh/Au(100), and Rh/Pd/Au(100) with overlayer thicknesses of 0.5--5 monolayers (ML). No evidence for ferromagnetism was found in these systems above 100 K and for applied magnetic fields up to 2.2 kOe. Based on our low-energy-electron-diffraction and Auger data, we find that all three systems grow epitaxially, and that there is layer-by-layer growth for Pd/Au(100) at 300 K, layer growth for Rh/Au(100) at 100 K up to 2 ML followed by island formation, and layer growth for Rh/Pd/Au(100) at 100 K.
Quantitative investigation of surface functionalization of cylindrical nanopores derived from polystyrene-poly(methylmethacrylate) diblock copolymers

This paper reports quantitative measurements of surface modification efficiency on nanoporous films (20–35 nm in thickness; 14, 20 and 30 nm in pore diameter) derived from cylinder-forming polystyrene-poly(methylmethacrylate) diblock copolymers. The density of free –COOH groups on the nanopore surface was determined by measuring their probe counter cations released via cation exchange using spectrofluorometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The yields of aqueous-phase amidation mediated by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide in phosphate buffer (pH 6) were 20–30%. In contrast, organic-phase amidation and esterification using oxalyl chloride offered much higher yields (87–89%), providing efficient means for functionalizing the nanopore surface. Quantitative information on the surface modification will provide a basis for assessing the influences of the surface functionality on the efficiency of chemical separations with the nanoporous films.
Direct regression, reverse regression, and covariance structure analysis

This paper discusses the issues in estimating the effects of marketing variables with linear models. When the variables are not directly observable, it is well known that direct regression yields biased estimates. Several researchers have recently suggested reverse regression as an alternative procedure. However, it is shown that the reverse regression approach also fails to provide unbiased estimates in general, except for some special cases. It is proposed that covariance structure analysis with an appropriate measurement model can ensure the unbiasedness of estimated effects. These issues are examined in the context of assessing market pioneer advantages.
Resolution Characteristics of Tomographic Rotating Collimator Systems

A brief description of the standard rotating tomographic collimator and a new magnifying tomographic collimator is given. The geometry of the apparatus is quantitatively described and the modulation transfer characteristics for the standard apparatus and for various configurations of the proposed system using various source frequencies and planar depths are calculated. The smearing function for a line source is also calculated. It is shown that planar depth resolution can be improved at the expense of decreasing geometric efficiency. The advantages of using a magnifying collimator in the tomographic scheme are discussed.
Combination therapy with interferon‐α and ribavirin in patients with dual hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection

Background: Patients with dual hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have responded poorly to interferon (IFN) monotherapy. The purpose of the present paper was to assess the effect of combined IFN-α and ribavirin therapy in patients infected with both hepatitis B and C. Methods: Thirty-six patients received 3 or 5 MU IFN-α-2b thrice weekly and oral ribavirin (800–1200 mg/day) for 24 weeks. All patients had positive hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody to HCV, and HCV-RNA. Before treatment, one patient had positive hepatitis B e antigen. Eighteen patients had positive HBV-DNA tested by Amplicor (Cobas Amplicor Monitor, Roche Diagnostics, Branchburg, NJ, USA), with a mean HBV-DNA level of 3.1 ± 0.9 log copies/mL. Another 72 patients with HCV infection alone served as controls. Results: Adverse events led to withdrawal in three patients receiving 5 MU IFN. Based on an intent-to-treat analysis, the biochemical response and serum HCV clearance rate at the end of 48 weeks follow up was similar in patients with dual infection and HCV infection alone (56% vs 72%; and 69% vs 71%, respectively). There was no significant difference in sustained HCV clearance rate between the 3-MU group (n = 13) and the 5-MU group (n = 23; 85% vs 61%). At the end of 48 weeks follow up, two (11%) of 18 pretreatment viremic patients had negative serum HBV-DNA (<200 copies/mL), while eight of those without pretreatment viremia had reoccurrence of HBV-DNA. Conclusions: Combination therapy with IFN-α and ribavirin was effective in achieving sustained HCV clearance in patients with dual HBV and HCV infection, comparable to those with hepatitis C infection alone. Combination therapy using 3 MU IFN-α seemed as effective as 5 MU, and was well tolerated in the study population. However, large-scale control trials are necessary to clarify these findings.
Body mass index and blood glucose: correlations with serum insulin, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH).

Obesity is a frequent co-morbid condition associated with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). Serum growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and insulin are significantly elevated in patients with DISH. In this study, we examined the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and basal serum GH, IGF-1, and insulin concentration in a group of 36 DISH patients. Basal serum insulin levels were significantly elevated (P 28 kg m−2, classified as obese, compared with DISH patients with BMI ranging from 23 to 28 kg m−2. In addition, BMI strongly positively correlated with serum insulin concentration in DISH patients (adjusted r2=0.348, P<0.001). However, BMI did not correlate with either basal serum GH (adjusted r2=−0.013) or IGF-1 levels (adjusted r2=−0.010) in DISH. We conclude that BMI does not seem to contribute to elevated serum GH and IGF-1 levels in symptomatic DISH.
Lust and Avarice in Politics: Damage Control by Four Politicians Accused of Wrongdoing (or, Politics as Usual)

Politicians, like others caught in embarrassing situations, often attempt to explain their actions in such a way as to mitigate the negative effects. Whether politicians involved in scandal are able to maintain their political careers depends, at least in part, on how voters respond to the public explanations that these politicians provide. Previous work that has examined responses to the accounts provided by errant politicians (e.g., those who have made unpopular roll call votes or those who have been accused of inappropriate behavior) has studied the effects of hypothetical accounts provided by fictitious politicians. The authors of the present article examined responses to the accounts provided by actual politicians who were charged with unethical behavior. Their findings suggest that politicians who made reference to moral and ethical principles in their explanations for their behavior or who focused on the benefits to be gained by their actions tended to be evaluated more positively than politicians ...
High-throughput screening of ionic conductivity in polymer membranes

Abstract Combinatorial and high-throughput techniques have been successfully used for efficient and rapid property screening in multiple fields. The use of these techniques can be an advantageous new approach to assay ionic conductivity and accelerate the development of novel materials in research areas such as fuel cells. A high-throughput ionic conductivity (HTC) apparatus is described and applied to screening candidate polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cell applications. The device uses a miniature four-point probe for rapid, automated point-to-point AC electrochemical impedance measurements in both liquid and humid air environments. The conductivity of Nafion ® 112 HTC validation standards was within 1.8% of the manufacturer's specification. HTC screening of 40 novel Kynar ® poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/acrylic polyelectrolyte (PE) membranes focused on varying the Kynar ® type (5×) and PE composition (8×) using reduced sample sizes. Two factors were found to be significant in determining the proton conducting capacity: (1) Kynar ® PVDF series: membranes containing a particular Kynar ® PVDF type exhibited statistically identical mean conductivity as other membranes containing different Kynar ® PVDF types that belong to the same series or family. (2) Maximum effective amount of polyelectrolyte: increments in polyelectrolyte content from 55 wt% to 60 wt% showed no statistically significant effect in increasing conductivity. In fact, some membranes experienced a reduction in conductivity.
Phase and microstructural stability of solution precursor plasma sprayed thermal barrier coatings

Abstract The phase and microstructural stability of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) deposited using the solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process is studied as a function of thermal cycles at 1121 °C. In the SPPS process, an aqueous chemical precursor feedstock, that results in ZrO 2 –7 wt.% Y 2 O 3 (7YSZ) ceramic coating, is injected into the plasma jet and the coating is deposited on a metal substrate. The resulting coating has the desired non-transformable tetragonal phase structure and this phase is stable throughout the thermal cycling test. SPPS TBCs consist of ultra-fine splats and unmelted particles that include some non-pyrolyzed precursor. The non-pyrolyzed precursor in the coating was observed to decompose and crystallize during initial thermal cycling, which results in an increase of coating hardness. No sign of sintering of the ultra-fine splats in the coating was observed after 1090 cycles. The spacing of through-coating-thickness cracks (160–190 μm) does not change with thermal cycling, while the opening of cracks increases from around 0.4 μm at as-sprayed state to 1.7 μm at 40 cycles, and to 3.1 μm at 800 cycles.
Reactions of ring- and metal-substituted cyclopentadienylmetal-2-alkenyl carbonyl complexes with sulfur dioxide, preparation and characterization of 2-alkene-S-sulfinato products

Abstract The preparation of the ring-substituted iron-2-alkenyl complexes (η 5 -CH 3 C 5 H 4 )Fe(CO) 2 CH 2 CH CRR′, (η 5 -1, 3-(C 6 H 5 ) 2 C 5 H 3 ]Fe(CO) 2 CH CRR′, and [η 5 -(CH 3 ) 5 C 5 ]Fe(CO) 2 CH 2 CHCRR′and of the metal-substituted molybdenum-2-alkenyl complexes η 5 -C 5 H 5 No(CO) 2 [P(OC 6 H 5 ) 3 ] CH 2 CH CRR′(R = H, R′= CH 3 ; R = R′= CH 3 ; R = H, R′= C 6 H 5 ) is reported. This metal-2-alkenyl compounds react with neat SO 2 or with saturated solutions of SO 2 in organic solvents to yield the corresponding 2-alkene-S-sulfinates containing a 1, 3 rearranged and/ or an unrearranged allylic fragment. The reaction products were isolated and characterized; in several cases, various isomeric structures were differentiated on the basis of infrared and 1 H NMR spectroscopic data. The formation of the rearrangement metal S-sulfinates is promoted by the use of neat SO 2 at low temperatures and of organic solutions. The results of this study are compared with those of the earlier investigation by Downs and Wojcicki. It is concluded that methyl substitution at the ring or P-donor ligand substitution at the metal favors the formation of the unrearranged over the rearranged 2-alkene-S-sulfinato products. A mechanism is proposed which satisfactorily explains these results.
THE EFFICACY AND INTEGRITY OF SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY STAPLES AND BONE ANCHORS WITH LIGAMENT TETHERS IN THE FUSIONLESS TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL SCOLIOSIS

BackgroundScoliosis is a complex three-dimensional deformity with limited treatment options. Current treatments present potential problems that may be addressed with use of fusionless techniques for the correction of scoliosis. However, there are few data comparing the efficacy of different fusionle
The fall of the English gentleman: the national character in decline, c.1918–1970

The figure of the gentleman and his allied qualities of amateurism, sportsmanship and self-control dominated public discussions of Englishness in the half century after the Great War. From 1918 to the mid nineteen-fifties, gentlemanliness enjoyed strong, although by no means unanimous, support among commentators on national character. Subsequently, however, the reputation of the gentleman suffered irreparable damage at the hands of a post-war generation seeking scapegoats for the country’s perceived economic, geopolitical and moral decline. This article seeks to explain when and why gentlemanliness lost its reputation as the exemplar of Englishness, and the consequent effects on national culture and identity.
LATERAL DIFFUSION IN A BINARY LIPID SYSTEM BY A COMPUTER SIMULATION MODEL

Abstract A computer simulation model is used to study the lateral diffusion in a two-dimensional binary mixture of large and small particles. The small particle represents the phospholipid while the large particle (square) models the planar macromolecule in the binary mixture. The variation of the rms displacement with time of these molecular species are studied as a function of their concentration and their diffusion constants are examined. The concentration of the large particles (p1), small particles (p2), and the vacancy (p3) are varied at the relative area fraction Ae = p3/(p2 + p3) = 0.30 (low) and 0.60 (high) free area fractions. The diffusion constant of the small particles decays on decreasing their concentration - this decay signals the possibility of a transition between a fast diffusive regime (at high concentration) and a slow diffusive regime (at low concentration p2). The diffusion constant of the large molecules on the other hand shows an opposite behavior, it decays linearly on increasing their concentration (p1). The diffusion constant of the large molecule decays with their size while that of the small particles remains less affected by varying the size of the large molecules. The decay of the diffusion constant of the large molecule with its linear size is found to be nonlinear.