cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 18952: A Novel Engineered Neuregulin-hydrogel System Regenerates Mammalian Heart Muscle and Enhances Ventricular Function in a Preclinical Ovine Model of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Objective: The clinical efficacy of neuregulin (NRG), a ligand of the Her family receptors, is hindered by off-target exposure and requisite daily systemic infusions. We recently encapsulated NRG in a hydrogel (HG) for targeted and sustained myocardial delivery; beneficial results in a murine model of ischemic cardiomyopathy were clear. Here, we evaluate NRG-HG’s translational potential for myocardial regeneration and functional improvement in the clinical realm using a preclinical ovine model of ischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: Male Dorset sheep (n=30) underwent baseline cardiac assessment with MRI and pressure-volume (PV) catheterization. Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced by ligating the 2 nd and 3 rd diagonal artery branches, and sheep were randomized to receive myocardial borderzone injection of 1mL saline, HG alone, NRG alone, or NRG-HG. Eight weeks post-infarction, repeat hemodynamic assessment was performed followed by tissue acquisition. A subset underwent sacrifice at 1 week for molecular analyses. Results: Analysis of myocardial borderzone 1-week post-infarction revealed NRG-HG augmented phosphorylated ErbB4, ErbB2, ERK, and histone h3 compared with all other groups. This marker activation suggests receptor activation, downstream signaling, and cardiac cell-cycle entry. At 8 weeks, NRG-HG significantly reduced scar size and augmented ventricular function (Table). There was no evidence of off-target NRG at 1 and 8 weeks, and no evidence of gel embolization or neurologic insult (by brain MRI) from intramyocardial hydrogel delivery. Conclusion: Targeted and sustained intramyocardial delivery of NRG with an engineered hydrogel platform triggers regeneration of mammalian heart muscle and augments ventricular function in a large animal model of ischemic cardiomyopathy. This novel, engineered delivery system realizes the true potential of NRG and its translation to clinical regenerative therapeutics.
Usage, biological activity, and safety of selected botanical dietary supplements consumed in the United States.

In view of the continuous growth of the botanical dietary supplement industry and the increased popularity of lesser known or exotic botanicals, recent findings are described on the phytochemical composition and biological activities of five selected fruits consumed in the United States, namely, acai, noni, mangosteen, black chokeberry, and maqui berry. A review of the ethnomedicinal uses of these plants has revealed some similarities ranging from wound-healing to the treatment of fever and infectious diseases. Laboratory studies on acai have shown both its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro, and more importantly, its neuroprotective properties in animals. Anthraquinones and iridoid glucosides isolated from noni fruit induce the phase II enzyme quinone reductase (QR), and noni fruit juice exhibited antitumor and antidiabetic activities in certain animal models. Antitumorigenic effects of mangosteen in animal xenograft models of human cancers have been attributed to its xanthone content, and pure α-mangostin was shown to display antineoplastic activity in mice despite a reported low oral bioavailability. Work on the less extensively investigated black chokeberry and maqui berry has focused on recent isolation studies and has resulted in the identification of bioactive secondary metabolites with QR-inducing and hydroxyl-radical scavenging properties. On the basis of the safety studies and toxicity case reports described herein, these fruits may be generally considered as safe. However, cases of adulteration found in a commercialized acai product and some conflicting results from mangosteen safety studies warrant further investigation on the safety of these marketed botanical dietary supplements.
Detecting malware with graph-based methods: traffic classification, botnets, and facebook scams

In this talk, we highlight two topics on security from our lab. First, we address the problem of Internet traffic classification (e.g. web, filesharing, or botnet?). We present a fundamentally different approach to classifying traffic that studies the network wide behavior by modeling the interactions of users as a graph. By contrast, most previous approaches use statistics such as packet sizes and inter-packet delays. We show how our approach gives rise to novel and powerful ways to: (a) visualize the traffic, (b) model the behavior of applications, and (c) detect abnormalities and attacks. Extending this approach, we develop ENTELECHEIA, a botnet-detection method. Tests with real data suggests that our graph-based approach is very promising.Second, we present, MyPageKeeper, a security Facebook app, with 13K downloads, which we deployed to: (a) quantify the presence of malware on Facebook, and (b) protect end-users. We designed MyPageKeeper in a way that strikes the balance between accuracy and scalability. Our initial results are scary and interesting: (a) malware is widespread, with 49% of our users are exposed to at least one malicious post from a friend, and (b) roughly 74% of all malicious posts contain links that point back to Facebook, and thus would evade any of the current web-based filtering approaches.
Measuring breast motion at multiple DBT compression levels using ultrasound speckle-tracking techniques

The goal of this study is to investigate whether reduced breast compression in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) exams causes larger internal breast motion that would adversely affect DBT image quality. We designed an experiment to collect real-time breast motion data from patients using ultrasound under three levels of DBT compression (full, medium and half). The ultrasound RF data had a pixel size of 21.5 μm and 150 μm in the axial and lateral directions of the probe, allowing the tracking of very fine movement of internal structure. We have successfully collected data from six human subjects and continue to recruit patients. The data were analyzed using speckle-tracking techniques to extract internal tissue movement trajectories pixel by pixel at multiple locations. Initial data analysis showed that internal breast tissue movement is highly correlated with breathing. Based on the first four patient datasets we have processed, the internal motion magnitudes on average were smaller than 1 mm under the full and reduced compression levels. The statistical distributions of the motion magnitudes among the three compression levels were similar, indicating that the internal breast motion may not necessarily increase even when compression is reduced by half. However, more data will be collected and analyzed to strengthen this study for more solid conclusions.
Chemokines as Molecular Targets for Therapeutic Intervention

Despite the youth of the chemokine field, many antagonists of chemokine function have already been identified and tested at the preclinical level. These include neutralizing antibodies, peptidyl and non-peptidyl antagonists and non-specific immunosuppressive agents. These early studies suggest that chemokine agonists have the potential to regulate many diseases, ranging from HIV-1 infection and tumor growth to acute and chronic inflammation. Clinical application will depend on pharmaceutical development. Great strides have been made in defining structural domains of the chemokines involved in receptor binding and activation. The identification of receptors is rapidly progressing, but with 50 potential ligands and 15 characterized receptors, it is obvious that additional molecular studies are needed. The intriguing observation that several pathogens either use chemokine receptors as entry portals or produce chemokine decoys to subvert the immune system suggests that there is much to be learned about the immune system from studies of “virokines.” Future studies should lead to the discovery and design of more effective inhibitors and antagonists with therapeutic benefit.
Activity-based ubiquitin-protein probes reveal target protein specificity of deubiquitinating enzymes

Ubiquitination is an essential eukaryotic post-translational modification that regulates various cellular processes. The removal of ubiquitin from its target protein is catalyzed by deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). Although it was proposed that many DUBs specifically interact and recognize ubiquitinated proteins as substrates, more direct evidence is needed to support this notion. Here we report protein-targeting activity-based DUB probes that allowed the identification of DUBs recognizing monoubiquitinated proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This new class of DUB probes contain a Michael acceptor as a warhead between ubiquitin and the target protein PCNA through a linkage that mimics the native isopeptide bond. We selected two known and biologically relevant ubiquitination sites on PCNA to generate the DUB probes. This allowed us to interrogate the site-specific deubiquitination of a target protein by DUBs. DUBs were profiled in yeast cell lysates using the two Ub-PCNA DUB probes in conjunction with two control probes that contain a noncleavable linkage but no warhead. We identified yeast DUBs through pulldown coupled with quantitative mass spectrometry analysis of the pulled down proteins. Our results showed that specific yeast DUBs recognize monoubiquitinated PCNA and corroborated previous genetic study. We also identified DUBs as potential new deubiquitinase of PCNA. Remarkably, identified DUBs clearly distinguish the different modification sites on PCNA, thus supporting a high level of DUB specificity beyond the target protein identity.
Recent strategies for the diagnosis of early Lyme disease.

Lyme disease (LD) is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. As the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the USA, LD affects 300,000 human cases each year. LD is caused by ...
1866--When the United States Accepted the Metric System.

m JLhe introduction of the Metric System into this country had been long recommended by scientific men, and by such statesmen as Madison, Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, etc. In 1866, through the influence of Charles Sumner, Congress authorized its use in the United States. . . . The system will, without doubt, in a few years be in general use in this country. Edward Brooks, New Written Arithmetic, 1877
Finite-horizon zero-leverage firms

We develop a binomial lattice model of zero-leverage behaviour using a real option on debt issuance. With the option, firms may delay issuance even when debt is feasible and adds value to the firm....
Viewers' Recognition of Brands Placed Within a Film

Product placement in motion pictures has grown enormously in recent years, but there is very little empirical research regarding its communication effectiveness. The few prior empirical studies have all assessed viewers' recall of and attitudes towards brands placed in a film. This study examines whether or not viewers can even recognize brands placed within a film. Two films containing multiple product placements are used, and results suggest that viewers are able to correctly recognize brands placed in their respective film, while correctly distinguishing among those brands that did not appear in the film they viewed.
To Share is Human! Advancing Evidence into Practice through a National Repository of Interoperable Clinical Decision Support.

Background Healthcare systems devote substantial resources to the development of clinical decision support (CDS) largely independently. The process of translating evidence-based practice into useful and effective CDS may be more efficient and less duplicative if healthcare systems shared knowledge about the translation, including workflow considerations, key assumptions made during the translation process, and technical details. Objective Describe how a national repository of CDS can serve as a public resource for healthcare systems, academic researchers, and informaticists seeking to share and reuse CDS knowledge resources or “artifacts.” Methods In 2016, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) launched CDS Connect as a public, web-based platform for authoring and sharing CDS knowledge artifacts. Researchers evaluated early use and impact of the platform by collecting user experiences of AHRQ-sponsored and community-led dissemination efforts and through quantitative/qualitative analysis of site metrics. Efforts are ongoing to quantify efficiencies gained by healthcare systems that leverage shared, interoperable CDS artifacts rather than developing similar CDS de novo and in isolation. Results Federal agencies, academic institutions, and others have contributed over 50 entries to CDS Connect for sharing and dissemination. Analysis indicates shareable CDS resources reduce team sizes and the number of tasks and time required to design, develop, and deploy CDS. However, the platform needs further optimization to address sociotechnical challenges. Benefits of sharing include inspiring others to undertake similar CDS projects, identifying external collaborators, and improving CDS artifacts as a result of feedback. Organizations are adapting content available through the platform for continued research, innovation, and local implementations. Conclusion CDS Connect has provided a functional platform where CDS developers are actively sharing their work. CDS sharing may lead to improved implementation efficiency through numerous pathways, and further research is ongoing to quantify efficiencies gained.
Applying Military Strategy to Complex Knee Reconstruction: Tips for Planning and Executing Advanced Surgery

Complex knee restoration for injured soldiers follows a similar paradigm as for high-end civilian athletes. The military healthcare paradigm often involves the added logistics of transporting the service member to the correct military treatment facility at the correct time and ensuring the patient's work-up is complete before he or she arrives for the complex knee restoration. Such cases require significant rehabilitation and time away from family and work, so anything that reduces the morbidity of the surgical undertaking and the overall "morbidity footprint" of time away and that helps the patient return to normal function are value-added and worthy of our attention and diligence in developing an efficient system for managing complex cases. The globally integrated military healthcare system that is in place has matured over the past decades to allow for the significant majority of the necessary preoperative work-up to be performed at a soldier's current duty station, wherever in the world that may be, under the guidance of local healthcare providers with specific inputs from the knee restoration surgeon who eventually receives the patient for the planned surgical intervention. Efficient preoperative workup and cutting edge knee restoration procedures that are often combined to limit overall morbidity along with managed physical therapy are the keys to success.
Participation in Social Work Membership Organizations: Opportunities and Challenges in a Changing Society

Professional membership organizations provide a wide range of services to and on behalf of the members of the profession. These services range from legislative advocacy to promote and protect the profession, to outlining practice guidelines for service delivery. Though these services benefit the entire profession, increasingly smaller numbers of professionals are joining and maintaining their membership in the organization. Furthermore, inclusivity continues to be of concern as membership numbers in such groups appear to reflect primarily Caucasian descent. As such, a state chapter of a national social work organization in the Midwest commissioned a study to explore member satisfaction, understand why members join and/or stay with the organization, and utilize this information in chapter development activities. Utilizing a survey distributed to its membership, the authors asked closed and open-ended questions geared toward detailed information and responses. Members shared concerns around lack of communication and recent changes in the national organization. Members are generally satisfied with the organization and valued the connection to the profession as well as the work the organization does on behalf of social workers; however, the authors challenge that we, as a profession, can do more to be inclusive and strengthen diversity within professional memberships overall. Recommendations are offered to improve membership satisfaction and retention. These include advocacy for clients and the social work profession, guidance for members regarding how to get involved, and the importance of connecting with peers and colleagues face-to-face.
An analysis of the ripple effect for disruptions occurring in circular flows of a supply chain network

This paper examines the ripple effect in supply chains due to circular flows embedded in supply chain design. Although supply chains are complex and nonlinear, circular flows exist in real-world su...
Statistics, statistical thinking, and the IACUC.

To improve rigor and reproducibility of animal research, the recently released NIH Advisory Committee report recommends major improvements in investigator statistical training and practice. The IACUC can serve as important gatekeepers of research quality by ensuring that simple statistically based reproducibility criteria are addressed in animal use protocols.
Racialized hauntings: examining Afghan Americans' hyper(in)visibility amidst anti-Muslim ethnoracism

This article argues for a conceptual reframing of anti-Muslim racism to anti-Muslim ethnoracism to account for the specificity of Muslims' ethnonationalities, migration, and religion within raciali...
A/B design testing of a clinical trial recruitment website: A pilot study to enhance the enrollment of older adults.

Introduction Online tools are increasingly utilized in clinical trial recruitment. A/B testing is an effective technology used in political campaigns and commercial marketing to improve contributions or sales. However, to our knowledge, A/B has not been described in the context of clinical trial recruitment. Methods Two A/B testing experiments were implemented on the recruitment website of the Study To Understand Fall Reduction and Vitamin D in You (STURDY), a response-adaptive, two-stage, randomized control trial. Commercial A/B platforms randomized web-users to different versions of the trial's website landing page; Experiment 1 included two infographic versions and Experiment 2 included three video versions. We compared web-user engagement metrics between each version and the original landing page. We determined the effect of each version compared to the original landing page on the likelihood of a web-user to (1) request more information about the trial, (2) complete a screening visit, or (3) enroll in the trial. Results A total of 2605 and 374 web-users visited the trial's website during Experiment 1 and 2, respectively. Response to the online interest form significantly differed by infographic version in Experiment 1. The number of individuals who engaged with website content and pages significantly differed by video in Experiment 2. Conclusion In a pilot study implementing A/B testing of a clinical trial recruitment website, different versions of the website led to differences in web-user engagement and interest in the trial. A/B testing tools offer a promising approach to test the effectiveness of clinical trial recruitment materials and to optimize recruitment campaigns. Clinical trial registration This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The trial registration number is NCT02166333. The URL is: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT0216633 Trial Registration Number: NCT02166333 Trial Register: ClinicalTrials.gov.
Skull Base Surgery

Publisher Summary Advances in otolaryngology, plastics and reconstruction surgery, ophthalmology, oral or maxillofacial surgery, and neurosurgery have resulted in improved treatment for skull-base tumors. This chapter provides an overview of the diagnostic evaluation of a skull-base tumor patient, the anesthetic and intraoperative monitoring options available, the common pathologies encountered, the surgical approaches for tumors involving the cranial base, and the potential complications arising from skull-base surgery. The evaluation of the patient with a cranial base lesion begins with a thorough history and physical examination. Then, a complete head and neck examination, along with a neurological assessment, is performed. Particular emphasis in the examination is placed on the region of tumor involvement. Narcotic agents are favorable for skull-base surgery as they decrease the cerebral oxygen consumption rate, have fewer hypotensive side effects, avoid elevation of the intracranial pressure, and are reversible—allowing for rapid emergence from anesthesia. Diuretics are often administered to shrink the brain during the intracranial portion of the surgery to enhance surgical exposure. One of the most common complications in skull base surgery is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. The incidence of a CSF leak varies proportionally to the size of the dural defect created. A CSF leak detected in the postoperative period occurs typically through the surgical wound, ear canal (otorrhea), or nose (rhinorrhea). Early identification and measures to correct this are important to minimize the risk of CSF contamination and the development of meningitis.
Reducing Certificate Revocating Cost using NPKI

Problems with certificate revocation status control limit the deployment of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Classical certificate paths require revocation control of all certificates on the path. In this paper, we show how the recently proposed NPKI (Nested certificate based PKI) system reduces the number of revocation status controls to at most two. Our analysis also shows that NPKI is not as vulnerable as classical PKI considering the certificate authority compromise.
The Strategy of Sustainable Energy Transitions: Political Competition and Path Dependence

Scholars of environmental politics emphasize the importance of path dependence for sustainable energy transitions, or the extensive deployment of clean energy in a society. However, they frequently overlook the strategic nature of energy policy. We develop a formal model of the political economy of sustainable energy transitions. We examine how exogenous shocks, such as changes in international energy prices, interact with positive reinforcement factors, such as (i) the growing strength of the renewables advocacy coalition and (ii) enhanced economic competitiveness of clean energy. We find that while ‘green’ governments can use positive reinforcement mechanisms to lock in policy commitments (by creating green constituencies), ‘brown’ governments respond to positive reinforcement by strategically underproviding public support for renewable energy (to avoid creating green constituencies). Surprisingly, the effect of positive reinforcement also decreases with international energy prices. The formal analysis, case studies, and data analysis show that (i) political competition conditions the policy response to exogenous shocks and market failures while (ii) governments strategically exploit path dependence for political gain.
Using active server pages and simulation techniques to create virtual M&M's

The M&M problem is an excellent example of a nontrivial yet simple method for summarizing sampled data that are then used in making decisions. Simulating the creation of virtual M&M's that can be copied and pasted into a spreadsheet as the raw data for the M&M problem provides a way for students to get a unique sample of M&M's, thus modeling how, in an information systems environment, sampled raw data can often be captured electronically rather than being entered by hand as would be the case with a physical package of M&M's. Previously presented using client-side JavaScript, this paper presents a solution to the same problem using server-side Active Server Pages, thus avoiding compatibility problems of client-side scripting. The paper serves as a short introduction to both programming in Active Server Pages and to simulating discrete events.
Extent of Indoor Flammable Plumes Resulting from CNG Bus Fuel System Leaks

A validated three -dimensional mathematical model was used to examine the extent of flammable plumes resulting from both large and small CNG leak scenarios inside a typical transit maintenance and storage facility ventilated at a rate of five air changes per hour. The leak rates were based on an engineering and experimental analysis of actual CNG bus fuel system components. The results showed that both large and small CNG leaks produced flammable plumes, such plumes extended from a half a bus length to several bus lengths away from the leak source, and the plume from a large leak formed a layer along the ceiling before being dispersed by building ventilation.
Factors Associated With Missed and Cancelled Colonoscopy Appointments at Veterans Health Administration Facilities.

Background & Aims Cancelled and missed colonoscopy appointments waste resources, increase colonoscopy delays, and can adversely affect patient outcomes. We examined individual and organizational factors associated with missed and cancelled colonoscopy appointments in Veteran Health Administration facilities. Methods From 69 facilities meeting inclusion criteria, we identified 27,994 patients with colonoscopy appointments scheduled for follow-up, on the basis of positive fecal occult blood test results, between August 16, 2009 and September 30, 2011. We identified factors associated with colonoscopy appointment status (completed, cancelled, or missed) by using hierarchical multinomial regression. Individual factors examined included age, race, sex, marital status, residence, drive time to nearest specialty care facility, limited life expectancy, comorbidities, colonoscopy in the past decade, referring facility type, referral month, and appointment lead time. Organizational factors included facility region, complexity, appointment reminders, scheduling, and prep education practices. Results Missed appointments were associated with limited life expectancy (odds ratio [OR], 2.74; P = .0004), no personal history of polyps (OR, 2.74; P Conclusions Several factors within Veterans Health Administration clinic control can be targeted to reduce missed and cancelled colonoscopy appointments. Specifically, developing systems to minimize referrals for patients with limited life expectancy could reduce missed appointments, and use of opt-in scheduling and reductions in appointment lead time could improve both outcomes.
Design, Development and Implementation of a Touch-Screen Health Information Kiosk for Patients at the Outpatient Waiting Area in a Large Tertiary Care Hospital in India: An Evaluation of User Satisfaction

This study elicits patient feedback post-accessing a health information kiosk conceptualized, designed and developed by St. John’s Research Institute and deployed in the outpatient waiting area of the 1250 bedded St. John’s Medical College Hospital, Bangalore for its ease of use, appropriateness and usefulness and ability to provide reliable, evidence-based health information. One hundred and fifty four randomly selected patients who accessed the kiosk, christened the ‘iHealth Desk’ in a chosen month took part in exit interviews for this study. Response options were on a scale of 0-9 (9 being the highest) for each parameter being ascertained. Statistical analysis revealed that 62% of the patients rated the kiosk between ’good’ and ‘excellent’ for overall satisfaction with ‘ease of use’, 58% of them rated the kiosk between ’good’ and ’excellent’ for feedback on screen features; 45% of them rated the kiosk between ’good’ and ’excellent’ for ‘availability of health information’ on the kiosk and 59% of respondents rated the kiosk for ‘adequacy’ of health information, 62% rated the kiosk between ‘good’ and ’excellent’ for ‘ease of learning the navigational pathway’ and 55% rated the ‘kiosk capabilities’ between ‘good’ and ‘excellent’. Male and female users expressed similar non-significant levels of satisfaction in the different domains of satisfaction (p>0.05). Ease of use, easy navigation, availability of information sought and the adequacy of health information available were found to be important parameters for user satisfaction with the health information kiosk.
Keeping Up With the Next Generation: Massively Parallel Sequencing in Clinical Diagnostics

The speed, accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of DNA sequencing have been improving continuously since the initial derivation of the technique in the mid-1970s. With the advent of massively parallel sequencing technologies, DNA sequencing costs have been dramatically reduced. No longer is it unthinkable to sequence hundreds or even thousands of genes in a single individual with a suspected genetic disease or complex disease predisposition. Along with the benefits offered by these technologies come a number of challenges that must be addressed before wide-scale sequencing becomes accepted medical practice. Molecular diagnosticians will need to become comfortable with, and gain confidence in, these new platforms, which are based on radically different technologies compared to the standard DNA sequencers in routine use today. Experience will determine whether these instruments are best applied to sequencing versus resequencing. Perhaps most importantly, along with increasing read lengths inevitably comes increased ascertainment of novel sequence variants of uncertain clinical significance, the postanalytical aspects of which could bog down the entire field. But despite these obstacles, and as a direct result of the promises these sequencing advances present, it will likely not be long before next-generation sequencing begins to make an impact in molecular medicine. In this review, technical issues are discussed, in addition to the practical considerations that will need to be addressed as advances push toward personal genome sequencing.
On the evolution of the snow line in protoplanetary discs – II. Analytic approximations

We examine the evolution of the snow line in a protoplanetary disc that contains a dead zone (a region of zero or low turbulence). The snow line is within a self-gravitating part of the dead zone, and we obtain a fully analytic solution for its radius. Our formula could prove useful for future observational attempts to characterise the demographics of planets outside the snow line. External sources such as comic rays or X-rays from the central star can ionise the disc surface layers and allow the magneto-rotational instability to drive turbulence there. We show that provided that the surface density in this layer is less than about 50 g/cm^2, the dead zone solution exists, after an initial outbursting phase, until the disc is dispersed by photoevaporation. We demonstrate that the snow line radius is significantly larger than that predicted by a fully turbulent disc model, and that in our own solar system it remains outside of the orbital radius of the Earth. Thus, the inclusion of a dead zone into a protoplanetary disc model explains how our Earth formed with very little water.
Stereoelectronic factors in the stereoselective epoxidation of glycals and 4-deoxypentenosides.

Glycals and 4-deoxypentenosides (4-DPs), unsaturated pyranosides with similar structures and reactivity profiles, can exhibit a high degree of stereoselectivity upon epoxidation with dimethyldioxirane (DMDO). In most cases, the glycals and their corresponding 4-DP isosteres share the same facioselectivity, implying that the pyran substituents are largely responsible for the stereodirecting effect. Fully substituted dihydropyrans are subject to a “majority rule”, in which the epoxidation is directed toward the face opposite to two of the three groups. Removing one of the substituents has a variable effect on the epoxidation outcome, depending on its position and also on the relative stereochemistry of the remaining two groups. Overall, we observe that the greatest loss in facioselectivity for glycals and 4-DPs is caused by removal of the C3 oxygen, followed by the C5/anomeric substituent, and least of all by the C4/C2 oxygen. DFT calculations based on polarized-π frontier molecular orbital (PPFMO) theory s...
Between Democratisation and Democratic Consolidation: The Long Path to Democracy in Kosovo

This article analyses the process of democratisation and democratic consolidation in Kosovo. In doing so, it presents a framework for analysing democratisation and democratic consolidation as two distinct processes. Early efforts at democratisation in Kosovo as part of the former Yugoslavia stalled with the violent conflict of the 1990s, and were only revived with the deployment of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in 1999. Despite any successes that UNMIK may have had in promoting democratisation however, democratic consolidation remained elusive, in large part because of Kosovo's lack of sovereignty. The declaration of independence in February 2008 changed the situation, providing an opportunity for democratic consolidation. The article provides an analysis of the new constitution and the first post-independence general elections in an effort to evaluate local democracy, arguing that although limited progress had been made, Kosovo had not achieved democratic consolidati...
A moving-grid finite element algorithm for supersonic flow interaction between moving bodies

Abstract The present study describes a finite element scheme which provides for the computer simulation of the motion of one finite element mesh relative to another along a smooth interface through which flow occurs. The scheme is designed to simulate transient flow interaction phenomena encountered in situations in which two or more solid bodies move relative to one another through an arbitrary flow field. Particular applications include simulations of rotor-stator flow interactions in turbomachinery. Although the method is applicable to any type of flow interaction problem, the applications considered here focus on the modeling of supersonic flow interactions characterized by the time-dependent Euler equations, and on problems of pure advection of a scalar field, all in two-dimensional flow domains. Several numerical examples are given to demonstrate the robustness and the performance of the numerical scheme.
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) occur commonly in older men and can have a significant effect on quality of life. Symptoms can be categorized as voiding, storage, or postvoiding in nature. A variety of symptom screening scales are available to categorize the nature and severity of the urinary symptoms. Erectile dysfunction (ED) symptoms frequently overlap with LUTS and treatment must address both conditions. Initial evaluation for LUTS and ED includes extensive questioning about symptoms, medication use, and medical history, followed by a targeted physical examination and basic laboratory testing. Treatment is focused on the origin of symptoms, which are frequently bladder hyperactivity, urinary retention, or prostatic hypertrophy. Common medication classes used to treat LUTS and ED include alpha-1 adrenergic blockers, anticholinergics, 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, and phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Combination medication therapy has been studied and is providing benefit in patients with more than one type of urinary dysfunction.
Processing of ribosomal RNA precursor in isolated insect nuclei.

Abstract In isolated nuclei, derived from developing silk moth wings pulse-labeled with H 3 -uridine, progressive redistribution of label occurs among various classes of ribosomal RNA during a period of in , vitro culture in non-radioactive medium. The results indicate that the in , vivo labeled 39s precursor can be processed into smaller ribosomal RNA species in a cell-free system.
Raman spectral observation of a ‘new phase’ observed in nickel electrodes cycled to failure

A new phase is reported in nickel electrodes from Ni/H2 boilerplate cells which were cycled to failure in electrolyte of variable KOH concentration (21 to 36 percent). Raman spectra clearly show the presence of this phase, and these spectra have been used to estimate the amounts present on these electrodes. Ten of 12 electrodes examined contain this new phase. The cycle life at higher KOH concentrations (31 and 36 percent) was greatly reduced, and nickel electrodes from these cells exhibited extensive amounts of this new phase. The presence of this new phase correlates with cell failure defined by low end of discharge voltages. It is proposed that the lowered capacity and failure of these electrodes was caused by loss of active mass and formation of a phase with reduced electrochemical activity. These results indicate that formation of the new phase is accelerated at higher KOH concentrations.
“I Know I'm a Freierit, But…”: How a Key Cultural Frame (En)genders a Discourse of Inequality

This article investigates how a key frame of interaction establishes and reinforces gendered social relations within a given culture. It analyzes bow the concept of the freier (roughly glossed as "sucker") is used in Israel, interpersonally and via the mass media, to demonstrate how gender is constructed through communication and inextricably bound to the specific cultural context in which it is located. This work exposes bow the frame reinforces the underlying dynamics of gender inequality in society, examines the oppositional ways in which it is employed by women, and argues that its use in any form further entrenches the social bias. The article calls for analyses of discourse focusing on nondominant groups, within their specific cultural context, in order to examine the practical distribution of power in society.
Is Na(+) required for the binding of dopamine, amphetamine, tyramine, and octopamine to the human dopamine transporter?

The role of Na+ in the recognition of blockers by the dopamine transporter is accomodated by a model with a cation site that overlaps with the blocker binding domain, and a distal Na+ site that interacts with this cation site and perhaps with the blocker binding domain itself. The present study addresses the application of this model to the recognition of substrates by the dopamine transporter, focusing on conditions that should reveal a stimulatory effect, if present, of Na+ on substrate binding. Recognition was studied via the inhibition of binding of [3H]WIN 35,428 (2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl) [3H]tropane), a cocaine analog, to the human dopamine transporter in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Little or no changes in binding were noted for dopamine, d-amphetamine, p-tyramine, or dl-octopamine by increasing [Na+] from 2 mM to 20 mM with co-varying Br–, both at pH 7.4 and 7.0. In 74-mM Tris-HBr or -HCl, only dopamine and d-amphetamine showed binding increases upon raising Na+, leveling off with NO3 – or SO4 2– but not Br– as anion at ~60 mM Na+, consonant with a partly stimulatory action of Br–. An Na+ free, low 5-mM Tris-HEPES buffer was used for studying Na+ curves truly starting at 0 mM, and, with SO4 2– as the anion, no stimulation of binding by Na+ was observed. This suggested that the stimulations observed in high (74 mM) Tris+ buffer by Na+ were not a direct effect of Na+ but rather a disinhibitory effect of Na+ in removing Tris+ inhibition that depended upon substrate. Tris+ IC50 values in Na+ free buffer were not lower for dopamine and d-amphetamine than p-tyramine and dl-octopamine. No evidence was found for a stronger inhibitory effect of Na+ for dopamine and dl-octopamine potentially offsetting Tris+ disinhibition. All results together support the existence of a substrate domain overlapping with a cation site that also binds Tris+; a distal Na+ site interacts with this cation site and with the substrate domain by negative allosterism and is additionally impacted by Cl–. Importantly, interactions between sites vary with the type of substrate, and, in membrane preparations, Na+ is not required for, or stimulatory to, the binding of any of the four substrates studied unlike the binding of the cocaine analog WIN 35,428.
Global aspects of the space of 6D \mathcal{N} = 1 supergravities

We perform a global analysis of the space of consistent 6D quantum gravity theories with $ \mathcal{N} = 1 $ $ \mathcal{N} = 1 $ supersymmetry, including models with multiple tensor multiplets. We prove that for theories with fewer than T = 9 tensor multiplets, a finite number of distinct gauge groups and matter content are possible. We find infinite families of field combinations satisfying anomaly cancellation and admitting physical gauge kinetic terms for T> 8. We find an integral lattice associated with each apparently-consistent supergravity theory; this lattice is determined by the form of the anomaly polynomial. For models which can be realized in F-theory, this anomaly lattice is related to the intersection form on the base of the F-theory elliptic fibration. The condition that a supergravity model have an F-theory realization imposes constraints which can be expressed in terms of this lattice. The analysis of models which satisfy known low-energy consistency conditions and yet violate F-theory constraints suggests possible novel constraints on low-energy supergravity theories.
The structure of economic incentives in the Robert Wood Johnson/HUD Program on Chronic Mental Illness 1988

This paper describes the financial arrangements put into place by cities participating in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Program on Chronic Mental Illness. Descriptive information is given on the level of expenditure, the mix of revenues, and the terms under which local, federal, and Medicaid dollars are allocated to local programs. Data are presented on the use of state hospitals and the number of severely mentally ill individuals in treatment. These data are used to make observations on the initial stages of the demonstration.
Effects of nitrogen quenching gas on spin-exchange optical pumping of He 3

We consider the degree of conservation of nuclear spin polarization in the process of optical pumping under typical spin-exchange optical pumping conditions. Previous analyses have assumed that negligible nuclear spin precession occurs during the brief periods of time in which the alkali-metal atoms are in the excited state after absorbing photons and before undergoing quenching collisions with nitrogen molecules. We include excited-state hyperfine interactions, electronic spin relaxation in collisions with He and ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, spontaneous emission, quenching collisions, and a simplified treatment of radiation trapping.
Precompound analyses of spectra and yields following nuclear capture of stopped π

The hybrid model has been modified for application in the energy region involved in capture of stopped negative pions (140 MeV). Comparisons of the improved formulation have been made with data from reactions induced by protons up to 164 MeV and the agreement was good. The model was used to predict n and p spectra and activation yields from stopped ..pi../sup -/ capture on targets from /sup 12/C to /sup 209/Bi, assuming a predominant quasideuteron capture mechanism. Predictions are given for primary versus secondary emission contributions to the spectra. Qualitative predictions for nn, np, and pp angular correlations are presented. Sensitivity of spectra and yields to parameters related to the nuclear density at which capture occurs is illustrated. While overall comparisons between calculated and experimental results are quite satisfactory, more detailed analyses suggest that a geometry dependent formulation integrating along the density profile for ..pi../sup -/ capture will be necessary, coupled with explicit treatment of enhanced nucleon emission probability versus nucleon induced reactions (due to momentum differences in the entrance channels) if such model results are to simultaneously reproduce particle spectra and yields.
Molecular cloning and selection of genes regulated in aspergillus development

Over 350 clones homologous to poly(A)+ RNAs that are significantly more prevalent in conidiating cultures of Aspergillus nidulans than in somatic cells have been selected from a recombinant DNA library formed between nuclear DNA and lambda Charon 4A. The procedure used for this selection involved in situ hybridization to a cDNA probe which had been selectively depleted of sequences represented in somatic cells by complement hybridization. Five of these clones have been characterized further. All but one encoded poly(A)+ RNAs that were at least ten times more prevalent in conidiating cultures than in somatic cells. One clone hybridized to a single, developmentally regulated RNA. The three others were complementary to several RNAs having different molecular weights, each of which was more prevalent in condiating cultures than in vegetative cells. These results and quantitative aspects of the selection procedure suggest that developmentally controlled poly(A)+ RNA coding regions may not be distributed randomly in the Aspergillus genome.
Use of digital cross-correlation for on-line determination of single-vessel blood flow in the mammalian kidney

Abstract The empirical relationship between erythrocyte velocity (Vrbc) and mean blood velocity (Vblood) was studied in quartz capillaries by television microscopy using the dual-slit technique. A newly designed desktop digital on-line cross-correlator was combined with a computer to determine Vrbc. The accuracy of the digital correlator was tested for velocities ranging from 0 to 3 mm/sec and compared with values determined using an analog tracking correlation device. There was good agreement. Small-bore glass tubes with diameters ranging from 12 to 26 μm were perfused with suspensions of erythrocytes having hematocrits between 10 and 37%. The relationship between mean blood velocity and erythrocyte velocity in these quartz tubes was found to be Vblood = 0.88 Vrbc − 0.11, and was independent of diameter and hematocrit within the range investigated. The mean ratio for V rbc V blood was 1.42 ± 0.06.
Mechanism and regulation of transcriptional elongation and termination by RNA polymerase II

Over the past year, key advances in several areas of research on the structure and function of the RNA polymerase (pol II) elongation complex have shed considerable light on the mechanisms governing the elongation stage of eukaryotic mRNA synthesis. Novel features of the regulation of elongation by DNA and RNA binding transcriptional activators have been brought to light; the mechanisms of action of elongation factors that suppress pausing and premature arrest by transcribing pol II have been defined in greater detail; and novel elongation factors implicated in human disease have been identified and characterized.
Modeling acid transport in chemically amplified resist films

The acid-catalyzed deprotection of glassy poly(4-hydroxystyrene-co-tert butyl acrylate) ﬁlms was studied with infrared absorbance spectroscopy and stochastic simulations. Experimental data were interpreted with a simple description of subdiﬀusive acid transport coupled to second-order acid loss. This model predicts key attributes of observed deprotection rates, such as fast reaction at short times, slow reaction at long times, and a non-linear dependence on acid loading. The degree of anomalous character is reduced by increasing the post-exposure bake temperature or adding plasticizing agents to the polymer resin. These ﬁndings indicate that the acid mobility and overall deprotection kinetics are coupled to glassy matrix dynamics. Furthermore, the acid diﬀusion lengths were calculated from the anomalous transport model and compared with nanopattern line widths. The consistent scaling between experiments and simulations suggests that the anomalous diﬀusion model could be further developed into a predictive lithography tool.