cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liberation and mortality outcomes in pediatric long-term ventilation: A qualitative systematic review.

OBJECTIVE To provide a systematic review of liberation from positive pressure ventilation and mortality of children with chronic respiratory failure who used long-term invasive and noninvasive ventilation (LTV). METHODS Papers published from 1980 to 2018 were identified using Pubmed MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Search results were limited to English-language papers with (a) patients less than 22 years at initiation, (b) patients who used invasive ventilation (IV) via tracheostomy or noninvasive ventilation (NIV), and (c) data on mortality or liberation from LTV. Data were presented using descriptive statistics; changes in outcomes over time were explored using linear regression. Follow-up variability, cohort heterogeneity, and insufficient data precluded combining data to estimate incidences or rates. RESULTS One hundred and thirty papers with 12 704 patients were included. The median number of patients was 37 (interquartile range [IQR] 17-74, range 6-3802). Twenty-five percent of patients were initiated on IV; 75% on NIV. The maximum follow-up ranged from 0.5 to 31.8 years (median 8.8 years). The median proportion of patients liberated in these papers was 3% (IQR 0%-21%). The median proportion of mortality was 18% (IQR 8%-27%). Proportions of liberation and mortality did not significantly change over time. Progression of underlying disease (44%), respiratory illness (19%), and LTV accident (11%) were the most common causes of death. CONCLUSIONS These papers collectively show most patients survive for many years using LTV; in many subgroups, death is a more common outcome than liberation. However, the limitations of these papers preclude robust prognostication.
An Efficient Running Quantile Estimation Technique alongside Correntropy for Outlier Rejection in Online Regression

In this paper, online linear regression in the presence of non-Gaussian noise is addressed. In such environments, there are outliers in error samples (error between system output and labels) and/or the error does not follow a Gaussian distribution. Information theoretic measures such as error entropy criterion (EEC) and error correntropy criterion (ECC) are known for their superior performance compared to mean square error (MSE) in these cases. In this paper, an efficient technique of running quantile estimation based on quantization of error samples is introduced alongside which correntropy leads to lower steady state misalignment compared to previous algorithms.
In situ monitoring of Cu/Al laser welding using Laser Induced Fluorescence

Abstract Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is used to investigate laser spot welding of 200 µm thick Cu and Al foils. The key to strong Cu/Al welds is limited intermetallic compound formation through controlled molten metal interaction time. For laser lap welds, Cu in the vapor plume is indicative of the degree of Cu melting. LIF sensitively detects individual elements and is used to interrogate the vapor plume for the earliest presence of Cu atoms. We perform welds across a wide range of laser power (3 kW – 8 kW) for a pulse duration of 2 ms. We qualitatively determine weld strength by mechanically pulling apart the samples. Temporally resolved LIF signals, along with backscattered laser light monitoring, demonstrate Cu detection immediately upon Al penetration. We find that LIF can detect Cu even under laser power conditions too weak to create a strong weld, which suggests that LIF may be sensitive enough for real-time, in situ monitoring of Cu/Al laser welding.
Biophysical and X-ray structural studies of the (GGGTT)3GGG G-quadruplex in complex with N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX.

The G-quadruplex (GQ) is a well-studied non-canonical DNA structure formed by G-rich sequences found at telomeres and gene promoters. Biological studies suggest that GQs may play roles in regulating gene expression, DNA replication, and DNA repair. Small molecule ligands were shown to alter GQ structure and stability and thereby serve as novel therapies, particularly against cancer. In this work, we investigate the interaction of a G-rich sequence, 5'-GGGTTGGGTTGGGTTGGG-3' (T1), with a water-soluble porphyrin, N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) via biophysical and X-ray crystallographic studies. UV-vis and fluorescence titrations, as well as a Job plot, revealed a 1:1 binding stoichiometry with an impressively tight binding constant of 30-50 μM-1 and ΔG298 of -10.3 kcal/mol. Eight extended variants of T1 (named T2 -T9) were fully characterized and T7 was identified as a suitable candidate for crystallographic studies. We solved the crystal structures of the T1- and T7-NMM complexes at 2.39 and 2.34 A resolution, respectively. Both complexes form a 5'-5' dimer of parallel GQs capped by NMM at the 3' G-quartet, supporting the 1:1 binding stoichiometry. Our work provides invaluable details about GQ-ligand binding interactions and informs the design of novel anticancer drugs that selectively recognize specific GQs and modulate their stability for therapeutic purposes.
The impact of prior day sleep and physical activity on the cortisol awakening response.

Abstract The cortisol awakening response (CAR) describes the increase in cortisol within the first 30–60 min after waking from nocturnal sleep, and is a common biomarker used within psychoneuroendocrinology, but the effect of sleep on the CAR is currently unclear. A previous study suggested that reported discrepancies may be due to other lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity; given the role of the CAR in energy regulation and preparation for the day, it is theoretically plausible that activity level would influence the CAR. However, no study has yet utilized objective monitoring of day-to-day sleep and physical activity to investigate potential effects on the CAR. This study aimed to test the hypotheses that either sleep duration or sleep quality would interact with the prior 24 h′ physical activity to predict the CAR on the following morning. Salivary samples were collected from 85 young adults (mean = 19.1 years, SD = 1.89) immediately after waking from nocturnal sleep and again 30 min after waking; two complete and consecutive days were used. Participants wore accelerometers (ActiGraph, wGT3X-BT) throughout this phase of a larger study, which provided objective measures of sleep duration, number of awakenings, and amount of physical activity. Mixed-effects models with post-hoc regions of significance decompositions tested the hypothesized interaction effects. Results demonstrated a significant interaction between prior day sleep duration and physical activity predicting the next day CAR, wherein short sleep duration and high levels of physical activity resulted in an augmented CAR. Although more sleep clearly predicted a smaller next day CAR in main effect, this study provides additional support that sleep duration effects are also moderated by prior day physical activity. Both behavioral factors should be considered when assessing the CAR and the association between the CAR other psychoneuroendocrine outcomes.
ASO Visual Abstract: "Going Flat" After Mastectomy: Patient-Reported Outcomes by Online Survey.

The "Going Flat" movement aims to increase awareness and acceptance of mastectomy alone as a viable option for patients. Little is known about the motivation for and satisfaction with surgical outcomes in this population. Among 931 women surveyed in online "Going Flat" communities, 74% were satisfied with their surgical outcome after mastectomy without reconstruction ( http://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-020-09448-9 ). However, 22% of women experienced a low level of surgeon support for going flat, and this "flat denial" strongly predicted dissatisfaction. Most patients undergoing mastectomy alone are satisfied with their surgical outcome. Surgeons may optimize patient experience by recognizing and supporting a patient's decision to go flat.
Response to: 'Correspondence on 'SARS-CoV-2 antibody response after COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic disease'' by Shanoj et al .

We appreciate the comments by Shanoj et al 1 in response to our letter regarding the SARS-CoV-2 antibody response after COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic disease.2 Examining whether patients treated with CD20 inhibitors have antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 is a question of great clinical importance in the management and vaccination of patients taking these medications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shanoj et al describe anti-spike and anti-nucleocapsid antibody test results among five patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 and prior exposure to rituximab.1 Among these patients, one patient developed neither anti-spike nor anti-nucleocapsid antibodies.1 This patient had been treated with rituximab for several years and had no detectable CD19+ B cells shortly before the onset of COVID-19.1 One patient developed anti-spike but not anti-nucleocapsid antibodies; although the duration of rituximab treatment is not provided, this …
Modulation of blood-brain barrier permeability.

AbstractGenetic and other defects leading to brain changes in Down syndrome, Alzheimer disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington disease, Gaucher disease, hypertension and other disorders are rapidly being identified. If brain access were possible, new candidates for gene replacement therapy, antisense oligonucleotides, immune proteins or growth factors might be used for treating these diseases (Lowenstein et al., 1994; Wielbo et al., 1995). Further, a number of drugs, peptides, antibodies and biological response modifiers have proven valuable in inhibiting malignant, infectious and other pathological processes in vitro, but are unlikely to be employed clinically because of their limited access to brain.
Chatbots to Support People With Dementia and Their Caregivers: Systematic Review of Functions and Quality.

Background: Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the use of information technologies to educate and support people with dementia and their family caregivers. At the same time, chatbot technologies have become increasingly popular for use by the public and have been identified as having benefits for health care delivery. However, little is known about how chatbot technologies may benefit people with dementia and their caregivers. Objective: This study aims to identify the types of current commercially available chatbots that are designed for use by people with dementia and their caregivers and to assess their quality in terms of features and content. Methods: Chatbots were identified through a systematic search on Google Play Store, Apple App Store, Alexa Skills, and the internet. An evidence-based assessment tool was used to evaluate the features and content of the identified apps. The assessment was conducted through interrater agreement among 4 separate reviewers. Results: Of the 505 initial chatbots identified, 6 were included in the review. The chatbots assessed varied significantly in terms of content and scope. Although the chatbots were generally found to be easy to use, some limitations were noted regarding their performance and programmed content for dialog. Conclusions: Although chatbot technologies are well established and commonly used by the public, their development for people with dementia and their caregivers is in its infancy. Given the successful use of chatbots in other health care settings and for other applications, there are opportunities to integrate this technology into dementia care. However, more evidence-based chatbots that have undergone end user evaluation are needed to evaluate their potential to adequately educate and support these populations.
Twenty Years of Breast Reduction Surgery at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Background Breast reduction surgery has a high patient satisfaction rate for the treatment of symptomatic macromastia. However, complications from the surgery can significantly disrupt a woman's life due to time in the hospital, clinic appointments, wound care, time off work, and poor aesthetic outcome. Beginning July 2007, the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MRVAMC) Plastic Surgery Service in Gainesville, Florida, started using a preoperative screening protocol to help patients achieve a healthier and more favorable risk profile. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on all breast reduction surgeries performed at the MRVAMC from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2020. Medical records were queried for all primary breast reduction surgeries performed for symptomatic macromastia. Potentially modifiable or predictable risk factors for wound complications were recorded: nicotine status, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus (DM) status, skin incision pattern, and pedicle location. Records were reviewed for 3 months after surgery for local wound complications that included: hematoma, infection, wound breakdown, skin and nipple necrosis. Major complications required an unplanned hospital admission or operation. Results Over the 20-year period, 115 bilateral breast reduction surgeries were performed. There were 48 wound complications (41.7%) and 8 major complications (7%). Most complications were identified in the first 7 years of the study. BMI > 32 (P = .03) and active nicotine use (P = .004) were found to be statistically significant risk factors for wound complications. DM status (P = .22), skin incision pattern (P = .25), and pedicle location (P = .13), were not predictors of wound complications. Conclusions Breast reduction surgery has a high wound complication rate, which can be predicted and improved upon so that patients can receive their indicated surgery with minimal inconvenience and downtime. This review confirms that preoperative weight loss and nicotine cessation were the appropriate focus of the MRVAMC Plastic Surgery service's efforts to achieve a safer surgical experience.
Noise Immune Cascaded Gate Driver Solution for Driving High Speed GaN Power Devices

GaN HEMTs permit fast switching, leading to high dV/dt being generated across them. The Common Mode (CM) noise associated with the dV/dt propagates through the gate drivers’ isolation barrier capacitance. Due impedance mismatch between the PWM signal line and return, CM to Differential Mode (DM) noise transformation occurs and distorts the PWM signal at the input of gate driver. This paper investigates the impact of high dV/dt induced noise on gate drive performance in GaN systems. Firstly, noise propagation paths and CM to DM noise transformation are analyzed, followed by simulation and Double Pulse Test (DPT) on hardware. The results show that noise distortion causes mis-triggering of the switches. Further, it is proposed that a cascaded stage comprising power supply and gate driver can suppress the noise by increasing the noise path impedance. The proposed method is verified on hardware with turn-off and turn-on dV/dt equal to 88 V/ns and 62 V/ns respectively at 400 V without mis-triggering.
Bracketing Entropy of High Dimensional Distributions

Let \(\mathcal{F}_{d}\) be the class of probability distribution functions on \([0,\,1]^{d},\,{d}\geq{2}\). The following estimate for the bracketing entropy of \(\mathcal{F}_{d}\) in the \([L]^{p}\) norm, \(1\,\leq\,p\,{<} \infty \), is obtained: $${\rm log}{N_{[\,]}}(\varepsilon, \mathcal{F}_{d},{\parallel.\parallel}_p)=O(\varepsilon^{-1}{|\rm log\varepsilon|^{2(\rm d-1)}}).$$ Based on this estimate, a general relation between bracketing entropy in the L p norm and metric entropy in the L 1 norm for multivariate smooth functions is established.
EUV/Soft X-ray Emission from Classical Novae

Multiwavelength observations have shown that, after optical decline, the stellar remnants of classical nova outbursts evolve at constant, near-Eddington, bolometric luminosity to high effective temperature (> 2 105 K), before turning off. Here we briefly review the observations of classical novae in this phase of evolution and show that, in principle, EUV and soft X-ray observations can be used to determine the mass of the underlying white dwarf and place limits on the rate of mass loss by stellar winds and the rate of mass gain due to accretion from the stellar companion. We also describe our model atmosphere calculations of EUV/Soft X-ray emission from hot, high gravity stars and their application to the EUVE all-sky survey detection of Nova Cygni 1992 (V1974 Cyg).
Organizational Characteristics of Happy Organizations

Even though we are still in the very early stages of understanding characteristics of happy organizations, there is good reason to believe that organizational happiness does provide a competitive edge. The goal of this chapter is to offer a concise, evidence-based guide on organizational happiness for practicing managers. This chapter will discuss what it means to be happy, how happiness has been measured, and the evidence on its consequences and causes. Two frameworks for explaining why happiness should matter and some recommendations for organizational characteristics to enhance happiness will also be discussed.
Signal Transduction by Human-Restricted FcγRIIa Involves Three Distinct Cytoplasmic Kinase Families Leading to Phagocytosis

Recent experiments indicate an important role for Src family and Syk protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in the signal transduction process initiated by mouse receptors for IgG and leading to phagocytosis. Considerably less is known regarding signal transduction by the human-restricted IgG receptor, FcγRIIa. Furthermore, the relationship among the Src family, Syk, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in phagocytosis is not understood. Here, we show that FcγRIIa is phosphorylated by an Src family member, which results in recruitment and concomitant activation of the distal enzymes Syk and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Using a FcγRI-p85 receptor chimera cotransfected with kinase-inactive mutants of Syk or application of a pharmacological inhibitor of Syk, we show that Syk acts in parallel with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Our results indicate that FcγRIIa-initiated monocyte or neutrophil phagocytosis proceeds from the clustered IgG receptor to Src to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Syk.
Measuring the Market Value of Non-Market Goods: The Case of Conspicuous Consumption

Although non-market goods are not directly allocated through markets, some of these goods are allocated through markets in an indirect fashion. Such is the case with conspicuous consumption: people buy market goods (e.g., clothing) to signal their wealth and then increase the probability of obtaining some non-market goods (e.g., admiration). We are the first to exploit that relationship to measure the market value of those non-market goods by using a revealed-preference approach. We estimate a signaling model using nationally representative data on consumption in the US. We then use this model to obtain welfare implications and perform a counterfactual analysis. Our estimates suggest that for each dollar spent on clothing and cars, the average household obtains approximately 35 cents in net benefits from non-market goods. The signaling mechanism seems to be a relatively efficient allocation mechanism because it attains almost 90% of the full potential benefits from non-market goods. The unattained benefits give an upper bound to the potential gains from economic policy (e.g., a tax on observable goods). The counterfactual analysis suggests that the proportional tax rate on observable goods that would correct the positional externality is in the order of 40%. Additionally, we calculate the unique non-linear tax schedule that would fully correct the externality. Finally, we show that accounting for the consumption of these non-market goods increases the Gini index of consumption inequality by almost 4%.
Matrix reactions of dichlorodisulfane with alkali metals: Blue absorption spectrum of the S2Cl radical in solid argon at 20 K

Matrix reactions of alkali metal atoms and S2Cl2 produced a new absorption from 382 to 456 nm with 470 to 490 cm−1 vibrational spacings. This spectrum, also produced by mercury arc photolysis of an ArS2Cl2 = 2001 sample during deposition, is assigned to the S2Cl radical. Photolysis of ArOCS = 4001 samples during deposition produced the strong, structured S2 absorption at 258 to 299 nm and a weaker 369 to 413 nm system with 420 cm−1 average vibrational spacings which is probably due to S3.
Purification and properties of a nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase from red cells of the rabbit.

Abstract Nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase has been isolated from rabbit reticulocytes. The enzyme has been purified over 2000-fold from the cell lysate. Isolation and analysis procedures are described. The enzyme has been shown to catalyze the hydrolysis of ITP to yield IMP and PPi. Other substrates are dITP, XTP, and, to a lesser extent GTP, dGTP, UTP, and dUTP. ATP, dATP, CTP, and dCTP are not hydrolyzed. The activity of this enzyme in reticulocytes of the rabbit is approximately six times greater per mg of protein than in erythrocytes. Activity comparable to that of rabbit erythrocytes has also been found in human erythrocytes.
El Vaticano II desde una perspectiva luterana

A Lutheran perspective of Vatican II is offered, with a focus on Dignitatis Humanae, Lumen Gentium and Unitatis Redintegratio. The meaning of subsistit in in Lumen Gentium 8 is also annalyzed from a Reformed standpoint. New aspects for ecumenical dialogue are also proposed.
Complex adaptive systems: using a free-market simulation to estimate attribute relevance

The authors have implemented a complex adaptive simulation of an agent-based exchange to estimate the relative importance of attributes in a data set. This simulation uses an individual, transaction-based voting mechanism to help the system estimate the importance of each variable at the system/aggregate level. Two variations of information gain – one using entropy and one using similarity – were used to demonstrate that the resulting estimates can be computed using a smaller subset of the data and greater accommodation for missing and erroneous data than traditional methods.
Obesity and its associated disease: a role for microbiota?

Obesity is a growing epidemic in many developed and developing countries including the United States (1, 2). The prevalence of obesity in adults has increased more than 75% since 1980 with currently more than half of the US population is overweight (2). At its simplest level, obesity stems from an alteration in energy balance that can result from increased energy intake and/or reduced expenditure thus favoring energy storage. Factors that can promote this imbalance are widely appreciated to include genetics, high-fat food, high-fructose diet, and physical inactivity (3, 4). Less appreciated, and the focus of this brief review, is the possibility that the gut microbiota might play a role in the pathophysiology of obesity (5–7). The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbors a large diverse community of bacteria collectively referred to as the gut microbiota, which is increasingly appreciated to play an intricate role in health and well-being, particularly in terms of digestive health and immune function (8). The study of the entire microbial communities using metagenomics approaches estimates that gastrointestinal tract in an adult human contains approximately 1012 micro-organisms per milliliter of luminal content and harbors approximately 15, 000 species of bacteria (9). Amongst these species, Bacteriodetes and Firmicutes, account for more than 90% of all the phylotypes of colonic bacteria. Methanobrevibacter Smithi is a hydrogen consuming methanogen that dominates the Archae domain of gut microbiota. The gut microbiome is established during the first year of life and is influenced by multiple host and external factors including diet and antibiotics. Recent studies show that obese and lean people are different in their gut microbiota composition, specifically in the proportion of Bacteriodetes and Firmicutes. In obese people the Firmicutes are dominant and when they lose weight, the proportion of Firmicutes become more like lean people (10). Some studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota have a substantial correlation with obesity through regulation of metabolism (5, 7, 10, 11). This review explores the recent advances in understanding the role of gut microbiota in pathogenesis of obesity and regulation of satiety. Specifically, we review some of the major processes by which gut microbiota can influence weight gain, including modulation of the inflammatory response to microbiota, nutrient extraction of calories by microbiota and also microbial influence of satiety through the brain-gut axis.
Lipoprotein lipid and protein responses to dietary fat and diabetes in rats

Dietary and insulin-deficiency types of hyperlipidemia were compared in adult normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic male breeder rats. High beef tallow, high corn oil or low fat diets (BT, CO and LF, respectively) were fed ad libitum for 2 months. Glucose and insulin were measured in plasma and total cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesteryl ester, triglycerides and apoproteins in very low density, low density and high density lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL and HDL, respectively). Diet did not affect plasma glucose or insulin levels. LDL-triglycerides were higher in BT and diabetic than in CO and LF rats. HDL-free cholesterol levels were higher in CO- and LF-than in BT-fed rats. Diabetes resulted in a decrease in HDL-cholesterol. Diabetic animals had higher HDL-apoA-I (apolipoprotein A-I) levels than did CO- and LF- but not BT-fed rats. VLDL-triglycerides were higher in diabetic than in normal rats, with no dietary differences in normal rats. In LDL, apoB levels were lower and apoE levels were higher in LF-fed rats than in animals fed high fat diets. Diabetes resulted in an increase in LDL-apoB but a decrease in LDL-apoE. HDL-apoE levels were higher, although HDL-apoA-I levels were lower in LF than in high fat-fed rats. The results related to lipoprotein composition supported the hypothesis that excess intake of a diet high in saturated fat may contribute to a metabolic pattern that resembles that of a diabetic state.
QoS-aware cross-layer multicasting for optical packet-switched networks: Simulation exploration and test-bed demonstration

Cross-layer quality-of-service-aware packet multicasting is investigated for optical packet-switching network fabrics. We present both a numerical simulation exploration of the cross-layer routing algorithms and an experimental demonstration on an optical switching test-bed with 10×10-Gb/s wavelength-striped packets.
A comparative study of magnetic relaxation in YBa2Cu3-xFexO7-y single crystals

The zero-field-cooled magnetization relaxation has been studied over wide temperature and field ranges on iron-doped YBa2Cu3O7−y single crystals. The relationship between the twin boundary density, which depends on the iron composition, and the pinning strength of the flux lines is determined systematically. For magnetic fields up to 1 T the inductive critical current density decreases as the iron composition increases. The Bean critical state model and the Anderson-Kim thermally activated flux-creep model are utilized to analyze and interpret the experimental results.
Windows on the world

We discuss the philosophy, history and theory of window functions. Window functions (sometimes called connections) are a means to treat a relational database as a semantic whole, rather than as an arbitrary collection of relations. Simply stated, a window function maps a database state and a relation scheme to a relation over the scheme. Window functions are the basis for all existing universal scheme interfaces. We present an assumption inherent in universal scheme interfaces, the unique role assumption.Window functions have evolved along two paths, giving rise to computational definitions and weak instance definitions. We examine several examples of each type of window function, with special attention to the association-object window function of PIQUE. We then look at properties we feel a reasonable window function should satisfy, notably the containment condition and faithfulness. We also define implicit objects, which are relation schemes that a window function treats in a special manner, and which are useful for describing the behavior of window functions.
CHEMICAL STUDIES ON MELANOGENESIS IN NORMAL AND ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS1

THE INCREASE in pigmentation accompanying atrophy or tuberculosisof the adrenal cortex has been an established clinical fact sinceAddison2s (1885) original description of the disease. Eiselt (1910) attributedthe pigmentation to an increase in melanin and since thenseveral investigators (Harrop 1933, Kelloway 1923, Konigstein 1910)have reported a slight to moderate degree of melanosis in animalsfollowing adrenalectomy. Recently work of this nature was reportedin adrenalectomized black rats from this laboratory (Ralliand Graef 1943). In the study rats were fed a diet deficient in thefiltrate factors of the vitamin B complex for a sufficient period oftime before adrenalectomy to produce achromotrichia. Followingadrenalectomy definite bluing of the skin occurred and on pathologicalsection an increased deposition of pigment was observed in the hair follicles and bulbs, as well as a hyperplasia of the hairapparatus. The present report is a study of the chemical factors presumed to be involved in melanogenesis a...
Stem Cell Therapy: Challenges Ahead

Stem cells have generated great interest for their potential therapeutic use because of their capacity to self-renew indefinitely and to generate all cell lineages (pluripotency). Many diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders or diabetes are caused by loss of functionality or deficiency of a particular cell type. Stem cells differentiated into a specific cell type such as pancreatic β-cells or neurons, for example, thus hold great promise for regenerative medicine. However, many challenges have to be overcome before stem cell therapy can become a viable clinical approach.
Relationship between DNA adduct formation and sister chromatid exchange induction by [3H]8-methoxypsoralen in Chinese hamster ovary cells☆

Abstract The combination of [3H]8-methoxypsoralen ([3H]8-MeOP) plus near ultraviolet (UV) light was used to study sister chromatid exchange induction and [3H]8-MeOP-DNA adduct formation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Approx. 2.2 adducts/cell/erg/mm2 light were formed under conditions leading to the induction of 0.011 sister chromatid exchanges/erg/mm2 light during the two cycles following DNA damage. Based on these data, the adduct to sister chromatid exchange ratio is nearly 200. Both DNA monoadducts and crosslinks were produced by the illumination employed; the relative effectiveness of these 8-MeOP-DNA reaction products in sister chromatid exchange induction remains to be determined. The yield of 8-MeOP-DNA adducts did not show appreciable cell cycle dependence, and the efficiency of adduct formation, unlike sister chromatid exchange induction, was the same for DNA which replicated early or late in the DNA synthesis phase. However, substitution of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) for thymidine in the DNA led to a nearly 2-fold increase in adduct formation. It is concluded that, while sister chromatid exchanges are typically a much more sensitive index of DNA damage than are chromosome aberrations, these exchanges may still correspond to only a small fraction of the total damage produced.
Implicating the "demos": a reading of Thucydides on the rise of the Four Hundred

In the midst of his account of the events, Thucydides says that it was difficult to switch Athens from democracy to the oligarchic rule of the Four Hundred (8.68.4). Most modem scholars have agreed, viewing the rise of the Four Hundred primarily as a coup effected by violence, terror and deceit. This interpretation does not conform to Thucydides' narrative (8.47-70), however, which shows that it was not very hard to end the Athenian democracy. Although terror, violence and propaganda have their place in Thucydides' account, modem treatments overemphasize them and so ignore or gloss over Thucydides' charge that the Athenian people did not resist oligarchy very strenuously and so bear a large share of responsibility for it. In Thucydides' narrative Peisander et al. are open about plans for oligarchy (if not for the extremely limited oligarchy that they eventually put in place at Kolonos) both on Samos and in Athens, and meet little resistance from democratic supporters. In addition, Thucydides' rhetoric repeatedly mutes what resistance there is, as if to underscore its weakness. Thucydides' Athenians for the most part quickly and easily abandon their democracy. There was a 'terror' campaign, but its scope, effect and need has been exaggerated. In particular, there is no reason to think that the location of the Kolonos meeting - where the Athenians voted the limited oligarchy of the Four Hundred into power-terrified them into doing so. Thucydides' comment on the difficulty of the task of the Four Hundred is ironic. There is a jarring contrast between Thucydides' judgement and his narrative which, when recognized, compels readers to re-examine their own assumptions and expectations. The attention modem commentators have given to Thucydides' words about intimidation and propaganda have left them deaf to the other interesting story Thucydides has to tell about the role the Athenian demos played in the move to oligarchy.
Sociological ambivalence and climate change

Drawing upon in-depth personal interviews, this paper attempts to understand how people make sense of the issue of global climate change through the concept of sociological ambivalence. The paper begins by briefly reviewing existing literature on the concept of sociological ambivalence. The author then describes how their use of the concept builds upon these earlier theorisations. This is followed with a discussion of methods. The remainder of the paper discusses the findings of this research, where the concept of sociological ambivalence is used to make sense of respondents' understandings of climate change and how those understandings link up to in(action).
Double-Chambered Right Ventricle and Situs Inversus With Dextrocardia

We report the case of a 74-year-old woman with a history of complex congenital heart disease consisting of double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV) and situs inversus with dextrocardia. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case with the combination of these 2 congenital abnormalities. The patient was transferred to our hospital after experiencing abdominal discomfort, malaise, and cold sweats for 3 days. Initial examination revealed slightly elevated cardiac troponin T (peaked at 0.56 ng/mL). With her known history of dextrocardia, 12-lead surface electrocardiography (ECG) with both standard precordial leads (Figure 1A) and right-sided precordial leads (Figure 1B) was performed. The standard ECG was notable for inverted P waves in the lateral leads (I and aVL), suggesting rightward atrial electric forces and poor R wave progression. The right-sided precordial lead ECG showed normalized R wave progression. These summations of ECG findings are suggestive of dextrocardia. There were also pseudo-Q waves in the limb leads and T wave inversions in I and aVL, which are also consistent with dextrocardia but less specific than the other findings. In addition, her right-sided ECG showed ST depression and T wave inversion in the anterior leads, which in the …
On the Coupling of Electron Transport to Phosphorylation

After a general thermodynamic discussion of the coupling of oxidation to phosphorylation, quantitative treatments of free energy transduction based upon the proton gradient model, the charged membrane model and the chemical model respectively are summarized and compared with experimental data. The relationship between energy transduction and respiratory control is reexamined.
Vascular effects of circulating CD4-T cells in patients with unstable angina.

T cells are involved in the process of endothelial dysfunction contributing to plaque destabilization [1] and several studies have shown that the predominant population of T cells that infiltrates atherosclerotic plaques is CD4+ T cells [2]. An increased number of CD4+ T cells have already been found in the peripheral blood of patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes [3]. Particularly, a subset of CD4+ T cells characterized by a loss of the CD31 molecule seems to have a crucial role in plaque destabilization and thrombotic complications. Furthermore, an increased number of CD4+ T lymphocytes characterized by a defective cell surface expression of CD28 have been detected in patients with unstable angina (UA). CD4+CD28null T cells were found to expand in the peripheral blood of patients with UA and infiltrate unstable coronary plaques, where they undergo clonal expansion, probably due to their activation by specific antigens [4]. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether CD4+CD31null and CD4+CD28null T cell subpopulations contribute to vascular function in patients with UA. We enrolled 61 patients with UA admitted to our Coronary Care Unit with UA Braunwald's class IIIB and 23 healthy individuals without overt cardiovascular disease who were screened in our outpatients' clinic for cardiovascular prevention. Endothelial function was evaluated by estimating the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the brachial artery, while flow cytometry was used to determine both the number of T-cells present as well as the frequencies of the various T-cell subsets of interest. We have found that endothelial function was significantly impaired in patients with UA compared to healthy controls (4.76 ± 0.24 vs 8.4 ±0.52, p b 0.001, Fig. 1A), while further analysis among the genders of the 2 groups did not reveal any significant differences in FMD (p = 0.631 for males and p= 0.767 for females). Similarly, FMD was not age related. More specifically, after dividing patients into two subgroups according to age, using as a cut-off point the age of 60 years, we observed no significant differences (p = 0.453 and p = 0.562 respectively). Importantly, we have shown that T cell population as marked by CD4+ was elevated in UA patients compared to healthy controls (42.07 ± 1.58 vs 35.43 ± 3.1, p = 0.046). Interestingly, a significant difference was detected between the two groups when the T cell subpopulation CD4+CD31null was examined. A significant increase of these circulating cells were found in the UA group (37.33 ± 1.5 vs 28.98 ± 3.1, p = 0.016, Fig. 1B). Similarly, UA patients presented with a significantly elevated frequency of CD4+CD28null T cells (9.49 ± 0.69 vs 6.69 ± 1.19, p = 0.018, Fig. 1C). However, no significant difference between groups was observed in the frequency
Safety and tolerability of the antibacterial rifaximin in the treatment of travellers' diarrhoea.

Although travellers’ diarrhoea can sometimes be associated with postinfectious complications, the condition is typically self-limiting. The infectious-diarrhoea guidelines subcommittees of the Infectious Disease Society of America and the American College of Gastroenterology recommend empirical antibacterial therapy for travellers’ diarrhoea. Because therapy is directed largely at relieving symptoms and minimising inconvenience, the chosen antibacterial should ideally be both efficacious and pose a low risk of adverse effects.
Location disclosure on LB-SNAs

Location based social network applications (LB-SNAs) allow business access to real-time customer location information. Despite concerns about individual privacy, the popularity of LB-SNAs is rising. This research considers how marketers can motivate people to disclose their location even when they are aware of the risks involved. The data from these applications encourages customers to try new businesses and allows those businesses to provide services that increase loyalty among current customers. The proposed LB-SNA model was tested using survey research with active online LB-SNA users. Findings show that privacy concerns do not moderate the correlation between attitude and location disclosure and that the decision to disclose location information is correlated with incentives. We also show that opinion leadership is a new antecedent for understanding attitudes about location disclosure. This study fills a research gap by positing and testing how an external factor such as incentives can alter a person's attitude about sharing private information. We also refine correlated factors to attitudes, discovering that if a person perceives that they are an opinion leader, they will also be more inclined to have a positive attitude about LB-SNA. In conjunction to testing these new motives this research is the first to modify Internet privacy concerns to fit LB-SNAs specifically, test a model that is contextualized to LB-SNAs, and include incentives and opinion leadership as dimensions within a privacy model. These findings are relevant to practitioners interested in motivating user participation, as well as academics searching for better understanding of privacy behaviors. We investigate the role of incentives in location disclosure behavior on LB-SNA.Opinion leadership is offered as a new construct in the IS literature.Opinion leadership, social norm, risk, and benefit predict attitude toward LB-SNA.
Experience with hormone receptors in renal cancer.

The hormone receptor concentrations in tumour tissues from 20 renal carcinoma patients were determined before postoperative medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) therapy was started. Except for glucocorticoid receptors, the concentrations were either not measureable or were extremely low. The question is whether MPA therapy, solely on the strength of its character as a general roborant, is still useful in the treatment of renal tumours, even when it fails to exercise primary influence because of the absence of suitable receptors. None of the 20 patients was treated with MPA.
From Analog to Digital Implementation

Some discussion of the L-1011 analog system will be given before discussing the problems and advantages of digital implementation. It is the most advanced flight control system in operation today and one for which Category III certification was achieved simultaneously with the airframe certification. All L-1011s have been delivered with a full Category III system and all operators are performing automatic landings in service.
Design of a Compact, Lightweight, Electromechanical Linear Series Elastic Actuator

Series Elastic Actuators (SEAs) have several benefits for force controlled robotic applications. Typical SEAs place an elastic element between the motor and the load, increasing shock tolerance, allowing for more accurate and stable force control, and creating the potential for energy storage. This paper presents the design of a compact, lightweight, low-friction, electromechanical linear SEA used in the lower body of the Tactical Hazardous Operations Robot (THOR). The THOR SEA is an evolutionary improvement upon the SAFFiR SEA [1]. Design changes focused on reducing the size and fixed length of the actuator while increasing its load capacity. This SEA pairs a ball screw-driven linear actuator with a configurable elastic member. The elastic element is a titanium leaf spring with a removable pivot, setting the compliance to either 650 or 372 [kN/m]. The compliant beam is positioned parallel to the actuator, reducing overall packaging size by relocating the space required for spring deflection. Unlike typical SEAs which measure force through spring deflection, the force applied to the titanium beam is measured through a tension/compression load cell located in line with each actuator, resulting in a measurable load range of +/−2225 [N] at a tolerance of +/−1 [N]. A pair of universal joints connects the actuator to the compliant beam and to the robot frame. As the size of each universal joint is greatly dependent upon its required range of motion, each joint design is tailored to fit a particular angle range to further reduce packaging size. Potential research topics involving the actuator are proposed for future work.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Testing Effects in Mixed- versus Pure-List Designs

In the present study, we investigated the role of list composition in the testing effect. Across three experiments, participants learned items through study and initial testing or study and restudy. List composition was manipulated, such that tested and restudied items appeared either intermixed in the same lists (mixed lists) or in separate lists (pure lists). In Experiment 1, half of the participants received mixed lists and half received pure lists. In Experiment 2, all participants were given both mixed and pure lists. Experiment 3 followed Erlebacher's (Psychological Bulletin, 84, 212-219, 1977) method, such that mixed lists, pure tested lists, and pure restudied lists were given to independent groups. Across all three experiments, the final recall results revealed significant testing effects for both mixed and pure lists, with no reliable difference in the magnitude of the testing advantage across list designs. This finding suggests that the testing effect is not subject to a key boundary condition-list design-that impacts other memory phenomena, including the generation effect.
Edgeless cities: Examining the Noncentered metropolis

Abstract Edgeless Cities, a form of sprawling office development that never reaches the scale, density, or cohesiveness of Edge Cities, now account for the bulk of office space found outside of downtowns. The term draws on Garreau's Edge City, yet it is a new, albeit elusive, category. It captures the fact that most suburban office areas lack a physical edge. In contrast to Edge Cities, which combine large‐scale office development with major retail, Edgeless Cities feature mostly isolated office buildings spread across vast swaths of urban space. This article looks at the evolving geography of office space in 13 of the nation's largest office markets, which together contain more than 2.6 billion square feet of office space and 26,000 buildings. The data provide an empirical framework for examining competing theories of metropolitan form. The article concludes with a discussion of the policy implications resulting from the emergence of Edgeless Cities.
Effects of cadmium and mercury on the behavioral responses and development of Eurypanopeus depressus larvae

Larval stages of the estuarine mud crab Eurypanopeus depressus were exposed to either 10 ppb cadmium or 1.8 ppb mercury in a flow-through rearing system. Development time from the megalopa to juvenile crab was extended in the cadmium-exposed individuals. Cadmium elevated the swimming rates of the late zoeal stages, while mercury depressed swimming rates of the early stages. Increased mortality of Stage I zoeae was observed after 24 h exposure to cadmium; increased mortality was also noted for megalopa and early crab stages reared in cadmium.
The social field(s) of arts education today: living vulnerability in neo-liberal times

The arts are often seen as peripheral to the ‘real business’ of school and schooling. While this has been the case for some time now, the increasing pressures of high-stakes testing and ever-more draconian public funding schemes (particularly in the wake of 9/11) have created something of a ‘perfect storm’ for those working in the arts. Arts proponents today live and operate within a culture of scarcity, having to justify their increasingly marginalized vocations while competing for continually shrinking resources. The result is an often deep-bodied sense of vulnerability, one which saturates the social field (both micro and macro) of arts education in ways not often publicly acknowledged. In this article, I explore this notion of ‘vulnerability’ as a framework for understanding qualitative data which emerged from a three-year arts and education project I conducted in a large, northeast city in the USA beginning in 2003. In so doing, I look to open up a broader discussion about the oft-ignored intersectio...