cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics to Define a Relationship Between Wall Shear Stress and Pseudointima Formation Within a Porous ePTFE Graft Implanted Within a Baboon

Local hemodynamics and wall shear stress (WSS) impact healing of implanted expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) vascular grafts. Since adverse outcomes occur shortly after implantation, we documented the effect of local hemodynamics on short-term healing. We implanted a control or a stenotic ePTFE graft with a 60 μm internodal porosity into the abdominal aorta of 15–20 kg juvenile male baboons. At one month we harvested all grafts using in situ pressure perfusion. We interrogated the local hemodynamics with aid of computational fluid dynamics. We constructed three different geometric grids of the vascular grafts. We defined the first grid based on the material specifications of the graft material. We constructed the second grid by outlining the contours of the graft from the sectioned and stained histologic slides. Lastly, we created the third grid by capturing the graft contours from axial sections of the in vivo grafts acquired with a 1.5 T Phillips® MRI. Using volumetric flow rate and PC-MRI data, we performed steady state and pulsatile simulations. We then correlated the calculated wall shear stress and the measured pseudointima formation. The results demonstrated that high wall shear stress fails to inhibit intimal thickening during short term graft healing.© 2003 ASME
Forest plant diversity at local and landscape scales in the Cascade Mountains of southwestern Washington

Old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest are known to support high levels of diversity across the varied landscapes they occupy. On 1200 plots distributed over the Cascade Mountains in southwestern Washington, climatic, physiographic, edaphic and floristic data were collected to evaluate the ecological characteristics of these coniferous forests and develop a classification framework useful in land management. The resulting abundance of data provided a unique opportunity to analyze plant diversity relationships at multiple levels and identify the environmental and biotic factors which influence diversity at local and landscape scales. Plant species richness and diversity were generally lower in communities characterized by environmental extremes (i.e., excessive or scarce moisture and severely cold high elevation) than in mesic environments at low-to-middle elevations. Evenness among plant species was greatest at higher elevations, where severe climate limited the ability of any single or group of species to dominate. Species turnover rates were also higher near the environmental extremes. High turnover rates among mountain hemlock associations were attributed to highly variable topography and local microclimates which resulted in substantial geographical isolation and species specialization among site types. Moisture appeared to have the most influence on species richness (alpha diversity) and sequential turnover rates (beta diversity) at high elevations, where available water is seasonally limited by low temperatures. Temperature had the greatest influence on overall species turnover (gamma diversity) throughout the landscape. Species richness of the landscape (epsilon diversity) was quite accurately predicted (within 7% for temperature and moisture gradients) by a computational method which uses independent measures of alpha, beta and gamma diversity. Patterns of forest plant diversity appear to be the result of environmental conditions at larger scales and the complex interactions among biological and physical variables at smaller scales, within an historical context of stochastic disturbance events. Managers wishing to restore and sustain the high diversity characteristic of these old-growth coniferous forests will need to consider the respective roles of various biophysical factors and the disturbance dynamics in these unique ecosystems.
Calculations and analysis of cross sections required for argon charge exchange recombination spectroscopy

A large set of calculations has been carried out providing a basis for diagnostics of fusion plasmas through emission resulting from radiative de-excitation following charge transfer between hydrogen and highly charged argon ions, so-called argon charge exchange recombination spectroscopy. These results have been obtained using the classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method to treat charge transfer to states with principal quantum numbers up to 30 or more. Nine collision energies between 13.3333 and 250 keV/u pertinent to neutral beam injection have been considered for Arq+ (q = 15–18) colliding with atomic hydrogen in both the ground and metastable states. Atomic orbital close coupling calculations have also been undertaken in order to provide a fully quantum mechanical test of the CTMC results for Ar18+ + H(1s) collisions. The results of the calculations are discussed here and the full set of data is made available through a web posting.
Reliability and Validity of the Professional Counseling Performance Evaluation.

The definition and measurement of counsellor trainee competency is an issue that has received increased attention yet lacks quantitative study. This research evaluates item responses, scale reliability and intercorrelations, interrater agreement, and criterion-related validity of the Professional Performance Fitness Evaluation/Professional Counseling Performance Evaluation, a measure used by counsellor educators to evaluate professional fitness. The results identified several scale items that were insensitive to substandard skill levels and indicated that university and site supervisors' trainee ratings did not agree. Both site and university supervisors did identify a majority of students demonstrating substandard skills, and when the site and university super - visors' ratings were combined, the supervisors identified 79% of the noncompetent trainees.
Repeated application of carvone-induced bacteria to enhance biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil

Carvone, the principal component of spearmint oil, induces biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) by Arthrobacter sp. strain B1B. This study investigated the effectiveness of the repeated application of carvone-induced bacteria for bioremediation of Aroclor-1242-contaminated soil. Control treatments compared a single inoculation of carvone-induced cells, repeated applications of noninduced cells, and repeated applications of cell-free carvone/fructose medium. The results showed that repeated application of carvone-induced bacteria was the most effective treatment for mineralizing PCB, resulting in 27 ± 6% degradation of Aroclor 1242 after 9 weeks; whereas a single application of cells resulted in no significant degradation. Addition of cell-free, carvone/fructose medium resulted in 10% degradation of PCB, which suggests that this treatment stimulated biodegradation of PCB by the indigenous microflora. The di- and trichlorobiphenyls were the most readily degraded congeners. More highly chlorinated congeners, which had been previously shown to be degraded in liquid culture, were not substantially degraded in soil, indicating that low bioavailability may have limited their degradation. With the development of new technology, which permits automated in situ fermentation and delivery of degrader microorganisms, the repeated application of carvone-induced bacteria may facilitate bioremediation of PCB-contaminated soils.
Observation of return current effects in a passive plasma lens

Observations of relativistic beam focusing by a passive plasma lens have demonstrated a reduction in focusing strength due to plasma return current. A 50 MeV beam was propagated through a 1--3 cm long plasma with density around ${10}^{14}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. Beam size was measured as a function of propagation distance. For a ratio of collisionless plasma skin depth to beam spot size ${k}_{p}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{r}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.33$, no significant reduction in focusing was observed. Reduced focusing was measured for ${k}_{p}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{r}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1.1$, where a significant fraction of the inductively driven return current in the plasma flows within the beam. The observations are in good agreement with an envelope equation model and with particle-in-cell simulations.
An in vitro model of the leukocyte interactions associated with granuloma formation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

The principal defense of the human host against a Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is the formation of granulomas, organized collections of activated macrophages, including epithelioid and multinucleated giant cells, surrounded by lymphocytes. This granuloma can sequester and contain the bacteria preventing active disease, and if the granuloma is maintained, these bacteria may remain latent for a person's lifetime. Secretion of a variety of chemoattractant cytokines following phagocytosis of the bacilli by the macrophage is critical not only to the formation of the granuloma but also to its maintenance. To investigate this process of early granuloma formation, we developed an in vitro model composed entirely of human cells. Combining blood lymphocytes and autologous macrophages from healthy purified protein derivative skin test-negative individuals and mycobacteria resulted in the formation of small, rounded aggregate structures. Microscopic examination found macrophage-specific CD68(+) epithelioid macrophages and small round CD3(+) lymphocytes that in complex resembled small granulomas seen in clinical pathology specimens. Acid-fast staining bacteria were observed between and possibly within the cells composing the granulomas. Supernatants from the infected cells collected at 24 and 48 h and 5 and 9 days after infection were analyzed by a multiplexed cytokine bead-based assay using the Luminex 100 and were found to contain interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cytokines known to be involved in human granuloma formation, in quantities from two-fold to 7000-fold higher than supernatants from uninfected control cells. In addition, chemotaxis assays demonstrated that the same supernatants attracted significantly more human peripheral blood mononuclear cells than those of uninfected cells (P<0.001). This model may provide insight into the earliest stages of granuloma formation in those newly infected.
Concentration of tacrolimus and major metabolites in kidney transplant recipients as a function of diabetes mellitus and cytochrome P450 3A gene polymorphism.

Abstract1. Disposition of tacrolimus and its major metabolites, 13-O-desmethyl tacrolimus and 15-O-desmethyl tacrolimus, was evaluated in stable kidney transplant recipients in relation to diabetes mellitus and genetic polymorphism of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A.2. Steady-state concentration–time profiles were obtained for 12-hour or 2-hour post-dose, in 20 (11 with diabetes) and 32 (24 with diabetes) patients, respectively. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphisms of the following genes: CYP3A4 (CYP3A4: CYP3A4*1B, −392A > G), 3A5 (CYP3A5: CYP3A5*3, 6986A > G) and P-glycoprotein (ABCB1: 3435C > T) were characterized.3. Dose-normalized concentrations of tacrolimus or metabolites were higher in diabetic patients. CYP3A4*1B carriers and CYP3A5 expressers, independently or when assessed as a combined CYP3A4-3A5 genotype, had significantly lower dose-normalized pre-dose (C0/dose) and 2-hour post-dose (C2/dose) concentrations of tacrolimus and metabolites. Non-diabetic patients with at least one CYP3A4*1B and ...
A vehicular theory of corporeal qualia (a gift to computationalists)

I have argued elsewhere that non-sentential representations that are the close kin of scale models can be, and often are, realized by computational processes. I will attempt here to weaken any resistance to this claim that happens to issue from those who favor an across-the-board computational theory of cognitive activity. I will argue that embracing the idea that certain computers harbor nonsentential models gives proponents of the computational theory of cognition the means to resolve the conspicuous disconnect between the sentential character of the data structures they posit and the nonsentential qualitative character of our perceptual experiences of corporeal (i.e., spatial, kinematic, and dynamic) properties. Along the way, I will question the viability of some externalist remedies for this disconnect, and I will explain why the computational theory put forward here falls quite clearly beyond the useful bounds of the Chinese-Room argument.
The effect of secretin and cholecystokinin-pancreozymin on the intraluminal pressure of the jejunum in the unanesthetized dog

The effect of intravenous CCK-PZ and intravenous secretin on small intestinal motor activity was studied in 5 unanesthetized dogs. Intrajejunal pressure was recorded through a modified Mann-Bollman fistula. In ten experiments with each of two doses (0.1 units/kg and 0.4 units/kg), CCK-PZ caused a prompt and moderate increase in amplitude and rate of pressure waves. In ten experiments with each of two doses of secretin (0.25 units/kg and 1.0 units/kg), a prompt and almost complete inhibition of jejunal activity was observed.
Prinzmetal's variant angina: A clinical and electrocardiographic study

Abstract Eight patients with “variant” angina pectoris were analyzed for electrocardiographic features before, during, and after chest pain. All patients showed marked concave ST-segment elevations with upright T waves during pain which disappeared with subsidence of pain. Ventricular dysrhythmias were noted in four patients. Three had ventricular tachycardia and one had an idioventricular rhythm. In addition, one patient had a transient Mobitz II atrioventricular block. The electrocardiogram during pain at the time of right ventricular pacing in one patient revealed elevated ST-segments with upright T waves in the previously involved leads. Coronary arteriography in four patients revealed an isolated single lesion in three and normal coronary vessels in the other. The possible basis of the electrocardiographic findings is discussed.
Controversies in the diagnosis and management of childhood acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura

Acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) occurs most commonly in young children who present with severe isolated thrombocytopenia and purpura. A marrow examination is not required unless glucocorticoids are used, lest treatment mask incipient acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but controversy exists here. The recommendations for evaluation and management remain controversial, since prospective controlled trials have not been done. There is some consensus based on experience and empiric data. Almost all children with acute ITP will recover completely without therapy. Although the various treatments may increase the platelet count, they do not influence the outcome of the illness, may increase cost, and cause significant side effects. Therefore, careful observation may be the best management option for the patient with ITP, in the absence of severe bleeding. The data available relevant to these issues are discussed.
The high energy optical model and nuclear forces

Abstract An iteration procedure is discussed for the integral equation relating the t -matrix for two-nucleons in the medium to the free nucleon-nucleon t -matrix. The real and imaginary parts of the medium and high energy optical model potential are discussed from the point of view of this procedure. Numerical results are obtained for the Gammel-Thaler and Signell-Marshak potentials.
Temperature dependence of the heat capacity of a superconducting film in the vicinity of Tc

Abstract Measurements of the temperature dependence of the heat capacity of granular aluminum films have been carried out using ac calorimetry. The results indicate a peak in the heat capacity at the low
Lithographic image simulation for the 21st century with 19th-century tools

Simulation of lithographic processes in semiconductor manufacturing has gone from a crude learning tool 20 years ago to a critical part of yield enhancement strategy today. Although many disparate models, championed by equally disparate communities, exist to describe various photoresist development phenomena, these communities would all agree that the one piece of the simulation picture that can, and must, be computed accurately is the image intensity in the photoresist. The imaging of a photomask onto a thin-film stack is one of the only phenomena in the lithographic process that is described fully by well-known, definitive physical laws. Although many approximations are made in the derivation of the Fourier transform relations between the mask object, the pupil, and the image, these and their impacts are well-understood and need little further investigation. The imaging process in optical lithography is modeled as a partially-coherent, Kohler illumination system. As Hopkins has shown, we can separate the computation into 2 pieces: one that takes information about the illumination source, the projection lens pupil, the resist stack, and the mask size or pitch, and the other that only needs the details of the mask structure. As the latter piece of the calculation can be expressed as a fast Fourier transform, it is the first piece that dominates. This piece involves computation of a potentially large number of numbers called Transmission Cross-Coefficients (TCCs), which are correlations of the pupil function weighted with the illumination intensity distribution. The advantage of performing the image calculations this way is that the computation of these TCCs represents an up-front cost, not to be repeated if one is only interested in changing the mask features, which is the case in Model-Based Optical Proximity Correction (MBOPC). The down side, however, is that the number of these expensive double integrals that must be performed increases as the square of the mask unit cell area; this number can cause even the fastest computers to balk if one needs to study medium- or long-range effects. One can reduce this computational burden by approximating with a smaller area, but accuracy is usually a concern, especially when building a model that will purportedly represent a manufacturing process. This work will review the current methodologies used to simulate the intensity distribution in air above the resist and address the above problems. More to the point, a methodology has been developed to eliminate the expensive numerical integrations in the TCC calculations, as the resulting integrals in many cases of interest can be either evaluated analytically, or replaced by analytical functions accurate to within machine precision. With the burden of computing these numbers lightened, more accurate representations of the image field can be realized, and better overall models are then possible.
Crystallization kinetics of fractions of branched polyethylenes: 2. Effect of molecular weight

Abstract Three series of cross-fractionated branched polyethylenes having molecular weights in the ranges 20 000, 60 000 and 110 000 and branch contents ranging from zero to 32 hexyl branches per 1000 C atoms have been studied. Both linear and bulk growth rates have been determined using optical methods. The two lower molecular weight groups show a regime I-regime II transition, which translates to lower temperatures as branching is increased. The highest molecular weight series shows either a regime II-regime III transition or simply regime III. The transition temperature also translates to lower temperatures as branching increases. The rate of secondary nucleation is reduced by branching, but the rate of reptation is reduced by increasing molecular weight causing the aforementioned effects. It is suggested that the appearance of the regime II-regime III transition is caused by a change in nucleation mechanism.
TESTS OF REINFORCED BRICK COLUMNS

This paper presents the data obtained in an extensive investigation on reinforced brick columns. The results furnished a basis for the development of rational design formulas. The strengths of the columns were found to be made up of the effective strength of the masonry plus the yield-point strength of the longitudinal reinforcement. A study of the type of masonry mortars revealed the fact that Portland cement mortar containing 15% ordinary brick clay by weight of the cement gave better results than did any of the other types used. A review of all known experiments on brick piers and columns is given.
Variational reduced-density-matrix theory applied to the electronic structure of few-electron quantum dots

Variational two-electron reduced-density-matrix (2RDM) theory is applied to computing energy spectra and properties of few-electron quantum dots. The model system is a two-dimensional electron gas with a central confinement potential. For each orbital angular momentum $J$, the energy and 2RDM are computed by the variational 2RDM method in which the energy is minimized as a functional of the 2RDM. In the minimization, which is performed by semidefinite programming, the 2RDM is constrained to represent a $N$-electron wave function with angular momentum $J$ by $N$- and $J$-representability conditions [D. A. Mazziotti, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 213001 (2004)]. Advantages of the variational 2RDM method include (i) lower bounds on the energies for all $J$ values, (ii) calculation of approximate 2RDMs in polynomial time without many-electron wave functions, (iii) exploitation of angular symmetry in the sparse block-diagonal structure of the 2RDM, (iv) accurate description of multireference correlation (entanglement) effects, and (v) direct calculation of one- and two-electron properties from the 2RDM. With the 2RDM we directly compute pair-correlation functions, radial charge densities, and average radial electron displacements in the quantum dot. Energies and properties are compared to those from solving the $N$-electron Schr\"odinger equation by large-scale, exact diagonalization. It is found that the accuracy of the variational 2RDM approach is sensitive to the total orbital angular momentum and the symmetry of the final wave function. For quantum dots of high symmetry, the variational algorithm isolates a highly accurate solution that recovers the correlation energy within a few percent.
Abstract storage: moving file format-specific abstractions intopetabyte-scale storage systems

High-end computing is increasingly I/O bound as computations become more data-intensive, and data transport technologies struggle to keep pace with the demands of large-scale, distributed computations. One approach to avoiding unnecessary I/O is to move the processing to the data, as seen in Google's successful, but relatively specialized, MapReduce system. This paper discusses our investigation towards a general solution for enabling in-situ computation in a peta-scale storage system. We believe our work with flexible, application-specific structured storage is the key to addressing the I/O overhead caused by data partitioning across storage nodes. In order to manage competing workloads on storage nodes, our research in system performance management is leveraged. Our ultimate goal is a general framework for in-situ data-intensive processing, indexing, and searching, which we expect to provide orders of magnitude performance increases for data-intensive workloads.
Polyneuropathy associated with the diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome.

Diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome (DILS) arises in HIV-positive patients secondary to infiltration of lymphocytes into the peripheral tissues and produces the disease’s characteristic sym...
Identification: Psychoanalytic and Biological Perspectives

In recent attempts to bring psychoanalysis into greater contact with other sciences, a number of works have explicated neural science concepts and phenomena—affect, memory, consciousness—for the ps...
Democracy and Class Dictatorship

Clearly, Marx thought he was promoting democratic values. In the Manifesto, the immediate goal of socialism is summed up as “to win the battle of democracy.” Marx sees the reduction of individuality as one of the greatest injuries done by a system in which most people buy and sell their labor power on terms over which they have little control. As they supervised translations and re-issues of the Manifesto, Marx and Engels singled out just one point as a major topic on which their view in 1848 had been superseded. The forms of government needed to be changed to give people more control over the state, a change in structure pioneered by the Paris Commune.
Intracellular pH homeostasis in cultured human placental syncytiotrophoblast cells: recovery from acidification

Resting or basal intracellular pH (pHi) measured in cultured human syncytiotrophoblast cells was 7.26 ± 0.04 (without HCO3−) or 7.24 ± 0.03 (with HCO3−). Ion substitution and inhibitor experiments ...
Building application stack (BAS)

Many commercial buildings have digital controls and extensive sensor networks that can be used to develop novel applications for saving energy, detecting faults, improving comfort, etc. However, buildings are custom designed, leading to differences in functionality, connectivity, controls and operation. As a result today's building applications are hard to write and non-portable. What is required is a form of mass customization that allows applications to automatically adapt to differences in buildings. We present BAS, an application programming interface and runtime for portable building applications. BAS provides a fuzzy query interface allowing application authors to describe the building components they require in terms of functional and spatial relationships. The resulting queries implicitly handle multiple building designs. BAS also incorporates a hierarchical driver model, exposing common functions of building components through standard interfaces. We demonstrate and evaluate BAS by implementing two novel applications -- an occupant HVAC control app and a ventilation optimization app -- on two different buildings using raw building control protocols and then again using BAS. We show that the BAS code is much shorter, easier to understand and does not change for each building.
Outcomes Research The Next Generation

One of the key indicators of the success, maturity, and overall health of a research field is its ability to attract and train bright and talented young investigators. In this regard, the recent Young Investigator Competition at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Research (QCOR) conference is a perfect testament to the fact that our field is vibrant and thriving. As a co-chair of the QCOR Young Clinician and Investigator Committee and one of the organizers of the competition, I was heartened to witness the outstanding quality of science that was displayed by the finalists. Not only were their research projects innovative, methodologically sound, and impeccably presented, but they also provided data that were immediately clinically relevant and impactful. The finalists clearly understood the main mission of an outcomes researcher—generating knowledge to improve clinical care and health care delivery with the goal of optimizing patient outcomes.1 Articles see pp 337, 347, and 358 This issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes includes 3 of the articles that were presented at the QCOR Young Investigator Competition. Although these reports address a wide spectrum of issues, and use different methodologies to achieve their objectives, they all address highly clinically relevant issues …
Shame in Physician-Patient Interactions: Patient Perspectives

This study estimated the extent to which shame is elicited in physician–patient interactions and examined the emotional and behavioral reactions of patients to such interactions. A large adult sample (N = 915) reported on their shame-provoking experiences in interactions with physicians through an anonymous survey. Half of all respondents (n = 456) recalled one or more interactions with a physician that left them feeling ashamed, with significantly more women (59%) than men (39%) reporting this. Forty-five percent of those reporting such experiences stated they terminated treatment with, avoided, or lied to their physician to avoid experiencing further shame. However, 33% believed the shame-provoking interaction provoked useful behavioral changes, and 46% were, on balance, grateful to the physician. Women, relative to men, reported that the interaction led to more negative emotional and behavioral consequences. The type of health issue involved in the interaction also was associated with differential outc...
Functional Streams and Cortical Integration in the Human Brain

The processing of brain information relies on the organization of neuronal networks and circuits that in the end must provide the substrate for human cognition. However, the presence of highly complex and multirelay neuronal interactions has limited our ability to disentangle the assemblies of brain systems. The present review article focuses on the latest developments to understand the architecture of functional streams of the human brain at the large-scale level. Particularly, this article presents a comprehensive framework and recent findings about how the highly modular sensory cortex, such as the visual, somatosensory, auditory, as well as motor cortex areas, connects to more parallel-organized cortical hubs in the brain's functional connectome.
Thymidine Auxotrophic Staphylococcus aureus Small-Colony Variant Endocarditis and Left Ventricular Assist Device Infection

We describe a thymidine-dependent small-colony variant of Staphylococcus aureus associated with left ventricular assist device infection and prosthetic valve and pacemaker endocarditis.
Is There Really a Problem with Hiring Rural Social Service Staff? An Exploratory Study Among Social Service Supervisors in Rural Minnesota

A convenience sample of rural-based social service supervisors was surveyed using an exploratory design to investigate problems associated with hiring and retaining rural social service staff. Findings suggest that geographic distance from standard metropolitan statistical areas predicts an increase in difficulty of hiring. Evidence also suggests that there is a preference for hiring degreed social workers, and the educational level of staff hired differs significantly from the educational level of workers that supervisors stated they would prefer to hire. Additionally, supervisors were asked open-ended questions about successes and challenges of hiring workers. The responses suggested that supervisors prefer to hire employees who are familiar with rural environments. Hiring challenges cited were lack of qualified applicants, low wages, and rural agencies being used as employment “stepping stones.”
Development of a robust and high throughput method for profiling N-linked glycans derived from plasma glycoproteins by NanoLC-FTICR mass spectrometry.

Recent investigations continue to emphasize the importance of glycosylation in various diseases including cancer. In this work, we present a step-by-step protocol describing a method for N-linked glycan profiling of plasma glycoproteins by nanoflow liquid chromatography Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR−MS). A large experimental space was initially explored and is described herein. Three internal standards were spiked into the sample and provided normalization of plasma glycan abundance across different experimental conditions. Incubation methods and times and the effect of NP40 detergent on glycan abundance were explored. It was found that an 18-h incubation with no detergent led to the greatest ion abundance; however, data could be obtained in less than one day from raw plasma samples utilizing microwave irradiation or shorter incubation periods. The intersample precision of three different glycans was less than 5.5% (RSD) when the internal standards were added prior to ...
High‐Temperature Reactions of Clay Mineral Mixtures and Their Ceramic Properties: I, Kaolinite‐Mica‐Quartz Mixtures with 25 Weight % Quartz

The mineralogy and ceramic properties (linear shrinkage and porosity) of fired compacts of quartz, kaolinite, and mica containing 25% of quartz and variable proportions of kaolinite and mica were studied systematically in relation to composition and firing temperature. A procedure for the quantitative determination of components by X-ray diffraction measurements is outlined and applied to the determination of quartz and mullite in the fired samples. For a mixture containing 25%, quartz, 75% kaolinite, the amount of mullite developed at 1300°C. is 41% and this contains 85% of the total Alsoa available. In micarich mixtures, mullite develops at lower temperatures and in smaller proportions. The shrinkage and porosity vary systematically with the percentage of mica in the samples and with firing temperature. The formation of cristobalite depends on the kaolinite content and is not related to the quartz content. Mullite and cristobalite develop at about 1100°C. from the transitory Si-Al spinel-type phase derived from kaolinite.
Introduction: Intractable Conflict: New Perspectives on the Causes and Conditions for Change

Past approaches to the study of intractable conflict focus on a variety of variables that contribute to and sustain destructive social systems. Although rich in case analyses, the extant literature often treats these variables in situ and typically disassociated from each other. This special issue examines the causes and conditions of intractable conflicts through exploring relationships among complex processes. This introduction presents an overview of the articles in this issue and draws from them to illustrate how the processes of institutionalization and deinstitutionalization relate to intractable conflicts.
Effect of Lidocaine and Derivatives on Time of Death and Overturn in Goldfish

The effect of lidocaine and five derivatives on the time of overturn and time of death was examined in goldfish. A relationship between the minimum effective concentration of drug necessary to produce the pharmacological response and the partition coefficient between n-heptane or n-octanol and pH 7.4 buffer was found. Further investigations confirmed that, in goldfish, the nonionized local anesthetic agent is solely responsible for the observed effects on overturn time and time of death. Experiments performed to determine the amount of drug in the goldfish at the time of pharmacological response indicated that, for five of the six compounds studied, the same concentration of drug was found in the fish at the time of response. This finding supports the observation that, for the compounds studied, the critical concentration of drug in the goldfish necessary to produce a given response is identical, the difference in time of response being due to differences in absorption rate. The relationship between overturn time and time of death in goldfish was examined, and linear regression of l/time of death versus l/overturn time yielded 1/TD = 0.2860(1/TO) + 0.0001 (r = 0.9648). The relationship between overturn and death may simply be a function of the amount of drug in the fish at the time of the pharmacological response, and the relationship between the amounts of the drug in the fish at the two endpoints may be constant regardless of the derivative evaluated.
Patient-derived breast tumor xenografts facilitating personalized cancer therapy

Despite improved detection and reduction of breast cancer-related deaths over the recent decade, breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the US, with 39,510 women expected to succumb to metastatic disease in 2012 alone (American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts F 2012). Continued efforts in classification of breast cancers based on gene expression profiling and genomic sequencing have revealed an underlying complexity and molecular heterogeneity within the disease that continues to challenge therapeutic interventions. To successfully identify and translate new treatment regimens to the clinic, it is imperative that our preclinical models recapitulate this complexity and heterogeneity. In this review article, we discuss the recent advances in development and classification of patient-derived human breast tumor xenograft models that have the potential to facilitate the next phase of drug discovery for personalized cancer therapy based on the unique driver signaling pathways in breast tumor subtypes.
Benefits of the Michiana Daily Mathtracks Programme for students living in poverty

This paper summarizes results from a math intervention implemented in a high-poverty urban community. Over 7,300 students from kindergarten to 4th grade in 1 low-socioeconomic-status school district participated in the study. Students from 13 different schools (36 different classroom) participated in the treatment. Comparisons were made to purposely selected control-group schools and all other students in the district. The aim of the intervention was to help early elementary-age students living in poverty learn essential math facts and master basic computational skills as a foundation for improving their math ability. The study used a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design with control and treatment groups. Achievement for both groups was compared to that of the school district as a whole, with analysis disaggregated by poverty status. The results found positive gains in the treatment group's math achievement at every grade level, transcending differences in socioeconomic status.
Research Article: An evaluation of the accuracy of order-level biotic indices for southern Appalachian streams

Abstract Macroinvertebrate biotic indices are widely used in the assessment of water quality. Brevard College's biology classes utilize an order-level biotic index created in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Biotic Index (WBI), in part because of its ease of use. The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources makes water quality assessments using the North Carolina Biotic Index (NCBI), which accounts for the sample's ecoregion and season and assigns each individual species its own pollution tolerance level. Studies have shown that genus and species-level tolerance values provide more accurate water quality assessments than order-level. Because identification to genus and species may be difficult for beginners, assigning a mean order-level tolerance value for each group could make the NCBI more user-friendly (ONCBI). Both indices were compared to the NCBI using samples collected from three distinct locations on the Davidson River in the months of October 2002 through April 2003. Samples were co...
Preschool Teachers' Child-Centered Beliefs: Direct and Indirect Associations with Work Climate and Job-Related Wellbeing.

Early childhood teachers’ child-centered beliefs, defined as teachers’ attitudes about how children learn, have been associated with teachers’ developmentally appropriate practices and positive child outcomes. The predictors of teachers’ child-centered beliefs, however, are less frequently explored. This study tested whether teachers’ perceived work climate in child-care programs is associated with their child-centered beliefs, mediated by their job-related well-being. The sample consisted of 522 preschool teachers (16 % Head Start, and 25 % nationally accredited programs). Path analysis was conducted to test the direct and indirect associations between teachers’ perceived work climate (i.e., collegiality and influence), job-related well-being (i.e., satisfaction and stress), and child-centered beliefs. The results of the path analysis showed that teachers’ perceived collegiality and influence had positive associations with job-related satisfaction, which in turn was positively associated with child-centered beliefs. On the other hand, teachers’ influence in the program was negatively associated with job-related stress, which was in turn, positively associated with child-centered beliefs. Test of mediation using bootstrapping technique showed significant mediation effects. Work climate in child-care programs has important implications for teachers’ child-centered beliefs through job-related well-being. Teachers may need more support from the program directors and policy to create high levels of collegiality and influence, which will eventually be related with more developmentally appropriate philosophy.
Calculated Ground Level Concentration of Pollutants From Gas Turbine Using an Air Quality Display Model Computer Program

This paper contains the calculated ground level concentrations of air pollutants from 11 gas turbine models. These calculations were made using Charlotte, N.C. meteorological data. Four of these are simple cycle machines covering a range of size from 5050 hp to 65 MW and four are regenerative machines. Another three are combined cycle (STAG) machines, two machines having unfired and one having a fired heat recovery steam generator. The calculations were made using a slightly modified version of the United States Environmental Protection Agencies Air Quality Display Model Computer Program.© 1974 ASME
Detection of copy number alterations in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes

Chromosomal deletions and amplifications that occur in affected cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia often contain genes that contribute to disease pathogenesis. Identification of copy number alterations (deletions and amplifications) and regions of copy neutral loss of heterozygosity using array-based platforms has led to the identification of genes that are commonly mutated in myeloid malignancies. In this article, we review the literature and highlight the array-based studies that directly compare matched normal and tumor samples from the same individual to identify somatic alterations. We also discuss the use of next-generation sequencing to identify all types of structural variants, including copy number alterations and copy neutral loss of heterozygosity, and provide an outlook for how this technology may be used to interrogate cancer genomes.
Clinical and Pathologic Analysis of 98 Cases with Renal Biopsy in Children

Objective To explore the correlation between clinical and pathologic feature of glomerular diseases in children.Methods Conductde on 98 patierts with renal biopsy inchildren with glomerular diseases.were retrospeetivtl analzed clinical data.Results Of the 11 patients diagnosed as primary nephrotic syndrome,7 cases matched the clinical diagnosis after pathological analysis including 5 cases of mild mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis,1 case of minimal change disease and 1 case of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis,and the rest 4 cases were respectively diagnosed as 2 cases of serum negative hepatitis B virus associated nephritis,1 case of IgA nephropathy and 1 case of Ig M nephropathy.Of the 56 patients diagnosed as Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis,pathological type of 52 cases were mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis(accounting for 92.8% of the total cases),including 33 cases of second class changes(accounting for 58.9%) with 24 cases diagnosed as minor albuminuria associated with haematuria and 9 cases diagnosed as nephrotic syndrome,followed by 19 cases of third class changes(accounting for 41.1%) with 10 cases(17.9%) diagnosed as minor albuminuria associated with haematuria and 9 cases(16.6%) diagnosed as nephrotic syndrome,and the rest 4 biopsies of endocapillary proliferative glomerulinephritis(8.2%) diagnosed as nephritis.Six cases were diagnosed as hepatitis B virus associated nephritis,including 5 cases further confirmed by biopsy findings and 1 case with endocapillary proliferative glomerulinephritis.Conclusion According to these data,most of the diagnoses were consistent with biopsy findings except 5 cases,and clinical severity was not parallel with pathological classification.Diagnoses only based on clinical appearance can lead to misdiagnoses,excess or delayed treatment.Renal biopsy findings were of great importance in diagnoses and treatment of glomerular diseases.
HDAC inhibitor-mediated radiosensitization of human cancer cells: Class differences and the potential influence of p53.

5039 Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have now shown antineoplastic activity against a number of hematologic and solid malignancies. However, as most agents now in clinical trials were not initially discovered as HDAC inhibitors, enzyme inhibition is suboptimal, resulting in variable activity and potency. Consequently, we examined a rationally designed agent, HDACI-42, developed specifically for ideal insertion into the active site “pocket” of the enzyme, in a number of ovarian cancer cell lines. Following 72-hr treatment, HDACI-42 exhibited potent anti-growth activity against SKOV-3 (1.9 μM IC50), A2780 (0.4 μM IC50), and cisplatin-resistant CP70 (0.6 μM IC50) cells, as assessed by MTT assay. Those effective doses were similar to or lower than those of the well-known HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). In normal ovarian surface epithelial cells, HDACI-42 possessed an IC50 of 8.9 μM, less toxic than SAHA (IC50 of 6.3 μM). To examine possible mechanisms of HDACI-42 growth inhibition, quantitative RT-PCR was performed, using RNA from 24-h drug-treated cells, to assess drug-mediated gene induction. That analysis showed that HDACI-42 likely exerts its effects through both p53-dependent cascades, as shown by upregulation of NOXA (3-fold), and p53-independent cascades, as demonstrated by induction of γ-globin (45-fold), in the p53-positive cell line A2780. The p53 target gene p21 , by contrast, was upregulated in both p53-negative and -positive cells, suggesting that p53 was not fully necessary for induction. While HDACI-42 is a “classical” HDAC inhibitor, as evidenced by increased acetylation of histone H3, it also demonstrated nonhistone effects, as shown by reduced deacetylation of α-tubulin. In summary, this unique HDAC inhibitor is a promising preclinical candidate for the treatment of human ovarian cancer.
No hormone to rule them all: Interactions of plant hormones during the responses of plants to pathogens

Plant hormones are essential regulators of plant growth and immunity. In the last few decades, a vast amount of information has been obtained detailing the role of different plant hormones in immunity, and how they work together to ultimately shape the outcomes of plant pathogen interactions. Here we provide an overview on the roles of the main classes of plant hormones in the regulation of plant immunity, highlighting their metabolic and signaling pathways and how plants and pathogens utilize these pathways to activate or suppress defence.