cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multivalent Binding of Nanocarrier to Endothelial Cells under Shear Flow

We investigate the effects of particle size, shear flow, and resistance due to the glycocalyx on the multivalent binding of functionalized nanocarriers (NC) to endothelial cells (ECs). We address the much- debated issue of shear-enhanced binding by computing the binding free-energy landscapes of NC binding to the EC surface when the system is subjected to shear, using a model and simulation methodology based on the Metropolis Monte Carlo approach. The binding affinities calculated based on the free-energy profiles are found to be in excellent agreement with experimental measurements for different-sized NCs. The model suggests that increasing the size of NCs significantly increases the multivalency but only moderately enhances the binding affinities due to the entropy loss associated with bound receptors on the EC surface. A significant prediction of our model is that under flow conditions, the binding free energies of NCs are a nonmonotonic function of the shear force. They show a well-defined minimum at a critical shear value, and thus quantitatively mimic the shear-enhanced binding behavior observed in various experiments. More significantly, our results indicate that the interplay between multivalent binding and shear force can reproduce the shear-enhanced binding phenomenon, which suggests that under certain conditions, this phenomenon can also occur in systems that do not show a catch-bond behavior. In addition, the model also suggests that the impact of the glycocalyx thickness on NC binding affinity is exponential, implying a highly nonlinear effect of the glycocalyx on binding.
Tricholoma fulvimarginatum (Tricholomataceae): A new species from North America associated with cottonwood

Tricholoma fulvimarginatum is described as a new species of Agaricales from eastern North America. This fungus belongs in subgenusTricholoma sectionGenuina due to the coloration of the pileus surface. The orange-brown pileus, marginate lamellae, and presumed mycorrhizal association withPopulus deltoides distinguish this species from others in the section.
Extrahepatic hepatitis B virus DNA sequences in patients with acute hepatitis B infection

Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of hepadnavirus-related nucleic acids in extrahepatic tissues in various animal models. The prevalence and biological significance of extrahepatic infection in humans remains undetermined. To characterize the tissue distribution and physical state of extrahepatic hepatitis B virus nucleic acids in acute hepatitis infection, we examined serum, liver and multiple extrahepatic tissues obtained at autopsy from two patients with fulminant hepatitis and one patient with resolving hepatitis who died of an unrelated cause. Southern-blot hybridization analysis was used to analyze the physical state of hepatitis B virus-related DNA. Hepatitis B virus-related RNA sequences were examined by slot-blotting total RNA extracted from corresponding tissues. Hepatitis B virus nucleic acids were demonstrated in lymph nodes, spleen, gonads, thyroid gland, kidneys, pancreas and adrenal glands. The most intense signal of hybridization was obtained with DNA extracted from lymph nodes. In general, the levels of hepatitis B virus RNA correlated with the amount of viral DNA. Fast-migrating DNA sequences resembling replicative intermediates and ranging in size from 1 to 3.2 kb were detected in EcoRI digests. Faint high-molecular-weight smears suggesting random integration also were observed. Remarkably, little or no hepatitis B virus nucleic acid was detected in the serum or liver. In control specimens obtained from hepatitis B virus carriers, most hybridizable hepatitis B virus nucleic acid was present in liver, but hepatitis B virus DNA was also detected in extrahepatic tissues. Finally, no specific histological changes were observed in extrahepatic tissues harboring hepatitis B virus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Are we improving the quality of nursing home care: the case of pressure ulcers.

BACKGROUND: There are widespread concerns regarding the quality of nursing home care and whether care is improving. We evaluated a large provider of nursing home care to determine whether risk-adjusted rates of pressure ulcer development have changed. METHODS: We used the Minimum Data Set to study National HealthCare Corporation nursing homes from 1991 through 1995. Rates of pressure ulcer development were calculated for successive 6-month periods by determining the proportion of residents initially ulcer-free having a stage 2 or larger pressure ulcer on subsequent assessments. Rates were risk-adjusted for patient characteristics. The proportion of new ulcers that were deep (stages 3 or 4) were also calculated. RESULTS: We examined risk-adjusted rates of pressure ulcer development based on 144,379 observations of 30,510 residents at 107 nursing homes. The number of observations per 6-month period ranged from 11,041 to 15,805. Between 1991 and 1995, there was a significant (P < .05) rate decline of more than 25%. Additionally, the proportion of new ulcers that were stages 3 or 4 declined from 30 to 22% (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Nursing homes showed significant improvement in the quality of pressure ulcer preventive care from 1991 to 1995. J Am Geriatr Soc 48: 59–62, 2000.
MCP-1 is up-regulated in unstressed and stressed HO-1 knockout mice: Pathophysiologic correlates.

MCP-1 is up-regulated in unstressed and stressed HO-1 knockout mice: Pathophysiologic correlates. Background Up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) occurs in, and often confers protection to, the injured kidney. Up-regulation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) promotes not only acute and chronic nephritides but also acute ischemic and nephrotoxic injury. The present study was stimulated by the hypothesis that expression of MCP-1 is suppressed by HO-1, and analyzed the effect of HO-1 on the expression of MCP-1 in stressed and unstressed conditions. Methods Expression of MCP-1 and pathophysiologic correlates were examined in HO-1 knockout (HO-1-/-) and wild-type (HO-1+/+) mice in the unstressed state in young and aged mice, and following nephrotoxic and ischemic insults. Results In unstressed HO-1-/- mice, plasma levels of MCP-1 protein were elevated, and MCP-1 mRNA expression was increased in circulating leukocytes and in the kidney. Such early and heightened up-regulation of MCP-1 was eventually accompanied by phenotypic changes in the aged kidney consistent with MCP-1, namely, proliferative changes in glomeruli, tubulointerstitial disease, and up-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and collagens I, III, and IV. In response to a nephrotoxic insult such as hemoglobin, MCP-1 mRNA was up-regulated in a markedly sustained manner in HO-1-/- mice. In response to a duration of ischemia that exerted little effect in HO-1+/+ mice, HO-1-/- mice exhibited higher expression of MCP-1 mRNA, enhanced activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) (the transcription factor that regulates MCP-1), markedly greater functional and structural renal injury, increased caspase-3 expression, and increased mortality. Conclusion In the absence of HO-1, expression of MCP-1 is significantly and consistently enhanced in unstressed and stressed conditions. We speculate that the protective effects of HO-1 in injured tissue may involve, at least in part, the capacity of HO-1 to restrain up-regulation of MCP-1.
Code–convergent borrowing in Louisiana French

The nature of lexical and structural borrowing has been at the forefront of sociolinguistic debates for many years. This study analyzes bilingual lexemes and morphemes of English-origin loanwords from a Louisiana corpus of twenty-two French/English speakers. French Louisiana, however, has been undergoing language shift from French to English for three generations and, as a consequence, language dominance is in a parallel state of shift. This competing dominance produces borrowings characterized by a range of phonological integration coupled with bound morphemes from both languages. These data suggest that examining borrowing beyond the word level reveals a highly complex interplay of often competing and overlapping grammars.
Comprehensive Review of Rasagiline, a Second-Generation Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor, for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

Background Inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO) with selectivity and specificity for MAO type B (MAO-B) prolong the duration of action of both endogenously and exogenously derived dopamine. Rasagiline [N-propargyl-l(R)-aminoindan] is a second-generation propargylamine pharmacophore that selectively and irreversibly inhibits brain MAO-B and is specifically designed for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Objective The aim of this study was to review the pharmacology, tolerability, and clinical efficacy of rasagiline in the treatment of PD. Methods MEDLINE (1966-April 2007), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-April 2007) were searched for original research and review articles published in English. The search terms were monoamine oxidase, neuroprotection, Parkinson disease, propargylamine, rasagiline, and selegiline. The reference lists of articles were also consulted, as was information provided by the manufacturer of rasagiline. Results Data from 63 clinical and laboratory studies were analyzed. Based on the results from those studies, we concluded that rasagiline PO QD, at the therapeutic dosage range of 0.5 to 1 rag/d, is effective and well tolerated and completely, selectively, and specifically inhibited MAO-B. Pharmacologically, rasagiline was found to be or =70 years) patients with early or advanced PD. Pharmacologically, rasagiline has the potential to augment the vasopressor effects of diet-derived tyramine (ie, the "cheese reaction"). However, clinical challenge studies of tyramine have found this unlikely to occur even with ingestion of supraphysiologic amounts of tyramine. In experimental models, rasagiline has been found to have neuroprotective properties that may be independent of MAO-B inhibition. Conclusions Based on this review, rasagiline has been found to be well tolerated and effective in the treatment of early PD and as adjunctive treatment in motor fluctuations. Whether rasagiline is associated with clinically significant neuroprotection (ie, disease modification) in PD is the subject of ongoing clinical trials.
Why i came back to Ada

After the Air Force Academy switched its curriculum to Java, I extracted myself from the Ada community and moved on to other research interests, particularly computer security. In this talk, I'll explain the new developments that brought me back to Ada and how Ada and SPARK may be a secret weapon in the 21st century.
Modeling the effect of oxygen on the fatigue lifetime of solder joints

This paper deals with thermal fatigue of solder joints as function of oxygen concentration at the interconnection. Thermal fatigue occurs in the field as a result of computer on/off cycles, producing strains in the solder joints due to the thermal mismatch between the interconnected materials, i.e., chip and substrate. The time-to-failure increases with decreasing oxygen content, and is a function of shear strain, temperature, cycling frequency, geometry, stress relaxation, and process residues. The results help define design and application conditions for safe operation in the field and for the enhancement of the fatigue lifetime.
Bacterial Community Structure in the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert, Chile

Soils from the hyperarid Atacama Desert of northern Chile were sampled along an east-west elevational transect (23.75 to 24.70°S) through the driest sector to compare the relative structure of bacterial communities. Analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles from each of the samples revealed that microbial communities from the extreme hyperarid core of the desert clustered separately from all of the remaining communities. Bands sequenced from DGGE profiles of two samples taken at a 22-month interval from this core region revealed the presence of similar populations dominated by bacteria from the Gemmatimonadetes and Planctomycetes phyla.
Perceptions of Risk Factors for Female Gang Involvement among African American and Hispanic Women

This study examines ethnic minority girls' perceptions of risk factors for female gang involvement. Thirty-one female students at an alternative school in a high-crime, urban environment were inter...
The relationship between tussock tundra spectral reflectance properties and biomass and vegetation composition

Abstract Frequent cloud cover and logistical constraints hamper biophysical remote sensing studies in arctic locations, resulting in a general lack of information regarding relationships between biophysical quantities and the spectral reflectance of arctic vegetation communities. An experiment was conducted on the north slope of Alaska to characterize relationships between the spectral reflectance of three tussock tundra communities (moist tussock, dry heath and water track) and the above ground biomass and vegetation composition of each community. Hand-held radiometric and ground reference data were collected three times during the 1989 growing season. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was regressed on above ground photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic biomass quantities and individual blue, green red and near-infrared spectral reflectances and the NDVI were regressed on vegetation cover type fractions. Up to 51 per cent of the variance in the NDVI was explained by the amount of photosynt...
The use of the processes of change across the exercise stages of change and across varying intensities and frequencies of exercise behavior.

Abstract Purpose Determine the use of the processes of change (POC) across the exercise stages of change and across varying intensities and frequencies of exercise behavior. Design Cross-sectional design. Setting University setting. Subjects Questionnaires were collected from 699 college-aged individuals. Measures Data were collected for exercise stages of change, POC and exercise behavior. Self-report exercise data were categorized as 0 days, 1 to 2 days, and 3 or more days per week of moderate and vigorous exercise. Analysis MANOVA assessed differences in the use of the 10 POC across the stages of change and across varying frequencies of moderate and vigorous exercise behavior. Results Results showed all 10 POC were significant between the exercise stages of change and differing frequencies of moderate and vigorous exercise behavior. Post hoc analysis identified 7 significant processes between adjacent exercise stages of change, 10 significant processes between differing frequencies of moderate exercise...
Megavoltage Irradiation in the Management of Malignant Ovarian Tumours

Most of the malignant tumours of the ovary spread diffusely throughout the abdominal cavity and along the lymphatics of the periaortic chain. An accurate preoperative diagnosis is rarely possible and the majority of cases are referred to the radiotherapist after, at least, an exploratory laparotomy. Seventy-five per cent of patients referred to this institution have had, before referral, surgical procedures ranging from complete removal of gross tumour to biopsy of generalized abdominal carcinomatosis. Additional surgery is performed after referral, depending on the individual patient under consideration.
A blended approach to invasive bedside procedural instruction.

Objective: This study assessed the impact of a blended, standardized curriculum for invasive bedside procedural training on medical knowledge and technical skills for Internal Medicine residents. Methods: The investigators developed a curriculum in procedural instruction and performance for Internal Medicine house staff, and implemented the program at a tertiary care academic medical center with a primary affiliation with a US medical school. The investigators chose procedures recommended for technical competence by the American Board of Internal Medicine: lumbar puncture, thoracentesis, paracentesis, central venous catheter insertion, and knee arthrocentesis. The program included: (1) assessment of baseline medical knowledge and technical proficiency on mannequins, (2) video instruction of procedure, (3) faculty-led discussion of critical concepts, (4) faculty demonstration of the procedure on mannequin, (5) individual practice on simulators, (6) post-intervention knowledge evaluation, and (7) post-intervention skills evaluation. The performance achieved during the initial skills evaluation on a mannequin was compared to the performance achieved on the first patient subsequent to the instructional portion. Results: All participants with complete data demonstrated a statistically significant pre-intervention to post-intervention improvement ( p5 0.05) in comprehensive medical knowledge and procedural skills. Conclusion: A blended, standardized curriculum in invasive bedside procedural instruction can significantly improve performance in participants’ medical knowledge and technical skills.
Polymers from 1,3‐dipole addition reactions. The nitrilimine dipole from tetrazoles

Polymers containing pyrazole and triazole units in the polymer chain were obtained through the 1,3-dipolar addition reaction of bisnitrilimines generated from tetrazoles with diynes and dinitrile dipolarophiles. The reaction of 2,2′-diphenyl-5,5′-m- and p-phenyleneditetrazole with the dipolarophiles m- and p-diethynylbenzene, terephthalonitrile, tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile, perfluoroglutarylnitrile, and 4,4′-dicyanobiphenyl gave a series of thermally stable polymers of high molecular weight. The polypyrazoles were soluble in acid and in some cases in chlorobenzene or 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and had intrinsic viscosities as high as 1.67, while the polytriazoles were soluble in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and chlorobenzene, but not in acid, and had viscosities ranging up to 0.40. The thermogravimetric analyses of the finely powdered polymers showed breaks near 500°C in air and nitrogen atmospheres.
Developing a Research Agenda for Assisted Living

Purpose: We describe an approach to identifying knowledge gaps, research questions, and methodological issues for assisted living (AL) research. Design and Methods: We undertook an inventory of AL literature and research in progress and commissioned background papers critiquing knowledge on selected subtopics. With an advisory committee, we identified a comprehensive list of researchable questions of potential utility to consumers, providers, and/or policy makers, which AL researchers then rated as to their importance. The preliminary work facilitated a structured working conference of AL researchers. Results: The top five priority topics identified as a result of the polling before the conference were consumer preferences, cost and financing, developing an information system for consumer decision making, developing quality measures, and resident outcomes. From conference discussion, conferees added other emphasis areas and refined the original ones. They flagged lack of standardized definitions and measures as barriers to building an empirically based AL literature. Conferees also identified distinctions between research on AL as a whole and research on interventions within AL. Implications: In an emerging area in which the literature cannot yet support rigorous comparisons, meta-analysis, or consensus conferences, the systematic approaches, including assembling researchers who use widely different methods, generated substantial agreement on a research agenda.
Career Placement Project: A Career Readiness Program for Community College Students With Disabilities

This study examines the effect of a Career Placement Project using enhanced career services specifically designed for community college students with disabilities. The 4 areas of services provided by the project were career exploration, Job readiness, Job-seeking skills, and Job shadowing. A pretest-posttest design using a participant group and a control group measured change in career readiness. Based on the data, it seems that the Career Placement Project was effective in increasing the career preparedness of participating students with disabilities.
The effect of computed tomographic scanner parameters and 3-dimensional volume rendering techniques on the accuracy of linear, angular, and volumetric measurements of the mandible

Objectives. This study investigates the effect of scanning parameters on the accuracy of measurements from three-dimensional (3D), multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) mandible renderings. A broader range of acceptable parameters can increase the availability of computed tomographic (CT) studies for retrospective analysis. Study Design. Three human mandibles and a phantom object were scanned using 18 combinations of slice thickness, field of view (FOV), and reconstruction algorithm and 3 different threshold-based segmentations. Measurements of 3D computed tomography (3DCT) models and specimens were compared. Results. Linear and angular measurements were accurate, irrespective of scanner parameters or rendering technique. Volume measurements were accurate with a slice thickness of 1.25 mm, but not 2.5 mm. Surface area measurements were consistently inflated.
Transport and fate of microorganisms in soils with preferential flow under different solution chemistry conditions

[1] Laboratory and numerical studies were conducted to investigate the transport and fate of Escherichia coli D21g and coliphage’X174 in saturated soils with preferential flow under different solution ionic strength (IS ¼ 1, 5, 20, and 100 mM) conditions. Preferential flow systems were created by embedding a coarse-sand lens (710 mm) into a finer matrix sand (120 mm). Complementary transport experiments were conducted in homogeneous sand columns to identify controlling transport and retention processes, and to independently determine model parameters for numerical simulations in the heterogeneous experiments. Results from homogeneous and heterogeneous transport experiments demonstrate that retention of E. coli D21g and’X174 increased with IS, while the effect on E. coli D21g in finer sand was much greater than in coarse sand. This microbe transport behavior was well described by numerical simulations. The importance of preferential flow on microbe transport was found to be enhanced at higher IS, even though the overall transport decreased. However, the contribution of preferential flow was much higher for E. coli D21g than’X174. Deposition profiles revealed significant cell retention at the interface of the coarse-sand lens and the fine-sand matrix as a result of mass transfer. Cell release from the preferential flow system with a reduction of solution IS exhibited multipulse breakthrough behavior that was strongly dependent on the initial amount of cell retention, especially at the lens-matrix interface.
Fully self-consistent 3D modeling of spherical Mach-probes in ExB fields

We carry out 3D particle-in-cell simulations accounting for the full ion distribution function, Boltzmann electrons, and the self-consistent potential profiles in the neighborhood of a sphere in a flowing magnetized plasma. This can be considered as the “spherical Mach-probe” problem, establishing how the ion flux to the surface varies with orientation, and with parallel and perpendicular external velocity. This dependence is required to interpret reliably experimental measurements on several tokamaks.
A method of incorporating organ motion uncertainties into three-dimensional conformal treatment plans

Abstract Purpose : We describe a method of incorporating organ motion into three-dimensional (3D) conformal treatment plans, which predict the effect of organ motion on the calculated dose to both the clinical target volume (CTV) and nontarget organs. Methods and Materials : The method is based on measurements of organ motion by means of multiple computed tomography (CT) scans from a group of “reference” patients, in which the data consist of previously drawn contours of the target and nontarget organs. A computer program records the differences in contour position and shape that occurs between scans in the reference data, and according to those differences adjusts the contours and dose calculation points of a study” patient currently being planned, thus simulating organ motion. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) are accumulated, and the process is repeated over the set of reference patient scans, resulting in a set of treatment plans that are ranked according to a dose-based endpoint. Two plans are selected corresponding to specified lower and upper confidence limits in the endpoint, and the DVHs from these plans are displayed for comparison with the DVHs from the nominal plan in the absence of motion. Results | As an example of the method's use, it is applied to a 6-field conformal treatment plan for prostate cancer. Confidence limit DVHs of the CTV and rectal wall (in which the plans were ranked by probabilities for tumor control and normal tissue complication, respectively) are presented and compared to those from the nominal plan. Conclusion : The method provides a means of estimating the uncertainty in dose delivered by a treatment plan when organ motion is present. It is generally applicable to any treatment site for which data in the form of multiple CT scans are available, and can be extended to include other treatment uncertainties such as variation in patient positioning.
Systematic review of outcomes after surgical management of venous disease incorporating subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery.

Abstract Introduction In the United States more than 6 million persons have chronic venous insufficiency and more than 500,000 have venous ulcers. Patients in whom conservative therapies fail may improve after surgical treatment of superficial and perforating venous disease, but the degree of this benefit is uncertain. Purpose We performed a systematic review of health outcomes in patients with severe chronic venous insufficiency treated with surgical management that incorporated subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery (SEPS), to quantify the overall rates of surgical outcomes. Methods Published studies in English reporting venous ulcer healing and recurrence outcomes after SEPS were obtained from a MEDLINE search. Data regarding patient characteristics and surgical outcomes were abstracted from each study, and the outcomes were combined by using a random effects model. Results Our search identified 20 studies, 1 randomized trial and 19 case series, involving 1140 treated limbs. CEAP classification was secondary cause (E S ) in 36%, deep venous involvement (A D )in 56%, and obstructive (P O ) in 12%. Overall, after surgical treatment including SEPS, with or without concomitant superficial venous ablation, ulcers in 88% of limbs healed. Ulcers recurred in 13%, at mean time of 21 months. Risk factors for nonhealing and recurrence included postoperative incompetent perforator veins, pathophysiologic obstruction, secondary cause, and ulcer diameter greater than 2 cm. Complications and their overall rates after surgical treatment including SEPS were wound infection (6%), hematoma (9%), neuralgia (7%), and deep venous thrombosis (1%). Conclusion Our results suggest that surgical management of venous ulcer including SEPS, with or without saphenous ablation, leads to an 88% chance of ulcer healing and a 13% chance of ulcer recurrence over the short term. Randomized controlled trials are needed to discern the contributions of compression therapy, superficial venous surgery, and SEPS in the treatment of venous ulcer disease.
Advances in wireless terminals

The current wireless networks are being replaced by emerging wireless networking technologies that are intrinsically designed to support packet data and multimedia services. This will lead to novel networked applications and services, which in turn will require wireless terminals capable of exploiting these services. What shape will these next-generation wireless terminals take? The answer, based on the much talked about notion of "convergence", would appear to be a marriage of the laptop or PC with a wireless phone in the same package. We argue that such a complex one-size-fits-all voice-data integrated wireless terminal will, at best, be a point solution. Rather, with the availability of cheap radio and computing hardware and ubiquitous low-cost indoor and outdoor wireless networking infrastructures, the capability to access a wireless network will soon be embedded into a variety of devices, gadgets, and appliances with specialized functions in our environment. In this article we describe the technological challenges and identify potential solutions in designing these myriad future "wireless terminals" that will handle diverse data types, have limited battery resources, and operate in environments that are unplanned, insecure, and time-varying, and have context-dependent services.
Difference in dietary intake between women with polycystic ovary syndrome and healthy controls

Objective To test the hypothesis that the dietary intake and dietary composition of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with indices of glycemic status. We hypothesized that women with PCOS would consume a diet higher in total energy, fat, and specific foods with a high glycemic index than would healthy, control-group women and that dietary composition would be associated with indices of insulin resistance and secretion among women with PCOS. Design Cohort study. Setting Research center on a university campus. Patient(s) Thirty women with PCOS and 27 healthy, age-, race-, and body mass index (BMI)–matched control women. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Nutrient intake data were collected from a food questionnaire and a 4-day food record. Fasting sera were analyzed for concentrations of insulin and glucose; estimates of insulin resistance were calculated. Result(s) Consumption of total energy, macronutrients, micronutrients, and high glycemic index foods was similar between the groups. However, the PCOS group consumed significantly more white bread (7.9 ± 4.4 vs. 5.5 ± 2.9 servings over 4 days) and tended to consume more fried potatoes than did the control group (1.0 ± 1.5 vs. 0.4 ± 0.7 servings over 4 days). The PCOS group had a significantly greater fasting insulin concentration (22.5 ± 14.9 vs. 15.1 ± 8.3 μIU/mL) and a significantly lower glucose-to-insulin ratio (4.7 ± 2.1 vs. 7.6 ± 5.2) than the control group. Within the PCOS group, HOMA-IR and HOMA-%β-cell function were significantly associated with BMI. The HOMA-IR, HOMA-%β-cell, fasting insulin, and glucose-to-insulin ratio were not positively associated with measures of diet composition. Conclusion(s) Compared with matched control women, women with PCOS exhibited a dietary pattern that was marked by consumption of a greater amount of specific foods with a high glycemic index; however, diet composition was not associated with the greater fasting insulin concentration or with lower glucose-to-insulin ratio that was observed in the PCOS group.
Endocannabinoid-Like Lipids in Plants

Classically, endogenous fatty acid ethanolamides and their derivatives that bind to the cannabinoid receptors and trigger a signalling pathway are referred to as endocannabinoids. Although derivatives of arachidonic acid, including arachidonylethanolamine or anandamide, are the known endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors, other fatty acid ethanolamides or N-acylethanolamines (NAE) that vary in carbon chain length and saturation occur ubiquitously in eukaryotic organisms and play an important role in their physiology and development. The metabolic pathway for NAEs is highly conserved among eukaryotes and well characterised in mammalian systems. Although NAE pathway is only partly elucidated in plants, significant progress has been made in the past 20 years in understanding the implications of the metabolism of saturated and unsaturated endocannabinoid-like molecules in plant development and growth. The latest advancements in the field of plant endocannabinoid research are reviewed. Key Concepts Endocannabinoids are endogenous ligands of cannabinoid receptors in mammalian systems. Endocannabinoids belong to a class of small bioactive lipid molecules that are derivatives of fatty acids including their ethanolamides, referred to as N-acylethanolamines. N-Acylethanolamines are ubiquitous and their metabolic pathway is highly conserved among eukaryotes. In higher plants, only 12–18C N-acylethanolamines have been identified and their metabolic pathway is partly elucidated. The endocannabinoid-like lipids play an important role in seed germination, seedling development, flowering and cellular organisation. In plants, N-acylethanolamines also participate in mediating responses to biotic and abiotic stress. Keywords: anandamide; cannabinoid receptor; endocannabinoid; fatty acid amide hydrolase; fatty acid ethanolamide; plant lipid signalling; lipoxygenase; N-acylethanolamine; N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine; oxylipins
Beta decay of 86Rb

Abstract The beta decay of 86Rb has been measured using lithium drifted surface barrier silicon detectors. Corrections to the spectrum have been made using the measured response function of the detectors. The inner branch has an allowed spectral shape and an endpoint energy of 677 ± 5 keV, and the outer branch has a first forbidden unique spectral shape and an endpoint energy of 1753 ± 4.5 keV.
How common is normal cerebrospinal fluid pressure in spontaneous intracranial hypotension

Objectives To determine the proportion of patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) who had a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure >6 cm H2O and to investigate the clinical and imaging variables associated with CSF pressure ( PCSF) in this condition. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 106 patients with SIH. PCSF was measured by lumbar puncture prior to treatment. Clinical and imaging variables - including demographic data, brain imaging results, symptom duration, and abdominal circumference - were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the correlation of these variables with PCSF. Results Sixty-one percent of patients had a PCSF between 6 and 20 cm H2O; only 34% had a PCSF ≤6 cm H2O. The factors associated with increased PCSF included abdominal circumference ( p < 0.001), symptom duration ( p = 0.015), and the absence of brain magnetic resonance imaging findings of SIH ( p = 0.003). A wide variability in PCSF was observed among all patients, which was not completely accounted for by the variables included in the model. Conclusions Normal CSF pressure is common in patients with SIH; the absence of a low opening pressure should not exclude this condition. Body habitus, symptom duration, and brain imaging are correlated with PCSF measurements, but these factors alone do not entirely explain the wide variability in observed pressures in this condition and this suggests the influence of other factors.
Rabbit Model of Bacterial Meningitis

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the rabbit model of bacterial meningitis. Several species of rabbit have been used in this model, although mostly New Zealand White rabbits are used. A dental acrylic helmet is affixed to the skull to provide a stable mechanism to hold the animal in the stereotaxic frame. The helmet is placed 24–48 hours prior to the experiment. The animals are anesthetized with 35 mg/kg ketamine i.m., 0.6 mg/kg acepromazine i.m., and 2.5 mg/kg xylazine i.m. A catheter in an ear vein and flush with heparinized saline are placed, and then the animal is ready for placement in the stereotaxic flame approximately 30 minutes after the urethane. Catheters are used for repeated blood sampling, physiologic measurements, or measurement of cerebral blood flow. The response to treatment is monitored over the course of hours to days. For replacement on the frame, animals are re-anesthetized each day and sampled as needed. The model is suitable for the assessment of the pharmcokinetics of a drug in CSF as well as potency of antimicrobial activity. Determination of the concentration of drug and the decrease in viable bacteria over time describe this potency. This is a straightforward and common use of the model.
Phosphorus Nutrition and Leaf Age Effects on Sweetpotato Whitefly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) Host Selection

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), is a major agricultural pest, causing over 200 million damage to cotton alone in the United States in 1992. To understand sweetpotato whitefly feeding behavior, we examined the effects of phosphorus nutrition and leaf age on sweetpotato whitefly host selection. Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings grown either hydroponically in growth chambers or in sand culture in the greenhouse were exposed to sweetpotato whitefly adults when two fully expanded true leaves were present. Phosphorus deficiency reduced oviposition on true leaves by 40% in the growth chamber, and by 38% on the youngest expanded leaf in the greenhouse, but had no effect on oviposition on cotyledons in either environment. When individual leaves from the greenhouse were analyzed, host acceptance was significantly correlated with low leaf sucrose concentration, but appeared to be unrelated to amino acid concentration or amino acid:sucrose ratio. This suggests that host selection was based on minimizing osmotic stress to the insect rather than on maximizing amino acid ingestion.
Redundancy Design of Servo Mechanism Control Signal

Redundancy technology is a method for improving system reliability and safety. The paper presentsthe research on introducing the redundancy technology to the servo mechanism for nozzle attitude control toimprove reliability of solid motor test.
Ureteroscopic laser treatment of upper urinary tract tumors.

ABSTRACT Objective: To summarize the present status of ureteroscopic laser treatment of upper urinary tract tumors. Summary and background data: Small diameter rigid and flexible ureteroscopes can ...
'A Mad-Cap Ruffian and a Swearing Jack': Braggart Courtship from Miles Gloriosus to The Taming of the Shrew

There is a generic skeleton in Petruchio’s closet. By comparing his outlandish behaviour in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew (ca 1592–94) to that of Pyrgopolinices in Plautus’s Miles Gloriosus (ca 200 BC), as well to that of English variants of the type found in Udall, Lyly, and Peele, I re-situate Petruchio as a braggart soldier. I also reconstruct a largely forgotten comic subgenre, braggart courtship, with distinctive poetic styles, subsidiary characters, narrative events, and thematic functions. Katherina’s marriage to a stranger who boasts of his abilities and bullies social inferiors raises key questions: What were the comic contexts and cultural valences of a match between a braggart and a shrew?
Continuum Modeling of Granular Assemblies

A review is given of a general method for continuum modeling of granular media. A brief discussion is given of granular contact topology and “fabric” and their relevance to various mean-field theories for mechanics and transport properties. It is show how some of the ideas can be applied to the estimation of quasi-static dilatancy and yield of frictional sphere assemblies. The appendices present a discussion of the microstructural origins of Cauchy and multipolar stresses.
Pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized in Internal Medicine: associated factors and mortality.

Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence of pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized in internal medicine and the clinical factors and risk of death associated with its presence. Patients and methods Prospective cohort study with patients hospitalized in internal medicine. We recorded the age, sex, presence of pressure ulcers, degree of ulceration, Barthel index, Norton scale, major diagnostic category, length of hospital stay and weight of the diagnosis-related groups. We compared the clinical characteristics of the patients with or without ulcers and analyzed the mortality after 3 years based on the presence of ulcers. Results The study included 699 patients, 100 of whom (14.3%) had pressure ulcers (27 with grade I, 17 with grade II, 21 with grade III, 25 with grade IV and 10 with unknown grade). The Barthel index (OR 0.985; 95% CI 0.972–0.998; p = .022) and Norton scale (OR 0.873; 95% CI 0.780–0.997; p = .018) are independently associated with ulcers. Twenty-three percent of the patients with ulcers died during hospitalization, 68% died within a year, and 83% died within 3 years. The presence of pressure ulcers was independently associated with mortality (HR, 1.531; 95% CI 1.140–2.056; p = .005). Conclusions Pressure ulcers are common in patients hospitalized in internal medicine, and their presence is associated with higher short, medium and long-term mortality.
Single Parents and the Schools

The one-parent home is one of the major family arrangements of school children today. Over 15 million children live in one-parent homes, most in mother-only homes and most as a result of separation or divorce. From a total of about 62 million children overall, the number in one-parent homes is an important and growing subgroup of children in the country. Each year over 1 million children under the age of 18 have parents who divorce. In the United States in 1986, 25% of the households with children under 18—about 1 in 4—were single-parent homes (U.S. House of Representatives, 1986). Membership in one-parent homes is even greater for black children, with about half of all black children under 18 years old in one-parent homes (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1982). It is estimated that over 50% of all children born after 1980 will live with one parent for at least 3 school years before reaching the age of 18. Most will live in poor, female-headed households (Furstenburg, Nord, Peterson, & Zill, 1983; Garbarino, 1982; Glick, 1979; Masnick & Bane, 1980).
Using a Real-Time Location System for Assessment of Patient Ambulation in a Hospital Setting

Abstract Objective To assess the feasibility of using an infrared-based Real-Time Location System (RTLS) for measuring patient ambulation in a 2-minute walk test (2MWT) by comparing the distance walked and the Johns Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility (JH-HLM) score to clinician observation as a criterion standard. Design Criterion standard validation study. Setting Inpatient, university hospital. Participants Patients (N=25) in an adult neuroscience/brain rescue unit. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures RTLS and clinician-reported ambulation distance in feet, and JH-HLM score on an 8-point ordinal scale. Results The RTLS ambulation distance for the 25 patients in the 2MWT was between 68 and 516ft. The mean difference between clinician-reported and RTLS ambulation distance was 8.4±11.7ft (2.7%±4.6%). The correlation between clinician-reported and RTLS ambulation distance was 97.9% (P Conclusions The RTLS is able to accurately measure patient ambulation and calculate JH-HLM for a 2MWT when compared with clinician observation as the criterion standard.
Undergraduate Student Benefits from University Recreation

Research that determines the benefits that undergraduate students gain from participation in university recreation and its importance is needed to defend the existence of university recreation and ...
Semiparametric probit models with univariate and bivariate current-status data

Multivariate current-status data are frequently encountered in biomedical and public health studies. Semiparametric regression models have been extensively studied for univariate current-status data, but most existing estimation procedures are computationally intensive, involving either penalization or smoothing techniques. It becomes more challenging for the analysis of multivariate current-status data. In this article, we study the maximum likelihood estimations for univariate and bivariate current-status data under the semiparametric probit regression models. We present a simple computational procedure combining the expectation-maximization algorithm with the pool-adjacent-violators algorithm for solving the monotone constraint on the baseline function. Asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimators are investigated, including the calculation of the explicit information bound for univariate current-status data, as well as the asymptotic consistency and convergence rate for bivariate current-status data. Extensive simulation studies showed that the proposed computational procedures performed well under small or moderate sample sizes. We demonstrate the estimation procedure with two real data examples in the areas of diabetic and HIV research.
Incorporating the effects of generalist seed predators into plant community theory

Post-dispersal seed predators contribute substantially to seed loss across many ecosystems. Most research has focused on understanding sources of variation in seed loss, without appreciating the implications of seed predation for plant coexistence, community assembly and broader community theory. Meanwhile, research aimed at understanding coexistence and community assembly processes in plant communities has focused on axes of dispersal and resource competition and the traits influencing these processes, without accounting for the role of generalist seed predators. We review the unique features of post-dispersal seed predation and assess the implications of seed loss on three critical components of plant community organization˗ coexistence, community structure and plant invasions ˗ pointing to both important gaps in theory and empirical knowledge. We highlight how understanding fundamental controls on plant recruitment is central to determining how seed predation affects plant recruitment and coexistence. We discuss how accounting for seed predator foraging strategies may shift trait-based inferences of community assembly. Synthesis. We argue that seed predation by generalist consumers, which is pervasive in temperate communities, should be better incorporated into plant community theory. Experiments that specifically incorporate the presence and attributes of the seed predator community and that follow seed fate would fill important knowledge gaps. Particularly needed are studies focused on strengthening the connections between seed removal and plant establishment and linking selective and density dependent foraging strategies to plant traits. Advancing our understanding of the processes regulating plant coexistence and community assembly requires that future research not only acknowledge but incorporate generalist consumers’ effects on plant communities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Modeling satellite vehicle passive intermodulation

Passive intermodulation (PIM) can degrade the transmitted signal quality by acting as an interference signal resulting from subsystem, components, material, poor mechanical connections, and sometimes the physical layout when they fall inside the receiver bandwidth. In a multicarrier system, signals sharing the same transmission path can mix together generating PIMs [1]. This can happen in active devices as well as passive components. Passive components include antennas, cables, connectors, power dividers, and mixers. Typically, components with higher ferromagnetic content contribute to the generation of PIMs. PIM products are generated on space vehicles also, and direct measurement of PIMs is extremely difficult. In this paper an indirect method of verifying that PIM budget is not exceeded is discussed.