cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Population simulations of COVID-19 outbreaks provide tools for risk assessment and continuity planning.

Objectives We developed COVID-19 Outbreak Simulator (https://ictr.github.io/covid19-outbreak-simulator/) to quantitatively estimate the effectiveness of preventative and interventive measures to prevent and battle COVID-19 outbreaks for specific populations. Materials and methods Our simulator simulates the entire course of infection and transmission of the virus among individuals in heterogeneous populations, subject to operations and influences, such as quarantine, testing, social distancing, and community infection. It provides command-line and Jupyter notebook interfaces and a plugin system for user-defined operations. Results The simulator provides quantitative estimates for COVID-19 outbreaks in a variety of scenarios and assists the development of public health policies, risk-reduction operations, and emergency response plans. Discussion Our simulator is powerful, flexible, and customizable, although successful applications require realistic estimation and robustness analysis of population-specific parameters. Conclusion Risk assessment and continuity planning for COVID-19 outbreaks are crucial for the continued operation of many organizations. Our simulator will be continuously expanded to meet this need.
Imaging Features of Susac Syndrome on High-Resolution Intracranial Vessel Wall MRI.

An 18-year-old woman with a history of vertigo and longstanding fluctuating hearing loss presented with increasing headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and gait imbalance. She also experienced new onset rashes on her hands and intermittent episodes of eye pain. CSF analysis revealed lymphocytic
Engineering fiber anisotropy within natural collagen hydrogels.

It is well known that biophysical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM), including stiffness, porosity, composition, and fiber alignment (anisotropy), play a crucial role in controlling cell...
LAND AND HOUSING IN THE USSR DURING THE GORBACHEV YEARS

An American urban and regional scholar familiar with the Soviet scene surveys changes in USSR and republic legislation on housing and land (both urban and rural) and outlines “grey” areas falling in the gap between extant Soviet law and yet-to-be-enacted republican legislation. He identifies changes in the land use pattern which can be expected as land begins to be transformed into a form of property where use decisions predominantly are made by private actors. A final section focuses upon the potential significance of these changes, to the extent they materialize, for urban theory in general.
Context-centered design: bridging the gap between understanding and designing

HCI is about how people use systems to conduct tasks in context. Most current HCI research focuses on a single or multiple users' interaction with system(s). Compared with the user, system and task components, context is a less studied area. The emergence of ubiquitous computing, context-aware computing, and mobile computing requires system design to be adaptive and respond to aspects of setting in which the tasks are performed, including other users, devices and environments. Given the importance of context in information system design, we note that even the notion of context in HCI is not well-defined. In this paper, we review several theories of context as it relates to interaction design. We also present our Context-centered Framework which is aimed to bridging end users' understand and designers' designing together. The research design and expected outcomes are also presented.
Normalization of supine blood pressure after nitric oxide synthase inhibition in persons with tetraplegia.

Background/Objective: Orthostatic hypotension is a well-defined clinical consequence of spinal cord injury (SCI), particularly in those with tetraplegia. The etiology of orthostatic hypotension is thought to be loss of sympathetic vasomotor control, although other factors may play a role. There is evidence of up-regulation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity after hind-limb suspension in rats, a condition of antigravity that may have similar vascular effects as shown in persons with tetraplegia caused by paralysis. The study objective was to determine the effect of a NOS inhibitor (nitro-L-arginine methyl ester [L-NAME]) on supine mean arterial pressure in persons with chronic tetraplegia compared with non-SCI controls.
Trends in Susceptibility Rates and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Production of Klebsiella pneumoniae in Bloodstream Infections Across the United States Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important pathogen, increasingly notorious for its ability to become resistant to antimicrobial agents. This study sought to characterize trends in antimicrobial susceptibility rates for K. pneumoniae causing bacteremias across the United States (U.S.) Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA) from 2007 through 2013 utilizing a national clinical database. K. pneumoniae grew in 9,235 blood cultures from 8,414 patients. Nationally, ampicillin–sulbactam, ceftazidime, cefepime, ertapenem, fluoroquinolones, and amikacin demonstrated statistically significant susceptibility rate increases against K. pneumoniae in the 2010–2013 period versus the 2007–2009 period. No antimicrobial agent had a statistically significant nationwide susceptibility rate decrease. Of the 126 antibiotic–organism pairs tested among 9 U.S. regions, 18 demonstrated statistically significant susceptibility rate increases while 6 demonstrated statistically significant susceptibility rate decreases. The East North C...
Database resources for cellular electron microscopy.

Publisher Summary Databases have become integral parts of data management and data dissemination for biological research. Databases helps to manage and archive information, to keep all the information that is associated with the data in a logical and accessible structure, to provide access control, to update and modify records, to locate data, to share data among colleagues and a wider community, and to mine data for additional information. This chapter discusses database technology and its application to both imaging in general and electron microscopy in particular. It also describes issues involved in the creation of shared, online repositories and data management systems. It provides an overview of the cell centered database (CCDB) and a web accessible database for two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), and four-dimensional (4D) imaging data from light and electron microscopy, and discusses the lessons learned from its construction. For a web-accessible database to have significant value, it must also contain a comprehensive sample of data. Community databases like GenBank, SwissProt, and the Protein Databank (PDB) attain their comprehensiveness through the contributions from the scientific community.
Autonomous Database Mining and Disorder Measures

The essential question of database mining is how to computationally identify the most useful information. The discussed approach is to sift out non-useful data until useful information is discovered. This approach contrasts to existing approaches that assume they can select and rank order the most useful data when confronted by all the data, useful and non-useful. The problem with this is that it is computationally infeasible to look at all the data; so, heuristic choices are made. These choices strongly constrain what might be discovered.
Simpler linear-time kernelization for planar dominating set

We describe a linear-time algorithm that inputs a planar graph G and outputs a planar graph of size O(k) and with domination number k, where k is the domination number of G, i.e., the size of a smallest dominating set in G. In the language of parameterized computation, the new algorithm is a linear-time kernelization for the NP-complete Planar Dominating Set problem that produces a kernel of linear size. Such an algorithm was previously known (van Bevern et al., these proceedings), but the new algorithm and its analysis are considerably simpler.
The Whodunit Challenge: Mobilizing the Crowd in India

While there has been a surge of interest in mobilizing the crowd to solve large-scale time-critical challenges, to date such work has focused on high-income countries and Internet-based solutions. In developing countries, approaches for crowd mobilization are often broader and more diverse, utilizing not only the Internet but also face-to-face and mobile communications. In this paper, we describe the Whodunit Challenge, the first social mobilization contest to be launched in India. The contest enabled participation via basic mobile phones and required rapid formation of large teams in order to solve a fictional mystery case. The challenge encompassed 7,700 participants in a single day and was won by a university team in about 5 h. To understand teams’ strategies and experiences, we conducted 84 phone interviews. While the Internet was an important tool for most teams, in contrast to prior challenges we also found heavy reliance on personal networks and offline communication channels. We synthesize these findings and offer recommendations for future crowd mobilization challenges targeting low-income environments in developing countries.
Two oppositely oriented arrays of low-affinity recognition sites in oriC guide progressive binding of DnaA during Escherichia coli pre-RC assembly

The onset of chromosomal DNA replication requires highly precise and reproducible interactions between initiator proteins and replication origins to assemble a pre-replicative complex (pre-RC) that unwinds the DNA duplex. In bacteria, initiator protein DnaA, bound to specific high- and low-affinity recognition sites within the unique oriC locus, comprises the pre-RC, but how complex assembly is choreographed to ensure precise initiation timing during the cell cycle is not well understood. In this study, we present evidence that higher-order DnaA structures are formed at oriC when DnaA monomers are closely positioned on the same face of the DNA helix by interaction with two oppositely oriented essential arrays of closely spaced low-affinity DnaA binding sites. As DnaA levels increase, peripheral high-affinity anchor sites begin cooperative loading of the arrays, which is extended by sequential binding of additional DnaA monomers resulting in growth of the complexes towards the centre of oriC. We suggest that this polarized assembly of unique DnaA oligomers within oriC plays an important role in mediating pre-RC activity and may be a feature found in all bacterial replication origins.
Pemphigus and pemphigoid antigens are expressed in human amnion epithelium.

The sera of patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and bullous pemphigoid (BP) contain autoantibodies which react with antigens present in a variety of mammalian squamous epithelia. The biologic role of these epithelial antigens is unknown; however, they do appear to be markers of epithelial differentiation. We have examined many human tissues that may be used as sources of large amounts of BP and PV antigens, including the human amnion, which is composed of the amnion reflectum and placentum (epithelial monolayers) and amnion cord (stratified epithelium). Human amnion was obtained from normal term deliveries and specimens of each area of the amnion were processed for light and electron microscopy. Samples of amnion were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and 4-μm sections were used as a substrate for BP and PV antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence (IF) techniques. Well-characterized BP serum (indirect IF titer 1:2560), PV serum (indirect IF titer 1:160), and normal human serum (negative indirect IF) were utilized as sources of BP and PV autoantibodies and a negative control, respectively. Linear staining of the BMZ was produced by BP antibodies in 8/8 specimens of amnion reflectum, 8/8 specimens of amnion placentum, and 3/3 specimens of amnion cord. Staining of the epithelial intercellular spaces was produced by PV antibodies of 2/3 specimens of amnion cord and none of the amnion reflectum (0/8) or amnion placentum (0/8) tested. Normal human serum produced no specific staining of the amnion. The light and the ultrastructural features of human amnion basement membrane zone and intercellular spaces resembles closely their epidermal counterparts. The restricted distribution of BP antigen in amnion epithelial basal cells (amnion reflectum, placentum, and cord) and PV antigen in stratified amnion epithelium (amnion cord) reinforces their relationship with epithelial differentiation.
Canine pancreatic-specific lipase concentrations in clinically healthy dogs and dogs with naturally occurring hyperadrenocorticism

Background Specificity of canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) assays in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) is unknown. Hypothesis Results of cPLI assays differ for clinically healthy dogs and dogs with HAC. Animals Seventeen healthy dogs and 20 dogs with HAC diagnosed by ACTH stimulation test results without evidence of clinical pancreatitis. Methods Dogs were enrolled between December 2009 and November 2010. Serum cPLI concentrations were determined by quantitative (Spec cPL test, SPEC) and semiquantitative (SNAP cPL test, SNAP) assays. Results were categorized as normal, equivocal, or abnormal (SPEC) or negative or positive (SNAP). Associations between group and cPLI were assessed using Fisher's exact test or the Mann–Whitney U-test. Spearman rank correlation coefficients (ρ) were determined for SNAP and SPEC results. Significance was set at P < .05. Results Spec cPL test concentrations were significantly (P < .001) higher in dogs with HAC (491.1 μg/L) than in healthy dogs (75.2 μg/L), with more abnormal SPEC results in HAC dogs (P < .001). There were more (P = .002) positive SNAP results in dogs with HAC (55%) than in healthy dogs (6%). SNAP and SPEC results were highly correlated (ρ = 0.85; P < .001). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Dogs with HAC had higher SPEC concentrations and more positive SNAP results than clinically healthy dogs with normal ACTH stimulation test results. Specificity of SPEC and SNAP assays in HAC dogs without clinical pancreatitis were 65 and 45%, respectively. Pending further study, SNAP and SPEC results should be interpreted cautiously in dogs with HAC to avoid false diagnosis of concurrent pancreatitis.
Microstructure and wear properties of laser deposited WC–12%Co composites

Abstract Laser engineered net shaping (LENS™) has been used to create dense WC–12%Co composite coatings on stainless steel substrates. Low heat input and controlled atmosphere with oxygen content less than 10 ppm resulted in minimum interface dilution, carbide dissolution and uniform carbide distribution. Under present experimental conditions, coatings produced at laser energy input of 365 and 465 J/mm 3 showed similar phase constituents, hardness and wear rate. The coating hardness varied between 1171 and 1181 HV with an average dry sliding specific wear rate in the range of 3 × 10 −6 mm 3 /Nm and 6.5 × 10 −6 mm 3 /Nm against Si 3 N 4 ball. Deformation and extrusion of cobalt phase followed by fracture and removal of carbide particles was found to be a predominant material removal mechanism in the present laser deposited WC–Co coatings. The influence of laser energy input on the microstructural and wear properties of WC–12%Co composites coatings are reported in this article.
Comparison of different magnesium sources on lamb muscle quality.

Wether lambs (n=20) were used to compare the effect of dietary magnesium oxide (MgO), unweathered Magnesium Mica® (UMM) and weathered Magnesium Mica® (WMM) on muscle quality. Lambs were fed a corn-based, control diet (Ctrl), or the Ctrl supplemented with either MgO, UMM, or WMM for 95 days before harvest. Following a 24-h chill, carcasses were fabricated, and L*, a* and b* values were determined on the triceps brachii (TB), longissimus thoracis (LT), semimembranosus (SM), and semitendinosus (ST) muscles. Supplemental magnesium had no (P > 0.10) effect on live and carcass weights, fat thickness, loin eye area, and USDA yield grade. Carcasses from lambs supplemented with MgO had higher (P 0.10) effect on marbling scores, the LT from Ctrl-fed lambs had more (P 0.10) effect on muscle color; however, supplementing finishing diets with UMM may result in less palatable lamb.
Growth of free-standing highly luminescent undoped and Mg-doped GaN thick films with a columnar structure

Abstract Undoped and Mg-doped GaN thick films with a columnar structure have been grown on gold-covered fused silica substrates in a three-zone horizontal quartz-tube reactor. The undoped films were grown by a two-step chemical vapor deposition method using gallium and ammonium chloride as starting reagents and ammonia as carrier gas. The Mg-doped films were deposited by the same method, but with an initial Ga–Mg alloying step. These GaN thick films have a wurtzite structure and exhibit strong room-temperature luminescence with the characteristic GaN band-edge, and the Mg-related emissions for the doped films. Their optoelectronic properties are comparable to GaN films grown epitaxially with other more elaborate techniques. This growth technique can be used for inexpensive, large-area electroluminescent devices.
A Modest Proposal about Bereavement and Recovery.

The author argues that the term recovery aptly describes the trajectory following the bereavement of most persons. While the term resilience has gained ascendancy in the thanatology literature and the term recovery has been dismissed as inappropriate to denote responses over time to being bereaved, the irony is that all dictionaries of the English language, other than specialized dictionaries in such fields as psychology, define resilience as ability to recover quickly from a misfortune. The author argues that recovery denotes the possibility of transforming change following a major life crisis, and wonders how such an outcome would be possible for those whose response to bereavement is marked by resiliency. The author's research with bereaved teenagers and college students has demonstrated that in many of the cases there were manifestations of transforming change along spiritual, cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal lines. These changes are captured by what the author calls the reflexive meaning of th...
METABOLIC ADAPTATION AND CLIMATIC CONSTRAINTS ON WINTER BIRD DISTRIBUTION

I used two methods to estimate limiting environmental temperatures for 28 North American passerine species studied in the physiological literature: indirect estimation from body mass and allometric equations, and direct estimation from physiological measurements of basal metabolic rate (BMR), lower critical temperature, and thermal conductance. I compared these predicted limiting temperatures to mean minimum temperatures at northern winter range boundaries determined from Christmas Bird Count data. Estimates derived from physiological parameters predicted minimum temperatures at range boundaries more accurately than did allometric equations. Phylogenetic analyses of independent contrasts under two branch length hypotheses corroborated that physiological parameters were superior to allometric equations as predictors of range boundary temperature. Thus using body mass as a surrogate for physiological data underestimates the association between physiological cold tolerance and northern range limits. However, this association could be explained by phenotypic acclimatization to different environments as well as by genetic differences among species; thus low values of the physiological temperature limit may be a result rather than a cause of northerly ranges. The distribution of predicted metabolic rates at northern range boundaries relative to BMR did not cluster at a clear upper boundary, so it is uncertain whether a constraint on maximum metabolic rate limits distribution of some species. Metabolic rate at the northern range boundary was a smaller multiple of BMR for insectivores than for non-insectivores, suggesting that food availability may limit winter ranges of insectivores, but analysis of independent contrasts did not verify this effect. The data do not indicate clearly whether the distribution of non-insectivorous bird species is limited by abiotic or biotic factors.
Recent progress of THz generation and detection in ambient air or gases

THz time domain spectroscopy has been largely applied on the measurement of semiconductor, electro-optic crystals, and selected chemical, biological and explosive materials. The objective of this paper is to report THz gas photonics and its applications, with an emphasis on remote sensing capabilities. The most recent results of using air (and selected gases) as the emitter and sensor material for both generation and detection of broadband THz waves will be reported. Air, especially ionized air (plasma), has been used to generate intense peak THz waves (THz field > 1.5 MV/cm) with a broadband spectrum (10% bandwidth from 0.1 THz to 46 THz). THz-enhanced-fluorescence (TEF) and THz-enhanced acoustic (TEA) techniques have been developed for remote sensing purpose. By "seeing" the fluorescence, or "hearing" the sound, coherent detection of THz waves at standoff distance is feasible.
Combustion Characteristics of Producer Gas in the Stationary Gas Engine

Three syngases were selected from customer sites and the engine performance test was conducted on a single cylinder test engine (SCTE) to explore the engine operating limits and investigate the combustion characteristics for the simulation model development. Syngas has a wide range of lambda between the misfire and the detonation compared to conventional natural gas. Combustion of syngas 1 having no CH4 showed unique characteristics which are different from syngas 3. It appears that even a small amount of CH4 in the fuel would be important to lower the rate of the main branching reaction of hydrogen and mitigate the explosive reaction of the hydrogen. Lean operating limit of the tested syngas was observed when LFS (Laminar Flame Speed) and AFT (Adiabatic Flame Temperature) become around 5∼7 cm/s and 1660 ∼ 1720°C.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Tasks and Task Consequences as Factors in Individual and Group brainstorming

Summary The present study investigated the effects of relevant versus irrelevant tasks and task consequences on individual and group brainstorming performance. As hypothesized, significantly fewer ideas were produced by groups than by individuals, and by subjects working on an inherently salient, or “relevant,” task, than on an innocuous, or “irrelevant,” task. The effect of knowing that the ideas might actually be used by a familiar organization depressed brainstorming effectiveness further. It was concluded that the ability to brainstorm is impaired when the task is one in which people are genuinely interested and which they care about.
Lattice collapse and the magnetic phase diagram of Sr 1 − x Ca x Co 2 P 2

We report that the 122-type ${\text{Sr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Ca}}_{x}{\text{Co}}_{2}{\text{P}}_{2}$ solid solution undergoes an anomalous structural transition from the uncollapsed to the collapsed ${\text{ThCr}}_{2}{\text{Si}}_{2}$ structure at a distinct onset composition near $x=0.5$. Correlated with the structural changes, the electronic system evolves from a nearly ferromagnetic Fermi liquid to an antiferromagnetic metal, through a complex crossover regime. The structural collapse, driven by P-P bonding across the (Sr,Ca) layers, is much more pronounced in this system than it is in the analogous Fe-based system, indicating a strong sensitivity of structure to total electron count in the transition-metal pnictide 122 family.
Counts of U.S. and Soviet science and technology journals

A detailed examination is made of the 1973 US and Soviet serials holdings of the British Library Lending Division (BLLD), the most comprehensive collection of active scientific and technological serials in the world. In total, 6075 US and 2399 Soviet serials were identified. These serials were then assigned on the basis of their titles to over 200 scientific and technological specialty areas. These assignments clearly show that the US is substantially more active than the USSR in the life sciences and social sciences, while the USSR is relatively more active in the physical and engineering sciences. When comparing the absolute size of the US and Soviet serial counts, it is seen that the US outpublishes the USSR in all major fields (i.e., clinical medicine, biomedical research, biology, chemistry, physics, earth/space science, engineering/technology, mathematics/statistics, psychology, and the social sciences).
Parkinson's disease in patients and obligate carriers of Gaucher disease.

Abstract Background Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by glucocerebrosidase gene mutations. Accumulating evidence from several Parkinson’s disease cohorts of varying ethnicities suggests that glucocerebrosidase mutations even in the heterozygous state (carriers) may be a susceptibility factor for Parkinson’s. Very few studies have analyzed the frequency of Parkinson’s in carriers and individuals with Gaucher disease. Objective To determine frequency of Parkinson’s in patients with Gaucher disease and obligate carriers of glucocerebrosidase mutations and compare it with a control group. Methods A questionnaire was completed by 100 Ashkenazi Jewish Gaucher patients followed at our center and 109 ethnicity-matched controls with no personal or family history of Gaucher disease. Results Frequency of Parkinson’s was higher in Gaucher patients (8/100) than in controls (0/109; P = 0.0024). Frequency of Parkinson’s in obligate carriers (11/200) was higher than controls (6/218), but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.215). Average age of onset of Parkinson’s was earlier in Gaucher patients (57.2) than the general population and in obligate carriers (60) when compared with controls (76.8; P = 0.01). The L444P genotype was more frequent in Gaucher patients who reported a parent with Parkinson’s (36.40%) than those who did not (4.50%). Conclusion Our study suggests that the risk for developing Parkinson’s may be higher in affected versus carriers of glucocerebrosidase mutations and suggests that L444P may pose a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s than other mutations. It also confirms previous findings that the age of onset of Parkinson’s associated with glucocerebrosidase mutations is earlier than in the general population.
Insect juvenile hormones: Induction of detoxifying enzymes in the housefly and detoxication by housefly enzymes

Abstract The cecropia juvenile hormone and three of its analogs were compared as inducers of microsomal epoxidase, O -demethylase, and DDT dehydrochlorinase in the housefly, Musca domestica L. The compounds were the cecropia juvenile hormone, methoprene, hydroprene, 6,7-epoxy-3,7-diethyl-1-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenoxy]-2-octene, and piperonyl butoxide, a well known insecticide synergist. The compounds were administered by feeding at levels up to 1% in the diet for 3 days to 1-day-old female adults. Enzymes were then prepared and assayed for their activity using heptachlor, p -nitroanisole, and DDT as substrates. There was approximately a twofold increase in the microsomal oxidases and a 50% increase in DDT dehydrochlorinase after the treatment with the cecropia juvenile hormone, while methoprene had some activity as an inducer of the epoxidase (30% increase) but no activity in the case of the O -demethylase or the dehydrochlorinase. Hydroprene had no effect on any of the enzyme systems, while 6,7-epoxy-3,7-diethyl-1-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenoxy]-2-octene was an inhibitor of the two microsomal oxidases. The latter compound and piperonyl butoxide were strong inducers of DDT dehydrochlorinase, causing approximately twofold increases in the activity of this enzyme. There was evidence that the microsomal preparations were able to metabolize and inactivate methoprene and hydroprene, the action being oxidative in the case of methoprene and both oxidative and hydrolytic in the case of hydroprene. The oxidative metabolism of the two juvenile hormone analogs by the microsomal preparations was inducible by the cecropia juvenile hormone and by phenobarbital and dieldrin.
Order of approximation by linear combinations of positive linear operators

Abstract Order of uniform approximation is studied for linear combinations due to May and Rathore of Baskakov-type operators and recent methods of Pethe. The order of approximation is estimated in terms of a higher-order modulus of continuity of the function being approximated.
Chemical studies on antioxidant mechanism of tea catechins: analysis of radical reaction products of catechin and epicatechin with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl

Tea catechins, an important class of polyphenols, have been shown to have wide spectrum of antitumor activity believed to be due mainly to their antioxidative effect. In this study, the radical scavenging behavior of catechins on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was studied. Two reaction products of (+)-catechin, and two reaction products of (-)-epicatechin were purified and identified. Their structures were determined on the basis of detailed high-field 1-D and 2-D NMR spectral analysis. Structure elucidation of these products can provide insights into specific mechanisms of antioxidant reactions. A possible mechanism of the formation of reaction products is suggested.
Regulatory T cells control the development of allergic disease and asthma.

Abstract The role of T H 2 cells in the pathogenesis of allergy and asthma has been well described. However, the immunologic mechanisms that downmodulate and protect against the development of these disorders are poorly characterized. A spectrum of CD4 + T cells, including T H 1 cells, T H 3 cells, regulatory T cells, CD25 + T cells, and natural killer T cells might play a critical role in regulating these diseases and are discussed in this review.
Fanconi's anemia, type A presenting as VACTERL association with atresia right external auditory canal

Fanconi's anemia, type A presenting as VACTERL association with atresia right external auditory canal
Methane on Zn(bdc)(ted) 0.5 metal-organic framework: Evidence for adsorption on distinct sites

Abstract Zn(bdc)(ted)0.5 is a metal–organic framework with a 3D porous structure containing intersecting channels with two different size windows. Methane adsorption isotherms were measured on this MOF at several temperatures between 88 and 103 K. Unlike all other previous studies conducted on this sorbent, we observed two very distinct substeps in the isotherms, while only one such feature is reported in other studies. Possible scenarios for explaining the origin of these newly observed features are proposed. We studied the kinetics of adsorption of methane on this sorbent for isotherms measured at four temperatures. These measurements provided us with information of how equilibrium is approached as gas was added to the sorbent. We have also calculated the pore volume and the effective specific surface area for this material and have obtained the isosteric heat values for methane on this sorbent from the adsorption data.
ON THE INADMISSIBILITY OF SEPARATION OF VARIABLES SOLUTIONS IN LINEAR ANISOTROPIC VISCOELASTICITY

SUMMARY The field and constitutive equations as well as the boundary conditions of linear anisotropic viscoelasticity are examined for possible solutions which are separable into products of time and spatial functions. It is shown that under no circumstances other than for constant Poisson's ratios are such separation of variables solutions admissible, even though under these or some additional restrictive conditions they can exist in isotropic viscoelasticity.
Phase-space electron holes along magnetic field lines

Recent observations from satellites crossing active magnetic field lines have revealed solitary potential structures that move at speeds substantially greater than the ion thermal velocity. The structures appear as positive potential pulses rapidly drifting along the magnetic field. We interpret them as BGK electron holes supported by a population of trapped and passing electrons. Using Laplace transform techniques, we analyse the behavior of one phase-space electron hole. The resulting potential shapes and electron distribution functions are self-consistent and compatible with the field and particle data associated with the observed pulses. In particular, the spatial width increases with increasing amplitude. The stability of the analytic solution is tested by means of a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation code with open boundaries. We also use our code to briefly investigate the influence of the ions. The nonlinear structure appears to be remarkably resilient.
Molecular markers to characterize the hermaphroditic reproductive system of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea

The freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea exhibits two distinct reproductive modes. Individuals of the sexual strain are cross-fertilizing hermaphrodites with reproductive organs that develop post-embryonically. By contrast, individuals of the asexual strain reproduce exclusively by transverse fission and fail to develop reproductive organs. These different reproductive strains are associated with distinct karyotypes, making S. mediterranea a useful model for studying germline development and sexual differentiation. To identify genes expressed differentially between these strains, we performed microarray analyses and identified >800 genes that were upregulated in the sexual planarian. From these, we characterized 24 genes by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), revealing their expression in male germ cells or accessory reproductive organs. To identify additional markers of the planarian reproductive system, we also used immuno- and fluorescent lectin staining, identifying several antibodies and lectins that labeled structures associated with reproductive organs. Collectively, these cell-type specific markers will enable future efforts to characterize genes that are important for reproductive development in the planarian.
Spin Correlation and Discrete Symmetry in Spinor Bose-Einstein Condensates

We study spin correlations in Bose-Einstein condensates of spin 1 bosons with scatterings dominated by a total spin equal 2 channel. We show that the low energy spin dynamics in the system can be mapped into an o(n) nonlinear sigma model. n = 3 at the zero magnetic field limit and n = 2 in the presence of weak magnetic fields. In an ordered phase, the ground state has a discrete Z2 symmetry and is degenerate under the group [U(1)xS(n-1)]/Z(2). We explore consequences of the discrete symmetry and propose some measurements to probe it.
Evaluation of Myocardial Mechanics in the Fetus by Velocity Vector Imaging

There are limited data on the properties of fetal myocardium with only a small number of Doppler tissue imaging–based studies published. We evaluated the feasibility of using velocity vector imaging, a novel technique for analyzing 2-dimensional images offline, to study myocardial mechanics in the normal fetal heart at different of gestational ages. A single 2-dimensional 4-chamber image of the heart was interrogated offline using velocity vector imaging software. Longitudinal velocity, strain, and strain rate were measured in the right ventricular free wall, ventricular septum, and left ventricular free wall. Images from 24 of 27 (89%) were successfully analyzed. The systolic and diastolic longitudinal velocities increased with gestational age in all myocardial segments analyzed ( r = 0.56-0.78, P
Differences in Relative Predation Vulnerability Between Native and Non-native Oyster Larvae and the Influence on Restoration Planning in an Estuarine Ecosystem

The costs and benefits of non-native introductions as a restoration tool should be estimated prior to any action to prevent both undesirable consequences and waste of restoration resources. The suggested introduction of non-native oyster species, Crassostrea ariakensis, into Chesapeake Bay, USA, provides a good example in which the survival of non-native oysters may differ from that of native oysters, Crassostrea virginica, during the larval stage. Experiments were conducted to compare the predation vulnerability of native and non-native oyster larvae to different predator types (visual vs. non-visual, benthic vs. pelagic). The results suggest that the non-native larvae are more vulnerable to visual and non-visual pelagic predators. Although vulnerability was similar for larvae exposed to benthic non-visual predators, the consumption of one non-native strain was higher than the consumption of native C. virginica larvae. When vulnerability data are combined with predator feeding rates, the predation mortality for non-native larvae in the wild can be much higher than for native larvae. Small changes in larval mortality rates can yield large changes in total larval delivery to the reef for settlement, so these differences among species may contribute to differences in settlement success. These results provide an example of how a comprehensive examination of the perceived benefits of non-native introductions into complex ecosystems can provide important information to inform management decisions.
The Triumph of Expediency: The Impact of Google Scholar on Library Instruction

SUMMARY Offering expediently delivered, serviceable results, Google Scholar is gaining increasing recognition and acceptance in academia. Inasmuch as it rivals and competes with traditional library resources such as proprietary subscription databases, it is poised to alter how research is conducted. In so doing, it poses both challenges and opportunities for those providing bibliographic instruction. This paper assesses the virtues and drawbacks of Google Scholar as a research tool and concludes that, in the absence of a viable alternative, instructional librarians must come to terms with it.
Cancer in Native Hawaiians

Cancer incidence and mortality rates among Native Hawaiians remain high despite advances in health care. The incidence of lung cancer are the highest among Native Hawaiian women and men. Breast cancer mortality rates are one of the highest nationally for Native Hawaiian women. Possible responsible factors include 1) cultural barriers, 2) compliance to standard medical care, 3) accessibility to health care, and 4) the cost of health care. Improved health promotion and cancer prevention and control programs are needed.
Affinity capture of specific DNA-binding proteins for mass spectrometric identification.

We describe a general approach for affinity microcapture of site-specific, nucleic acid-binding proteins. The major difficulties to developing this method into a widely applicable protocol derived from the need for a massive enrichment and the inadvertent, extensive binding of nonspecific proteins to the bait. On the basis of a detailed analysis, we propose (i) a one-step fractionation of crude extracts on P11 phosphocellulose, followed by (ii) a discrete series of positive/negative selections on wild-type and site-mutated ligand DNA in a magnetic microparticulate format, with cobalt magnets, concatamerized and biotinylated ligands, selective salt conditions, and improved competitor DNAs. We also present rules for determining the precise number and order of selections. The approach and protocol allowed isolation of four, low-abundance transcription factors and repressors from 2 × 109 cultured leukemia cells. Captured proteins were 10−20 000-fold enriched from the nuclear extract, in a form and amounts tha...
Factors associated with the change in prevalence of cardiomyopathy at delivery in the period 2000-2009: a population-based prevalence study.

Objective Cardiomyopathy (CM) at delivery is increasing in prevalance. The objective of this study was to determine which medical conditions are attributable to this increasing prevalance. Design Population prevalence study from 2000 to 2009. Setting The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Sample Pregnant women admitted for delivery were identified in the NIS for the years 2000–2009. Methods Temporal trends in pre-existing medical conditions and in medical and obstetric complications at delivery admissions were determined by linear regression. The change in the prevalence of CM among all pregnant women was compared with the change in the prevalance of CM among pregnant women without pre-existing conditions or complications. Main outcome measure Prevalence of CM. Results The prevalence of CM increased from 0.25 per 1000 deliveries in 2000 to 0.43 per 1000 deliveries in 2009 (P < 0.0001). Women with chronic hypertension had increased odds of developing CM compared with women without chronic hypertension (odds ratio, OR, 13.2; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 12.5–13.7). The linear increase in chronic hypertension over the 10-year period was the single identified pre-existing medical condition that explained the increasing prevalence of CM at delivery (P = 0.005 for the differences in slopes for linear trends). Conclusions Pregnant women with chronic hypertenion are at an increased risk for CM at delivery, and the increasing prevalence of chronic hypertension is an important factor associated with the increasing prevalence of CM at the time of delivery. Among women without chronic hypertension, the prevalence of CM at delivery did not change during the time period.
The discriminant accuracy of a grammatical measure with Latino English-speaking children.

Purpose To evaluate the discriminant accuracy of a grammatical measure for the identification of language impairment (LI) in Latino English-speaking children. Specifically, the study examined the d...
Asynchronous information space analysis architecture using content and structure-based service brokering

Our project focuses on rapid formation and utilization of custom collections of information for groups focused on high-paced tasks. Assembling such collections, as well as organizing and analyzing the documents within them, is a complex and sophisticated task. It requires understanding what information management services and tools are provided by the system, when they appropriate to use, and how those services can be composed together to perform more complex analyses. This paper describes the architecture of a prototype implementation of the information analysis management system that we have developed. The architecture uses metadata to describe collections of documents both in term of their content and structure. This metadata allows the system to dynamically and in a content-sensitive manner to determine the set of appropriate analysis services. To facilitate the invocation of those services, the architecture also provides an asynchronous and transparent service access mechanism.
An Algorithmic Approach to Teaching Functionality

The consideration of function is prevalent across numerous domains as a technique allowing complex problems to be abstracted into a form more readily solvable. In engineering design, functional models tend to be of a more generalized nature, and consequently, engineering design derived functional representations do not aim to replace domain specific models but to encapsulate those models at a higher and more integrated system level. While the value of function in engineering design seems to be generally recognized, it remains a difficult concept to teach to students of engineering design. In this paper, an algorithmic approach to teaching function and functional model generation is presented. The approach uses a series of grammar rules to assemble function chains from a list of enumerated functions desired of the final product. Function chains can then be aggregated into a complete functional model. The approach has been trialed with senior capstone design students taught about functionality as well as how to generate a black box model and how to enumerate functions. Student-generated functional models are compared to expert generated functional models in the paper. Preliminary results indicate that a student with limited functional modeling experience could follow the prescribed algorithm to generate an aggregated functional model based solely on a black box model.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Flux-coordinate splitting technique for the Navier-Stokes equations

The method of fractional steps is used to split the unsteady, two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations into a set of Euler equations and a diffusion-type equation. A flux-coordinate splitting technique is used to solve the Euler equations so that shocks and contact discontinuities are resolved sharply in gas dynamic flows. The technique involves solving the Euler equations everywhere in the flowfield using a flux-vector splitting technique except in small regions surrounding the contact discontinuities
Asking the right questions : Atmospheric sciences research and societal needs

Abstract In recent years, those who conduct federally funded research in the United States have been asked by their patrons, the public and their elected representatives, to demonstrate more efficacy with respect to societal needs. Although there is a long record of efforts to improve connections of research with societal needs, a problem exists in that in recent decades the production of scientific knowledge seems to have outrun its effective use by society. Current debate asks questions such as the following: In what different ways has society understood the connections of research with societal needs? What are the implications of such understandings for the structure and conduct of atmospheric sciences research? How can society (and especially sponsors of science) accurately and meaningfully assess the contributions of the atmospheric sciences to societal needs? This paper seeks to shed light on dimensions of these questions through discussion of the relationship of atmospheric sciences research with s...
Eye disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis: natural history and management

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and leading cause of disability in young adults. Vision impairment is a common component of disability for this population of patients. Injury to the optic nerve, brainstem, and cerebellum leads to characteristic syndromes affecting both the afferent and efferent visual pathways. The objective of this review is to summarize the spectrum of eye disorders in patients with MS, their natural history, and current strategies for diagnosis and management. We emphasize the most common disorders including optic neuritis and internuclear ophthalmoparesis and include new techniques, such as optical coherence tomography, which promise to better our understanding of MS and its effects on the visual system.
A fully integrated highly linear receiver with automatic IP 2 calibration schemes for multi-standard applications

This paper presents an entire receiver chain from RF to baseband with fully integrated self-calibration circuitries for suppressing the 2nd-order intermodulation (IM2) distortions in Homodyne receivers for multi-standard applications. All the potential sources for IM2 generation are identified and tackled independently in the proposed receiver by architectural and calibration techniques, which results in a very robust IP2 enhancement with independency of the amplitude and the frequency of the blockers. The prototype receiver implemented in a 90 nm CMOS process achieves at least 10 dB improvement on the receiver IP2 performance at high-power blockers and less than 100 μs calibration cycle for whole receiver chain. It potentially provides truly SAW-Less, fully integrated, and frequency-agile receivers.
The Anthropologist and the Crayons: Changing our Focus from Avoiding Harm to Doing Good.

The ethical review process is aimed at protecting research participants, evaluating risk in relation to benefit, and, where possible, reducing risk to research participants (and by extension, to th...