cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transmutation-induced precipitation in tungsten irradiated with a mixed energy neutron spectrum

Abstract Transmutation-induced precipitation in neutron-irradiated tungsten is an important performance concern for its application as plasma facing material in fusion reactors. In this study, segregation and precipitation of transmutant elements in single crystal and polycrystal tungsten irradiated at 460–1100 °C to 0.02–2.4 displacements per atom (dpa) in the High Flux Isotope Reactor were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that nanoscale W-Re-Os clusters were identified in the low dose regime from 0.02 to 0.44 dpa with irradiation temperature lower than 800 °C while acicular-shape precipitates formed when irradiation dose is higher than 1.5 dpa. A tentative roadmap of the kinetics process of the transmutation-induced precipitation in neutron-irradiated tungsten is presented characterizing the defect features (i.e., W-Re-Os clusters and precipitates) consisting of transmutant elements in tungsten irradiated to various doses. All TEM-visible voids were associated with the acicular-shape precipitates. Voids were formed prior to the formation of acicular-shape precipitates and act as strong trapping sites for mobile species involved in the precipitation together with dislocations. Thermal stability of W-Re-Os clusters was assessed by performing a 2-h anneal at 1200 °C on tungsten irradiated to 0.44 dpa at 705 °C. The kinetics process of transmutant elements and radiation defects are discussed to reveal the underlying mechanisms controlling the formation of precipitates in tungsten.
Separate and interacting effects of the endogenous circadian system and behaviors on plasma aldosterone in humans.

Measurements of aldosterone for diagnosis of primary aldosteronism are usually made from blood sampled in the morning when aldosterone typically peaks. We tested the relative contributions and inte...
Simple and Rapid Creation of Customized 3-dimensional Printed Bolus Using iPhone X True Depth Camera

Abstract Purpose Three-dimensional printing has produced customized bolus during radiation therapy for superficial tumors along irregular skin surfaces. In comparison, traditional bolus materials are often difficult to manipulate for a proper fit. Current 3-dimensional printed boluses are made from either preexisting computed tomography scans or complex surface scanning methods. Herein, we introduce an inexpensive, convenient approach to generate a 3-dimensional printed bolus from surface scanning technology available in common smartphones. Methods and materials A three-dimensional printed bolus was designed using surface scans from iPhone X true depth cameras and a low-cost 3-dimensional printer. The percentage density infill was adjusted to achieve tissue equivalence. To evaluate the clinical feasibility, fit against the skin surface and radiation dose distribution were compared with those of the traditional bolus. Results We fabricated a customized 3-dimensional printed bolus for different areas of the face using an iPhone X camera and inexpensive commercially available 3-dimensional printer. When printed at 100% density, the bolus material approximated soft tissue/water and provided an equivalent dose distribution to that found with standard bolus materials on direct comparison. The bolus material is inexpensive and produces an ideal fit with the scanned anatomy. Conclusions We present a simplified method of highly customized bolus production that requires minimal experience with computer modeling programs and can be accomplished with an iPhone true depth camera.
Procoagulant activity of bovine neutrophils incubated with conditioned media or extracellular vesicles from Histophilus somni stimulated bovine brain endothelial cells.

Histophilus somni is a Gram negative coccobacillus that causes respiratory, reproductive and central nervous system disease in cattle. The hallmark of H. somni infection is diffuse vasculitis and intravascular thrombosis that can lead to an acute central nervous system disease known as thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TME). Because neutrophils are major players in the pathophysiology of septic meningitis, we sought to determine their role in H. somni-induced fibrin clot formation in vitro. Bovine brain endothelial cells (TBBE cells) were exposed to H. somni cells at a 1:25 ratio, respectively. Conditioned media (CM) were collected after a 6 h incubation at 37 °C with 5% CO2, and then incubated with bovine peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). Following incubation, fibrin clot formation and tissue factor activity were assessed by a re-calcified plasma clotting assay. We found greater tissue factor activity in cell lysates and CM from H. somni-stimulated TBBE cells than unstimulated control TBBE cells. In addition, PMNs exposed to CM or extracellular vesicles from H. somni-stimulated TBBE cells expressed von Willenbrand factor, exhibited increased fibrin clot formation, and displayed greater tissue factor activity than PMNs exposed to CM or extracellular vesicles from unstimulated control TBBE cells. These results suggest that bovine PMNs might acquire extracellular vesicles from endothelial cells that leads to thrombus formation in bovine brain microvasculature and contribute to the process that characterizes TME.
Temporal patterns of induced seismicity in Oklahoma revealed from multi-station template matching

Over the past decade, Oklahoma became the most seismically active region of the mid-Continental USA as a result of industry operations. However, seismic network limitations and completeness of earthquake catalogs have restricted the types of analyses that can be performed. By applying multi-station template matching on the 23,889 cataloged earthquakes in Oklahoma and Southern Kansas between late-2008 and 2016, we increased the number of detected earthquakes to 209,409 events. While the improved catalog produced an order of magnitude events than the original catalog, the frequency-magnitude distribution remains similar to the original catalog. We found that the coefficient of variation of interevent times in small spatial bins tends to spatially correlate with the location of M ≥ 4 earthquakes. The improved catalog reveals the pervasiveness of swarm-like patterns in seismicity across the entire study region. The rapid increase in seismicity rate of these swarms in 2013 coincided with a reduction in the calculated p values (power law decay rates) before and after larger events. We also used the catalog to revisit the temporal patterns in the four M ≥ 5 sequences, finding more active foreshock behavior than previously recognized and variations in aftershock behavior. When compared against poroelastic stress models for the Pawnee and Fairview sequences, the catalog shows an improved correlation with stress that accounts for variable-rate injection, supporting the conclusion that injection rate is an important contributor to seismic hazard.
Lipidomes of brain from rats acutely intoxicated with diisopropylfluorophosphate identifies potential therapeutic targets.

Organophosphates (OPs), a class of phosphorus-containing chemicals that act by disrupting cholinergic transmission, include both toxic and fast-acting chemical warfare agents as well as less toxic but more easily accessible OP pesticides. The classical atropine/2-PAM antidote fails to protect against long-term symptoms following acute intoxication with OPs at levels that trigger status epilepticus. Acute OP intoxication also causes a robust neuroinflammatory response, which is implicated in the pathogenesis of long-term effects. In this study, we characterized the profiles of lipid mediators, important players in neuroinflammation, in the rat model of acute DFP intoxication. The profiles of lipid mediators were monitored in three different regions of the brain (cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum) at 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days post-exposure. The distribution pattern of lipid mediators was distinct in the three brain regions. In the cerebellum, the profile is dominated by LOX metabolites, while the lipid mediator profiles in cortex and hippocampus are dominated by COX metabolites followed by LOX and CYP 450 metabolites. Following acute DFP intoxication, most of the pro-inflammatory lipid mediators (e.g., PGD2 and PGE2) increased rapidly from day 1, while the concentrations of some anti-inflammatory lipid mediators (e.g. 14,15 EpETrE) decreased after DFP intoxication but recovered by day 14 post-exposure. The lipidomics results suggest two potential treatment targets: blocking the formation of prostaglandins by inhibiting COX and stabilizing the anti-inflammatory lipid mediators containing epoxides by inhibiting the enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH).
Testing the economics of the net neutrality debate

Abstract This paper examines the impacts of net neutrality rule changes in the United States in 2010, 2015, and 2017 on telecommunication industry investment levels. The paper tackles the issue with a comprehensive dataset with full time series coverage for all SEC-registered telecommunications firms from 2009 to 2018. The author tracks new capital expenditures incurred, which reflects new investment decisions made rather than old investment decisions materialized, with quarterly data and exact issuance dates. The paper uses a standard difference-in-difference model and a variety of robustness checks to examine causal impact effects of net neutrality rule changes. The paper finds net neutrality rule changes in the United States had no impact on telecommunication industry investment levels based on the data, outcome variable, and limiting assumptions used. This empirical question featured heavily as the key economic question in the 2015 Open Internet Order issuance and 2017 repeal process. However, research has failed to adequately address the question due to a short timeframe for research and methodological issues. The paper offers the only analysis with a full dataset and a sufficient time period of observation to properly examine effects. As such, it offers an incremental step forward in research assessing network neutrality empirically.
MANET 3.0: Hierarchy and modularity in evolving metabolic networks.

Enzyme recruitment is a fundamental evolutionary driver of modern metabolism. We see evidence of recruitment at work in the metabolic Molecular Ancestry Networks (MANET) database, an online resource that integrates data from KEGG, SCOP and structural phylogenomic reconstruction. The database, which was introduced in 2006, traces the deep history of the structural domains of enzymes in metabolic pathways. Here we release version 3.0 of MANET, which updates data from KEGG and SCOP, links enzyme and PDB information with PDBsum, and traces evolutionary information of domains defined at fold family level of SCOP classification in metabolic subnetwork diagrams. Compared to SCOP folds used in the previous versions, fold families are cohesive units of functional similarity that are highly conserved at sequence level and offer a 10-fold increase of data entries. We surveyed enzymatic, functional and catalytic site distributions among superkingdoms showing that ancient enzymatic innovations followed a biphasic temporal pattern of diversification typical of module innovation. We grouped enzymatic activities of MANET into a hierarchical system of subnetworks and mesonetworks matching KEGG classification. The evolutionary growth of these modules of metabolic activity was studied using bipartite networks and their one-mode projections at enzyme, subnetwork and mesonetwork levels of organization. Evolving metabolic networks revealed patterns of enzyme sharing that transcended mesonetwork boundaries and supported the patchwork model of metabolic evolution. We also explored the scale-freeness, randomness and small-world properties of evolving networks as possible organizing principles of network growth and diversification. The network structure shows an increase in hierarchical modularity and scale-free behavior as metabolic networks unfold in evolutionary time. Remarkably, this evolutionary constraint on structure was stronger at lower levels of metabolic organization. Evolving metabolic structure reveals a ‘principle of granularity’, an evolutionary increase of the cohesiveness of lower-level parts of a hierarchical system. MANET is available at http://manet.illinois.edu.
Outcomes of Multi-Organ Transplant in Adult Patients With Congenital Heart Disease.

Background The prevalence of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is increasing in the United States because of improved survival into adulthood. The unique physiology of ACHD commonly leads to mu...
Pluripotent cells for the assessment of chemically induced teratogenesis and developmental toxicology

Abstract Birth defects are a significant medical problem, affecting approximately 3% of neonates. Despite this, it is not currently known what proportion of affected cases is caused by exposure to teratogens, which are compounds that can cause abnormalities in fetal development. There are presently a large number of compounds of potential concern that have not been thoroughly tested in laborious and expensive animal developmental toxicology models. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) include embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and these can serve as models for early embryogenesis, precisely the time of maximal risk of fetal exposure to teratogens. Therefore, much effort has been focused on the use PSCs, and the cells that can be differentiated from them, for the development of in vitro assays for the detection of teratogens and developmental toxins. This chapter reviews the current state of PSC-based platforms for the detection of compounds that pose a risk to human developmental programs, and for the ascertainment of teratogenic mechanisms at cellular and molecular levels. In addition, this chapter considers a variety of experimental endpoints using such systems.
Aortic Insufficiency After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: Predictors and Outcomes

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and clinical impact of progression of aortic insufficiency (AI) after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Methods Patients undergoing primary durable LVAD implantation between 2004 and 2018 were included. Significant AI was defined as more than mild AI. Clinical and echocardiographic data were collected. Patients were stratified by degree of pre-LVAD AI into 3 groups: no AI, group I; trace AI, group II; and mild AI, group III. Results Three hundred sixteen eligible patients underwent LVAD implant, 229 patients (72.5%) in group I, 54 (17.1%) in group II, and 33 (10.4%) in group III. Median follow-up was 469 days. Forty-two patients (13.3%) progressed to significant AI during follow-up. Group III patients had the highest rate of developing significant AI (I, 10.0%; II, 13.0%; III, 36.4%; P = .002). Freedom from significant AI at 1 year after LVAD implant was 94.5% in group I, 86.1% in group II, and 62.4% in group III (P Conclusions Although some patients supported with an LVAD develop significant AI, this risk is increased in those with mild AI preoperatively. This finding, in conjunction with the increased mortality risk once significant AI develops, suggests that closer follow-up and management of LVAD patients with mild preoperative AI may be prudent.
Geostatistical estimation of Ground Class prior to and during excavation for the Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore project

Abstract One of the most significant challenges when tunneling in rock is predicting the true tunneling conditions along the alignment. Prior to excavation, engineers rely on sparse borehole information and a knowledge of the regional geology and tectonics to estimate anticipated tunneling conditions and associated spatial uncertainty. As more data become available during excavation, in some projects, geologists and engineers construct maps of the tunnel face that record the tunneling conditions at closely-spaced intervals along the tunnel, which can be used to update predictions of tunneling conditions just ahead of the face. This work used a variogram-based geostatistical algorithm (indicator kriging) with both borehole data and face maps from the completed Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore in California, USA to predict anticipated tunneling conditions and associated uncertainty both prior to and during excavation to integrate information available at different times during the life of the project. First, borehole data available prior to excavation were used to estimate anticipated tunneling conditions using two methods which attempt to represent a relationship between measured borehole data and anticipated tunneling conditions; these methods were compared using the face maps collected during excavation as verification. When comparing the two methods in the context of two geologic units from the Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore, one of the methods produced reasonable uncertainty predictions for both geologic units, while the second produced excellent uncertainty predictions in one geologic unit and poor uncertainty predictions in the other geologic unit due to the geometrical configuration of the boreholes. The former method was used to assess the impact of face maps on predicted tunneling conditions in both geologic units, and it was found that a large reduction in uncertainty can be achieved 1–5 m ahead of the face when incorporating face maps into updated geostatistical calculations.
What older adults do with the results of dementia screening programs.

Introduction Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are often under-recognized in the community. MCI/ADRD screening could offer benefits such as early treatment, research participation, lifestyle modification, and advanced care planning. To date, there are no clear guidelines regarding the benefits vs. harms of dementia screening or whether a dementia screening program could be successful. Methods A community-based study was conducted to evaluate an MCI/ADRD screening program and determine what older adults would do with the information. Measures of cognition, physical health, functionality, and mood were collected. Participants met with a health professional, were given screening results with recommendations, and then contacted 60 days later to determine what was done with the results. Logistic regression models were used to build predictive models. Results Participants (n = 288) had a mean age of 71.5±8.3y, mean education of 13.3±4.8y, and were 70% female, 67% White, 26% African American, and 48% Hispanic. After 60 days, 75% of participants were re-contacted; 54% shared results with family, 33% shared results with health care providers (HCPs), and 52% initiated behavioral change. Among participants sharing results with HCPs, 51% reported HCPs did not follow-up on the results, and 18% that HCPs did not show any interest in the screening visit or its results. Predictors of sharing results with HCPs were elevated hemoglobin A1C (OR = 1.85;95%CI:1.19–2.88), uncontrolled hypertension (OR = 2.73;95%CI:1.09–6.83), and mobility issues (OR = 2.43;95%CI: 1.93–5.54). Participant behavioral changes included lifestyle modification (58%), social engagement (10%), cognitive stimulation (5%), and advanced care planning (4%). The most significant predictors of sharing with family were better overall mental health (OR = 0.19; 95%CI: 0.06–0.59) and better physical function (OR = 0.38; 95%CI: 0.17–0.81). Discussion MCI/ADRD screening was well-received by a diverse community sample. Participants showed interest in sharing the results with their family and HCPs and many attempted behavioral change. While HCPs did not always act on screening results, 25% ordered further testing and evaluation. Efforts need to be directed toward (1) increasing self-efficacy of older adults to discuss screening results with their HCPs, and (2) educating HCPs on the value of early detection of MCI/ADRD. Community dementia screening programs can increase MCI/ADRD detection and improve patient-centered outcomes and medical decision-making.
Higher Executive Control Network Coherence Buffers Against Puberty-Related Increases in Internalizing Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract Background Early pubertal maturation has been posited to be a biopsychosocial risk factor for the onset of internalizing psychopathology in adolescence; further, early-maturing youths exhibit heightened reactivity to stressful events. School closures and enforced social distancing, as well as health and financial uncertainties, during the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to adversely affect mental health in youths, particularly adolescents who are already at risk for experiencing emotional difficulties. The executive control network (ECN) supports cognitive processes required to successfully navigate novel challenges and regulate emotions in stressful contexts. Methods We examined whether functional coherence of the ECN, measured using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging 5 years before the pandemic (T1), is a neurobiological marker of resilience to increases in the severity of internalizing symptoms during COVID-19 in adolescents who were in more advanced stages of puberty at T1 relative to their same-age peers (N = 85, 49 female). Results On average, participants reported an increase in symptoms from the 3 months before pandemic to the 2 most recent weeks during the pandemic. We found that early-maturing youths exhibited greater increases in internalizing symptoms during the pandemic if their ECN coherence was low; in contrast, relative pubertal stage was not associated with changes in internalizing symptoms in adolescents with higher ECN coherence at T1. Conclusions These findings highlight the role of the functional architecture of the brain that supports executive functioning in protecting against risk factors that may exacerbate symptoms of internalizing psychopathology during periods of stress and uncertainty.
PATTERNS OF FRIENDSHIP SUPPORT AND STRAIN OVER TIME AMONG MARRIED OLDER ADULTS: THE ROLE OF DEMOGRAPHIC, SOCIAL, AND WELL-BEING FACTORS

The present study examines older adult married couples’ friendship support and strain trajectories. Friendship is essential across the life course. However, most studies examining friendship within...
Finite State Machine Based Control of Environmental Control Units in Hybrid Military Microgrids

Transportation of resources, ranging from diesel fuel and batteries to power generators, in a hostile environment leads to putting Army assets and soldiers at risk. This risk can be mitigated through hybridization of diesel generator based microgrids with Photovoltaic (PV) assets and novel control devices in Forward Operating Bases (FOB). However, the variability of PV production and lack of correlation to load can be problematic. Battery energy storage is one solution. This work has developed an alternative. Namely a Finite State Machine (FSM) based demand response (DR) controller for Environmental Control Units (ECU) in hybrid diesel generator/PV microgrids. This controller uses an expanded temperature range, constrained to maintaining a comfortable environment, compared to a typical hysteresis controller, and leverages the thermal envelope of the structure as short-term energy storage. Previous work developed a detailed thermodynamic model of the Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) structures and ECU system. This work refined the model, including a new ECU system design, developed a novel, FSM-based controller which handles intraday PV variability, and benchmarked performance against traditional hysteresis control with simulation results. The presented results show significant improvement to coupling ECU energy demand to PV energy production while maintaining a comfortable environment with the proposed FSM-based controller which is ready for implementation.
Die Darstellung Alaskas in Peter Handkes Langsame Heimkehr (1979) unter dem Aspekt des Nature Writing

The chapter proposes a reading of Peter Handke’s 1979 novel Langsame Heimkehr (Slow Homecoming) through the lens of New Nature Writing. With origins in the US as well as Great Britain, New Nature Writing expands the genre’s aesthetic vocabulary to include fiction as well as non-fiction, moving beyond the solitary individual exploring his subjectivity in a pristine natural setting. In the German-language context in particular, New Nature Writing also reflects on the connections between nature and nationalism and the legacies of the Nazi period. Focusing on the first part of Langsame Heimkehr, this chapter analyses Handke’s literary engagement with nature in Alaska, in particular the earth formations created by the Yukon River. With a German geologist as protagonist, Handke, who visited Alaska prior to writing his novel, integrates scientific language and thinking into his text’s deep engagement with a specific landscape far away from Germany. The novel’s depiction of the relationship between humans and nature anticipates the aims of New Nature Writing.
Torsion of the Epididymal Appendage in a Child

The epididymal appendage, or the appendix epididymis, is a developmental remnant of the mesonephric duct that sprouts from the head of the epididymis. Due to its pedunculated anatomical configuration, the epididymal appendage is prone to torsion and can become a rare cause of an acute scrotum. Given its often challenging and atypical presentation, high clinical suspicion and Doppler ultrasonography are needed to guide diagnosis. We report a challenging case of epididymal appendage torsion that required prompt surgical exploration to accurately diagnose. Awareness of this condition and its radiological findings can play an important role in reaching an accurate diagnosis and avoiding surgical intervention.
Actin-based force generation and cell adhesion in tissue morphogenesis.

The generation of organismal form - morphogenesis - arises from forces produced at the cellular level. In animal cells, much of this force is produced by the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we review how mechanisms of actin-based force generation are deployed during animal morphogenesis to sculpt organs and organisms. Furthermore, we consider how cytoskeletal forces are coupled through cell adhesions to propagate across tissues, and discuss cases where cytoskeletal force or adhesion is patterned across a tissue to direct shape changes. Together, our review provides a conceptual framework that reflects our current understanding of animal morphogenesis and gives perspectives on future opportunities for study.
MergeDistill: Merging Pre-trained Language Models using Distillation.

Pre-trained multilingual language models (LMs) have achieved state-of-the-art results in cross-lingual transfer, but they often lead to an inequitable representation of languages due to limited capacity, skewed pre-training data, and sub-optimal vocabularies. This has prompted the creation of an ever-growing pre-trained model universe, where each model is trained on large amounts of language or domain specific data with a carefully curated, linguistically informed vocabulary. However, doing so brings us back full circle and prevents one from leveraging the benefits of multilinguality. To address the gaps at both ends of the spectrum, we propose MergeDistill, a framework to merge pre-trained LMs in a way that can best leverage their assets with minimal dependencies, using task-agnostic knowledge distillation. We demonstrate the applicability of our framework in a practical setting by leveraging pre-existing teacher LMs and training student LMs that perform competitively with or even outperform teacher LMs trained on several orders of magnitude more data and with a fixed model capacity. We also highlight the importance of teacher selection and its impact on student model performance.
Simplified lymphatic microsurgical preventing healing approach (SLYMPHA) for the prevention of breast cancer-related lymphedema after axillary lymph node dissection.

e12581Background: Lymphedema (LE) is a serious complication of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) with an incidence rate of 16%. Simplified Lymphatic Microsurgical Preventing Healing Approach (S...
Who would have thought: A forward-looking approach on sensemaking theory

In this paper, we add to our understanding of forward-looking strategy and explore how an organization makes sense of what to do when everything that was known no longer makes sense. We contribute ...
Use and Outcomes of Dual Chamber or Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillators Among Older Patients Requiring Ventricular Pacing in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Registry.

Importance Frequent right ventricular (RV) pacing can cause and exacerbate heart failure. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to be associated with improved outcomes among patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction who need frequent RV pacing, but the patterns of use of CRT vs dual chamber (DC) devices and the associated outcomes among these patients in clinical practice is not known. Objective To assess outcomes, variability in use of device type, and trends in use of device type over time among patients undergoing implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation who were likely to require frequent RV pacing but who did not have a class I indication for CRT. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) ICD Registry. A total of 3100 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing first-time implantation of CRT defibrillator (CRT-D) or DC-ICD from 2010 to 2016 who had a class I or II guideline ventricular bradycardia pacing indication but not a class I indication for CRT were included. Data were analyzed from August 2018 to October 2019. Exposures Implantation of a CRT-D or DC-ICD. Main Outcomes and Measures All-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization, and complications were ascertained from Medicare claims data. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and Fine-Gray models were used to evaluate 1-year mortality and heart failure hospitalization, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate 30-day and 90-day complications. All models accounted for clustering. The median odds ratio (MOR) was used to assess variability and represents the odds that a randomly selected patient receiving CRT-D at a hospital with high implant rates would receive CRT-D if they had been treated at a hospital with low CRT-D implant rates. Results A total of 3100 individuals were included. The mean (SD) age was 76.3 (6.4) years, and 2500 (80.6%) were men. The 1698 patients (54.7%) receiving CRT-D were more likely than those receiving DC-ICD to have third-degree atrioventricular block (828 [48.8%] vs 432 [30.8%];P Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of older patients in contemporary practice undergoing ICD implantation with a bradycardia pacing indication but without a class I indication for CRT, CRT-D was associated with better outcomes compared with DC devices. Variability in use of device type was observed, and the rate of CRT implantation increased over time.
NMDA Receptors Mediate Activation of Polyamine Synthesis and Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown after Cold Injury

Cold injury (CI) of cerebral cortex is an extensively used model for focal bloodbrain barrier (BBB) breakdown and spreading vasogenic brain edema (Klatzo et al., 1981). CI also induces changes in neuronal function and metabolism, including epileptic discharges and slow (delta) wave activity (Pappius & McCann, 1969) and a depression of local cerebral glucose metabolism (Pappius, 1981). We found that focal CI of rat cerebral cortex induces a biphasic increase in polyamine (PA) levels and the activity of their regulatory synthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), which converts ornithine to putrescine, in perilesional cortex involving both capillaries and brain cells (Koenig et al., 1989a). In the first phase, ODC activity and PA levels increase transiently between 1-5 min after CI. A secondary rise in ODC activity and PA levels occurs after a lag period of 4 h which lasts for more than 72 h. Agents which directly or indirectly inhibit CI-induced stimulation of ODC activity and PA accumulation also prevent BBB breakdown, monitored by fluorescein and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) leakage, while exogenous putrescine reverses the effects of ODC inhibition and restores BBB breakdown. These agents include the specific suicide ODC inhibitor a-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), (Metcalf et al., 1978; Koenig et al., 1983, 1989a; Trout et al., 1986), verapamil, dexamethasone, and aspirin (Koenig et al., 1989a).
The Relevance of Ethical Salesperson Behavior on Relationship Quality: The Pharmaceutical Industry

There has obviously been a recent increased concern over unethical business practices. Certainly, in this era of customer-orientation and emphasis on long-term business relationships, unethical salesperson behavior would be a detriment. We extend the model of relationship quality as developed by Crosby, Evans and Cowles (1990) to include ethical salesperson behavior. In regression analyses, ethical behavior and expertise of pharmaceutical salespersons impact both trust of the salesperson and satisfaction with the exchange as reported by physicians. Implications and suggestions for the pharmaceutical industry are offered.
Efficient unsupervised estimation of second-order B-spline contour descriptors

A novel unsupervised algorithm is presented for efficient and global computation of periodic second-order B-spline approximations to closed boundaries. Key local geometric information is extracted from a smoothed version of the boundary. This local information allows intelligent partitioning of the boundary and construction of an initial system of equations that often produces a very good approximation. Additional equations are introduced as local constraints to control occasional violations of the user-specified absolute error tolerance. The overdetermined systems of equations are solved by a standard least-squares approach. Computational complexity is compared to two previous algorithms. Experimental results are also provided.
Time-Scale Decomposition of a Class of Linear and Nonlinear Cheap Control Problems

Cheap control problems where a small parameter ?2 multiplies the control cost are considered. Due to the cheapness of control, a strong control action in the form of high-gain feedback forces the given system to have slow and fast, low and high amplitude variations. For a class of linear systems (uniform rank systems), a systematic procedure of amplitude scaling and time-scale decomposition which normalizes high and low amplitude variations and which separates slow and fast time-scales is presented. The method permits the explicit characterization of all the limiting properties of the considered cheap control problem as ? ? 0. Methods of calculating singular controls and how nonuniqueness can arise in them are discussed. Above all, several suboptimal composite control schemes are developed based on the decomposition of the given optimal design into two lower order subsystem designs. Finally all these results are extended to a class of nonlinear systems.
Substrate-inducible Microsomal Aryl Hydroxylase in Mammalian Cell Culture: II. Cellular responses during enzyme induction

Aryl hydroxylase, derived from hamster fetus cells grown in culture, is an inducible microsomal enzyme system which requires NADPH and molecular oxygen. The addition of benz[a]anthracene or other polycyclic hydrocarbons to the culture medium causes significant increases in the amount of hydroxylase activity: after a lag period of 35 min, the level of hydroxylase activity increases linearly for 16 to 32 hours, at which time the levels are 15- to 40-fold higher than that of control cells. Under similar conditions, neither corticosteroids nor phenobarbital has any effect on the aryl hydroxylase activity. The ability to induce the hydroxylase activity is greatest in cells entering logarithmic growth phase and in secondary and tertiary cultures. Aryl hydroxylase is also induced in fetal cells from mouse and rat; induction is much lower in chick and guinea pig. The aryl hydroxylase enzyme system is inducible in hamster fetus cells derived from lung, small intestine, liver, limb, and brain, and is greatest in cells from older fetuses. The carbon monoxide-binding microsomal cytochrome from cells exposed to benz[a]anthracene has an absorption peak at 446 mµ, compared to 450 mµ for the microsomal fraction from control cells. This alteration may be related to the increased aryl hydroxylase activity. The addition of actinomycin D, puromycin, or cycloheximide simultaneously with benz[a]anthracene completely prevents the induction of hydroxylase activity. In cells previously induced for 25 hours, either the removal of inducer or the addition of puromycin (with or without inducer) causes a fall in aryl hydroxylase activity after 3 hours. The half-life of the induced enzyme activity is 3.3 ± 1.2 hours. The addition of actinomycin D, alone or with inducer, to previously induced cells causes a greater increase in enzyme activity for 4 hours than does benz[a]anthracene alone. These studies suggest that the induction of aryl hydroxylase activity involves an activation of specific genes and changes in their transcription into messenger RNA.
Demonstrations of Transmission Line Effects

A set of experiments on transmission line effects at high frequency has been described in this paper. They are measurement of impedance characteristics of resistors and capacitors at high frequency, determination of characteristic impedance and velocity factor of transmission lines and crosstalk measurements. Issues in design of analog/digital circuits at high frequencies are better appreciated by students when these experiments are performed.
Digital subtraction angiography: Present and future uses in cardiovascular diagnosis†

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) has been proved to be an effective means of visualizing the cardiovascular system following intravenous injection of contrast material. Excellent quality images have been obtained of the left ventricle, the thoracic aorta and its major branches, the carotid arteries, the abdominal aorta and its major branches, lower extremity vessels, and intracerebral vessels. Avoiding the risks and discomforts of direct arterial puncture and the need for hospitalization, DSA is safer and more economical than standard arteriography. It is, therefore, useful both as a screening tool and, in many patients, as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of vascular disease. Left ventricular studies provide excellent qualitative and quantitative evaluation of left ventricular function. Arterial injections of contrast have provided excellent quality images of the vascular tree with low volume dilute contrast material. Lower extremity vessels not visualized by standard arteriography have been seen following intra-arterial contrast injections using DSA. Aortic root injections have been used to demonstrate coronary arteries and coronary artery bypass grafts. Although intravenous injections of contrast have shown coronary artery bypass graft patency with reasonable success, they have not proved useful at this point in defining the exact anatomy. Other video techniques following arterial injections of contrast have been used to calculate vessel flows. Although coronary artery images in animal studies following intravenous contrast injection are improving, they are still not of diagnostic quality. Digital subtraction angiography, therefore, has proved itself a useful adjunct to standard arteriographic techniques. Its future potential has not yet been defined.
Methodology for engineering affective social applications

Affective applications are becoming increasingly mainstream in entertainment and education. Yet, current techniques for building such applications are limited, and the maintenance and use of affect is in essence handcrafted in each application. The Koko architecture describes middleware that reduces the burden of incorporating affect into applications, thereby enabling developers to concentrate on the functional and creative aspects of their applications. Further, Koko includes a methodology for creating affective social applications, called Koko-ASM. Specifically, it incorporates expressive communicative acts, and uses them to guide the design of an affective social application. With respect to agentoriented software engineering, Koko contributes a methodology that incorporates expressives. The inclusion of expressives, which are largely ignored in conventional approaches, expands the scope of AOSE to affective applications.
Designing adaptive antenna uplink weighting vector to achieve optimization of radiation pattern

In this paper, the optimal radiation pattern of an adaptive linear array is derived by phase-amplitude perturbations using a genetic algorithm. An antenna array is often used as an adaptive antenna. An optimal radiation pattern design for an adaptive antenna system is not only to suppress interference by placing a null in the direction of the interfering source but also to derive the maximum power pattern in the direction of the desired signal. The signal to interference ratio (SIR) can be maximized. The genetic algorithm is a new methodology, which can handle the adaptive radiation pattern of antenna array. In this paper, an optimal radiation pattern of linear array is derived by phase-amplitude perturbations using a genetic algorithm. Genetic algorithms are computed for this problem. Then, the optimal solution can be derived. Several simulation results are also presented in this paper.
Cascade spectrum of HF enhanced plasma lines generated in HF heating experiments

[1] Analyzed in this paper is the cascade spectrum of Langmuir waves, which are the high-frequency sideband of the parametric decay instability or oscillating two-stream instability excited by an O mode HF heating wave. It involves the decay of a Langmuir pump wave into a Langmuir sideband and an ion acoustic wave, which is heavily damped by ion Landau damping. Both resonant and nonresonant cascade processes are considered. The nonresonant cascade of Langmuir waves proceeds at the same location and is severely hampered by the frequency mismatch effect, because the decay wave is a driven ion mode oscillating at considerably lower frequency than that of the ion acoustic wave. In contrast, the resonant cascade, which takes place at different resonant locations to minimize the frequency mismatch effect, has to overcome the propagation loss of the mother Langmuir wave in each cascade step. The resonant cascade has a lower threshold, but the cascade lines spread over a range of altitude. The dominant factors, which determine the number of cascade lines in the radar-detected spectrum of HF enhanced plasma lines (HFPLs), include the ion to electron temperature ratio, Ti/Te, the background plasma inhomogeneity scale length, and the heating wave field intensity. The proposed process can be a reasonable basis for explaining the radar-measured cascade spectrum of Langmuir waves (i.e., HFPLs) in Arecibo and Tromso heating experiments.
Rapid remodeling of airway vascular architecture at birth

Recent advances have documented the development of lung vasculature before and after birth, but less is known of the growth and maturation of airway vasculature. We sought to determine whether airway vasculature changes during the perinatal period and when the typical adult pattern develops. On embryonic day 16.5 mouse tracheas had a primitive vascular plexus unlike the adult airway vasculature, but instead resembling the yolk sac vasculature. Soon after birth (P0), the primitive vascular plexus underwent abrupt and extensive remodeling. Blood vessels overlying tracheal cartilage rings regressed from P1 to P3 but regrew from P4 to P7 to form the hierarchical, segmented, ladder-like adult pattern. Hypoxia and HIF-1α were present in tracheal epithelium over vessels that survived but not where they regressed. These findings reveal the plasticity of airway vasculature after birth and show that these vessels can be used to elucidate factors that promote postnatal vascular remodeling and maturation.
A new method using the bus-impedance matrix model for short-circuit calculations

The bus-impedance matrix is a familiar tool in short-circuit calculations in power networks. This letter offers a new method of employing this Z bus matrix and shows a numerical sample case. The method has tutorial significance and is applicable to the usual types of short circuits including simultaneous faults.
Observation of T = 2 level in 20Ne as a compound nucleus resonance

Abstract The lowest T = 2 level in the self conjugate nucleus 20Ne has been observed as a sharp resonance in the once T-forbidden capture reaction 19F(p,γ)20Ne*T=1(γ)20Ne and in the twice T-forbidden elastic scattering19F(p,po)19F. Resonance parameters are derived.
Inverse Targeting of Peritoneal Tumors: Selective Alteration of the Disposition of Methotrexate Through the Use of Anti-Methotrexate Antibodies and Antibody Fragments

We have hypothesized that antidrug antibodies (ADAb) may be employed to impart site-specific alterations in the disposition of drug molecules, potentially allowing for targeted drug therapy. We are specifically interested in minimizing systemic exposure to free drug and systemic toxicities resultant from regional chemotherapy through the intravenous administration of ADAb. In this report, we present the production and purification of anti-methotrexate Fab fragments, and we present investigations of the effects of anti-methotrexate Fab and anti-methotrexate immunoglobulin G on the disposition of methotrexate in the rat. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that intravenous anti-methotrexate immunoglobulin G (anti-MTX IgG) and anti-methotrexate Fab (anti-MTX Fab) administration produced dramatic alterations in the plasma phar-macokinetics of methotrexate (MTX), following intraperitoneal MTX administration (area under the total MTX concentration vs time curve for anti-MTX IgG relative to control, 420 ± 90 (p < 0.05); for anti-MTX Fab relative to control, 46 ± 6.1 (p < 0.05); area under the free MTX concentration vs time curve for anti-MTX IgG relative to control, 0.64 ± 0.16; for anti-MTX Fab relative to control, 0.45 ± 0.20 (p < 0.05)). Additional studies conducted in anesthetized rats revealed no significant alterations in the area under the total peritoneal MTX concentration vs time curves, free MTX peritoneal concentration vs time curves, or peritoneal exit rate of MTX in anti-MTX Fab treated animals relative to controls. Therefore, our pharmacokinetic studies demonstrate that ADAb may produce site-specific alterations in drug pharmacokinetics, potentially enhancing the site specificity of drug distribution and drug action following regional chemotherapy.
Calcium regulation of keratinocyte differentiation.

Calcium is the major regulator of keratinocyte differentiation in vivo and in vitro. A calcium gradient within the epidermis promotes the sequential differentiation of keratinocytes as they traverse the different layers of the epidermis to form the permeability barrier of the stratum corneum. Calcium promotes differentiation by both outside–in and inside–out signaling. A number of signaling pathways involved with differentiation are regulated by calcium, including the formation of desmosomes, adherens junctions and tight junctions, which maintain cell–cell adhesion and play an important intracellular signaling role through their activation of various kinases and phospholipases that produce second messengers that regulate intracellular free calcium and PKC activity, critical for the differentiation process. The calcium receptor plays a central role by initiating the intracellular signaling events that drive differentiation in response to extracellular calcium. This review will discuss these mechanisms.