cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are Athlete-Owned Leagues a Viable Alternative for Professional Sport?:

Sport leagues have been critiqued for their cartel-like behavior, monopsony power, and many occupational health risks to athletes. Athlete-owned sports leagues are an alternative way of organizing ...
Use of magnetic resonance imaging lymphangiography for preoperative planning in lymphedema surgery: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging lymphangiography (MRL) has emerged as a way to predict if patients are candidates for lymphedema surgery, particularly lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA). Our goal was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the use of MRL for preoperative planning in lymphedema surgery. We hypothesized that MRL could add valuable information to the standard preoperative evaluation of lymphedema patients. METHODS On February 17, 2020, we conducted a systematic review of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Clinical Answers, and Embase databases, without time frame or language limitations, to identify articles on the use of MRL for preoperative planning of lymphedema surgery. We excluded studies that investigated other applications of magnetic resonance imaging, such as lymphedema diagnosis and treatment evaluation. The primary outcome was the examination capacity to identify lymphatic anatomy and the secondary outcome was the presence of adverse effects. RESULTS Of 372 potential articles identified with the search, nine studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. A total of 334 lymphedema patients were enrolled in these studies. Two studies compared MRL findings with those of other standard examinations (indocyanine green lymphography [ICG-L] or lymphoscintigraphy). No adverse effects due to MRL were reported. A study shown that MRL had higher sensitivity to detect lymphatic vessel abnormalities compared with lymphoscintigraphy and a statistically higher chance of successful LVA was observed when the results of MRL agreed with those of ICG-L (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS MRL could be useful for preoperative planning in lymphedema surgery. The scientific evidence has been limited, so further studies with greater numbers of patients and cost analysis are necessary to justify the addition of MRL to current preoperative protocols.
What Is a Memory, That It May Comprehend Itself?

The phenomenon of memory, thought as a general property of some natural or artificial systems, can be analyzed only within the frame of a process approach to reality. In this view, some epistemological paradigms, related to the notions of autopoiesis, self-organization, and self-reference, seem to bear a profound relevance for the essence of memory, as function ensuring temporal coherence to complex systems. On the other hand, the meta-mnemonic power of memory systems, that can self-represent themselves, potentially gives rise to self-referential paradoxes. These antinomies involve some critical logical issues: the problem of self-encoding within a formal untyped language, the threat of infinite regress, and the need for non-isomorphic models of memory. Many formal and/or computational models and notions have been developed to cope with such issues, in the last few decades, by logicians and mathematicians – like indication calculus, hyperset theory, co-algebras – all aimed at explaining self-reference as a constitutive and non-paradoxical process in complex systems, like living organisms or concurrent information systems. Most of these ideas may suggest new metaphors and models to think about memory and may induce further reflection toward a definition of the essential systemic nature of the phenomenology of remembering involving and connecting together different notions, as self-description, reversibility, entropy, and life itself. Moreover, the application of these models to the problem of memory could bring to consider some general epistemological issues, related to the structural coupling between the notions of time and consciousness.
Intratester reliability of the Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester on individuals with intellectual disabilities by a tester having minimal experience.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the intratester reliability of measurements obtained with the Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester (NMMT) by a tester having minimal experience on individuals with intellectual disabilities. Seventeen individuals classified as moderately mentally retarded between the ages of 14 and 24 (mean = 18.65) were evaluated with the NMMT using a test-retest reliability procedure after a familiarization session. Test-retest strength score relationships for dominant and nondominant elbow flexors and extensors revealed intraclass correlation coefficients from .83 to .86 (p < .001); whereas a series of paired t-tests revealed no significant differences between test and retest values. Finally, intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from .98 to .99 were evident in comparing the first trial to mean of three trials from the first testing session. It was concluded that testers with minimal experience with the NMMT could obtain reliable measurements with the NMMT for determining isometric force of elbow flexors and extensors in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
3-D Heart Modeling and Motion EstimationBased on Continuous Distance Transform Neural Networks andAffine Transform

In this paper, we apply the previously proposed continuous distance transform neural network (CDTNN) to represent 3-D endocardial (inner) and epicardial (outer) contours and quantitatively estimate the motion of left ventricles of human hearts from ultrasound images acquired using transesophageal echo-cardiography. This CDTNN has many good properties as the conventional distance transforms, which are suitable for 3-D object representation and deformation estimation. We have successfully represented the 3-D epicardia and endocardia of left ventricles using CDTNNs trained by as few as 7.5% of the manually traced data. The mean absolute error in the testing for one patient over the 27 testing planes were (1.4 ± 1.2 mm) for the endocardium, (1.3 ± 1.0 mm) for the epicardium at end diastole and (1.4 ± 1.2 mm) for the endocardium vs. 1.2 ± 1.0 mm for the epicardium at end systole. The absolute error measured compares favorably with the human inter-observer variability reported for analyzing distances. With this unique distance transform representation that is continuous and differentiable, we are also able to systematically and effectively measure the amount of 3-D heart motion in terms of affine transform.
Empathy and Moral Development: Implications for Socialization and Moral Education

It follows from my argument in chapter 12 that empathy, despite its faults, is a good bet for a universal prosocial morality. An important part of empathic morality is that cognitive development (selfother differentiation, language mediation, role-taking, causal attribution) enables simple empathic distress to be transformed into increasingly sophisticated motives to consider the welfare of others, taking their life condition as well as their immediate feelings into account (chapter 3). These cognitive contributions to empathy are brain-related and therefore available to people in all cultures, though not all cultures utilize them fully or in the same way. Empathy's amenity to cognitive influence is also important for another reason: It gives a potentially significant role to socialization and moral education, which may counteract empathic morality's limitations and magnify its capabilities. Socialization of Empathic Morality I described in chapter 6 how empathic distress and empathy-based guilt can, through inductions by parents, create emotionally charged scripts linking a child's harmful actions to empathic distress and empathy-based guilt and how these scripts become functionally autonomous and independent of the inductions that spawned them. Induction appears to be the discipline of choice for many educated middle-class Americans, although in a 1995 Harris poll, 80% of the 1,250 adults surveyed said they had spanked their children (see chapter 6, footnote 1). The poll unfortunately did not ask parents how frequently they spanked, define spanking, or give social class data, but it should put to rest the idea that American parents know that spanking is bad and no longer need advice about discipline.
Polynomial expansions for cardinal interpolants and orthonormal wavelets

Abstract For a compactly supported function ϕ on ℝs we develop methods for computing the Fourier coefficients of transforms f(ΦT) of the symbol of ϕ. This problem arises in cardinal interpolation and in the construction of orthonormal wavelets. When the range of the symbol is a real interval, expansions of f in terms of orthogonal polynomials seem adequate. For complex valued ΦT, a Faber expansion of f is used.
Discovery of a 450 Hz Quasi-periodic Oscillation from the Microquasar GRO J1655–40 with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer

We report the discovery with the Proportional Counter Array on board the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer of a 450 Hz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in the hard X-ray flux from the Galactic microquasar GRO J1655-40. This is the highest frequency QPO modulation seen to date from a black hole. The QPO is detected only in the hard X-ray band above approx. 13 keV. It is both strong and narrow, with a typical rms (root mean square) amplitude of 4.5% in the 13-27 keV range and a width of approx. 40 Hz (FWHM). For two observations in which we detect the 450 Hz QPO, a previously known approx. 300 Hz QPO is also observed in the 2-13 keV band. We show that these two QPOs sometimes appear simultaneously, thus demonstrating the first detection of a pair of high-frequency QPOs in a black hole system. Prior to this, pairs of high-frequency QPOs have been detected only in neutron star systems. GRO J1655-40 is one of only a handful of black hole systems with a good dynamical mass constraint. For a nonrotating black hole with mass between 5.5 and 7.9 solar masses, the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) ranges from 45 to 70 km. For any mass in this range the radius at which the orbital frequency reaches 450 Hz is less than the ISCO radius, indicating that, if the modulation is caused by Kepler motion, the black hole must have appreciable spin. If the QPO frequency is set by the orbital frequency of matter at the ISCO, then for this mass range the dimensionless angular momentum lies in the range 0.15 < j < 0.5. Moreover, if the modulation is caused by oscillation modes in the disk or Lense-Thirring precession, then this would also require a rapidly rotating hole. We briefly discuss the implications of our findings for models of X-ray variability in black holes and neutron stars.
Microwave engineering design laboratories: C-band rail SAR and Doppler radar systems

National trends appear to indicate that student and faculty interest in electromagnetic principles and practices is waning. Ironically, given the current industrial emphasis on high-frequency communications, high-speed computational systems, and high-bandwidth interconnection requirements, we find ourselves in a situation where increasing numbers of engineers need to have a grasp of high-frequency fundamentals. To address this need, we have refocused the electromagnetic teaching laboratories in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Brigham Young University to provide students with relevant, motivational design experiences with microwave systems. Our current laboratories are based on a 6 GHz Doppler radar in our junior-level course, and a 6 GHz synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in the senior-level course. These laboratories focus on taking students through the entire design process, beginning with system-level engineering and moving through computer-aided design, fabrication, and testing. Because the end product is a functional, useful system, students can directly see the relevance of the experience as well as the associated theory taught in the accompanying course.
Integrated solar thermochemical cycles for energy storage and fuel production

Integrated solar thermochemical cycles comprise a range of promising novel process technologies that use concentrated solar energy to drive endothermic chemical reactions at elevated temperatures. The most promising application is the production of carbon-neutral fuels, particularly via single or multistep water and CO2 splitting or via the solar thermochemical upgrading of carbonaceous fuels such as biomass, waste, or oil residues. Furthermore, intermediate storage of solar energy in reversible reactions, the so-called solar thermochemical heat pipes, shows great promise to replace latent heat storage for concentrating solar power generation. Potential niche applications are material processing and mate- rialtesting.Widespreaddeploymentofsolarthermochemicalcycleshingesonthe development of severalkey technologies: (i)reactionsystems and catalystsable to enduretensofthousandsofconversioncycleswithoutsignificantdegradation,(ii) reactors and heat recuperation systems that fully exploit the theoretical potential of solar thermochemical cycles, (iii) industrial-scale reactor technologies, and (iv) process control technologies that address the inherently transient nature of solar power. C � 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of motivational interviewing intervention on blackouts among college freshmen.

PURPOSE: Alcohol and illicit drug abuse is a serious public health issue facing college students. This study examined the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) as an intervention on the rate of blackouts among freshmen who engaged in high-risk drinking and illicit drug use. DESIGN: A sample of 188 volunteer freshmen from a university were administered the Daily Drinking Questionnaire, the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index, and the Government Performance and Results Act at baseline and again at 6 months postintervention. MI was applied at baseline and then again at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. METHODS: Generalized estimated equations and logistic regression models were used to determine associations between the rate of blackouts and time, ethnicity, gender, illicit drug use, and alcohol consumption. FINDINGS: At 6 months, the rate of blackouts decreased from 40% at baseline to 16% (p Language: en
On the Simulation of Microelectronic Encapsulation with Epoxy Molding Compound

Transfer molding is the primary process method for microelectronic encap sulation with epoxy molding compound (EMC). Traditionally, the selection of the EMC as well as the tool and process design for microelectronic encapsulation are usually determined based on experience and intuition, which are costly and time-consuming. This article presents the numerical simulation for microelectronic encapsulation, which is aimed at providing designers useful information to detect various molding problems in an efficient and cost-effective way. In addition, it also discusses the material and geometry modeling which are critical to the accuracy of the simulation. As an illustration, a case study for a 40-lead dual-in-line (DIL) IC packaging is presented with comparison between the predic tions and experimental measurements from the literature. Finally, this article concludes with an overview of the future direction in this research.
Nonstatistical Aspects of Statistical Consulting

Abstract Statistical consulting is a complex activity that requires statistical and nonstatistical skills. Together, these skills determine the ultimate success of the consultation. This article focuses on the nonstatistical aspects of the initial meeting between statistical consultant and client and presents a model that views consulting sessions as consisting of four parts: (a) identification of relevant aspects of the problem situation, (b) definition of the client's goals, (c) determination of the actions to be taken, (d) discussion of various aspects of the consulting relationship and who will do what when. Each part gives rise to specific issues and requires that the consultant have various nonstatistical skills to deal with these issues. The effectiveness of the consultation can be enhanced by learning and practicing this model and the constituent skills.
Social remittances: migration driven local-level forms of cultural diffusion.

Many studies highlight the macro-level dissemination of global culture and institutions. This article focuses on social remittances--a local-level migration-driven form of cultural diffusion. Social remittances are the ideas behaviors identities and social capital that flow from receiving- to sending-country communities. The role that these resources play in promoting immigrant entrepreneurship community and family formation and political integration is widely acknowledged. This article specifies how these same ideas and practices are remolded in receiving countries the mechanisms by which they are sent back to sending communities and the role they play in transforming sending-country social and political life. The data concern migrants from the Dominican Republic to the Boston area of the United States. (EXCERPT)
Teacher perceptions of using mobile phones in the classroom: Age matters!

This study examined the digital native-digital immigrant dichotomy based on the results of a study involving 1095 teachers from two states in the southeastern United States. The study focused on age as it relates to the relationship between the type of mobile phone they owned, their support for the use of mobile phones in the classroom, their perceptions of the benefits of specific mobile features for school-related work, and their perceptions of instructional barriers. The results indicated that the age of the teacher matters, however, not as suggested by Prensky (2001). There were no significant differences in the findings for the teachers who were less than 32 and the ones who were 33-49; however, they both significantly differed from those over 50 in mobile phone ownership and support for the use of mobile phones in the classroom as well as in their perceptions regarding the useful mobile features for school-related work and instructional barriers. In each instance, the older teachers were less likely to own smartphones, were less supportive on all items, were less enthusiastic about the features, and found the barriers to be more problematic.
Measuring Performance in US Municipalities: Do Personnel Policies Predict System Level Outcomes?

Abstract This article makes the case for a more considered approach to reformulating public personnel policies. It does so by contending that the impacts of reforms need to be measured using system level performance outcomes in order to assess their value. Otherwise a linkage between a reform and an outcome is only assumed. Moving beyond the difficulties of linking management practices with government outcomes, an argument is made that an uninsured municipal bond rating shows promise as a measure of system level performance. A linkage between personnel management and bond rating is established in an analysis of 366 US municipalities where certain practices were found to be strong predictors of higher ratings. The conclusions support a reform process which minimizes “deadly combinations” and maximizes “powerful connections” rather than simply transplanting personnel practices from the private sector onto the public sector.
The Synthesis of Some New Esters of p-Carboxybenzamidine*†

An attempt was made to synthesize some esters of p-carboxybenzamidine wherein their structure resembled that of the common local anesthetics in general use. The compounds synthesized differ from the esters of p-amino-benzoic acid only in that the amidino group replaces the p-amino group. The methyl through hexyl series of esters of p-carboxybenzamidine were prepared.
Relaxation at critical points: Deterministic and stochastic theory

Abstract A generalized critical point can be characterized by non-linear dynamics. We formulate the deterministic and stochastic theory of relaxation at such a point. Canonical problems are used to motivate the general solutions. In the deterministic theory, we show that at the critical point certain modes have polynomial (rather than exponential) growth or decay. The stochastic relaxation rates can be calculated in terms of various incomplete special functions. Three examples are considered. First, a substrate inhibited reaction (marginal type dynamical system) is treated. Second, the relaxation of a mean field ferromagnet is considered. We obtain a result that generalizes the work of Griffiths et al. Third, we study the relaxation of a critical harmonic oscillator.
Uninterrupted power supply based on a new transformerless integrated power converter

This paper proposes an on-line transformerless UPS system based on the integrated power electronics converters that is able to control the input power factor, charge the battery, and guarantee backup operation in the case of utility power outage. The main advantages of the proposed UPS are: 1) active power factor correction (PFC) without any feedback control, and 2) integrated functions of the battery charger circuit and PFC by using only three power switches. Details regarding the operation modes of the system and modulation strategy are presented. Simulation results are presented to validate the theoretical expectations.
Special considerations for qualifying thin films for super pressure pumpkin ultra long duration balloon missions

Abstract The assessment of creep and dynamic response behaviors on materials intended for ultra long duration balloon (ULDB) applications is essential. The first provides needed information for design and fabrication. The second ensures that the film is sufficiently tough to survive the dynamic events during launch and ascent. Characterization and assessment of these two important parameters are discussed in this paper. Visco-elastic behavior of materials in a loaded structure, such as the ULDB film change their geometry significantly over time under load causing possible changes in the load path and the stress distribution. These changes must be held in check to satisfy the functional requirements of the structure over its service life. Typically, the balloon experiences during its service life various environmental conditions each with a different creep response. These are characterized by a simplified load temperature history for the purpose of lifetime response assessment. At mid-latitudes a significant portion of the service life is spent at night, i.e., at low temperature and low load; for the ULDB film this night-time contribution to creep is negligible. By contrast, flight exposure in an Antarctic summer is at an almost constant high temperature and corresponding high pressure. This paper presents the creep behavior of the ULDB film as a function of load, temperature, and time along with an overview of its implementation in the design. In addition, it presents a quantitative assessment on the toughness of the material under dynamic “Snatch” loading.
Five Less-Common Salmonella Serotypes from Congo Reptiles

DURING work on dried specimens of cloacal contents collected in the Pare National de la Garamba, northeastern Congo, from various reptiles, the following serotypes of Salmonella were isolated : champaign (39 : k : 1,5) from a snake ; Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia ; plymouth (46 : d : 1,6) from the same specimen of snake and from a lizard, Mabuya sp. ; ramat-gan (30 : k : 1,5) from the same snake specimen ; tel-aviv (28 : y : enz15) from a different specimen of the same species of snake ; and gatow (6,7 : y : 1,7) from a snake Psammophis subtaeniatus sudanensis. The identifications were made by the Enteric Laboratory, State of Illinois, Department of Health, and confirmed by the Enteric Laboratory, Communicable Disease Center, Chamblee, Georgia.
High Cortisol Concentrations and Mediation of the Hypogalactia During Endotoxin-Induced Mastitis

Abstract A series of experiments was conducted to define the role of cortisol in the hypogalactia during endotoxin-induced mastitis. In the first experiment, three of six nonmastitic cows were given a continuous infusion of trilostane, a 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor that blocks enhanced cortisol synthesis. Trilostane had no effect in these cows. In the second experiment, six midlactation cows were given 10 µg of endotoxin in each of two homolateral quarters to induce mastitis. Three of these cows also received trilostane. Increased serum cortisol following endotoxin infusion was blocked by trilostane treatment, whereas serum glucose and rectal temperatures were unaffected. Preventing the cortisol increase failed to reduce hypogalactia in endotoxin-infused or uninfused quarters. Decreases in milk production and increases in measures of mammary inflammation were greater in trilostane-treated cows, indicating that endogenous cortisol may moderate the cow's inflammatory response. In the third experiment, three of six nonmastitic cows were injected intramuscularly with 150 IU of ACTH. Serum cortisol concentration exceeded 70 ng/ml for at least 3 h in cows receiving ACTH. This cortisol concentration, comparable with concentrations found during endotoxin mastitis, did not inhibit milk production. Together, these data demonstrate that the acute cortisol increase does not mediate the hypogalactia associated with endotoxin-induced mastitis.
Attrition of memory CD8 T cells.

Arising from: V. Vezys et al. , 196–199 (2009)10.1038/nature07486 ; Vezys et al. reply An important role for the immune system is to maintain protective immunological memory to a wide variety of pathogens encountered over one’s lifetime, while still leaving the host able to respond to newly encountered pathogens. Vezys et al.1 make the interesting observation that it is possible to repeatedly immunize mice in ways that allow for development of high numbers of memory CD8 T cells without depleting pre-existing memory cells specific for other pathogens. This study, which offers promise in developing potent vaccination schemes, is seemingly at odds with work published by us in the 1990s showing a loss in CD8 memory cells after a series of infections2,3. In their reply, Vezys et al. mention that we may have misinterpreted our data because we reported the putative loss of memory T cells as per cent rather than total number, but here we represent the data in those studies as total cell number2,3,4. We show here in Fig. 1 that a series of infections can indeed reduce the total number of memory cells, indicating that vaccination strategies need to consider this issue.
Environmental decoherence of many-body quantum systems: Semiclassical theory and simulation

Abstract In this paper, we describe an application of the trajectory-based semiclassical Liouville method for modeling coherent molecular dynamics on multiple electronic surfaces to the treatment of the evolution and decay of quantum electronic coherence in many-body systems. We consider a simple model describing coherent preparation and subsequent decoherence of a superposition of two excited electronic states of an atomic impurity in a series of rare gas solvent environments, ranging from small clusters to a cryogenic solid. The dependence of the coherent electronic dynamics on the size and temperature of the bath and on the atom-solvent interactions are investigated, and the results compared with a simple semiclassical many-body theory of ultrafast dephasing. Excellent agreement between simulation and theory is obtained, allowing accurate “back of the envelope” prediction of decoherence timescales from knowledge of the pairwise potentials, temperature of the bath, and number of solvent atoms in the local environment of the impurity.
Negative pressure wound therapy in infants and children: a single-institution experience.

Abstract Background Information regarding the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the pediatric population is limited. Because of adverse outcomes in adult patients, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in 2011 about the use of NPWT in infants and children. Methods We performed an institutional review board–approved, single-institution, retrospective review of pediatric patients who had undergone NPWT from 2007–2011. We collected the types of wounds for which NPWT was initiated, the NPWT outcomes, and the complications encountered. Results The data from 290 consecutive patients were reviewed. Their average age was 9.3 y (range 12 d to 18 y), and their average weight was 46.5 kg (range 1.1–177). Of the wounds, 66% were classified as acute, 10% as chronic, and 24% as traumatic. The two most common indications were surgical wound dehiscence (n = 47) and skin grafting (n = 41). NPWT was used in 15 wounds containing surgical hardware, with 2 devices requiring eventual removal. NPWT was used for a median of 9 d per patient (two dressing changes). Complications occurred in 5 patients (1.7%). Documentation problems were noted in 44 patients. After NPWT, about one-third of the patients (n = 95 patients) were able to undergo delayed primary closure. Conclusions NPWT is an effective adjunct in wound healing and closure in the pediatric population, with no mortality ascribed to NPWT. Also, the complication rates were low.
Molecular analysis of human Siglec-8 orthologs relevant to mouse eosinophils: identification of mouse orthologs of Siglec-5 (mSiglec-F) and Siglec-10 (mSiglec-G)

We recently identified a novel human sialic acid binding immunoglobulin-like lectin, Siglec-8, using mRNA from human eosinophils. To search for a mouse Siglec (mSiglec) ortholog of Siglec-8 and other mouse Siglec paralogs, we conducted public database searches with cDNA sequences of human Siglec-5 to -10 and identified two novel mSiglecs. One has significant sequence identity to human Siglec-5 and is a splice variant of mSiglec-F. The other has greatest sequence identity to human Siglec-10 (mSiglec-G). Both mSiglecs have extracellular Ig-like domains and intracellular tyrosine-based motifs. To determine whether these mSiglecs were relevant to mouse eosinophils, RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis were performed. We detected expression of mSiglec-5 (or -F), -10, and -E mRNA in purified mouse eosinophils, but Northern blot data comparing expression in tissues from normal, IL-5 transgenic, and allergen-sensitized and -challenged mice suggest that mSiglec-10 is probably most relevant to mouse eosinophils.
Inflammation enhances consumption and presentation of transfused RBC antigens by dendritic cells.

Factors regulating which patients become alloimmunized to red blood cell (RBC) antigens are poorly understood. Using a murine model of transfusion, we recently reported that viral-like inflammation with polyinosinic polycytidylic acid [poly (I:C)] significantly enhances RBC alloimmunization. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that poly (I:C) exerts this effect, at least in part, at the level of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Using a novel in vivo method, we report that in the noninflamed state, most transfused RBCs were consumed by splenic macrophages, with only trace consumption by splenic dendritic cells (DCs). To a lesser extent, RBCs were also consumed by APCs in the liver. However, unlike soluble antigens, no RBCs were consumed by APCs in the lymph nodes. Inflammation with poly (I:C) induced significant consumption of transfused RBCs by splenic DCs, with a concomitant increase in costimulatory molecule expression. Moreover, this resulted in increased proliferation of CD4+ T cells specific for the mHEL RBC alloantigen. Finally, splenectomy abrogated the enhancing effects of poly (I:C) on RBC alloimmunization. Together, these data provide additional insight into the nature of transfused RBCs as an immunogen and provide a mechanism by which viral-like inflammation enhances alloimmunization to transfused RBCs.
Serum ferritin and death from all causes and cardiovascular disease: the NHANES II Mortality Study. National Health and Nutrition Examination Study.

Abstract PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between serum ferritin and death from all causes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), CHD and myocardial infarction (MI). Positive body iron stores have been proposed as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). While most epidemiologic studies using serum ferritin and other measures of body iron stores have not found an association between iron and heart disease risk, the hypothesis remains controversial. As a result, we examined the relationship of serum ferritin, the principle blood measure of body iron stores, to risk of death in a cohort with a standardized exam and long follow-up. METHODS: The baseline data for this prospective cohort study were collected in 1976–1980 as part of the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES II) with mortality follow-up using the National Death Index (NDI) through December 31, 1992. The analytic sample n = 1604 consisted of 128 black men, 658 white men, 100 black women and 718 white women 45–74 years of age at baseline who, based on self-reported data, were free of coronary heart disease at baseline and had no missing data. The main outcome measures were the relative risk of death for persons with serum ferritin levels: RESULTS: Most of the deaths were among white men n = 254 and women n = 168 . There were relatively few deaths among black men n = 50 and too few in women n = 23 to reliably model. The largest number of CVD n = 119 , CHD n = 82 , and MI n = 49 deaths were in white men while there were 69 CVD, 45 CHD and 13 MI deaths in white women. Black men with a serum ferritin level of RR = 3.1 with 95% confidence limits of 1.5–6.5 . There were no other statistically significant associations for all causes mortality for the other three race/sex groups. Additionally, there were no statistically significant associations between serum ferritin and any of the cardiovascular endpoints for any of the groups. There was an apparent but nonsignificant u-shaped association between serum ferritin and all causes mortality in black men and between serum ferritin and CVD death in white women. However, in both cases very wide confidence limits preclude further interpretation. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results do not support the hypothesis that positive body iron stores, as measured by serum ferritin, are associated with an increased risk of CVD, CHD or MI death or between serum ferritin and all causes mortality. Most of the research to date with serum ferritin has been conducted in European men or in European American men. Our results are consistent with the primarily negative results for that race/sex group. More research is needed in women and minority groups, including an explanation of why such an association would exist in these groups but not in white men before an association can be established in them.
Aptamer-based electrochemical biosensor for Botulinum neurotoxin

We have developed an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor for detection of Botulinum neurotoxin, where steric hindrance is applied to achieve specific signal amplification via conformational change of the aptamer. The incubation time and potassium concentration of the reaction buffer were found to be key parameters affecting the sensitivity of detection of the recognition of Botulinum neurotoxin by the aptamer. Under optimized experimental conditions, a high signal-to-noise ratio was obtained within 24 h with a limit of detection (LOD) of 40 pg/ml by two standard deviation cutoffs above the noise level.
Help-seeking and help-offering for teen dating violence among acculturating Mexican American adolescents

Abstract Help-seeking sources, motivations, and barriers concerning teen dating violence are rarely co-examined alongside help-offering processes and messages, and both are understudied among minority youth populations. This study sought the perspectives of Mexican American adolescents (ages 15 to 17) concerning their preferences and experiences with both help-seeking and help-offering. Twenty focus groups (N = 64 adolescents) were divided by gender and by acculturation level to allow for group comparisons. Friends and supportive family members were primary sources of help, although adolescents voiced a number of barriers to help-seeking. The most prominent barrier was fear they would be told to leave the relationship, an anticipated message that aligned with their tendency to tell others to do so. Help-seeking was viewed as a weakness, and help-offering was reserved for friends that asked for it. Recommendations for programs and practice with youth include promoting culturally and gender attuned teen dating violence services that emphasize confidentiality, and working at the family, peer, and school levels to foster healthy relationships.
Reflecting on 40 years of graduate medical education in family medicine: where should the future lead us? Reaction to the paper by Perry A. Pugno, MD, MPH.

I wish to applaud Perry for a well-thought out vision for the future of family medicine education.[1][1] However, with all due respect, I am going to disagree on his proposal for a 4-year curriculum. Although I retired from the directorship of our residency in 2002 and feel a bit out of the
Three-dimensional structure of the earth from splitting in free-oscillation spectra

Observations of splitting in free oscillations spectra can be used to constrain the three-dimensional distribution of heterogeneity in the Earth. Modes sampling mainly the Earth's mantle are compatible with the distributions of mantle heterogeneity inferred from P-wave travel times. The anomalously large splitting of modes penetrating deeply into the core requires large departures from sphericity which are difficult to accommodate within the framework of an isotropic model', it is argued that anisotropy of the inner core offers the most natural explanation of these data.
A Model of Relational Governance in Reverse Auctions

SUMMARY Despite the popularity of electronic reverse auctions, limited empirical research on their use and key outcomes such as supplier cooperation, purchase price reductions and time savings has been conducted. The current research examines the role that the relative strategic importance of the existing buyer–supplier relationship plays in reverse auction usage, including the type of governance structure established and the three previously mentioned outcomes. Results indicated that existing buyer/supplier relationships characterized as strategic opted for relational forms of governance in reverse auctions. When using transactional governance, this research provides empirical support for reports that reverse auctions result in reduced purchase prices and increased purchaser productivity. Managerial implications are offered, along with directions for future research.
Chemosensory Function, Food Preferences and Appetite in Human Liver Disease

We evaluated chemosensory function, food preferences, and appetite in 88 patients with liver disease including those with hepatitis, cirrhosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and sclerosing cholangitis. Reported chemosensory disturbances were common in the patients with liver disease: over 40% reported recent taste changes, and 27% reported recent changes in smell, compared to only 6% of healthy, age- and gender-matched controls with no history of marked chemosensory malfunction. Compared to controls, a greater proportion of liver patients reported food cravings (47 vs. 17%) and food aversions (33 vs. 16%). Foods with a predominantly bitter taste were specifically less preferred in patients with liver disease compared to healthy controls. Patients were also more likely to report poor to fair appetite than controls (37 vs. 5%). Groups of patients with different types of liver pathology showed varying patterns of food preferences, suggesting that dietary recommendations to liver patients might be tailored to the altered preferences associated with a particular type of hepatic dysfunction.
Time Travel: Time Dilation

In this paper I discuss the theory and actuality of the effects of Time Dilation, as predicted by Einstein's Special Relativity. Alongside this the research investigates the visible, experiential effects of most personal form of Time Travel from a personal, phenomenological perspective, illustrated through digital media. The body of work, this paper and an accompanying book of modified digital images, recalls the Hafele-Keating experiment of October 1971 and parallels the Quantified Self experiments of diary photography and personal analytics in a holistic, interconnected way. The work tracks 12 months of air travel and illustrates with practical data the physics and mathematics behind the theory and actuality of Time Dilation. The research combines the interdisciplinary worlds of Computer Arts with Data and Scientific Visualisation to create a tangible collision between the visualisation of the personal and illustration of theory The observations are documented in ethnographic, photo essay illustrations as an investigation into the mathematics and physics of personal and interpersonal time. Using situated imaging presented as a practice-based body of work to communicate the abstract world of very small time periods and the direct relevance of Einstein's work on the personal and perceptual world we inhabit. Contrasting Newtonian mechanics and Einsteinian space-time the work seeks to illustrate the personal nature of how the reality of time travel influences every aspect of the interpersonal
Lesion-induced increase in survival and migration of human neural progenitor cells releasing GDNF.

The use of human neural progenitor cells (hNPC) has been proposed to provide neuronal replacement or astrocytes delivering growth factors for brain disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's di...
What drives migration of riverbed sand dunes

Depending on grain size, river sediments fall into two main groups: wash load (grains that never fall out of suspension) and bed load (sediment that rests on the riverbed). Bed load sediment, similarly, can be either resting on the riverbed or temporarily in suspension, at which point it is known as suspended load.
A generalized, circular dichroism rule for nitrogen heterocycles attached to alditol residues

Abstract For alditol-1-yl derivatives of nitrogen heterocycles having C-1 of the alditol-1-yl group in the R configuration and having this group lying “below” the base, the sign of the Cotton effect will be negative if, for the most stable conformer, the bond to C-1 and the dipole-moment vector of the base point in the same direction, and positive if they they point in opposite directions. If the alditol-1-yl bond is essentially aligned with the dipole-moment vector of the nitrogen heterocycle, the sign of the Cotton effect is independent of the conformation. Consequently, if the dipole-moment vector of the nitrogen heterocycle and the alditol-1-yl group point in the same direction, the sign of the Cotton effect will be negative; it will be positive if the two oppose each other.
Rhizoxin synthetic studies. 2. Synthesis of the left hand [C(10) to C(19)] and polyene fragments

The syntheses of the central core and the polyene fragments of the antitumor macrolide rhizoxin have been achieved in an efficient manner. The core has been prepared in enantiopure form via an asymmetric allylation/aldol protocol. The selective oxidation of dienes was studied and realized in fair yield to generate the requisite aldol precursor. The oxazole polyene fragment was generated in six steps from serine.
Vinyl sulfonium as novel proteolytic enzyme inhibitor

Vinyl sulfoniums were synthesized from vinyl sulfides by methylation, and inhibited the proteolytic enzyme papain. Inhibition studies suggest a mechanism by which the vinyl sulfonium inhibitor covalently and irreversibly modifies the enzyme.
Metallic ferromagnetism in a single-band model.

It is pointed out that certain off-diagonal matrix elements of the Coulomb interaction between Bloch electrons are likely to play a fundamental role in metallic ferromagnetism. These matrix elements lower the energy when the two interacting electrons are in states of opposite bonding character, thus favoring a situation where up and down electron bands have different fillings. It is proposed that this effect can explain the occurrence of metallic ferromagnetism in solids, without band degeneracy playing an essential role.
Voices of Experience: General Education Teachers on Teaching Students with Disabilities.

In this exploratory study focusing on teacher perspective, 46 experienced general education teachers met in focus groups to offer advice for their new colleagues regarding teaching students with disabilities in inclusion contexts. The participants' written and verbal comments were analysed, and results were disaggregated by level of experience (early career, veteran) and type of school (rural, suburban, urban). Nine topics characterised the teachers' responses: instruction, knowing the child, training/resources, policies/procedures, classroom dynamics, communication with colleagues, building self, parent–teacher relationships and understanding inclusion. Recommendations include providing teachers with information regarding school and district policies and procedures and establishing communities of practice as support for new teachers.
Carbon monoxide isotope enrichment and separation by pressure swing adsorption

Simulations of three different 3-bed 3-step pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycles were carried out to study the enrichment and recovery of 14CO from an isotopic mixture of 14CO, 13CO and 12CO using NaX zeolite. Each PSA cycle included feed pressurization/feed (FP/P), heavy reflux (HR) and countercurrent depressurization (CnD) steps; they differed only in the way the CnD step was carried out: PSA Cycle I was carried out under total reflux (i.e., with no 14CO heavy product production); PSA Cycle II was carried out with discontinuous 14CO heavy product production; and PSA Cycle III was carried out with continuous 14CO heavy product production. The effects of the CnD step valve coefficient (c v ), heavy reflux ratio (R R ), and cycle time (t cyc ) on the PSA process performance were determined in terms of the 14CO enrichment, 14CO recovery and CO feed throughput. The results showed that there was essentially no limit to the extent of the 14CO enrichment, despite the inherently low 14CO/12CO (1.05) and 14CO/13CO (1.12) separation factors for these isotopes on NaX zeolite. Under total reflux an optimum c v was found for the CnD step and 14CO enrichments as high as 152 were obtained. Using the optimum c v under finite reflux, a 14CO enrichment approaching 20 and a 14CO recovery approaching 100 % were easily achieved with discontinuous (PSA Cycle II) or continuous (PSA Cycle III) 14CO heavy product production. There was essentially no difference in the performance of PSA Cycles II and III, a counterintuitive result. The 14CO enrichment and the 14CO recovery both increased with decreasing CO feed throughputs and higher R R , which were always very close to unity.
Role of adenosine A2a receptors in the nucleus accumbens.

Adult male mice were stereotaxically implanted with permanent indwelling guide cannulae for bilateral injections into the nucleus accumbens (ACB). The effects on spontaneous locomotor activity of selective agonists for adenosine receptor subtypes were examined following bilateral injections into the ACB. Intra-ACB injections of CGS 21680, a potent and selective agonist at striatal adenosine A2a receptors, elicited pronounced, dose-related reductions in locomotor activity whereas similar bilateral dosages of CPA, a selective agonist at adenosine A1 receptors, did not significantly affect locomotor activity. The pronounced locomotor depression elicited by intra-ACB injections of CGS 21680 were completely blocked by I.P. pretreatment with DMPX, an adenosine receptor antagonist exhibiting selectivity for striatal A2 receptors, at a dosage which alone had no significant effect on locomotor activity. Adenosine A2a receptors in the nucleus accumbens may selectively modulate dopamine-mediated mesolimbic behavioral circuits involved in spontaneous locomotion.