cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Focal Epithelial Hyperplasia (Heck's Disease)*

The occurrence of focal epithelial hyperplasia (Heck's Disease) in a 12-year-old MexicanAmerican female is presented. Focal epithelial hyperplasia is a relatively unusual and benign disorder characterized generally by multiple asymptomatic nodules, occurring most commonly in younger segments of indigenous populations and ethnic groups. The clinical behavior, histologic appearance and possible etiologic factors of focal epithelial hyperplasia are discussed.
The influence of vertical and horizontal habitat structure on nationwide patterns of avian biodiversity

ABSTRACT. With limited resources for habitat conservation, the accurate identification of high-value avian habitat is crucial. Habitat structure affects avian biodiversity but is difficult to quantify over broad extents. Our goal was to identify which measures of vertical and horizontal habitat structure are most strongly related to patterns of avian biodiversity across the conterminous United States and to determine whether new measures of vertical structure are complementary to existing, primarily horizontal, measures. For 2,546 North American Breeding Bird Survey routes across the conterminous United States, we calculated canopy height and biomass from the National Biomass and Carbon Dataset (NBCD) as measures of vertical habitat structure and used land-cover composition and configuration metrics from the 2001 National Land Cover Database (NLCD) as measures of horizontal habitat structure. Avian species richness was calculated for each route for all birds and three habitat guilds. Avian species richnes...
Leakage responses to l-NAME differ with the fluorescent dye used to label albumin

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors have been reported to increase as well as to decrease microvascular transport of macromolecules in a variety of models. This study was performed to determine ...
Studies on wheat plants using carbon-14 compounds. XII. Utilization of serine-C14 with special reference to glycine labelling.

Serine-C14 (uniformly labelled) was injected into the top internode of wheat plant stems and the distribution of carbon-14 in the mature plants (harvested 24 days after injection) was studied. Fifty-six per cent of the carbon-14 injected was found in upper plant parts but only trace amounts occurred below the top internode. The kernels contained 48% of the tracer injected while only 4% remained in the stem. Gluten had the highest specific activity of any major kernel component, serine and glycine accounting for one third of the total carbon-14 of the protein. The high specific activity of serine in gluten indicates its direct incorporation into kernel proteins. The specific activity of the glycine was almost equal to that of serine. Since similar experiments with glycine-1-C14 have yielded gluten with highly radioactive serine-1-C14, the ready interconvertibility of these two amino acids is demonstrated. The results indicate that interconversion takes place, at least in part, by the reversible condensatio...
Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today

Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today. By Marc Lynch. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. 293p. 18.50 paper.Marc Lynch provides a comprehensive overview of the historical rise of new Arab media and public spheres, in which Arabs attempt to break stereotypes and represent themselves, giving voice to views and ideas that are usually absent in both their state-controlled media and Western media. Building on Jurgen Habermas's (1992) The Structural Transformation of the Bourgeois Public Sphere, which traces the rise of the bourgeois public sphere in eighteenth-century Europe, Lynch examines whether Arab countries are developing liberal public spheres of information, debate, and consensus. Using Habermas, Lynch identifies progressive features of the new Arab public spheres, but also indicates limitations.
Prenatal Screening for HIV: A Review of the Evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

This systematic review supports the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on HIV screening in adults and adolescents.
Inhibition by spermine of the inner membrane permeability transition of isolated rat heart mitochondria.

The effect of spermine on the permeability transition of the inner mitochondrial membrane of isolated rat heart mitochondria was evaluated. The permeability transition was triggered using a series of agents (t-butyl hydroperoxide, phenylarsine oxide, carboxyatractylate, and elevated Ca2+ and inorganic phosphate concentrations), and was monitored via Ca2+-release, mitochondrial swelling and pyridine nucleotide oxidation. By all three criteria, spermine inhibited the transition. A C50 of 0.38 ± 0.06 (SD) mM was measured for inhibition.
Web-based delivery of a preventive parent training intervention: a feasibility study.

SummaryofNewHealthReformLaw .Retrievedfromhttp://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/8061.pdfThornton,S.,&Calam,R.(2011).Predictingintentiontoattendandactualattendanceatauniversalparent-trainingprogramme:Acomparisonof socialcognitionmodels. ClinicalChildPsychologyandPsychiatry , 16 (3),365–383.Turner-Lee,N.,Smedley,B.D.,&Miller,J.S.(2012). Minorities,mobilebroadband,andthemanagementofchronicdiseases .RetrievedfromtheJointCenterforPoliticalandEconomicStudieswebsiteathttp://www.jointcenter.org/sites/default/ﬁles/upload/research/ﬁles/Minorities%20Mobile%20Broadband%20and%20the%20Management%20of%20Chronic%20Diseases_0.pdfVenkatesh,V.,&Bala,H.(2008).Technologyacceptancemodel3andaresearchagendaoninterventions. DecisionSciences , 39 (2),273–315.Washington,J.(2011). Forminorities,new“digitaldivide”seen .RetrievedfromPewResearchCenterInternetandAmericanLifeProject,athttp://www.pewinternet.org/Media-Mentions/2011/For-minorities-new-digital-divide-seen.aspxWilliford,A.P.,&Shelton,T.L.(2008).Usingmentalhealthconsultationtodecreasedisruptivebehaviorsinpreschoolers:Adaptinganempirically-supportedintervention.
System Support for Management of Networked Low-Power Sensors

This paper addresses the problem of managing a wireless sensor network with mobile managers. The mobile managers should be able to create their connectivity to the nodes they manage, and advertise their interests in the management data to be collected. Also, the network nodes should self-manage their connectivity to the managers in order to forward the management data. To meet these requirements, we propose (1) an algorithm for creating and maintaining encounter-associated management connectivity and (2) both management data exchange protocols and programming abstractions for network management applications. Both our simulation-based evaluation and experimentation of the proposed algorithm and architectural elements on real sensors demonstrated their effectiveness in meeting the requirements.
Utilization of a soluble integrin-alkaline phosphatase chimera to characterize integrin α8β1 receptor interactions with tenascin: Murine α8β1 binds to the RGD site in tenascin-C fragments, but not to native tenascin-C

The integrin alpha 8 beta 1 has been reported to bind to fibronectin, vitronectin, and tenascin-C in cell adhesion or neurite outgrowth assays. Here, we describe cDNA cloning of the murine alpha 8 subunit, purification of a recombinant soluble heterodimer consisting of the extracellular domains of the murine alpha 8 and beta1 subunits, and development of a sensitive binding assay using a modified form of this heterodimer fused to alkaline phosphatase (AP). In binding assays, the purified alpha 8 beta 1-AP chimera exhibited the same divalent ion requirements for activation and binding specificity as cell surface alpha 8 beta 1: in the presence of Mn2+ it bound to fibronectin and vitronectin in an RGDS-peptide inhibitable manner. Contrary to previous reports, we found no evidence that alpha 8 beta 1, expressed on K562 cells or as an AP chimera, interacts strongly with native tenascin-C. In binding, adhesion, and spreading assays, significant interactions were observed only to short fragments of tenascin-C containing the third fibronectin type III repeat which contains an RGD sequence. Full length tenascin-C and longer fragments containing this repeat did not appear to serve as ligands, implying that the RGD site in native tenascin-C is a cryptic binding site for this integrin, exposed by removal of adjacent domains. Soluble integrin-AP chimeras should be generally useful for identifying and characterizing integrin interactions with ligands.
Single photon spectrometer for high speed detection of multi-color fluorescence radiation

This paper describes design of the new sensor system for fluorescence detection applications. Based on single photon detection technique proposed system has unique combination of characteristics - high detection speed and wide linearity dynamic range.
A SYSTEMATIC DESIGN METHOD FOR HIGH QUALITY PROCESS-CONTROL SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

Basically, the development of a software system contains specification, design, and implementation. Various specification mechanisms and design methods have been proposed to facilitate the implementation of software systems. However, high system quality cannot be easily assured because of some limitations of these current design methods as well as semantic gaps between the specification mechanisms and the design methods. In particular, manual effort is needed to transform the specification of a system into a design framework for the system. Considering these problems, in this paper, we propose a new system design method. This design method is systematic because by using it, the design framework of a system can be automatically created from the specification of the system. Also, the resulting design framework can support high quality assurance for the system. This design framework is a composition of several individual components, each of which can be completely independently developed and hardened. Further, the system properties (reliability, safety, liveness, etc.) can be mathematically inferred from the properties of the individual components. These components are referred to as IDEAL (Independently Developable End-user Assessable Logical) components and the design method is mainly targeted for continuous process-control systems. The paper develops the approach and illustrates it for a vehicle control system.
The Brothers Grimm Book of Business Models: A Survey of Literature and Developments in Patent Acquisition and Litigation

Although they have received the lion’s share of the limelight in recent years, it is not just “trolls” shaping the patent landscape today; “giants” and “dwarves” are in the thicket as well. The "trolls" are the patent holders that do not practice their patents, but instead seek to profit from litigation them; the "giants" are the large, multinational firms with both extensive patent portfolios and products practicing them; the "dwarves" are firms with a large presence in one market but are entering another market for which they have few or no relevant patents. This article provides a survey of key patent-related events taking place in 2011 and takes stock of the current patent acquisition and litigation landscape. Specifically, this article reviews the empirical literature on patent assertion entities, assesses the patent auctions that were held throughout 2011 and over which the giants and dwarves battled fiercely, and surveys the numerous patent infringement lawsuits currently underway, cases which include troll, giant, and dwarf plaintiffs.
Tolerating faults while maximizing reward

The imprecise computation (IC) model is a general scheduling framework that is capable of expressing the precision vs. timeliness tradeoff involved in many current real-time applications. In that model, each task comprises mandatory and optional parts. While allowing greater scheduling flexibility, the mandatory parts in the IC model still have hard deadlines, and hence they must be completed before the task's deadline, even in the presence of faults. In this paper, we address fault-tolerant (FT) scheduling issues for IC tasks. First, we propose two recovery schemes, namely immediate recovery and delayed recovery. These schemes can be readily applied to provide fault tolerance to the mandatory parts by scheduling the optional parts appropriately for recovery operations. After deriving the necessary and sufficient conditions for both schemes, we consider the FT-optimality problem, i.e. generating a schedule which is FT and whose reward is maximum among all possible FT schedules. For immediate recovery, we present and prove the correctness of an efficient FT-optimal scheduling algorithm. For delayed recovery, we show that the FT-optimality problem is NP-hard, and thus is intractable.
Periodic Screening for Breast Cancer: The HIP Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract This paper summarizes the findings of the first breast cancer screening trial, which was initiated in December 1963 to explore the efficacy of screening. Women aged 40-64 years were selected from enrollees in the Health Insurance Plan (HIP) of Greater New York and were randomly assigned to study and control groups. Study group women were invited for screening, an initial examination, and three annual reexaminations. Screening consisted of film mammography (cephalocaudal and lateral views of each breast) and clinical examination of breasts. Breast cancer and mortality from breast cancer were examined by treatment group (study vs. control) and by entry-age subgroup. By the end of 18 years from entry, the study group had about a 25% lower breast cancer mortality among women aged 40-49 and 50-59 at time of entry than did the control group. However, to a large extent the difference among the 40-49-year-olds occurred in the subgroup with breast cancer diagnosed after these women had passed their 50th birthday, and utility of screening women in their forties is questionable.
Deconversion and Disaffiliation in Contemporary US Roman Catholicism

Disaffiliation—when members of religious communities leave—has recently become a popular topic for theological and social scientific investigation. Today, fewer Roman Catholics than in recent memory describe themselves as strong members of their church. Many have left to seek other spiritual paths, and many of those who remain do not believe and practice as the Church teaches that they should. These essays propose that the theoretical framework of “deconversion” provides a broader and more effective way to understand forms of religious change that are occurring in contemporary America. In the classroom, teaching theology can take on a specific productive shape when the surrounding culture challenges theologians to take deconversion seriously as an element of, and larger context for, spiritual identity today. Theology remains vital when patient curiosity about the current adventure of religious identity is foregrounded pedagogically. Concluding thoughts sketch some important characteristics of an evangelical church, more concerned with its mission and witness in the world than with maintaining its internal life.
NOTCH SIGNALING IMPOSES TWO DISTINCT BLOCKS IN THE DIFFERENTIATION OF C2C12 MYOBLASTS

Notch signal transduction regulates expression of downstream genes through the activation of the DNA-binding protein Su(H)/CBF1. In Drosophila most of Notch signaling requires Su(H); however, some Notch-dependent processes occur in the absence of Su(H) suggesting that Notch signaling does not always involve activation of this factor. Using constitutively active forms of Notch lacking CBF1-interacting sequences we identified a Notch signaling pathway that inhibits myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts in the absence of CBF1 activation. Here we show that ligand-induced Notch signaling suppresses myogenesis in C2C12 myoblasts that express a dominant negative form of CBF1, providing additional evidence for CBF1-independent Notch signal transduction. Surprisingly mutant forms of Notch deficient in CBF1 activation are unable to antagonize MyoD activity, despite the fact that they inhibit myogenesis. Moreover, Notch-induced antagonism of MyoD requires CBF1 suggesting that the CBF1-dependent pathway mediates a cell-type-specific block in the myogenic program. However, Notch signaling in the absence of CBF1 activation blocks both myogenesis and osteogenesis, indicative of a general block in cellular differentiation. Taken together our data provide evidence for two distinct Notch signaling pathways that function to block differentiation at separate steps during the process of myogenesis in C2C12 myoblasts.
Prevalence of Childhood Asthma and Associated Morbidity in Los Angeles County: Impacts of Race/Ethnicity and Income

Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in the prevalence of childhood asthma have been reported nationally but few population-based studies in local and regional settings have been reported. T...
Remarks on Input Classes for Identification of Bilinear Systems

This paper asks what classes of input signals are sufficient in order to completely identify the input/output behavior of generic bilinear systems. The main results are that step inputs are not sufficient, nor are single pulses, but the family of all pulses (of a fixed amplitude but varying widths) do suffice for identification.
Erratum and discussion of propensity–score reweighting

Nichols (2007) described estimating the probability an observation receives a binary “treatment” as a function of observable variables X (using e.g. logit or probit), and using the estimated probabilities of treatment or “propensity scores” λ to reweight the data (as an alternative to matching). Section 3.4 neglects to mention that the weights λ/ ( 1− λ ) should only be applied to the control group in order to make the mean of each variable in the matrix X (i.e. those variables included in the propensity score model) approximately equal across the treatment and control groups. The examples in Section 3.5 also neglect this restriction on propensity-based weights. That is, the line
On the constitutive relations of materials with evolving microstructure due to microcracking

This paper discusses the practical implementation of a thermodynamically based procedure for the derivation of the effective nonlinear constitutive relations for composites with evolving microstructure. Examples of the procedure for the case of an elastic periodic composite with several growing cracks are presented. These examples are intended to show how the use of this procedure differs from the traditional global-local analysis approach and how well suited it is for use with general purpose structural analysis packages.
Second Harmonic and Sum Frequency of Molecules at Aqueous Interfaces

This chapter presents the time-resolved ultrafast excited-state electron transfer (ET) at the dimethylaniline (DMA)/aqueous interface. Photoexcited coumarin 314 and the DMA solvent molecules respectively serve as acceptor and donor molecules. The coumarin dye was selected because of its strong second harmonic generation (SHG) signal at twice the fundamental probe frequency and because of the extensive knowledge of its equilibrium and dynamic processes at aqueous interfaces. ET is one of the most important reactions in bulk and interfacial chemical and biological systems. The first ultrafast dynamics of ET at a liquid/liquid interface are observed in real time using femtosecond lasers. An earlier approach is used where the donor molecules serve as one of the solvents comprising the interface to minimize the distance between donor and acceptor molecules, thereby eliminating translational diffusion as an important precursor to electron transfer. The interface selectivity of SHG makes it possible to observe interfacial equilibrium and dynamic processes, concerning ET, without interference from the bulk media forming the interface.
A Nearly Free Electron Model of the BCS Gap Equation: Energy Gap Anisotropy in Gallium

Experimental manifestations of superconductor energy gap anisotropy have been observed in data for low temperature specific heat, the critical field, nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time, tunneling, surface resistance, and longitudinal ultrasonic attenuation /1/. Motivated largely by the tunneling experiments reported in the preceding paper /2/, a model for gap anisotropy in pure, single crystal, weak-coupling superconductors is presented.
Chlamydia psittaci: Growth Characteristics and Enumeration of Serotypes 1 and 2 in Cultured Cells

The growth characteristics of Chlamydia psittaci serotypes 1 and 2 (ovine and bovine origin) were studied in mouse L cells. Formation of inclusions and yield of infectious progeny for serotype 1 were maximal when host cells were treated with cycloheximide and the pH in the cell culture medium was 7.2-7.4. The number of cells that contained inclusions and the infectivity yield for serotype 2 were maximal when the pH was 6.6-7.0. Treatments with diethylaminoethyl dextran and cycloheximide increased inclusion formation in serotype 2 but decreased the yield per infected cell. For both serotypes, centrifugation of the chlamydiae onto monolayers infected 50-1,200 times the number of cells infected with use of stationary adsorption. An enumeration method for L-cell infectious units was developed that gave higher titers than the chicken embryo 50% lethal dose after yolk sac inoculation.
Hafnium, oxygen, neodymium, strontium, and lead isotopic constraints on magmatic evolution of the supereruptive southern Black Mountains volcanic center, Arizona, U.S.A.: A combined LASS zircon-whole-rock study

The >700 km 3 Peach Spring Tuff (PST), erupted at 18.8 Ma from the Silver Creek caldera in the southern Black Mountains volcanic center (SBMVC) of western Arizona, is the only supereruption-scale ignimbrite in the northern Colorado River Extensional Corridor. The SBMVC contains pre- and post-caldera volcanic rocks and caldera-related intrusions (~19–17 Ma) that provide a detailed petrologic record of ignimbrite antecedence and aftermath. Whole-rock Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic data combined with complementary zircon O and Hf isotopic data from a suite of pre- through post-PST samples provide robust constraints on (1) how the SBMVC evolved with respect to magmatic sources and processes throughout its ~2 Ma history and (2) the petrogenetic relationships between the PST and slightly younger intracaldera plutons. Both pre- and post-PST units have isotopic ranges (ɛ Nd = −8.3 to −11.6, ɛ Hf = −8.2 to −14.0, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i = 0.709–0.712; 206 Pb/ 204 Pb = 18.19–18.49, 207 Pb/ 204 Pb = 15.60–15.62, 208 Pb/ 204 Pb = 38.95–39.29) that fall within the spectrum of Miocene Colorado River Extensional Corridor rocks and are consistent with mixing of substantial fractions of Proterozoic (Mojave) crust and juvenile material derived from regional enriched mantle. Compared to the PST, which has relatively uniform isotopic ratios (ɛ Nd = −11.4 to −11.7, ɛ Hf = −13.8 to −14.3, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i = 0.709–0.712; 206 Pb/ 204 Pb = 18.20–18.29, 207 Pb/ 204 Pb = 15.60–15.62, 208 Pb/ 204 Pb = 39.02–39.33), individual pre- and post-PST units are isotopically more variable and generally more primitive. Consistent with whole-rock isotopes, zircon ɛ Hf (−8 to −14) and oxygen δ 18 O (+4.5 to +7.2‰) for most pre- and post-PST units also have wider ranges and more mantle-like values than those of the PST (−12 to −15, +6.1 to +7.1‰). Moreover, zircon isotopic compositions decrease in post-PST samples. A few zircons from post-PST intrusions have δ 18 O values lower than mantle values ( Whole-rock and zircon elemental and isotopic analyses indicate that (1) most pre- and post-PST units are less evolved and less homogenized than the PST itself; (2) intrusions in the Silver Creek caldera are petrogenetically distinct from the PST and therefore represent discrete magmatic pulses, not unerupted PST mush; (3) enriched mantle input increased in the SBMVC following the paroxysmal PST eruption; (4) post-PST history of the SBMVC was characterized by periodic influx of magmas with varying juvenile fractions into pre-existing mushy or solidified intrusions, resulting in variable and incomplete hybridization; and (5) melting and assimilation of hydrothermally altered crust played a relatively minor role in the generation and evolution of magmas in the SBMVC.
The Garden Tortrix, Clepsis peritana (Clemens): A New Economic Pest in Southern California

The garden tortrix, Clepsis peritana (Clemens), a common leaf roller tortricid pest of ornamentals in southern California, has been causing serious economic damage and losses to citrus, lima beans, and strawberries during the 9 years since it was first recognized as different from the orange tortrix, Argyrotaenia citrana (Fernald), which it closely resembles. Bionomical studies indicate that the larvae of this moth feed primarily on decaying vegetable matter. The population builds up on this food to such high levels that the larvae move to sound citrus fruit and foliage, lima bean blossoms and leaf buds, and to strawberry plants and fruit. Generally speaking, chemical applications have been only slightly effective in controlling the larval populations on these host plants. Cultural practices have provided an effective and practical control as have insecticidal applications.
Stimulation of erythropoietin secretion by single amino acids.

SummaryProtein deficiency in rats results in decreased ability to produce erythropoietin after hypoxic stimulation. This defect can be reversed by a single protein feeding at the time of exposure to hypoxia. The present experiments show that feeding of methionine, leucine or cystine also corrected the defect in erythropoietin production. These amino acids may serve to signal the adequacy of protein reserves and permit the synthesis of erythropoietin. Other single amino acids had minimal or no effect.Study has been supported by University of Illinois BRSG 7612, Veterans Administration Research Funds, funds from the American Cancer Society, Illinois Division, Leukemia Research Foundation and the Hematology Research Foundation. The authors wish to thank Mrs. Jan Rone for her technical assistance.
Ultrasound in the First Trimester and Earlier: How to Keep It Safe

Diagnostic ultrasound (DUS) has been in use for over half a century in medicine with clear benefits. It has become an indispensable tool in obstetrics and gynecology due to its relatively low cost, immediate results availability, and perceived safety. Most pregnant women have several ultrasound examinations during their pregnancies. In addition, patients undergoing Artificial Reproductive Technologies (ART) will have serial scans of the developing follicles during ovulation induction and in the earliest stages of gestation. The record of safety of DUS is excellent, with no epidemiological studies demonstrating harmful effects in human fetuses. From 1976 to 1992, however, the acoustic output of ultrasound machines for fetal use increased from 94 to 720 mW/cm2. Because of the two best recognized biological effects of ultrasound (thermal and non-thermal), two indices were introduced to allow the clinical end-user an assessment of the risk: the thermal index, or TI and the mechanical index, or MI. Usage of ultrasound in the first trimester, a time of maximal susceptibility to external factors, has become ubiquitous and is ever expanding. This includes Doppler, a modality with very high acoustic output. Unfortunately, knowledge of health providers is lacking and to guarantee safety, education of the end-users is vital on precautions to limit the possible hazards of exposure of the follicles/ova and the fetus at early stages of gestation. To this effect, DUS should be used only when medically indicated, keeping the exam as short as possible, at lowest possible output for diagnostic accuracy (As Low As Reasonably Achievable [ALARA] principle) and maintaining TI and MI below 1.
Prevention of Graft-Versus-Host Disease by Induction of Immune Tolerance With Ultraviolet B-Irradiated Leukocytes in H-2 Disparate Bone Marrow Donor

Transfusions (Tx) of Ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) have been shown to induce humoral immune tolerance to major histocompatability complex (MHC) antigens (Blood 88:4375, 1996). To determine whether cellular immune tolerance to MHC antigens can be induced by the same approach, transplantation of bone marrow and spleen cells from tolerant donors across the H-2 barrier was conducted to study its effect on prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). After immune tolerance induction by four weekly Tx of UVB-irradiated BALB/c (H-2d) peripheral blood MNL into CBA/HT6 (H-2k) mice, bone marrow cells (BMC) and spleen MNL from tolerant or naive CBA mice were transplanted into lethally irradiated BALB/c mice. The transplanted mice were followed by measuring body weight, peripheral leukocyte counts, GVHD, survival, and cytokine response. All BALB/c recipient mice were fully engrafted with H-2k CBA donor cells after transplantation. The severity of GVHD was significantly attenuated in BALB/c mice transplanted with BMC and spleen MNL from tolerant CBA donor mice. The recovery of peripheral leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were faster and more complete in mice transplanted with cells from the tolerant donors. The serum cytokine profile after transplantation with tolerant donor cells showed increased interleukin-4 and reduced gamma interferon that are consistent with a polarized Th2 response. The results pooled from three separate experiments showed that BALB/c mice transplanted with 5 × 106 BMC and 4 × 105spleen MNL from tolerant CBA donors had better overall survival than the control group (72% v 17%, P = .018). The findings show that transplantation with bone marrow and spleen cells from tolerant H-2 disparate donor mice is associated with significant attenuation of GVHD and better outcomes. The results also support that transfusions of UVB-irradiated leukocytes may induce cellular immune tolerance.
A spinning current circuit for nanotesla range resolution in Hall measurements

Thanks to the very linear behavior of Quantum Well Hall Sensors (QWHS), the Spinning Current Modulation Technique (SCMT) is in principle able to suppress all the offset and low-frequency noise contributions from the Hall sensing element, its electronics and interconnects. This requires first a right choice of the modulation sequence, but also a good balance of all the elements involved in the analog circuitry, including the analog switches, differential amplifiers, filters, interconnects, etc. as a function of the sensor impedance. We developed a breadboard aimed at optimizing the operating conditions for a broad spectrum of sensor types and applications, using pluggable modules for adapting the gain and transfer function. The modulation sequence, modulation frequency, and fine-tuning of the delays involved in the spinning sequence are driven by a microcontroller. With the present circuit, we were able to optimize the biasing, filtering and spinning current modulation conditions for various Hall sensing devices types, achieving an offset reduction by at least 4 decades and a residual white noise close to the Johnson-Nyquist thermal noise.
The role of reafference in recalibration of limb movement control and locomotion

The reafference model has frequently been used to explain spatial constancy during eye and head movements. We have found that its basic concepts also form part of the information processing necessary for the control and recalibration of reaching movements. Reaching was studied in a novel force environment--a rotating room that creates centripetal forces of the type that could someday substitute for gravity in space flight, and Coriolis forces which are side effects of rotation. We found that inertial, noncontacting Coriolis forces deviate the path and endpoint of reaching movements, a finding that shows the inadequacy of equilibrium position models of movement control. Repeated movements in the rotating room quickly lead to normal movement patterns and to a failure to perceive the perturbing forces. The first movements made after rotation stops, without Coriolis forces present, show mirror-image deviations and evoke perception of a perturbing force even though none is present. These patterns of sensorimotor control and adaptation can largely be explained on the basis of comparisons of efference copy, reafferent muscle spindle, and cutaneous mechanoreceptor signals. We also describe experiments on human locomotion using an apparatus similar to that which Mittelstaedt used to study the optomotor response of the Eristalis fly. These results show that the reafference principle relates as well to the perception of the forces acting on and exerted by the body during voluntary locomotion.
Neuropathology of Prenatal Brain Damage

Autopsy results of 89 infants who died at 7 days of age or less were analysed in the Depts of Pathology and Pediatrics, University of California School of Medicine, Davis, CA.
In Which Procrustean Bed Does the Sea Lion Sleep Tonight

Associative chains are limited in their ability to handle serial-order behavior involving remote associations among links in the chain, as in the words of a sentence. Sequential conditional associations may not necessarily result in mental representations of the stimulus sequences, limiting the ability to exceed the boundaries of the sequences explicitly taught. A variety of results suggest the development of mental representations of “words” and sequences of words in the dolphin Ake trained for comprehension of an artificial gestural language. Evidence for this level of representation is lacking or weak for the sea lion Rocky trained in a similar language. For the dolphin, but apparently not the sea lion, gestural signs were attached to concepts rather than to entities. Symmetry, advocated by Schusterman and Gisiner (1989) as the major test of reference is shown to be an inadequate if not an inappropriate test of reference. Misrepresentations of our published data base in claims of Schusterman and Gisiner are identified and the correct data, and our discussions of that data, are presented, exactly as they have appeared in our earlier published reports. The history of our early development of the relational sentence is reviewed and compared with the later history of its use with the sea lion. Impressions, given by Schusterman and Gisiner (1989), that Schusterman was not fully aware of our procedures for relational sentences, nor guided by us in their application to the sea lion, are corrected. I show that our work, contrary to claims of Schusterman and Gisiner (1989), has always accounted for differences in performance on relational and nonrelational sentences, has identified the major locus of difficulty on the relational sentence as memory for the indirect (goal) object, has distinguished between effects of various categories of goal objects, and has applied the theory of prospective and retrospective processes in working memory (Honig & Thompson, 1982) appropriately to the dolphin’s observed limitations on relational sentences. Finally, several problems are identified in the reporting or presentation of data for the sea lion by Schusterman and Gisiner (1988a, 1989).
Tailored Behavioral Intervention Among Blacks With Metabolic Syndrome and Sleep Apnea: Results of the MetSO Trial.

Study objectives To assess effectiveness of a culturally and linguistically tailored telephone-delivered intervention to increase adherence to physician-recommended evaluation and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among blacks. Methods In a two-arm randomized controlled trial, we evaluated effectiveness of the tailored intervention among blacks with metabolic syndrome, relative to those in an attention control arm (n = 380; mean age = 58 ± 13; female = 71%). The intervention was designed to enhance adherence using culturally and linguistically tailored OSA health messages delivered by a trained health educator based on patients' readiness to change and unique barriers preventing desired behavior changes. Results Analysis showed 69.4% of the patients in the intervention arm attended initial consultation with a sleep specialist, compared to 36.7% in the control arm; 74.7% of those in the intervention arm and 66.7% in the control arm completed diagnostic evaluation; and 86.4% in the intervention arm and 88.9% in the control arm adhered to PAP treatment based on subjective report. Logistic regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic factors indicated patients in the intervention arm were 3.17 times more likely to attend initial consultation, compared to those in the control arm. Adjusted models revealed no significant differences between the two arms regarding adherence to OSA evaluation or treatment. Conclusion The intervention was successful in promoting importance of sleep consultation and evaluation of OSA among blacks, while there was no significant group difference in laboratory-based evaluation and treatment adherence rates. It seems that the fundamental barrier to OSA care in that population may be the importance of seeking OSA care.
Prosthetic Dislocation and Revision After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty in Lumbar Fusion Patients: A Propensity Score Matched-Pair Analysis

Abstract Background Lumbar-pelvic fusion reduces the variation in pelvic tilt in functional situations by reducing lumbar spine flexibility, which is thought to be important in maintaining stability of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). We compared dislocation and revision rates for patients with lumbar fusion and subsequent THA to a matched comparison cohort with hip and spine degenerative changes undergoing only THA. Methods We identified patients in New York State who underwent primary elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease pathology and subsequent THA between January 2005 and December 2012. A propensity score match was performed to compare 934 patients with prior lumbar fusion to 934 patients with only THA according to age, gender, race, Deyo comorbidity score, year of surgery, and surgeon volume. Revision and dislocation rates were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months post-THA. Results At 12 months, patients with prior lumbar fusion had significantly increased rates of THA dislocation (control: 0.4%; fusion: 3.0%; P P P P Conclusion Patients undergoing lumbar fusion and subsequent THA have significantly higher risks of dislocation and revision of their hip arthroplasty than a matched cohort of patients with similar hip and spine pathology but only undergoing THA. During preoperative consultation for patients with prior lumbar fusion, orthopedic surgeons must educate the patient and family about the increased risk of dislocation and revision.
Exploring accessibility from spatial interaction data: An evaluation of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program in the contiguous US air transport system:

This paper is primarily concerned with the accessibility of airports located in small and geographically isolated communities. Specifically, it carries out a sensitivity analysis to derive rates of change for the parameters of a spatial interaction model applied to empirical air passenger trip data, and interprets the results focusing on the local airports subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. An empirical trip based accessibility measure is developed for individual airports in the contiguous US air transportation system. The measure enables us to capture the distinctive roles of small airports, which primarily function as regional associates of nearby cities and entrances for long-haul trips via major hub(s) to continental-scale connections. We observe the geographic and temporal variability of accessibility among airports, regarding the external factors including the dynamics of air carriers’ routing schemes, as well as global and local circumstances. Their impacts on passenger journey length...
A new approach of stiffness degradation modeling for carbon fiber-reinforced polymers under cyclic fully reversed bending

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers are being used in advanced structural applications such as aerospace, automotive, and naval industries. Therefore, there is a rising need for predicting their fatig...
Development and Applications of New Generation Ni-Containing Cryogenic Steels in PR China

In the present paper, an overview on the developments and applications of Ni-containing cryogenic steels is described with regard to the manufacturing processes. The relationship among Ni content, processing parameters and formation of reversed austenite has been worked out, which demonstrated that content and size of reversed austenite in Ni-containing steels can play important roles in improving their toughness. Based on extra-dephosphorization and desulphurization, new processing technologies have been developed. Controlled rolling in the aim of microstructure refinement and ultra-fast cooling (UFC) after hot rolling as on-line direct quenching has been successfully applied. Combining with inter-critical quenching and tempering after UFC-TMCP, the reversed austenite content was increased from 1.8 to 6.5%, leading to significant improvement of toughness. Several China’s steel works such as NISCO and Angang are capable of manufacturing high quality plates of Ni-containing steels, which are finding wide applications to building extra-large tanks for liquefied gases.
Facility Volume and Survival in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Introduction Definitive treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is challenging owing to its rarity, complicated regional anatomy, and the intensity of therapy. In contrast to other head and neck cancers, the effect of facility volume has not been well described for NPC. Methods and Materials The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with stage II-IVB NPC diagnosed from 2004 to 2014 and treated with definitive radiation. Patients with incomplete staging, unknown receipt or timing of treatment, unknown follow-up duration, incomplete socioeconomic information, or treatment outside the reporting facility were excluded. High-volume facilities (HVFs) were defined as the top 5% of facilities according to the annual facility volume. Results The present analysis included 3941 NPC patients treated at 804 facilities with a median follow-up duration of 59.4 months, including 1025 patients (26.0%) treated at HVFs. Treatment at HVFs was associated with significantly improved overall survival (OS) on multivariable analysis (hazard ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.69-0.90; P=.001). In propensity score-matched cohorts, 5-year OS was 69.1% versus 63.3% at HVFs versus lower volume facilities (LVFs), respectively (P=.003). Similar results were seen when facility volume was analyzed as a continuous variable. The effect of facility volume on survival varied by academic status (P=.002 for interaction). At academic centers, the propensity score-matched cohorts had 5-year OS of 71.4% compared with 62.4% (P Conclusions Treatment at HVFs was associated with improved OS for patients with NPC, with the effect exclusively seen at academic centers.
Ethnicity, Ethnic Identity, and State Schooling for Ethnic Minorities

In order to understand how state schooling is understood, interpreted, and appropriated in a middle school located in an impoverished, rural Muslim Hui region, how such policy as practice has changed the views of state schooling among Muslim Hui parents, and how local Muslim Hui students respond to state schooling through negotiating their filial, rural, and ethnoreligious identities, it is critical to recognize the dichotomies state schooling creates that have gradually transformed the lives of local Muslim Hui, financially, ideologically, and culturally.
Forecasting Super-Efficient Dryers Adoption in the Pacific Northwest

Energy efficiency (EE) is an important source of electricity in the USA, by ways of saving electricity and curbing demand growth through the use of more efficient products, and the Pacific NW is a leading region in the EE efforts in America. Some of these efforts include studies and policies aiming to introduce energy efficient home appliances into the market and boosting its adoption, and organizations such as the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) are focused on the development of those studies and policies. As a way to assist and inform NEEA, the present chapter uses the Bass Model as a methodology to predict the adoption of Super-Efficient Clothes Dryers (SED) in the Pacific NW. A literature review is conducted to better understand the role of NEEA and clothes dryers in the EE realm, the model inputs and assumptions are explained and its results are discussed. Conclusions, for both NEEA and for the general EE community are drawn, and future work opportunities are identified.
Development of a Patient-specific Tumor Mold Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging and 3-Dimensional Printing Technology for Targeted Tissue Procurement and Radiomics Analysis of Renal Masses

Objective To implement a platform for colocalization of in vivo quantitative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging features with ex vivo surgical specimens of patients with renal masses using patient-specific 3-dimensional (3D)-printed tumor molds, which may aid in targeted tissue procurement and radiomics and radiogenomic analyses. Materials and Methods Volumetric segmentation of 6 renal masses was performed with 3D Slicer ( http://www.slicer.org ) to create a 3D tumor model. A slicing guide template was created with specialized software, which included notches corresponding to the anatomic locations of the magnetic resonance images. The tumor model was subtracted from the slicing guide to create a depression in the slicing guide corresponding to the exact size and shape of the tumor. A customized, tumor-specific, slicing guide was then printed using a 3D printer. After partial nephrectomy, the surgical specimen was bivalved through the preselected magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plane. A thick slab of the tumor was obtained, fixed, and processed as a whole-mount slide and was correlated to multiparametric MRI findings. Results All patients successfully underwent partial nephrectomy and adequate fitting of the tumor specimens within the 3D mold was achieved in all tumors. Distinct in vivo MRI features corresponded to unique pathologic characteristics in the same tumor. The average cost of printing each mold was US$160.7 ± 111.1 (range: US$20.9-$350.7). Conclusion MRI-based preoperative 3D printing of tumor-specific molds allow for accurate sectioning of the tumor after surgical resection and colocalization of in vivo imaging features with tissue-based analysis in radiomics and radiogenomic studies.
Bisretinoid Lipofuscin in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium: Oxidative Processes and Disease Implications

The bisretinoid pigments, including A2E, that constitute retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) lipofuscin form in photoreceptor outer segments from reactions of vitamin A aldehyde and are deposited in the RPE cells secondarily, as shed photoreceptor outer segment membrane is phagocytosed by the RPE. We have proposed that the biosynthesis of A2E begins in photoreceptor outer segments with condensation reactions between phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and all-trans-retinal, and then undergo a series of reactions, with photoisomerization and photooxidation of the side chains, leading to various fluorophores. Damage to the RPE from these products appears to be very important in the etiology of AMD.