cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance assessment of hanging funnel‐and‐gate structures designed by reverse particle tracking for capturing polluted groundwater

The objective of this study was to evaluate the capability of partially penetrating (hanging) funnel-and-gate structures, designed using reverse flow trajectories, for capturing plumes of contaminated groundwater. Linear capture structures, comprised of two slurry cutoff walls on either side of a permeable gate, were positioned perpendicular to regional groundwater flow in a hypothetical unconfined aquifer. A four-step approach was used for each of two simulated settings: (1) a numerical mass transport model generated a contaminant plume originating from a source area; (2) a particle-tracking model projected groundwater flow paths upstream from a treatment gate; (3) the structure was widened and deepened until bounding path lines contained the plume; and (4) mass transport simulation tested the ability of the structure to capture the plume. Results of this study suggest that designing funnel-and-gate structures using reverse particle tracking may result in too small a structure to capture a contaminant plume. This practice generally ignores effects of hydrodynamic dispersion, which may enlarge plumes such that contaminants move beneath or around a capture structure. This bypassing effect may be considerable even for low values of dispersivity. Particle-tracking approaches may also underestimate the amount of time required to reduce contaminant concentrations to acceptable levels. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sense and Avoid Avionics Utilizing ADS -B Transceiver

To integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the U.S. National Airspace (NAS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires “an equivalent level of safety, comparable to see -and -avoid requirements for manned aircraft.” A pr oposed FAA rulemaking would mandate Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast ( ADS -B) out equipage by 2020, forcing aircraft flying in the NAS to broadcast their state vector to Air Traffic Control (ATC) and aircraft equipped with ADS -B in capability . With the advent of lightweight, low power, and low -cost ADS -B units, the equipage and the use of ADS -B transceivers on small UAS are no longer limited by payload and power capabilities , and represent promising opportunities for the regulated operation of sm all UAS in the NAS. T he University of North Dakota (UND) has been actively developing enabling sense and avoid (SAA) technologies under a series of projects funded by the Department of Defense , and is now turning to ADS -B as the central component for mid -air collision avoidance . This paper presents the results of modeling collision avoidance algorithms using ADS -B derived information in a software -in -the -loop (SWIL) environment . Upon extensive testing, the system is designed to be integrated seamlessly in to a hardware -in -the -loop (HWIL) environment, and ultimately in a flight test environment aboard a small UAS.
Comparative influence of gibberellic acid and of plant population on distribution of potato tuber size

The comparative influence of GA and of plant population on distribution of tuber size was evaluated for 3 years. Both closer seed spacing and treating seed with GA resulted in a reduction in tuber size without marked changes in total yield. However, with a growing season of 97 days, yield of U. S. No. 1 tubers from GA-treated seed was lower than from nontreated seed. Cost of seed required to achieve a denser plant population compared to cost of treating seed with GA was approximately $69 versus $1 per acre.
Human subtelomeric copy number variations.

Copy number variation is a defining characteristic of human subtelomeres. Human subtelomeric segmental duplication regions (‘Subtelomeric Repeats’) comprise about 25% of the most distal 500 kb and 80% of the most distal 100 kb in human DNA. Huge allelic disparities seen in subtelomeric DNA sequence content and organization are postulated to have an impact on the dosage of transcripts embedded within the duplicated sequences, on the transcription of genes in adjacent single copy DNA regions, and on the chromatin structures mediating telomere functions including chromosome stability. In addition to the complex duplicon substructure and huge allelic variations in extended subtelomere regions, both copy number variation and alternative sequence organizations for DNA characterize the sequences immediately adjacent to terminal (TTAGGG)n tracts (‘subterminal DNA’). The structural variation in subterminal DNA is likely to have important consequences for expression of subterminal transcripts such as a newly-discovered gene family encoding actin-interacting proteins and a non-coding telomeric repeat containing RNA (TERRA) transcript family critical for telomere integrity. Major immediate challenges include discovering the full extent and nature of subtelomeric structural and copy number variation in humans, and developing methods for tracking individual allelic variants in the context of total genomic DNA.
Bio-mechanics, a new approach to music education

Abstract We may state our opinion that bio-mechanics forms the rational fundamentals of musical skill. Without mastery of these fundamentals, the way to that intangible cannot be fully opened which constitutes the essence of artistry.
The conformation of pyrimidine nucleosides. an application of the nuclear Overhauser effect

Abstract The conformation about the glycosidic bond of cytidine, uridine, 2′, 3′-isopropylidine uridine and thymidine were studied by observing nuclear Overhauser effects. It is concluded that the syn conformation as well as intermediate-range conformations must be considered as well as the usually accepted anti form.
A seismic and gravity study of the McGregor geothermal system, southern New Mexico

Seismic and gravity studies have proven to be valuable tools in evaluating the geologic setting and economic potential of the McGregor geothermal system of southern New Mexico. An initial gravity study of the system demonstrated that a gravity high coincides with the heat‐flow high. A subsequent seismic reflection survey images a strong reflector, interpreted to be associated with a bedrock high that underlies the gravity and heat‐flow highs. A single reflection, which coincides with the water table, occurs within the Tertiary basin fill above bedrock. This reflector is subhorizontal except above structurally high bedrock, where it dips downward. This observation is consistent with well data that indicate a bedrock water table 30 m lower than water in the basin‐fill aquifer. Velocity models derived from seismic tomography show that the basin fill has velocities in the range of 800 to 4000 m/s and that the bedrock reflector coincides with high velocities of 5000 to 6000 m/s. Low‐velocity zones within the b...
Incidence and Metric Geometry

In this section we shall define the notions of an abstract geometry and an incidence geometry. These are given by listing a set of axioms that must be satisfied. After the definitions are made, we will give a number of examples which will serve as models for these geometries. Two of these models, the Euclidean Plane and the Hyperbolic Plane, will be used throughout the rest of the book.
A Role for IL-15 in the Migration of Effector CD8 T Cells to the Lung Airways following Influenza Infection

The cytokines generated locally in response to infection play an important role in CD8 T cell trafficking, survival, and effector function, rendering these signals prime candidates for immune intervention. In this paper, we show that localized increases in the homeostatic cytokine IL-15 induced by influenza infection is responsible for the migration of CD8 effector T cells to the site of infection. Moreover, intranasal delivery of IL-15-IL-15Rα soluble complexes (IL-15c) specifically restores the frequency of effector T cells lost in the lung airways of IL-15-deficient animals after influenza infection. Exogenous IL-15c quantitatively augments the respiratory CD8 T cell response, and continued administration of IL-15c throughout the contraction phase of the anti-influenza CD8 T cell response magnifies the resultant CD8 T cell memory generated in situ. This treatment extends the ability of these cells to protect against heterologous infection, immunity that typically depreciates over time. Overall, our studies describe what to our knowledge is a new function for IL-15 in attracting effector CD8 T cells to the lung airways and suggest that adjuvanting IL-15 could be used to prolong anti-influenza CD8 T cell responses at mucosal surfaces to facilitate pathogen elimination.
Multi-level logic optimization for low power using local logic transformations

In this paper we present an efficient technique to reduce the switching activity in a CMOS combinational logic network based on local logic transformations. These transformations consist of adding redundant connections or gates so as to reduce the switching activity. Simple and efficient procedures, based on logic implication, for identifying the sources and targets of the redundant connections are presented. Additionally, procedures that permit the designer to tradeoff power and delay after the transformations are described. Results of experiments on the MCNC benchmark circuits are given. The results indicate that significant reduction of the switching activities of a CMOS combinational circuit can be achieved with a very low area overhead and low computational cost.
Normal tissue dosimetric comparison between HDR prostate implant boost and conformal external beam radiotherapy boost: potential for dose escalation.

Abstract Purpose: To compare the dose and volume of bladder and rectum treated using high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate implant boost versus conformal external beam radiotherapy boost, and to use the dose–volume information to perform a critical volume tolerance (CVT) analysis and then estimate the potential for further dose escalation using HDR brachytherapy boost. Methods and Materials: Using CT scan data collected before and after patients underwent HDR prostate implant, a 7-field conformal prostate-only external beam treatment plan and HDR brachytherapy treatment plan were constructed for each patient. Doses to the normal structures were calculated. Dose–volume histograms (DVH) were plotted for comparison of the two techniques. Wilcoxon signed rank test was performed at four dose levels to compare the dose to normal structures between the two treatment techniques. The acute and late effects of HDR brachytherapy were calculated based on the linear-quadratic (LQ) model. CVT analyses were performed to calculate the potential dose gain (PDG) using HDR brachytherapy boost. Results: The volume of bladder and rectum receiving high dose was significantly less from implant boost. On the average, 0.19 cc of the bladder received 100% of the brachytherapy prescription dose, compared with 5.1 cc of the bladder receiving 100% of the prescription dose in the 7-field conformal external beam radiotherapy boost. Similarly, 0.25 cc of the rectum received 100% of the dose with the implant boost, as compared to 2.9 cc in the conformal external beam treatment. The implant also delivered higher doses inside the prostate volume. On average, 47% of the prostate received ≥150% of the prescription dose. The CVT analysis revealed a range of PDG using the HDR brachytherapy boost which depended on the following variables: critical volume (CV), critical volume tolerance dose (CVTD), number of HDR fractions (N), and the dose of external beam radiotherapy (XRT) delivered with brachytherapy boost. The PDG varied from −3.45% to 10.53% for tumor with an alpha–beta ratio of 10 and 7.14% to 64.6% for tumor with an alpha–beta ratio of 1.5 based on the parameters used for calculation in this study. Conclusions: HDR brachytherapy can provide better sparing of rectum and bladder while delivering a higher dose to the prostate. Even with the increased late effects of high dose per fraction, there is still a potential for dose escalation beyond external radiotherapy limits using HDR brachytherapy.
Handoff in mobile ATM networks: framework for performance optimization

Current handoff rerouting techniques in Mobile ATM networks fail to optimize some or all of the following parameters: handoff latency, route length, computational complexity, communication disruption period, network buffer requirements,a nd bandwidth requirements. This paper focuses on the optimization of the above parameters in the context of efficient handoff in Mobile ATM networks. We propose a framework for efficient handoff, in which the route information of a call in progress can be released to the communicating mobile hosts and theircorresponding switches. The switch covering the mobile host requesting handoff selects an appropriate rerouting process based on the route information and the location of the mobile hosts. A comparitive evaluation of our scheme with the existing schemes is presented.
Myths And Misconceptions About U.S. Health Insurance

Several myths about health insurance interfere with the diagnosis of problems in the current system and impede the development of productive reforms. Although many are built on a kernel of truth, complicated issues are often simplified to the point of being false or misleading. Several stem from the conflation of health, health care, and health insurance, while others attempt to use economic arguments to justify normative preferences. We apply a combination of economic principles and lessons from empirical research to examine the policy problems that underlie the myths and focus attention on addressing these fundamental challenges.
NEW SOCIAL MOVEMENT THEORIES

This article offers an overview and assessment of the utility of new social movement theories for analyzing contemporary forms of collective action. The article beings with a brief overview of the ...
Depression of the glass transition temperature of poly(methyl methacrylate) by plasticizers: Conformity with free volume theory

Mixtures of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and plasticizer were made by γ-irradiation of mixtures of methyl methacrylate with diethyl phthalate or with dioctyl phthalate. The glass transition temperature Tg was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Plots of Tg versus volume fraction of PMMA were found to conform to the simple free volume theory of Kelley and Bueche, using physical property values either reported in the literature or else calculated by Bondi's procedures.
Modulo scheduling of loops in control-intensive non-numeric programs

Much of the previous work on modulo scheduling has targeted numeric programs, in which, often, the majority of the loops are well-behaved loop-counter-based loops without early exits. In control-intensive non-numeric programs, the loops frequently have characteristics that make it more difficult to effectively apply modulo scheduling. These characteristics include multiple control flow paths, loops that are not based on a loop counter, and multiple exits. In these loops, the presence of unimportant paths with high resource usage or long dependence chains can penalize the important paths. A path that contains a hazard such as another nested loop can prohibit modulo scheduling of the loop. Control dependences can severely restrict the overlap of the blocks within and across iterations. This paper describes a set of methods that allow effective modulo scheduling of loops with multiple exits. The techniques include removal of control dependences to enable speculation, extensions to modulo variable expansion, and a new epilogue generation scheme. These methods can be used with superblock and hyperblock techniques to allow modulo scheduling of the selected paths of loops with arbitrary control flow. A case study is presented to show how these methods, combined with superblock techniques, enable module scheduling to be effectively applied to control-intensive non-numeric programs. Performance results for several SPEC CINT92 benchmarks and Unix utility programs are reported and demonstrate the applicability of modulo scheduling to this class of programs.
Regulatory Regimes, Agency Actions, and the Conditional Nature of Congressional Influence

Political bureaucracies make the overwhelming majority of public policy decisions in the United States. To examine the extent to which these agency actions are responsive to the preferences of elected officials, in particular, Congress, I develop a spatial model of oversight. The most important insight of this theory is that agencies make policy decisions within given regimes and may be constrained by the preferences of different political actors at different times. To test the theory, I collect and analyze data on the monitoring activities of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I find that under certain conditions, the FDA is responsive to the preferences of committees and floors in Congress, but under other conditions the agency can act autonomously.
Application of Achievement Goal Theory in an Urban Youth Tennis Setting

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational responses of tennis players in relation to their goal orientations and perceptions of the motivational climate. Youngsters completed a survey with tennis-specific measures of goal orientations, motivational climate, attitudes toward tennis, their instructor, their fellow players and sportspersonship behaviors. Results support Nicholls' goal perspective theory. Moderated regression analysis suggested that positive perceptions of a task-involving climate and negative perceptions of an ego-involving motivational climate predicted players' attitudes toward sportpersonship, their instructor, and fellow players. Attitudes toward tennis were predicted by task orientation. Canonical analyses further suggested that perceptions of the climate were most strongly related to attitudes.
Broken fingers: Classic Maya scribe capture and polity consolidation

This paper addresses how the rulers of the Classic Maya sought to promote polity cohesion and to maintain power. New information is presented on scribe capture and its importance in reinforcing the power and importance of the king.
Introduction of Molecular Methods into a Food Microbiology Curriculum.

Maintaining current, relevant curriculum in undergraduate Food Microbiology courses is essential for training future experts in food quality and safety. Having an understanding of the fundamental techniques (for example, polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) that are used in the food industry and regulatory agencies is critical for students entering the workforce. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of integrating molecular methods into an undergraduate Food Microbiology course in both lecture and laboratory settings. Modules on PCR and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), both of which are currently used by government agencies and the food industry to investigate the presence and persistence of foodborne pathogens, were developed, introduced, and evaluated among 269 students over 4 y. Multiple teaching and learning styles were incorporated through (i) traditional lecture format on the basics of PCR and PFGE; (ii) hands-on group activities to build upon the lecture instruction; (iii) performing PCR and PFGE in the laboratory; and (iv) group discussions to analyze results from laboratory exercises. Pre- and postinstruction evaluations revealed significant increases in understanding and application of both methods in lecture and laboratory settings as demonstrated by 0.60 and 0.51 mean normalized gains for respective PCR and PFGE lectures and 0.50 and 0.56 mean normalized gains in respective labs. Academic year significantly impacted score improvement, potentially due to hidden factors, such as previous exposure to material and student aptitude. This study provides the platform for successful introduction of molecular techniques in an undergraduate Food Microbiology course. The guidelines and materials developed by our group are publicly available for use by other institutions.
Goal Setting and Negotiation Performance: A Meta-Analysis:

We review, through meta-analysis, the effects of goals and goal attributes on the outcomes received by negotiators. Despite a long-standing interest in aspirations and goals in negotiation, researc...
Rotational structure of 16O2, 16O17O, and 16O18O (X3Σg−) from laser magnetic resonance spectra

Abstract Improved values of the rotational constants B and D of 16O17O(v = 0) and D of 16O2(v = 1) were obtained from an analysis of the laser magnetic resonance spectra at 765 and 4252 GHz.
Regional specificity of aberrant thalamocortical connectivity in autism

Preliminary evidence suggests aberrant (mostly reduced) thalamocortical (TC) connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but despite the crucial role of thalamus in sensorimotor functions and its extensive connectivity with cerebral cortex, relevant evidence remains limited. We performed a comprehensive investigation of region-specific TC connectivity in ASD. Resting-state functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were acquired for 60 children and adolescents with ASD (ages 7-17 years) and 45 age, sex, and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) participants. We examined intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) and anatomical connectivity (probabilistic tractography) with thalamus, using 68 unilateral cerebral cortical regions of interest (ROIs). For frontal and parietal lobes, iFC was atypically reduced in the ASD group for supramodal association cortices, but was increased for cingulate gyri and motor cortex. Temporal iFC was characterized by overconnectivity for auditory cortices, but underconnectivity for amygdalae. Occipital iFC was broadly reduced in the ASD group. DTI indices (such as increased radial diffusion) for regions with group differences in iFC further indicated compromised anatomical connectivity, especially for frontal ROIs, in the ASD group. Our findings highlight the regional specificity of aberrant TC connectivity in ASD. Their overall pattern can be largely accounted for by functional overconnectivity with limbic and sensorimotor regions, but underconnectivity with supramodal association cortices. This could be related to comparatively early maturation of limbic and sensorimotor regions in the context of early overgrowth in ASD, at the expense of TC connectivity with later maturing cortical regions.
Neurosonographic findings in full‐term infants born to maternal cocaine abusers: Visualization of subependymal and periventricular cysts

Neuroanatomical abnormalities have been linked to maternal cocaine abuse since Chasnoff et al's report of cerebral infarction in a single full-term offspring of a cocaine-abusing mother. Neurosonography was performed on 18 full-term offspring of cocaine-abusing mothers and 19 age-matched controls to look for possible abnormalities. There were no cases of infarction or intraparenchymal or intraventricular hemorrhage. There were, however, 6 patients with abnormalities among the cocaine-abusing group: 5 patients with unilateral or bilateral germinal matrix cysts and 3 patients with subtle cystic or predominantly cystic areas in watershed zones consistent with periventricular leukomalacia. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Finance and Schumpterian Rents: On the Timing of Innovation

I model an innovation game in which firms can choose to be leaders or followers. Internal finance leads to a stalemate in which each firm wants to free-ride on the others' experimentation costs. Therefore, no innovation occurs. When instead firms compete in the capital markets to finance innovation (e.g., in the case of venture capital) there is an endogenous cost to delay. Waiting to make risky irreversible investment conveys pessimist information. I characterize the relative sizes of waves of leaders and followers in innovation cycles - and the endogenous, intertemporal distribution of quality as each wave builds and crashes - as a function of the risk of the innovation and the amount of external finance required.
RF-Phos: Random forest-based prediction of phosphorylation sites

It is estimated that about 30% of the proteins in the human proteome are regulated by phosphorylation. In recent years, phosphorylation site prediction has been investigated in the field of bioinformatics. This has become necessary due to the challenges associated with experimental methods. Previously, we developed a random forest-based method, termed Random Forest-based Phosphosite predictor (RF-Phos 1.0), to predict phosphorylation sites in proteins given only the amino acid sequence of a protein as input. Here, we report an improved version of this method, termed RF-Phos 1.1 that employs additional sequence-driven features to identify putative sites of phosphorylation across many protein families. In side-by-side comparisons based on 10-fold cross validation analysis and an independent dataset, RF-Phos 1.1 performs comparably to or better than other existing phosphosite prediction methods, such as PhosphoSVM, GPS2.1 and Musite.
A pilot study of orthopaedic resident self-assessment using a milestones' survey just prior to milestones implementation.

To pilot test if Orthopaedic Surgery residents could self-assess their performance using newly created milestones, as defined by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education.
Does Global Good Citizenship Begin at Home? Domestic Gender Equity and Humanitarian Foreign Policy

Does the empowerment of women strengthen a state’s propensity to global good citizenship? Constructivist approaches to international relations suggest that deep democracies may be more prone to support international human rights initiatives. Feminist perspectives highlight gender equity as a generator of deeper democracy, an ethic of care, and a socialization to equity that should enhance cosmopolitan universalism in foreign policy. We test this prediction using cross-country data on a wide variety of international human rights outcomes. Controlling for the factors previous research has linked to human rights foreign policy -- such as regime type -- more gender equitable countries are more likely to support international commitments against state violence against individuals and child-abuse. States with more empowered women also provide more and higher quality development assistance. Moreover, a higher level of gender empowerment raises countries’ support for international anti-discrimination measures on both gender and sexual orientation.
Sequential Infection in Ferrets with Antigenically Distinct Seasonal H1N1 Influenza Viruses Boosts Hemagglutinin Stalk-Specific Antibodies

ABSTRACT Broadly reactive antibodies targeting the conserved hemagglutinin (HA) stalk region are elicited following sequential infection or vaccination with influenza viruses belonging to divergent subtypes and/or expressing antigenically distinct HA globular head domains. Here, we demonstrate, through the use of novel chimeric HA proteins and competitive binding assays, that sequential infection of ferrets with antigenically distinct seasonal H1N1 (sH1N1) influenza virus isolates induced an HA stalk-specific antibody response. Additionally, stalk-specific antibody titers were boosted following sequential infection with antigenically distinct sH1N1 isolates in spite of preexisting, cross-reactive, HA-specific antibody titers. Despite a decline in stalk-specific serum antibody titers, sequential sH1N1 influenza virus-infected ferrets were protected from challenge with a novel H1N1 influenza virus (A/California/07/2009), and these ferrets poorly transmitted the virus to naive contacts. Collectively, these findings indicate that HA stalk-specific antibodies are commonly elicited in ferrets following sequential infection with antigenically distinct sH1N1 influenza virus isolates lacking HA receptor-binding site cross-reactivity and can protect ferrets against a pathogenic novel H1N1 virus. IMPORTANCE The influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is a major target of the humoral immune response following infection and/or seasonal vaccination. While antibodies targeting the receptor-binding pocket of HA possess strong neutralization capacities, these antibodies are largely strain specific and do not confer protection against antigenic drift variant or novel HA subtype-expressing viruses. In contrast, antibodies targeting the conserved stalk region of HA exhibit broader reactivity among viruses within and among influenza virus subtypes. Here, we show that sequential infection of ferrets with antigenically distinct seasonal H1N1 influenza viruses boosts the antibody responses directed at the HA stalk region. Moreover, ferrets possessing HA stalk-specific antibody were protected against novel H1N1 virus infection and did not transmit the virus to naive contacts.
The Role of Neonatal Nurses in Palliative Care

Abstract Palliative care is an integral part of neonatal care. Nurses are key to the integration of the family in this type of care. Nurses are also key players to improved communication among the health care team. This article will discuss palliative care as a part of family-centered care and the critical role nurses play.
Caught: The Prison State and the Lockdown of American Politics by Marie Gottschalk, Book Review in Punishment and Society

It is often said that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste, allowing for progress that might not be accomplished in a saner atmosphere. Mass incarceration is the USA’s current crisis, and we should exploit this opportunity to reduce unnecessary imprisonment. But in order to move beyond symbolic sound bites to achieve real and lasting progress, we need more nuanced discussions of the challenges and a thoughtfully planned effort to overcome them. Fortunately, a new book by University of Pennsylvania political scientist Marie Gottschalk takes us past the broad outlines of debate to explore the sobering complexities inherent in prison reform. She doubts that current progressive narratives will be enough to roll back the penalties of the 1980s and envisions a very different path forward. Most importantly, she reminds us of the enormity of our task.
Diagnosis and Management of Acromegaly in 2012

Acromegaly is an insidious disease that, in most cases, is a result of a pituitary adenoma that hypersecretes growth hormone (GH). The goals of therapy are to control excess GH secretion and tumour growth, and to limit, if not reverse, the long-term medical consequences and risk of premature mortality associated with acromegaly. Surgery is the preferred primary therapeutic option because it can lead to rapid reductions in GH levels and prevent mass effects from local tumor growth. Medical therapy, including somatostatin analogues, dopamine agonists, and the GH receptor antagonist pegvisomant, is used most often in an adjuvant, secondary role for patients in whom surgery has been unsuccessful. Radiation therapy is most commonly recommended in the setting of failed surgery and lack of adequate control with medical therapy. A role of primary medical therapy for de novo patients has been proposed, particularly with somatostatin analogues. Using a multimodality approach, successful management of the disease and associated consequences should be achieved in the majority of subjects.
Research on the Budget Performance Management of Financial Provision Expenditure: a case study of Tongji Hospital

Currently, the competent authorities and the financial sector propose that public hospitals should firstly select pilot for key projects, and steadily to expand the implementation scope of financial assistance expenditure budget performance management. By using the example of Tongji Hospital, the current status and problems of budget performance management for public hospital financial assistance expenditure is analyzed, the expenditure budget performance management after received financial assistance is discussed.
Investigation of the influenza A(H1N1) vaccine coverage and influential factors among high and primary school students

Objective To investigate the influenza A(H1N1) vaccine coverage among high and primary school students,and the factors influencing the vaccine coverage.Methods A random sampling survey was carried out for 1 405 high and primary school students by questionnaire,and descriptive analysis.Chi square test and Logistic regression analysis were used for the evaluation of influential factors of vaccine coverage.Results The vaccine coverage against influenza A(H1N1) in high and primary school students was 30.4%,and rate of knowledge on influenza was 39.5%.The main reason for not having influenza vaccine was the concern of side effects(38.7%).Male students,elder students and students who had vaccinated against influenza in the pass 3 years were tend to take the influenza vaccine.Conclusion The knowledge of influenza A(H1N1) was low among high and primary school students.Health education on the knowledge of influenza A and the influenza vaccine should be strengthened,and is also important to deliver correct information of influenza and influenza vaccine at the peak seasons of the disease.
Cellular and molecular basis of renal repair in acute renal failure.

Abstract Experimental data suggest that the recovery of renal function after ischemic or nephrotoxic acute renal failure is due to a replicative repair process dependent on predominantly paracrine release of growth factors. These growth factors promote renal proximal tubule cell proliferation and a differentiation phase dependent on the interaction between tubule cells and basement membrane. These insights identify the molecular basis of renal repair in ischemic and nephrotoxic acute renal failure and may lead to potential therapeutic modalities that accelerate renal repair and lessen the morbidity and mortality associated with these renal disease processes.
Internal Control Deficiencies and Municipal Borrowing Costs

“Internal controls” refer to organizational rules and procedures used to safeguard assets and to detect fraud, waste, and abuse. This study examines the relationship between internal control deficiencies and municipal bond borrowing costs. The most severe form of internal control deficiencies (i.e., material weaknesses) is associated with higher borrowing costs for municipal bonds, between 10 and 18 basis points. Credit ratings mediate some of the effect of material weaknesses in internal controls but the indirect effect is relatively small. The effect of internal control deficiencies on borrowing costs was consistent in the time period before and after the financial crisis.
Gene therapies that restore dystrophin expression for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is one of the most common inherited genetic diseases and is caused by mutations to the DMD gene that encodes the dystrophin protein. Recent advances in genome editing and gene therapy offer hope for the development of potential therapeutics. Truncated versions of the DMD gene can be delivered to the affected tissues with viral vectors and show promising results in a variety of animal models. Genome editing with the CRISPR/Cas9 system has recently been used to restore dystrophin expression by deleting one or more exons of the DMD gene in patient cells and in a mouse model that led to functional improvement of muscle strength. Exon skipping with oligonucleotides has been successful in several animal models and evaluated in multiple clinical trials. Next-generation oligonucleotide formulations offer significant promise to build on these results. All these approaches to restoring dystrophin expression are encouraging, but many hurdles remain. This review summarizes the current state of these technologies and summarizes considerations for their future development.
Single-incision retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy: a North American experience.

Endoscopic adrenalectomy is currently performed using multiple ports placed either transabdominally or retroperitoneally. We report our initial experience with single-incision retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (SIRA). A prospective database of patients undergoing adrenalectomy from December 2013 through March 2016 was analyzed. We adopted conventional retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (CORA) in December 2013 and transitioned to SIRA in March 2015. SIRA was performed using three trocars placed through a single 2-cm incision below the 12th rib. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients undergoing SIRA and CORA. One hundred and five adrenalectomies were performed in 102 patients: 34 laparoscopic transperitoneal, 24 CORA, 37 SIRA and 7 open. The SIRA and CORA groups were similar with respect to clinical characteristics (SIRA vs. CORA: mean BMI 27.0 vs. 28.8 kg/m2, maximum BMI 38.9 vs. 44.3 kg/m2; mean nodule size 3.2 vs. 3.2 cm, maximum nodule size 8.0 vs. 6.0 cm). One patient undergoing SIRA required placement of an additional 5-mm port because of extensive adhesions. No patients who underwent SIRA or CORA required conversion to open adrenalectomy. There were no deaths, and blood loss remained 5 cm (effect = 1.75, P < 0.001) and pheochromocytoma (effect = 1.30, P = 0.05) were significant predictors of increased operative length for SIRA. BMI and laterality (right vs. left) did not affect operative length. Rates of postoperative temporary abdominal wall relaxation, length of stay and postoperative pain medication use were similar between the two groups. SIRA is safe and feasible to implement as a refinement of CORA and may be applied to technically challenging cases involving obese patients or large nodules. The use of three ports allows for two-handed dissection, which may shorten the learning curve for many surgeons.
Plasma cytokine and angiogenic factors associated with prognosis and therapeutic response to sunitinib vs everolimus in advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma

// Pavlos Msaouel 1, * , Amado J. Zurita 1, * , Shixia Huang 2 , Eric Jonasch 1 and Nizar M. Tannir 1 1 Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 2 Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center & Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Alkek Center for Molecular Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Nizar M. Tannir, email: ntannir@mdanderson.org Keywords: biomarkers, cytokines and angiogenic factors, everolimus, non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma, sunitinib Received: September 20, 2016 Accepted: January 16, 2017 Published: February 02, 2017 ABSTRACT No biomarkers are available to predict relative clinical benefit from targeted therapies in patients with non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC). To identify candidate predictive markers, we investigated a set of cytokines and angiogenic factors (CAFs) in previously untreated patients with nccRCC participating in the phase II ESPN trial comparing first-line sunitinib to everolimus. Pre-treatment concentrations of 30 CAFs were measured in plasma from 37 patients treated with everolimus (n=16) or sunitinib (n=21), and associated with progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after adjusting for potential confounders. High (>median) concentrations of soluble glycoprotein 130 (sgp130) were predictive of a longer PFS with sunitinib compared with everolimus (HR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11-0.85; P = 0.024). Significantly shorter PFS was noted, independently of treatment arm, in patients with high (>median) levels of IL-8 (HR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.41-6.92), IL-13 (HR = 3.36; 95% CI: 1.49-7.58), and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II (HR = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.04-4.72). High IL-8 levels were also associated with significantly shorter OS (HR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.55-8.14). Thus, using CAF profiling we identified candidate prognostic and predictive circulating biomarkers that can be used to inform therapeutic decisions in nccRCC.
Synthesis and Characterization of Two New Mononuclear Complexes of Cobalt(II) with 7-Azaindole

Two new complexes of cobalt(II) with 7-azaindole have been synthesized, and characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy, [(C2H5)3NH][Co(Haza)Cl3] 1, (where Haza = 7-azaindole), and [Co(Haza)2Cl2], 2. The crystal structures for 1 and 2 were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. [(C2H5)3NH][Co(Haza)Cl3], 1, is monoclinic and crystallizes in the space group P2 1 /n with a = 12.9997 (2), b = 9.87449 (13), c = 13.9488 (2) A, β = 104.0180 17)°. [Co(Haza)2Cl2], 2. is also monoclinic and crystallizes in the space group P2 1 /c with a = 12.453 (3), b = 9.3753 (18), c = 13.136 (3) A, β = 98.728 (4). In both complexes the bonding to the Haza is via the pyridine N (N7), where the Haza is a neutral ligand, and the environment around the Co ions is distorted tetrahedral. Hydrogen bonding between the N1–H and Cl is present in 1 and 2, and determines the head to head alignment of the two Haza with respect to each other in 2. Additional hydrogen bonding links the cation and anion together in 1. FTIR confirms the presence of the neutral Haza in the both materials. Two complexes of the 7-azaindole ligand with Co(II) are reported. Hydrogen bonding in [(C2H5)3NH][Co(Haza)Cl3], including a bifurcated H-bond from N3–H to Cl2 and Cl3 is shown.
Effects of Metreleptin in Pediatric Patients With Lipodystrophy.

Context: Lipodystrophy syndromes are rare disorders of deficient adipose tissue. Metreleptin, a human analog of leptin, improved metabolic abnormalities in mixed cohorts of children and adults with lipodystrophy and low leptin.
Abstract 289: Transcriptomic Analysis of Inter- and Intra-patient Variation in Human iPSCs: Platform for Precision Medicine to Predict Drug Toxicity

Rapid improvements in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) differentiation methodologies have allowed previously unattainable access to high-purity, patient-specific cardiomyocytes (CMs) for use in disease modeling, cardiac regeneration, and drug testing. In the present study, we investigate the ability of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) to reflect the donor’s genetic identity and serve as preclinical functional readout platforms for precision medicine. We used footprint-free Sendai virus to create two separate hiPSC clones from the fibroblasts of five different individuals lacking known mutations associated with cardiovascular disease. Whole genome expression profiling of hiPSC-CMs showed that inter-patient variation was greater than intra-patient variation, thereby verifying that reprogramming and cardiac differentiation technologies can preserve patient-specific gene expression signatures. Gene ontologies (GOs) accounting for inter-patient variation were mostly metabolic or epigenetic. Toxicology analysis based on gene expression profiles predicted patient-specific susceptibility of hiPSC-CMs to cardiotoxicity, and functional assays using drugs targeting key regulators in pathways predicted to produce cardiotoxicity showed inter-patient differential responses in hiPSC-CMs. Our data suggest that hiPSC-CMs can be used in vitro to predict and help prevent patient-specific drug-induced cardiotoxicity, potentially enabling personalized patient consultation in the future.
Verschiedene Virusinfektionen des Menschen

Die Cytomegalie ist eine generalisierte Infektionskrankheit von Kindern, die durch eine intrauterine oder postnatale Infektion mit dem Cytomegalievirus zustande kommt (unschadliche Speicheldrusenviren kann man bei vielen Tierarten auffinden). Die Erkrankung ist charakterisiert durch das Auftreten groser basophiler intranuklearer Einschluskorper sowie kleiner cytoplasmatischer Einschlusse, die sowohl in den Speicheldrusen als auch in den Lungen, der Leber, dem Pankreas, den Nieren, den endokrinen Drusen und gelegentlich auch im Gehirn aufzufinden sind. Bisher wurde uber etwa 100 todlich verlaufene Erkrankungen berichtet, wobei die meisten Todesfalle bei Kindern unter 2 Jahren auftraten.
Role of the C-terminus mobile domain of cardiac troponin I in the regulation of thin filament activation in skinned papillary muscle strips.

Abstract The C-terminus mobile domain of cTnI (cTnI-MD) is a highly conserved region which stabilizes the actin-cTnI interaction during the diastole. Upon Ca2+-binding to cTnC, cTnI-MD participates in a regulatory switching that involves cTnI to switch from interacting with actin toward interacting with the Ca2+-regulatory domain of cTnC. Despite many studies targeting the cTnI-MD, the role of this region in the length-dependent activation of cardiac contractility is yet to be determined. The present study investigated the functional consequences of losing the entire cTnI-MD in cTnI(1–167) truncation mutant, as it was exchanged for endogenous cTnI in skinned rat papillary muscle fibers. The influence of cTnI-MD truncation on the extent of the N-domain of cTnC hydrophobic cleft opening and the steady-state force as a function of sarcomere length (SL), cross-bridge state, and [Ca2+] was assessed using the simultaneous in situ time-resolved FRET and force measurements at short (1.8 μm) and long (2.2 μm) SLs. Our results show the significant role of cTnI-MD in the length dependent thin filament activation and the coupling between thin and thick filament regulations affected by SL. Our results also suggest that cTnI-MD transmits the effects of SL change to the core of troponin complex.
Absolute and Relative Motion

At the outset of Book I of his Principia, Newton defined terms such as inertia, quantity of motion and centripetal force. Before proceeding to his Laws of Motion, Newton presents the reader with a Scholium in which he carefully considers the meaning of the terms space, time, place and motion. Most importantly, he asks the reader to distinguishing between absolute and relative measures of each of the these quantities. To put this into a historical context, consider how the concept of relative motion shaped the sun-centered view of our solar system. One hundred years before the birth of Newton, Copernicus had invoked the concept of relative motion in order to make plausible his heliocentric model of the solar system. His opponents, who were committed geocentrists, claimed that Earth seems stationary and therefore must truly be stationary at the center of the universe. Not so, said Copernicus: since motion is measured relative to a particular observer, it may be that the sun and the stars are stationary and Earth itself is in motion. This naturally raises the question: are the sun and stars really stationary? More generally, is it ever possible to determine whether any body is truly at rest or in motion?
Two-component control of Quorum Sensing in Gram-Negative Bacteria

Publisher Summary Bacteria living in communities convey their presence to each other by producing, releasing, and subsequently responding to the accumulation of a minimal threshold concentration of chemical signaling molecules termed autoinducers. This method of cell-cell communication is called quorum sensing. It allows a population of bacteria to coordinate behavior, and thus acquire some of the characteristics of multicellular organisms. The V. harveyi and M. xanthus systems are two of the most complex quorum sensing circuits. These two systems serve to exemplify the diversity of signals and the range of activities that are regulated by cell-cell communication in bacteria. Additionally, the V. harveyi and M. Xanthus multichannel two-component circuits enable these bacteria to collect, integrate, and process multiple sensory inputs. The use of two-component circuits that enable the influx and outflow of phosphate at multiple locations in the signal transduction circuit presumably allows very precise modulation of the output responses.. In V. fischeri, quorum sensing controls the celldensity dependent production of light. Other simpler quorum sensing circuits, such as LuxI-LuxR circuits, may not possess the inherent plasticity to integrate multiple signaling inputs nor the fine control that can be incorporated into multichannel two-component relays.
General Requirements and Policies

During the course of their postdoctoral training, residents are expected to fulfill the requirements to be eligible to take the American Board of Radiology (ABR) written and oral examinations in their fourth year.