cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laser Therapy for Scars

Over the last 30 years, laser therapy has emerged as an effective primary and adjuvant treatment modality for scars. Laser therapy facilitates the selective destruction of discrete structures within the skin, as well as microscopic, spatially selective injuries to scars that result in both local and distant tissue remodeling. This remodeling process capitalizes on the patient’s native tissue reservoirs to facilitate a process of normalization leading to improved scar function, aesthetics, and a reduction in scar-associated symptoms. This chapter will review the basic principles of laser therapy for scars, as well as an evidence-based therapeutic approach for specific scar characteristics. It is critical that any physician managing scars be familiar with these invaluable tools for scar optimization.
Algorithmic Approaches to Clonal Reconstruction in Heterogeneous Cell Populations

The reconstruction of clonal haplotypes and their evolutionary history in evolving populations is a common problem in both microbial evolutionary biology and cancer biology. The clonal theory of evolution provides a theoretical framework for modeling the evolution of clones. In this paper, we review the theoretical framework and assumptions over which the clonal reconstruction problem is formulated. We formally define the problem and then discuss the complexity and solution space of the problem. Various methods have been proposed to find the phylogeny that best explains the observed data. We categorize these methods based on the type of input data that they use (space-resolved or time-resolved), and also based on their computational formulation as either combinatorial or probabilistic. It is crucial to understand the different types of input data because each provides essential but distinct information for drastically reducing the solution space of the clonal reconstruction problem. Complementary information provided by single cell sequencing or from whole genome sequencing of randomly isolated clones can also improve the accuracy of clonal reconstruction. We briefly review the existing algorithms and their relationships. Finally we summarize the tools that are developed for either directly solving the clonal reconstruction problem or a related computational problem. In this review, we discuss the various formulations of the problem of inferring the clonal evolutionary history from allele frequeny data, review existing algorithms and catergorize them according to their problem formulation and solution approaches. We note that most of the available clonal inference algorithms were developed for elucidating tumor evolution whereas clonal reconstruction for unicellular genomes are less addressed. We conclude the review by discussing more open problems such as the lack of benchmark datasets and comparison of performance between available tools.
A 151nW Second-Order Ternary Delta Modulator for ECG Slope Variation Measurement with Baseline Wandering Resilience

ECG delineation is crucial to Arrhythmia classification and future wearable heart monitoring sensors. This paper presents a second-order ternary delta modulator for ECG delineation. The proposed prototype measures slope variation of the ECG signals to detect the upward/downward-turning points without measuring the instantaneous amplitude. Then fiducial points of the PQRST waves can be located. The interval/segment timing information can be extracted for future on-chip arrhythmia classification. The experiment results show that the system is robust to baseline wandering. The chip can achieve 3.2 mV/ms2 sensitivity with 3 ms timing error. The proposed circuit consumes 151 nW with 1 V supply at a sampling rate of 1 kS/s, and fabricated in 180 nm CMOS process with 0.25 mm2 area occupied. Fiducial points localizing algorithm is realized on a Spartan-6 FPGA.
Cumulative Burden of Chronic Health Conditions in Adult Survivors of Osteosarcoma and Ewing Sarcoma: A Report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study

Background: Adult survivors of childhood osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma are at risk of developing therapy-related chronic health conditions. We characterized the cumulative burden of chronic conditions and health status of survivors of childhood bone sarcomas. Methods: Survivors (n = 207) treated between 1964 and 2002 underwent comprehensive clinical assessments (history/physical examination, laboratory analysis, and physical and neurocognitive testing) and were compared with community controls (n = 272). Health conditions were defined and graded according to a modified version of the NCI9s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and the cumulative burden estimated. Results: Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma survivors [median age 13.6 years at diagnosis (range 1.7–24.8); age at evaluation 36.6 years (20.7–66.4)] demonstrated an increased prevalence of cardiomyopathy (14.5%; P Conclusions: Survivors of osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma experience a high cumulative burden of chronic health conditions, with impairments of physical function and neurocognition. Impact: Early intervention strategies may ameliorate the risk of comorbidities in bone sarcoma survivors.
Biogenic Amines Increase the Odds of Bacterial Vaginosis and Affect the Growth of and Lactic Acid Production by Vaginal Lactobacillus spp.

ABSTRACT Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal disorder of reproductive-aged women, yet its etiology remains enigmatic. One clinical symptom of BV, malodor, is linked to the microbial production of biogenic amines (BA). Using targeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, we analyzed 149 longitudinally collected vaginal samples to determine the in vivo concentrations of the most common BAs and then assessed their relationship to BV and effect upon the growth kinetics of axenically cultured vaginal Lactobacillus species. Increases in cadaverine, putrescine, and tyramine were associated with greater odds of women transitioning from L. crispatus-dominated vaginal microbiota to microbiota that have a paucity of Lactobacillus spp. and from Nugent scores of 0 to 3 to Nugent scores of 7 to 10, consistent with BV. Exposure to putrescine lengthened the lag time and/or slowed the growth of all vaginal Lactobacillus spp. except L. jensenii 62G. L. iners AB107’s lag time was lengthened by cadaverine but reduced in the presence of spermidine and spermine. The growth rate of L. crispatus VPI 3199 was slowed by cadaverine and tyramine, and strain-specific responses to spermine and spermidine were observed. BAs were associated with reduced production of d- and l-lactic acid by vaginal Lactobacillus spp., and this effect was independent of their effect upon Lactobacillus species growth. The exceptions were higher levels of d- and l-lactic acid by two strains of L. crispatus when grown in the presence of spermine. Results of this study provide evidence of a direct impact of common biogenic amines on vaginal Lactobacillus spp. IMPORTANCELactobacillus spp. are credited with providing the primary defense against gynecological conditions, including BV, most notably through the acidification of the vaginal microenvironment, which results from their production of lactic acid. The microbial production of BAs has been hypothesized to play a mechanistic role in diminishing Lactobacillus species-mediated protection, enabling the colonization and outgrowth of diverse anaerobic bacterial species associated with BV. Here, we demonstrate that in vivo increases in the most commonly observed BAs are associated with a loss of Lactobacillus spp. and the development of BV, measured by Nugent score. Further, we show that BAs formed by amino acid decarboxylase enzymes negatively affect the growth of type strains of the most common vaginal Lactobacillus spp. and separately alter their production of lactic acid. These results suggest that BAs destabilize vaginal Lactobacillus spp. and play an important and direct role in diminishing their protection of the vaginal microenvironment.
Polyelectrolyte Gels Formed by Filamentous Biopolymers: Dependence of Crosslinking Efficiency on the Chemical Softness of Divalent Cations

Filamentous anionic polyelectrolytes are common in biological materials. Some examples are the cytoskeletal filaments that assemble into networks and bundled structures to give the cell mechanical resistance and that act as surfaces on which enzymes and other molecules can dock. Some viruses, especially bacteriophages are also long thin polyelectrolytes, and their bending stiffness is similar to those of the intermediate filament class of cytoskeletal polymers. These relatively stiff, thin, and long polyelectrolytes have charge densities similar to those of more flexible polyelectrolytes such as DNA, hyaluronic acid, and polyacrylates, and they can form interpenetrating networks and viscoelastic gels at volume fractions far below those at which more flexible polymers form hydrogels. In this report, we examine how different types of divalent and multivalent counterions interact with two biochemically different but physically similar filamentous polyelectrolytes: Pf1 virus and vimentin intermediate filaments (VIF). Different divalent cations aggregate both polyelectrolytes similarly, but transition metal ions are more efficient than alkaline earth ions and their efficiency increases with increasing atomic weight. Comparison of these two different types of polyelectrolyte filaments enables identification of general effects of counterions with polyelectrolytes and can identify cases where the interaction of the counterions and the filaments exhibits stronger and more specific interactions than those of counterion condensation.
Men's Incarceration and Women's Labor Market Outcomes

The prevalence of men's incarceration in the United States has important unintended consequences for women. Two early studies find positive external effects of men's incarceration on women's labor ...
Simulated attack reveals how lesions affect network properties in post-stroke aphasia

Aphasia is one of the most prevalent cognitive syndromes caused by stroke. The rarity of premorbid imaging and heterogeneity of lesion size and extent obfuscates the links between the local effects of the lesion, global anatomical network organization, and aphasia symptoms. We applied a simulated attack approach to examine the effects of 39 stroke lesions on network topology by simulating their effects in a control sample of 36 healthy brain networks. We focused on measures of global network organization thought to support overall brain function and resilience in the whole brain and within the left hemisphere. After removing lesion volume from the network topology measures and behavioral scores (the Western Aphasia Battery Aphasia Quotient; WAB-AQ), four behavioral factor scores obtained from a neuropsychological battery, and a factor sum), we compared the behavioral variance accounted for by simulated post-stroke connectomes to that observed in the randomly permuted data. Overall, global measures of network topology in the whole brain and left hemisphere accounted for 10% variance or more of the WAB-AQ and the lexical factor score beyond lesion volume and null permutations. Streamline networks provided more reliable point estimates than FA networks. Edge weights and network efficiency were weighted most highly in predicting the WAB-AQ for FA networks. Overall, our results suggest that global network measures can provide modest statistical value predicting overall aphasia severity, but less value in predicting specific behaviors. Variability in estimates could be induced by premorbid ability, deafferentation and diaschisis, and neuroplasticity following stroke.
Ultra-Light Load Performance Enhancement of A 1 MVA SiC Medium Voltage Three Phase Rectifier

This paper provides a comprehensive study to adapt dual-active-bridge (DAB) power-factor correction (PFC) rectifier design to the medium voltage (MV) high power (HP) variable frequency drive (VFD) systems. First, the novel silicon carbide (SiC) MV three-phase (3 Ph) PFC rectifier is proposed. Its topology, key SiC module and control scheme are presented. Second, control enhancement to keep the grid current total harmonic distortion (THD) at a minimum at ultra-light load is discussed. The proposed topology has a novel circuitry mechanism to improve the THD at the ultra-light load condition. Analysis and simulations are carried out to verify the proposal.
Tests Characterizing Performance of an Adaptive Cruise Control System

This paper describes methods for characterizing the headway control performance of adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems. The inputs to the test are the speed of the preceding vehicle. Results of the tests are based upon measurements of range, range rate, velocity transmission shift commands,, and velocity commands. Numerical performance measures are derived from these data and are used to characterize system performance quantitatively.
Activity-dependent potentiation of recurrent inhibition: a mechanism for dynamic gain control in the siphon withdrawal reflex of Aplysia

The siphon withdrawal response (SWR) of Aplysia supports several forms of learning that are under both excitatory and inhibitory control. Here we examine the role of interneuronal processing on the regulation of siphon responses, with an emphasis on the role of inhibition. We focus on the recurrent circuit formed by the excitatory interneuron L29 and the inhibitory interneuron L30, and show that this circuit provides a mechanism for use-dependent regulation of excitatory input onto siphon motor neurons. We utilized a reduced preparation in which input to the SWR circuit was elicited by taps applied to the siphon; tap-evoked EPSPs were measured in LFS siphon motor neurons. We first show that L29 is an important source of excitatory input to LFS motor neurons: voltage-clamp inactivation of a single L29 (out of five) results in a significant reduction of tap-evoked EPSPs. Next, we demonstrate that direct intracellular activation of L29, surprisingly, produces transient inhibition of evoked input to motor neurons that lasts up to 40 sec. We then provide several lines of evidence that the mechanism of L29-induced inhibition is through the recruitment and potentiation of recurrent inhibition from L30: (1) L29 activation results in reduced tap-evoked responses of other (nonactivated) L29s; (2) direct activation of L30 mimics the inhibitory effects produced by L29 activation (LFS neurons receive no direct synaptic input from L30); and (3) the L30 IPSP is significantly potentiated as a result of its own activity, whether produced directly (by L30 activation) or indirectly (through L29 activation). This IPSP potentiation has the same time course as L29-induced inhibition of motor neuron responses. Thus activity-dependent potentiation of L30 transmission can inhibit motor neuron responses, in part through inactivation of the L29 interneuronal pool. Finally, we propose that L29-L30 interactions provide a mechanism for dynamic gain control in the SWR.
Elizabeth’s Ghost: The afterlife of the Queen in Stuart England

Toward the end of James I ’s reign in John Reynolds’ 1624 pamphlet , Vox Coeli, or News from Heaven, Queen Elizabeth I discusses England’s contemporary events with her father, her siblings, Anne of Denmark and Prince Henry. The heavenly Elizabeth supported a strong and militaristic England and was critical of the current king. In the latter part of the seventeenth century Elizabeth was presented as a Protestant heroine in contrast to the Catholic James, Duke of York, later James II . But there was one Stuart successor who was connected positively to Elizabeth. In 1706 in the reign of the last Stuart monarch Elizabeth made another appearance in “Queen Elizabeths Ghost: or A Dream.” Unlike the earlier Elizabeth who stated that James was not a worthy successor, this Elizabeth praised Queen Anne as her worthy successor. This paper examines a range of sources to further understand the impact Elizabeth I’s afterlife had in the century after her death both in terms of politics and religion, and the perceptions of powerful women.
Trends and projections for Bangladeshi food production: Rejoinder to M. Alauddin and C. Tisdell

Abstract This rejoinder considers the issues raised in an article by M. Alauddin and C. Tisdell on foodgrain production in Bangladesh: a comparison of official output statistics and a revised data series constructed by J.K. Boyce; methodological problems in growth rate estimation; and the ‘ustainability’ of Bangladeshi foodgrain production. In the author's view, the key constraint on agricultural growth in Bangladesh is the inability of cultivators to achieve effective water control, within the framework of an inequitable agrarian structure.
Positivism and Interpreting Legal Content: Does Law Call for a Moral Semantics?

In two fascinating papers, Jules Coleman has been considering an idea, first articulated and defended by Scott Shapiro in his forthcoming book Legality, that law calls for a moral semantics. In a recent paper, Coleman argues it is a conceptual truth that legal content stating behavioral requirements, whether construed as propositions or imperatives, can “truthfully be redescribed as expressing a moral directive or authorization” (Coleman 2007, 592). For example, the directive “mail fraud is illegal”expresses, if not that mail fraud is morally wrong, then the idea that we have a content-independent moral reason for not committing mail fraud. In this essay, I will attempt to explicate and evaluate Coleman's arguments, as well as to determine what the “Redescription Thesis,” as I call it, amounts to.
Radiation from an axial electric dipole with prolate spheroidal metamaterial cloak cover

Exact analytical expressions for the electromagnetic field due to a dipole source located inside and along the axis of symmetry of a prolate spheroid are provided.
Environmental stress and bacterial infection in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus Rafinesque

Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, were injected intraperitoneally with a sublethal dose of Aerornonas hydrophila and then stressed for 144 h by being maintained either in a dissolved oxygen concentration of 1·5 mg/1, 1·2 mg/1 total ammonia, and/or 6·5 mg/1 free CO2 with a continuous inflow of water. A significant difference in percentage of mortality was noted between treatments (P < 0·05). The trunk kidneys of surviving stressed fish had significantly higher total bacterial counts than non-stressed controls. A. hydrophila was isolated from 67% of the stressed fish and 9% of the control fish. Edwardsiella tarda, apparently endemic in the population, was isolated from 43% of the stressed fish and 7% of the control fish. Histopathological lesions were in the gills, liver, spleen, trunk kidney, and head kidney of stressed fish, but not control fish.
The association of serum lactate dehydrogenase level with selected opportunistic infections and HIV progression

Abstract Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the association of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels with certain opportunistic infection and to determine an association between LDH levels and CD4+ lymphocyte counts. Methods: We studied 352 patients retrospectively with HIV infection and one of the following infections: histoplasmosis; toxoplasmosis; tuberculosis (pulmonary and disseminated); bacterial pneumonia; Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from the Adult Spectrum of Diseases (ASD) database in New Orleans. Bivariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine the association between LDH levels and opportunistic infections and CD4+ lymphocyte counts. Results: Patients with a serum LDH level Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and CD4+ lymphocyte count were significantly associated with a serum LDH level ⩾225 IU/L in the bivariate analysis. In a multivariate analysis, after controlling for race and CD4+ lymphocyte count, the only diagnoses that were significantly associated with the serum LDH level were definitive Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and toxoplasmosis. Having a higher LDH level was not associated with early mortality. Conclusions: Although not diagnostic, serum LDH levels could be used as an adjunctive marker in certain opportunistic infections.There is an inverse relationship between serum LDH levels and CD4+ lymphocyte counts in this group.
Polarization of zero-field transitions of the lowest triplet state of benzophenone

Abstract The polarization characteristics of the zero-field (zf) transitions of benzophenone in bis(4-bromophenyl) ether are examined at 1.6 K using optical detection. The results indicate that the transitions are mostly magnetic dipole in nature and that the size of the electric dipole transition moment resulting from spin-orbit perturbation is less than 10−4 debye. This is being blamed on the small moment of the n, π↔ π, π* triplet-triplet transition that could provide electric allowance in these magnetic transitions. Anomalous magnetic dipole results are obtained on the ab face that can be explained by mixing with host crystal states.
The effects of paromomycin on the fidelity of translation in a yeast cell-free system

The effects of the aminoglycoside antibiotic paromomycin on the fidelity of translation of the synthetic template poly(U), and two natural mRNAs (rabbit globin mRNA and Brome Mosaic virus RNA), were examined in an mRNA-dependent cell-free system from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. At antibiotic concentrations that did not inhibit translation (100 μM) optimal mistranslation of all three templates was observed, with the effects declining at higher antibiotic concentrations. Synthesis of the opal termination read-through protein of rabbit β-globin mRNA was induced by paromomycin, but only in lysates prepared from a [psi+] strain of yeast. The antibiotic did not induce detectable levels of either ochre or amber read-through, but did induce general misreading of Brome Mosaic virus RNA to the same degree in both [psi+] and [psi−] lysates. This misreading was enhanced by addition of the polyamine spermidine.
Beyond Hispanic/Latino: The importance of gender/ethnicity-specific earnings analyses

Abstract The effect of economic change on the Latino to non-Latino White earnings gap has been well documented; however much of this research has focused on Latinos as a general category with little focus on subgroup variations. Despite varied histories and demographic characteristics Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans, the largest Hispanic subgroups, have usually been combined in analyses of earnings gaps. Consequently, we know little about differential effects of the “new economy” on earnings by subgroup across labor markets. Using a sample consisting of Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and non-Hispanic Whites residing in 106 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) from the 2000 1-percent I-PUMS, we examine the influence of human capital, deindustrialization, immigration, and ‘new economy’ measures on Latino/a earnings gaps. Multi-level model analyses reveal that Latino subgroups have differently sized earnings gaps, that human capital and demographic characteristics reduce the gaps by more than seventy percent, that the gaps vary independently across MSAs and that the effects of labor market characteristics on these gaps vary by subgroup. New economy characteristics are most important for non-Hispanic White males, thereby indirectly modifying gender-ethnicity gaps. These findings highlight the importance of gender/ethnicity-specific earnings analyses.
The Urquiola oil spill, La Coruña, Spain: Case history and discussion of methods of control and clean-up

Abstract A massive oil spill affected approximately 215 km of coastline as a result of the grounding and subsequent explosion of the supertanker Urquiola at the entrance to the harbour at La Coruna, Spain, on 12 May 1976. A total of 99–100 000 tons of Persian Gulf crude oil was lost, most of which burned, but an estimated 25–30 000 tons washed ashore. Over 2000 tons of dispersants were applied to the oil at sea. Land-based clean-up and control methods were largely inadequate to combat the spread of oil, and were ineffective at preventing large scale environmental damage.
A Social Turn for the Internet: Commentary on Sparrow and Chatman

In their article, Sparrow and Chatman (this issue) argued forcefully and persuasively that psychology, and in particular social psychology, can contribute to our understanding of the Internet's ef...
The INOC approach to the hydroazulenone ring system - a potential entry tot he guaianolides and pseudoguaianolides.

Abstract The intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition reaction has been examined as a method for preparing the hydroazulene ring system.
Elastic and spin-fluctuation-mediated inelastic Josephson tunneling between anisotropic superconductors

Calculations of the Josephson current across a tunnel junction, due to inelastic tunneling involving emission of spin fluctuations, are presented. The temperature and voltage dependence of the coefficients of both the sine and cosine of the order-parameter phase difference in the Josephson current are calculated for various superconductor order-parameter symmetries on both sides of the junction. Tunneling directionality is included. The Josephson current due to elastic tunneling is also investigated. Recent experimental measurements of critical currents in junctions involving high-temperature superconductors are also discussed.
The Value of Attractive Characters to Fungi

THE importance of attractive colours and odours and of modifications of form to flowering plants is now perfectly understood; but the value of attractive characters to fungi has received comparatively little recognition. At first sight it would seem unnecessary that a plant, insusceptible of fertilization, should possess characters apparently designed to enlist living creatures in its service: there is no pollen for them to carry, and no ripe seeds for them to distribute, and yet attractive characters, such as colour, taste, and odour, are extremely well marked.
Anticipatory systems and time: a new look at Rosennean complexity

Robert Rosen claimed that life, as a property of a living system (an organism), is not caused by the physical nature of what it is composed of but, rather, is a consequence of complex organization of a certain type in a material system. In other words, the causal basis of life is a matter of relational causality rather than physical, material causality. Living systems are characterized by a unique set of behaviors and capabilities. Among these is the ability to employ information encoded into the organization itself as a means of maintaining system stability in an ever changing environment. This encoded information can allow organisms to act in a way that Rosen described as characteristically model-based behavior. He theorized that the encoded information can act as a set of internal predictive models which pertain to both the internal environment of the system and the external environment, as well as to the relational interactions between the two, and which actually guide system behavior. Collectively, such guidance amounts to an anticipatory mode of system control. Rosen concluded that encoded information is an integral aspect of any living system's organization and, based on the relation of this information to organismic behavior, he categorized all living organisms as anticipatory systems. In this paper, we review Robert Rosen's seminal ideas about complexity, causality, and life in biological systems. Because anticipatory behavior, by definition, involves multiple encodings of time, we concentrate our focus on exploring the nature of anticipatory systems and examine the new information these ideas reveal about time and evolution. We discuss the consequences of these ideas on science as a whole and argue that a change in scientific perspective and approach is a necessity for understanding biological systems. This, of course, includes the nature and physiology of human beings, as well. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biochemical Identification and Characterization of DNA Groups within the Proteus vulgaris Complex

We placed 43 isolates belonging to the Proteus vulgaris complex into proposed DNA groups (genomovars) using five previously recommended tests (tests for esculin hydrolysis, production of acid from salicin, L-rhamnose fermentation, and elaboration of DNase and lipase). On the basis of the results of these five tests, 49% of the isolates fell into DNA groups 5 and 6, 37% fell into DNA group 2, and the remaining 14% fell into DNA groups 3 and 4. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes of 11 members of DNA groups 5 and 6 indicated that 10 of these isolates (91%) could be unambiguously assigned to one of these two genomospecies. Overall expression of selected enzymatic and virulence-associated characteristics did not differ significantly among DNA groups.
Single-shot parameter estimation via continuous quantum measurement

We present filtering equations for single shot parameter estimation using continuous quantum measurement. By embedding parameter estimation in the standard quantum filtering formalism, we derive the optimal Bayesian filter for cases when the parameter takes on a finite range of values. Leveraging recent convergence results [van Handel, arXiv:0709.2216 (2008)], we give a condition which determines the asymptotic convergence of the estimator. For cases when the parameter is continuous valued, we develop quantum particle filters as a practical computational method for quantum parameter estimation.
THE COMMUNICATOR STYLE OF ONE CHAMPIONSHIP COACH

One of the uses of the case study method is to examine statistically deviant events or persons to obtain information that might be enlightening. The coach selected for this inquiry meets the criterion of "the rare event" in terms of intercollegiate athletic accomplishments: six consecutive national women's championships at the small college level (out of 300 schools competing), "National Volleyball Coach of the Year" for an unprecedented four seasons in a row, and coach of the most successful program in the history of volleyball at small colleges (with a 95% win record). Question: how do this coach's players perceive her as a communicator, and how do hey feel about their interpersonal communication with her?
Bipolar Quantum Logic Gates and Quantum Cellular Combinatorics—A Logical Extension to Quantum Entanglement

Based on bipolar dynamic logic (BDL) and bipolar quantum linear algebra (BQLA) this work introduces bipolar quantum logic gates and quantum cellular combinatorics with a logical interpretation to quantum entanglement. It is shown that: 1) BDL leads to logically definable causality and generic particle-antiparticle bipolar quantum entanglement; 2) BQLA makes composite atom-atom bipolar quantum entanglement reachable. Certain logical equivalence is identified between the new interpretation and established ones. A logical reversibility theorem is presented for ubiquitous quantum computing. Physical reversibility is briefly discussed. It is shown that a bipolar matrix can be either a modular generalization of a quantum logic gate matrix or a cellular connectivity matrix. Based on this observation, a scalable graph theory of quantum cellular combinatorics is proposed. It is contended that this work constitutes an equilibrium-based logical extension to Bohr’s particle-wave complementarity principle, Bohm’s wave function and Bell’s theorem. In the meantime, it is suggested that the result may also serve as a resolution, rather than a falsification, to the EPR paradox and, therefore, a equilibrium-based logical unification of local realism and quantum non-locality.
Endoproteolysis of β-Secretase (β-Site Amyloid Precursor Protein-cleaving Enzyme) within Its Catalytic Domain A POTENTIAL MECHANISM FOR REGULATION

Sequential proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by beta- and gamma-secretase activities yields the amyloid beta peptide that is widely deposited in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. The membrane-anchored aspartyl protease beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE) exhibits all of the characteristics of a beta-secretase and has been shown to cleave APP at its beta-site in vitro and in vivo. We found that BACE undergoes cleavage on a surface-exposed alpha-helix between amino acid residues Leu-228 and Ala-229, generating stable N- and C-terminal fragments that remain covalently associated via a disulfide bond. The efficiency of BACE endoproteolysis was observed to depend heavily on cell and tissue type. In contrast to brain where holoprotein was predominant, BACE was found primarily as endoproteolyzed fragments in pancreas, liver, and muscle. In addition, we observed a marked up-regulation of BACE endoproteolysis in C2 myoblasts upon differentiation into multinucleated myotubes, a well established model system of muscle tissue specification. As in liver, BACE exists as endoproteolyzed fragments in the hepatic cell line, HepG2. We found that HepG2 cells are capable of generating amyloid beta peptide, suggesting that endoproteolyzed BACE retains measurable beta-secretase activity. We also found that BACE endoproteolysis occurs only after export from the endoplasmic reticulum, is enhanced in the trans-Golgi network, and is sensitive to inhibitors of vesicular acidification. The membrane-bound proteases tumor necrosis factor alpha-converting enzyme and furin were not found to be responsible for this cleavage nor was BACE observed to mediate its own endoproteolysis by an autocatalytic mechanism. Thus, we characterize a specific processing event that may serve to regulate the enzymatic activity of BACE on a post-translational level.
Acetylcholine and choline acetyltransferase.

Abstract The thermodynamics and kinetics of the alcoholysis of thiolesters are discussed and related to choline acetyltransferase. The conformation and rotational barriers of acetylcholine are described as is the specific inability of choline to induce depolarization. Evidence is presented for the involvement of imidazole and the non-involvement of thiol groups in the active site of choline acetyltransferase. The interaction of CoA and a series of analogs of CoA as well as that of a series of dyes with the CoA binding site is discussed and evidence is presented for the importance of the 3′-phospho group of CoA and an active-site arginine for these interactions.
Directional fast neutron detector using scintillating fibers and electro-optics

A scaled version of a scintillating fiber detector (SFD) has been constructed and tested in a feasibility study at SAIC-San Diego for determining its neutron detection efficiency, directionality and gamma-ray sensitivity. This concept was supported by Monte Carlo simulations which predicted the effectiveness of the fiber bundle to discriminate against neutrons entering at directions non-parallel to the fiber axis. Fibers measuring 0.5 mm square and 10 cm long are formed into a bundle and coupled to a set of gamma-ray insensitive electro-optics intensifiers and a CCD camera. In this paper we describe the detector and present the results of the experimental tests with 14 MeV neutrons and an intense beam of 60Co and 137Cs gamma-rays.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Does Modern Portfolio Theory Need an Update? Analyzing Single-Country ETFs During Extreme Market Movements

This article investigates whether country characteristics can determine diversification benefits provided by single-country exchange traded funds (ETFs) to U.S.-based investors during crises and non-crises periods. We find several country-specific characteristics, including prior correlation, foreign direct investment, GDP growth rate, inflation rate, and inclusion in the G7 are significant in explaining diversification benefits during non-crises periods. We find that most of the coefficients lose significance during the crises periods in both raw and contagion corrected models, proving the choice of which international funds to invest is difficult for investors in today’s global financial marketplace. This study finds that investors seeking protection from extreme U.S. market returns are not able to identify which single-country ETFs will serve to diversify their portfolios during extreme market movements using easily accessible finance and economic variables. The results of this study further complicate the decisions investor face in creating a well-diversified portfolio and serve as a warning to individual investors and managers attempting to determine which country single-country ETFs will provide diversification benefits using traditional estimation tools.
Specificity of oligo (dT)-cellulose chromatography in the isolation of polyadenylated RNA.

Abstract Nonspecific types of binding occur when oligo(dT)-cellulose is used to analyze or prepare poly(A)RNA. First, nonpolyadenylated nucleic acids bind and are eluted under conditions used to elute poly(A)RNA. Second, “tight” nonspecific binding occurs in which poly(A)RNA fails to elute under conditions which dissociate A-T bonds. Hydrolysis is required to remove tightly bound RNA. Oligo(dT)-cellulose has a low capacity for both these types of binding, and can be readily preempted with a heterologous RNA e.g., bacterial. Third, indirect nonspecific binding can also occur. rRNA aggregates with poly(A)RNA and thus can bind indirectly to oligo(dT)-cellulose. After these aggregates are disrupted by treatment with DMSO and heat, poly(A)mRNA free of rRNA can be isolated. Efficient recovery of poly(A)hnRNA from total nuclear RNA is accomplished using oligo(dT)-cellulose if the RNA is first subjected to conditions which disrupt aggregates and reduce secondary structure. Ninety-five to ninety-eight per cent of the purified poly(A)hnRNA and poly(A)mRNA rebinds to oligo( d T)-cellulose.
Erratum to Rapid synthesis of tantalum oxide dielectric films by microwave assisted atmospheric chemical vapor deposition [Thin Solid Films 516 (2008) 8307-8314]

Erratum to “Rapid synthesis of tantalum oxide dielectric films by microwave assisted atmospheric chemical vapor deposition” [Thin Solid Films 516 (2008) 8307–8314] Nicholas Ndiege , Vaidyanathan Subramanian , Mark A. Shannon , Richard I. Masel a,⁎ a School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA b Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Green street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Precipitation of fibrinogen, fibrinogen degradation products and fibrin monomer by histone H3

Incubation of histone H3 with normal citrated plasma resulted in the formation of insoluble aggregates, as determined by turbidity measurements. The precipitate was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, confirming that fibrinogen was a major component. Purified fibrinogen precipitated rapidly as determined with turbidity experiments and experiments with radioiodinated protein. The amount of fibrinogen precipitation was strongly dependent on H3 concentration. Variation of ionic strength (0.2-0.84) and pH (5.3-7.4), however, had little or no effect on the reaction. Fibrinogen subjected to gelatin-Sepharose chromatography or dialysis against 3.3M urea reacted equivalently with H3. Precipitation of 125I-fibrinogen by H3 was strongly favored by increasing temperature (4 degrees-45 degrees C). Precipitation of fibrinogen by protamine was maximized by decreasing the temperature. In addition, formation of insoluble fibrinogen-protamine aggregates was highly dependent on ionic strength and pH, suggesting that different types of protein-interaction are involved in the two studied precipitation reactions. Of the fibrinogen degradation products, only fragment X precipitated significantly when incubated with H3. Radioiodinated fibrin monomer also precipitated when incubated with H3 in solutions of sufficient ionic strength to prevent spontaneous polymerization. The extent of precipitation was equivalent for fibrin monomer and fibrinogen. Fragment D inhibited the precipitation of fibrinogen by H3 or protamine. These studies indicate that the proteins termed "paracoagulants" are not all equivalent and that the hydrophobic domain of H3 plays a critical role in fibrinogen precipitation.
Quantitative Characterization of Cell Behaviors through Cell Cycle Progression via Automated Cell Tracking

Cell behaviors are reflections of intracellular tension dynamics and play important roles in many cellular processes. In this study, temporal variations in cell geometry and cell motion through cell cycle progression were quantitatively characterized via automated cell tracking for MCF-10A non-transformed breast cells, MCF-7 non-invasive breast cancer cells, and MDA-MB-231 highly metastatic breast cancer cells. A new cell segmentation method, which combines the threshold method and our modified edge based active contour method, was applied to optimize cell boundary detection for all cells in the field-of-view. An automated cell-tracking program was implemented to conduct live cell tracking over 40 hours for the three cell lines. The cell boundary and location information was measured and aligned with cell cycle progression with constructed cell lineage trees. Cell behaviors were studied in terms of cell geometry and cell motion. For cell geometry, cell area and cell axis ratio were investigated. For cell motion, instantaneous migration speed, cell motion type, as well as cell motion range were analyzed. We applied a cell-based approach that allows us to examine and compare temporal variations of cell behavior along with cell cycle progression at a single cell level. Cell body geometry along with distribution of peripheral protrusion structures appears to be associated with cell motion features. Migration speed together with motion type and motion ranges are required to distinguish the three cell-lines examined. We found that cells dividing or overlapping vertically are unique features of cell malignancy for both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, whereas abrupt changes in cell body geometry and cell motion during mitosis are unique to highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells. Taken together, our live cell tracking system serves as an invaluable tool to identify cell behaviors that are unique to malignant and/or highly metastatic breast cancer cells.
Self-assessment and goal-setting is associated with an improvement in interviewing skills

Purpose : Describe the relationship between medical students’ self-assessment and goal-setting (SAGS) skills and development of interviewing skills during the first-year doctoring course. Method : 157 first-year medical students completed three two-case standardized patient (SP) interviews. After each of the first two, students viewed videotapes of their interview, completed a SAGS worksheet, and reviewed a selected tape segment in a seminar. SAGS was categorized into good and poor quality and interviewing skills were rated by trained raters. Results : SAGS improved over time (37% good week 1 vs. 61% good week 10). Baseline SAGS and interviewing skills were not associated. Initial SAGS quality was associated with change in interviewing skills – those with poor-quality SAGS demonstrated a decrease and those with good-quality SAGS demonstrated an increase in scores by 17 weeks (ANOVA F= 4.16, p=0.024). For students whose SAGS skills were good at both week 1 and 10, interviewing skills declined in weeks 1–10 and then increased significantly at week 17. For those whose SAGS remained ‘poor’ in weeks 1–10, interviewing skills declined in weeks 10–17. Conclusions : In general, the quality of students’ SAGS improved over time. Poor baseline SAGS skills and failure to improve were associated with a decrease in interviewing skills at 17 weeks. For students with better SAGS, interviewing skills increased at week 17. Improvement in SAGS skills was not associated with improved interviewing skills. Understanding structured self-assessment skills helps identify student characteristics that influence progressive mastery of communication skills and therefore may inform curriculum and remediation tailoring. Keywords: communication skills; self-assessment; peer-assessment; goal setting; videotape review; medical interview (Published: 23 July 2014) Citation: Med Educ Online 2014, 19 : 24407 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v19.24407
How can chronic heel pain be treated

(2001). How can chronic heel pain be treated? Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 109, No. 4, pp. 137-138.
Interferon regulatory factor‐3 activation, hepatic interferon‐stimulated gene expression, and immune cell infiltration in hepatitis C virus patients

Interferon regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) activation directs α/β interferon production and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, which limits virus infection. Here, we examined the distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 3 protein, the status of IRF-3 activation, and expression of IRF-3 target genes and ISGs during asynchronous HCV infection in vitro and in liver biopsies from patients with chronic HCV infection, using confocal microscopy and functional genomics approaches. In general, asynchronous infection with HCV stimulated a low-frequency and transient IRF-3 activation within responsive cells in vitro that was associated with cell-to-cell virus spread. Similarly, a subset of HCV patients exhibited the nuclear, active form of IRF-3 in hepatocytes and an associated increase in IRF-3 target gene expression in hepatic tissue. Moreover, ISG expression profiles formed disease-specific clusters for HCV and control nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients, with increased ISG expression among the HCV patients. We identified the presence of T cell and plasmacytoid dendritic cell infiltrates within all biopsy specimens, suggesting they could be a source of hepatic interferon in the setting of hepatitis C and chronic inflammatory condition. Conclusion: These results indicate that HCV can transiently trigger IRF-3 activation during virus spread and that in chronic HCV, IRF-3 activation within infected hepatocytes occurs but is limited. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.)
Study of Thermodynamic Phase Stability of Intermetallic Thin Films of Pt2Ga, Ptga and PtGa2 on Gallium Arsenide

Epitaxial thin films of three different Pt-Ga intermetallic compounds have been grown on GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The resultant films have been annealed at various temperatures and then examined using X-ray two-theta diffraction. Both PtGa2 and PtGa thin films are chemically stable on GaAs under 1 atmosphere of N2 up to 450°C and 600°C, respectively. Thin films of Pt2Ga react with GaAs at temperatures as low as 200°C to form phases with higher Ga concentration.
Success rate and duration of paediatric outpatient colonoscopy.

Abstract Background. The paediatric colonoscopy completion rates have rarely been reported. Aims. We sought to evaluate colonoscopy completion rate and compare the rates using colonoscope versus enteroscope. Methods. We prospectively investigated 60 patients who underwent colonoscopy between July 1999 and June 2001. The following data were collected: demographics, type of endoscope used, extent of colonoscopy, indication for procedure, histology, adverse events and time to reach the caecum and the terminal ileum. Results. Sixty colonoscopies were performed during the study period, 30 with an enteroscope and 30 with a colonoscope. The caecum was reached in 56/60 (93%) and the terminal ileum in 50/60 (83%). An average time of 12.61 min (S.D. 7.3) was necessary to advance the instrument from the anus to the caecum, and additional 3.67 min (S.D. 3.62) to terminal ileum. There was no difference in the success rate between enteroscope and colonoscope. Six patients (10%) had definitive diagnosis established because a full colonoscopy was performed. No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusion. Paediatric colonoscopy to the caecum can be completed safely and expeditiously in more than 90% of procedures. Various types of instruments do not appear to influence completion rate. Full colonoscopy contributes to the establishment of a definitive diagnosis.