cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
To switch or not to switch: Intentions to switch to injectable PrEP among gay and bisexual men with at least twelve months oral PrEP experience.

Background Phase III trials of long-acting injectable (LAI) PrEP, currently underway, have great potential for expanding the menu of HIV prevention options. Imagining a future in which multiple PrEP modalities are available to potential users of biomedical HIV prevention, we investigated which factors might help direct a patient-physician shared-decision making process to optimize the choice of biomedical HIV prevention method. Methods Participants (n = 105; ages 19-63; 46.7% men of color) were former participants in a PrEP demonstration project and had taken daily oral PrEP for ≥ 12 months. Participants were given information about LAI PrEP and asked whether they would be interested in switching from oral to LAI PrEP. Participants were also asked about specific pros/cons of LAI PrEP, PrEP attitudes and experiences, and personality factors. Results Two-thirds (66.7%) of current oral PrEP users would switch to LAI PrEP. Intention to switch was associated with product-level and psychosocial factors. Attitudes towards logistical factors (i.e. getting to regular clinic visits for recurring shots) featured more prominently than factors related to the physical experience of PrEP modality (i.e., concerns about injection pain) as motivators for switching. In a multivariate regression model, psychosocial factors including the emotional burden of daily pill taking, deriving a sense of responsibility from PrEP use, and self-identifying as an early adopter, were the strongest predictors of switching. Conclusions These data underscore the importance of attending not only to product-level factors, but also to the logistical and psychological experience of prevention methods for users. Findings have significant implications for the development of patient education materials and patient-provider shared decision aids.
Chapter 4 – Hunter–Gatherers

Humans and their ancestors were hunter–gatherers for over 99% of the existence of the genus Homo. Many hunter–gatherer societies still exist today. Their diets are predominantly animal-based with 60% energy coming from animal products. However, there is considerable variation between different hunter–gatherer societies. The mean time spent working by present-day hunter–gatherers is 23.6 h week−1 across hunter–gatherer societies in Australia, Africa, the Philippines, South India, Alaska, and South America. Hunter–gatherer societies have strong gender roles with women predominantly the gatherers of plant foods (fruits, seeds, nuts, tubers, etc.) and men, the hunters. These populations exhibit little growth with low fertilities. There is a lack of cardiovascular and other diseases associated with a Western lifestyle in present-day hunter–gatherers but there are some diseases associated with nutrient deficiencies. The diet of Paleolithic hunter–gatherer societies relied on animals; this provides 76% of the protein in the diet. Animal products included meat, insects, fish (particularly shell fish in coastal areas), and honey. While it is often assumed that farming communities were more sustainable than those of hunter–gatherers, they coexisted for relatively long periods. In some cases, hunter–gatherer societies outlasted farming communities. For instance, Eskimos survived in Greenland after the demise of the Viking settlements. Paleolithic hunter–gatherers domesticated dogs presumably to aid in hunting and for protection from predators. There is evidence that the behaviors of Paleolithic hunters were not necessarily sustainable with them being responsible for the extinction of megafauna in Australia, the Americas, and Eurasia, and also being engaged in warfare. The diet of much of human evolution was that of the hunter–gatherer. Changes in diet to a Western diet are reported to influence health. To overcome this, a so-called “Paleolithic diet” has been developed. The historical relevance and effect of the Paleolithic diet are discussed. It is argued that commercial fishing is a large-scale hunter–gatherer activity with capture fishing from marine and freshwater areas yielding about 91.3 million metric tons of fish globally. Annual hauls of fish have plateaued with 28.8% of fish species overfished and 61.3% fully fished. Another continuing aspect of hunting and gathering survived with hunting in Western countries.
Analog experiments of lava flow emplacement

Laboratory experiments that simulate lava flows have been in use by volcanologists for many years. The behavior of flows in the lab, where “eruption” parameters, material properties, and environmental settings are tightly controlled, provides insight into the influence of various factors on flow evolution. A second benefit of laboratory lava flows is to provide a set of observations with which numerical models of flow emplacement can be tested. Models of lava flow emplacement vary in mathematical approach, physical assumptions, and computational cost. Nonetheless, all models require thorough testing and evaluation, and laboratory experiments produce an excellent test for models. This paper provides a primer on modern analog laboratory lava flow experiments. It reviews scaling con- siderations and provides quantitative information meant to guide future experimentalists in designing their experiments to be relevant to natural processes. Traditional and novel laboratory techniques are described, including a discussion of current limitations. New insights from recent experiments highlight the impact of topographic conditions and highlight the importance of considering bed roughness, major obstacles, and slope breaks. The influence of episodic or non-uniform effusion rate is demonstrated through recent experi- mental works. Lastly, the paper discusses several open questions about lava flow emplacement and the ways in which future improvements in experimental methods, such as the ability to utilize three-phase suspensions and materials with complex rheologies and to image the interior of flows could help answer these.
Cystine accumulation in cystinotic fibroblasts from free and protein-linked cystine but not cysteine

The accumulation of cystine in cystinotic fibroblasts from free and protein-linked cystine has been investigated. Cystine is not accumulated from cysteine but is readily accumulated from cystine. The accumulation from free cystine does not occur as a result of pinocytosis or from the degradation of a rapidly metabolized protein pool. Further studies of the degradation of disulphide-containing proteins by these cells may aid understanding of the mechanisms of proteolysis.
Time Trends in Pulmonary Embolism Mortality Rates in the United States, 1999 to 2018

Background Although historical trends before 1998 demonstrated improvements in mortality caused by pulmonary embolism (PE), contemporary estimates of mortality trends are unknown. Therefore, our ob...
Caracterização da geração de resíduos da produção de frangos de corte

Poultry concentrates several residues, which if handled improperly will allow the presence of a high load of polluting nutrients to the environment. The work addresses the aspects of waste generated in the aviaries and the necessary care in their management. It is necessary to know and adopt mitigation measures to reduce the risks of contamination of the environment and quality of life in the community. Among the residues generated, bedding, dust, odor, washing water and carcasses of birds stand out. The planning and training of personnel in the proper management of dead litter and birds are actions that contribute to reducing the negative environmental impact of the enterprise.
The Gendered Poverty Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Colombia.

Everyone, across borders, race and gender, is affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic-but not equally. In this paper, we examine a burgeoning new literature discussing the employment effects of COVID-19. We explore the extent to which COVID-19 will exacerbate gendered employment disparities, income generation gaps, and, ultimately, poverty gaps, using a simple microsimulation methodology. We test our approach in Colombia, which has implemented an unparalleled number of mitigation measures and has reopened its economy earlier than regional neighbors. We find that COVID-19 increases the poverty headcount to a daunting degree (between 3.0 and 9.1 pp increases). Mitigation measures vary considerably in their individual impact (up to 0.9 pp poverty reduction). A fiscally neutral Universal Basic Income program would cause larger poverty reductions. Importantly, both men and women report similar poverty impacts from the pandemic and mitigation policies, reflecting the magnitude of the downturn, the design of interventions and our own poverty measure.
Salivary Mucinous Adenocarcinoma Is a Histologically Diverse Single Entity With Recurrent AKT1 E17K Mutations: Clinicopathologic and Molecular Characterization With Proposal for a Unified Classification.

Mucin-producing salivary adenocarcinomas were historically divided into separate colloid carcinoma, papillary cystadenocarcinoma, and signet ring cell carcinoma diagnoses based on histologic pattern, but have recently been grouped together in the adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified category. It is currently unclear if these tumors represent 1 or more distinct entities and how they are related to well-circumscribed papillary mucinous lesions with recurrent AKT1 E17K mutations that were recently described as salivary intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. Here, we sought to evaluate the clinicopathologic and molecular features of salivary mucinous adenocarcinomas to clarify their classification. We identified 17 invasive mucin-producing salivary adenocarcinomas, 10 with a single histologic pattern, and 7 with mixed patterns. While most tumors demonstrated papillary growth (n=15), it was frequently intermixed with colloid (n=6) and signet ring (n=3) architecture with obvious transitions between patterns. All were cytokeratin 7 positive (100%) and cytokeratin 20 negative (0%). Next-generation sequencing performed on a subset demonstrated recurrent AKT1 E17K mutations in 8 cases (100%) and TP53 alterations in 7 cases (88%). Of 12 cases with clinical follow-up (median: 17 mo), 4 developed cervical lymph node metastases, all of which had colloid or signet ring components. Overall, overlapping histologic and immunohistochemical features coupled with recurrent AKT1 E17K mutations across patterns suggests that mucin-producing salivary adenocarcinomas represent a histologically diverse single entity that is closely related to tumors described as salivary intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. We propose a unified mucinous adenocarcinoma category subdivided into papillary, colloid, signet ring, and mixed subtypes to facilitate better recognition and classification of these tumors.
“Like Yeast in Dough”: The Church–World Relationship in the Evolving Thought of Marie-Dominique Chenu:

During his Parisian “exile” from 1942 to 1954, Marie-Dominique Chenu’s experiences with worker communities transformed his vision of the church–world relationship. This article highlights the overl...
The Weintraub Principle: Attorney-Client Privilege and Government Entities

Amidst the backdrop of a federal investigation into the actions of President Donald Trump, a previously unexplored legal question has emerged on a topic that forms the foundation of legal practice: Can a succeeding government official revoke a predecessor’s claim of the attorney-client privilege? Although the question is novel, its role within the government context is well established — having been asserted by Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton in their respective administrations. The context of current events, however, underscores the need to further define the operation of a privilege that is once again being relied upon by a president under investigation. In this Article, I argue that a public official should be permitted to revoke a predecessor’s claim of the attorney-client privilege if made on behalf of the government entity. I justify this determination by applying the same corporate rationale put forth by the Supreme Court in Commodity Futures Trading Commission v. Weintraub to the government context. Termed the “Weintraub Principle,” I contend that government agents should have the same authority afforded to their corporate counterparts for three primary reasons: (1) corporate and government entities are restricted to operating through replaceable agents; (2) corporate and government agents are granted authority from others to act on behalf of the entity; and (3) agents in both contexts owe a duty to act in the best interests of the entity — as well as to shareholders in the corporate setting and to the public in the government environment. While acknowledging the likely counterarguments to my proposal, further analysis reveals how each criticism falls short of prohibiting the rule’s application to government entities. In conclusion, I summarize the rationale for my argument and highlight the Weintraub Principle’s real-world application.
Innovative wood use can enable carbon-beneficial forest management in California.

Responsible stewardship of temperate forests can address key challenges posed by climate change through sequestering carbon, producing low-carbon products, and mitigating climate risks. Forest thinning and fuel reduction can mitigate climate-related risks like catastrophic wildfire. These treatments are often cost prohibitive, though, in part because of low demand for low-value wood "residues." Where treatment occurs, this low-value wood is often burned or left to decay, releasing carbon. In this study, we demonstrate that innovative use of low-value wood, with improved potential revenues and carbon benefits, can support economical, carbon-beneficial forest management outcomes in California. With increased demand for wood residues, forest health-oriented thinning could produce up to 7.3 million (M) oven-dry tonnes of forest residues per year, an eightfold increase over current levels. Increased management and wood use could yield net climate benefits between 6.4 and 16.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (M tCO2 e) per year when considering impacts from management, wildfire, carbon storage in products, and displacement of fossil carbon-intensive alternatives over a 40-y period. We find that products with durable carbon storage confer the greatest benefits, as well as products that reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors like industrial heat. Concurrently, treatment could reduce wildfire hazard on 4.9 M ha (12.1 M ac), a quarter of which could experience stand-replacing effects without treatment. Our results suggest that innovative wood use can support widespread fire hazard mitigation and reduce net CO2 emissions in California.
Personnel—An Over-all View

It has been the practice, in a number of investigations of business, to confine the analysis largely to such factors as can be ascertained from the accounting and statistical records of the enterprises. This practice, however, gives only a partial picture of the current status of the businesses and consequently an incomplete basis for the analysis of their needs and problems. It is important in this study, therefore, that consideration be given to the managing personnel and the employees of Negro business.
Epidemiology, Pathology, and Genetics of Prostate Cancer Among African Americans Compared with Other Ethnicities

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in the Western world. In the United States, it is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths after lung and bronchus carcinoma. No definitive causes of prostate cancer (PCa) have been identified to date but, increasing age, a positive family history, and sub-Saharan African ancestry are strongly linked to its development. African American men (AAM) have the highest reported incidence rates in the United States and their mortality from the disease is markedly higher than that of European American men (EAM). Conversely, Asian American men and Pacific Islanders (API), American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) men, and Hispanic men all have lower incidence and mortality rates as compared with EAM. The reasons for these differences are unclear. However, it is clear that AAM have more advanced PCa when diagnosed. Several other reasons have been suggested and these include differences in treatments and health seeking behavior among the ethnic groups, cultural beliefs, environmental/lifestyle factors, dietary and genetic factors. In conclusion, there are multiple factors that impact prostate cancer outcome and that may be responsible for ethnic disparity. These factors are discussed in this chapter.
Influence of Crystal Field Interaction on the Thermal Behavior of ErAl2

Low temperature heat capacities were measured in an adiabatic calorimeter for ErAl2 and LuAl2 in the temperature range 4.2 – 300 K. ErAl2 exhibits a λ-type anomaly in the heat capacity vs. temperature curve peaking at 10.2 K and a Schottky anomaly at nearly 23 K. Heat capacities of LuAl2 were utilized to characterize the lattice and electronic contributions in ErAl2. The excess entropy calculated for ErAl2 is nearly R ln(2J+1) at room temperature and is suggestive of the fact that the degeneracy of the lowest ground state is completely lifted. Detailed calculations were performed to evaluate the influence of the cubic crystal field in ErAl2 on the 4I15/2 ground state multiplet of the Er3+ ion. Two sets of crystal field parameters which describe the heat capacity results satisfactorily were extracted from our study (B 4 0 = -1.53 × 10-7 ev, B 6 0 = -0.66 × 10-9 ev and B 4 0 = 0.48 × 10-7 ev, B 6 0 = -1.18 × 10-9 ev). It is concluded that magnetic ordering in ErAl2 takes place within the Γ8 3 quartet state. These results are discussed in the light of recent studies on other RAl2 compounds.
Second language acquisition research methods

Since its inception in the 1960s, the field of second language acquisition (SLA) has sought to document and explore how children and adults acquire a nonnative language. Researchers have investigated the linguistic, cognitive, social, contextual, psychological, and neurobiological characteristics of second language (L2) learning, processing, and use. Typical research questions include: What are the characteristics of learner interlanguage? How do individual differences, such as working memory capacity, impact the learning of an L2? How does the social context (such as stay-at-home vs. study abroad) influence the fluency, accuracy, and complexity of learner language? How do different types of motivation impact the learning process? How is the L2 processed in the learner’s mind and how is this affected by age of acquisition? To investigate these and many other questions, SLA researchers have at their disposal a large array of research designs. In this chapter, we will discuss various research designs, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods traditions. We will also address current works in progress and examine recent topics of concern related to the conducting of research on L2 learning. Finally, we will conclude with future directions for SLA research.
The clinical similarity of corpus luteum cyst and ectopic pregnancy

Abstract 1. 1. The history, pathogenesis, and histology of the corpus luteum cyst are briefly reviewed. It is emphasized that, aside from being recognized as a perversion of physiology often attributable to temporary hyperpituitarism, little is known concerning its etiology. 2. 2. The clinical similarity of the corpus luteum cyst and certain types of ectopic pregnancy, an observation credited to Halban, is discussed. It is shown that both conditions may present identical symptoms and pelvic signs, as well as similar laboratory findings. 3. 3. Five patients, each of whom had a corpus luteum cyst preoperatively diagnosed ectopic pregnancy, are cited. The condensed histories and the accompanying illustrations sufficiently exemplify the ample reasons for the diagnostic errors, including the presence of a falsely positive biologic pregnancy test in two instances. 4. 4. The probable physiologic mechanisms of the excessive excretion of gonadotropin (positive Friedman test) and of the decidualike pattern of the endometrium, both of which are shown to be possible in association with a corpus luteum cyst, are described. 5. 5. It is suggested that even if patients with a suspected adnexal tumor and a history suggestive of ectopic gestation were not operated upon immediately but were first carefully observed in a hospital for several days it would be difficult to escape the possibility of an occasional needless abdominal operation.
A 14-bit, 10-Msamples/s D/A converter using multibit /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulation

A 14-bit digital-to-analog converter based on a fourth-order multibit sigma-delta modulator is described. The digital modulator is pipelined to minimize both its power dissipation and design complexity. The 6-bit output of this modulator is converted to analog using 64 current-steering cells that are continuously calibrated to a reference current. This converter achieves 85-dB dynamic range at 5-MHz signal bandwidth, with an oversampling ratio of 12. The chip was fabricated in a 0.5-/spl mu/m CMOS technology and operates from a single 2.5-V supply.
Public participation, teacher accountability, and school outcomes : findings from baseline surveys in three Indian states

This paper presents findings from baseline surveys on student learning achievement, teacher effort and community participation in three Indian states, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Results indicate low teacher attendance and poor student learning. Parents and school committees are neither aware of their oversight roles nor participating in school management. However, there is substantial heterogeneity in outcomes across states. Karnataka has better student and teacher outcomes as well as higher levels of community awareness and participation than the other two states. The authors find substantial variation in teacher effort within schools, but most observable teacher characteristics are not associated with teacher effort. One reason for low teacher effort may be lack of accountability. Regression analysis suggests low rates of teacher attendance are only part of the problem of low student achievement. The gains in test scores associated with higher rates of attendance and engagement in teaching are small in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, suggesting teachers themselves may not be effective. Ineffective teaching may result from lack of accountability as well as poor professional development of teachers. Further research is needed to examine not only issues of accountability but also professional development of teachers.
Pathogenesis of Feline Panleukopenia Virus in Susceptible Newborn Kittens I. Clinical Signs, Hematology, Serology, and Virology

Inoculation of susceptible newborn kittens with a large dose of panleukopenia virus caused subclinical infection in 19 of 23 cases. All infected kittens developed severe and prolonged leukopenia. Cell-free virus was present in the blood from 1 to 7 postinoculation days. The virus spread to all organs, regardless of the route of inoculation. The thymus, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and the cerebellum were the most severely infected organs. Kittens responded to virus infection by production of specific antibodies, first detectable in the circulatory system 6 to 8 days after infection. Antibody production preceded recovery from leukopenia by 3 days.
Cycads: Evidence from the Upper Pennsylvanian

The fossil record of true cycads is extended from the Upper Triassic to the upper PennsYlvanian.
Molecular mechanics investigation of the flexibility of some cyclic peptides.

Conformation space near the crystal conformations of proline-containing cyclic octapeptides and cyclic hexapeptides of C2 sequence symmetry, e.g. cyclo-(Gly-Pro-d-Phe)2 and cyclo-(d-Ala-Gly-Pro-d-Phe)2, was explored using molecular mechanics. Conformations found in crystals were energy minimized, distortions were introduced by systematically fixing backbone dihedral angles at individual residues, and nearby energy-minimized conformations were then located. Interatomic distances and dihedral angles were examined in the conformations within a few kilocalories of the most stable conformation. A common form of flexibility was found to involve libration of amide planes. Among the peptides examined, the cyclic hexapeptides were found to have greater freedom than the cyclic octapeptides, and cyclo-(d-Ala-Gly-Pro-d-Phe)2 was found to be more rigid than cyclo-(d-Ala-Gly-Pro-Phe)2.
Temperature-programmed desorption studies of the interactions of OD and CO with Pt(111)

Abstract Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) measurements were made to probe the interactions of hydroxyl radicals (OD) with Pt(111). A pure, intense molecular beam of OD was prepared by filtering the effluent from a supersonic corona discharge D2O/He source through an electrostatic hexapole. The hexapole selectively transmitted only OD radicals in the |JΩM〉=| 3 2 3 2 3 2 〉 rotational state and eliminated any D2O, oxygen or hydrogen atoms, or other contaminants from the beam. Experiments were carried out by dosing the surface with OD at a surface temperature of TS=275 K. Oxide states formed were characterized by desorption temperatures of TS=700, 735, and 790 K. The 735 K feature is believed to correspond to a near-surface oxide (PtOx) as seen previously in O3/Pt(111) studies. CO titration experiments revealed three CO2 desorption features: dominant features at TS=340 K and TS=440 K, the latter being perhaps due to oxidation via the PtOx. Another set of experiments were carried out by dosing OD at a surface temperature of TS=150 K. Major D2O desorption features were observed at TS=210 K corresponding to the decomposition of an OD-intermediate layer and at TS=170 K corresponding to molecular water desorption. The O2 TPD spectra showed the same three features observed at the higher dosing temperature, however, in substantially different ratios. CO oxidation experiments also revealed new behavior. Five CO2 desorption features were detected: the dominant features near TS≈300 K and at TS≈440 K, a smaller feature at TS=650 K, and two minor features at TS≈185 and 230 K. Others have seen the latter two features previously in O2/CO Pt(111) studies.
The cost-effectiveness of total joint arthroplasty: a systematic review of published literature.

Objective To summarise the state of the literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness of elective total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA). Methods We conducted a systematic review of published cost-effectiveness analyses of THA and TKA. To limit our search to high-quality published papers, we selected those papers included in the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry (created by the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health at Tufts University) and augmented the search with papers listed in PubMed. The data abstracted included incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, perspective of the analysis, time frame, sensitivity analyses conducted, and utility assessment. All cost-effectiveness ratios were converted to 2011 USD. Results Seven studies presenting cost-effectiveness ratios for TKA and six studies for THA were included in our review. All economic evaluations of TKA were published between 2006 and 2012. By contrast, THA studies were published between 1996 and 2008. Out of the 13 studies evaluated in this review, four were from the societal perspective and eight were from the payer perspective. Five studies spanned the lifetime horizon. Of the selected studies, six used probabilistic sensitivity analysis to address uncertainty in data parameters. Both procedures have been shown to be highly cost-effective from the societal perspective over the entire lifespan. Conclusion THA and TKA have been found to be highly cost-effective in a number of high-quality studies. Further analyses are needed on the cost-effectiveness of alternative surgical options, particularly osteotomy. Future economic evaluations should address the expanding indications of THA and TKA to younger, more physically active individuals.
Numerical solution of the Falkner-Skan equation using piecewise linear functions

We present a finite-element method for the solution of the Falkner-Skan equation. The method uses a coordinate transformation to map the semi-infinite domain of the problem to the unit interval [0,1]. By means of a suitable change of variables, the transformed third-order boundary value problem is further rewritten as a system of differential equations consisting of a second-order equation and a first-order equation. The second-order equation is approximated using a Galerkin formulation with piecewise linear elements, and the first-order equation is approximated using a centered-difference approximation. In the process of the initial transformation, a finite computational boundary is introduced. This boundary is obtained as part of the computational solution by imposing an additional asymptotic boundary condition. The solutions obtained thus are in excellent agreement with those obtained by previous authors.
A Conformational Change in the Human Major Histocompatibility Complex Protein HLA-DR1 Induced by Peptide Binding †

To investigate a conformational change accompanying peptide binding to class II MHC proteins, we probed the structure of a soluble version of the human class II MHC protein HLA-DR1 in empty and peptide-loaded forms. Peptide binding induced a large decrease in the effective radius of the protein as determined by gel filtration, dynamic light scattering, and analytical ultracentrifugation. It caused a substantial increase in the cooperativity of thermal denaturation and induced alterations in MHC polypeptide backbone structure as determined by circular dichroism. These changes suggest a condensation of the protein around the bound peptide. An antibody specific for ‚58-69 preferentially bound the empty protein, indicating that the peptide-induced conformational change involves the ‚-subunit helical region. The conformational change may have important implications for the mechanisms of intracellular antigen presentation pathways.
Chopped Industrial Hemp Fiber Reinforced Cellulosic Plastic Biocomposites: Thermomechanical and Morphological Properties

Biocomposites, i.e., biopolymers reinforced with natural fibers, offer an environmentally benign alternative structural material for automotive applications. Cellulose esters (bioplastic made from cellulose) are potentially useful biosourced polymers. By embedding inexpensive plant-based cellulosic fibers (chopped hemp fiber) into a biopolymeric matrix (cellulose ester) novel biocomposites have been made utilizing two different processing approaches: powder impregnation (process I) and extrusion followed by injection molding (process II). The resulting biocomposites have been evaluated for their physicomechanical and thermomechanical properties. Cellulose acetate plasticized with 30% citrate plasticizer proved to be a better matrix compared to polypropylene (PP) for hemp fiber reinforcements in terms of flexural and damping properties. Biocomposites with 30 wt % of industrial hemp fiber processed through extrusion and injection molding exhibited a flexural strength of ∼78 MPa and modulus of elasticity of...
Anomalous Monism, Ceteris Paribus and Psychological Explanation

AbstractDavidson has argued that there can be no laws linking psychological states with physical states. I stress that this argument depends crucially on there being no purely psychological laws. A...
Heme oxygenase-1 activation inhibits XMRV pathogenesis and carcinogenesis in prostate cancer cells

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction by hemin, the active ingredient of an FDA-approved biologic for the treatment of acute porphyries, has been previously shown in our laboratory to effectively inhibit HIV-1 replication. The present study was undertaken to expand these observations to examine the inhibitory role of HO-1 in the pathogenesis of XMRV infection. Hemin-induced HO-1 activation in LNCaP, a prostate cancer cell line susceptible to XMRV infection, markedly down-modulated the cell surface expression of XMRV receptor Xpr1, and significantly inhibited their ability to support productive virus replication. Hemin treatment of XMRV-integrated prostate carcinoma cells 22Rv1 was relatively less effective in suppressing the rapidly replicating XMRV in these aggressive malignant cells; yet it efficiently inhibited XMRV infection of LNCaP cells by about 80% when cultured for three days in the virus-containing 50% conditioned media from 22Rv1 cells. Additionally, HO-1 induction retarded the growth of uninfected LNCaP cells, XMRV-infected LNCaP cells and 22Rv1 cells, and significantly reduced their invasiveness to the reconstituted basement membrane matrix Matrigel, consistent with the lower levels of basement membrane degrading enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-9. These findings indicate a pivotal role of HO-1 as a host cell defense mechanism in prostate carcinogenesis in vitro, and may offer HO-1 induction as a potentially novel therapeutic strategy to control the pathogenesis of XMRV infection.
Kinetics of reactions involving DNA containing stress-induced single-stranded regions.

The theoretical kinetics are analyzed for reactions between torsionally stressed DNA and another compound which reacts at different rates with portions of the substrate molecule which are in different conformational states. These reactions are assumed to obey Michaelis-Menten kinetics, so no cooperative effects occur. The DNA is regarded as being susceptible to a stress-induced local conformational transition as described recently by Benham. Briefly, alterations in torsional stress consequent on superhelicity effectively change the relative concentrations of the two conformational states of the substrate, thereby influencing the course of the reaction. This theory is developed for transition between the B-form helix and the single-stranded, random-coil states. To illustrate the influence of posited stress-induced melting on kinetics, calculations are made on simple models of two biochemical phenomena. First, the variations in initial nicking rates of single-strand-specific endonucleases with substrate superhelicity are interpreted as arising from changes in the concentration of (stress-induced) single-stranded binding sites. Second, the observed dependence of the transcription rate of RNA polymerase core enzyme on substrate superhelicity is interpreted in terms of a model in which the rate-limiting step in the initiation event is the formation of a complex between the enzyme and a single-stranded region. Related experimental results are shown to be qualitatively consistent with the suggestion that sufficiently supercoiled DNA contains locally melted regions.
0.2 V Drive Voltage Substrate Removed Electro-Optic Mach–Zehnder Modulators With MQW Cores at 1.55 μm

Novel electro-optic modulators in compound semiconductor epilayers using substrate removal techniques are reported. Epilayer consists of a p-i-n junction in which i layer is composed of an InGaAlAs/InAlAs MQW. This creates an optical mode with very strong vertical confinement and overlapping very well with the large electric field of the reverse biased p-i-n junction. This approach combined with the large quadratic electro-optic coefficient due to MQW improves efficiency of modulation significantly. Mach-Zehnder electro-optic modulators fabricated using this approach has 0.2 V (0.6 V) Vπ for 3 (1) mm long electrodes at 1.55 μm under push pull drive corresponding to record modulation efficiency of 0.06 V·cm.
Selection of SCR for low duty cycle narrow pulse applications

The paper describes the optimum selection of low frequency phase control type SCR for low duty cycle narrow pulse current applications. Four different design criteria have been reviewed and examples are illustrated with a particular type of SCR. It is shown that the design on the basis of information from the specification sheet gives lowest magnitude of peak currents. On the other hand, experimentally screening samples on the basis of low energy dissipation per pulse and consideration of thermal impedance on the basis of uniform chip dissipation gives the most optimistic result. For some critical applications, where coat and size of SCRs are to be minimum without, of course, the sacrifice of reliability, the experimental screening technique is recommended. Modern automated test procedure using microprocessor can be conveniently employed for this purpose.
Impairments in selective attention to visual stimuli in monkeys with inferotemporal and lateral striate lesions.

Bilateral removal of inferotemporal (IT) cortex in monkeys produces a severe impairment in discrimination learning limited to the visual modality (see Mishkin 12 for a review of these findings). While the visual deficits produced by IT lesions cannot be readily attributed to sensory losses 7,16 the nature of the disorder remains unclear. Chow and Orbach 5 attempted to determine whether IT ablation is associated with losses in selective attention by use of a discrimination task in which visual stimuli are briefly exposed, but found no impairment in IT monkeys in this situation. Subsequently, it was shown that the failure to obtain visual losses in IT monkeys under these conditions could be attributed to preoperative overtraining 6,13. The present experiment reinvestigated the question of selective attention losses in IT monkeys by methods which avoid the problem of preoperative overtraining. In this experiment, monkeys with IT ablation, along with their controls monkeys with lateral striate (LS) ablation and unoperated monkeys were first trained to discriminate between two visual stimuli. Irrelevant features were then added to the stimuli in a series of tests in which the animals were required to relearn the discrimination problem. If the IT animals were to be retarded in relearning the discrimination, this might imply a loss in the ability to selectively attend to or abstract the relevant visual features.
Quantum transport simulation of Bilayer pseudoSpin Field-Effect Transistor (BiSFET) with tight-binding hartree-fock model

A simulation tool for modeling superfluid quantum transport in the proposed Bilayer Psuedo-spin Field Effect Transistor (BiSFET) and related systems is described and demonstrated. An interlayer Fock exchange interaction is incorporated into a π-orbital based atomistic tight-binding model of transport in two graphene layers separated by a tunnel barrier. Simulation results support and extend expectations based on bulk analysis such as superfluid condensate formation, enhanced interlayer tunneling and the sub-thermal voltage (sub-kBT/q) switching. Extension of this method to other quasi-two dimensional material systems should be possible as well.
Integrated Corridor Management for Urban Transport

In developing cities, increases in travel resulting from exponential population, employment, income, and motorization growth can be accommodated only if the efficiency and effectiveness of all transport system resources are maximized. The developed cities of Europe and North America have already demonstrated that comprehensive packages of traffic demand and roadway supply management, public and non-motorized transport priority, and safety improvements integrated on a corridor basis are needed. The objective of this approach, known as integrated corridor management (ICM), is to use roadway infrastructure and public transport supply to move the most people safely, quickly, and reliably with minimum environmental effects. Examples of where ICM has worked effectively include the quality bus corridors of Dublin, Ireland, Manchester, United Kingdom, and London; Seoul's complete makeover of its bus system in South Korea; and New York City's selected bus services. The World Bank is involved in a substantial and g...
The role of evaluation in the restructuring of the public mental health system

Major changes have occurred in mental health services in the last 20 years, but restructuring is still taking place. In order for evaluation to play a significant part in the future, its role in the past should be analyzed. A review of the literature describes evaluation activities in three major change areas: financial, programmatic/clinical, and new constituencies. Three areas of major evaluation activity but lesser importance to the public mental health system are also analyzed: prevention, needs assessment, and program performance measurement. From this review, suggestions are made to enhance future contributions. While increased support for evaluation and mandated evaluation involvement in major program/system change efforts would undoubtedly help, lessons from the past show us that such changes, alone, may have little impact. In addition, administrators' knowledge of research and evaluation and motivation to utilize findings must be increased. Suggestions are presented for a structured process of replication and reimbursement of nontraditional services, building in evaluation considerations. Besides the funding investment and clearer specification of program objectives that these suggestions will require, changes will also be necessary in developing alternative methodologies and instrumentation to improve consumer input.
Importance of Pre-Operative Hemodynamics in the Surgical Planning of Complex Single Ventricle Patients

Unbalanced distribution of hepatic blood flow to the lungs in single ventricle patients can result in the formation of harmful arterial-venous shunts. Careful planning of the hepatic baffle placement to optimize its distribution can help to minimize this risk. The combination of in vivo imaging, a computational fluids solver, and a state-of-the-art virtual surgery interface have successfully been demonstrated to assist in this planning step. In the present study, we analyze the effect of the patient-derived flow boundary conditions on the optimal solutions obtained from the simulations for a particular set of complex cases with interrupted inferior vena cava. By considering two patients with similar anatomical configurations but drastically different hemodynamics, we see that differences in the percentage of cardiac output carried by each of the inflow vessels can drastically alter the optimal surgical approach.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Comparing the treecode with FMM on GPUs for vortex particle simulations of a leapfrogging vortex ring

Abstract We compare the performance of the treecode and the fast multipole method (FMM) on GPUs. These fast algorithms are used to accelerate a vortex particle simulation of two leapfrogging vortex rings. The performance of the treecode and FMM depends strongly on the number of particles, type of hardware, distribution of particles, and the required accuracy. Our results demonstrate that for the accuracy that is required in vortex method simulations the crossover point between the treecode and FMM is around N = 3000 on the CPU. On the GPU, the treecode is able to achieve more acceleration than the FMM, and no clear crossover point is observed.
Mechanical Circulatory Support and the Role of LVADs in Heart Failure Therapy

Heart failure is epidemic in the United States with a prevalence of over 5 million. The diagnosis carries a mortality risk of 50% at 5 years rivaling many diagnoses of cancer. Heart transplantation, long the “gold standard” treatment for end stage heart failure unresponsive to maximal medical therapy falls way short of meeting the need with only about 2,000 transplants performed annually in the United States due to donor limitation. Left ventricular devices have emerged as a viable option for patients as both a “bridge to transplantation” and as a final “destination therapy”.
Community case management for former jail inmates: its impacts on rearrest, drug use, and HIV risk.

Dramatically increasing incarceration rates in the United States have led to large concentrations of formerly imprisoned people in poverty-stricken urban areas. Therefore, identifying ways to belp inmates who exhibit multiple, serious problems and who are at great risk of experiencing poor postrelease outcomes is especially important to urban communities, as well as to service providers and policymakers concerned about these communities. Our research provides evidence about the effectiveneess of one strategy, called Health Link, which recruited adult women and adolescent men while they were incarcerated in a New York City jail and offered case management services during the especially challenging first year after release. About 1,400 participants who enrolled during a 3-year period were ramdomly assigned either to a group that was eligible for intensive discharge planning services and community-based case management services or to a group eligible for less-intensive discharge planning and no community-based services. We investigated whether the availability of these services reduced rates of drug use, HIV risk, and rearrest. Using data from interviews and bair analysis to measure impacts during a 1-year follow-up period after clients’ release from jail, we detected increased participation in drug treatment programs and weak evidence for reduced drug use. However, we did not observe reductions in rearrest rates orin activities with high risk of HIV infection. We conclude that a well-executed case management program can make modest differences in a few short-term outcomes of former inmates. However, the intervention did not lead to the hoped-for changes across a range of outcomes that would clearly indicate greater success in community reintegration or improved health.
Mathematical modeling of discrete nonconservative dynamic systems

Abstract Many studies have shown that arbitrarily small differences between two nonconservative dynamic systems can result in completely different stability characteristics of the two systems. This can be interpreted as implying that mathematical modeling is of questionable value in the analysis and design of physical nonconservative systems. Using basic results from Liapunov stability theory, two rules for avoiding such infinite-sensitivity models are proposed for the mathematical modeling of discrete dynamic systems. Several general types of modeling error are considered, and these rules are shown to assure finite-sensitivity models.
Image reconstruction for PET/CT scanners: past achievements and future challenges

PET is a medical imaging modality with proven clinical value for disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring. The integration of PET and CT on modern scanners provides a synergy of the two imaging modalities. Through different mathematical algorithms, PET data can be reconstructed into the spatial distribution of the injected radiotracer. With dynamic imaging, kinetic parameters of specific biological processes can also be determined. Numerous efforts have been devoted to the development of PET image reconstruction methods over the last four decades, encompassing analytic and iterative reconstruction methods. This article provides an overview of the commonly used methods. Current challenges in PET image reconstruction include more accurate quantitation, TOF imaging, system modeling, motion correction and dynamic reconstruction. Advances in these aspects could enhance the use of PET/CT imaging in patient care and in clinical research studies of pathophysiology and therapeutic interventions.
Bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of α-mannosidosis☆☆☆★

Abstract We report successful bone marrow transplantation in a child with a severe form of α-mannosidosis, type I. There was complete resolution of the recurrent sinopulmonary disease and organomegaly, improvement in the bony disease, and stabilization of neurocognitive function. (J Pediatr 1998;133: 282-5)