cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomedical engineering for global healthcare

Recent advances in medical technology have significantly improved the human health in developed countries. However, these advances remain out of touch for much of the worldpsilas population. We still face unprecedented healthcare challenges in the 21st century. The prevalence of major diseases today, from the global AIDS pandemic to antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis, cuts across the healthcare, political, economic, social, and biomedical disciplines: These diseases will continue affecting the world unless major measures are taken to develop comprehensive prevention and treatment programs. Thus, biomedical engineers are expected to play a critical role in developing novel and affordable medical technology and drugs to solve global healthcare problems, especially in the developing countries. In this talk, we discuss the healthcare systems, financing, delivery and management in the world, recent advances in information technologies in biomedicine and their use in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases, using novel technologies to develop new drugs, technology regulation, and ethical issues surrounding the use of novel technologies.
Cocaine Intoxication: Hyperpyrexia, Rhabdomyolysis and Acute Renal Failure

Cocaine has become the recreational drug of abuse of the eighties. The prevalence of cocaine has been manifesting increases in intoxications and poisonings. Acute overdoses have been associated with hyperthermia, agitation, paranoid ideation, status epilepticus, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, myocardial infarction, coma, and death. This is the first reported case of cocaine intoxication resulting in severe hyperthermia, bizarre behavior, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure. Treatment consisted of cooling via iced intravenous fluids, nasogastric lavage with ice water, and benzodiazepine sedation. To our knowledge, there is no case report which supports the allusions that cocaine intoxication may cause rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure.
An application of Nagumo's lemma to some singularly perturbed systems

Abstract The existence and asymptotic behavior as ϵ → 0+ of periodic, almost periodic, and bounded solutions of the differential system x = f(t, x, y, ϵ), Ωy′ = g(t, x, y, ϵ), are considered where x, f; are n-vectors, y, g are m-vectors and Ω = diag{ϵh1}…, ϵhm for integral hi, h1 ≦ h2 ≦ …, ≦ hm. The principal tools are a lemma of Nagumo which allows the construction of appropriate upper and lower solutions and the asymptotic theory of singularly perturbed linear differential systems.
Comparison of apo- and heme-bound crystal structures of a truncated human heme oxygenase-2.

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the first step in the heme degradation pathway. The crystal structures of apo- and heme-bound truncated human HO-2 reveal a primarily α-helical architecture similar to that of human HO-1 and other known HOs. Proper orientation of heme in HO-2 is required for the regioselective oxidation of the α-mesocarbon. This is accomplished by interactions within the heme binding pocket, which is made up of two helices. The iron coordinating residue, His45, resides on the proximal helix. The distal helix contains highly conserved glycine residues that allow the helix to flex and interact with the bound heme. Tyr154, Lys199, and Arg203 orient the heme through direct interactions with the heme propionates. The rearrangements of side chains in heme-bound HO-2 compared with apoHO-2 further elucidate HO-2 heme interactions.
Quantum Interference of Surface States in Bismuth Nanowires in Transverse Magnetic Fields

We report the results of studies of the magnetoresistance (MR) and electric field effect (EFE) of single-crystal Bi nanowires with diameter d<80 nm at low temperatures. Single-crystal nanowire samples were prepared by the Taylor-Ulitovsky technique; they were cylindrical single crystals with the $(10\bar{1}1)$ orientation along the wire axis where the C 3 axis was inclined at an angle of 70∘ to the wire axis. According to theory of S. Murakami, bismuth bilayers can exhibit the quantum spin Hall effect. A Bi crystal can be viewed as a stacking of bilayers with a honeycomblike lattice structure along the [111] direction. An interpretation of transverse MR oscillations with using this theory is presented.
Karl Barth on Gethsemane

: This article considers Karl Barth's understanding of the humanity of Christ in light of remarks on Gethsemane in CD IV/1, §59. I argue that Barth views Christ's humanity as a history in motion, propelled towards crisis; an event of justificatory responsibility; a struggle that marks God's being and human being; and a covenantal rejection of sin and evil. These discrete claims can be gathered into a broader contention: Barth's remarks on Christ's agony in Gethsemane point towards a powerful description of Christ's human identity and agency that runs through the Dogmatics. The article concludes with remarks on the contemporary significance of Barth's Christology.
Size dependent nonlinear optical properties of silver quantum clusters

Abstract Using solution-based method, silver quantum clusters of different sizes (Ag 20 , Ag 140 and Ag 980 ) have been synthesized and their first hyper-polarizabilities were measured using hyper-Rayleigh scattering technique. We have shown that nonlinear optical properties of silver quantum cluster are highly dependent on the size of quantum cluster. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations using the Amsterdam Density Functional (ADF) program package are used to evaluate linear and nonlinear optical properties of silver tetrahedral Ag n ( n = 10, 20, 35, 56) clusters. Both theoretical and experimental data have shown that nonlinear as well as linear optical properties are highly dependent on the size of silver quantum cluster.
A combined power-controlled protocol with adaptive MIMO gains for wireless networks

Transmission power control (TPC) is used in wireless networks to improve channel reuse and/or reduce energy consumption. It has been applied mainly to single-input single-output (SISO) systems, where each node is equipped with a single antenna. Multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems can improve the throughput or the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by providing multiplexing or diversity gains, respectively. In this paper, we propose a power-controlled MAC protocol that combines different types of MIMO gains in a wireless network with two antennas per node. Our protocol, coined CMAC, allows for dynamic switching between diversity and multiplexing modes so as to maximize a utility function that depends on both the energy consumption and throughput. CMAC adapts the “antenna mode,” the transmission power, and the modulation order on a per-packet basis. By “antenna mode“ we mean one of the five possible transmit/receive antenna configurations: 1×1 (SISO), 2×1 (MISO-D), 1×2 (SIMO-D), 2×2 (MIMO-D), and 2×2 (MIMO-M), where the second, third, and fourth configurations offer a diversity (D) gain, whereas the last configuration offers a multiplexing (M) gain. By using control packets to bound the transmission power of potentially interfering terminals, CMAC allows for multiple interference-limited transmissions to take place in the vicinity of a receiving terminal. We study via simulations the performance of CMAC in ad hoc topologies. Our results indicate that relative to non-adaptive protocols, CMAC achieves a significant improvement in both the overall energy consumption and the throughput.
Tunneling hot electron transfer amplifiers (THETA): A proposal for novel amplifiers operating in the subpicosecond range

A proposal for three terminal devices which rely on the transfer of quasi-monoenergetic hot electron beam through a thin base is presented. Small area (∼10-10cm2) and thin film (∼10A) devices are expected to operate in the subpicosecond range, and to exhibit a negative resistance between two terminals which is controlled by the third terminal. Results of calculations and predicted performances and difficulties are described.
Constraints on the diffusive cavitation of isolated grain boundary facets in creeping polycrystals

Abstract Following concepts introduced by B. F. Dyson (Metal Sci. 349 1976), the diffusive cavitation of grain facets is considered in circumstances for which the cavitated facets are well separated from one another. In this case the requirement of geometric compatibility between the opening grain facets and the creep-deforming polycrystalline surroundings reduces the stress transmitted to the cavitated facets, and hence increases the rupture lifetime. An evaluation of the rupture time, tr, based on diflusional cavity growth to coalescence shows that tr, is given by the sum of two terms, one proportional to 1 Dσ ∞ (where D is the grain boundary diffusion parameter and σ∞ the stress which would act on a non-cavitated facet) and another proportional to 1 E ∞ (here E∞ is the creep rate of a similarly loaded polycrystal with uncavitated boundaries). The latter term is found to be much larger than the first at sufficiently low stress and temperature, as long as the cavitated facets are indeed well separated. This circumstance leads to results in which the cavity growth process and strain to rupture are consistent with the diffusional mechanism, but in which the rupture time tr, follows a Monkman-Grant correlation with tr, proportional to 1 E ∞ .
A turbidity survey of Narragansett Bay

Abstract A turbidity survey of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, was made during the summer months of 1971 and included measurements of the attenuation function for scalar irradiance for daylight and the volume attenuation function for white tungsten light at various depths. One hundred and three stations were made at 17 different locations. Variations in the optical parameters were large, one standard deviation at any given location ranging from 7 to 23 per cent of the mean value. This variation was only slightly dependent on the state of the tidal currents, depth of the location, or weather factors. The magnitude of turbidity variations was almost 4-fold over a north-south range of 31 km within the estuary, with clearest water at the southern mouths of the Bay. A good correlation exists between turbidity parameters and Autumn values of suspended-material concentration found by Morton (1967), with both data sets showing highest turbidity and suspended concentrations in the West Passage of the Bay. “Wedges” and “bulges” of clear water were detected throughout the Bay but were most evident at the southern (Atlantic Ocean) end. Although it was not possible to fully define the parameters producing these temporal and geographic variations in estuarine turbidity, it is suggested that knowledge of these parameters can assist those concerned with the physical and biological state of an estuary, as well as divers and photographers plying their trades within its boundaries.
Development of a System for Studying Subcutaneous Absorption Kinetics of Local Anesthetic Amines

In the search for optimum conditions (pH 7.40, isotonic solution) for the study of subcutaneous absorption of local anesthetics using the system of Ballard and Menczel, unexpectedly wide pH variations (6.26-8.40) were consistently observed. All isotonic buffer systems examined failed to maintain a constant pH in the absorption cell for the desired duration (5-7 hr.). It was demonstrated that subcutaneous tissue liberates and absorbs ions (Na+, K+, Cl−, and HCO3−), apparently in an attempt to produce an ionic composition in the solution similar to that of interstitial extracellular fluid. Additional experiments indicate that the high pH (above 7.40) results from the loss of carbon dioxide from the cell and that the liberation of bicarbonate ion by the tissue is time dependent. Constancy of pH was achieved using a slightly hypertonic tromethamine buffer (pH 7.95 ± 0.05, buffer capacity = 0.225).
Deep Currents in the Central Subarctic Pacific Ocean

Abstract Sections of closely spaced CTD stations along Longs. 165°W, 175°W and 175°E, in combination with 14-month current records from the central longitude, define two deep, nearly zonal currants, with speed increasing upward, in the subarctic Pacific. One flows eastward above the Aleutian Rise and Aleutian Trench, and appears to be a concentration of geostrophic flow forced by the bottom topography. The other flows westward along the Aleutian Island Arc, and is the northern-boundary current predicted by deep-circulation theory. Both currents reach to the sea surface, the boundary current being simply the deep part of the Alaskan Stream. The current records were too few to permit better than rough estimates of volume transports but to the extent that they could be combined with thermal-wind calculations they suggest, at 175°W, (1) a transport of 28 × 106 m3 s−1 for the Alaskan Stream, of whch 5 × 106 m3 s−1 was found below 1500 m, and (2) a transport of around 20 × 1O6 m3 s−1 for the eastward jet, of wh...
The Application of Island-biogeographic Theory to Forest Tracts: Problems in the Determination of Turnover Rates

Abstract Any change in the species-composition of birds on ‘islands’ may be described potentially by a number of models, one of which is the equilibrium island biogeographic model. The proper application of the equilibrium model requires that several conditions be met; the most important of which are: (1) the ability to identify true ‘colonists’; (2) balanced immigration and extinction rates; and (3) no large-scale environmental alterations causing changes in species-composition between sampling intervals. Failure to meet such conditions may lead to improbable or unrealistic interpretations of species change within the context of equilibrium island biogeographic theory. This problem is illustrated with some recent data on birds residing in a small forest patch. When the theory is used to determine the design characteristics of faunal reserves, the entire matter takes on added significance. Ecological justification for the preservation of large, contiguous areas cannot be gained from the equilibrium model. In addition, predictions of the model are virtually useless without an accompanying body of autecological information on the species intended to be preserved.
Validation of the EINTHOVEN Model-Based Computerized Electrocardiogram Rhythm Analysis System With Three Classes of Clinical Arrhythmias

Abstract Rhythm analysis by commercial systems does not meet clinical needs well, because (1) differential diagnosis of complex rhythms is not performed, (2) common rhythms are often misdiagnosed, and (3) transitions between rhythms are not described. We have developed a model-based diagnostic software system named EINTHOVEN that is designed to address the above limitations. A demonstration is available on the World Wide Web at http://einthoven.uokhsc.edu. The system has been validated using simple rhythms from introductory electrocardiogram (ECG) textbooks. We present here the results of evaluation with more complex rhythm strips taken from clinical records and intermediate-level ECG textbooks. Rhythm strips were described by the onset and offset of each electrical event (P wave, QRS complex, and T wave) and by a morphology classification for each event. The rhythms included a variety of supraventricular and ventricular rhythms. The analysis was considered correct if it named all correct diagnoses in a rhythm strip, incorrect if it completed the analysis and failed to name the correct diagnoses, and indeterminate if it failed to complete the analysis. The system was designed not to complete an analysis if it could not explain an entire rhythm by at least 1 pathophysiological model. The test rhythms were not used to develop the system. Forty-six of 56 test rhythms were diagnosed correctly, and 8 were not analyzed completely. The 2 incorrect diagnoses were atrial tachycardia with variable conduction (diagnosed as intermittent complete heart block) and atrial fibrillation (diagnosed as irregular junctional tachycardia). All 56 rhythms were diagnosed correctly after minor technical improvements to the system. The processing time of the system was 7.6-fold (range 1.5- to 16.9-fold) faster than the elapsed time of the individual records. These preliminary results suggest (1) that computer-based interpretation of complex rhythms is possible, (2) that further software development is necessary to reach a clinical level of accuracy, and (3) that there are no theoretical obstacles to achieving this goal. (Am J Cardiol 1996;78:927–931)
Semi-automatic spinal cord segmentation and quantification

Abstract Delineation of objects within medical images is very hard to perform reproducibly, unless at least semi-automatic segmentation is available. This paper presents a semi-automatic process for determining the total length and area of the spinal cord, and the length and area of the spinal cord between adjacent pairs of intervertebral discs. We performed these measurements on 20 segments from C 1 to L 1 with three sets of user-selected landmarks. Our results show that the average spinal cord segment area was 852.3 mm 2 with a standard deviation of 0.7%, and the average spinal cord segment length was 57.4 mm with a standard deviation of 0.3%. Our method has been demonstrated to be potentially insensitive to intra- and inter-user variability.
Particle size and mixing time effects on sensory and physical properties of low-fat, high-moisture pork frankfurters

Changes in particle size affected measured characteristics more than changes in mixing time. Sensory results indicated that use of a 2.0 mm plate produced the coarsest (P 0.05) cooking loss, springiness, cohesiveness, or chewiness. Additional mixing tended to decrease sensory particle size and increase springiness and chewiness.
A mouse model for glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis: effect of a steroid holiday.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis is a common and dose-limiting adverse event. The goal of this study was to establish a mouse model of glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis suitable for testing the effects of different treatment strategies on its frequency. Fourteen murine strains were screened using various glucocorticoids, routes of administration, and diets. Four-week old male BALB/cJ mice were treated with oral dexamethasone for up to 12 weeks either by continuous dosing or by discontinuous dosing, with or without asparaginase. Histopathological features of the distal femurs were examined by light microscopy. Osteonecrotic lesions were characterized by empty lacunae and osteocyte ghosts in trabecular bone surrounded by necrotic marrow and edema. The incidence of dexamethasone induced osteonecrosis in BALB/cJ mice was 40%–45% (4/10 or 5/11) at 12 weeks. The frequency of osteonecrosis trended lower after discontinuous compared to continuous dosing for 12 weeks (8% vs. 45%) (P = 0.06) despite comparable cumulative plasma exposure. Asparaginase hastened the occurrence of osteonecrosis which was observed as early as 4 weeks and the incidence was 50% after 6 weeks. A mouse model of glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis was established. Discontinuous was less osteonecrotic than continuous dexamethasone treatment, consistent with the possible benefits of a “steroid holiday” seen in clinical settings. Moreover, asparaginase hastened osteonecrosis, indicating that drugs may interact with glucocorticoids to affect osteonecrosis risk.
Systematic computer-aided three-dimensional modeling of integrated bipolar devices

Abstract A general, systematic method for modeling three-dimensional bulk effects in integrated bipolar devices is developed. The application of the technique to a device results in a hierarchy of large-signal models-based on linear differential equations-of variable accuracy and complexity from which the simplest but sufficiently accurate model of the device and its interactions with neighboring devices can be selected. The models produced consist of lumped elements which are directly related to the device morphology and to physical processes occurring in the device. The analogies existing between the terminal characteristics of the lumped elements and those of electrical elements are utilized in the formulation of a general lumped-to-electrical transformation technique by which equivalent electrical models, amenable to analysis by existing network analysis programs, can be obtained. The derived modeling theory is applied to several devices of variable complexity, and resulting models are verified experimentally. Finally, discussions concerning modifications of linear models to include, at least on first-order bases, several nonlinear effects, some associated with pn junctions, are given.
Join the Conquest Developing a Campaign to Increase Participation in Clinical Research in North Carolina

This study addresses the national clinical trial recruitment crisis by chronicling the development of a campaign to move people toward enrollment in an online clinical research registry. The public typically encounters clinical trial information in controversies or study-specific recruitment ads, which limits full understanding. Ten focus groups were conducted with healthy and impaired persons to identify perceived benefits and barriers to participation. Altruism and self-efficacy emerged as key motivators. Three theoretically informed campaigns were developed and tested. Resulting materials have been shared with members of a National Institutes of Health–funded national consortium to improve the way biomedical research is conducted across the country.
Redesign of trials under different enrolment mixes

A few large multi-centre male-only heart trials done in the 1970s and 1980s have been seen as ill-conceived because they did not include females. The purpose here is to revisit two of those trials and to consider consequences in terms of cost and power had they been designed to include females.
Single-Sex Education and the Brain

Of the various rationales for sex-segregated education, the claim that boys and girls should be taught in separate classrooms because their brains differ is arguably the weakest. Existing neuroscience research has identified few reliable differences between boys’ and girls’ brains relevant to learning or education. And yet, prominent single-sex school advocates have convinced many parents and teachers that there exist profound differences between the “male brain” and “female brain” which support the ubiquitous, but equally unfounded belief that “boys and girls learn differently” (Gurian et al. 2001; Sax 2005b; James 2007, 2009; Kaufmann 2007). Educators who cite brain or hormonal research as evidence for boys’ and girls’ different pedagogical needs are often misusing or misconstruing a small number of studies, when the complete data are far more equivocal and of doubtful relevance to classroom instruction. Gender differences in hearing, vision, and autonomic nervous function are modest, with large overlap between boys’ and girls’ measures. Similarly, studies of the neural basis of learning do not support the premise that boys and girls master reading, calculation, or other academic skills differently. Boys and girls have differing interests, but their basic cognitive, emotional and self-regulatory abilities vary far more within each gender than between the average boy and girl. Beyond the issue of scientific misrepresentation, the very logic of segregating children based on inherent anatomical or physiological traits runs counter to the purpose and principles of education.
The role of rehearsal: Recopy or reconstruct

Direct measures of rehearsal were taken in three free recall experiments. The number of repetitions in rehearsal were correlated with the probability of recall and were found to be generally low after the first trial. The organization that occurred in rehearsal was correlated with organization in recall which was in turn correlated with recall performance. These correlations were generally high. The results were interpreted as supporting the position that rehearsal involves more than a reinstatement of working memory representations. The recoding that occurs during rehearsal forms a basis for retrieval.
Heat Capacity and Resistivity Measurements of the Icosahedral Phase of Al6CuLi3

We report AC heat capacity measurements of the icosahedral phase of Al6CuLi3 between 0.25 and 2.7 K. These Camples are cast in ingots and are composed of interdendritic regions of quasi-crystal phase (0.1 mm × 3.0 mm) interlaced with an Al and R-phase solid solution (13% of sample). Heat capacity and resistivity measurements both indicate a superconducting transition of about 1.4 K for these samples. The relative contribution from the icosahedral phase and the aluminum to the properties of the sample are discussed.
The evolution operator solution of the Cauchy problem for the Hamilton-Jacobi equation

The theory of nonlinear evolution equations in a Banach space is used to prove the existence of global weak solutions of the Cauchy problem for the general time and space-dependent Hamilton-Jacobi equation.
Optimization Study of a Silicon-Carbide Micro-Capillary Pumped Loop

Wide bandgap semiconductors such as SiC and GaN are materials that are advantageous for high power electronic devices. High power devices generate large amounts of energy that must be removed, and traditional cooling methods are insufficient for maintaining the desired operating temperatures. Thus, thermal management methods for high power electronic devices need to be developed. A SiC micro-capillary pumped loop thermal management system is being evaluated to cool SiC high power devices. Mathematical models incorporating two-phase flow and capillary wicking have been developed to analyze capillary pumped loops or loop heat pipes. This investigation uses a model based on the methodology of Dickey and Peterson (1994). The model takes an energy balance on the condenser and evaporator regions, as well as a pressure balance across the meniscus. A parametric study has been performed on the micro-CPL to determine the best design for a p-i-n diode that is less than 1 cm square and which produces a heat flux at the junction of over 300 W/cm2 . The micro-CPL will be limited to a maximum size of 6.5 cm2 . The liquid and vapor line lengths, number of grooves, and groove dimensions are varied to determine optimal values. The results and trends of the optimization calculations are discussed.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Measuring distributions of diffusivity in turbulent fluids with magnetic-resonance imaging

This paper describes a method for measuring distributions of turbulent diffusivity in less than an hour. The measurement is rapid enough to aid in designing devices that make use of the turbulent diffusion of mass, heat, or momentum. It may be useful as a measurement of the degree of turbulence in the blood of patients with cardiovascular diseases. It consists of subtracting the natural logarithms of the pixel values of a magnetic-resonance image of turbulent fluid from those of stationary fluid. The pixel values of the resulting image are multiplied by a constant to yield diffusivities. The accuracy of the measurement is within the range of diffusivities (1) upstream as far as the speed of the fluid multiplied by the time ${T}_{E}$ between exciting the spin system and recording the signal, (2) in the direction of the gradient of diffusivity as far as ${T}_{E}$ multiplied by 5 times the gradient of the diffusivity, and (3) in the direction of the phase-encoding magnetic field gradient as far as the negative of the component of velocity in the phase-encoding direction multiplied by the time between phase encoding and recording the signal. In a 32\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}32-${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ image of a jet of water with a nozzle velocity of 4.5 m ${\mathrm{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ and Reynolds number of 18 000, made with a ${T}_{E}$ of 15 ms, the distance of (1) ranged from 0 to 6.7 cm, of (2) ranged from 0 to 0.3 cm, and of (3) ranged from 0 to 0.4 cm. These distances are bounds; the actual spatial misregistration was less. The signal-to-noise ratio ranged from 10 to 15 for diffusivities from 0.02 to 0.7 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ ${\mathrm{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$. .AE
Modification of excitation and inhibition evoked in dentate gyrus by perforant path stimulation: effects of aminophylline and kindling

Abstract Rats were implanted with chronic electrodes to stimulate the perforant path and record the elicited monosynaptic evoked potentials from the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation. Dentate responses were examined in awake and anesthetized animals after exposure to saline and aminophylline (100 mg/kg, IP). In the awake animal, aminophylline treatment did not significantly alter the threshold or elicited amplitude of either the excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP) or the population spike (PS). Aminophylline pretreatment markedly enhanced the length and severity of elicited seizures from hippocampal (dentate gyrus) or perforant pathway stimulation. After daily perforant pathway stimulations which established “kindled” seizures, aminophylline significantly increased only the amplitude of the evoked PS in awake animals. In animals anesthetized with chloropent, aminophylline increased significantly before kindling the amplitude of both the EPSP and PS without effecting thresholds for each. After perforant pathway kindling, only the PS amplitude was increased significantly by aminophylline. Inhibition, thought to be from GABA-mediated recurrent collaterals, was found to be increased rather than decreased by kindling. Further, aminophylline treatment did not result in reduction of this inhibition before or after kindling. These data suggest that at this dose of aminophylline neither enhanced transmitter release at this synapse as measured by the amplitude of the EPSP, nor reduced recurrent collateral inhibition significantly contributed to the prolongation of elicited seizure afterdischarge. The increase in PS amplitude reflecting an increased number of granule cells excited to discharge with perforant path stimulation after aminophylline was noted in awake animals but was greatest in the anesthetized animals. Although the number of granule cells excited to discharge was increased by aminophylline, the small increase in amplitude seen compared to the effects of other neurotoxins on this synapse makes this an unlikely explanation for the profound increased seizure response seen after aminophylline.
Hypoxia regulates PGE2 release and EP1 receptor expression in osteoblastic cells

Changes in regional O2 tension that occur during fracture and skeletal unloading may stimulate local bone cell activity and ultimately regulate bone maintenance and repair. The mechanisms by which bone cells sense and respond to changes in O2 tension are unclear. In this study we investigated the effects of low O2 on activation of the hypoxia response element (HRE), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, PGE2 receptor (EP) expression and proliferation in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. Cells were cultured for up to 72 h in 2% O2 (considered hypoxic), 5% O2 (in the range of normal O2 tension in vivo) or 21% O2 (commonly used for cell culture). Cells cultured in 2% O2 showed activation of the HRE, increased PGE2 release, increased EP1 expression, and reduced cell proliferation compared to cells grown at 21% O2. Similarly, cells cultured in 5% O2 showed increased expression of EP1 and a trend toward a decrease in proliferation, but no activation of the HRE or increase in PGE2 levels. Expression of EP2, EP3 and EP4 were not affected by O2 tension. The differences in EP receptor profile observed in cells grown at 5% compared to 21% O2 suggest that bone cell phenotype may be altered under routine cell culture conditions. Furthermore, our data suggest that hypoxia-dependent PGE2 production and EP1 expression in bone cells may play a role in bone remodeling and repair in regions of compromised or damaged bone, where O2 tension is low. J. Cell. Physiol. 212: 182–188, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Parametric Study on Gravity-Induced Brain Shift Using a Three-Dimensional FE Model of the Human Brain

The mass density, shear modulus, bulk modulus and decay constant of brain tissues play important roles when calculating gravity-induced brain shift during brain surgery. A parametric study was conducted to determine the effect of these properties on gravity-induced brain shift, using a three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model of the human brain that was developed at Wayne State University (WSU). Results from this parametric study indicate that the magnitude of brain shift altered significantly due to changes in a combination of the shear modulus and bulk modulus of the brain.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Perceptions of cervical cancer and pap smear screening behavior by women's sexual orientation

This study examined 330 adult females' perceptions and practices regarding cervical cancer by sexual orientation. Ninety-four percent of the respondents were unable to correctly identify all 5 risk factors associated with increased risk for cervical cancer (smoking, sexual intercourse with men, multiple male sexual partners, sexual intercourse before age 16, and having genital warts) regardless of sexual orientation. Furthermore, 20% were not able to identify any of the 5 risk factors for cervical cancer. Lesbians perceived themselves to be less susceptible to cervical cancer than heterosexuals or bisexuals even though 79% of lesbians had sexual intercourse with a male. Eight percent of the respondents believed that most women who develop cervical cancer die from the disease. The main barriers identified by non-regular Pap screeners (N = 127) were: no health insurance (33%), forgetting to get a pap test (32%), and not liking to get a Pap test (31%). Three-fourths (75%) have had a Pap test within the last 2 years and planned to continue having them on a regular basis. The results of this survey indicate that there is considerable room for improvement in knowledge, perceptions, and practices of all women, regardless of sexual orientation, regarding cervical cancer.
Prevalence and treatment of intraarticular pathology recognized at the time of periacetabular osteotomy for the dysplastic hip.

Background The indication for hip arthrotomy accompanied by intraarticular work during periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) has not been precisely defined. To validate a role for routine hip arthrotomy accompanied by intraarticular work, frequent intraarticular pathology must exist, and the adjunct procedures must not be associated with inferior relief of pain, reduced function, radiographic osteoarthritis progression, or conversion to THA.
Inter-organizational relationships and law enforcement information sharing post 11 September 2001

The lack of information sharing among law enforcement agencies leading up to the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks has been well documented. An emphasis on interaction among law enforcement agencies with other government and private sector organizations has been reinforced in contemporary counter-terrorism efforts. Despite this emphasis, very little is known with respect to which law enforcement agencies are collaborating with which public works and private sector organizations to fulfill this critical mission gap. The present research utilizes two federally funded national surveys to explore the collaborative relationships between law enforcement, other government organizations, and private sector organizations. Findings suggest collaboration across sectors exists; however, it appears significant room for improvement remains.
Contact angles, ordering, and solidification of liquid mercury in carbon nanotube cavities

Optimized model potentials for mercury-mercury and mercury-carbon interactions are used in molecular dynamics simulations to study wetting and solidification of liquid mercury encapsulated in single-walled carbon nanotubes. The contact angle of mercury in the nanotube cavity increases linearly with wall curvature. The solid-liquid transition becomes less well defined as nanotube diameter decreases, while the melting temperature drops exponentially. A concentric cylindrical-shell structure is predicted for solidified mercury in small (20,20) nanotubes, while a polycrystalline structure appears in larger (40,40) nanotubes.
Block and graft copolymer electrolytes for high-performance, solid-state, lithium batteries

The ideal electrolyte material for a solid-state battery would have the ionic conductivity of a liquid, the mechanical properties of a solid, and the formability of a commodity thermoplastic. If system energy densities >300 Wh/kg are to be achieved, the electrolyte must be light and thin, yet act as a reliable physical separator for the electrodes. In this laboratory it has been shown that this challenge can be met with several classes of microphase-separating polymers, specifically, block and graft copolymers. The attributes and performance limitations of each are described along with the prognosis for their deployment in a solid-state battery.
Efficacy of calcium supplementation for human bone health by mass spectrometry profiling and cathepsin K measurement in plasma samples

Osteoporosis is a common disease among older people, especially postmenopausal women. Calcium supplementation is effective in decreasing the occurrence of osteoporosis. We tested the effect of different calcium sources (i.e., calcium carbonate chew, milk mineral chew, milk drink and placebo chew) by direct mass spectrometry (dMS) profiling and cathepsin K measurement in the serum of subjects. The dMS method is promising for plasma biomarker discovery, and cathepsin K level in the plasma is an indicator for osteoporosis. Our result shows that dMS detected characteristic ion peaks after different calcium supplement interventions; ion peak 4281.0 m/z was commonly inhibited by all three treatments. This ion peak was identified to be a fragment of follistatin-related protein 3 precursor by means of the "Lift" mode of MS/MS. The other differential ion peaks were also successfully identified: 1786.5 m/z (upregulated after calcium carbonate chew) was shown to be one fragment of transcription factor jun-B; the parent protein of 3504.7 m/z (upregulated after milk drink) was a collagen alpha-2 (type I) chain precursor; the ion peak of 3359.6 m/z (downregulated after milk mineral chew) was one fragment of family 31 glucosidase. Cathepsin K is significantly inhibited only by calcium carbonate chew treatment, indicating this form of calcium supplement has some advantage over other sources of supplementation.
Delayed paternal age of reproduction in humans is associated with longer telomeres across two generations of descendants

Telomeres are repeating DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes that protect and buffer genes from nucleotide loss as cells divide. Telomere length (TL) shortens with age in most proliferating tissues, limiting cell division and thereby contributing to senescence. However, TL increases with age in sperm, and, correspondingly, offspring of older fathers inherit longer telomeres. Using data and samples from a longitudinal study from the Philippines, we first replicate the finding that paternal age at birth is associated with longer TL in offspring (n = 2,023, P =1 .84× 10 �6 ). We then show that this association of paternal age with offspring TL is cumulative across multiple generations: in this sample, grandchildren of older paternal grandfathers at the birth of fathers have longer telomeres (n = 234, P = 0.038), independent of, and additive to, the association of their father’s age at birth with TL. The lengthening of telomeres predicted by each year that the father’ so r grandfather’s reproduction are delayed is equal to the yearly shortening of TL seen in middle-age to elderly women in this sample, pointing to potentially important impacts on health and the pace of senescent decline in tissues and systems that are cell-replication dependent. This finding suggests a mechanism by which humans could extend late-life function as average age at reproduction is delayed within a lineage.
Immiscibility and interfacial tension between polymer liquids: Dependence on molecular weight

Abstract The interfacial tensions between pairs of fluids from homologous series of polyisobutylenes, polydimethyl siloxanes, perfluoroalkanes and n-alkanes have been measured. The results are consistent with a 2 3 a power molecular weight dependence for each series. This leads to a criterion for miscibility (where the interfacial tension vanishes) which reproduces the sometimes strong anisotropy of molecular weight dependence which is observed experimentally. A few contact angles, yielding molecular weight-dependent adhesion tensions, and oil-water interfacial tensions, have also been measured and lend some additional support to the generality of the 2 3 power relationship.
Laparoscopic ureterocalicostomy: a feasibility study.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Ureterocalicostomy is occasionally indicated for reconstruction of recurrent, recalcitrant ureteropelvic junction obstruction associated with postoperative fibrosis and a relatively inaccessible renal pelvis. We investigated the feasibility of performing laparoscopic ureterocalicostomy in a survival porcine model. Anatomical, histological and chronic functional outcomes were evaluated.Materials and Methods: Laparoscopic ureterocalicostomy was performed in 10 survival female swine. A ureteropelvic junction obstruction model was created by laparoscopic ligation of a 2 to 3 cm. segment of upper ureter. After an interval of complete ureteropelvic junction obstruction laparoscopic ureterocalicostomy was performed in a manner duplicating the steps of conventional open surgery. After transverse amputation of the lower renal pole end-to-end anastomosis of the proximal ureter to the inferior calix was formed by laparoscopic freehand suturing and knot-tying techniques.Results: Mean ureter stricture...
Nuclear-quadrupole induction of atomic polarization

Nuclear-quadrupole-induced electric signals are measured as a new resonance response mechanism that is the reciprocal of the Stark effect in magnetic resonance. In single crystals that have noncentrosymmetry with respect to the sites of precessing nuclear-quadrupole moments, the electronic polarizability of atoms and chemical bonds on opposite sides of the nuclear-quadrupole moment is not the same. The oscillating electric field produced by the quadrupole moment induces a net electric dipole moment in its neighboring electronic environment. The coherent summation of these dipole moments over the Boltzmann distribution of the nuclear ensemble produces an oscillating macroscopic electric dipole moment. The sample is placed between the plates of a capacitor that is tuned with an inductance to the nuclear precession frequency. Coherent nuclear precession is initiated following a rf magnetic field pulse that tips the nuclear spins into the precession mode. The voltage signal from the capacitor gives rise to an oscillating current in the series circuit and magnetic flux in the inductor. Stray magnetic induction pickup signals are balanced out. The flux is coupled to a dc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), which produces a voltage output at the nuclear-quadrupole resonance frequency of \ensuremath{\sim}30 MHz for $^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$ nuclei in ${\mathrm{NaClO}}_{3}$ at 4.2 K. The $^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$ nucleus induces electric dipole moments in nearby oxygen atoms bonded to the Cl atom. Measured free-precession electric signals are compared to the predictions of a point-oxygen-atom polarizability model applied to the Cl---O bond. The technique is sensitive to chirality and to bond angles.
The Effect of Mild Motion Sickness and Soporific Symptoms on Multitasking Cognitive Strategy

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society International Annual Meeting, San Diego, September 30 - October 4, 2013.
Adenoma of the Iris-Pigment Epithelium

An 11-year-old boy was noted to have a multinodular tumor involving the peripheral iris and trabecular meshwork in his left eye. During the next 12 years, the lesion slowly enlarged and produced pigmentary dispersion in the anterior chamber and glaucomatous changes in the optic disc. Histopathologic examination of the tumor after its removal by iridocyclectomy revealed features consistent with the diagnosis of adenoma of the iris-pigment epithelium. A correlation between the clinical and histopathologic features is presented. Clinical features that can be helpful in differentiating an adenoma of the iris-pigment epithelium from a malignant melanoma are discussed.
The Muslim body and the politics of immigration in France: Popular and biomedical representations of Malian migrant women.

Popular and professional representations of the body profoundly shape maternity care for migrant Muslim women from the Senegal River Valley in West Africa now residing in Paris France. In this article we suggest that the body has become the site of inscription for the politics of discrimination prevalent in France and heavily focused on Muslim immigrant populations. Muslim populations in France are represented mainly by North and sub-Saharan Africans although each of these communities has been stigmatized differently in the media and popular discourse. While North Africans are frequently categorized as religious fundamentalists reticent to assimilate to French society sub-Saharan Africans have until recently been less likely to be labeled as Muslims except with respect to the practice of polygamy. The November 2005 riots involving both North and sub-Saharan immigrants in France however generated public debate in which sub-Saharan migrants were prominently identified as Muslim. (excerpt)
Heat shocks increase the chilling tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa) seedling radicles.

The growth of rice (Oryza sativa L., cv. M202) seedling radicles, initially 10 ( 1 mm long, was linear for the 96 h it took them to grow to 150 mm at 25 °C. Exposure to 5 °C for 24 h reduced the rate of growth by about 50%, and longer exposures caused a progressive reduction in growth. Initial radicle length significantly affected chilling sensitivity: with 2 days at 5 °C inhibiting growth at 25 ° Cb y 23% for 1-mm radicles, 63% for 10-mm radicles, and 87% for 40-mm radicles. Heat shocks of 35 °C for 4 min, 40 °C for 3 min, 45 °C for 2 min, or 50 °C for 1 min, prior to chilling, reduced the 75% inhibition of radicle growth caused by 2 days at 5 °C to 34%, 25%, 14%, and 13%, respectively. The length of exposure that conferred chilling tolerance increased from less than 2 min for 50 °C to over 8 min for 35 °C. This increase in effective treatment duration was accompanied by a reduction in the maximum induced chilling tolerance. Practical application of heat-shock treatments to increase the chilling tolerance of rice seedlings may sacrifice a small reduction in maximum chilling tolerance at the lower inductive temperatures for a larger margin of safety in their application.
Phosphorus‐Graphene Nanosheet Hybrids as Lithium‐Ion Anode with Exceptional High‐Temperature Cycling Stability

A red phosphorus-graphene nanosheet hybrid is reported as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Graphene nanosheets form a sea-like, highly electronically conductive matrix, where the island-like phosphorus particles are dispersed. Benefiting from this structure and properties of phosphorus, the hybrid delivers high initial capacity and exhibits promising retention at 60 °C.