cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microtube-Embedded Microfluidic Devices for Potential Applications in Blood Brain Barrier Research

Abstract The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a distinct feature in the human body that blocks toxicants from the brain and preserves the homeostasis of the central nerve system. This barrier, however, also prevents efficient drug penetration for most of central neural system (CNS) disorders, including brain cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Development of robust and cost-effective in vitro BBB models is essential to enhance the efficiency of brain drug screening. Microfluidics-based in vitro models, also known as tissue/organ-on-chip, have emerged as a popular therapeutic tool due to the capability of creating a tunable dynamic extracellular microenvironment. The main challenge of fabricating BBB-on-chip is to recapitulate the tubular capillary structure. This paper presents two novel fabrication methods to mimic the brain capillary vessels in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic devices. In the first approach, polycaprolactone (PCL) coated sugar microfibers were embedded in PDMS chambers. The sugar core was then dissolved to create a microtube. In the second approach, polycaprolactone (PCL) microtubes were fabricated by core-sheath electrospinning and embedded in a bridge between two PDMS reservoirs. Both fabrication methods were successful in creating tubular microchannels which closely resemble the geometry of human capillaries. We expect that these microtube embedded microfluidic devices will allow the formation of 3D biomimetic neurovascular unit to study the human BBB for therapeutics development.
Reward processing modulates the association between trauma exposure and externalizing psychopathology

Childhood adversity is common and strongly associated with risk for psychopathology. Identifying factors that buffer children from experiencing psychopathology following adversity is critical for developing more effective intervention approaches. The present study examined several behavioral metrics of reward processing reflecting global approach motivation for reward and the degree to which reward responses scaled with reward value (i.e., behavioral sensitivity to reward value) as potential moderators of the association of multiple dimensions of adversity-including trauma, caregiver neglect, and food insecurity-with depression and externalizing psychopathology in a sample of youth aged 8-16 years (n = 132). Trauma exposure and externalizing problems were positively associated at low and moderate levels of reward reactivity, but this association became non-significant at high levels of reward reactivity. Our findings extend prior work, suggesting that high behavioral sensitivity to reward value may buffer against externalizing problems following exposure to trauma.
Gene co-expression analysis of human RNASEH2A reveals functional networks associated with DNA replication, DNA damage response, and cell cycle regulation

Abstract Ribonuclease H2 (RNase H2) is a key enzyme for the removal of RNA found in DNA-RNA hybrids, playing a fundamental role in biological processes such as DNA replication, telomere maintenance and DNA damage repair. RNase H2 is a trimer composed of three subunits, being RNASEH2A the catalytic subunit. RNASEH2A expression levels have been shown to be upregulated in transformed and cancer cells. In this study we used a bioinformatics approach to identify RNASEH2A co-expressed genes in different human tissues to uncover biological processes in which RNASEH2A is involved. By implementing this approach, we identified functional networks for RNASEH2A that are not only involved in the processes of DNA replication and DNA damage response, but also in cell cycle regulation. Additional examination of protein-protein networks for RNASEH2A by the STRING database analysis, revealed a high co-expression correlation between RNASEH2A and the genes of the protein networks identified. Mass spectrometry analysis of RNASEH2A-bound proteins highlighted players functioning in cell cycle regulation. Further bioinformatics investigation showed increased gene expression of RNASEH2A in different types of actively cycling cells and tissues, and particularly in several cancers, supporting a biological role for RNASEH2A, but not the other two subunits of RNase H2, in cell proliferation.
Please Mind the Gap: Arm’s Length Prices and Fair Market Value

Arm’s length comparison is the guiding principle for transfer pricing purposes. In cases of valuations that are performed based on other standards, such as the fair market value, it is questionable to what extent such values can be considered to have an arm’s length nature in intercompany sales or licenses of intangibles. This chapter compares the arm’s length principle with fair market value. It demonstrates that they follow quite different principles. The fair market value has a rather objective perspective, whereas the arm’s length principle takes subjective aspects into consideration that results in a two-sided approach. As such, there is a gap between both standards, which might lead to different results. The magnitude of this gap depends on the specific facts and circumstances. Acceptance of a valuation that is based on fair market value (or other standards) depends on the underlying assumptions. This chapter outlines possible amendments to existing valuations that would lead to a better fit with the arm’s length standard and could even close the gap.
Outcome and prognostication after cardiac arrest

The outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has historically been grim at best. The current overall survival rate of patients admitted to a hospital is approximately 10%, making cardiac arrest one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The situation is improving with the incorporation of therapeutic temperature modulation, aggressive prevention of secondary brain injury, and improved access to advanced cardiovascular support, all of which have decreased mortality and allowed for better outcomes. Mortality after cardiac arrest is often the direct result of active withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy based on the perception that neurological recovery is not possible. This reality highlights the importance of providing accurate estimates of neurological prognosis to decision makers when discussing goals of care. The current standard of care for assessing neurological status in patients with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy emphasizes a multimodal approach that includes five elements: (1) neurological examination off sedation, (2) continuous electroencephalography, (3) serum neuron-specific enolase levels, (4) magnetic resonance brain imaging, and (5) somatosensory-evoked potential testing. Sophisticated decision support systems that can integrate these clinical, imaging, and biomarker and neurophysiologic data and translate it into meaningful projections of neurological outcome are urgently needed.
A Composite Approach for Packaging Interim Analog Electronics

Criteria for a practical approach to miniaturization methods as a composite of existing and new techniques are advanced, and their successful application is demonstrated on hand of a specific example employing a circuit representative of a typical low-frequency analog packaging situation.
The Experimental Behavior of Anisotropic Clay

The mechanical behavior of saturated clay soils has been intensively investigated in the last 25 years within a framework valid only for isotropic materials. It is only relatively recently that researchers have started thinking in terms of determining the mechanical properties of clays taking into account their natural structural and mechanical anisotropy. It is a well established fact that deposition followed by one dimensional consolidation arranges the clay particles and results in bonds such that the material acquires the property of cross anisotropy with the axis of symmetry along the direction of consolidation.
Role of the alpha subunit cytoplasmic domain in regulation of adhesive activity mediated by the integrin VLA-2.

To investigate the role of the alpha subunit cytoplasmic domain in the regulation of VLA-2 functional activity, we expressed several chimeric and deleted forms of the alpha 2 subunit in two different human cell lines, K562 and RD. Each mutant construct formed surface VLA-2 heterodimers as efficiently as wild type alpha 2 subunit, except for a construct (X2CO1127) truncated just before the consensus GFFKR cytoplasmic domain motif, that was not expressed at the cell surface. Truncation of the alpha 2 cytoplasmic domain just after the GFFKR motif resulted in a complete loss of constitutive activity of VLA-2 in RD cells. If the integrin was already constitutively inactive, as in K562 cells, the cytoplasmic domain deletion had no effect. In both K562 and RD cells, cytoplasmic tail deletion eliminated up-regulation of adhesion in response to the phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). In comparison, exchange of the alpha 2 cytoplasmic domain with the alpha 4 or alpha 5 cytoplasmic domains had no effect on constitutive activity (in RD cells), or on constitutive inactivity (in K562 cells) and did not eliminate PMA-stimulated activity (in K562 or RD cells). These results clearly demonstrate that the cytoplasmic domain of an alpha chain (not necessarily from alpha 2 itself) is required to maintain VLA-2 constitutive activity and to allow a responsiveness to PMA stimulation. In cases where VLA-2 was either constitutively inactive (as in K562 cells) or inactive due to cytoplasmic domain deletion (e.g. in RD cells), agents such as Mn2+ or the anti-beta 1 monoclonal antibody TS2/16 caused a marked increase in adhesive function, thus proving that the integrins were not irreversibly inactive, and that cellular regulatory constraints could be bypassed by extracellular stimuli.
Open-loop small-signal transfer functions of the quadratic buck PWM DC-DC converter in CCM

The quadratic buck converter or the BUCK converter presents a non-linear dc-dc voltage conversion ratio. The large-signal model of the quadratic buck converter would possess greater number of higher order nonlinear ac terms compared to that of the conventional buck converter. One can gain better insight by considering the linear model to understand the dynamic characteristics of these converters. This paper presents the small-signal model of the open-loop lossy quadratic buck converter operating in continuous conduction mode (CCM). The dc, averaged, and the low-frequency linear equivalent models are developed using the circuit averaging technique. The small-signal transfer functions such as: control-to-output voltage transfer function (T p ), input-to-output voltage transfer function (M v ), input impedance (Z i ), and the output impedance (Z o ) are derived. A quadratic buck converter with an input voltage of 24 V and an output voltage of 10 V at an output power of 10 W is considered and its equivalent circuit is simulated. The simulation results are provided in order to validate the presented small-signal model.
Subjective memory complaint only relates to verbal episodic memory performance in mild cognitive impairment.

Background A cognitive concern from the patient, informant, or clinician is required for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI); however, the cognitive and neuroanatomical correlates of complaint are poorly understood.
Review of Methods of Statistical Model Estimation

The book Methods of Statistical Model Estimation (MSME) contains seven chapters and focuses on model estimation algorithms for parametric models and R code to carry out the routines. The purpose of...
Frequency of spontaneous intracranial hypotension in the emergency department

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is considered a rare disorder. We conducted a study on the frequency of spontaneous intracranial hypotension in the emergency department (ED). We identified patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension evaluated in the ED of a large urban hospital between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2006. For comparison, we also identified all patients with spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Eleven patients with previously undiagnosed spontaneous intracranial hypotension were evaluated in the ED during the four-year time period. All patients presented with positional headaches and the duration of symptoms varied from one day to three months. None of the patients were correctly diagnosed with spontaneous intracranial hypotension in the ED. During the same time period, 23 patients with aneurysmal SAH were evaluated. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is more common than previously appreciated and the diagnosis in the ED remains problematic.
THE SPLIT PREPUCE IN SITU ONLAY HYPOSPADIAS REPAIR

AbstractPurpose: We describe the surgical technique and report the results of the first 100 patients who underwent a modification of the onlay hypospadias repair, which we refer to as split prepuce in situ onlay repair.Materials and Methods: We treated 100 boys with a mean age of 11 months at surgery who had coronal to mid shaft hypospadias with split prepuce in situ onlay hypospadias repair. The operative technique varies from that of the standard onlay procedure by preserving the whole blood supply of the half of the prepuce used for the island onlay flap, and using its abundant subcutaneous tissue to cover completely the suture lines used to create the neourethra.Results: Only 5 complications required reoperation, including 1 hematoma evacuation and 4 urethrocutaneous fistulas. No patient had meatal stenosis, urethral stricture, meatal retraction or acquired urethral diverticulum necessitating reoperation. A good cosmetic result was obtained in all cases.Conclusions: Split prepuce in situ onlay hypospa...
Quantitation of T-cell receptor frequencies by competitive polymerase chain reaction: dynamics of T-cell clonotype frequencies in an expanding tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte culture.

Summary: The use of T-cell receptor (TCR) genes as markers for antigen-reactive T cells is dependent on the ability of the TCR genes to rapidly identify antigen-reactive T-cell clonotypes in patient samples. We recently reported a competitive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (cRT-PCR) method that can measure the frequency of individual TCRBV subfamilies and clonotypes in mixed lymphocyte populations more accurately than other semiquantitative PCR assays. However, it is impractical to measure changes in the absolute frequency of each TCRBV subfamily to identify those T cells with increasing frequency after antigen stimulation in vivo or in vitro. Therefore, we have modified our cRT-PCR method to more rapidly identify expanding T-cell populations by combining all of the TCRBV subfamily-specific competitors into a single sample to determine the relative abundance of each TCRBV subfamily. Using an expanding TIL 620 culture, we identified four TCRBV (BV2, BV12, BV17, and BV23) subfamilies that expanded over a 23-day period. These subfamilies accounted for 23% of the T cells in the day 35 culture and increased to 57%, 92%, and 80% of the days 44, 51, and 58 cultures respectively. Analysis of DNA sequences demonstrated that the observed expansion was caused primarily by a single clonotype within each subfamily. T cells expressing BV17 and BV23 recognized gp100 and MART-1 respectively. Therefore, this cRT-PCR method can detect expanding T-cell populations based solely on their TCRBV subfamily expression. Furthermore, T-cell expansion in a mixed TIL population was a good predictor of antigen reactivity.
Risk for colorectal neoplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and mucosa indefinite for dysplasia.

BACKGROUND The management of colonic epithelial changes indefinite for dysplasia (IND) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains controversial because of a paucity of published outcome data. METHODS We analyzed data from 93 patients with IBD who were IND and 52 IBD patients without dysplasia (controls) from the Department of Anatomic Pathology database at the Cleveland Clinic from 1989 to 2004. Pathology reports, histologic slides, clinical features, and outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS Twenty-two patients (23.7%) had surgical resections within 6 months of the IND assignment; of these, 6 had dysplasia (27.3%; 1 low-grade dysplasia and 5 high-grade dysplasia [HGD]). The remaining 71 patients received regular colonoscopy examinations for a mean period of 98.6 months; 18 patients developed dysplasia or carcinoma (25.2%; 10 low-grade dysplasia, 5 HGD, and 3 colorectal cancer). There was a mean interval of 53.9 months between an IND assignment and identification of dysplasia or carcinoma. Histology review of 59 cases revealed 3.2 cases per 100 person-years for neoplasia (low-grade dysplasia, HGD, or colorectal cancer) and 1.5 cases per 100 person-years for advanced neoplasia (HGD or colorectal cancer); these values were higher than those for controls (1.9 cases per 100 person-years for neoplasia and 0.7 cases per 100 person-years for advance neoplasia; P = 0.1 and P = 0.2, respectively, for IND versus controls). Patients aged more than 44 years when they were found to be IND were more likely than younger patients to develop neoplasia (hazard ratio, 6.7; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Patients with IBD and IND are at significant risk for colorectal dysplasia and cancer. These patients should be closely followed.
Translational symmetry breaking in the superconducting state of the cuprates: Analysis of the quasiparticle density of states

Motivated by recent scanning tuneling microscopy (STM) experiments on ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{8+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ [J. E. Hoffman et al., Science $295,$ 466 (2002); C. Howald et al., cond-mat/0201546 (unpublished); J. E. Hoffman et al., Science $297,$ 1149 (2002): K. McElroy et al. (unpublished); C. Howald et al., cond-mat/0208442 (unpublished)], we study the effects of weak translational symmetry breaking on the quasiparticle spectrum of a d-wave superconductor. We develop a general formalism to discuss periodic charge order, as well as quasiparticle scattering off localized defects. We argue that the STM experiments in ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{8+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ cannot be explained using a simple charge density wave order parameter, but are consistent with the presence of a periodic modulation in the electron hopping or pairing amplitude. We review the effects of randomness and pinning of the charge order and compare it to the impurity scattering of quasiparticles. We also discuss implications of weak translational symmetry breaking for angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments.
Subspace Interpolation with Applications to Elliptic Regularity

In this paper, we prove new embedding results by means of subspace interpolation theory and apply them to establishing regularity estimates for the biharmonic Dirichlet problem and for the Stokes and the Navier–Stokes systems on polygonal domains. The main result of the paper gives a stability estimate for the biharmonic problem at the threshold index of smoothness. The classic regularity estimates for the biharmonic problem are deduced as a simple corollary of the main result. The subspace interpolation tools and techniques presented in this paper can be applied to establishing sharp regularity estimates for other elliptic boundary value problems on polygonal domains.
Grade Point Averages: How Students Navigate the System

This case exemplifies the unintended divisive cause and effect dynamic that can occur as a direct result of a seemingly innocuous school board policy modification. A change in school board policy at a local school district in Laredo, Texas, was designed to facilitate the fulfillment of a foreign language requirement for high school students. A by-product of this policy was that a “loophole” was created, which ultimately led to a strategic manipulation of the grade point average calculation procedure by a savvy, high-achieving student. This allowed said student to attain a class rank of Valedictorian as opposed to Salutatorian.
A CLOUD-CHAMBER STUDY OF NUCLEAR INTERACTIONS IN LEAD AND ALUMINUM PART I

The results of the cloud-chamber Experiment B described in Part I are used to discuss some properties of the particles produced in nuclear interactions. Evidence is presented showing that the electronic showers produced in nuclear interactions are all photon-initiated. Upper limits on the proportion of directly produced electrons are found to be 20 percent in interactions in aluminum and 41 percent in lead. The possibility that the photons are decay products of neutral $\ensuremath{\pi}$-mesons is strongly indicated, although no definite proof can be given. It is shown that the mean free paths for nuclear interaction of secondary penetrating particles are 172\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}30 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ in lead and 164\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}50 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ in aluminum. Assuming that the penetrating particles consist of equal numbers of $\ensuremath{\pi}$-mesons and protons, one obtains an upper limit of 250 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ for the mean free path for interaction of $\ensuremath{\pi}$-mesons in lead.
Thermotransport of hydrogen and deuterium in vanadium-niobium, vanadium-titanium, and vanadium-chromium alloys

Thermotransport of hydrogen and deuterium in vanadium alloyed with either niobium, titanium, or chromium is much greater than in pure vanadium, and additions of vanadium to niobium similarly increase thermotransport of hydrogen and deuterium over that observed in pure niobium. In all cases, the heat of transport was positive and was significantly greater for deuterium than for hydrogen. The results are consistent with an atomistic model in which the temperature dependence of atomic jump frequencies is the dominant factor in thermotransport with a small bias in the direction of atomic jumps. There is evidence that differences between the heats of transport for hydrogen and deuterium may be related to isotope effects in the activation energies for diffusion.
Vickers hardness of Hg1−xCdxTe epilayers grown by isothermal vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract A novel method for preparing graded compositions of Hg 1− x Cd x Te epilayers is presented. The epilayers are grown by an isothermal vapor phase epitaxial technique, which uses a CdTe substrate and either Te-rich HgTe or HgCdTe as the source. The substrate is positioned vertically to the source allowing a graded composition of HgCdTe epilayer to be deposited. Epilayer thichnesses of 100–200 μm were deposited, with x values ranging from 0.1 to 0.7. Vickers hardness measurements were made over the composition range with hardness values ranging from 33 to 75 kg/mm 2 . These values are similar to hardness values in the literature which were measured on individual bulk specimens. Our method is particularly effective since a single oriented layer of varying composition is measured rather than separately prepared samples of different orientation.
Characterizing the epoxidation process conditions of canola oil for reactor scale-up

Abstract Novel epoxidized vegetable oils are of current interest for a variety of applications in coatings and polymeric materials. Samples are needed at quantities beyond gram scale to test such applications. However, scale-up of this very exothermic reaction requires an increased understanding of actual reaction temperature ( T r ), which may be much higher than the water bath temperature ( T b ). Canola oil (300 g) was epoxidized at three H 2 O 2 addition rates (4.6, 2.3, and 1.2 g min −1 mol −1 unsaturation); at three T b (55, 65, and 75 °C); and at three reaction times (2.5, 4, and 5.5 h). The addition rates were obtained by adding 180 g of H 2 O 2 over 0.5, 1, and 2 h. Maximum Δ T ( T r – T b ) was attained within 30–40 min of reaction time; thereafter, reactor temperatures gradually declined even though H 2 O 2 addition continued. The maximum Δ T (8.7–15.8 °C) increased as the T b and H 2 O 2 addition rate increased; but, no clear trend was observed in the time maximum Δ T values were attained. The Δ T vs time profile was a useful indicator of the extent of epoxidation and can be used as a criteria to stop epoxidation reaction. The greatest source of variation in oxirane content was from T b and reaction time. Therefore, T r must be maintained within the optimal range during the high exothermic periods, if high resin quality and minimal process time is to be achieved during scale-up.
Attempts to Reduce and Eliminate Nuclear Weapons through the Nuclear Non‐Proliferation Treaty and the Creation of Nuclear‐Weapon‐Free Zones

Nuclear weapons remain the most dangerous weapons of mass destruction threatening our lives and planet. To date, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the most comprehensive international agreement aimed at limiting these weapons. In response to some of NPT's shortcomings, a large number of nonnuclear weapon states have joined together to create nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZs). By doing so, they emphatically rejected nuclear weapons on their soil, in their territorial waters, and in their air space. In addition, they ask nuclear weapon states to solemnly promise not to use nuclear weapons against zone members and to do nothing to promote nuclear weapons in their zones. Currently, much of the Southern Hemisphere is covered by NWFZs. An NWFZ has been newly created in Central Asia, and the League of Arab States is considering one in the Middle East.
Strategic planning in higher education

The authors present an overview of strategic planning, examine its history and mystique, and conclude that planning, if properly implemented, can have a powerful impact on advancing and transforming colleges and universities.
A new ventilator designed to meet the present-day needs of mechanical aid to ventilation in the treatment of respiratory failure

A description is presented of an internal ventilator which has the following features: (1) patient-triggering with guaranteed minimum frequency; (2) constant volume or constant ventilation as determined by the physician; (3) continuous, automatic monitoring of expired air tidal volume; (4) optional negative phase when ventilation is maintained at constant levels; (5) control over inspiratory flow rate and air-oxygen ratios. The ventilator has been tested under laboratory conditions and in separate series of short-term and long-term applications, and has been found useful because it provides the responsiveness and flexibility of patient-triggered apparatus, the basic security of constant ventilation or guaranteed minimum ventilation, and an automated system for monitoring ventilation. The rationale for design of a ventilator with these refinements is discussed and relates to the present population of patients requiring mechanical aid to ventilation.
Isotonic solutions. III. Amino acids and sugars.

The commonly used methods of calculating isotonic solutions are based on assumptions which often give erroneous results. The present study deals with the hemolytic method using rabbit blood and human blood. Direct determinations were made of the degree of hemolysis occurring in solutions of various amino acids and sugars as compared with the degree of hemolysis in solutions of sodium chloride.
Enabling dynamic network analysis through visualization in TVNViewer.

Background: Many biological processes are context-dependent or temporally specific. As a result, relationships between molecular constituents evolve across time and environments. While cutting-edge machine learning techniques can recover these networks, exploring and interpreting the rewiring behavior is challenging. Information visualization shines in this type of exploratory analysis, motivating the development ofTVNViewer (http://sailing.cs. cmu.edu/tvnviewer), a visualization tool for dynamic network analysis. Results: In this paper, we demonstrate visualization techniques for dynamic network analysis by using TVNViewer to analyze yeast cell cycle and breast cancer progression datasets. Conclusions: TVNViewer is a powerful new visualization tool for the analysis of biological networks that change across time or space.
The Predictive Value of Three Ecological Models: A Test of the Life-Cycle, Arbitrage, and Composition Models of Neighborhood Change

The degree to which three ecological models can predict the direction of neighborhood change is evaluated in this article. The life-cycle, arbitrage, and composition models commonly are found in the literature on neighborhood change, but each focuses on a different aspect of this process. To date, researchers have evaluated these models individually, but few have compared their predictive ability. This study uses discriminant analysis to evaluate the efficiency of each model in correctly classifying upward and downward succession of tracts, using census tract data from Cincinnati, Ohio. The composition model had the greatest predictive value, closely followed by the life-cycle model, but each identifies different and complementary aspects of the neighborhood change process.
pH Dependence of Photosynthesis and Photorespiration in Soybean Leaf Cells

The effect of pH on the kinetics of photosynthesis, O2 inhibition of photosynthesis, and photorespiration was examined with mesophyll cells isolated from soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) leaves. At constant, subsaturating bicarbonate concentration (0.5 mm), O2 inhibition of photosynthesis increased with increasing pH because high pH shifts the CO2-bicarbonate equilibrium toward bicarbonate, thereby reducing the CO2 concentration. At constant, substrating CO2 concentrations, cell photorespiration decreased with increasing pH. This was indicated by decreases in the CO2 compensation concentration, O2 inhibition of photosynthesis, and glycine synthesis. Km(CO2) values for isolated cell photosynthesis and in vitro ribulose-1, 5-diphosphate carboxylase activity decreased with increasing pH, while the Ki(O2) for both systems was similar at all pH values. The responses to pH of the corresponding kinetic constants of cell photosynthesis and in vitro RuDP carboxylase with respect to CO2 and O2 were identical. This provides additional evidence that the relative rates of photosynthesis and photorespiration in C3 plants are determined by the kinetic properties of RuDP carboxylase.
Production integration of automated SPC/SQC testing and inspection for rate production of Z-architecture focal planes

In a highly automated, high rate, "hands off" production system, in-process inspections can no longer be isolated from the production processes, but must be commingled chronologically and physically within the manufacturing processes and their applicable equipments. This must be accomplished, however, without losing the autonomy and purposes of inspection in the classical sense. This paper will not only show how inspections can be maintained in such an environment of automation, but how processes, yields and sample inspection levels can be enhanced by real time and near-term correlation of process and inspection variables.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Barriers to the provision of genetic services by primary care physicians: a systematic review of the literature.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to report primary care physicians’ perceived barriers concerning the provision of genetic services. Methods: Sixty-eight papers were identified in six electronic databases. Only publications classified as empirical studies (N = 18) were included in this review. Results: Barriers identified most frequently in reviewed studies were inadequate knowledge of basic genetics, lack of detailed or updated family histories, lack of confidence, and lack of referral guidelines. Conclusion: Although many primary care physicians perceive genetics as a low practice priority, they do report a need for educational programs in genetics, informational resources, and referral guidelines.
The interleukin-1-induced increase of substance P in sympathetic ganglia is not mediated by ciliary neurotrophic factor.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) induction of substance P (SP) in cultured sympathetic ganglia requires a soluble intermediate molecule that is present in IL-1 conditioned medium (IL-1CM). One of the required intermediates is leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF; Shadiack et al., J Neurosci 13:2601–2609, 1993). In the present study we have examined the possibility that ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is another intermediate involved in the IL-1 induction of sympathetic SP. CNTF mimics the action of IL-1CM by raising both SP and choline acetyltransferase activity---actions that are blocked by a specific neutralizing antiserum for CNTF. However, IL-1CM and CNTF differ in their response to depolarizing agents: while KCl (40 mM) blocks the action of IL-1CM (and LIF), it enhances the action of CNTF. Furthermore, neither CNTF bioactivity nor CNTF protein is detected in IL-1CM. Neutralizing antiserum to CNTF fails to block the action of either IL-1 or IL-1CM, suggesting that neither a soluble nor a membrane-bound form of the molecule is active in direct response to IL-1 action. While Northern blots confirm the presence of both CNTF and CNTF receptor mRNA in neonatal ganglia, neither culturing nor IL-1 treatment alters these mRNA levels. These data taken together suggest that while CNTF is present and possibly active in sympathetic ganglia, it is not a mediator of the IL-1 induction of SP. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comparison of the retentive properties of six prefabricated post overdenture attachment systems.

Abstract Statement of problem. There are few research studies concerning prefabricated posts overdenture attachment systems using multiple pull cycles. Purpose. This study tested 6 prefabricated post overdenture attachment systems (AccessPost Overdenture, ERA white and ERA grey, Flexi-Overdenture, O-SO and ZAAG) measured to simulate wear over a 2000 pull cycle and compared the in vitro retention, measured (pounds). Material and methods. Records of the pounds of force necessary to separate each system were made at the beginning of testing, at pull 10 and then at every 50th pull until the 2000th pull was attained. All pulls were performed manually with a Shimpo force gauge. Absolute force (AF) and relative force (RF) were compared, AF being the force required at any pull to separate the overdenture device, whereas RF is the force required at the first pull. Results. There was considerable difference of the force required at pull 1 for the ERA white, O-SO and ZAAG anchor systems, then the AccessPost overdenture, and finally the Flexi-Overdenture and ERA grey attachment systems. Conclusion. At pull 2000, there was no statistical difference between any of the attachments studied. The amount of force necessary to offer functional retention to a specific patient wearing an overdenture may vary considerably, depending on the many factors in fabricating the overdenture, and the age, strength, musculature, and the expectations of the patient. (J Prosthet Dent 1999;82:579-84.)
Follow-Up of Children Who Received the Incredible Years Intervention for Oppositional-Defiant Disorder: Maintenance and Prediction of 2-Year Outcome.

This paper presents 2-year follow-up data for a sample of 159, 4- to 7-year-old children with oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) who were randomly assigned to: parent training (PT), parent plus teacher training (PT + TT), child training (CT), child plus teacher training (CT + TT), parent plus child plus teacher training (PT + CT + TT). At the 2-year follow-up, approximately 75% of children were functioning in the normal range according to parent and teacher reports. Twenty-five percent of children were classified as treatment nonresponders at home and/or at school. Teacher training added significantly to long-term school outcomes for children who had pervasive behavior problems. Baseline, post, and 1-year follow-up parenting practices distinguished between home treatment responders and nonresponders (parents of nonresponders were more critical and less positive). For children with baseline pervasive home-school problems, baseline maternal parenting and posttreatment marital discord were associated with poor treatment response at home at the 2-year follow-up. In addition, 80% of pervasive children whose mothers were highly critical immediately posttreatment were classified as school nonresponders at the 2-year follow-up.
Live-Cell Fluorescence Microscopy with Molecular Biosensors: What Are We Really Measuring?

Engineered protein biosensors, such as those based on Forster resonance energy transfer, membrane translocation, or solvatochromic shift, are being used in combination with live-cell fluorescence microscopy to reveal kinetics and spatial localization of intracellular processes as they occur. Progress in the application of this approach has been steady, yet its general suitability for quantitative measurements remains unclear. To address the pitfalls of the biosensor approach in quantitative terms, simple reaction-diffusion models were analyzed. The analysis shows that although high-affinity molecular recognition allows robust detection of the fluorescence readout, either of two detrimental effects is fostered. Binding of an intramolecular biosensor or of a relatively abundant intermolecular biosensor introduces observer effects in which the dynamics of the target molecule under study are significantly perturbed, whereas binding of a sparingly expressed intermolecular biosensor is subject to a saturation effect, where the pool of unbound biosensor is significantly depleted. The analysis explores how these effects are manifest in the kinetics and spatial gradients of the biosensor-target complex. A sobering insight emerges: the observer or saturation effect is always significant; the question is whether or not it can be tolerated or accounted for. The challenge in managing the adverse effects is that specification of the biosensor-target affinity to within a certain order of magnitude is required.
Structural analysis of glycosaminoglycans derived from axonally transported proteoglycans in regenerating goldfish optic nerve.

Structural characteristics of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) derived from axonally transported proteoglycans (PGs) were compared in 21 day regenerating and intact goldfish optic tracts. Twenty one days following unilateral optic nerve crushes, fish received intraocular injections of35SO4. Eight hours post injection, tracts were removed and the35SO4-labeled GAGs, chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS), isolated. The HS from regenerating optic tracts had a DEAE elution profile indicative of decreased charge density, while heparitinase treatment of HS followed by Sephadex G50 analysis of the resulting fragments showed a change in the elution pattern, suggesting reduced overall sulfation. HPLC analysis of HS disaccharides revealed a difference in the sulfation pattern of regenerating tract HS, characterized by the reduced presence of tri-sulfated disaccharides. Other structural features, such as the sizes of CS and HS, and the sulfation of CS, showed no changes during regeneration. These results indicate that changes in the structure of axonally transported HS accompany regeneration of goldfish optic axons.
Financing indigent care: short- and long-term strategies.

HISTORICALLY, most indigent care has been financed in three ways: cost shifts to insured patients, public insurance programs such as Medicaid, and state and local appropriations to public hospitals and other providers. In the past decade, however, cost-containment efforts in the public and private sectors, coupled with increased competition in the health care industry, have disrupted traditional ways for financing indigent care at the very time such care is most needed. Changes in Medicare reimbursement methods and commercial insurance practices have made it extremely difficult for hospitals to subsidize indigent care through cost shifts to other payers. At the same time, the ranks of the uninsured have swelled. Medicaid coverage of the poor has plummeted from 65% to 38%, and to below 25% in many states. 1,2 Within the employed population, in 1985 there were 17 million uninsured workers— 3.1 million more than in 1982. Nearly three fourths of the
New assay using fluorogenic substrates and immunofluorescence staining to measure cysteine cathepsin activity in live cell subpopulations.

Background: Cathepsins are endosomal/lysosomal proteases that play important roles in regulating cell physiological processes in cardiovascular, neurological, musculoskeletal, and immunological systems. Pathophysiological processes are often associated with a change in cathepsin expression and activity, leading to the possibility of using cathepsins as disease markers for diagnosis and prognosis. Methods: We describe a new assay utilizing an argon laser flow cytometer to measure activities of cysteine cathepsins B, L, and S in live cells using cell permeable fluorogenic cresyl violet-conjugated peptides as selective substrates. Substrate concentration dependency and time kinetics studies were performed. The activity assay was combined with immunofluorescence staining to detect cell lineage-specific molecules and assess cathepsin activities in a heterogeneous cell population. Results: Substrate concentrations utilized were not limiting, because MFI significantly increased in a macrophage cell line stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Selective cathepsin inhibitors demonstrated the selectivity of substrate cleavage. Cells fixed and stored before analysis had no loss of fluorescence product. Activities of cathepsins B, L and S in splenic B cells, T cells and macrophages identified by immunofluorescence staining were analyzed. Conclusion: This novel technique determines cathepsin activities on a per cell basis without requiring purification of different cell types from a heterogeneous cell population. © 2007 International Society for Analytical Cytology.
Tension Pneumothorax Complicating Pulmonary Hydatid Disease in Childhood

The case of a 3-year-old girl with bilateral pulmonary hydatid disease presenting as a tension pneumothorax is described. This is a rare but serious complication of hydatid disease in the pediatric age group which may arise as a result of rapid growth of the cyst in the lung and low resistance to its expansion. Prompt relief of the pneumothorax with intercostal drainage is advocated, followed by early surgical removal of any suspected cyst to avoid further complication.
Meteors in the Earth's Atmosphere: Meteoroids and Cosmic Dust and Their Interactions With the Earth's Upper Atmosphere

This good book about very small meteors in the Earth's atmosphere was written mostly by aeronomers who study in situ dust, ionization, lidar interactions with meteor trails and stratified atmospheric layers, and flow chemistry Four of the 13 chapters were written by meteor/meteorite specialists whose wide-ranging contributions include meteor astronomy, classical meteor radar, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), and meteorites and their connection with meteors. Meteors in the Earth's Atmosphere concludes with a look toward the future and a brief glossary and subject index. Other than chapters by R. Hawkes, however, which is on CCD (Charge-coupled device) observations of meteors, and one by F. Rietmeijer on IDPs and meteorites, no one has referenced the recent, very extensive, and excellent review chapter in Space Science Reviews by Ceplecha et al. [1998] that covers almost all aspects of both large and small meteors, including many of the topics in the present book.
Acute stimulation of corpus luteum cells by gonadotrophin or adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate causes accumulation of a phosphoprotein concurrent with acceleration of steroid synthesis.

A protein (ib), which we have detected previously in peptide hormone or cAMP-stimulated corpus luteum cells, is shown to be a phosphoprotein and to be posttranslationally converted into a more acidic phosphoprotein (ia). Phosphorylation is demonstrated by two types of experiments, both using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In the first type, gels from [35S]methionine-labeled solubilized cell extracts are compared to gels from such extracts treated with alkaline phosphatase. This in vitro phosphatase treatment converts protein ib quantitatively into protein pb, which is synthesized in vivo only in unstimulated cells. Similarly, ia is converted into pa, the posttranslational product of pb. The second type of experiment demonstrates 32P label incorporation into proteins with the same electrophoretic mobilities as proteins ib and ia. Limited proteolytic digestion of all four proteins from phosphatase-treated and untreated corpus luteum cells shows that the newly detected acidic products, ia and pa, give ...
Design and Development of a Human Arm Joint Simulator for Evaluation of Active Assistive Devices Control Algorithms

A system capable of simulating the dynamic behavior of a single DOF joint of the human arm was developed. The inertia, stiffness and damping produced by the passive tissue, as well as the muscle torque and its variable stiffness and damping specific to human shoulder, elbow, wrist, and finger joints can be accurately reproduced. The torque created by external loads and by active assistive devices for people with disabilities, can be emulated. This allows the system to be used for safety and performance evaluation of control algorithms implemented in active orthotic, prosthetic, and rehabilitation devices in a safe and highly reproducible environment, before testing on actual human subjects.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Thermal shock of functionally graded thermal barrier coatings with similar thermal resistance

Abstract An experimental study was conducted to develop an understanding of the thermal fracture behavior of plasma-sprayed yttria stabilized zirconia — NiCoCrAlY bond coat alloy compositionally graded thermal barrier coatings (TBC) when subjected to a thermal shock loading. For this purpose, two sets of two coating architectures with similar thermal resistances were studied. The thermal loading was applied using a continuous CO 2 laser. The results showed that for a given thermal resistance, as the compositional gradation was increased, the maximum surface temperature at which horizontal cracks initiated in the TBC increased. Also, the final length of the horizontal cracks for a given maximum surface temperature decreased with increasing compositional gradation. It was concluded that the grading of thermal barrier coatings with similar thermal resistances brings about an increased resistance to interface cracking under thermal shock loading.
Synthesis of high specific activity 125I‐ and 123I‐labelled enantiomers of 2,5‐dimethoxy‐4‐iodophenylisopropylamine (DOI)

The syntheses of high specific activity 125I- and 123I-labelled (R)- and (S)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenylisopropylamine (DOI) are described. Three radiosynthetic routes, two of which involved use of amine protecting groups and one of which utilized the free base, were compared to maximize the radiochemical yields and specific activities of the products. The method which provided the highest yields utilized the free amine with no protecting group in aqueous acidic solvent with chloramine-T oxidant. Final radiochemical yields of ca. 80% were achieved for both 125I and 123I incorporation. The specific activities of the 125I-labelled products averaged 1100 Ci/mmol and the 123I-labelled products were > 20,000 Ci/mmol.