cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Randomized evaluation of trial acceptability by INcentive (RETAIN): Study protocol for two embedded randomized controlled trials.

Abstract Introduction The most common and conceptually sound ethical concerns with financial incentives for research participation are that they may (1) represent undue inducements by blunting peoples' perceptions of research risks, thereby preventing fully informed consent; or (2) represent unjust inducements by encouraging enrollment preferentially among the poor. Neither of these concerns has been shown to manifest in studies testing the effects of incentives on decisions to participate in hypothetical randomized clinical trials (RCTs), but neither has been assessed in real RCTs. Methods and analyses We are conducting randomized trials of real incentives embedded within two parent RCTs. In each of two trials conducted in parallel, we are randomizing 576 participants to one of three incentive groups. Following preliminary determination of patients' eligibility in the parent RCT, we assess patients' research attitudes, demographic characteristics, perceived research risks, time spent reviewing consent documents, ability to distinguish research from patient care, and comprehension of key trial features. These quantitative assessments will be supplemented by semi-structured interviews for a selected group of participants that more deeply explore patients' motivations for trial participation. The trials are each designed to have adequate power to rule out undue and unjust inducement. We are also exploring potential benefits of incentives, including possible increased attention to research risks and cost-effectiveness.
Photoelectron transfer in nanocomposite films, layer by layer self-assembled from polycations and anionic semiconductors

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the results, obtained in the laboratories, on the layer-by-layer self-assembly of ordered nanostructured films, composed of cationic poly(diallylmethylammonium chloride), phosphorus (P), and negatively charged solid particles, onto a variety of substrates. Montmorillonite clay platelets (M), thiol, or sodium hexamethaphosphate-stabilized cadmium sulfide (CdS), lead sulfide (PbS), and polyacrylic acid-stabilized titanium dioxide (TiO2) were employed as anionic particles. The self-assembled films were characterized, by cyclic voltammetry, absorption emission and surface plasmon spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and diffraction measurements. The structures of the nanostructured films were shown to depend markedly on the potential that was applied during self-assembly and on the sequence, in which the clay platelets, the CdS, and the TiO2 particles were layered. Furthermore, photocurrent measurements of composite nanostructured films indicated a marked dependence on the sequence, in which the CdS and the TiO2 particles were layered. Self-assembly of the negatively charged surfactant-stabilized CdS, PbS, and TiO2 nanoparticles onto the positive surface of P was greatly facilitated, by strong electrostatic interactions.
On dangerous ground: Freud’s visual cultures of the unconscious

Objects are curiously absent in Freudian psychoanalysis. Although Freud clearly had a penchant for thinking with and through things, especially aesthetic things—paintings, artefacts, antiquities, d...
Water Management in Unconventional Oil and Gas Development—The Issues and Their Optimization

On considering how to minimize the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing, effectively managing flow back and produced water is critical. The complex chemical profiles seen in flowback water means that sophisticated treatment methodologies are generally needed if the effluent is to be discharged safely. This chapter describes a linear optimization-based framework to assist operators/regulators in designing a cost-effective sustainable water management process that helps reduce the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing operations. The framework provides an analysis of multiple management pathways including dilution, underground injection, desalination, and surface discharge treatments, factoring in economic, environmental, and operational complexities. Based on the model results, we show it is likely that maximizing flowback water reuse and recycling will be the optimal management pathway in most circumstances over the long term.
Assessment of bacterial pathogens on edible macroalgae in coastal waters

In the Northeast USA, the aquaculture of macroalgae is a rapidly growing industry. Within this region, there are no established regulations for farm siting or methods of pathogen detection on macroalgae cultivated or harvested for human consumption. Bacterial pathogens from natural and anthropogenic sources may persist in coastal waters and can potentially contaminate macroalgae. During the winter growing season, sugar kelp Saccharina latissima and adjacent water were sampled from three sites of kelp aquaculture located in adjacent bays of ME, USA. Membrane filtration onto selective media detected Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio alginolyticus in kelp and water samples at all sites, however plate counts were very low. The foodborne pathogens Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium, V. parahaemolyticus, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 were detected on enriched kelp samples from 83%, 78%, and 56% of sampling events, respectively, using molecular methods. Even with low bacterial levels, this frequency of detection confirms the risk of foodborne pathogens present on kelp and recommends the development of best management practices to control microbial growth during kelp harvest and processing. Bacterial plate counts from kelp samples often varied from those of water, indicating the importance of sampling the kelp directly, and that the association between bacterial pathogens on kelp and in the surrounding water should be further investigated. This study provides the first food safety assessment of sea vegetables in this region with the goal of providing data to enable the expansion of its industry.
‘The Future Is Truly in the Past’: The Regressive Nostalgia of Tomorrowland

Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury once referred to a Disney park as a “time machine,” and guests of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom can experience six distinct historical periods in one brisk walk around the park. Future and past intertwine, and the guest draws connections across periods. Utopic promises of the future—particularly racial ones—inform the reading of historical areas, where diverse bodies can now harmoniously share spaces previously reserved only for a few. Less optimistically, however, Disney’s presentation of the future contains countless reverberations of Disney’s presentation of the past. In this chapter, Tom Robson explores the links between Disney’s most nostalgic, backward-looking land, Main Street, USA, and its ostensibly most future-looking land, Tomorrowland. By examining Main Street as the “lobby” of the Magic Kingdom, Robson argues that this area distances tourists from real time and molds them into participatory actors in Disney’s immersive theatre. Further, he argues that Disney’s destruction of linear time encourages a fundamentally conservative view of the future.
Hypoglycemia in Patients Without Diabetes

Hypoglycemia with or without diabetes is associated with increased mortality risk in hospitalized patients. Before proceeding with investigations for hypoglycemia in those without major acute or chronic illness, there must be documentation of a low blood glucose associated with symptoms of hypoglycemia that resolve by restoring normoglycemia (Whipple’s triad). When major illness is present, glucose levels <55 mg/dl merit evaluation. Common causes of hypoglycemia in the hospital include medications, organ system failure, sepsis, endocrinopathies, and non-islet cell tumors. Rarely insulinoma- or non-insulinoma-related hyperinsulinemia may be responsible for hypoglycemia. Laboratory evaluation, performed at the time of hypoglycemia, will help in identifying the cause of hypoglycemia. Treatment of hypoglycemia depends on its etiology. Surgical removal of a solitary insulinoma is often curative. However, some causes of hypoglycemia may be difficult to confirm and eliminate, so symptomatic treatment may be the only option.
Enhanced modulation characteristics in broken symmetric coupled microring lasers

The dynamical behavior of broken symmetric coupled cavity lasers is theoretically investigated. The frequency response of this class of lasers is obtained using small signal analysis under direct modulation. Our model predicts a modulation bandwidth enhancement as a broken symmetric laser, operating in the parity-time (PT) symmetry and non-PT symmetry domains. This theoretical prediction is numerically examined in a laser system based on an InGaAs quantum dot platform. Our results clearly show that in these structures, in addition to the injection current, the gain-loss contrast can be used as a new degree of freedom in order to control the characteristic poles of the frequency response function.
Experimental validation of scintillator detector response to correlated neutrons with MCNP and associated packages

Abstract Time, energy, and angle correlated neutrons are emitted in nuclear fission. New, physics-based fission event generators that capture these correlations have been incorporated into MCNP6.2 because correlations can impact nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards systems response. DRiFT is a detector response code that takes MCNP outputs and reproduces laboratory analogous detector quantities. Previous work has compared DRiFT to single detector experiment data and has discussed recent updates to DRiFT specific to correlated fission experiments. This work shows a validation of recent updates to DRiFT for organic scintillator response in correlated fission neutron experiments using a 252Cf source. Outputs from MCNP with the FREYA fission event generator were post-processed with DRiFT and compared to experiment data. Simulation and experiment results are in reasonably good agreement for multiple correlated neutron quantities.
Determination of total iodine content in edible seaweeds: Application of inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy

Abstract Iodine is an essential element necessary for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, and its deficiency is a common problem worldwide. To avoid iodine insufficiency, the intake of this element must be properly evaluated concerning its adequate intake (AI), which is estimated at 90, 150, and 200 μg per day, for children, adults, and pregnant women, respectively. One of the most abundant resources available for iodine is the consumption of edible seaweeds. In this work, ten species of edible seaweeds: one green (Ulva rigida), five red (Chondracanthus teedei var. lusitanicus, Chondrus crispus, Gracilaria gracilis, Grateloupia turuturu, Osmundea pinnatifida), and four brown species (Bifurcaria bifurcata, Fucus vesiculosus, Saccorhiza polyschides, Undaria pinnatifida), collected from the near-pristine Portuguese seashore, were analyzed for iodine content. The iodine concentration was determined by optimized microwave-assisted extraction in aqua regia (AR), followed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) analysis. The method was validated by using the standard reference material (kelp) obtaining a maximum recovery of 100 ± 15%. The studied species contained a wide range of iodine concentrations, ranging from 33 ± 3 μg g−1 dry weight (dw) (U. rigida), up to 302 ± 26 μg g−1 dw (O. pinnatifida), 352 ± 21 μg g−1 dw (F. vesiculosus) and 391 ± 24 μg g−1 dw (B. bifurcata). The results show that the analyzed seaweeds can serve as a beneficial resource for iodine, however, their consumption must be balanced in a way that does not exceed the adequate estimated iodine intake for population groups.
Assessing Effects of Salinity on the Performance of a Low-Cost Wireless Soil Water Sensor.

Low-cost, accurate soil water sensors combined with wireless communication in an internet of things (IoT) framework can be harnessed to enhance the benefits of precision irrigation. However, the accuracy of low-cost sensors (e.g., based on resistivity or capacitance) can be affected by many factors, including salinity, temperature, and soil structure. Recent developments in wireless sensor networks offer new possibilities for field-scale monitoring of soil water content (SWC) at high spatiotemporal scales, but to install many sensors in the network, the cost of the sensors must be low, and the mechanism of operation needs to be robust, simple, and consume low energy for the technology to be practically relevant. This study evaluated the performance of a resistivity-capacitance-based wireless sensor (Sensoterra BV, 1018LE Amsterdam, Netherlands) under different salinity levels, temperature, and soil types in a laboratory. The sensors were evaluated in glass beads, Oso Flaco sand, Columbia loam, and Yolo clay loam soils. A nonlinear relationship was exhibited between the sensor measured resistance (Ω) and volumetric soil water content (θ). The Ω-θ relationship differed by soil type and was affected by soil solution salinity. The sensor was extremely sensitive at higher water contents with high uncertainty, and insensitive at low soil water content accompanied by low uncertainty. The soil solution salinity effects on the Ω-θ relationship were found to be reduced from sand to sandy loam to clay loam. In clay soils, surface electrical conductivity (ECs) of soil particles had a more dominant effect on sensor performance compared to the effect of solution electrical conductivity (ECw). The effect of temperature on sensor performance was minimal, but sensor-to-sensor variability was substantial. The relationship between bulk electrical conductivity (ECb) and volumetric soil water content was also characterized in this study. The results of this study reveal that if the sensor is properly calibrated, this low-cost wireless soil water sensor has the potential of improving soil water monitoring for precision irrigation and other applications at high spatiotemporal scales, due to the ease of integration into IoT frameworks.
Iluminando la Oscuridad: Queer Latinas Healing in Spanish through Conocimiento.

In this paper, we utilize conocimiento as a method to work towards Coyolxauhqui consciousness, and recorded platicas where we examine our experiences as two Queer Latina, early-career practitioners...
Novel high-power delivery architecture for heterogeneous Integration systems

Moore's law of transistor scaling over the past few decades warrant a paradigm shift in packaging and integration methodologies. Silicon interconnect fabric (Si-IF) technology is a wafer-scale, fine pitch, package less, heterogeneous integration platform that enables high package density by supporting dielet assembly at fine spacing. In Si-IF technology, bare dielets are assembled on a prewired silicon wafer using thermal compression bonding (TCB) at a small inter-dielet spacing ( $\leqslant 100\ \mu \mathrm{m}$ ) using fine pitch die-wafer interconnects ( $\leqslant 10\ \mu \mathrm{m}$ ). This enables Si-IF technology to support high power systems on a wafer. A novel high-power delivery architecture enabling 40–60 kW power delivery to a 300 mm wafer is outlined. Prototype results for power delivery are presented.
Split course palliative radiotherapy for advanced lung cancer with 3D planning based analysis of outcome: a retrospective review

BACKGROUND Durable palliation of advanced lung cancer is a common objective for radiation oncologists. However, there is no consensus on how to deliver the radiation course. Herein we report our experience of using split course radiotherapy and our assessment of outcomes based on planning from three-dimensional (3D) simulation before each treatment course. METHODS All lung cancer patients from 2006-2020 were identified. Of these, 52 patients received a split course treatment of 50-60 Gy in 18-25 fractions intended to provide durable palliation for disease not amenable to curative therapy. Treatment involved 3D planning with repeat computed tomography (CT) simulation prior to the second course. Survival and symptomatic response were analyzed via chart review. We categorized rapid responders versus non-rapid responders from the initial radiation course based on ≥30% gross tumor volume (GTV) reduction at the second CT simulation. We evaluated the impact of response on overall survival and palliative response. RESULTS Among our cohort treated with split course palliative radiotherapy, 33 (63%) had a rapid response to initial treatment. There was no difference in survival between groups [hazard ratio (HR) =1.30, P=0.47]. There was no significant difference in palliative response rates between rapid and non-rapid responders. On multivariable analysis, only female sex (HR =0.26, P<0.01) and receipt of systemic therapy following radiotherapy (HR =0.19, P<0.01) were associated with improved survival. CONCLUSIONS There is currently significant practice pattern variability for palliative lung radiotherapy. Split course palliative radiation of 50-60 Gy in 18-25 fractions represents an option to consider for patients with advanced lung cancer who do not undergo definitive therapy and may benefit from a higher dose regimen. Our retrospective review suggests that rapid tumor response in a split course model does not predict survival or symptomatic response. Prospective studies are needed to further define which lung cancer patients may benefit from higher dose regimens.
Solid phase characterization and transformation of illite mineral with gas-phase ammonia treatment.

Abstract In situ remediation applications of ammonia (NH3) gas have potential for sequestration of subsurface contamination. Ammonia gas injections initially increase the pore water pH leading to mineral dissolution followed by formation of secondary precipitates as the pH is neutralized. However, there is a lack of understanding of fundamental alteration processes due to NH3 treatment. In these batch studies, phyllosilicate minerals (illite and montmorillonite) were exposed to NH3 gas with subsequent aeration to simulate in situ remediation. Following treatments, solids were characterized using a variety of techniques, including X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption-desorption analysis for surface area, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and microscopy methods to investigate physicochemical transformations. Results indicate that, at high pH, the clays are altered as observed by differences in morphology and particle size via microscopy. However, the two clays interact differently with NH3. While montmorillonite interlayers collapsed due to intercalation, illite layers were unaffected as confirmed by FTIR analysis. Further, structural changes in silicate ([SiO4]n-) and aluminol (Al-OH) groups were identified by NMR and FTIR. This research showed that mineral alteration processes occur during and after NH3 gas treatment which may be used to remove radionuclides from the aqueous phase through sorption, co-precipitation, and coating with secondary phyllosilicate alteration products.
Thermoviscoplastic nonlinear constitutive relationships for structural analysis of high temperature metal matrix composites

A set of thermoviscoplastic nonlinear constitutive relationships (1VP-NCR) is presented. The set was developed for application to high temperature metal matrix composites (HT-MMC) and is applicable to thermal and mechanical properties. Formulation of the TVP-NCR is based at the micromechanics level. The TVP-NCR are of simple form and readily integrated into nonlinear composite structural analysis. It is shown that the set of TVP-NCR is computationally effective. The set directly predicts complex materials behavior at all levels of the composite simulation, from the constituent materials, through the several levels of composite mechanics, and up to the global response of complex HT-MMC structural components.
Basic electrical engineering for motor manufacturing

There are many individuals engaged in the manufacture of electric motors that do not possess a formal college based engineering education. These individuals have worked in the industry for many years and have pragmatically gained their skills through experiences they have encountered on the manufacturing floor. This paper has been written to provide this group of individuals with an elementary understanding of the most basic electrical engineering concepts required to facilitate the motor manufacturing process. The paper uses a practical approach to the presentation of electrical engineering concepts rather than a theoretical approach. These individuals should be able to utilize these concepts to better perform their daily duties.
Neurochemical anatomy of the zebrafish retina as determined by immunocytochemistry.

The zebrafish retina is rapidly becoming a major preparation for the study of molecular genetic mechanisms underlying neural development and visual behavior. Studies utilizing retinal mutants would benefit by the availability of a data base on the distribution of neurotransmitter systems in the wild-type fish. To this end, the neurochemical anatomy of the zebrafish retina was surveyed by light microscopic immunocytochemistry. An extensive series of 60 separate antibodies were used to describe the distribution of major transmitter systems and a variety of neuron-associated membrane channels and proteins. These include markers (i.e., antibodies against enzymes, receptors, transporters) for transmitters: GABA, glycine, glutamate, biogenic amines, acetylcholine, cannabinoids and neuropeptides; as well as a sample of voltage-gated channels and synapse associated membrane proteins. Discussion of the comparative localization of these antibodies is restricted to other teleost fishes, particularly goldfish. Overall, there was great similarity in the distribution of the various markers, as might be expected. However, there were some notable differences, including several antibodies that did not label zebrafish at all, even though goldfish retinas that were processed in parallel, labeled beautifully. This survey is extensive, but not exhaustive, and hopefully will serve as a valuable resource for future studies of the zebrafish retina.
Comparison of methods of estimating creatinine clearance in children

The accuracy of seven previously available and two new methods of estimating creatinine clearance (Clcr) from serum creatinine (Scr) and other patient variables was studied in pediatric patients. The medical records of 122 patients, aged 1--18 years, who had one or more 24-hour urine creatinines determined were reviewed; 158 determinations were studied. Equations for estimating Clcr based on patients' Scr, age, height, total body mass (TBM), adjusted body mass (ABM), and body surface area (and derivatives of these variables) were analyzed by correlation and regression analysis. Of the two derived equations, the one based on height and Scr was the simplest and most accurate; a nomogram for this equation is presented. The correlation coefficient for this derived equation (r = 0.802) was equivalent to that found for the best of the seven published methods (Method 7, based on Scr and height). Substitution of ABM for TBM in the published methods reduced the mean differences between predicted and measured Clcr. The derived equation based on Scr and height appears to be clinically useful in predicting Clcr in children but further study is required to ascertain whether it is generally more accurate than Method 7.
Using PhonBank and Phon in studies of phonological development and disorders

The goal of this paper is to present an overview of new tools that can be used to further our understanding of phonological development and disorders. We begin with a summary of the field of child phonology with a focus on databases and methods of analysis and then move to a description of PhonBank, a shared database for the study of phonology, and Phon, a specialised software system capable of performing various types of phonological analyses based on both phonetic transcriptions and acoustic analyses of speech productions. We provide a detailed example of using PhonBank and Phon to examine the use of velar fronting using longitudinal data from one child with typical development and three children with phonological disorder. We conclude with an emphasis on data sharing and its central relevance to further advances in our field.
Controlled Delivery of Basal Level of insulin From Chitosan–Zinc–Insulin-Complex-Loaded Thermosensitive Copolymer

Present study was aimed at developing a delivery system for controlled release of insulin, based on chitosan-zinc-insulin complex incorporated into poly(lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) (4500 Da) thermosensitive polymer. In vitro release of insulin from the delivery system was studied in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4). The effect of zinc and chitosan on the stability of insulin in the delivery systems during release and storage at 4°C and 37°C was investigated. Circular dichroism, calorimetry, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), high-performance liquid chromatography, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used to determine the stability of insulin released and extracted from the gel. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the initial burst was observed from the formulation containing chitosan-zinc-insulin complex, compared with all other formulations. The formulations containing chitosan-zinc-insulin complex showed a long-term controlled release (∼ 84 days) of insulin. Insulin released and extracted from the gel was conformationally and structurally stable. Bands at 12 kDa were observed in native PAGE, but sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE indicated noncovalent nature of insulin aggregates. Thus, the chitosan-zinc-insulin complex significantly reduced the initial burst release and prolonged the release of insulin. It also improved the stability of insulin in the delivery system and protected insulin from aggregation during the entire release period and storage.
Harnessing nature to help people adapt to climate change

2. From sea-level rise to heightened hurricane activity, longer and more frequent droughts and floods, and acidification of the world’s oceans, lives and livelihoods will be increasingly challenged 3 . Communities that faced the surging waters of the Indus River in Pakistan or the extraordinary heatwave in western Russia in 2011 have probably seen the face of an increasingly common future. The December 2011 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) seventeenth Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Durban, South Africa saw decision-makers from 194 countries progress with plans to finance global adaptation efforts through the so-called Green Climate Fund, first articulated at COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. The Durban talks resolved key issues related to the fund’s design, readying its coffers to receive the US$100 billion per annum that developed nations have committed to leveraging by 2020 to help developing nations mitigate and adapt to climate change. These prospective funding flows, in com bination with rapidly rising levels of multilateral (for example, the World Bank’s Pilot Program on Climate Resilience), bilateral (for example, Germany’s International Climate Initiative) and national adaptation finance, mean that adaptation efforts are poised to receive unprecedented funding in a bid to meet estimates of global adaptation need, ranging from US$49 billion to US$171 billion per year 4
Overlapping Resonances in Three-Particle Final States: Comments and Corrections

This note contains comments on some of the conclusions drawn in a paper by Chen-Cheung and Sommerfield. It is shown that when calculating total cross sections, resonances can be treated as particles in final states containing overlapping resonances. Other corrections to that paper are included which are mostly of a typographical nature.
Characterization of Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Paxillin in Vitro by Focal Adhesion Kinase

The concomitant tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion protein, paxillin, and the tyrosine kinase, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), in response to multiple stimuli including integrin-mediated cell adhesion suggests that paxillin phosphorylation is closely coupled to FAK activity. In the present study, we have identified a specific tyrosine residue within paxillin, tyrosine 118 (Tyr-118), that represents the principle site of phosphorylation by FAK in vitro. The identification of this site as a target for FAK phosphorylation was accomplished by immunoprecipitating FAK and performing in vitro kinase assays, using as substrate either glutathione S-transferase (GST)-paxillin fusion proteins containing truncations in paxillin sequence or fusion proteins with phenylalanine substitutions for tyrosine residues. GST-paxillin containing a phenylalanine substitution at Tyr-118 (Y118F) was not phosphorylated by FAK immunoprecipitates; however, this mutant was shown to bind FAK equally as well as the wild type fusion protein. As a first step toward assessing the function of paxillin phosphorylation on Tyr-118, a Y118F paxillin cDNA construct was transiently transfected into NIH 3T3 cells. Similar to wild type paxillin, mutated paxillin localized to focal adhesions, indicating that the phosphorylation of paxillin on Tyr-118 is not essential for the recruitment of paxillin to sites of cell adhesion.
Necrosis of follicular cells and discharge of thyroidal iodine induced by administering iodide to iodine-deficient dogs.

The administration of large doses of stable iodide to dogs with natural or experimentally-induced iodine deficiency causes the discharge of prelabeled organic and inorganic iodine from the thyroid. The discharge of thyroidal iodine is manifested by significant elevations in PB131I and serum non-precipitable 131I levels within 12–14 hr after an oral iodide load and by pronounced depletion of stainable colloid in histologic sections of the gland. In some dogs the discharge is preceded or accompanied by necrosis of the epithelium in larger follicles which have vacuolated colloid. The necrosis is evident by as early as 5½ hr after oral administration of 0.5 mg I–/kg or more but is prevented by as little as 0.05 mg I–/kg given 24 hr before the load. Neither C1O4– nor SCN– produce the necrosis in susceptible dogs when given in doses of 2.5 mg/kg. Susceptibility to the cytotoxic effect of excess iodide appears to be related to certain kinetic characteristics of the iodine-deficient gland.
Electrically induced conformational change of peptides on metallic nanosurfaces.

Surface immobilized biomolecular probes are used in many areas of biomedical research, such as genomics, proteomics, immunology, and pathology. Although the structural conformations of small DNA and peptide molecules in free solution are well studied both theoretically and experimentally, the conformation of small biomolecules bound on surfaces, especially under the influence of external electric fields, is poorly understood. Using a combination of molecular dynamics simulation and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, we study the external electric field-induced conformational change of dodecapeptide probes tethered to a nanostructured metallic surface. Surface-tethered peptides with and without phosphorylated tyrosine residues are compared to show that peptide conformational change under electric field is sensitive to biochemical modification. Our study proposes a highly sensitive in vitro nanoscale electro-optical detection and manipulation method for biomolecule conformation and charge at bio–nano inte...
The effect of androgen on spermatogenesis.

introduction1 The inhibiting effects of the male sex hormone on testis weight and spermatogenesis in the rat have been reported by numerous workers using wide ranges of doses of androgens in various ages of animals. The trend of the results, however, shows an apparently anomalous situation in that small doses of androgen (0.1 to 1.0 mg. per day) caused greater injury than large doses (2.0 to 10.0 mg. per day) (Moore and Price, 1937, 1938; Selye and Friedman, 1941; Zahler, 1944; and numerous other references listed in the bibliographies of these papers). Administration of estrogenic substances to rats likewise produced a severe suppression of testicular function which could be prevented if androgens were injected simultaneously (Selye and Friedman, 1941; Gaarenstroom and deJongh, 1946). The secretion of the gonadotrophins by the pituitary is apparently regulated by the circulating sex hormones,
Inhibition of endothelium-derived relaxing factor enhances myocardial stunning in conscious dogs.

BACKGROUND Impaired endothelial-dependent vascular responses after coronary artery occlusion (CAO) and reperfusion (CAR) have been investigated extensively. However, it is not known whether impaired endogenous endothelium-derived relaxing factor production affects postischemic myocardial dysfunction, ie, myocardial stunning. METHODS AND RESULTS Eight dogs were instrumented with an intracoronary catheter and an hydraulic occluder on the left circumflex coronary artery. The effects of a 10-minute CAO randomized with and without intracoronary administration of NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), a nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibitor, were compared in the same conscious dogs. Postischemic regional contractile dysfunction in subendocardial and subepicardial as well as transmural wall thickening was measured with ultrasonic dimension crystals, and myocardial blood flow was measured with radioactive microspheres. Intracoronary infusion of L-NA did not affect systemic hemodynamics, and transmural myocardial blood flow was reduced slightly (-8%), but significantly, only in the left circumflex territory. The recovery of wall thickening was significantly delayed in the presence of L-NA compared with the absence of L-NA, eg, at 30-minute CAR, not only in the subendocardium (-76 +/- 9% versus -49 +/- 9%) but also in the subepicardium (-52 +/- 8% versus -29 +/- 7%). During CAO, blood flow was decreased identically in both conditions, and during CAR, the differences in blood flow were minor (7%). CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of NO synthesis enhanced myocardial stunning transmurally in conscious dogs, potentially independent of its effects on blood flow.
A novel technique for the determination of high frequency equibiaxial stress‐deformation behavior of viscoelastic elastomers

Description de la technique. Resultats pour des materiaux biologiques a base d'urethanne (Avcothane 51 et Biomer)
Retroversion of the Epiglottis as a Complication of Endotracheal Intubation in the Horse A Pilot Study

As part of a study of possible causes of postoperative pulmonary complications of general anesthesia in the horse, lateral cervical radiographs were taken after endotracheal intubation in nine randomly selected horses. The epiglottis was found to be retroverted in three. Subsequently, the effects of epiglottic retroversion during anesthesia on postoperative laryngeal function were investigated experimentally in three horses by fluoroscopy. No untoward sequelae were observed. Prophylaxis and potential adverse effects of this previously unreported complication of endotracheal intubation in the horse are discussed.
Diffusion and the dynamics of displacive phase transitions in cryolite (Na 3 AlF 6 ) and chiolite (Na 5 Al 3 F 14 ): Multi-nuclear NMR studies

Cryolite is a mixed-cation perovskite (Na2(NaAl)F6) which undergoes a monoclinic to orthorhombic displacive phase transition at ∼550° C. Chiolite (Na5Al3F14) is associated with cryolite in natural deposits, and consists of sheets of corner sharing [AlF6] octahedra interlayered with edge-sharing [NaF6] octahedra. Multi-nuclear NMR line shape and relaxation time (T1) studies were performed on cryolite and chiolite in order to gain a better understanding of the atomic motions associated with the phase transition in cryolite, and Na diffusion in cryolite and chiolite. 27Al, 23Na, and 19F static NMR spectra and T1's in cryolite suggest that oscillatory motions of the [AlF6] octahedra among four micro-twin and anti-phase domains in α-cryolite begin at least 150° C below the transition temperature and persist above it. Variable temperature 23Na MAS NMR further indicates diffusional exchange at a rate of at least 13 kHz between the Na sites by the time the transition temperature is reached. 27Al and 23Na T1's show the same behavior with increasing temperature, indicating the same relaxation mechanisms are responsible for both. The first order nature of the cryolite transition is apparent as a jump in the 23Na and 27Al T1's. Above the transition temperature, the T1's decrease slightly indicating that the motions responsible for the drop in T1, are still present above the transition, further supporting the dynamic nature of the high temperature phase of cryolite. Chiolite 23Na static spectra decrease in linewidth with increasing temperature, indicating increased Na diffusion, which is interpreted as occurring within the [NaF6] sheets in the chiolite structure, but not between the two different Na sites. 27Al and 23Na T1's show similar behavior as in cryolite, but there is no discontinuity due to a phase transition. 19F T1's are constant from room temperature to 150° C indicating no oscillatory motion of the [AlF6] octahedra in chiolite.
Exploring the Scope for Scale-Up of Organic Chemistry Using a Large Batch Microwave Reactor

A new batch microwave reactor has been evaluated in the context of palladium-mediated transformations, condensation reactions, nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions, and alkylations. Importantly, a linear scaling approach was taken, no changes being made to the protocol when moving from the small, developmental scale to larger scales. In some cases reactions were scaled over 18,000-fold when moving from small (0.1−1 mmol) to large (1−18 mol) runs.
Identification and analysis of student conceptions used to solve chemical equilibrium problems

This study identified and quantified chemistry conceptions students use when solving chemical equilibrium problems requiring application of Le Chatelier's principle, and explored the feasibility of designing a paper and pencil test to accomplish these purposes. A 10-item pencil and paper, two-tier diagnostic instrument, the Test to Identify Student Conceptualizations (TISC), was developed and administered to 95 second-semester university general chemistry students after they received regular course instruction concerning equilibrium in homogeneous aqueous, heterogeneous aqueous, and homogeneous gaseous systems. To validate TISC, nine students from a stratified random sample were selected for interviews incorporating comparable chemistry problems. The probability that TISC correctly identified an answer given by a student in the interview was p = .64, whereas the probability that TISC correctly identified a reason given by a student in the interview was p = .49. Eleven prevalent incorrect student conceptions about chemical equilibrium were identified by TISC. Students consistently selected correct answers more frequently (53% of the time) than they provided correct reasons (33% of the time). The level of association between student answers and their respective reasons on each TISC item was quantified using conditional probabilities calculated from logistic regression coefficients. The Kuder-Richardson 20 reliability for TISC was .79. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 160–176, 2000
Lens-specific antigens and cytodifferentiation in the developing lens†

Polycrylamide gel electrophoresis of chicken lens proteins showed 17 crystallins, divided over three groups. Within each group physicochemical heterogeneity was combined with (partial) immunological homogeneity. It is assumed that more than one gene is involved in the synthesis of any crystallin species. During development of the chicken embryo, α-crystallin was first demonstrated by immunofluorescence in centrally located lens fibers at 3 days. At 8 days the epithelium became positive and the fibers lost some fluorescence. This continued until in 5-week-old chickens the lens core was negative. Lens placode cells showed immunofluorescence for δ-crystallin at 52 hours, mainly in their basal parts. The reaction gradually spread and at 3 days the entire lens was positive. From 8 days on the epithelium reacted progressively weaker, but the fibers remained positive. Five weeks after hatching, epithelium and cortex were negative, while the center still showed strong fluorescence. The behavior of β-crystallin was intermediate between that of the other two. Immunoelectrophoresis suggested a differential production onset for the components of each single crystallin type. Under normal conditions no crystallins were found outside the lens. Therefore, crystallin synthesis occurs after placode formation has taken place and must be restricted to the lens itself. Autoradiography after 3H-thymidine treatment indicated that all placode cells still replicate, though some already produce crystallins. A generation time of 8 to 10 hours was determined with an M phase of 30 minutes, an S phase of 6 hours, and a G2 of 2 ½ hours. During DNA synthesis the nuclei were located in the basal parts of the cells, and for mitosis they migrated to the lumen. Autoradiography after 3H-glucosamine application suggested that the placode cells take active part in the synthesis of the basement membrane interposed between lens rudiment and optic cup. This membrane later becomes the lens capsule, and in mice with the “shrivelled” gene, abnormal masses of anterior epithelial cells also clearly produce extra capsule material. This results in anterior polar cataracts. Several of the above findings are in disagreement with some of the current theories on the regulation of lens differentiation. No substitutes are presently offered, however.
In Memoriam: Hans Joachim Liebe

Hans Joachim Liebe, an internationally recognized expert in radiowave physics, and developer of the widely-used Millimeter-wave Propagation Model (MPM), passed away peacefully on August 2, 2012, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. He was the son of Margarete and Fritz Liebe, and was born in Insterburg, East Prussia, Germany, on January 21, 1934. He married Roswita Borgwardt in 1963, and they were married 49 years. In 1964, he graduated magna cum laude from the Technical University of Berlin, where he earned the PhD in Electrical Engineering. In 1965, he moved from Germany to the United States with his family.
Integrable systems and isomonodromy deformations

Abstract We analyze in detail three classes of isomondromy deformation problems associated with integrable systems. The first two are related to the scaling invariance of the n × n AKNS hierarchies and the Gel'fand-Dikii hierarchies. The third arises in string theory as the representation of the Heisenberg group by [(L k n ) + , L] = I where L is an nth order scalar differential operator. The monodromy data is constructed in each case; the inverse monodromy problem is solved as a Riemann-Hilbert problem; and a simple proof of the Painleve property is given for the general case.
Security for control systems under sensor and actuator attacks

We consider the problem of estimation and control of a linear system when some of the sensors or actuators are attacked by a malicious agent. In our previous work [1] we studied systems with no control inputs and we formulated the estimation problem as a dynamic error correction problem with sparse attack vectors. In this paper we extend our study and look at the role of inputs and control. We first show that it is possible to increase the resilience of the system to attacks by changing the dynamics of the system using state-feedback while having (almost) total freedom in placing the new poles of the system. We then look at the problem of stabilizing a plant using output-feedback despite attacks on sensors, and we show that a principle of separation of estimation and control holds. Finally we look at the effect of attacks on actuators in addition to attacks on sensors: we characterize the resilience of the system with respect to actuator and sensor attacks and we formulate an efficient optimization-based decoder to estimate the state of the system despite attacks on actuators and sensors.
Extracellular superoxide production by Enterococcus faecalis promotes chromosomal instability in mammalian cells.

Background & Aims: We investigated whether Enterococcus faecalis, a Gram-positive intestinal commensal that produces extracellular superoxide, could promote chromosomal instability (CIN) in mammalian cells. Methods: We measured the ability of E faecalis to promote CIN using hybrid hamster cells (ALN) containing human chromosome 11. Results: E faecalis promoted CIN in ALN cells with average mutant fractions per 105 survivors (±SD) of 72.3 ± 6.7 at 1 × 109 cfu mL−1 compared with 22.2° ± 4.5 for the no bacteria control. γ-Irradiation at 2 Gray similarly resulted in 74.7 ± 5.7 mutant clones per 105 survivors. Deletions in chromosome 11 consistent with CIN were verified in 80% of mutant clones. E faecalis-treated ALN cells were protected from CIN by superoxide dismutase, γ-tocopherol, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. In a dual-chamber tissue culture model designed to mimic stromal-epithelial cell interactions, macrophages pretreated with E faecalis grown on permeable supports increased mutant fractions 2.5-fold for ALN cells. COX-2 was up-regulated by superoxide from E faecalis and mutant fractions decreased when COX-2 was silenced using short interfering RNA. Escherichia coli, a Gram-negative commensal that produces negligible extracellular superoxide, only modestly promoted CIN in this model. Conclusions: These findings indicate that macrophage COX-2 is induced by superoxide from E faecalis and promotes CIN in mammalian cells through diffusible factors. This mechanism links the oxidative physiology of E faecalis to propagation of genomic instability through a bystander effect, and offers a novel theory for the role of commensal bacteria in the etiology of sporadic colorectal cancer.
The Witten index at finite temperature

Abstract It is shown that the Witten index for a supersymmetric theory always vanishes at finite temperature and the thermal vacuum has nonvanishing energy supporting the earlier conclusion of Das and Kaku that supersymmetry is spontaneously broken at finite temperature. In a simple supersymmetric model it is shown that the supersymmetry charges fail to annihilate the thermal vacuum and the goldstino states are constructed explicitly.
Design of a selenylsulfide-bridged EGFR dimerization arm mimic

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) dimerization arm is a key feature that stabilizes dimerization of the extracellular receptor, thereby mediating activation of the tyrosine kinase domain. Peptides mimicking this β-loop feature can disrupt dimer formation and kinase activation, yet these peptides lack structural constraints or contain redox sensitive disulfide bonds which may limit their stability in physiological environments. Selenylsulfide bonds are a promising alternative to disulfide bonds as they maintain much of the same structural and chemical behavior, yet they are inherently less prone to reduction. Herein, we describe the synthesis, stability and activity of selenylsulfide-bridged dimerization arm mimics. The synthesis was accomplished using an Fmoc-based strategy along with C-terminal labeling for improved overall yield. This selenylsulfide-bridged peptide displayed both proteolytic stability and structural stability even under reducing conditions, demonstrating the potential application of the selenylsulfide bond to generate redox stable β-loop peptides for disruption of protein-protein interactions.
A SECOND LOOK AT ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE ON DICHOTOMOUS DATA

The work of Lunney (1970) concerning the appropriateness of analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques on dichotomous data is discussed and extended. Relations between standard statistical techniques for analyzing dichotomous data and ANOVA procedures are indicated. The need for usefulness of analyzing transformed data as opposed to direct analysis of dichotomous data are discussed. Required statistical procedures employing transformed data are outlined.