cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rotameric transformations in the photochemistry of TpM(CO)2(η3-C3H4R), where Tp = tris(pyrazolyl)borate, M = Mo or W, and R = H or Me

Low energy photolysis of TpM(CO)2(η3-C3H4R), where Tp = tris(pyrazolyl)borate, M = Mo or W, and R = 2-H or 2-Me in PVC matrices at 85 K results in exo/gauche isomerism of the allyl ligand. This transformation comes in contrast to the behaviour observed in cyclopentadienyl analogues which undergo exo/endo isomerism. DFT computations reveal an η3 → η1* → η3 mechanism for the allyl rotameric interconversion where the η1*-allyl intermediate is generated upon MLCT excitation.
Role of selectins in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

During reperfusion of ischemic myocardium, there is a well-orchestrated interplay between the coronary vascular endothelium and the circulating neutrophils. This interplay involves the initial slowing or "rolling" of neutrophils along the endothelium during the early moments of reperfusion, followed by firm attachment and amplification of the neutrophil response, and culminating with the diapedesis of neutrophils into the myocardial parenchyma where neutrophil-myocyte interaction contributes to the necrotic process. The selectins are glycoproteins that play a key role in the early phases of neutrophil adherence and activation. There are three members of the selectin family: P-selectin on endothelial cells and platelets, L-selectin on neutrophils, and E-selectin on endothelium. Monoclonal antibodies directed specifically toward these selectins and their associated ligands (eg, Sialyl Lewisx) not only substantiate their role in the dynamic process of neutrophil-mediated reperfusion injury but also offer a unique therapeutic opportunity to interfere with this cascade of inflammatory events.
Theraputic anticoagulation in the trauma patient: Is it safe?

Purpose Trauma patients who require therapeutic anticoagulation pose a difficult treatment problem. The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) the incidence of complications using therapeutic anticoagulation in trauma patients, and (2) if any patient factors are associated with these complications. Methods An 18-month retrospective review was performed on trauma patients ≥ 15 years old who received therapeutic anticoagulation using unfractionated heparin (UH) and/or fractionated heparin (FH). Forty different pre-treatment and treatment patient characteristics were recorded. Complications of anticoagulation were documented and defined as any unanticipated discontinuation of the anticoagulant for bleeding or other adverse events. Results One-hundred-fourteen trauma patients were initiated on therapeutic anticoagulation. The most common indication for anticoagulation was deep venous thrombosis (46%). Twenty-four patients (21%) had at least 1 anticoagulation complication. The most common complication was a sudden drop in hemoglobin concentration requiring blood transfusion (11 patients). Five patients died (4%), 3 of whom had significant hemorrhage attributed to anticoagulation. Bivariate followed by logistic regression analysis identified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 9.2, 95%CI = 1.5–54.7), UH use (OR = 3.8, 95%CI = 1.1–13.0), and lower initial platelet count (OR = 1.004, 95%CI = 1.000–1.008) as being associated with complications. Patients receiving UH vs. FH differed in several characteristics including laboratory values and anticoagulation indications. Conclusion Trauma patients have a significant complication rate related to anticoagulation therapy, and predicting which patients will develop a complication remains unclear. Prospective studies are needed to determine which treatment regimen, if any, is appropriate to safely anticoagulate this high risk population.
Outreach and peer-delivered mental health services in New York City following September 11, 2001.

OBJECTIVE: Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded Project Liberty, an umbrella program operating from multiple sites throughout New York City to provide free crisis counseling and other assistance. One particular Project Liberty site provided peer support services for individuals with pre-existing psychiatric disabilities. This article reports on the outreach efforts undertaken by Project Liberty's Peer Initiative. METHODS: As part of a broader qualitative study, face to face interviews were conducted with Project Liberty Peer Initiative staff and service recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Outreach was found to be a key strategy used to identify and connect with psychiatrically disabled individuals in need after disasters. Implications for the use of similar outreach strategies in future disaster planning and service delivery are described. Language: en
Rydberg states of acetylene clusters (C2H2)2 and (C2H2)3 resolved by two-photon resonant ionization spectroscopy

Abstract The Rydberg states of the acetylene clusters (C 2 H 2 ) 2 and (C 2 H 2 ) 3 have been resolved by the technique of two-photon resonant ionization spectroscopy in the energy region of the monomer gerade Rydberg states. The stability of these cluster Rydberg states has been found to be vibrational mode dependent. The geometry of the clusters, and the mechanism of the dissociative ionization have been discussed.
A Sociotechnical Systems Model of Organizational Complexity and Design and its Relation to Employee Cognitive Complexity

The Sociotechnical model of organizational complexity is described, including its implications for organizational design, based on the Macroergonomic Analysis of Structure method. The nature of cognitive complexity and the relationship of employee complexity to organizational complexity are summarized, including stratified systems theory and empirical examples from the author's consulting and research.
Spectral characteristics of high-power 1.5 mu m broad-band superluminescent fiber sources

The spectral variation of spontaneous emission from erbium-doped single-mode fibers is studied with the aim of producing high-power (more than 5 mW), broadband (in excess of 10 nm) amplified spontaneous emission sources for fiber gyroscope applications. In particular, the evolution of spectral shape and center wavelength with fiber length and output power in the previously unstudied high-power regime where saturation effects dominate is demonstrated. A visibility curve for a potential twin-peaked nonresonant erbium-doped fiber gyroscope source with a short (210 mu m) coherence length is also presented. >
Development and implementation results of an interactive computerized surgical checklist for robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery

To address surgical complications, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Safe Surgery Saves Lives Checklist. With the foundation of the WHO's checklist, a robotic-specific checklist (RORCC) was developed using standardized content and face validity methods. The RORCC was implemented in a high volume gynecological (GYN) specialty group using minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery. Data were abstracted from patients undergoing GYN procedures from four GYN surgeons at an urban, community hospital during November 16, 2010 to May 15, 2011 (pre-RORCC) n = 89 and from the period May 16, 2011 to November 16 2011 (post-RORCC) n = 121. Thirty-day readmissions pre-checklist and post-checklist were 12 and 5, respectively, which is a significant (p = 0.02) reduction. The duration of surgery was not significantly affected (p = 0.40) with pre-RORCC surgery time at 110.1 (35.7) min versus post-RORCC surgery time at 112.9 (37.4) min. This study demonstrated the feasibility of integrating an electronic, interactive, and robotic-specific checklist for gynecologic robotic-assisted surgery which resulted in a significant reduction in readmissions at the 30-day without significantly impacting operating room times.
Simulation of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate at the Water−Vapor and Water−Carbon Tetrachloride Interfaces at Low Surface Coverage

To study the effect of the interface on the properties of an anionic surfactant molecule, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), we performed two molecular dynamics computer simulations. In one simulation, the behavior of SDS at the water−vapor interface was examined. In parallel, we performed a simulation with the molecule embedded at the water−CCl4 interface. A substantial difference in the configurational properties of the amphiphile was observed. At the water−vapor interface, the solute in its most probable configuration was bent, giving rise to two domains within the molecule: the first, containing the head group and several methyl groups, was solvated in water; the second, containing the rest of the molecule, lay down on the water surface. In contrast to these results, the molecule at the water−CCl4 interface was straight on average, with a inclination of approximately 40° from the surface normal.
Local Structure in Amorphous Phases of Piroxicam from Powder X-ray Diffractometry

The local structures of amorphous phases of piroxicam were studied to explain differences in their recrystallization behavior, which we reported earlier (Sheth, A. R.; Bates, S.; Muller, F. X.; Grant, D. J. W. Polymorphism in piroxicam. Cryst. Growth Des., in press). The differences between the structures of form I (PI) at 25 and at 160 °C are consistent with anisotropic thermal expansion (αx = 2.85 × 10-5 K-1, αy = 1.96 × 10-5 K-1, αz = 5.26 × 10-6 K-1, volume thermal expansivity of the unit cell = 4.92 × 10-5 K-1, increase in unit cell volume = 2.01%). Cryogenic grinding was employed to produce the respective amorphous forms, PAI from PI and PAII from PII. Pairwise distribution function (PDF) transforms were utilized to compare atom to atom correlations in PAI and PAII and to understand differences in their recrystallization behavior on the basis of their local structure. PDF transforms showed that PAI and PAII are types of amorphous material, which may be termed random ordered network (RON) amorphous. ...
Lateralized Response Timing Deficits in Autism

Background Procedural learning is an implicit process in which a behavioral response is refined through repeated performance. Neural systems supporting this cognitive process include specific frontostriatal systems responsible for the preparation and timing of planned motor responses. Evaluating performance on procedural learning tasks can provide unique information about neurodevelopmental disorders in which frontostriatal disturbances have been reported, such as autism. Methods Fifty-two individuals with autism and 54 age-, IQ-, and gender-matched healthy individuals performed an oculomotor serial reaction time task and a sensorimotor control task. Results Whereas the rate of procedural learning and the precision of planned motor responses were unimpaired in autism, a lateralized alteration in the ability to time predictive responses was observed. Rightward saccadic responses were speeded in individuals with autism relative to healthy control subjects. Conclusions Speeded rightward predictive saccades suggest atypical functioning of left hemisphere striatal chronometric systems in autism.
Direct 120 V, 60 Hz operation of an organic light emitting device

We report on lighting panels based on ruthenium(II) tris-bipyridine complexes that can be sourced directly from a standard US outlet. With the aid of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, the conductivity of the light emitting layer was enhanced to achieve device operation at a 60Hz frequency. Lighting panels were prepared using a cascaded architecture of several electroluminescent devices. This architecture sustains high input voltages, provides fault tolerance, and facilitates the fabrication of large area solid-state lighting panels. Scalability of the drive voltage, radiant flux, and external quantum efficiency is demonstrated for panels with up to N=36 devices. Direct outlet operation is achieved for panels with N=16, 24, and 36 devices.
Packaging of ferroelectric liquid crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulators

A self-pulling soldering technology has been demonstrated for assembling liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) spatial light modulators (SLMs). One of the major challenges in manufacturing the LCOS modules is to reproducibly control the thickness of the gap between the very large scale integrated circuit (VLSI) chip and the cover glass. The liquid crystal material is sandwiched between the VLSI chop and the cover glass which is coated with a transparent conductor. Solder joints with different profiles and sizes have been designed to provide surface tension forces to control the gap accommodating the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer in the range of a micron level with sub- micron uniformity. The optimum solder joint design is defined as a joint that results in the maximum pulling force. This technology provides an automatic, batch assembly process for a LCOS SLM through one reflow process. Fluxless soldering technology is used to assemble the module. This approach avoids residues from chemical of flux and oxides, and eliminates potential contamination to the device. Two different LCOS SLM designs and the process optimization are described.
Phase Transition: From Euphoria To Reality

>The utility industry has considerable interest in the use of superconducting coils to store electricity, large sizes for the transmission system and small sizes for the distribution network. Such coils would be charged during off-peak hours using the excess power from base load generators. Then the coils would be discharged during power system load peaks, thus reducing the need for additional expensive power plants by about 10-1 5%. If superconducting energy storage becomes economically viable, storage can have an impact on the utilization of other energy resources, not only conventional ones. It may improve the viability of photo-voltaic generation and power system interconnections. If very high magnetic fields become feasible in superconductors, it could lead to new applications for electricity. In general, superconducting technol
Software fault tolerance for distributed object based computing

Providing resiliency from software failures requires design diversity. Multi-versioning the software components provides the required diversity. Distributed object based computing (DOC) uses the distributed nature of objects to build a distributed software composed of software components that are encapsulated and reusable. Taking advantage of the redundant computing resources available in the distributed environment, DOC can provide resilience from hardware failures by replicating objects. In this paper, we discuss the technique that provides software fault tolerance in addition to hardware fault tolerance. The technique uses the encapsulation property of objects to provide a group of concurrently executing objects that all share a common interface but have different implementations. The objects in the group appear to the client as if they are a single object since they all respond to the same request from the same interface at the same time. The application layer implementation of the technique is possible since no hardware or operating system level support is necessary.
In Vitro Activities of Methylenecyclopropane Analogues of Nucleosides and Their Phosphoralaninate Prodrugs against Cytomegalovirus and Other Herpesvirus Infections

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection does not generally cause problems in the immunocompetent adult but can result in severe clinical disease in the fetus, neonate, and immunocompromised host. Ganciclovir (GCV), the agent currently used to treat most HCMV infections, has resulted in much therapeutic success; however, efficacy remains suboptimal. Therefore, there is still a need to develop new compounds for use against HCMV infections. In the present study, several Z- and E-series methylenecyclopropane analogues and their phosphoroalaninate prodrugs were tested initially for activity against HCMV, strain AD169, and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) in vitro. Many were found to exhibit efficacy comparable to that of GCV against HCMV in plaque assays and were active against MCMV as well. The compounds were also tested for efficacy against herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus, and Epstein-Barr virus, and some had levels of activity that were comparable to that of acyclovir. In addition, the compounds synguanol (QYL-438) and 2-amino-6-cyclopropylamino analogue (QYL-769) were chosen for further evaluation and were found to be effective against additional laboratory and clinical isolates of HCMV and GCV-resistant isolates. QYL-438 and QYL-769 were found to be nontoxic in human and mouse fibroblasts and were considerably less toxic than GCV in granulocyte macrophage CFUs and erythroid burst-forming units. These results provide evidence for the high activity of some of these methylenecyclopropane analogues against various herpesviruses, particularly HCMV, in tissue culture and suggest that further evaluation is warranted to determine their potential for use in future clinical studies.
The repertoire of robot behavior: enabling robots to achieve interaction goals through social behavior

In social interaction, people draw on a large repertoire of social acts tailoring their use of these acts to meet the demands of the social situation and to achieve the goals of the interaction. This paper presents an approach to creating such a repertoire of social acts for robots and enabling designers to specify the social situation to which robots may adapt their behaviors. Drawing on principles of Activity Theory and social-scientific findings on human social behavior, this paper introduces an implementation of this approach---the Robot Behavior Toolkit---and two studies that use a limited, proof-of-concept repertoire of specifications for gaze cues to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach for controlling robot gaze behavior. The first study assessed the feasibility of the use of this repertoire, comparing it to alternative, baseline repertoires in two human-robot interaction tasks, and found that it enabled the robot to more effectively support the interaction goals. The second study investigated the feasibility of the robot adapting its use of the repertoire to a social situation by comparing different goal specifications in two human-robot interaction tasks. The results showed that these specifications enabled the robot to achieve some of its task and communicative goals, although participant gender strongly affected whether the robot elicited these interaction outcomes.
Disconnecting In Vitro ESX-1 Secretion from Mycobacterial Virulence

Published ahead of print 11 October 2013 The views expressed in this Commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or of ASM.
Characterization of adenosine receptor(s) involved in adenosine-induced bronchoconstriction in an allergic mouse model.

We recently reported that adenosine caused bronchoconstriction and enhanced airway inflammation in an allergic mouse model. In this study, we further report the characterization of the subtype of a...
Synthesis and Characterization of Bionanoparticle-Silica Composites and Mesoporous Silica with Large Pores

A sol-gel process has been developed to incorporate bionanoparticles, such as turnip yellow mosaic virus, cowpea mosaic virus, tobacco mosaic virus, and ferritin into silica, while maintaining the integrity and morphology of the particles. The structures of the resulting materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering, and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis. The results show that the shape and surface morphology of the bionanoparticles are largely preserved after being embedded into silica. After removal of the bionanoparticles by calcination, mesoporous silica with monodisperse pores, having the shape and surface morphology of the bionanoparticles replicated inside the silica, was produced,. This study is expected to lead to both functional composite materials and mesoporous silica with structurally well-defined large pores.
Impact of rocuronium vs succinylcholine neuromuscular blocking drug choice for laparoscopic pyloromyotomy: is there a difference in time to transport to recovery?

Summary Objectives/Aim: This study evaluates the relationship between neuromuscular blocking drug administered and transport time following laparoscopic pyloromyotomy. Background: Infants with pyloric stenosis have indication for rapid sequence induction. While succinylcholine has rapid onset and short duration, its use in children may be associated with rare serious adverse effects. Rocuronium is a widely accepted alternative, but its duration could contribute to delay at surgery end. Methods: Infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy at Loma Linda University Medical Center Children’s Hospital from January 2006 to July 2011 were studied retrospectively. Only term infants receiving propofol induction, sevoflurane maintenance, no intraoperative opioid, and rocuronium, succinylcholine, or both were included. The primary outcome measure was time to transport after surgery stop as a measure of recovery from both anesthesia and relaxant. Data was analyzed for relationships between drug choice and time to transport. Results: Data from 246 patients was analyzed. Patients were similar in all groups. Time to transport was not affected by doses of propofol or neuromuscular blocking drug, anesthesia to surgery end interval or surgery length. Time to transport (minutes median, interquartile range) was 13 (7–21) in patients receiving only succinylcholine compared to 18 (11–24) in those receiving only rocuronium (P = 0.03). Conclusions: For laparoscopic pyloromyotomy in term infants using propofol, sevoflurane and no intraoperative opioid, succinylcholine may be the best neuromuscular blocking drug choice, provided no contraindication is present. However, based on the small difference in time to transport, rocuronium as administered herein may be a reasonable alternative preferred by some clinicians.
Results of Open Heart Surgery with Elective Cardiac Arrest by Potassium Citrate in Patients with Congenital and Acquired Heart Disease

SUMMARY Elective cardiac arrest, accomplished by perfusion of potassium citrate solution into the coronary circulation, has made possible excellent surgical exposure of intra-cardiac structures during open cardiotomy in 80 patients with a wide variety of congenital and acquired lesions. The cardioplegic effect of potassium was reversed by perfusing the coronary arteries with oxygenated blood. In no instance was death or surgical failure attributable to the use of cardiac arrest. Forty-five patients have survived. Reasons for death have been stated within the limits of our present knowledge. The post-operative status of surviving patients has been evaluated on the basis of clinical findings and, when possible, by heart catheterization and cinecardioangiography six to 14 months after operation. Anatomic correction with restoration of normal function may be anticipated in patients with atrial or ventricular septal defects, provided complete absence of the septum is not encountered. Severe pulmonary hypertension is not a contra-indication to closure of septal defects, if there is a large left to right shunt with increased pulmonary flow. In patients with Tetralogy of Fallot, inadequate closure of the ventricular septal defect has been found in most instances when a prosthesis has not been incorporated into the defect. These patients have shown clear-cut evidence of functional improvement, with increased pulmonary blood flow and relief of arterial hypoxemia, but anatomic correction and restoration of normal cardiovascular dynamics has usually not been obtained. Experience with this small group of patients emphasizes the need for further refinements in diagnosis, surgical technique, artificial perfusion and post-operative management before the ultimate potential of open heart surgery may be fully realized.
Effect of nickel and cadmium speciation on nitrification inhibition.

Heavy metals have been postulated to cause significant nitrification inhibition. Using biomass from a well-controlled continuously operated lab-scale nitrifying bioreactor, the effect of nickel and cadmium on ammonium and nitrite oxidation was quantified. The extent of inhibition was calculated from the kinetics of ammonium oxidation and nitrite oxidation, inferred from maximum specific oxygen uptake rates (SOUR) measured in batch respirometric assays. Nickel and cadmium inhibited ammonium oxidation but not nitrite oxidation up to total analytical concentrations of approximately 1.0 mM. Metal fractions (total and free ion) were correlated with the extent of ammonium oxidation inhibition in the presence of various metal complexing agents (EDTA, NTA, citrate, SO42-). Inhibition was not a function of the total analytical metal concentration but strongly correlated with free cation concentration, [Ni2+] or [Cd2+]. This relationship could be described by either an empirical noncompetitive inhibition model for ...
DensityRank: A novel feature ranking method based on kernel estimation

This paper proposes a novel feature ranking method, DensityRank, based on kernel estimation on the feature spaces to improve the classification performance. As the availability of raw data in many of today's applications continues to grow at an explosive rate, it is critical to assess the learning capabilities of different features and select the important subset of features to improve learning accuracy as well as reduce computational cost. In our approach, kernel methods are used to estimate the probability density function for each feature across different class labels. Discrepancy analysis based on the mean integrated square error (MISE) between pairs of such density estimations is used to provide the ranking values. Then, the ranked subspace method is adopted to select subsets of important features that are used to develop the learning models. Comparative study of this method with those of traditional ranking methods related to Fisher's discrimination ratio and information gain theory, as well as the random subspace algorithm and the bootstrap aggregating (bagging), are presented in this paper. Simulation results on various real-world data sets illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Changes in Landing Mechanics in Patients Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction When Wearing an Extension Constraint Knee Brace

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions are one of the most common lower extremity surgical procedures associated with sports injury.12,17,30 ACL injuries often require extensive rehabilitation following surgery to return individuals to their prior level of function.15 During rehabilitation, an outcome goal is to normalize the function of the surgical side.5,21 Unfortunately, current research suggests that patients undergoing rehabilitation continue to exhibit asymmetrical lower extremity function, which is associated with high second tear rates (second ipsilateral or first contralateral).11,20,21,25,27 The rate of a second ACL injury is twice as high in adolescents, which increases the potential for long-term disability because of an increase in the incidence of knee osteoarthritis 10 to 12 years following surgery as a result of the injury.31 To optimize patient function following ACL reconstruction, it is imperative that we understand how both surgery and rehabilitation affect lower extremity function. The aim of knee bracing is to improve joint function and protect the joint from injury while the graft is healing.18,26 Previous research has suggested that functional knee braces may alter knee joint mechanics during jump landings.16,35,36 The ACL is under greatest tension when the knee is in extension,32 which prompted the development of a knee brace that resists knee joint extension. Research has suggested that individuals wearing the brace exhibit increases in knee flexion at initial contact and decreases in peak knee flexion during a jump landing.16,36 Studies of knee braces without an extension constraint mechanism suggest that braces decrease peak knee flexion in healthy subjects. No data were reported on knee flexion at initial contact when the ACL is under the greatest loads.32,35 However, the effect of a functional knee brace with an extension constraint mechanism has not been previously studied in ACL patients during a jumping task. Since it is well established that patients following ACL reconstruction move differently than controls, it is important to examine specifically how individuals function with bracing.13,33,34 Bilateral symmetry is a desired functional standard during rehabilitation.5,25,27 These characteristics are often utilized for discharge criteria as it relates to range of motion, strength, and function.2,3 Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a functional knee brace that resisted terminal extension on knee mechanics and bilateral symmetry during a stop-jump landing in patients 6 months following ACL reconstruction. It was hypothesized that wearing the brace would increase knee joint flexion and joint symmetry. It was also expected that the joint mechanics would become more symmetrical in the braced condition.
Capacity of Rayleigh fading channels under different adaptive transmission and diversity-combining techniques

We study the Shannon capacity of adaptive transmission techniques in conjunction with diversity-combining. This capacity provides an upper bound on spectral efficiency using these techniques. We obtain closed-form solutions for the Rayleigh fading channel capacity under three adaptive policies: optimal power and rate adaptation, constant power with optimal rate adaptation, and channel inversion with fixed rate. Optimal power and rate adaptation yields a small increase in capacity over just rate adaptation, and this increase diminishes as the average received carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) or the number of diversity branches increases. Channel inversion suffers the largest capacity penalty relative to the optimal technique, however, the penalty diminishes with increased diversity. Although diversity yields large capacity gains for all the techniques, the gain is most pronounced with channel inversion. For example, the capacity using channel inversion with two-branch diversity exceeds that of a single-branch system using optimal rate and power adaptation. Since channel inversion is the least complex scheme to implement, there is a tradeoff between complexity and capacity for the various adaptation methods and diversity-combining techniques.
The effects of aging and exercise training on endothelin-1 vasoconstrictor responses in rat skeletal muscle arterioles

Objectives : The incidence of cardiovascular disease increases with advancing age. Vascular dysfunction has been linked to cardiovascular disease and aging, although most research has focused on endothelium-dependent vasodilator dysfunction. Another possible mechanism for this vascular dysfunction with aging is enhanced vasoconstrictor responsiveness of the resistance vasculature, and in particular, reactivity of arterioles to endothelin-1 (ET-1). We hypothesized that vasoreactivity to ET-1 would be greater in skeletal muscle arterioles from old rats, and that endurance exercise training would abolish differences in ET-1 responsiveness between young and old animals. Methods : Young sedentary (YS; 4 months; n =18), old sedentary (OS; 24 months; n =17), young trained (YT; n =9) and old trained (OT; n =7) male Fischer 344 rats were used. Training modality was treadmill exercise at 15 m/min up a 15° incline, 1 h/day, 5 days/week, for 12 weeks. Soleus and white gastrocnemius muscle first-order arterioles were isolated for in vitro experimentation. Intraluminal diameter was measured in response to increasing concentrations of ET-1 (10−11 to 10−8 M) or KCl (10–100 mM) in arterioles with an intact or denuded endothelium and with and without an ETA (BQ-123 [10−6 M]) or ETB (BQ-788 [10−8 M]) receptor antagonist present. Results : There was an age-associated increase in gastrocnemius vasoconstrictor responsiveness and sensitivity to ET-1 in arterioles with intact endothelium (ET-1 EC50: YS, 5.2 E−9 ± 1.1 E−9 M; OS, 2.0 E−9 ± 0.8 E−9 M); neither removal of the endothelium nor ETB blockade abolished this difference in arteriolar sensitivity to ET-1 between old and young rats. In contrast, ETA inhibition abolished the greater sensitivity (EC50) of arterioles from old animals (ET-1 EC50: YS, 10 E−9 ± 0.7 E−9 M; OS, 10 E−9 ± 1.5 E−9 M). Gastrocnemius muscle arterioles exhibited an age-related reduction in KCl-induced vasoconstriction which was abolished with the removal of the endothelium. Soleus muscle arteriolar responses to ET-1 and KCl were unaffected by aging. Additionally, exercise training had no effect on ET-1 vasoconstriction of soleus or gastrocnemius muscle arterioles. Conclusions : Aging results in an augmented gastrocnemius muscle arteriolar vasoconstriction to ET-1 which is mediated through an enhanced ETA receptor signaling pathway and not through an ETB receptor mechanism associated with either the endothelium or vascular smooth muscle. These findings suggest that enhanced vascular ET-1 sensitivity in fast-twitch skeletal muscles may play a role in the vascular dysfunction that is often associated with old age.
Vertex-directed self-assembly of a high symmetry supermolecular building block using a custom-designed porphyrin

Metal–organic materials that are constructed from polyhedral supermolecular building blocks, SBBs, can offer exquisite control over structure and afford useful features such as multiple cage types and relatively narrow pores. This contribution describes how a custom-designed porphyrin, tdcpp, self-assembles with M(II) (M = Zn, Cd) cations to generate the first examples of SBBs that are uniform polyhedra based upon a porphyrin molecular building block, MBB. The faces of tdcpp moieties link triangular M2(CO2)3 or M(CO2)3 moieties to form small cubicuboctahedral SBBs that are in turn fused to adjacent SBBs at the opposite face of each tdcpp moiety. The resulting high symmetry augmented pcu topology networks, MMPF-4 (M = Zn) and MMPF-5 (M = Cd), exhibit two distinct polyhedral cages and are permanently microporous with selective CO2 uptake.
Differentiation of Self: A Validation Study of the Bowen Theory Construct

The Differentiation of Self Inventory—Revised (DSI-R; Skowron & Schmitt, 2003, “Assessing interpersonal fusion: Reliability and validity of a new DSI fusion with others subscale,” Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29, 209 –222) assesses a central construct of Murray Bowen’s Family Systems Theory. Differentiation of self (DoS) consists of both intra- and interpersonal dimensions, or the capacities for affect regulation and negotiating relational separateness and togetherness. In this study we examined the internal and external structure of the DSI-R with a sample of 749 university students. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor, first-order solution and offered evidence for a two-dimensional higher-order structure of DoS. The three factors exhibited acceptable reliability and demonstrated theoretically consistent associations with parentification and mental health symptoms. The results confirm the use of the DSI-R as a psychometrically sound measure of DoS. Implications for future research and clinical practice are addressed.
Selective death of newborn neurons in hippocampal dentate gyrus following moderate experimental traumatic brain injury

Memory impairment is one of the most significant residual deficits following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is among the most frequent complaints heard from patients and their relatives. It has been reported that the hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to TBI, which results in hippocampus-dependent cognitive impairment. There are different regions in the hippocampus, and each region is composed of different cell types, which might respond differently to TBI. However, regional and cell type-specific neuronal death following TBI is not well described. Here, we examined the distribution of degenerating neurons in the hippocampus of the mouse brain following controlled cortical impact (CCI) and found that the majority of degenerating neurons observed were in the dentate gyrus after moderate (0.5 mm cortical deformation) CCI-TBI. In contrast, there were only a few degenerating neurons observed in the hilus, and we did not observe any degenerating neurons in the CA3 or CA1 regions. Among those degenerating cells in the dentate gyrus, about 80% of them were found in the inner granular neuron layer. Analysis with cell type-specific markers showed that most of the degenerating neurons in the inner granular neuron layer are newborn immature neurons. Further quantitative analysis shows that the number of newborn immature neurons in the dentate gyrus is dramatically decreased in the ipsilateral hemisphere compared with the contralateral side. Collectively, our data demonstrate the selective death of newborn immature neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus following moderate injury with CCI in mice. This selective vulnerability of newborn immature dentate neurons may contribute to the persistent impairment of learning and memory post-TBI and provide an innovative target for neuroprotective treatment strategies.
Considerations for the use of progestin‐only contraceptives

Purpose: To highlight the characteristics of progestin-only contraceptives (POCs) currently available in the United States and to explore the potential of these agents as first-line contraceptive options for women seeking health promotion by prevention of an unwanted pregnancy. The progestin-only pills (Micronor and Ovrette) depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injections (Depo-Provera and depo-subQ provera 104) levonorgestrel intrauterine system (IUS) (Mirena) and etonogestrel implant (Implanon) will be reviewed. The use of levonorgestrel (Plan B) as an emergency contraceptive will also be considered briefly. Data sources: Worldwide medical literature and the prescribing information for the specified products. Conclusions: A number of POCs are currently available for routine birth control in the United States ranging from the daily progestin-only pill to nondaily contraceptive options such as injectable DMPA the levonorgestrel-releasing IUS and the etonogestrel-releasing contraceptive implant. Each of these methods has specific advantages but also specific drawbacks that can result in discontinuation of treatment if users are not given adequate information about what to expect in terms of side effects. It is critical that clinicians provide adequate and accurate information along with detailed counseling to women who are considering using POCs as well as providing periodic reinforcement of the information at regular clinic visits for those already using POCs. Implications for practice: Given that a large number of pregnancies are unplanned and create a significant impact on social economic and health outcomes it is important for the clinician to have a vast knowledge of contraceptive options. POCs offer significant choices in contraception. By proactively addressing common concerns (such as potential effects on weight mood menstrual bleeding patterns and bone mineral density) clinicians may improve the likelihood of adherence and continuation with POCs for routine birth control.
Electrochemical Deposition of Metals on Semiconductors

The general concepts governing the electrochemical deposition of metal films on semiconductors are discussed, and recent results on the fabrication of Schottky junctions consisting of silicon electrodeposited with platinum, copper and gold are presented. In order to obtain good adherent metal films, the density of nuclei should be high and the films should be grown at low current densities where the charge transfer process is rate limiting. This situation can be realized using potential controlled electrochemical deposition. For metal deposition on silicon, the surface should be pretreated in HF to dissolve the oxide layer. Furthermore, the surface should be stable during deposition which can be achieved by tailoring the deposition solutions and by using electrochemical deposition at negative potentials. It is shown that by using this approach, n-type silicon / Pt, Au, and Cu Schottky junctions can be fabricated of a quality comparable to that of junctions prepared by sputter and vapor deposition techniques.
Establishment of a small breeding colony of rhesus monkeys

Summary A breeding colony of 22 female and 4 male rhesus monkeys (Maeaea mulatta) was established in a controlled-environment building with an outdoor run. The animals were quarantined for 2 years prior to their release into the unit. The housing, release and management of the colony are described. During the first year 19 young were born of which 17 have survived to 6 months of age. The cost of production and maintenance of the colony when compared with the cost of importing rhesus monkeys would appear to be acceptable. Traditionally, rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) used in British research laboratories have been caught in their natural habitat and imported. Apart from welfare and husbandry considerations, wild-trapped rhesus monkeys have serious disadvantages as experimental animals: their origin, age and health status are uncertain, and they are liable to transmit severe or fatal infections to man. Recently, British import regulations have become more stringent, costs of importation have increased, and countries of origin have tended to restrict exports in order to conserve their natural stocks of monkeys. There is thus a generally increasing view that rhesus monkeys for research should be purpose bred (Hobbs & Bleby,
A Method of Analyzing Charts of the Moscrop Single - Strand Yarn Tester

In this paper, a method is described by which record charts produced with the Moscrop single strand yarn tester may be analyzed relatively quickly, easily, and accurately. The mean strength, standard error of the mean, and coefficient of variability of the several hundred observations per chart can be determined with considerable accuracy in a relatively short time and with a minimum of effort. The analysis is made graphically, and is based upon the fact that the strength data obtained with this tester are normally distributed, or practically so. A device for projecting the image of a chart, thus facilitating the canalysis, is also described.
Combustion instability: a distributed-parameter model

Two distributed parameter models are suggested as models for thermo-acoustic combustion instability. A standing-wave model exhibits the expected qualitative behavior and is of interest for future stabilization studies.
Advanced dialysis fellowship.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis or transplantation once thought to be an orphan disease now affects over 400,000 patients in the United States. 1 Currently, renal transplantation offers the best option for renal replacement therapy. However, majority of patients with ESRD are treated by dialysis. Significant advancements have been made in dialysis technology since chronic dialysis became a viable option in 1960 when Dr. Belding Scribner successfully connected an artery and vein with Teflon tubing permitting repeated access to the circulation for the purpose of performing long-term hemodialysis. 2 Over the past 50 years, the knowledge and understanding of the management of dialysis equipment and care of the dialysis patient has grown considerably. The potential for harm from improper management of dialysis patients in addition to the unawareness of complex reimbursement policies and regulatory oversight rules is ever present. The landscape of regulation and repayment for the services provided continue to be dynamic with strong focus on quality and outcome measures. Modifications are made yearly, and reimbursement for dialysis has become the first program to mandate penalties to dialysis providers for failure to meet quality benchmarks. As a nephrology trainee, it is often a daunting challenge to understand both the technical complexities of dialysis and the regulatory requirements that are incumbent on dialysis providers. The duration of a typical nephrology fellowship is 2 to 3 years depending on whether a trainee is pursuing a research or clinical career. Due to the growth in all fields of nephrology, epidemiology, and laboratory science, there is a wealth of knowledge the trainee must master in this short period of time. Given the complexities of both the technical and logistical aspects of dialysis, it is important
The effect of rhBMP-2 in a novel, non-instrumented extremity nonunion model.

Abstract Background Pre-clinical models of bony nonunion typically employ critical-length defects. However, these models may not accurately reflect clinical practice since many nonunions are diagnosed without bone loss. We developed a non-displaced rat ulna fracture model in order to examine the efficacy of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) with an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS) for nonunion treatment. Methods Transverse diaphyseal ulna fractures were created in 24 Sprague–Dawley rats. Eight animals (Group 1: Nonunion) received no further intervention. The remaining 16 animals were treated with 5 μg rhBMP-2/ACS at 8 weeks after the original intervention (Group 2: Nonunion + BMP) or at the time of initial injury (Group 3: Fresh fracture + BMP). Results In Group 1, 7 of 8 fractures demonstrated gross motion and a persistent radiographic gap (12.5% healing rate). In Groups 2 and 3, fractures healed at a rate of 75% (6 of 8 in each group) as determined by manual and radiographic evaluation. Biomechanical testing for torque load-to-failure and torsional stiffness demonstrated no significant difference between healed specimens treated with rhBMP-2. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first description of a physiologic, non-stabilized, non-defect fracture nonunion model in a rodent. Furthermore, unlike previous nonunion models, the healing rates after treatment with rhBMP-2 are comparable to that of clinical data, suggesting that this model may provide an environment more representative of nonunions in humans.
Finite Element Modeling of Mitral Valve Repair

The mitral valve is a complex structure regulating forward flow of blood between the left atrium and left ventricle (LV). Multiple disease processes can affect its proper function, and when these diseases cause severe mitral regurgitation (MR), optimal treatment is repair of the native valve. The mitral valve (MV) is a dynamic structure with multiple components that have complex interactions. Computational modeling through finite element (FE) analysis is a valuable tool to delineate the biomechanical properties of the mitral valve and understand its diseases and their repairs. In this review, we present an overview of relevant mitral valve diseases, and describe the evolution of FE models of surgical valve repair techniques.
Discrimination facilitation as a function of differential choice-point delay

Sixty rats experienced differential delay contingencies to ascertain how cue visibility related to choice-point delay in a black-white discrimination problem. Ss experiencing no delay at the choice point took longer to learn the discrimination than Ss experiencing cue visibility during an enforced choice-point delay. Cue visibility during the whole 4-sec delay period, first half of the delay period, and last half of the delay period, produced similar learning rates. The data indicate that the delay vs “;stirred-up”; state controversy is more complex than would be suggested by an analysis based on cue visibility time or “;stirred-up”; state of an animal.
Notes on the Behavior of Four Subspecies of the Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa (Notoxylocopa) tabaniformis, in Mexico

Host plants and behavior of males and females of 4 subspecies of the carpenter bee Xylocopa ( Notoxylocopa ) tabaniformis ( illota Cockerell, melanosoma O'Brien and Hurd, rufina Maidl, and tabaniformis Smith) are discussed and a nest site (bracket fungus) of illota is figured. Males of melanosoma were found to establish a territory, and the activity of illota and rufina males suggests territoriality. These bees are active in the evening and early morning; this fact is reflected by their rarity in collections and should be considered by the collector in Mexico.