cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Required Longitudinal Service-Learning and Its Effects on Medical Students' Attitudes Toward the Underserved.

Although medical students enter medicine with altruistic motives and seek to serve indigent populations, studies show that medical students’ attitudes towards the undeserved tend to worsen significantly as they go through their medical education. This finding emphasizes the need for medical educators to implement activities such as service-learning that may help mitigate this negative trend. All students at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Medicine are required to participate in longitudinal service-learning throughout medical school, and a majority of students interact with the underserved at their service-learning sites. Using the previously validated Medical Student Attitudes Towards the Underserved (MSATU), independent sample T-tests showed that students who interact with underserved populations at their sites scored with significantly better attitudes towards the underserved at the end of their preclinical phase. Subjects included 58 medical students with 100% taking the MSATU. This result indicates that longitudinal service-learning, particularly when it includes interaction with the underserved, can be one method to combat the worsening of medical students’ attitudes as they complete their medical education.
Single-Shot Non-Diffracting Light-Sheet Microscopy by Dispersion of Light

We demonstrate that non-diffracting light-sheet can be generated instantaneously by dispersing wavelengths of diode lasers or supercontinuum light source.
Bowel Ischemia in COVID-19 Infection: One-Year Surgical Experience.

Background COVID-19 is a deadly multisystemic disease, and bowel ischemia, the most consequential gastrointestinal manifestation, remains poorly described. Our goal is to describe our institution's surgical experience with management of bowel ischemia due to COVID-19 infection over a one-year period. Methods All patients admitted to our institution between March 2020 and March 2021 for treatment of COVID-19 infection and who underwent exploratory laparotomy with intra-operative confirmation of bowel ischemia were included. Data from the medical records were analyzed. Results Twenty patients were included. Eighty percent had a new or increasing vasopressor requirement, 70% had abdominal distension, and 50% had increased gastric residuals. Intra-operatively, ischemia affected the large bowel in 80% of cases, the small bowel in 60%, and both in 40%. Sixty five percent had an initial damage control laparotomy. Most of the resected bowel specimens had a characteristic appearance at the time of surgery, with a yellow discoloration, small areas of antimesenteric necrosis, and very sharp borders. Histologically, the bowel specimens frequently have fibrin thrombi in the small submucosal and mucosal blood vessels in areas of mucosal necrosis. Overall mortality in this cohort was 33%. Forty percent of patients had a thromboembolic complication overall with 88% of these developing a thromboembolic phenomenon despite being on prophylactic pre-operative anticoagulation. Conclusion Bowel ischemia is a potentially lethal complication of COVID-19 infection with typical gross and histologic characteristics. Suspicious clinical features that should trigger surgical evaluation include a new or increasing vasopressor requirement, abdominal distension, and intolerance of gastric feeds.
Chapter 6 – MICROSCOPIC BALANCES

The purpose of this chapter is to develop microscopic balances that are used for the simulation of distributed parameter systems. Distributed systems have spatial gradients as well as time changes. In order to properly describe these systems, the conservation laws must be applied to any point within the system rather than written over the entire macroscopic system. This chapter also be applies these point or microscopic conservation laws to several classical one-dimensional problems that have either analytical solutions or are initial value problems that can be solved using computational techniques. This chapter also introduces simplification of complex problems using order-of-magnitude analysis. It elucidates concepts of conservation of mass and momentum, dispersion, stagnant film diffusion, pipe flow of a Newtonian fluid, and pipeline gas flow.
Retention of exogenous mRNAs selectively in the germ cells of the sea urchin requires only a 5'-cap and a 3'-UTR.

SUMMARY The abundance of an mRNA in a cell depends on its overall rates of synthesis and decay. RNA stability is an important element in the regulation of gene expression, and is achieved by a variety of processes including specific recruitment of nucleases and RNAi-associated mechanisms. These mechanisms are particularly important in stem cells, which, in many cases, have attenuated transcription. Here we report that exogenous mRNA injected into fertilized eggs of the sea urchin is selectively retained in the small micromeres, which contribute to the germ line in this organism, beginning in blastulae, when compared to adjacent somatic cells. We show that modification of this exogenous RNA using cap analogs and poly-adenosine tail deletions do not affect its selective retention in the small micromeres, but removal of the cap or of the 3′-untranslated region eliminates any selective mRNA retention in the presumptive germ line. Our results illuminate a likely ancient mechanism used by stem cells to prolong the lifespan of RNAs—either through RNA protection or by the absence of basic RNA degradation mechanisms, which are employed by most other cells of an organism. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 80: 561–569, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design-technology innovations enabling differentiation in emerging applications

The rapid evolution of applications in the consumer and mobile space coupled with the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) are driving foundries to diversify design-technology solutions. This talk will discuss innovations that are on the horizon to enable differentiation in power, performance, cost, and time-to-volume, while solving the issues with unprecedented integration of “user-experience” functions. Technology innovations in the areas of FDSOI, eNVM, MEMS, RF, Ultra-Low Vmin SRAM, 3D and Design innovations on DVFS, Post-Silicon tuning, Analog optimization will be reviewed.
The Role of Private International Law in the United States: Beating the Not-Quite-Dead Horse of Jurisdiction

Territorial authority to adjudicate is the preeminent component of private international law. Empirical research proves that forum really affects outcome, probably by multiple influences. This practical effect makes international harmonization of jurisdictional law highly desirable. Although harmonization of nonjurisdictional law remains quite unlikely, jurisdictional harmonization is increasingly feasible because, among other reasons, U.S. jurisdictional law in fact exhibits no essential differences from European law. None of the usual assertions holds up as an unbridgeable difference, including that (1) the peculiar U.S. jurisdictional law flows inevitably from a different theory of governmental authority, one that rests on power notions; (2) U.S. law differs because its legal institutions have managed to constitutionalize jurisdiction; (3) it is the same old story of common-law courts playing too active a part in the development of the law in the United States; (4) the United States has resolved the fundamental jurisprudential tension between certainty and precision in a way that maximizes the role of fact-specific inquiry; and (5) those activist courts are ironically too willing to decline the jurisdiction bestowed on them by the legislature. Indeed, with minor legislative reforms to give the U.S. law somewhat greater certainty and restraint, the distance to Europe would shrink even further. Jurisdiction could thus be the fulcrum for rearranging the international judicial order. Despite the difficulties recently encountered in the Hague negotiations, the international community should immediately begin to take the series of small steps necessary to prepare the way for achieving the long-run goal of a multilateral convention that harmonizes jurisdictional law.
Primary malignant giant cell tumor of the mandible: Report of a case and review of the literature

The first documented case of primary malignant giant cell tumor of the jawbones is reported. The neoplasm presented as a lytic lesion of the mandible which recurred following surgery and metastasized to the lungs and one lymph node. Diagnostic criteria are discussed, and the literature concerning malignant giant cell tumors of the jawbones is reviewed.
Model-based immunization information routing.

Abstract We have developed a model for clinical information routing within an immunization registry. Components in this model include partners, contents and mechanisms. Partners are classified into senders, receivers and intermediates. Contents are classified into core contents and management information. Mechanisms are classified into topological control, temporal control, process control and communication channel control. Immunization reminders, forecasts and recalls in e-mail, fax and regular mail format are routed based on this model. Algorithms for deducing patient provider and patient clinical site relationships are developed to facilitate routing. A dummy provider within each site and a dummy site are created to manipulate routing for incomplete data. 46.63% of patients' primary providers and 92.58% of patients' clinical sites are successfully identified.
THE LOCALIZATION OF STRAIN IN LOW SOLVUS HIGH REFRACTORY (LSHR) NICKEL SUPERALLOY

The low solvus high refractory (LSHR) nickel base superalloy was chosen as a candidate for a dual microstructure heat treatment (DMHT) turbine disk, with fine grains in the bore and coarser grains in the rim. In between those two regions, there is a transition in grain size and γ′ precipitation. In this study, the mechanical performance of the coarse grain region was evaluated by room temperature tensile testing in the un-aged and dual aged conditions. Optical digital image correlation (DIC) was used to detect the localized strains evolving from the tensile testing. Strain maps from the DIC successfully detected localized strains in both of the microstructural conditions of interest. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy was use to analyze the deformed regions to assess grain misorientation and dislocation activity within each microstructure. While dislocations appeared to accumulate in the gamma channels in both microstructures, there appeared to more grain misorientation in the unaged condition of LSHR.
Nonlinear balancing and Mayer-Lie interpolation

The notion of balancing for linear systems is extended to the nonlinear realm. The proposed method of balancing is based upon three principles: 1) balancing should be defined with respect to a nominal flow; 2) only Gramians defined over small time intervals should be used to preserve the accuracy of the linear perturbation model and; 3) linearization should commute with balancing, in the sense that the linearization of a globally balanced model should correspond to the balanced linearized model in the original coordinates. Whereas it is generically possible to define a balanced framework locally, it is not possible to do so globally. Obstruction to the integrability of the Jacobian is generic in dimensions, n > 2. Here we show how to obtain the global balanced realization if the Mayer-Lie conditions are satisfied, and an interpolation method by integrable functions is proposed when this is not the case. The latter thus defines pseudo-balanced realizations.
Neurotensin in Plasma: Immunochemical and Chromatographic Character of Acid/Acetone-Soluble Material

Using a RIA, we have examined the character of the neurotensin-like (NT-like) peptides present in acid/acetone extracts of animal and human plasma. Plasma immunoreactivity was measured using four antisera with different specificities. Antisera which were directed against the COOH-terminus of NT measured higher levels of plasma immunoreactivity than did antisera with NH2-terminal or mixed specificity. Chromatographic fractionation of bovine plasma extracts revealed the presence of multiple substances, one of which was chromatographically and immunochemically indistinguishable from NT. We estimate the plasma level of this component to be about 15-25 fmol/ml, which is 30-50% of the measurement obtained on unfractionated extracts using antiserum HC-8. Several other components were also identified which behaved as though they were smaller than NT and seemed to share with NT four to eight of its COOH-terminal amono acids. One eluted from Sephadex G-25 in the region of the NT-like peptide previously identified in extracts of gastric mucosa. Infusion of synthetic NT into rats for 30 min did not result in the formation of these COOH-terminal relatives of NT. Our results argue strongly for the presence of NT in plasma and also indicate that other peptides, sharing COOH-terminal homologies with NT, appear in plasma, possibly from the stomach, liver, and other as yet unidentified source(s).
Hypothalamic temperature and deep body temperature during copulation in the male rat

The medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the hypothalamus is involved in both the expression of male sexual behavior and the regulation of physiological temperature. This duality of function led us to ask whether arousal, intromission, and ejaculation are accompanied by a distinctive temperature profile. Using telemetric thermosensors, we monitored MPOA temperature and deep body temperature during copulation in the male rat. Changes in MPOA temperature were highly uniform, more so than changes in body temperature. The MPOA heated prior to ejaculation, cooled rapidly following ejaculation and then began to heat again coincident with the termination of the post-ejaculatory refractory period. These changes could not be related to variations in general activity. The most striking change in MPOA temperature, rapid cooling following ejaculation, was explained in terms of certain behaviorally-induced hemodynamic events.
Leveling the Playing Field: The Call to Require States to Make and Follow Minimum National Standards for Licensing Mixed Martial Artists that Use Testosterone Replacement Therapy

You know, when you get old, in life, things get taken from you. I mean, that's … that's … that's a part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losin’ stuff. 1 Al Pacino as Coach Tony D’Am...
Effect of topical ascorbic acid on free radical tissue damage and inflammatory cell influx in the cornea after excimer laser corneal surgery.

Objective To evaluate the effect of topical ascorbic acid on oxygen free radical tissue damage and the inflammatory cell influx in the cornea after excimer laser keratectomy. Methods Five New Zealand white rabbits underwent bilateral phototherapeutic keratectomy with the 193-nm argon fluoride excimer laser. Following treatment, the right eye of each rabbit was treated with 10% ascorbic acid every 3 hours for 24 hours. The left eyes served as controls. After 24 hours, all animals were killed and their corneas were trephined and processed. Sections were stained with fast blue B and with hematoxylin-eosin. Oxidative tissue damage in the form of lipid peroxidation was detected by fluorescent peroxidized carbonyl compounds using a confocal laser scanning microscope. The quantity of these compounds was determined using the National Institutes of Health digital image analysis system. Statistical comparisons of lipid peroxidation and polymorphonuclear cell count between the ascorbic acid groups and the controls were performed using the Student t test. Results Lipid peroxidation and polymorphonuclear cell counts were significantly decreased in the superficial cornea of ascorbic acid–treated eyes compared with control eyes ( P Conclusions Topical ascorbic acid application decreased oxygen radical tissue damage following excimer keratectomy; moreover, topical application of ascorbic acid was shown to reduce the acute inflammatory reaction efficiently. This suggests that topical ascorbic acid could be considered a complementary treatment in the pharmacological modulation after excimer laser corneal surgery. Clinical Relevance Corneal opacity may complicate excimer keratectomy. The use of an antioxidant to reduce tissue damage could help minimize postoperative stromal opacification.
Millimeter-scale patterns of phylogenetic and trait diversity in a salt marsh microbial mat.

Intertidal microbial mats are comprised of distinctly colored millimeter-thick layers whose communities organize in response to environmental gradients such as light availability, oxygen/sulfur concentrations, and redox potential. Here, slight changes in depth correspond to sharp niche boundaries. We explore the patterns of biodiversity along this depth gradient as it relates to functional groups of bacteria, as well as trait-encoding genes. We used molecular techniques to determine how the mat’s layers differed from one another with respect to taxonomic, phylogenetic, and trait diversity, and used these metrics to assess potential drivers of community assembly. We used a range of null models to compute the degree of phylogenetic and functional dispersion for each layer. The SSU-rRNA reads were dominated by Cyanobacteria and Chromatiales, but contained a high taxonomic diversity. The composition of each mat core was significantly different for developmental stage, year, and layer. Phylogenetic richness and evenness positively covaried with depth, and trait richness tended to decrease with depth. We found evidence for significant phylogenetic clustering for all bacteria below the surface layer, supporting the role of habitat filtering in the assembly of mat layers. However, this signal disappeared when the phylogenetic dispersion of particular functional groups, such as oxygenic phototrophs, was measured. Overall, trait diversity measured by orthologous genes was also lower than would be expected by chance, except for genes related to photosynthesis in the topmost layer. Additionally, we show how the choice of taxa pools, null models, spatial scale, and phylogenies can impact our ability to test hypotheses pertaining to community assembly. Our results demonstrate that given the appropriate physiochemical conditions, strong phylogenetic, and trait variation, as well as habitat filtering, can occur at the millimeter-scale.
Microscope-integrated OCT scanner with optimized optical design

An OCT scanner was developed with optimized telecentric optics and a port for a coaxial microscope. Design criteria are provided. Beam profile measurements and in vivo OCT images demonstrate the system quality
Characterization and expression of dehydrins in water‐stressed Sorghum bicolor

The effect of water deficit was compared between drought-tolerant (P954035) and drought-susceptible (P721N) sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) genotypes. Gas analysis and leaf water potential (Ψ w ) measurements indicated clear phenotypic differences between the genotypes in response to water deficit. Both genotypes experienced declines in Ψ w, net assimilation rate (A), transpiration rate (E) and stomatal conductance (g s ) during stress. P954035, however, dried more slowly and maintained higher values for A, E and g s relative to P721N. In vivo labeling studies and immunoblot analysis using an anti-dehydrin antibody identified a protein of M, 21 000 which was induced by water deficit and accumulated to similar levels in both genotypes. The observed molecular changes were essentially identical in both genotypes but differed only in the timing of expression. A sorghum dehydrin cDNA, dhnl, was isolated which encodes a hydrophilic protein of approximately 16.3 kDa with a predicted pI of 10.48. The deduced polypeptide sequence contains two lysine-rich elements (KKGIMDKIKEKLPG) and shares extensive homology with other dehydrins. DHN1 mRNA was induced by water deficit in seedlings of both drought-tolerant and drought-susceptible sorghum genotypes. Water deficit also induced changes in gene expression in mature preflowering sorghum plants. The anti-dehydrin antibody detected a protein that accumulated in leaves and roots of stressed plants. The level of DHN1 mRNA increased in the same tissues, but the abundance of this transcript was much higher in leaves and roots of mature plants than in seedlings.
Regulation of Muscle Acetylcholine Sensitivity by Muscle Activity in Cell Culture

Muscle in tissue culture provides a good system for studying longterm changes in surface membrane acetylcholine sensitivity. Muscle fibers stimulated intermittently over prolonged periods are less sensitive to iontophoretically applied acetylcholine and bind less (125)I-labeled alpha-bungarotoxin than inactive fibers.
Site-Directed Spin Labeling Reveals Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Gating Motions

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are neurotransmitter-activated receptors that mediate fast synaptic transmission. In pLGICs, the flexible loops in each subunit that connect the extracellular binding domain (loops 2, 7, 9) to the transmembrane channel domain (M2-M3 loop) are essential for coupling ligand binding to channel gating. Comparing the recent crystal structures of two bacterial pLGIC homologues, ELIC and GLIC, suggests channel opening is associated with rearrangements in these loops but the specifics of these motions remain unknown. Here, using site-directed spin labeling electron paramagnetic resonance (SDSL EPR) spectroscopy, we measured proton-induced movements of loop 2, loop 9, and M2-M3 loop in functional GLIC channels reconstituted into liposomes. The loops undergo significant proton-dependent motion, with loop 2 and loop 9 moving inward toward the channel lumen, and the M2-M3 loop moving at least 5 angstrom outward away from the channel lumen. The movements are consistent with the gating motions predicted by comparing the ELIC and GLIC structures, and suggest the ELIC structure represents the resting state of pLGICs.
Vocal Interactions Between Unfamiliar Groups of Captive Cotton-Top Tamarins

Vocal interactions between captive groups of cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus oedipus) were studied by simulating encounters between unfamiliar groups. The doors were opened between pairs of colony rooms resulting in an increased amplitude of the normal intragroup vocalizations of an unfamiliar group. After several seconds, some groups began Long Calling bouts, complex exchanges of calls accompanied by behavioral patterns seen only in encounters between unfamiliar groups. The behavior patterns included increased scent marking and piloerection and decreased huddling compared with a control condition. Both the behavioral patterns and the vocalizations were similar to those observed in intergroup encounters in the wild. The vocalizations of each group were recorded on separate channels and subsequently identified through a real time spectrum analyzer. Four different calls appeared at significantly higher rates during the Long Calling bout: Females tended to give normal Long Calls and males tended to give F chirps. F chirps progressed into F Chirp trills which were also given primarily by males. F Chirp-Whistle vocalization, a combination of the F Chirp and the Normal Long Call, were given equally by both sexes. A surprising result was that only mated pairs without offspring participated in the Long Calling bouts. Family groups showed little vocal or behavioral response to hearing acoustically unfamiliar groups. Information theory analysis was used to analyze the transitions between call types and between groups. The production of several call types was shown to be dependent on both the preceding call type and the group of origin of that call. In general the progression from one call type to another occurred within the same group, while the other, unfamiliar group tended to repeat the call that it heard from the first group. The results are discussed in the context of the known social structure of the tamarins in the wild and in the context of the vocal exchanges of avian species with similar social systems. Continued fine-grain analysis of vocal exchanges should lead to an enhanced understanding of the structure and social complexity of vocal communication in nonhuman primates.
"Genomics and Translational Medicine for Information Professionals": an innovative course to educate the next generation of librarians.

This article discusses an innovative course to educate the next generation of librarians and meet the demands of the changing health information environment.
An Update on Parkinson's Disease: Improving Patient Outcomes

Neurologists are faced with many challenges in caring for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This chronic, long-term illness that affects at least one million people in the United States requires a coordinated healthcare partnership between the physician and the patient. The importance of early diagnosis is essential to delaying disease progression and early diagnosis and intervention may be aided by recent advances in biomarkers, genomics, and imaging. A misdiagnosis or late diagnosis will lead to deteriorating patient health. Additionally, physicians should incorporate current guidelines into their treatment strategies, and awareness of the reasoning behind these guidelines is critical for appropriate use. Physicians should be up to date on identifying the most appropriate therapies based on emerging science and disease staging, and should implement patient education into their practice. Due to limitations for currently available therapies, adjunctive therapies may lead to improved outcomes in patients with PD. The use of multiple therapies can improve myriad symptoms, more so than a monotherapy. Knowledge of these therapies is critical to achieving best outcomes in patients with PD. This webcast will discuss the current challenges with PD clinical practice, clinical features of PD, the impact of treatment, future treatments for PD and improving patient outcomes.
Multiple Comparisons for a Large Number of Parameters

When there are many parameters of interest (finitely large or infinite), standard multiple comparison procedures for a finite number of parameters (called discrete-domain approaches) may lead to a simultaneous confidence region (SCR) too conservative to be useful. Such cases often arise in locating disease genes, detecting changes in image data and examining shapes and patterns in growth curves; or generally, in quantifying uncertainty in an estimate of a regression function (as one entity). In these cases, procedures designed for a continuous domain must be used. Scheffe's method is a classical example of continuous-domain approaches. It provides an SCR for a regression function when errors are iid Gaussian and the predictor space is unconstrained, i.e. the domain of interest is the q dimensional Euclidean space. In practice, however, functions defined on finite intervals or other constrained domains are often of interest and data may not be Gaussian. Thus, Scheffe's SCR becomes either too conservative or inadequate. In this paper, we introduce and survey a modern-type continuous-domain approach, and explore a connection between some discrete- and continuous-domain multiple comparison procedures. We show that, in some cases, even for a small number of parameters, it is still better to use a continuous-domain multiple comparison procedure. The main ideas behind the continuous-domain procedures are shown. A new procedure for comparing a finite number of contrasts about k regression curves is developed. Relevant software is provided.
Beggiatoa in microbial mats at hydrocarbon vents in the Gulf of Mexico and Warm Mineral Springs, Florida

Microbial mats were collected from a variety of sites near hydrocarbon vents along the slope in the northern Gulf of Mexico and, for comparison, from Warm Mineral Springs, Florida, USA. A predominant microorganism in each of the mats was the giant bacterium,Beggiatoa. Diameters of the bacterial filaments ranged from about 6 µm to approximately 200 µm. The latter organisms are the largest prokaryotic organisms yet found. All filaments over about 10 µm in diameter contained a large central vacuole, producing a cell with the cytoplasm as a cylindrical tube underlying the cytoplasmic membrane. Sulfur globules were confined to this peripheral layer. Push cores often contained pyrite tubules whose appearance is suggestive of aBeggiatoa origin. Determinations ofδ13C inBeggiatoa mats from vents along the Louisiana slope yielded values in the range of −26.6 to −27.9‰ (PDB), suggesting an unusually high degree of isotope fractionation (−24.9‰) relative to the carbon source in the ambient seawater, which is typical of sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophs. The presence of SO (elemental sulfur) within cells ofBeggiatoa resulting from oxidation of H2S supports the importance of bacterial sulfate reduction processes in the underlying vents for the sustenance of theBeggiatoa mats.
Postherpetic Pain: More Than Sensory Neuralgia?

Objective. To describe a series of older adult patients with postherpetic myofascial pain, a heretofore rarely described complication of herpes zoster. Design. Case series. Setting. Outpatient older adult pain clinic. Patients. Five older adults are presented with myofascial pain that developed as a complication of herpes zoster. Results. Pain duration at the time of presentation ranged from 4 months to 7 years. All patients reported functional impairment from pain despite oral analgesics. Myofascial pathology was diagnosed by the presence of taut bands and trigger points in the affected myotome. Upon successful treatment of the myofascial pain with nonpharmacologic modalities (e.g., physical therapy, trigger point injections, dry needling, and/or percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), all patients reported symptomatic improvement, and four out of five were able to significantly reduce or discontinue their opioids. Conclusion. Postherpetic pain is traditionally conceptualized as a purely sensory phenomenon. Identification of the intrusion of a myofascial component may be worthwhile, both from the standpoint of enhanced pain relief and reduction in the need for oral analgesics. Formal exploration of this phenomenon is needed.
Does Ibuprofen Affect Bilirubin‐Albumin Binding in Newborn Infant Serum?

Intravenous ibuprofen is being studied in sick, premature infants for the prevention of intraventricular haemorrhage and closure of the ductus arteriosus. We tested the effect of ibuprofen on bilirubin-albumin binding in adult and newborn infant serum by measuring the free ibuprofen concentration in the presence of bilirubin (reverse displacement method). At clinically appropriate ibuprofen concentrations the free fraction of bilirubin is increased by a factor of 4. Ibuprofen may increase the risk of bilirubin encephalopathy when used in sick, premature infants.
Applications and limitations of thermoluminescence to date quaternary sediments

Abstract The thermoluminescence (TL) method dates sediment by quantifying time-dependent dosimetric properties of mineral grains. Sunlight exposure of the sediment during transportation and deposition or heating resets the TL clock to time ‘zero’. After burial of the mineral grains, ionizing radiation from the decay of radioisotopes imparts a TL signal. This accumulated TL signal is proportional to the equivalent dose (ED), which is a measure of radiation exposure during the burial period. A TL age estimate is determined from the ratio of the ED to the environmental radiation (dose rate). The calculation of an ED is influenced by the susceptibility of sediments to optical bleaching, the emission spectra of minerals, and possible long and short term fading. There are three basic methods for determining an ED: regeneration, total and partial bleach. The regeneration technique may yield under-estimates because of sensitivity changes with laboratory bleaching. The latter two techniques are most useful for well and partially light bleached sediments, respectively. A number of sediments can be dated by the TL method. Eolian and a variety of terrestrial sediments yield apparently accurate TL age estimates, though there are possible complications associated with pedogenesis. It appears that some fluvial sediment can be accurately dated by TL, but little is known about the efficiency of optical bleaching for fluvial depositional systems. Till and glacier-proximal deposits are inadequately light bleached to be dated by TL. Sediments deposited distal from the glacier margin, which are at least partially bleached, are preferred for dating. Future research is needed to understand better the relationship between sedimentary environments and the extent of light bleaching. Also, studies should concentrate on dating feldspar extracts from well-dated sequences to more fully ascertain the temporal limitations of the method. Only by understanding the interplay of sedimentology, TL dosimetry and environmental radiation can the TL method be effectively applied to the myriad of depositional environments spanning the late to middle Pleistocene.
Vocabulary Use in XML Standards in the Financial Market Domain

Vocabulary issues are central to XML-based e-commerce standards. The rapid increase in the number of XML standards has made the vocabulary issues a critical area of XML applications. This paper reports the result from a study of the vocabulary use in XML standards. Choosing five DTDs from the financial and capital markets domain, we examined a total of 1346 elements in nine categories. Inconsistent naming conventions and varying practices were major problems among other findings. We also observed a number of linguistic and semantic patterns in element names. Such patterns show a potential to serve as a foundation for building ontology-based conceptual models for XML schemas. The authors propose an ontology-driven, dynamic coordination approach in developing schema elements.
Nickel sequestration in a kaolinite-humic acid complex.

Incorporation of first row transition metals into stable surface precipitates can play an important role in reducing the bioavailability of these metals in neutral and alkaline soils. Organic coatings may interfere with this sorption mechanism by changing the surface characteristics and by masking the mineral surface from metal sorptives. In this study, kinetic sorption and desorption experiments were combined with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy to elucidate the effect of humic acid (HA) coatings on the formation and stabilization of nickel precipitates at the kaolinite−water interface. Initial Ni uptake (pH 7.5, [Ni]i = 3 mM, and I = 0.02 M NaNO3) increased with greater amounts of HA coated onto the kaolinite surface. Ni uptake continued over an extended period of time without reaching an apparent equilibrium. EXAFS analysis of the Ni sorption complex structures formed over time (up to 7 months) revealed the formation of a Ni−Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) precipitate at...
An Investigation of Auditory Figure-Ground Perception

(1961). An Investigation of Auditory Figure-Ground Perception. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 98, No. 2, pp. 229-237.
Cyclophosphamide/granulocyte colony-stimulating factor causes selective mobilization of bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells into the blood after M phase of the cell cycle

Cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells (MPB HSC) are widely used for transplantation in the treatment of malignancies, but the mechanism of HSC mobilization is unclear. Although many HSC in bone marrow (BM) cycle rapidly and expand their numbers in response to cytoreductive agents, such as cyclophosphamide (CY), and cytokines, such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), MPB HSC are almost all in the G(0) or G(1) phase of the cell cycle. This has raised the question of whether a subset of noncycling BM HSC is selectively released, or whether cycling BM HSC are mobilized after M phase, but before the next S phase of the cell cycle. To distinguish between these possibilities, mice were treated with one dose of CY followed by daily doses of G-CSF, and dividing cells were marked by administration of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) during the interval that BM HSC are expanding. After CY and 4 days of G-CSF, 98.5% of the 2n DNA content long-term repopulating MPB (LT)-HSC stained positively for BrdU, and therefore derived from cells that divided during the treatment interval. Next, LT-HSC from mice previously treated with a single dose of CY, which kills cycling cells, and 3 daily doses of G-CSF, were nearly all killed by a second dose of CY, suggesting that CY/G-CSF causes virtually all LT-HSC to cycle. Analysis of cyclin D2 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and total RNA content of MPB HSC suggests that these cells are mostly in G(1) phase. After CY/G-CSF treatment, virtually all BM LT-HSC enter the cell cycle; some of these HSC then migrate into the blood, specifically after M phase, and are rapidly recruited to particular hematopoietic organs.
Molecular signature of human embryonic stem cells and its comparison with the mouse

The molecular mechanism underlying pluripotency is largely unknown. Here, we provide the first global transcriptional profile of the state of "stemness" in human embryonic stem cells (HESCs). We have identified a set of 918 genes enriched in undifferentiated HESCs compared with their differentiated counterparts. These include ligand/receptor pairs and secreted inhibitors of the FGF, TGFbeta/BMP, and Wnt pathways, highlighting a prevalent role for these pathways in HESCs. Importantly, a significant number of HESCs-enriched genes, including several signaling components, are found to be intersected with published mouse embryonic stem cell data, indicating that a "core molecular program" is shared between the two pluripotent stem cells.
Personality and job performance: Evidence of incremental validity.

It is suggested that personality variables are significant predictors of job performance when carefully matched with the appropriate occupation and organization. The present study investigates the relationship between specific personality variables and job performance in a sample (N= 43) of accountants. The results indicate that even with the effects of cognitive ability taken into account, three personality scales (orientation towards work; degree of ascendancy; and degree and quality of interpersonal orientation) are significantly related to important aspects of job performance. It is suggested that the overall validity of selection strategies might be improved with the addition of measures of relevant personality dimensions when appropriately matched to an occupation and organization.
Generic skills of an instructional developer

While a strong case could be made that instructional development has been around for some time under various guises with other names,' another view is that instructional development is simply a refinement and logical extension of the work of W. W. Charters and other educational engineering pioneers. But instructional development is new-new not only because of a new name, but new (or renewed) with vigor and a new concern about who and what
Effect of prepuberal castration on porcine bulbospongiosus muscle.

The histochemical profile and ultrastructural properties of the bulbospongiosus muscle (BSM) fibers from 5–6 month old boars and barrows (castrated at 7 days of age), and intact week old piglets were compared. Based on myosin ATPase, preincubated at pH 4.2, BSM of boars contained predominately intermediately staining fibers, whereas BSM of barrows and piglets had a mixture of staining intensities. Fibers from boar BSM stained intensely for SDH, with subsarcolemmal and diffuse location of reaction product. Staining intensity for SDH was variable in BSM from barrows and piglets, with diffuse location of reaction product. The BSM of boars and barrows contained predominately dark fibers when stained for glycogen and phosphorylase, and the fibers were low in stored lipids. While the fibers were smaller in barrow as compared to boar BSM, ultrastructural differences between boar and barrow BSM were not detectable.
Dielectric relaxation in hydrated elastin

Abstract The dielectric properties of water absorbed in elastin are measured for different water, NaCl and HCl contents over the frequency range 102–105 Hz from 20 to—60°C. For all samples, both the dielectric constant and the loss factor decrease monotonically with increasing frequency or decreasing temperature. The absence of a maximum in the loss curves is indicative of an extremely broad spectrum of relaxation times. By shifting the data along the log frequency axis, all the curves obtained for the dielectric constant and the loss factor at different temperatures are represented on master curves at an arbitrarily chosen temperature. The results are explained on the basis that hydrogen-bonded water clusters with a wide size distribution exist in contact with elastin and that their diffusion is the rate determining step for dipolar orientation. These water molecules are nonfreezable and quite mobile at low temperatures until a glassy state results at approximately 130°K.
Engineering mesenchymal stem cells with hypoxia-regulated gene system: A promising approach for effective cell therapy

Introduction: Autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can improve postinfarcted cardiac function. However, progress in cell therapy is hampered by poor viability of implanted cells and the vulnerability of regenerated tissue to repeated bouts of ischemia. We developed a novel vigilant vector system, which can sense the hypoxia and regulate human heme-oxygenase(hHO-1) expression. We hypothesize that engineering MSCs with a vigilant system could increase the survival of engrafted cells and protect regenerated myocardium from further injury. Methods: Mouse MSCs were transfected with the vigilant vector. We assessed the effect of in-vitro hypoxia and in-vivo ischemia on cell apoptosis and cardiac function. In the study, 1x106 of vigilant hHO-1 transfected-MSCs (MSC-VHO-1), vigilant lacZ transfected MSCs (MSC-VlacZ), or MSCs with 50μl control medium were injected into syngeneic adult BALB/c mouse hearts 1 hour after induction of myocardial infarction. Results: The implanted MSC-VHO-1 expressed hHO-1 in the ischemic region. MSC-VHO-1 hearts had a 2-fold reduction in the number of apoptotic MSCs compared to the MSC-VlacZ group (p = 0.001) and control MSCs (p<0.001). Immunostaining showed thriving MSCs differentiated toward a myogenic phenotype. Systolic function, assessed by maximum dP/dt, was markedly improved in the MSC-VHO-1 group compared to the MSC-VlacZ and MSCs groups. §. Medium MSCVHO-1 MSCVlacZ MSCs Expansion index 1.99 ± 0.39 0.61 ± 0.18§ 1.46 ± 0.28 1.46 ± 0.30 Fibrosis area of LV (%) 36.00 ± 4.36 11.83 ± 3.54§ 23.20 ± 5.45 24.40 ± 4.45 LV +dP/dt max (mmHg/s) 3004.57 ± 362.74 5717.07 ± 935.37#∗ 4336.60 ± 515.10 3988.35 ± 450.07 LV −dP/dt min (mmHg/s) 2447.17 ± 621.96 4893.33 ± 1435.09#∗ 3642.08 ± 667.03 3559.02 ± 713.01 Values are mean ± SEM; LV +dP/dtmax = left ventricular maximum rate of isovolumic pressure development; LV −dP/dtmax = left ventricular minimum rate of isovolumic pressure decay; n = 6 in each group; § p < 0.01 vs medium, MSCVlacZ and MSCs groups; # p < 0.05 vs MSCVlacZ; ∗ p < 0.01 vs both medium and MSCs. Conclusions: Engineering MSCs with vigilant hHO-1 vector can enhance the viability of implanted MSCs in ischemic myocardium, prevent left ventricular remodeling, and improve contractile function. This is the first evidence of using physiologically inducible expression of therapeutic genes for improving survival of graft stem cells in ischemic milieu.
Carbon Monoxide Production by a Bathypelagic Siphonophore

A physonectid siphonophore, Nanomia bijuga, associated with a verticallymigrating deep scattering layer, has been observed with a gasfilled float at depths in excess of 300 meters in the sea. This implies that gas is secreted and maintained in the pneumatophore against a diffusion gradient of 30 atmospheres or more. Analysis of the enclosed gases revealed concentrations of carbon monoxide exceeding 90 percent. Necessary voiding of this gas during a vertical ascent of 300 meters could give rise to a transient population of bubbles which would act as sound-reflecting targets.
Towards an implantable and refillable glucose sensor based on oxygen electrode principles

Abstract A glucose biosensor based on an amperometric oxygen electrode has been developed. The properties of oxygen-permeable membranes by dip-coating the oxygen electrode in silastic materials have been compared with those using a standard PTFE mechanically attached membrane. Glucose diffusion membranes of different thicknesses also made from silastic layers have been studied in order to optimize the sensor parameters: response time, sensitivity and the concentration range of linear response. The sensor utilizing silicon water-based elastomer (Dow Corning 3-5025) for preparation of both oxygen and glucose membranes demonstrates a linearity up to 330 mg/dl glucose and a response time of about 10 min. The enzyme in the sensor, glucose oxidase, can be replaced (the sensor refilled) without surgical removal of the sensor form the patient. Refilling of the sensor is achieved by injecting fresh immobilized enzyme into the sensor using a septum. A special technique for immobilization of the enzyme on ultra-low-temperature isotropic (ULTI) carbon powder held in a liquid suspension has been developed Preliminary studies of the sensors for long-term stability, carried out as a continuous operational test in 100 mg/dl glucose, show practically constant sensitivity of the sensor (an average value of 0.0548±0.0049 μA per 100 mg/dl) over two months of continous operation. During this period the sensor was refilled three times.
Discount window borrowing across federal reserve districts: Evidence under contemporaneous reserve accounting☆

Abstract In recent years, bank borrowing at the discount window has been less reliably related to the spread between the Federal funds rate and the discount rate, complicating the implementation of the borrowed reserves targeting procedure of the Federal Reserve. This paper investigates borrowing across Federal Reserve districts to see if there are significant differences in borrowing behavior across bank size and discount window administrations. The results suggest that borrowing behavior does differ across districts, that standard borrowing models are least satisfactory in explaining the borrowing of large banks, and that borrowing behavior changed after the 1987 stock market crash. The gains in explanatory power from disaggregation, however, are not large.
Suppressed conductometric capillary electrophoresis separation systems

A tubular cation-exchange membrane is installed at the end of a 60-cm-long 75-[mu]m-bore fused-silica capillary. A static dilute acid regenerant solution surrounds the membranes that functions as a suppressor. With positive high voltage applied to the capillary inlet and the regenerant solution grounded, effective suppression of electrolytes such as solutions of alkalic metal borate, glycinate, or cyanide is observed. Electroosmotic flow carries the capillary effluent past the suppressor into a conductivity detection cell constituted by two platinum wires inserted through the wall of a poly(vinyl chloride) capillary. The system provides detection limits in the 10--20 [mu]g/L range for a variety of anions; a typical separation requires 15 min. Applicability to a variety of real samples is demonstrated. 26 refs., 10 figs.