cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunological Identification of Fibrinogen in Dual-Component Protein Films by AFM Imaging

The success of long-term blood-contacting implanted devices is largely dependent upon the interaction of the blood components with the device biomaterial surface. The ability to study these interactions has been hindered by a lack of methods to measure single-molecule interactions in complex multi-protein environments similar to the environment found in vivo. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in conjunction with gold nanolabels to detect the protein fibrinogen under aqueous conditions without the topographical clues usually necessary for high resolution visualization. BSA was patterned onto both muscovite mica and plasma-treated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates and these test substrates were subsequently backfilled with fibrinogen to yield a featureless protein layer. The fibrinogen in this dual-protein layer was detected using high resolution AFM imaging following infusion of anti-fibrinogen conjugated with nanogold particles. This AFM immuno-detection technique will potentially be applicable to complex multi-component protein films adsorbed on clinically relevant polymers used in medical devices.
Characterization of stain-etched porous silicon.

We have performed infrared absorption, continuous-wave photoluminescence, and nanosecond photoluminescence decay measurements to characterize stain-etched porous silicon. Stain-etched porous silicon samples were prepared by etching boron-doped crystalline silicon wafers in a solution of HF:${\mathrm{HNO}}_{3}$:${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O with ratios of 1:5:10 by volume. The dependence of continuous-wave photoluminescence intensity upon temperature and excitation energy has been studied. We have also investigated the dependence of nanosecond photoluminescence decay upon temperature, excitation energy, and emission energy. Our results suggest that the photoluminescence in stain-etched porous silicon might be due to the presence of siloxene-type bonding configuration in an amorphous alloy of silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen.
Structure and properties of a microduplex maraging steel

A simple two-step thermal processing technique was devised to impart a microduplex structure in a high strength 250 grade commercial maraging steel. A martensite grain size of approximately 1 μm was obtained with interspersed islands of retained austenite whose volume fraction and mechanical stability could be controlled by varying the thermal processing conditions. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the microduplex structure were compared to those of the alloy in the maraged, martensitic condition. Due to the presence of the austenite phase, the microduplex structure showed a much smaller temperature and strain rate dependence of deformation than the martensitic structure. A remarkable increase in uniform elongation was observed below theMd temperature of retained austenite. The microduplex structure did not show any significant advantage in fracture toughness over the martensitic structure when compared at similar strength levels. By suitably adjusting austenitic stability a deformation-induced phase transformation (TRIP) of the retained austenite in the microduplex structure could be made to occur; however, the transformation did not lead to any evident increase in toughness. The micro-duplex structure exhibited a slight improvement in fracture toughness at high strain rate in contrast to the martensitic structure in which the rate effect significantly reduced the toughness.
Intracellular glutathione as a determinant of responsiveness to antitumor drugs.

Abstract The effect of glutathione depletion on cytotoxicity of the anthracycline daunorubicin, and of a copper: bis-thiosemicarbazone chelate, was examined in the P388 murine leukemia and its anthracyclineresistant subline, P388/ADR. Depletion of intracellular glutathione was accomplished through exposure to buthionine sulfoximine, a specific inhibitor of glutathione synthesis. Cytotoxicity of daunorubicin was not altered by glutathione depletion, while responsiveness to the bis-thiosemicarbazone chelate was thereby enhanced.
Schwann Cell‐Axon Interactions in Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth Disease

The consequences of the molecular defects in myelin genes are manifest from the time of birth in most patients, as assessed either electrodiagnostically or pathologically. Reduction in nerve conduction velocity is present from the first weeks of life, but the clinical manifestations have been recognized as predominantly distal and dominated by distal muscle atrophy. The recent advances in understanding the molecular defects involved present a paradox: the molecular abnormalities are found in intrinsic Schwann cell proteins, not in distal axons. Thus, the interactions between Schwann cells and axons have been the focus of much attention. Here, we present findings on the effects of Schwann cell phenotype on the axon and how abnormalities in myelin alter the axonal cytoskeleton. The clinical importance of Schwann cell-axon interactions extends beyond Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorders. The same principles may apply in the CNS, for example, in multiple sclerosis.
Generalized compact multi-grid

Abstract Extending our recent work, based on the ideas of the multi-grid iteration, we decrease the storage space for a smooth solution of a nonlinear PDE and, furthermore, for any smooth function on a multi-dimensional grid and on discretization sets other than grids.
Arginine Stimulates Wound Healing and Immune Function in Elderly Human Beings S. J. KIRK, M. HLRSON, M. C. REGAN, ET AL Surgery 114:155–160. 1993

With the aging of the population, a larger number of elderly patients are undergoing more complex surgical procedures. In addition to advanced age, the general decline in metabolic reserve may lead to an increased risk of perioperative complications in these patients. Furthermore, their specialized nutritional needs remain unclear. Arginine, a semiessential amino acid, has been shown to enhance T-cell-mediated immune function both in healthy animals and in humans.1,2 The use of a specialized enteral feeding with supplemental arginine as well as with omega-3 fatty acids and nucleotides significantly reduced complications and hospital stays in a series of patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal tract surgery for cancer.3To study the effects of supplemental arginine on wound healing in an elderly but otherwise healthy group of patients, 45 patients were randomly assigned to receive 30 g of arginine (as a syrup) per day or no supplemental arginine (control group) for a total of 2 weeks. Immune function was...
Chronic stress causes amygdala hyperexcitability in rodents.

Background Chronic stress is a major health concern, often leading to depression, anxiety, or when severe enough, posttraumatic stress disorder. While many studies demonstrate that the amygdala is hyperresponsive in patients with these disorders, the cellular neurophysiological effects of chronic stress on the systems that underlie psychiatric disorders, such as the amygdala, are relatively unknown. Methods In this study, we examined the effects of chronic stress on the activity and excitability of amygdala neurons in vivo in rats. We used in vivo intracellular recordings from single neurons of the lateral amygdala (LAT) to measure neuronal properties and determine the cellular mechanism for the effects of chronic stress on LAT neurons. Results We found a mechanism for the effects of chronic stress on amygdala activity, specifically that chronic stress increased excitability of LAT pyramidal neurons recorded in vivo. This hyperexcitability was caused by a reduction of a regulatory influence during action potential firing, facilitating LAT neuronal activity. The effects of stress on excitability were occluded by agents that block calcium-activated potassium channels and reversed by pharmacological enhancement of calcium-activated potassium channels. Conclusions These data demonstrate a specific channelopathy that occurs in the amygdala after chronic stress. This enhanced excitability of amygdala neurons after chronic stress may explain the observed hyperresponsiveness of the amygdala in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and may facilitate the emergence of depression or anxiety in other patients.
Geometric bias and time coincidence in 3-dimensional laser Doppler velocimeter systems

The measurement by a three-dimensional laser Doppler velocimeter of a turbulent flow has been numerically simulated. Errors associated with the probe volume geometry and the coincidence time window concept are revealed. One type of error occurs for high system data rates when multiple particles lead to system realizations. Another error occurs associated with a geometric bias discovered in the present study. This three-dimensional ldv geometric bias exists even for single-particle realizations and regardless of the system data rate. A technique for the elimination of the geometric bias is presented.
Phospholipase A dependent neurotoxins of the Indian Krait venom.

Summary The venom of the Indian Krait ( Bungarus coeruleus ) has been fractionated by column chromatography to give neurotoxins which seem to be dependent on phospholipase A.
Sucrose, Ethanol, and Sucrose/Ethanol Reinforced Responding under Variable‐Interval Schedules of Reinforcement

Adding sweeteners to ethanol solutions is a common method of inducing rats to consume ethanol. However, it has usually been assumed that it is the sweet taste and/or the calories contained in the sweet solution that controls consumption. The present experiment examined the role of ethanol in controlling responding reinforced by ethanol or an ethanol/sucrose mixture compared with sucrose solutions of various concentrations. After initiation to self-administer 10% (v/v) ethanol using the sucrose-substitution method, rats were trained to respond under a concurrent VI 5" VI 5" schedule. During one condition, responding on one lever was reinforced by the presentation of 10% ethanol, and responding on a second lever was reinforced by water or one of the following sucrose solutions: 1% (w/v), 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, and 5%. During a subsequent condition, responding reinforced by a 10% ethanol/2% sucrose mixture was compared under the concurrent schedule with responding reinforced by water, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 5%, or 10% sucrose (w/v). The results indicated that the ethanol or ethanol/sucrose mixture maintained more responding than did sucrose solutions that were sweeter. Data support the conclusion that, after initiation, the taste and/or pharmacological effects of ethanol had become an important component of the reinforcing stimulus independent of the sweetener.
Effects of chytridiomycosis on circulating white blood cell distributions of bullfrog larvae (Rana catesbeiana)

Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) are widely believed to be nonclinical carriers of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the fungal pathogen that invades keratinized tissues of amphibians and causes the disease, chytridiomycosis. Although most research on this disease focuses on adults, larval anurans are also susceptible to infections in their keratinized mouthparts, and this allows for visual diagnosis of the disease via the degree of mouthpart depigmentation. When an unplanned outbreak of chytridiomycosis occurred in a set of captive bullfrog tadpoles in our lab, we conducted the current investigation into its effects on the nonspecific immune system (i.e., the leukocyte populations) of the tadpoles. We compared leukocyte counts from blood smears of 27 tadpoles that had contracted the disease (evidenced by severe mouthpart depigmentation and confirmed by histology) to those of 21 tadpoles that had little depigmentation (i.e., with little evidence of the disease). Tadpoles with severe depigmentation had significantly more neutrophils and less eosinophils than those with little depigmentation, while numbers of lymphocytes, basophils, and monocytes were not statistically different. That there was any effect at all on circulating leukocyte numbers is surprising since leukocytes are usually not seen migrating to sites of infection in tissue sections of amphibians infected with Bd, and since most research points to this disease having little outward effect on bullfrogs. Since monocyte numbers were unchanged, the leukocyte alterations were likely not due to a simple inflammation response. It is possible that Bd infections elicit increases in glucocorticoid hormones, which can cause increased numbers of circulating neutrophils and lower numbers of eosinophils, although this is often accompanied by a reduction in lymphocyte numbers, which we did not see. Further research is warranted to clarify if this effect is limited to this species.
A genetic approach to defining the sites of interaction of a membrane protein with different external agents

In addition to a role in maintaining outer membrane structural integrity, the OmpA protein of Escherichia coli serves as a receptor for different phages, is required in the recipient cell for efficient conjugation, and functions in the internalization of receptor-bound colicins. To determine whether the same or different sites of OmpA protein are needed for these different functions, this paper presents the properties of a collection of ompA mutants selected as being defective in phage receptor function, but containing normal amounts of OmpA protein. Of 44 mutants examined, most were affected in more than one OmpA protein function, showing that there is considerable overlap in sites needed for different functions. The pattern of this overlap can be represented in a phenotypic map of OmpA protein functions.
Lexical Errors and Accuracy in Foreign Language Writing by AGUSTÍN LLACH, MARÍA PILAR

The article reviews the book "Lexical Errors and Accuracy in Foreign Language Writing, by Agustin Llach and Maria Pilar.
Human cell transformation by simian virus 40--a review.

The small DNA-containing papovaviruses constitute one of the simplest groups of tumor viruses. Of these, the best studied has been simian virus 40 (SV40), which is found as a commensal in Asian macaques. Monkey cells support productive or "lytic" infection with SV40. Mouse cells, by contrast, do not support the production of virus and the infection is said to be "abortive." After surviving the infection, however, some mouse cells develop new properties and are said to be "transformed." The properties of transformed cells and the mechanism(s) for their production have been the emphasis of much research, and considerable progress has been made in understanding the molecular details. These -details are not the subject of this review, however, since they have been reviewed elsewhere (1). Data from nonhuman cell systems will be introduced only when they clarify or critically supplement the large body of information available regarding human cells.
Reduced Circulating Concentration of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor is Associated with Peri- and Post-implantation Failure following In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer.

We evaluated associations between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-4 (NT4) and pregnancy outcome in women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).Sera obtained on days 24 and 28 of an IVF cycle from women with a live birth, spontaneous abortion, biochemical pregnancy, not pregnant, or an ectopic pregnancy were retrospectively analyzed for BDNF and NT4 by ELISA.Median BDNF levels were higher in women with a live birth compared to women with an ectopic pregnancy (P < 0.0001), spontaneous abortion (P < 0.0001), or a biochemical pregnancy (P = 0.0004), but not in women who did not become pregnant. NT4 was detected in <25% of sera and did not differ by outcome. There was no association between BDNF level and oocyte or pre-transfer embryo parameters.Decreased circulating BDNF early in an IVF cycle is associated with adverse peri- and/or post-implantation events and subsequent pregnancy failure.
What's in the input ? Frequent frames in child-directed speech offer distributional cues to grammatical categories in Spanish and English*

Recent analyses have revealed that child-directed speech contains distributional regularities that could, in principle, support young children's discovery of distinct grammatical categories (noun, verb, adjective). In particular, a distributional unit known as the frequent frame appears to be especially informative (Mintz, 2003). However, analyses have focused almost exclusively on the distributional information available in English. Because languages differ considerably in how the grammatical forms are marked within utterances, the scarcity of cross-linguistic evidence represents an unfortunate gap. We therefore advance the developmental evidence by analyzing the distributional information available in frequent frames across two languages (Spanish and English), across sentence positions (phrase medial and phrase final), and across grammatical forms (noun, verb, adjective). We selected six parent-child corpora from the CHILDES database (3 English; 3 Spanish), and analyzed the input when children were 2;6 years or younger. In each language, frequent frames did indeed offer systematic cues to grammatical category assignment. We also identify differences in the accuracy of these frames across languages, sentences positions, and grammatical classes.
Proposed laser ion source for the Columbia University microbeam

A laser ion source is scheduled as an upgrade for the 4 MV Van de Graaff accelerator at the Columbia Universitys Radiological Research Accelerator Facility (RARAF). The source has been designed for use with the RARAF singleparticle single-cell microbeam, though it will be used also for broad-beam irradiations. The operating principle, laser ablation, can produce heavy-ions with high charge states so that their energies will be high enough to provide sufficient range – at least 20 lm – for irradiating cells on a thin surface at atmospheric pressure. The laser ion source being implemented at RARAF consists of three main components: a high-power 100 Hz Nd:YAG laser, a source vacuum chamber and a 24 spherical electrostatic analyzer and a double focusing element with point-to-point focusing in both the horizontal and vertical planes. We expect that the laser ion source will enable us to use ions of sufficient range from hydrogen to iron, providing a range of linear energy transfer from about 10 to 4500 keV/lm. 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Hybrid Analog-Digital Fiber Optic Network for Aircraft Communication and Control

Fiber optic networks are currently deployed throughout an aircraft to allow communication between the various systems on-board. Fibers offer the advantage of reduced weight, higher bandwidth and immunity to electromagnetic interference over traditional coaxial cabling. Typically, one network carries digital data from one on-board system to another, while another takes analog data for electronic warfare applications received from an external source and sends it to a central on-board system [1]. In order to reduce the complexity and maintenance of multiple fiber networks, it would be advantageous to use a single fiber network over which both types of signals could travel. Previous work has looked at combining both analog and digital signals over the same fiber [2, 3]. However these demonstrations required the analog signal to operate at a frequency beyond that of the digital data. In this paper we demonstrate a system to transmit both analog and digital signals within the same frequency bands over the same fiber network with minimal degradation of either signal due to interference from the other.
Materials for a Confrontation with Genius as a Personal Identity

From 1650 to 1900, the idea of genius shifted from a momentary gift of inspiration to a kind of person with inherent intelligence that directs great accomplishment. This article tracks early confrontations with the ascription of genius and the injustices sometimes enacted in genius touting. The historical materials are used to comment on the contemporary genius that crowns a hierarchy of terms for aptitudes, abilities, and disabilities in schools and workplaces that aggressively sort a best from the rest. Terms glossing and evaluating how individual minds work are only occasionally descriptively adequate, but the terms are always situated activities among people positioning each other inside cultural identities.
The spectrum of arterial compression at the thoracic outlet

Objective In the absence of ischemic events, arterial pathology at the thoracic outlet (TO) is rarely identified because findings of chronic arterial pathology may be masked by symptoms of neurogenic compression. This study describes the clinical presentations and significance of arterial compression at the TO. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of the clinical records and imaging studies of 41 patients with objective findings of arterial compression at the TO. Sixteen were diagnosed from 1990 to 2003, during which 284 patients underwent surgery for TO decompression with selective arterial imaging; 25 were diagnosed from 2003 to 2009, and 62 underwent TO surgical decompressions. Results Subclavian artery stenosis, with or without poststenotic dilatation (PSD), was found in 26 patients (63%), subclavian artery aneurysms in 12 (29%), chronic subclavian occlusion in 1(2.4%), and axillary artery compression in 2 (5%). Chronic symptoms difficult to discern from neurogenic compression were present in 27 patients (66%; 24 had subclavian stenoses or PSD, or both, 1 had subclavian occlusion, and 2 had axillary artery compression); 13 (32%) presented with acute ischemia (11 had aneurysms and 2 had PSDs), and 1 asymptomatic patient had a subclavian aneurysm. Osteoarticular anomalies were found in 27 patients (66%), including 19 cervical ribs, 4 first rib anomalies, and 4 clavicular or first rib fractures, or both. Among 27 patients with subclavian aneurysms or PSD, 21 (78%) had a bone anomaly. Arterial pathology was deemed significant in 30 patients (73%) and mild or moderate in 11 (21%). Symptoms in 23 of these patients were compatible with neurogenic compression without clinical suspicion of arterial pathology, but 13 (56%) harbored a significant arterial anomaly. Conclusions The incidence of arterial pathology secondary to compression at the TO may be underestimated, and in the absence of obvious ischemia, significant arterial pathology may not be suspected. Two-thirds of patients with arterial compression have associated bone anomalies. Therefore, routine arterial imaging seems advisable for patients evaluated for TO syndrome in the presence of a bone anomaly at the TO or an examination that shows an arterial abnormality. In the absence of these signs, however, arterial pathology may be overlooked in patients with symptoms suggestive of neurogenic compression. Further study is needed to elucidate the incidence, natural history, and clinical relevance of arterial compression and PSD at the TO.
Electronic commerce: tutorial

As we embark on the information age the use of electronic information is spreading through all sectors of society, both nationally and internationally. As a result, commercial organizations, educational institutions and government agencies are finding it essential to be linked by world wide networks, and commercial Internet usage is growing at an accelerating pace.
Lubricated pipelining: Stability of core-annular flow

The stability of core-annular flow (CAF) in pipes is analysed using the linear theory of stability. Attention is confined to the potentially stable case of lubricated pipelining with the less viscous liquid, say water, in the annulus. The effects of surface tension and density are included, but gravity is excluded. We find upper and lower branches of the neutral curve in a Reynolds number (ℝ) vs. wavenumber (α) plane. A window of parameters is identified in which CAF is stable to small disturbances. When ℝ is below the lower critical value, CAF is destabilized by surface tension and long waves break up into slugs and bubbles. The sizes of slugs and bubbles of oil in water observed by Charles, Govier & Hodgson (1961) are given by the wavelength of the fastest growing long wave. This long-wave instability is a capillary instability, modified by shear, which reduces to Rayleigh's instability in the appropriate limit. At higher ℝ, the capillary instability is stabilized by shear. At yet higher ℝ, above the upper critical value, the flow is unstable to generally shorter waves which leads to emulsification, water droplets in oil. The theory agrees with experiments. The analysis seems to be applicable to the design of lubricated pipelines; for example, there is an optimum viscosity ratio for stability, greater stability can be obtained by using heavy liquid as a lubricant when the flow is unstable to capillary modes on the lower branch and by using light liquids when the flow is unstable to emulsifying disturbances on the upper branch.
Workplace Romances between Senior- Level Executives and Lower-Level Employees: An Issue of Work Disruption and Gender

This study examined co-workers’ reactions to a hierarchical workplace romance between an older, married senior-level executive and a younger, single lower-level employee. Part-time MBA students, nearly all of whom were employed full time, responded to a randomly assigned vignette in which they were asked to assume the role of co-worker of the two romantic partners. The effect of the workplace romance on participants’ productivity and the gender of the two participants were manipulated in vignettes, resulting in a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design. Consistent with gender stereotypes about hierarchical workplace romances, respondents were more likely to attribute a job motive to a female lower-level employee than to a male lower-level employee. In turn, consistent with a work-disruption perspective, respondents regarded the relationship as representing a more serious problem for the organization when they believed that the lower-level participant was motivated by job concerns. Further, when respond...
On the complexity of design in imaging software

Recent evidence raised the possibility that algorithm rich software, such as in imaging processing, is more complex than other kinds (Sangwan, 2005). To further investigate this contention a set of complexity metrics were computed for two sets of open source Java software systems. The results suggest that there is little or no difference in software complexity between an imaging application, and "conventional" software, such as a simple database querying system. The tests suggest that the overall complexity of the system depends more on the software design knowledge of the engineers than the kind of system that is constructed.
Studies on microwave and blood‐brain barrier interaction

This investigation was aimed at correlating changes of blood-brain-barrier permeability with the quantity and distribution of absorbed microwave energy inside the brain of adult Wistar rats anesthetized by sodium pentobarbital. Through use of thermographic methods and a direct-contact applicator at the animal's head, the pattern of absorbed microwave energy was determined. Indwelling catheters were placed in the femoral vein and in the left external carotid artery. Evans blue and sodium fluorescein in isotonic saline were used as visual indicators of barrier permeation. Exposure to pulsed 2,450-MHz radiation for 20 min at average power densities of 0.5, 1, 5, 20, 145 or 1,000 mW/cm2, which resulted in average specific absorption rates (SARs) of 0.04, 0.08, 0.4, 1.6, 11.5 or 80.0 mW/g in the brain, did not produce staining, except in the pineal body, the pituitary gland, and the choroid plexus - regions that normally are highly permeable. Except for these regions, staining was also absent in the brains of sham-exposed animals. The rectal temperature, as monitored by a copper-constantan thermocouple, showed a maximum increase of less than 0.75 degrees C from a mean pre-exposure temperature of 36.6 degrees C. The highest brain temperature recorded in a similar group of animals usingmore » a thickfilm carbon thermistor was less than 41.0 degrees C.« less
Bilingual long-term working memory: The effects of working memory loads on writing quality and fluency

In Experiment 1, 42 multilinguals were able to maintain native language writing quality and fluency in the presence of unattended irrelevant speech while maintaining a concurrent 6-digit memory load. In Experiment 2, 80 bilinguals reduced fluency during writing with the 6-digit load only. In previous research, over 100 monolinguals of comparable verbal and nonverbal skills in three experiments reduced quality and fluency under both secondary tasks (Ransdell, Levy, & Kellogg, 1996). The results are interpreted in terms of a bilingual skill advantage in suppressing irrelevant information. Possessing fluency in another language may confer long-term working memory benefits during dualtask language conditions for bilinguals and even more so for multilinguals.
How we make nephrology easier to learn: computer-based modules at the point-of-care.

Background: Novel educational tools, such as case-based learning in a web-based module format, are an effective approach to teaching clinical concepts to medical trainees, especially if the situations are clinically relevant and the intervention is delivered at the point-of-care. Though studies have evaluated the effectiveness of point-of-care reference materials, limited literature addresses active web-based interventions designed for completion at the point-of-care.Aims: By taking advantage of existing technological resources and integrating an effective learning modality into the clinical environment, we can increase trainee understanding of high-yield topics in clinical nephrology.Methods: We designed interactive, case-based computer-based modules in Principles of Dialysis, Hyponatremia, and Acid–Base abnormalities, with interwoven multiple-choice and free text questions with immediate feedback, supplemental practice questions, and enrichment material to be completed in the clinical environment. All m...
Reexamining the Nature of Learner Control: Dimensionality and Effects on Learning and Training Reactions

The purpose of this study was to advance learner control as a psychological construct by reexamining its dimensionality and effects on learning and reactions in the context of technology-delivered training. Learners (n=384) completed a 2-h web-based Microsoft Excel training. The amount of instructional and scheduling control was manipulated in order to introduce variance in control perceptions. Outcome measures included off-task attention, declarative knowledge, and training reactions. Learner control is a multidimensional construct with differential effects on training outcomes. By focusing on learners’ perceptions of control, we found that instructional control perceptions decreased learning by increasing off-task attention, while scheduling control perceptions increased learning. Though both dimensions of perceived learner control are positively related to training reactions, they differentially predict learning. Combined with factor analytic evidence, our study suggests that learner control research should differentiate between objective and perceived learner control, and between instructional and scheduling control perceptions. Organizations should consider how learner control affects learning prior to designing training. Scheduling control is an often used but rarely researched form of learner control. We address this gap by expanding the construct domain of learner control to include scheduling control. Further, this study provides the first empirical examination of learner control perceptions. Despite calls for learner control literature to differentiate between objective and perceived control, no study had previously examined control perceptions directly. Our results may be used to inform organizational decisions regarding the amount and type of control included in training.
Fast High-Accuracy Binary Parallel Addition

Future designs of parallel digital computers will be concerned with increased accuracy in arithmetic operations. When the number of bits per operand is increased, one basic speed limitation to these operations is the time required to propagate carries in addition or borrows in subtraction. A quantitative method of evaluating the drastic reduction in time achieved by asynchronous addition techniques is described.
Assessment of Ambient Ozone Effects on Vegetation Using Snap Bean as a Bioindicator Species

Tropospheric ozone is an air pollutant that is toxic to plants, causing visible injury to foliage and a reduction in growth and yield. The use of plant bioindicators is one approach to assess the ozone impacts in diverse geographical areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a potential bioindicator species. Three snap bean genotypes known to exhibit a range of ozone sensitivity were grown in pots under charcoal-filtered (CF) or nonfiltered (NF) treatments in open-top chambers, or under ambient air (AA) conditions. Treatment effects on biomass were not significant at 56 days after planting (DAP), but midseason foliar injury increased in the NF and AA treatments relative to CF controls. An increase in ozone from 25 to 30 nL L -1 in CF controls to approximately 50 nL L -1 in the NF and AA treatments was found to suppress final pod dry weight per plant by 40 to 60% in the most sensitive genotype S156. The same treatments suppressed final pod dry weight by 20 to 30% in a moderately sensitive genotype Oregon-91, and by 10% or less in a tolerant genotype R123. An S156 to R123 yield ratio of approximately one was observed under CF conditions. The S156 to R123 yield ratio declined to 0.6 to 0.7 in the NF treatment and declined further to 0.4 to 0.5 in the AA treatment, suggesting that ozone impact was underestimated in the open-top chambers. The results suggest that a snap bean bioindicator system has the potential to detect ambient ozone effects at present-day ozone concentrations.
A dielectric study of the amorphous fraction in oriented nylon 610

Since some dielectric loss peaks can be assigned to amorphous phase motions, it would appear that dielectric measurements should be a good probe to study the effects of macroscopic plastic deformation on the structure of the amorphous phase. We report here results of measurements of dielectric constant and loss in nylon 610 measured both parallel (∥) to and perpendicular (⊥) to the extrusion direction in specimens prepared by extrusion through a die at 160°. It is found that the intensity of the (∥) loss was nearly zero and the (⊥) loss intensity was greatly reduced compared to unoriented material. The other relaxation parameters (loss width and location) were largely unaffected. Since the amide dipole is nearly perpendicular to the chain axis and alternates in direction in the extended conformation, a considerable degree of chain alignment parallel to the draw direction is indicated. These results therefore show considerable permanent amorphous phase orientation even though the deformation was carried out 100° above its glass temperature.
Infrared pupillometry, the Neurological Pupil index and unilateral pupillary dilation after traumatic brain injury: implications for treatment paradigms

Pupillary dysfunction, a concerning finding in the neurologic examination of the patient with an acute traumatic brain injury often dictates the subsequent treatment paradigm. Patients were monitored closely with an infrared pupillometer, with NPi technology, for acute changes in pupillary function. NPi technology applies a scalar value to pupillary function. A retrospective chart review was performed of traumatic brain injury patients with acute unilateral pupillary dilation, admitted to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center’s NeuroTrauma Unit, Portland, OR, and followed as outpatients, between January 2012 and December 2013. Clinical exam findings of pupillary size, NPi scores, and brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography images were analyzed. Five traumatic brain injury patients were identified with unilateral pupillary dysfunction with long-term follow-up after the initial injury. Each patient was monitored closely in the trauma bay for neurological deterioration with a pupillometer and the clinical exam. Two patients underwent subsequent intracranial pressure monitoring based on a deteriorating clinical scenario, including consistent abnormal unilateral NPi scores. One patient with consistent abnormal NPi scores and an improved clinical exam did not undergo invasive interventions. Two patients showed early improvement in NPi scores correlating with the normalization of their pupillary reactivity. Anisocoria improved in all patients despite concurrent abnormal NPi scores. Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography imaging studies, with a focus on the third nerve, revealed focal abnormalities consistent with the clinical findings. A unilateral blown pupil and abnormal NPi score in a traumatic brain injury patient are not necessarily indicative of intracranial pressure issues, and must be correlated with the entire clinical scenario, to determine the etiology of the third nerve injury and direct potential therapeutic interventions. Early NPi score normalization suggests pupillary function may improve. We found that NPi scores, as a component of the clinical exam, provide a sensitive, noninvasive and quantitative means of following pupillary function acutely and chronically after a traumatic brain injury.
STUDIES ON TOXEMIA OF PREGNANCY: EFFECT OF DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE (DCA) ON HEMODYNAMICS AND ELECTROLYTE BALANCE OF NORMAL PREGNANT WOMEN*

THE role of desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) in the genesis of hypertension has received considerable attention. DCA may produce hypertension by its effect on electrolyte metabolism or by an action on the kidney (1). The symptoms of edema, hypertension and proteinuria characteristic of toxemia of pregnancy are similar in some respects to those observed in DCA overdosage in animals (2–5). This similarity has led to the hypothesis that toxemia of pregnancy may be caused by excessive secretion of DCA or DCA-like substances by the placenta or the adrenals (2–5). That the elevated blood pressure of toxemia of pregnancy may be humoral in origin is suggested by Dexter's observation (6) that renin is present in the blood. Also, ganglionic blockade with tetraethylammonium chloride (TEAC) in patients with toxemia does not produce the pronounced drop in blood pressure observed in normotensive pregnant women (7, 8, 9). This fact augments the evidence suggesting the presence of a humoral agent in toxemia and provide...
Discarded deity: the rejection of Michelangelo's Bacchus and the artist's response

Cardinal Raffaele Riario (1460–1521) hired Michelangelo in 1496 to carve a life-size Bacchus for display in his new palace. Bank records and the artist's letters prove that Michelangelo spent a year carving the sculpture, for which he was paid in full. Although scholars agree that the patron never possessed the work, determining why Riario rejected the sculpture has proven more difficult. This paper considers how the Bacchus would have contributed to the cardinal's thoughtfully constructed identity – and why the meaning would have been desirable in 1496, but unacceptable a year later. In June 1497, Riario was occupied with an intense political situation that made installing the nude pagan figure imprudent. The patron chose to leave the sculpture where it was carved, on a property owned by Jacopo Galli (†1505). Deeply insulted, Michelangelo became painfully aware of the imbalance of power in artist-patron relationships. This essay also addresses how Michelangelo intervened in his biographies written by Giorgio Vasari (1511–74) and Ascanio Condivi (c. 1525–74) to ensure the identification of Jacopo Galli as patron of the Bacchus and deride the cardinal.
Bioactive polymers for biohybrid artificial pancreas.

To address the solution for some of the obstacles, such as low insulin secretion, limited lifespan and aggregation of transplanted islets, encountered in developing a biohybrid artificial pancreas (BAP), polymeric materials including a reversible polymeric extracellular matrix (ECM), crystallized glucagon-like peptide-1, and oxygen carrying polymers, were prepared and their potential utilities in designing a compact and rechargeable BAP were investigated. For a synthetic, reversible ECM, high molecular weight N-isopropylacrylamide copolymer with a small amount of acrylic acid (2mole%) was synthesized by conventional radical polymerization in benzene, and its aqueous solution above a critical polymer concentration displayed a sol-gel transition temperature near physiological temperature (33–35°C) without noticeable hysteresis. The physicochemical properties of the gel with islet compatibility proved that the synthetic ECM is an appropriate matrix which can make a BAP rechargeable. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (...
Baroreceptor Discharge Behavior and Resetting

It is widely recognized that the arterial baroreceptors play a key role in the operation of the cardiovascular function and reflex regulation of blood pressure under normal and pathological conditions. Of the two major arterial baroreceptors, the aortic baroreceptors and their contribution to the reflex regulation of blood pressure were the first to be discovered [60]. In contrast, the origin and function of the carotid sinus baroreceptors was discovered 2 decades later when Hering [54] showed that stimulation of the carotid sinus or its nerve produced reflex bradycardia and hypotension.
Bimodal effect of stimulation on light fluctuation transients monitoring spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release in rat cardiac muscle

Microscopic, myofilament motion caused by spontaneous oscillatory Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of unstimulated rat papillary muscles produces scattered light intensity fluctuations (SLIF) in a laser beam scattered by the tissue. SLIF frequency increases with Ca2+ loading of resting muscle. We used novel time-gated SLIF measurements to determine how electrical stimulation (which per se both induces SR Ca2+ release and modulates total cellular Ca2+ loading) affects SLIF. Stimulation of thin rat, right ventricular muscles at 1 Hz in bathing [Ca2+] (Ca0) of 1.5 mM at 29 degrees C abolished SLIF for 5-7 seconds; SLIF then reappeared and monotonically increased for 10-15 seconds to reach the steady resting level. Resting force transients paralleled those of SLIF. The magnitude of depression and time course of recovery of both resting force and SLIF at this Ca0 vary inversely with the rate of prior stimulation and the number of stimuli given. An increase in Ca0 or disablement of the Na-K pump increased both resting SLIF and force; transient stimulation under these conditions (i.e., in a 2.5-5.5-second "diastolic window" after cessation of stimulation) augmented SLIF and force above the resting level. Isoproterenol caused a modest reduction of resting SLIF, but it transiently increased SLIF after stimulation up to 10-fold above the resting level. Nifedipine did not affect resting SLIF but transiently depressed SLIF after stimulation. Ryanodine abolished SLIF both after stimulation and at rest.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Circulating Tumor Cells: Not All Detected Cells Are Bad and Not All Bad Cells Are Detected

More than 90% of cancer deaths result from the development of hematogenously disseminated metastasis. The presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with cancer was first reported in 1869. 1 More recently, methods have been developed to detect, isolate, and characterize CTCs in multiple different malignancies that arise in solid organs. 2 The most widely used method, designated CellSearch (Veridex, Raritan, NJ), relies on immunomagnetic capture of CTCs using antibodies against the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCam), which is expressed on the cell surface of many epithelial malignancies, followed by additional characterization with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining (to
A General Computational Treatment Of The Comparative

We present a general treatment of the comparative that is based on more basic linguistic elements so that the underlying system can be effectively utilized: in the syntactic analysis phase, the comparative is treated the same as similar structures; in the syntactic regularization phase, the comparative is transformed into a standard form so that subsequent processing is basically unaffected by it. The scope of quantifiers under the comparative is also integrated into the system in a general way.
In Vivo Effects of IL-4, IL-10, and Amifostine on Cytokine Production in Patients with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Both IL-4 and IL-10 have been shown in vitro to inhibit leukemia cell secretion of IL-1beta, GM-CSF, and TNFalpha, and increase leukemia cell release of IL-1ra. In this study, we have investigated the in vivo effects of IL-4, IL-10, and amifostine on cytokine production in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Serum IL-1ra, IL-1beta, TNFalpha, GM-CSF, and SCF levels were measured in AML patients who received IL-4, IL-10, or amifostine. No significant changes in the serum levels of IL-1ra, IL-1beta, TNFalpha, GM-CSF, and SCF were found in AML patients who received amifostine. Both IL-4 and IL-10 were found to increase serum IL-1ra. This data is in accord with the in vitro studies. However, IL-4 increased serum GM-CSF levels and IL-10 increased serum IL-1beta and TNFalpha levels. These in vivo effects of the two cytokines differ from their in vitro effects. Despite the similar effects of IL-4 and IL-10 on cytokine production by AML cells in vitro, different effects were observed in AML patients in vivo. IL-4 increased serum SCF levels, whereas IL-10 decreased serum SCF levels. IL-4 increased serum GM-CSF levels, whereas IL-10 had no effect on them. Although IL-10 increased serum IL-1beta and TNFalpha levels, IL-4 had no effect on them. These findings indicate that the in vitro effects of IL-4 and IL-10 do not necessarily reflect their in vivo effects, and that the complex effects of the two cytokines on serum cytokine levels make it difficult to predict their therapeutic potential.
Biomechanics of knee ligaments: injury, healing, and repair

Knee ligament injuries are common, particularly in sports and sports related activities. Rupture of these ligaments upsets the balance between knee mobility and stability, resulting in abnormal knee kinematics and damage to other tissues in and around the joint that lead to morbidity and pain. During the past three decades, significant advances have been made in characterizing the biomechanical and biochemical properties of knee ligaments as an individual component as well as their contribution to joint function. Further, significant knowledge on the healing process and replacement of ligaments after rupture have helped to evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment procedures. This review paper provides an overview of the current biological and biomechanical knowledge on normal knee ligaments, as well as ligament healing and reconstruction following injury. Further, it deals with new and exciting functional tissue engineering approaches (ex. growth factors, gene transfer and gene therapy, cell therapy, mechanical factors, and the use of scaffolding materials) aimed at improving the healing of ligaments as well as the interface between a replacement graft and bone. In addition, it explores the anatomical, biological and functional perspectives of current reconstruction procedures. Through the utilization of robotics technology and computational modeling, there is a better understanding of the kinematics of the knee and the in situ forces in knee ligaments and replacement grafts. The research summarized here is multidisciplinary and cutting edge that will ultimately help improve the treatment of ligament injuries. The material presented should serve as an inspiration to future investigators.