cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case-based learning on the web

Abstract The National Research Council emphasizes several factors as important in how people learn. The first is to assess the learner's basic assumptions and knowledge base on a particular topic before conveying information. Without this there can be miscommunication. The second is to present one topic in depth rather than cover a range of topics more superficially. This is critical because individuals who learn one area in depth are able to transfer their learning to related areas. The third factor is that for individuals to improve their analytic thinking it is important for them to hear experts discuss their analysis of an issue. Learning consultation psychiatry has relied on discussion of current cases by attending psychiatrists. Interviewing real patients is compelling to trainees. It is also efficient, because it combines clinical care with learning. However, it relies on the flow of patients, and it does not ensure that students will systematically be exposed to the core topics in the field. Moreover, attendings are not expert in all areas so that an in depth discussion and analysis may not always be possible. Case-based learning using the Web is an effective way for students to learn consultation psychiatry. It allows individuals to have their knowledge base assessed as they proceed through the learning exercise. It also allows them to learn a particular topic in depth and to hear experts analyze a case. Moreover, it assures that students are exposed to core topics in the field. The use of the Web allows easy access to this information and presents it in an interactive and engaging manner. This is an efficient way of reaching a large audience. There is an initial labor-intensive investment that pays its return through efficient and easy access of the material. A collaborative effort amongst universities to develop a library of case-based learning materials would be a very cost effective way of transmitting information and enhancing student's learning. A Web-based case developed by Tong, Poncelet and Berger involving headache complaints in a patient with mixed personality disorder and drug-seeking behavior will be presented.
Screamer disease in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Chile

Investigation of cranial and spinal deformities in Atlantic salmon smolts from Chile immediately after sea transfer, over two successive crops, demonstrated ankylosis of the mandibular articulation, spinal foreshortening, fracture of vertebrae and rarefaction of osseous and cartilaginous tissues including the operculum. As a result the mouth was permanently agape and opercula could be folded back on themselves. All affected fish had been transferred to sea water at 20 °C plus and fed on particular commercial diets. Fish in cooler areas, or on diets high in vitamin C and phosphorus in the high temperature zone, were clinically normal. The condition has not recurred following dietary adjustment.
Electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus as a discriminative stimulus: generalization to (+/-)-DOI.

Electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus of Sprague-Dawley rats was used as the cue for discrimination using a taste aversion paradigm. Rats were trained to associate saccharin drinking during electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus with LiCl injection after the session as the aversive unconditioned stimulus. In sessions without stimulation, rats were allowed to consume saccharin and received a saline injection after the session. Suppression of saccharin consumption during electrical stimulation was learned within 12 trials. Rats trained in the reverse discrimination, i.e., sessions with no electrical stimulation paired with LiCl injection, showed a similar learning curve. Animals injected prior to the session with the hallucinogenic 5-HT2 agonist (±)-DOI associated DOI with electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus. Thus, animals may be trained to discriminate electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus. Furthermore, animals generalize from activation of 5-HT2 receptors to electrical stimulation of the dorsal raphe nucleus.
Hybrid Matching Algorithm for Personal Names

Companies acquire personal information from phone, World Wide Web, or email in order to sell or send an advertisement about their product. However, when this information is acquired, moved, copied, or edited, the data may lose its quality. Often, the use of data administrators or a tool that has limited capabilities to correct the mistyped information can cause many problems. Moreover, most of the correction techniques are particularly implemented for the words used in daily conversations. Since personal names have different characteristics compared to general text, a hybrid matching algorithm (PNRS) which employs phonetic encoding, string matching and statistical facts to provide a possible candidate for misspelled names is developed. At the end, the efficiency of the proposed algorithm is compared with other well known spelling correction techniques.
Weight of custom, signs of change: Feminism in the literature of African women

(1985). Weight of custom, signs of change: Feminism in the literature of African women. World Literature Written in English: Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 183-197.
The Persistence of Fraud in the Literature: The Darsee Case.

The incidence of fraud, or scientific misconduct, has been much publicized of late. While not new, the case of John Darsee has played an important part in the literature of biomedical research for a number of years. Darsee was discovered to have fabricated the data which formed the bases for many articles and abstracts he published through 1981. The present study shows that, although a considerable amount of time has passed and some of his papers have been retracted, Darsee's work continues to be cited, and cited positively, in the literature on cardiology through 1990. The implications of this phenomenon are discussed. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Multiple benefits of personal FM system use by children with auditory processing disorder (APD)

Children with auditory processing disorders (APD) were fitted with Phonak EduLink FM devices for home and classroom use. Baseline measures of the children with APD, prior to FM use, documented significantly lower speech-perception scores, evidence of decreased academic performance, and psychosocial problems in comparison to an age- and gender-matched control group. Repeated measures during the school year demonstrated speech-perception improvement in noisy classroom environments as well as significant academic and psychosocial benefits. Compared with the control group, the children with APD showed greater speech-perception advantage with FM technology. Notably, after prolonged FM use, even unaided (no FM device) speech-perception performance was improved in the children with APD, suggesting the possibility of fundamentally enhanced auditory system function.
Addendum to ‘asymptotic eigenfunctions of mixed problems of Stekloff's type’: Extension to exterior problems

The asymptotic eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the problem: ΔV=0 in the exterior domain to a regular closed curvec and ∂V/∂ν=μV(s)g(s) onc, are obtained. It is shown that μn=0(n) andVn(s) becomes trigonometric.
Displacement thresholds for unidirectional and oscillatory movement

Abstract Displacement thresholds were determined for unidirectional linear movement (A-B motion) and oscillatory movement (A-B-A motion) for various periods of motion. Both functions exhibited similar increases in motion thresholds for durations of movement greater than 800 msec, and nearly constant motion thresholds for durations of movement between 300 and 800 msec. At shorter durations, A-B motion thresholds remained essentially constant, whereas A-B-A (oscillatory) motion thresholds displayed a dramatic increase. The introduction of a pause at point B of the oscillatory movement decreased motion thresholds at short durations, supporting the hypothesis that temporal integration of the stimulus luminance at point B was a critical factor underlying the degraded performance. The temporal integration hypothesis was also supported by a subsequent experiment in which luminancetime trade-offs were demonstrated for motion thresholds at short durations of movement. These findings indicate that stimulus displacement is a primary determinant of movement detection sensitivity.
The effects of the type of anesthesia on outcomes of lower extremity infrainguinal bypass.

Objective Three main types of anesthesia are used for infrainguinal bypass: general endotracheal anesthesia (GETA), spinal anesthesia (SA), and epidural anesthesia (EA). We analyzed a large clinical database to determine whether the type of anesthesia had any effect on clinical outcomes in lower extremity bypass. Methods This study is an analysis of a prospectively collected database by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) of the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. All patients from 1995 to 2003 in the NSQIP database who underwent infrainguinal arterial bypass were identified via Current Procedural Terminology codes. The 30-day morbidity and mortality outcomes for various types of anesthesia were compared by using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression to control for confounders. Results The NSQIP database identified 14,788 patients (GETA, 9757 patients; SA, 2848 patients; EA, 2183 patients) who underwent a lower extremity infrainguinal arterial bypass during the study period. Almost all patients (99%) were men, and the mean age was 65.8 years. The type of anesthesia significantly affected graft failure at 30 days. Compared with SA, the odds of graft failure were higher for GETA (odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.77; P = .001). There was no statistically significant difference in 30-day graft failure between EA and SA. Regarding cardiac events, defined as postoperative myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest, patients with normal functional status (activities of daily living independence) and no history of congestive heart failure or stroke did worse with GETA than with SA (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.32-2.48; P P = .034]. There was no significant difference between EA and SA with regard to postoperative pneumonia. Compared with SA, GETA was associated with an increased odds of returning to the operating room (odds ratio, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.20-1.64; P P = .005). GETA was associated with a longer surgical length of stay on univariate analysis, but not after controlling for confounders. There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality among the three groups with univariate or multivariate analyses. Conclusions Although GETA is the most common type of anesthesia used in infrainguinal bypasses, our results suggest that it is not the best strategy, because it is associated with significantly worse morbidity than regional techniques.
Thomas Ricento (ed.), An Introduction to language policy: Theory and method

Thomas Ricento (ed.), An Introduction to language policy: Theory and method. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2006. Pp. xii, 371. Pb 69.95.Excellent textbooks are hard to find, and with An Introduction to language policy: Theory and method, Thomas Ricento delivers one for language policy and planning (LPP). Ricento has assembled an extraordinary collection of carefully crafted introductory essays on core issues in LPP. Each contribution is written by the leading researcher(s) in a given area. In all, the book includes 19 chapters divided into three sections, each with an overview by Ricento: “Theoretical perspectives in language policy,” “Methodological perspectives in language policy,” and “Topical areas in language policy.”
Polymeric system for dual growth factor delivery

The development of tissues and organs is typically driven by the action of a number of growth factors. However, efforts to regenerate tissues (e.g., bone, blood vessels) typically rely on the delivery of single factors, and this may partially explain the limited clinical utility of many current approaches. One constraint on delivering appropriate combinations of factors is a lack of delivery vehicles that allow for a localized and controlled delivery of more than a single factor. We report a new polymeric system that allows for the tissue-specific delivery of two or more growth factors, with controlled dose and rate of delivery. The utility of this system was investigated in the context of therapeutic angiogenesis. We now demonstrate that dual delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-165 and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, each with distinct kinetics, from a single, structural polymer scaffold results in the rapid formation of a mature vascular network. This is the first report of a vehicle capable of delivery of multiple angiogenic factors with distinct kinetics, and these results clearly indicate the importance of multiple growth factor action in tissue regeneration and engineering.
Die for MCMs: IC preparation for testing, analysis and assembly

A method of die preparation for test, analysis and burn-in is described that can begin to address multichip module (MCM) infrastructure requirements for obtaining known good die. The process developed provides full functional component testing, timing analysis at speed, and burn-in of ICs prior to MCM insertion. A soluble polymer overlay was coated on the die surface and patterned with new top level metal bond pads, allowing standard packaging, testing and burn-in while permitting a method of recovering selected devices for use in an MCM. The overlay formed a protective coating for the die and if left in place may be used to support assembly specific metallization patterns and various metal finish types. A demonstration of this technique is reported and the component quality and analysis effort is described. >
Pharmacokinetics of intrarectal omeprazole in alpacas.

Marmulak, T., Stanley, S., Kass, P.H., Wiebe, V., McKemie, D., Pusterla, N. Pharmacokinetics of intrarectal omeprazole in alpacas. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2885.2009.00149.x. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of omeprazole in three different vehicles when administered rectally to six alpacas. Alpacas were given single doses of omeprazole (4 mg/kg) in a double-blinded, randomized cross-over design with a 1 week washout period. Omeprazole formulations consisted of (1) Treatment A: omeprazole paste mixed in surgical lubricant (2) Treatment B: omeprazole capsule contents in 8.4% sodium bicarbonate and (3) Treatment C: omeprazole capsule contents in surgical lubricant and 8.4% sodium bicarbonate solution. Plasma samples were drawn at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180, 300 and 480 min. Omeprazole plasma concentrations were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic results demonstrated median peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) of 7.35 (3.2–15.2), 7.30 (1.7–10.9) and 8.65 (1.8–19.3) ng/mL and median area under the concentration curve (AUC(0–180)) of 747 (237–1681) min·ng/mL, 552.9 (39–1063) min·ng/mL, and 972 (107–1841) min·ng/mL for treatments A, B and C, respectively. The median half-lives were similar between groups: 38, 50, and 53 min. As a result of the low measured omeprazole plasma concentrations, it is assumed that rectal absorption of omeprazole is poor in alpacas and not an effective route of administration.
Pilot-symbol-assisted coded transmission over the block-noncoherent AWGN channel

In this paper, pilot-symbol-assisted transmission in conjunction with high-performance coding over the block-independent noncoherent additive white Gaussian noise channel is investigated. Several approximate iterative receivers are proposed, which either perform carrier-phase estimation separately from detection, or joint carrier-phase estimation/decoding in an iterative fashion. The performance of the proposed receivers is analyzed using density evolution. The power allocation to the pilot symbol is quantified, and it is shown that an optimal allocation scheme exists that minimizes the overall information bit signal-to-noise ratio required for error-free communication. This optimal power allocation, which could be utilized in code design, is found to be sensitive to the channel coherence interval, as well as to the particular receiver used. In addition, a simple upper bound on the performance of any receiver that performs joint iterative carrier-phase estimation and detection, is derived. The obtained results are compared with the simulated performance of the proposed receivers.
Concentrations of haptoglobin in bovine plasma determined by ELISA or a colorimetric method based on peroxidase activity

Summary The objective was to compare different procedures for determination of haptoglobin in bovine plasma. Nine Angus steers were vaccinated against Mannheimia haemolytica to stimulate an acute-phase response. Blood samples were collected immediately prior to vaccination (day 0), and on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10. Plasma samples were frozen in duplicates at −80 °C. One set of the duplicates was analysed for haptoglobin concentrations using a commercial ELISA kit. A day effect was detected (p < 0.01) because haptoglobin peaked on day 3 and returned to baseline on day 7 relative to vaccination. The second duplicate was analysed using a procedure that measures haptoglobin–haemoglobin complexing by estimating differences in peroxidase activity (CPPA) with results expressed as optical density. Further, based on the ELISA results, the plasma sample with the greatest haptoglobin concentration was also serially diluted into a plasma sample with negligible haptoglobin concentration from the same steer (1:1 through 1:1024 dilution). These dilutions were used within the CPPA method to generate a standard curve and estimate plasma haptoglobin concentrations (CPPA + STD). A linear standard curve was generated (r2 = 0.99). A day effect similar to the ELISA method was detected for the CPPA and CPPA + STD methods (p < 0.01). Results obtained from CPPA and ELISA methods were positively correlated (r = 0.97; p < 0.01). The values generated by the CPPA + STD procedure were similar (p = 0.38) compared to the values generated by the ELISA method. In conclusion, assessing concentrations of haptoglobin in bovine plasma using the CPPA and CPPA + STD methods generate highly correlated or similar results, respectively, compared to ELISA. Therefore, the CPPA + STD and CPPA methods can be used as a less expensive alternative to ELISA to determine concentrations or monitor changes in plasma haptoglobin in bovine samples.
DNA damage measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in mouse fibroblast cells exposed to oxidative stress

Oxidative DNA damage can result from environmental factors, such as radiation, as well as from the untoward consequences of normal metabolic processes. It is of interest to assay oxidative DNA damage in cells and tissues because this damage has been implicated in human disease, particularly cancer. Eleven indicators of oxidative DNA damage have been measured by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) in DNA extracted from cells exposed to oxidative stress. Mouse fibroblast cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide and to UVC light and to the combined action of both agents. Significant increases of the 8-oxo-7,8-dihydropurine lesions over background were detected. Significant increases of the formamido lesions resulting from breakdown of pyrimidine bases were also observed. Of especial interest was the observation of double lesions, tandem combinations of both aforementioned lesions, in cells exposed to oxidative stress.
Proton-proton and proton-deuteron elastic scattering experiments at N.A.L.

Differential cross-sections for p-p and p-d elastic scattering have been measured at N.A.L. for 80 < $s$ < 600 Ge V $^{2}$ in the four-momentum transfer range 0.001 < $|t|$ < 0.15 (Ge V/$c$)$^{2}$. Preliminary values are given for the slope parameters in the diffraction region and for the ratio of the real to the imaginary scattering amplitude. The energy dependence of these parameters is discussed.
Analysis, design, and implementation of an AC bridge for impedance measurements

The paper reviews the digital AC bridge. A more accurate and thorough analysis of the bridge is presented. Based on the analysis a simple adaptive algorithm is proposed in order to ensure fast conversion. In addition, a new design of the bridge, based on the TMS 320C25, is given. The system is implemented with the Dalanco Spry model 25 DSP board, on a software system designed whereby an IBM PC host computer provides control of the bridge. Experimental results are presented. >
Comment on “Characterization of Interfacial Properties in Fiber‐Reinforced Cementitious Composites”

Modeling the process of pullout of a fiber from a matrix is a fundamental problem that has received great attention among researchers, as indeed shown by the review presented in the paper by Z. Li, B. Mobasher, and S. I? Shah.' However, a number of recent studies have also addressed the specific problem of fiber pullout from a cementitious matrix and, as discussed below, contribute significantly to extending the current state of knowledge.2" In these references a fundamental study of the bond stress-slip relationship between steel fibers and cement composites is presented and correlated with the pullout problem. The analysis consists of a primal problem, whereby a complete pullout load versus slip curve can be predicted from an assumed (or experimental) bond stress versus slip relationship, and, a dual problem, in which the bond stress versus slip relationship is obtained from an experimental pullout curve. The solution presented is most general. The main purpose of this comment is to show first that the model developed by Li et al.' is a subset of the general model developed by Naaman et ~1.~~ and second that, because of simplifying assumptions, it may be quite limited in scope.
Digitalis intoxication and poisoning

Digitalis in toxicat ion is a f requent medical problem encountered in the emergency depa r tmen t . I , e An aud i t of drug prescr ip t ions has shown digoxin and dig i toxin to be, respect ively, the fifth and 16th most prescr ibed drugs th rough pharmacies . 3 Shapiro et aP s tud ied more than 2000 consecutive pa t i en t s in a comprehensive surveillance p rogram and found t h a t 22% had received digoxin: Almost 4% had developed a major reac t ion and 18% had adve r se reac t ions . Be l l e r et al 2 s tud ied a lmost 1000 pa t ien t s and found t ha t 15% were t a k i n g digitalis on a d m i s s i o n ; of t he se , 23% were d e f i n i t e l y , and 6% poss ib ly , digitalis toxic as shown by ser ia l electrocardiograms. The incidence of intoxication in o ther s tudies has been as high as 35%. 4 Mor t a l i t y r a t e in digitalis i n tox i ca t ed p a t i e n t s aver aged 22% wi th a range of 7% to 50% m several s tudies. 2
Entering Adolescence: Resistance to Peer Influence, Risky Behavior, and Neural Changes in Emotion Reactivity

Adolescence is often described as a period of heightened reactivity to emotions paired with reduced regulatory capacities, a combination suggested to contribute to risk-taking and susceptibility to peer influence during puberty. However, no longitudinal research has definitively linked these behavioral changes to underlying neural development. Here, 38 neurotypical participants underwent two fMRI sessions across the transition from late childhood (10 years) to early adolescence (13 years). Responses to affective facial displays exhibited a combination of general and emotion-specific changes in ventral striatum (VS), ventromedial PFC, amygdala, and temporal pole. Furthermore, VS activity increases correlated with decreases in susceptibility to peer influence and risky behavior. VS and amygdala responses were also significantly more negatively coupled in early adolescence than in late childhood while processing sad and happy versus neutral faces. Together, these results suggest that VS responses to viewing emotions may play a regulatory role that is critical to adolescent interpersonal functioning.
Thermal Constraints on Earthquake Depths in California

The high-quality databases for California seismicity (from the Southern and Northern California Earthquake Centers) and an extensive compilation of thermal measurements in California are used to quantify the concept of temperature as a fundamental parameter for determining the thickness of the seismogenic zone. The base of this zone, below which only a small percentage of crustal earthquakes occur, is termed the “cutout depth,” and it is at or near the brittle-ductile transition in the crust. Based on laboratory deformation studies, this transition should be temperature, strain rate, lithology, and stress-state dependent. In this study, qualitative comparisons between the heat flow in California and earthquake hypocentral distributions show first that, as expected, earthquake cutout depths are inversely related to heat flow. Second, the epicentral distributions tend to parallel thermal transitions. This correlation is probably related to stress concentrations in these locations. An ancillary observation is that the cooler western Mojave block in southern California appears to be behaving similarly to the Tibetan indenter block in Asia, as faults tend to go around it into areas of higher heat flow where the seismogenic zone is thinner and the crust may be weaker, and it is pushed toward (and under) the southern cold Sierra Nevada block. Third, to quantitatively compare the data sets, temperatures for the seismicity cutout depth in California were calculated using the steady-state, 1D heat conduction equation, with the variables based on published values for heat flow, heat generation, and thermal conductivity. The analysis was restricted to profiles along which the heat flow and earthquake databases were constrained, which allowed the error in the temperature calculation to be determined using Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that two distinct ranges of temperatures (dependent upon location) describe the cutout depth ( D 99%) of seismicity for California: 450 ± 50°C and 260 ± 40°C. The 450 ± 50°C cutout depth temperature is most widespread geographically, occurs within many provinces, and is higher than the frequently referenced temperature of 300 ± 50°C for the brittle-ductile transition. The lower temperature (260°C) seems to be restricted to provinces where the heat flow is near or below 50 mW m-2, such as the Mojave block and Sierra Nevada. The differences in these cutout temperatures suggest that additional factors, such as strain rate, stress regime, and/or lithology, may contribute to the seismicity cutout depth. Fourth, along a profile with significant seismic activity and a 450°C cutout temperature, the envelope for the maximum energy released by earthquakes falls at or below the 300°C isotherm. Detailed characterization of the heat flow and earthquake synergy in this manner furthers the understanding of the earthquake process and can aid in the estimation of the maximum depth of rupture for great earthquakes, particularly in areas of low seismicity, thus reducing uncertainties in hazard calculations. Manuscript received 26 February 2003.
Human germline differentiation charts a new course

Understanding the molecular events of reproduction requires a system to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells to germline cells (gametes) in vitro. Such a system is not only critical to unlock the secrets of germline development; it may also allow screening for environmental agents that affect gametogenesis. Two recent papers, one in this issue of The EMBO Journal, have developed complementary approaches for generating human germline cells with unprecedented efficiency from pluripotent stem cells (Sugawa et al, 2015; Irie et al, 2015). This work illustrates the power and limitations of extrapolating molecular pathways for lineage differentiation from mice to humans and illuminates the importance of using human cell-based models to study reproductive health.
Retrospective Scanning of Events Over Time

Researchers studying events occurring over a period of time may observe what appears to be a large cluster of events all occurring within a short period of time. The researchers ask whether the cluster is unusual in the sense that it is unlikely to have arisen by chance if events were distributed independently and completely at random over time. The relative frequency of large clusters that occur purely by chance is one tool to answer such questions.
Diagnostic accuracy of an initial azoospermic reading compared with results of post-centrifugation semen analysis after vasectomy.

Purpose: Semen analysis is a common laboratory procedure but few data are available to support recommendations as to whether centrifugation is necessary in the post-vasectomy context. We evaluated the accuracy of a pre-centrifugation determination of azoospermia compared with post-centrifugation results.Materials and Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 3,205 semen analyses performed during a randomized clinical trial of 2 vasectomy techniques—ligation and excision with fascial interposition vs ligation and excision without fascial interposition. We performed brief, initial microscopic examinations to categorize sperm numbers per high power field to decide whether centrifugation or dilution was needed before estimation of sperm concentration. For specimens initially categorized as azoospermic, we reviewed the post-centrifugation semen analysis results to estimate the accuracy of the initial finding.Results: Of 2,104 samples categorized as azoospermic before centrifugation, post-centrifu...
Measurement of ciliary beat frequency using Doppler optical coherence tomography.

Author(s): Lemieux, BT; Chen, JJ; Jing, J; Chen, Z; Wong, BJF | Abstract: Background: Measuring ciliary beat frequency (CBF) is a technical challenge and difficult to perform in vivo. Doppler optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) is a mesoscopic noncontact imaging modality that provides high-resolution tomographic images and detects micromotion simultaneously in living tissues. In this work we used D-OCT to measure CBF in ex vivo tissue as the first step toward translating this technology to clinical use. Methods: Fresh ex vivo samples of rabbit tracheal mucosa were imaged using both D-OCT and phase-contrast microscopy (n = 5). The D-OCT system was designed and built to specification in our lab (1310-nm swept source vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser [VCSEL], 6-μm axial resolution). The samples were placed in culture and incubated at 37°C. A fast Fourier transform was performed on the D-OCT signal recorded on the surface of the samples to gauge CBF. High-speed digital video of the epithelium recorded via phase-contrast microscopy was analyzed to confirm the CBF measurements. Results: The D-OCT system detected Doppler signal at the epithelial layer of ex vivo rabbit tracheal samples suggestive of ciliary motion. CBF was measured at 9.36 ± 1.22 Hz using D-OCT and 9.08 ± 0.48 Hz using phase-contrast microscopy. No significant differences were found between the 2 methods (p g 0.05). Conclusion: D-OCT allows for the quantitative measurement of CBF without the need to resolve individual cilia. Furthermore, D-OCT technology can be incorporated into endoscopic platforms that allow clinicians to readily measure CBF in the office and provide a direct measurement of mucosal health.
Multiple Antibiotic Resistance due to a Single Mutation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

A positive correlation (r > +.47, P 1 .01) was found between sensitivities of 147 random clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to all possible pairs of the drugs penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, acridine orange, and ethidium bromide. High-level resistance to streptomycin was also positively correlated with increased resistance to some of these drugs. This suggested that multiply-resistant strains are not exclusively the result of selection of independent mutants for resistance to each drug and that there may be a common mechanism for resistance to some or all of these drugs. This hypothesis was supported by the demonstration that low-level resistance to a large group of drugs (penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, rifampin, ethidium bromide, and acridine orange) could be lost as well as restored by a single mutational event in vitro. Resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics has gradually become an important practical problem during the last decade [1-6], but there has been almost no scientific inquiry into the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of resistance. Several features of the clinical epidemiology of resistance of the gonococcus to antibiotics aroused our curiosity and prompted these studies. Numerous authors have noted strong positive correlations between sensitivities of individual
Seismic hazard and risk assessment in the intraplate environment: The New Madrid seismic zone of the central United States

Although the causes of large intraplate earthquakes are still not fully understood, they pose certain hazard and risk to societies. Estimating hazard and risk in these regions is diffi cult because of lack of earthquake records. The New Madrid seismic zone is one such region where large and rare intraplate earthquakes (M = 7.0 or greater) pose signifi cant hazard and risk. Many different defi nitions of hazard and risk have been used, and the resulting estimates differ dramatically. In this paper, seismic hazard is defi ned as the natural phenomenon generated by earthquakes, such as ground motion, and is quantifi ed by two parameters: a level of hazard and its occurrence frequency or mean recurrence interval; seismic risk is defi ned as the probability of occurrence of a specifi c level of seismic hazard over a certain time and is quantifi ed by three parameters: probability, a level of hazard, and exposure time. Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), a commonly used method for estimating seismic hazard and risk, derives a relationship between a ground motion parameter and its return period (hazard curve). The return period is not an independent temporal parameter but a mathematical extrapolation of the recurrence interval of earthquakes and the uncertainty of ground motion. Therefore, it is diffi cult to understand and use PSHA. A new method is proposed and applied here for estimating seismic hazard in the New Madrid seismic zone. This method provides hazard estimates that are consistent with the state of our knowledge and can be easily applied to other intraplate regions.
The therapeutic potentials of neurotrophic factors for diseases of the nervous system

Neurotrophic factors are secreted proteins that regulate the long-term survival and differentiation of neurones in the peripheral and central nervous systems (PNS and CNS). Their profound effects on the structural integrity of the nervous system have led to intense interest in the potential use of the factors as therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases. In the present review, we summarise the current data on the physiological role of these proteins based on in vitro investigations and animal models, and discuss their clinical potential as therapeutic agents in the treatment of neurological disorders. A rationale for neurotrophic factor therapy can be built for a specific neurological disease once a particular neurotrophic factor is identified to regulate vulnerable neurones in the affected areas. Progress has been made in the use of neurotrophic factors as an alternative therapy to conventional drug treatment, particularly for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and peripheral neuropathy. Pr...
Conceptual foundations for teaching about whiteness in intercultural communication courses

This essay addresses the growing interest in incorporating whiteness studies into intercultural communication curriculum. It first explores why the area of whiteness has not been addressed heretofore and gives a brief overview of the interdisciplinary foundations of whiteness studies. It then presents four current topics in whiteness studies: the historical “whitening”; of some U.S. immigrant groups, white privilege, the discursive and communication patterns of U.S. whites, and representations of whiteness in popular culture. For each topic, conceptual foundations are briefly described, followed by examples of relevant scholarship and finally several strategies for incorporating this material into intercultural communication courses.
The Tone of Local Presidential News Coverage

There is little research on the tone of local news coverage of the presidency, despite the public's preference for local rather than national news. I use theories of media politics, based primarily on the profit-seeker model of news coverage, to explore the impact of newspaper characteristics, audience preferences, and story characteristics on local newspaper coverage of the presidency. Based on a sample of 288 stories taken from the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, I demonstrate that everyday local newspaper coverage of the presidency is slightly more negative than positive and that audience support for the president, newspaper resources, and corporate ownership affect the tone of local newspaper coverage of the presidency.
Reconfigurable Piezoelectric MEMS Resonator Using Phase Change Material Programmable Vias

This paper reports on the demonstration of a reconfigurable aluminum nitride (AlN) piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator using phase change material (PCM) programmable vias. Two $10\hbox{-}\mu \text{m}\times 10\hbox{-}\mu \text{m}$ Ge50Te50 PCM programmable vias are monolithically integrated with a piezoelectric MEMS resonator, and used to dynamically reconfigure the terminal connections of its top and bottom electrodes, which determine the distribution of the electric field across the piezoelectric layer and therefore the equivalent electrical impedance of the resonator. The ability to reconfigure the device to operate in four different states is experimentally demonstrated: 1) lateral field excitation mode (both vias ${{{\scriptstyle OFF}}}$ ); 2) resonator static capacitance, $C_{0}\approx 484~{\rm fF}$ ; 3) motional resistance, $R_{m}\approx 320~\Omega$ ; 4) thickness field excitation mode-high impedance (via 1 ${{{\scriptstyle ON}}}$ , $C_{0}\approx 564~{\rm fF}$ ; $R_{m}\approx 470~\Omega )$ ; 5) thickness field excitation mode-low impedance (via 2 ${{\mathbf{\scriptstyle ON}}}$ , $C_{0}\approx 1459~{\rm fF}$ ; $R_{m}\approx 155~\Omega )$ ; and 6) SHORT (both vias ${{\mathbf{\scriptstyle ON}}}$ , the resonator is reconfigured into a short circuit). This paper sets a milestone toward the demonstration of an innovative technology platform, based on the monolithic integration of AlN resonators and PCM switches, capable of delivering highly reconfigurable radio frequency components, enabling new radio architectures with enhanced spectrum coverage. [2015-0040]
Phase behavior, intermolecular interaction, and solid state characterization of amorphous solid dispersion of Febuxostat

The aim of this work was to prepare and characterize the amorphous molecular dispersion of Febuxostat (FXT) using PVP K30, HPMC-AS, Soluplus®, and PVP VA64. The solid dispersions were prepared by solvent evaporation technique. Their physical properties were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, and compared to that of same physical mixtures. The success of physicochemical stability of the dispersions is often revealed as glass transition temperature (Tg) versus composition (w) dependencies. The shape of the Tg versus composition was mathematically modeled using the Gordon-Taylor equation, Couchman-Karasz equation, Brekner-Schneider-Cantow equation, and a three-parameter BCKV equation. In this work, different types of Tg patterns obtained for FXT-polymer binary mixtures are analyzed in terms of the above equations and relations between their prime fitting parameters are presented. The theoretical values and modeled parameters were compared using various results obtained by thermal analysis. The influence of important physicochemical phenomena and properties of the mixtures on the shape of the Tg versus composition patterns are also illustrated. The interaction between drug and polymers and the model parameters were analyzed, aiming to assess the state of mixing and intermolecular interactions.
α-Chalcocite Nanoparticle Synthesis and Stability

While intensively investigated as a solar light absorber in photovoltaic applications, the use of α-chalcocite (α-Cu2S) as such has been hindered by its conversion to a copper-deficient, nonstoichiometric phase, djurleite. Here we study this transformation in copper sulfide nanoparticles. We discuss the relative stabilities of α-chalcocite and djurleite as synthesized here, how this influences the conditions for obtaining these phases, and the affect of the reaction conditions on the phase transformation rate. Nanoparticle phases are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Size and morphology was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Additionally, the α-chalcocite particles were characterized by UV/visible/NIR absorption spectroscopy (UV/vis/NIR) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).
Predictors of Peroneal Pathology in Broström–Gould Ankle Ligament Reconstruction for Lateral Ankle Instability:

Background:Chronic ankle instability has a well-known association with intra- and extraarticular ankle pathologies, including peroneal tendonitis and subluxation. Patients with peroneal pathology a...
Selective sterilization of young female mice by radioiodine transmitted through the mother's milk.

Summary and Conclusions1. Ovaries of young newborn mice are very sensitive to ionizing radiations from radioiodine administered to the mother and reaching the young through the milk. The testes of litter mate male mice are very radioresistant under the same conditions. 2. A single injection of a nursing mouse with 600 μc of I131 reduced fertility in the female offspring by four months and made all female offspring sterile by 10 months while controls were 86% fertile. Litter mate males were never reduced to less than 75% fertility. 3. It appears that the ovary of 5-day-old mice is more sensitive to ionizing radiations from radioiodine than is the ovary of the 15-day-old mouse. 4. Even though exposure of the ovary of the young mouse to ionizing radiations was relatively brief, sterility was not evident for at least 4 months. Not only was the overall fertility of the female reduced, but so also was the length of the reproductive life span.
Hypoxic tumor microenvironment: Opportunities to develop targeted therapies

In recent years, there has been great progress in the understanding of tumor biology and its surrounding microenvironment. Solid tumors create regions with low oxygen levels, generally termed as hypoxic regions. These hypoxic areas offer a tremendous opportunity to develop targeted therapies. Hypoxia is not a random by-product of the cellular milieu due to uncontrolled tumor growth; rather it is a constantly evolving participant in overall tumor growth and fate. This article reviews current trends and recent advances in drug therapies and delivery systems targeting hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment. In the first part, we give an account of important physicochemical changes and signaling pathways activated in the hypoxic microenvironment. This is then followed by various treatment strategies including hypoxia-sensitive signaling pathways and approaches to develop hypoxia-targeted drug delivery systems.
Quantitative Determination of Diethylstilbestrol in Forage by ELISA

[Objective]To establish a high sensitive method for determination of diethylstilbestrol(DES) in forage by ELISA.[Methods]The qualitative DES determination in forage was based on the specific immuno-chemical reactions between antigen and antibody.[Results]The linear range of the method was 0.0~4.5 μg/kg.The correlation coefficient was-0.999 7,the recoveries for the standard addiction(0.25,0.75,2.25 μg/kg) were 76.0%,82.7%,94.2%.[Conclusion]This method is sensitive,and suitable for determination of diethylstilbestrol in forage and screening of large numbers of samples.
Crystallization of ionic salts for calibration of differential scanning calorimeters

Abstract This study explores the possibility of using inorganic salts for temperature calibration of Differential Scanning Calorimeters (DSC) on cooling. The crystallization and melting of sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and rubidium nitrate has been studied at several cooling and heating rates. It has been found that these salts crystallize at almost the same temperature, at which they melt, meaning that they do not practically supercool. The DSC data have indicated that the median value of the supercooling is around 0.4–0.8 °C. The study suggests that the process of crystallization of these and possibly other inorganic salts can be considered for developing new standards to calibrate DSC on cooling.
Strain-Induced Transformation Plasticity in Metastable Austenitic Steels

We have recently developed [1] a constitutive model of strain-induced transformation plasticity, the phenomenon by which metastable austenite transforms into martensite in association with on-going plastic slip in each phase. The kinetics of the transformation, and the effects of the transformation on mechanical behavior, are highly sensitive to temperature, extent of plastic strain, and the triaxiality of stress. Basic features of the model are reviewed. The model has been incorporated into the ABAQUS finite element program. We review applications of the model to two problems of elastic-plastic deformation: tensile necking and crack tip blunting. These solutions give insight into the remarkable levels of transformation toughening (σy ≥ 1300 MPa; \( {{\rm K}_{{Jc}}} \geqslant MPa\sqrt {m} \)) which have been measured in these materials [2].
Exploring malicious hacker forums

For consumers the increasingly widespread consumer-grade connected (“smart”) devices; growing use of cloud-storage and globally still expanding use of Internet and mobile phones; mobile payment options will pose increasing risk of becoming a victim of cyber-attack. For companies and institutions of all kinds, matters regarding the protection of Intellectual Property (IP) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from cyber-breaches and -leaks will demand higher financial investment. With the discovery of Stuxnet, offensive and defensive cyber-capabilities have already become an acknowledged tool in military arsenals worldwide and are at the cusp of shifting the global landscape of military power. With the expanding yield of cyber-related activities, understanding the actors creating, manipulating, and distributing malicious code becomes a paramount task. In this chapter we report on the results of an exploration of black hat hacker forums on both the Internet and crypto-networks (in particular those accessed via the Tor-browser). We report on the structure, content, and standards of behavior within these forums. Throughout we highlight how these activity augment the activities of the black hat hackers who participate.