cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regression of Experimental Iris Neovascularization with Systemic Alpha-interferon

Background: Intraocular neovascularization leads to visual loss in many eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and neovascular glaucoma. Current treatment relies on laser photocoagulation, involving the destruction of functional retinal tissue. A pharmacologic treatment directed at the newly growing vessels would represent a major advance. Methods: The authors investigated the effect of systemic alpha-interferon in an experimental model of iris neovascularization in cynomolgus monkeys. Alpha-interferon was administered systemically to animals with angiographically documented iris neovascularization. Results: Animals in the treatment group showed regression of neovascularization angiographically and histologically in eight of eight eyes. Control animals with documented iris neovascularization, followed without drug treatment, showed progression of the neovascularization in three of three eyes. Conclusion: Systemic alpha-interferon led to inhibition of neovascularization and regression of new vessels in an experimental model of iris neovascularization. This represents the first successful, controlled treatment of experimental neovascularization in the eye using a systemic drug directed specifically at the neovascular tissue.
Epitaxial Phase Transformations in Aluminum Oxide

Amorphous alumina, deposited on sapphire at room temperature, transforms by epitaxial regrowth to γ-alumina and then to α-alumina on heating. The use of time-resolved reflectivity of a laser beam to measure the transformation kinetics in-situ is described and the kinetics obtained to date as a function of crystallographic orientation are reviewed as well as the effect of Cr 3+ and Fe 3+ dopants. A number of the characteristic features of the epitaxial transformations are described in terms of an interfacial dislocation model.
High Capacity Transport—100G and Beyond

For excellent cost and performance, modern high capacity transport systems use digital coherent processing to overcome many physical barriers. Coherent methods are explained and measured performances are shown for commercial coherent systems at 100 Gb/s and beyond.
Gholestatic jaundice associated with chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride (librium) therapy

A case is described of cholestasis associated with chlordiazepoxide therapy, and 3 previously reported cases are reveiwed. Chlordiazepoxide should be included in the ever-growing list of commonly used medications that are considered in the differential diagnosis of cholestasis.
Misoprostol for labor induction in women with term premature rupture of membranes: a meta-analysis.

Objective:To systematically review published data evaluating the comparative use of misoprostol with placebo/expectant management or oxytocin for labor induction in women with term (≥ 36 weeks of gestation) premature rupture of membranes.Data Sources:PubMed (1966–2005), Ovid (1966–2005), CINAHL, The
Stimulating antitumor immunity with nanoparticles

A variety of strategies, have been applied to cancer treatment and the most recent one to become prominent is immunotherapy. This interest has been fostered by the demonstration that the immune system does recognize and often eliminate small tumors but tumors that become clinical problems block antitumor immune responses with immunosuppression orchestrated by the tumor cells. Methods to reverse this tumor-mediated immunosuppression will improve cancer immunotherapy outcomes. The immunostimulatory potential of nanoparticles (NPs), holds promise for cancer treatment. Phagocytes of various types are an important component of both immunosuppression and immunostimulation and phagocytes actively take up NPs of various sorts, so NPs are a natural system to manipulate these key immune regulatory cells. NPs can be engineered with multiple useful therapeutic features, such as various payloads such as antigens and/or immunomodulatory agents including cytokines, ligands for immunostimulatory receptors or antagonists for immunosuppressive receptors. As more is learned about how tumors suppress antitumor immune responses the payload options expand further. Here we review multiple approaches of NP-based cancer therapies to modify the tumor microenvironment and stimulate innate and adaptive immune systems to obtain effective antitumor immune responses.
Factors that influence confocal apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy

Abstract We demonstrate several influences of a silicon probe of an atomic-force microscope on the fluorescence of single CdSe/ZnS quantum dots on a glass cover slip, measured in a confocal apertureless scanning near-field optical microscope (ANSOM): (a) probe-induced fluorescence quenching with the polarization of excitation orthogonal to probe axes; (b) changes in fluorescence enhancement as the quantum yield of a quantum dot fluctuates (the fluorescence enhancement is much larger in a low quantum yield state); (c) the probe-quantum dot optical interaction depends on very local and sometimes non-uniform optical properties of the probe; some fluorescence ANSOM images of quantum dots are asymmetrical and shifted with respect to topographical images; and (d) probe pressure, not the optical near-field, bleaches quantum dot fluorescence during vertical probe scans, or when the microscope operates in dynamic-force mode and the probe tip taps the sample. The fluorescence measurements have been done using a confocal ANSOM with 10–12% fluorescence collection efficiency under total internal reflection conditions of excitation.
High-density lipoproteins in myocardial infarction survivors.

Abstract Subjects with existing coronary heart disease and those with many of the conditions associated with increased risk of coronary disease have reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Since HDL cholesterol is only one index of HDL composition, a reduction of HDL cholesterol could reflect a change in HDL composition and/or a decrease in all HDL constituents. Therefore the present studies assessed the major apolipoproteins of HDL, A-I and A-II, in addition to HDL cholesterol in 90 male myocardial infarction (MI) survivors and their lipid-matched male controls. The MI survivors had significantly lower (p
Student Work Experiences and the Curriculum

When considering characteristics of today's students and the implications of these characteristics for curriculum, some guidance as to what to examine can be found in the proposals for reform in secondary education published during the 1970s. Several of these proposals have stressed the role of student work experiences as part of a total education. Work is cited as an important source of experience and training on the job, a means for providing exposure to the world outside the classroom and the neighborhood, and an agent to initiate the process which will ultimately lead to independence for youth (Office of Science and Technology, 1973). Other statements of the role of work include providing a place for learning economic responsibility and for learning the first abc's of job-holding diplomacy (National Panel, 1976). In addition to the relation between work and education, the importance of examining student work patterns is suggested by an analysis of changes in society. The members of Task Force '74, a group established to examine specific problem areas identified by the National Commission on the Reform of Secondary Education, identified an important change in society affecting the high school. This change is that "affluence has made children, and especially adolescents, consumers on a grand scale and thus subject as individuals to all the pressures of the consumer society" (Porter, 1975). As families have become more dependent on two incomes to stay abreast of rising consumer demands, many students are now realizing the importance of multiple family incomes where students' wages help finance "the 'supernumerary' aspects of consumption (such as clothes, records, and entertainment)" (Office of Science and Technology, 1973).
The ultrastructure of peripheral nerve, motor end-plate and skeletal muscle in patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1)

Spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1) is genetically and clinically distinct from classic spinal muscular atrophy (SMA1). It results from mutations in the gene encoding immunoglobulin mu-binding protein 2 (IGHMBP2) on chromosome 11q13. Patients develop distally pronounced muscular weakness and early involvement of the diaphragm, resulting in respiratory failure. Sensory and autonomic nerves are also affected at later stages of the disease. We investigated peripheral nerves, skeletal muscles and neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) ultrastructurally in five unrelated patients and three siblings with genetically confirmed SMARD1. In mixed motor and sensory nerves we detected Wallerian degeneration and axonal atrophy similar to the ultrastructural findings described in SMA1. Isolated axonal atrophy was evident in purely sensory nerves. All investigated NMJ of patients with SMARD1 were dysmorphic and lacked a terminal axon. Moreover, we also observed characteristics of neuropathies, such as abnormalities in myelination, that have not been described in spinal muscular atrophies so far. Based on these findings we conclude that impairment of IGHMBP2 function leads to axonal degeneration, abnormal myelin formation, and motor end-plate degeneration.
My Dating Site Thinks I'm a Loser: effects of personal photos and presentation intervals on perceptions of recommender systems

Receiving poor results from a personalized recommendation system is frustrating. When users try to compensate by putting on a "different face" and game the system, the results can be even more frustrating. This paper investigates how to improve the user experience of such systems by: 1) adding personal photos to increase self-awareness, and 2) providing recommendations interspersed with personal questions. A 2x2 web experiment (N=56) within the context of an online dating match recommendation system was used to assess these two effects. Displaying a person's photo stabilized both response strategies and liking of a recommender's poor suggestions. Additionally, presenting all of the results together at the end was less frustrating than spreading them out. These results demonstrate that simple interface design decisions can have profound effects on user behaviors and attitudes with personalized recommendation systems.
Has the woodfuel crisis returned? Urban charcoal consumption in Tanzania and its implications to present and future forest availability

By lumping together charcoal and firewood consumption to determine the threats to forests from widespread use of woodfuel energy in sub-Sahara African, studies have greatly underestimated the individual impact of charcoal. Where high consumption levels are coupled with poor forest management and negligible regulation of the charcoal trade, the threat of an impending crisis caused by charcoal alone needs to be revisited. This study uses a survey of 244 households in six Tanzanian cities to determine whether current consumption levels, charcoal production techniques and forest management practices are sufficient to meet present and future charcoal demand. Projections to year 2100 were made to determine whether forests can continue to meet future demand under 24 scenarios that capture the numerous uncertainties that exist of converting charcoal consumption into forest needed. The findings suggest that the scenarios containing median consumption levels, low kiln efficiencies and low replenishment of harvested forests could deplete forests on public land by 2028. Best-case scenarios occurred when the opposite conditions existed. The study concludes that charcoal consumption is a real threat to the long-term persistence of forests in Tanzania and proposes policy interventions for alleviating forest loss.
Ca2+ Influx in T Cells: How Many Ca2+ Channels?

Ca2+ signals are critical for T cell function. A number of ion channels regulate Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space in T cells, either by conducting Ca2+ ions or by modulating the membrane potential that provides the driving force for Ca2+ influx (Cahalan and Chandy, 2009; Feske et al., 2012). The best characterized Ca2+ channel in T cells is the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel, which mediates store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in response to T cell receptor (TCR) activation and is composed of ORAI and stromal interaction molecules (STIM) family proteins. Several other channels may also mediate Ca2+ influx directly in T cells including members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) family, P2X receptors, and voltage-gated Ca2+ (Cav) channels. Compared to CRAC channels, however, their contribution to TCR-induced Ca2+ influx and immunity is less well defined.
Severe chickenpox after intranasal use of corticosteroids

Two children were hospitalized for severe chickenpox after intranasal use of corticosteroids for chronic sinusitis. One had unusually extensive cutaneous disease with delayed progression of lesions, dehydration, and prolonged fever; the other had hemorrhagic cutaneous lesions, hepatitis, and pneumonitis. Both were treated with intravenous acyclovir infusion and recovered. Systemic or local immunosuppression after intranasal corticosteroid administration may have predisposed the children to severe varicella infection.
Molecularly Specific Studies of the Frictional Properties of Monolayer Films: A Systematic Comparison of CF3-, (CH3)2CH-, and CH3-Terminated Films

The origin of frictional forces in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) was investigated through systematic correlation of the frictional properties with the chemical structure/composition of the films. Atomic force microscopy was used to probe the frictional properties of the SAMs formed by the adsorption of methyl-, isopropyl-, and trifluoromethyl-terminated alkanethiols on Au(111) surfaces. The frictional properties of mixed monolayers composed of varying concentrations of the methyl- and trifluoromethyl-terminated thiols were also studied. Polarization modulation infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy was used to measure the vibrational spectra of each of these monolayers and in turn to determine that each was characterized by a well-packed backbone structure. For these films, which differed only in the nature of the outermost chemical functionality, a substantial enhancement in the frictional response was observed for films with isopropyl- and trifluoromethyl-terminal groups and for mixed monolayers...
A low molecular weight factor from dividing cells activates phospholipase D in caveolin-enriched membrane microdomains.

Phospholipase D (PLD) activity is elevated in Ras-transformed NIH 3T3 cells. This difference in PLD activity between Ras-transformed and nontransformed parental cells disappeared in isolated membranes from these cells. In reconstitution experiments, heat-denatured cytosolic fractions from Ras-transformed, but not parental, NIH 3T3 cells elevated PLD activity in isolated membranes. This heat-resistant PLD-stimulating activity from the Ras-transformed cells was sensitive to proteases and passed through a 1-kDa MW cutoff membrane, suggesting that the factor is a peptide of less than 10 amino acids. The ability of this PLD-stimulating factor, designated PLD-SF, to elevate PLD activity in isolated membranes was restricted to the caveolin-enriched light membranes, where many signaling molecules are localized. PLD-SF was also elevated in v-Src- and v-Raf-transformed cells and in serum-stimulated NIH 3T3 cells. PLD-SF was detected in a variety of rat tissues but was highest in testes, where a large percentage of cells are dividing. A similar low molecular weight PLD-stimulating activity was found in actively dividing, but not stationary yeast, cells. The data here provide evidence for a highly conserved PLD-stimulating peptide that is elevated in response to mitogenic stimuli.
Shear-induced flocculation: The evolution of floc structure and the shape of the size distribution at steady state

The flocculation of polystyrene particles in a stirred tank was studied at various shear rates (63–129 s−1) and aluminum sulfate, Al2(SO4)3 16H2O, flocculant concentrations. The competition between coagulation and fragmentation during shear-induced flocculation determined the equilibrium or steady state particle (floc) structure and size distribution. The evolution of the floc structure with time was monitored by image analysis of digitized floc images. The average floc structure became less open or irregular as the floc size distribution attained steady state as a result of shear-induced breakage/restructuring. At high alum (flocculant) concentrations, the steady state floc size distribution appeared to be self-preserving with respect to shear rate. In contrast, at lower flocculant concentrations, the steady state floc size distribution narrowed with increasing shear rate as the large tail of the distribution was pushed to smaller particle sizes by shear-induced fragmentation.
Determinants of progression and equilibrium in hydronephrosis

Upper urinary tract urodynamic parameters were measured serially in 12 dogs subjected to partial ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Measurements of pressure-volume relationships (pelvimetrics) and the physiologic capacity of the renal pelvis were important predictors of hydronephrotic equilibrium which occurred only in kidneys whose pelvic urine volume remained lower than the renal pelvic capacity. Because of acquired changes in compliance and renal function, the same degree of obstruction caused progressive hydronephrosis at low pelvic volumes but not at high volumes in some kidneys. Hydronephrosis can thus be viewed as a compensatory mechanism which protects the kidney against further dilation and elevated intrapelvic pressure.
Smart base‐isolated benchmark building. Part I: problem definition

This paper presents the benchmark problem definition for seismically excited base-isolated buildings. The objective of this benchmark study is to provide a well-defined base-isolated building with a broad set of carefully chosen parameter sets, performance measures and guidelines to the participants, so that they can evaluate their control algorithms. The control algorithms may be passive, active or semi-active. The benchmark structure considered is an eight-storey base-isolated building similar to existing buildings in Los Angeles, California. The base isolation system includes both linear and nonlinear bearings and control devices. The superstructure is considered to be a linear elastic system with lateral–torsional behavior. A new nonlinear dynamic analysis program has been developed and made available to facilitate direct comparison of results of different control algorithms. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Economic aspects and evidence-based decision making in evaluating patients with suspected small bowel disorders

Obscure gastrointestinal hemorrhage is defined as overt or occult bleeding present after normal endoscopic examination of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts. Approximately 5% of patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage can be classified as having obscure bleeding, with most patients found to have responsible lesions in the small intestine. The advent of video capsule endoscopy and deep enteroscopy allows for endoscopic access and therapeutic options in the small intestine. In our current era of cost minimization, reductions in capital equipment expenditures, and a high rate of malpractice claims against clinicians, the decision regarding whether a clinical enterprise should offer small bowel endoscopy using any of the more recent technologies requires an understanding of several factors. This article highlights some of the economic and medicolegal aspects of deep small bowel endoscopy. The following topics will be discussed: costs involved to perform endoscopic imaging of the small bowel; downstream revenue effect resulting from deep enteroscopy; coding, billing, and reimbursement issues; cost-effectiveness studies for diagnostic testing; algorithms for diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected small bowel pathology; and medicolegal ramifications associated with endoscopic procedures of the small bowel.
The effect of thread dimensional conformance on yield and tensile strength

Abstract This paper presents the results from tests that investigate the effect of thread dimensional conformance of fasteners on yield and tensile strength. Test specimens include combinations of bolts and nuts within dimensional conformance as specified by ASME Standard B1.1-1992, as well as bolts with undersized pitch and major diameters and nuts with oversized pitch and minor diameters. Tensile tests were performed in accordance with ASTM F606-95b. Data from the tests show reduced yield and tensile strength for the fastener combinations with undersized pitch and major bolt diameters or oversized pitch and minor nut diameters, compared to fastener combinations within conformance. Variations in bolt pitch diameter were found to affect the yield and tensile strength by about an order of magnitude more than variations in bolt major diameter or nut pitch and minor diameters. The mean tensile strength for conforming product was found to be as much as 20% greater than the tensile strength for nonconforming product.
Conjunctive selection conditions in main memory

We consider the fundamental operation of applying a conjunction of selection conditions to a set of records. With large main memories available cheaply, systems may choose to keep the data entirely in main memory, in order to improve query and/or update performance.The design of a data-intensive algorithm in main memory needs to take into account the architectural characteristics of modern processors, just as a disk-based method needs to consider the physical characteristics of disk devices. An important architectural feature that influences the performance of main memory algorithms is the branch misprediction penalty. We demonstrate that branch misprediction has a substantial impact on the performance of an algorithm for applying selection conditions.We describe a space of "query plans" that are logically equivalent, but differ in terms of performance due to variations in their branch prediction behavior. We propose a cost model that takes branch prediction into account, and develop a query optimization algorithm that chooses a plan with optimal estimated cost. We also develop an efficient heuristic optimization algorithm.We provide experimental results for a case study based on an event notification system. Our results show the effectiveness of the proposed optimization techniques. Our results also demonstrate that significant improvements in performance can be obtained by applying a methodology that takes branch misprediction latency into account.
The impact of human rhinovirus infection in pediatric patients undergoing heart surgery

Human rhinovirus (HRV), the most common cause of upper respiratory infection in children, can present as bronchiolitis, pneumonia, or asthma exacerbations. The impact of HRV in infants and toddlers with congenital heart disease is poorly defined. A case–control study was performed to compare the clinical course for 19 young children with respiratory symptoms who tested positive for rhinovirus after heart surgery with that of 56 matched control subjects. The control subjects were matched by surgical repair, age, weight, and time of the year. Patients with known HRVs before surgery and control subjects with respiratory symptoms or positive test results for viruses were excluded from the study. Human rhinovirus infection was associated with more than a tenfold increase in the odds of noninvasive ventilation after extubation (odds ratio [OR] 11.45; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 3.97–38.67), a 12-fold increase in the probability of extubation failure (OR 12.84; 95 % CI 2.93–56.29), and increased use of pulmonary medications including bronchodilator and nitric oxide (p < 0.001). As a result, the hospital length of stay (HLOS) was two times longer than for the control subjects (p < 0.001), and the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) length of stay (CICU LOS) was three times longer (p < 0.0001). The intubation time was significantly longer (p < 0.001), and the CICU respiratory charges were significantly greater (p = 0.001) for the infected patients. Human rhinovirus increases resource use and prolongs postoperative recovery after pediatric heart surgery. Surgery timing should be delayed for patients with rhinovirus if possible.
Switching of Paramecium Surface Antigen Types with Purified Antigen and Conditioned Medium Containing 70 kD Proteins

Summary Paramecia can be induced to change the kind of i protein characteristic of their surfaces by either cell contact with paramecia of a different serotype or after exposure to cell-free conditioned media in which growth has occurred. We have examined these media by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and have detected surprisingly few proteins. One protein which is present only in media which can switch serotypes has an apparent molecular weight of about 70 kD. The amount of this protein as judged by Coomassie blue staining is correlated with the effectiveness of a medium in eliciting antigenic switching. The 70 kD proteins are found not only in media which transform but also in “purified” surface antigen preparations, as shown by immunoblots using antisera prepared against 70 kD proteins isolated from antigen by gel filtration. Antibodies to these proteins generally are detectable by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in all antisera made against surface antigen.
Dopamine: at the intersection of reward and action

A new paper reports that dopaminergic neurons initially responded optimistically in rats given free choice between two rewards, as though the animal had chosen the better reward, even on trials when it failed to do so. These findings suggest that current computational theories of dopaminergic function may need to be revised.
Effects of caffeine on schedule-controlled responding in the rat

Abstract Six male Harlan/Wistar rats were trained to barpress under a F1300 sec schedule of food presentation until responding was stable. Caffeine (6.0 and 12.0 mg/kg, IP) increased overall response output significantly during the first half-hour after administration; 24.0 mg/kg decreased output significantly during the third and fourth half-hour. The drug also decreased quarter-life values. Rate-dependency analyses indicated that the effect was partially rate-dependent, but intermediate control rates were enhanced relatively more by caffeine than the lowest control rates.
Hydrogen promotion of field ionization and rearrangement of surface charge

Abstract While ordinarily field ionization of helium in a field ion microscope occurs at a field of 450 MV cm , only 300 MV cm need to be applied when a small amount of hydrogen has been admitted. This promotion effect, shown to be due to adsorption of hydrogen, cannot be sufficiently explained by the improvement of thermal accommodation of the helium gas. Rather, a rearrangement of surface charge, transferring about 1 12 to 1 4 of an electronic charge from a protruding tungsten atom to an adjacently adsorbed hydrogen atom to form a hydride-like bond, produces the required local field enhancement. Local charge redistribution is also the cause of the distinct visibility in the FIM pattern of one constituent in certain alloys. It is further suggested that the bright spots observed upon adsorption of nitrogen or carbon monoxide or with interstitial oxygen represent metal atoms that have transferred a fraction of their electronic charge to the adjacent electronegative particle, thereby creating a local increment to the externally applied field.
Arytenoid Dislocation as a Cause of Prolonged Hoarseness after Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Study Design Case series of two arytenoid dislocations after anterior cervical discectomy. Objective To recognize arytenoid dislocation as a possible cause of prolonged hoarseness in patients after anterior cervical discectomies. Summary of Background Data Prolonged hoarseness is a common postoperative complication after anterior cervical spine surgery. The etiology of prolonged postoperative hoarseness is usually related to a paresis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. However, other causes of postoperative hoarseness may be overlooked in this clinical scenario. Other possible etiologies include pharyngeal and laryngeal trauma, hematoma and edema, injury of the superior laryngeal nerve, as well as arytenoid cartilage dislocation. Arytenoid dislocation is often misdiagnosed as vocal fold paresis due to recurrent or laryngeal nerve injury. Methods We report two cases of arytenoid dislocation and review the literature on this pathology. Results Two patients treated with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion experienced prolonged postoperative hoarseness. Arytenoid dislocation was confirmed by flexible fiber-optic laryngoscopy in both cases. The dislocations experienced spontaneous reduction at 6 weeks and 3 months postsurgery. Conclusions Arytenoid dislocation must be considered in the differential diagnosis of prolonged postoperative hoarseness and evaluated for using direct laryngoscopy, computed tomography, or a laryngeal electromyography. Upon diagnosis, treatment must be considered immediately. Slight dislocations can reduce spontaneously without surgical intervention; however, operative intervention may be required at times.
Hollaback!: the role of storytelling online in a social movement organization

CSCW systems are playing an increasing role in activism. How can new communications technologies support social movements? The possibilities are intriguing, but as yet not fully understood. One key technique traditionally leveraged by social movements is storytelling. In this paper, we examine the use of collective storytelling online in the context of a social movement organization called Hollaback, an organization working to stop street harassment. Can sharing a story of experienced harassment really make a difference to an individual or a community? Using Emancipatory Action Research and qualitative methods, we interviewed people who contributed stories of harassment online. We found that sharing stories shifted participants' cognitive and emotional orientation towards their experience. The theory of "framing" from social movement research explains the surprising power of this experience for Hollaback participants. We contribute a way of looking at activism online using social movement theory. Our work illustrates that technology can help crowd-sourced framing processes that have traditionally been done by social movement organizations.
Sculpture in the iron mills: Rebecca harding Davis's korl woman

(1990). Sculpture in the iron mills: Rebecca harding Davis's korl woman. Women's Studies: Vol. 17, No. 3-4, pp. 157-177.
A Mössbauer temperature study of 1,1'-diacetylferrocene in the liquid crystal, N-(P-hexyloxybenzylidene)-P-toluidine

Abstract The Fe-57 Mossbauer Effect was used to study a solution (0.2% by Weight) of 1,1′-diacetylferrocene (DAF) in the liquid crystalline material p-n-hexyloxy-benzylidene-p-toluidine (HBT). The DAF contained enriched Fe-57. The Mossbauer Effect parameters were determined for the temperature range 100–300K in the crystalline solid phase and 100–200K in the cold smectic s phase of HBT. Here “cold” means the smectic glass and the supercoded smectic phase. The Ln recoil-free intensity (f) vs T data exhibited linear Debye behavior for the solid phase over the entire temperature range. The low temperature (T < 190) portion of the cold smectic Inf vs T data also exhibited Debye behavior, and the smectic glass gave a Mossbauer-Debye temperature (θ lc ) about 30 K. lower than the crystalline phase. The smectic glass-super cooled smectic transition was determined to be Tg = 190 K from the deviation of the Inf vs T data from linear behavior. Above Tg , the deviation from linear Debye behavior followed a (T-Tg)2 d...
Estimation of the Probability of Zero Failures in m Binomial Trials

Abstract The maximum likelihood estimator and minimum variance unbiased estimator of the probability of zero failures in m binomial trials were compared on the basis of expected squared estimation error. The choice of estimator proved to be a function of the region of parameter space. However, the m. l. e. was preferred throughout the regions likely to be encountered in practice (where the probability of zero failures exceeded 0.5).
Clinical Trials and Medical Care: Defining the Therapeutic Misconception

A key component of informed consent to participate in medical research includes understanding that research is not the same as treatment.
Interaction of the δ-opioid receptor with GM1 ganglioside: conversion from inhibitory to excitatory mode

Abstract Previous studies have shown GM1 ganglioside to play a crucial role in regulating excitatory opioid receptor function, which may underlie some aspects of opioid dependence, tolerance, and supersensitivity. To study the mechanism of this receptor modulation we have employed CHO cells containing a single, transfected opioid receptor of the δ -type. When forskolin was employed to elevate cAMP the reduction affected by 10 μ M DADLE was counteracted by preincubation of the cells with GM1. No effect was observed with GD1a, GD1b, GT1b GM3, or the GM1 derivative, GM1-OH. In pertussis toxin-treated cells 10 nM DADLE increased basal levels of cAMP after preincubation with as little as 10 nM GM1. The results suggest conformational alteration of the opioid receptor from a form coupled primarily to G i /G o to one also capable of interacting with G s .
Pediatric temperature measurement and child/parent/nurse preference using three temperature measurement instruments.

Abstract This study compared the tympanic thermometer with the electronic and chemical dot thermometers used at the axillary site and evaluated child, parent, and nurse preferences for method of temperature measurement. The child’s (n = 146) temperature was measured using each of the three methods. Each child, parent, and nurse was asked to select a preference for device and site. Results were analyzed using the Bland-Altman method. Results showed that most of the paired readings fell within the Bland-Altman limits of agreement (LOA). When the chemical dot and tympanic temperature readings were compared with the electronic axillary reading, the tympanic thermometer was found to be in closer agreement. The chemical dot thermometer placed in the axilla consistently read higher than the electronic thermometer in the same site. Children, parents, and nurses preferred the tympanic thermometer.
ELECTROPHORETIC BEHAVIOUR OF RABBIT SERUM AMYLASE.

NOT only is serum amylase heterogeneous in origin, but electrophoretic patterns of enzyme activity appear to be also species specific. The majority of amylase activity in normal human serum, reportedly exhibits electrophoretic mobilities similar to either albumin and γ-globulin1,2 or γ-globulin alone3. Normal canine serum electrophoretic patterns show greater amounts of amylase activity in the γ-globulin position as compared with the albumin zone2. Electrophoresis of normal mouse serum discloses that amylase is largely confined to bands occupied by β1- and β2-globulins4. Normal rat serum yields a somewhat different pattern in that amylase activity is located principally in the β-globulin area with much less amounts of enzyme in the γ-globulin zone5. In order to elucidate the amylase distribution in the serum of still another experimental animal., electrophoretic patterns were established for normal rabbits.
Determination of absolute detection efficiencies for detectors of interest in homeland security

Abstract The absolute total and absolute peak detection efficiencies of gamma ray detector materials NaI:Tl, CdZnTe, HPGe, HPXe, LaBr 3 :Ce and LaCl 3 :Ce were simulated and compared to that of polyvinyltoluene (PVT). The dimensions of the PVT detector were 188.82 cm×60.96 cm×5.08 cm, which is a typical size for a single-panel portal monitor. The absolute total and peak detection efficiencies for these detector materials for the point, line and spherical source geometries of 60 Co (1332 keV), 137 Cs (662 keV) and 241 Am (59.5 keV) were simulated at various source-to-detector distances using the Monte Carlo N-Particle software (MCNP5-V1.30). The comparison of the absolute total detection efficiencies for a point, line and spherical source geometry of 60 Co and 137 Cs at different source-to-detector distance showed that the absolute detection efficiency for PVT is higher relative to the other detectors of typical dimensions for that material. However, the absolute peak detection efficiency of some of these detectors are higher relative to PVT, for example the absolute peak detection efficiency of NaI:Tl (7.62 cm diameter×7.62 cm long), HPGe (7.62 cm diameter×7.62 cm long), HPXe (11.43 cm diameter×60.96 cm long), and LaCl 3 :Ce (5.08 cm diameter×5.08 cm long) are all greater than that of a 188.82 cm×60.96 cm×5.08 cm PVT detector for 60 Co and 137 Cs for all geometries studied. The absolute total and absolute peak detection efficiencies of a right circular cylinder of NaI:Tl with various diameters and thicknesses were determined for a point source. The effect of changing the solid angle on the NaI:Tl detectors showed that with increasing solid angle and detector thickness, the absolute efficiency increases. This work establishes a common basis for differentiating detector materials for passive portal monitoring of gamma ray radiation.
Refractive index measurement by interference microscopy: corrections for dispersion.

The refractive index of a particle can be determined with microscope equipment for measuring interference in transmitted light. If the path difference is several wavelengths, white illumination will be used. If the particle has strong dispersion, measurements made with white light give an apparent refractive index much higher than the true one. The apparent index is related to the group velocity of light waves in the substance in the same way that the true index is related to phase velocity. Flaky crystals of hematite showed apparent index 4.52, in agreement with theory, compared with the true ordinary index around 3.09.
Polar stratospheric cloud climatology based on Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement II observations from 1978 to 1989

The probability of polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) occurrence in the Antarctic and Arctic has been estimated using Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) II aerosol extinction data from 1978 to 1989. Antarctic PSCs are typically observed by SAM II from mid-May to early November, with a maximum zonal average probability of about 0.6 at 18-20 km in August. The typical Arctic PSC season extends only from late November to early March, with a peak zonal average probability of about 0.1 in early February at 20-22 km. There is considerable year-to-year variability in Arctic PSC sightings because of changes in the dynamics of the northern polar vortex. Year-to-year variability in Antarctic sightings is most prominent in the number of late season clouds. Maximum PSC sighting probabilities in both polar regions occur in the region from 90 deg W through the Greenwich meridian to 90 deg E, where temperatures are coldest on average. Arctic sighting probabilities approach zero outside this region, but clouds have been sighted in the Antarctic at all longitudes during most months. Inferred PSC formation temperatures remain constant throughout the Arctic winter and are similar to those in early Antarctic winter. PSC formation temperatures in the Antarctic drop markedly in the 15 to 20-km region by September, a pattern consistent with the irreversible loss of HNO3 and H2O vapor in sedimenting PSC particles.
Low-temperature vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of vertically aligned silicon oxide nanowires using concurrent ion bombardment.

Vertically aligned silicon oxide nanowires can be synthesized over a large area by a low-temperature, ion-enhanced, reactive vapour–liquid–solid (VLS) method. Synthesis of these randomly ordered arrays begins with a thin indium film deposited on a Si or SiO2 surface. At the processing temperature of 190 °C, the indium film becomes a self-organized seed layer of molten droplets, receiving atomic silicon from a DC magnetron sputtering source rather than from the gaseous precursors used in conventional VLS growth. Simultaneous vigorous ion bombardment aligns the objects vertically and expedites mixing of oxygen and silicon into the indium. Silicon oxide precipitates from each droplet in the form of multiple thin strands having diameters as small as 5 nm. These strands form a single loose bundle growing normal to the surface, eventually consolidating to form one nanowire. The vertical rate of growth can reach 300 nm min−1 in an environment containing argon, hydrogen, and traces of water vapour. This paper discusses the physical and chemical factors leading to the formation of the nanostructures. It also demonstrates how the shape of the resulting nanostructures can be further controlled by sputtering, during both VLS growth and post-VLS processing. Key technological advantages of the developed process are nanowire growth at low substrate temperatures and the ability to form aligned nanostructure arrays, without the use of lithography or templates, on any substrate onto which a thin silicon film can be deposited.
A 60GHz, linear, direct down-conversion mixer with mm-Wave tunability in 32nm CMOS SOI

The gain/linearity trade-off is exploited to achieve the best linearity performance of a mm-Wave down-conversion system. The achieved linearity (IIP3) for the whole down-conversion chain is better than 11.06dBm for 5.8dB gain at 60GHz. Gain can be adjusted from -15dB to 11dB in 1dB steps depending on the signal level. By adjusting phase matching at RF input and the common-mode impedance of the mixer with a variable transmission line, the input phase imbalance can be corrected and the second-order distortion (HD2) can be reduced. The LO/RF isolation is 43dB and the LO/IF isolation is better than 82dB. The down-converter occupies 1.38mm2 in 32nm CMOS SOI and consumes 19.2mW from 1V supply. The power consumption of the mixer itself is 4mW @ 1V supply.
Dosimetry of a radioactive coronary balloon dilitation catheter for treatment of neointimal hyperplasia

Recent reports suggest that intraluminal irradiation of coronary arteries in conjunction with balloon angioplasty reduces proliferation of smooth musclecells and neointima formation, thereby inhibiting restenosis. One possible irradiation technique is to inflate the balloon dilitation catheter with a radioactive solution. This has advantages over other proposed irradiation procedures, in that accurate source positioning and uniform dose to the vessel wall are assured. Several high‐energy beta‐minus emitters may be suitable for this application. We present experimental measurements and analytical calculations of the dose distribution around a 3‐mm‐diam by 20‐mm‐long balloon filled with 90Y‐chloride solution. The dose rate at the surface of the balloon is approximately 0.14 cGy/s per mCi/ml (3.78×10−11 Gy/s per Bq/ml), with the dose decreasing to 53% at 0.5 mm, and <5% at 3.5‐mm radial distance. 90Y and other possible isotopes are currently available at specific concentrations ≥50 mCi/ml (1.85×109 Bq/ml), which enables the delivery of 20 Gy in less than 5 min. The dosimetric and radiation safety advantages of this system warrant further feasibility studies. Issues of concern include incorporating the beta‐emitter into a suitable chemical form, and assessing organ and whole body doses in the (<1 in 103) event of balloon failure.
Recycling of glucose by rat hepatocytes.

1 The metabolism of glucose labeled uniformly with 14C, and in positions 2, 3 and 5 with tritium by hepatocytes from fed and fasted rats were studied. Cells were incubated with glucose as sole substrate, or with glucose and a variety of glucose precursors, and uptake or production of glucose, and the utilization of the isotopes was determined. 2 There was no uptake of glucose at concentration of up to 15 mM, and net glucose synthesis in the presence of precursors. 14C was however recovered in CO2, lactate and amino acids, and tritium in water. Considerable incorporation into glycogen from 14C and 3H-labeled glucose occurred at high (above 20 mM) glucose concentrations. 3 The yield in water always exceeded that in 14C-labeled products. The yield in 3HOH from [2-3H]glucose exceeded that from [5-3H]glucose, and the latter was greater than from [3-3H]glucose. 4 Utilization of labeled glucose does not follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The fractional rate of uptake of 14C and tritium-labeled glucose increases with glucose concentration with a maximum at about 15 mM and then declines. 5 The effect of numerous gluconeogenic substrates on the isotope utilization and the 3H/14C ratio in glycogen was studied. The uptake of 14C was always depressed. Addition of lactate and dihydroxyacetone has little effect on the detritiation of [2-3H]glucose, but it is depressed by other substrates. The detritiation of [3-3H]- and [5-3H]glucose is depressed in aluconeogenesis, that from [3-3H]glucose usually more than from [5-3H]glucose. In the presence of lactate detritiation of [3-3H]glucose is about half that from [5-3H]glucose. 6 Equations to calculate the phosphorylation of glucose and fructose 6-phosphate in the presence of futile cycling between glucose and glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate were derived. 7 The estimate of glucose phosphorylation requires determination of the specific activity of glucose 6-phosphate from [2-3H]glucose. It appears that. futile cycling between glucose and glucose 6-phosphate is extensive in cells with a high glycogen content, but is low in cells from starved rats and nearly absent in those from diabetic animals. 8 The estimation of the phosphorylation of fructose 6-phosphate in the presence of cycling requires knowledge of the specific activities of fructose 6-phosphate and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate from [3-3H]glucose. At present there are no adequate data to calculate phosphorylation and recycling of fructose 6-phosphate, but under some conditions the rate may be quite high.
AMP deaminase 3 deficiency enhanced 5'-AMP induction of hypometabolism.

A hypometabolic state can be induced in mice by 5′-AMP administration. Previously we proposed that an underlying mechanism for this hypometabolism is linked to reduced erythrocyte oxygen transport function due to 5′-AMP uptake altering the cellular adenylate equilibrium. To test this hypothesis, we generated mice deficient in adenosine monophosphate deaminase 3 (AMPD3), the key catabolic enzyme for 5′-AMP in erythrocytes. Mice deficient in AMPD3 maintained AMPD activities in all tissues except erythrocytes. Developmentally and morphologically, the Ampd3−/− mice were indistinguishable from their wild type siblings. The levels of ATP, ADP but not 5′-AMP in erythrocytes of Ampd3−/− mice were significantly elevated. Fasting blood glucose levels of the Ampd3−/− mice were comparable to wild type siblings. In comparison to wild type mice, the Ampd3−/− mice displayed a deeper hypometabolism with a significantly delayed average arousal time in response to 5′-AMP administration. Together, these findings demonstrate a central role of AMPD3 in the regulation of 5′-AMP mediated hypometabolism and further implicate erythrocytes in this behavioral response.