cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RAGE antagonist peptide mitigates AGE-mediated endothelial hyperpermeability and accumulation of glycoxidation products in human ascending aortas and in a murine model of aortic aneurysm

Background: Aortic dissection and aneurysm are the result of altered biomechanical forces associated with structural weakening of the aortic wall caused by genetic or acquired factors. Current guidelines recommend replacement of the ascending aorta when the diameter is >5.5 cm in tricuspid aortic valve patients. Aortopathies are associated with altered wall stress and stiffness as well as endothelial cell dysfunction and synthetic vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype. We reported that these mechanisms are mediated by glycoxidation products [Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Advance Glycation End products (AGE)]. This study addresses the role of glycoxidation on endothelial function and AGE-mediated aortic stiffness. Hypothesis and aims: Here we investigate how circulating glycation products infiltrate the aortic wall via AGE-mediated endothelial hyperpermeability and contribute to both VSMC synthetic phenotype and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in vivo and ex vivo. We also study how RAGE antagonist peptide (RAP) can rescue the effect of AGEs in vitro and in vivo in eNOS-/- vs WT mice. Methods and results: Human ascending aortas (n=30) were analyzed for AGE, ROS, and ECM markers. In vitro glycation was obtained by treating VSMC or human and murine aortas with glyoxal. Endothelial permeability was measured under glycation treatment. Vascular stiffness was measured by a pressure myograph comparing wild-type mice in the absence of presence of glyoxal. eNOS-/- mice, a model of increased endothelial permeability, were treated for 28 days with hyperlipidemic diet and Angiotensin II (1000ng/kg/min) with or without anti-glycation treatment (RAP 20mg/kg). Echo data of aortic diameter were collected. Murine vascular stiffness was measured by a pressure myograph (n=5/group). Glycoxidation products were detected in all human aortas independently of aortic diameter, with stronger accumulation on the lumen and the adventitia layer. AGEs increased endothelial permeability, induce synthetic phenotypic switch in human VSMCs, and inhibit cell migration. RAP pre-treatment rescue the effect of glyoxal on endothelial cells. Ex vivo glycation treatment of murine arteries impacted on ECM and increased stiffness. Aortic stiffness was higher in eNOS-/- vs WT mice. Ang II-mediated aortopathies results in aortic dilation, and AGE/ROS accumulation, which is rescued by RAGE antagonist peptide treatment of eNOS-/- mice. Conclusions: Glycoxidation reaction mediates EC permeability, VSMCs phenotype, and ECM remodeling leading to dysfunctional microstructure of the ascending aorta, altered vascular stiffness and increasing aortic susceptibility to dilation and rupture. Moreover, we show that RAP can mitigate AGE-mediated endothelial hyper-permeability in vitro and impact on ascending aneurysm in vivo
Separation and Connectivity in Multigraphs

The present chapter will deal with multigraphs, principally graphs, and with directed graphs. What will be done here is, in a sense, “dirty” graph theory, since it will lack the elegance that comes from showing that graphs inherit properties from more general and more abstract combinatorial models. The motivation will come rather from pictorial representations of multigraphs or directed graphs, and we shall rarely escape from this vein in the course of the proofs.
The Asymmetry: A Solution

The Asymmetry consists of two claims. (A) That a possible person's life would be abjectly miserable –less than worth living – counts against bringing that person into existence. But (B) that a distinct possible person's life would be worth living or even well worth living does not count in favour of bringing that person into existence. In recent years, the view that the two halves of the Asymmetry are jointly untenable has become increasingly entrenched. If we say all persons matter morally whether they exist or not and on that basis try to explain the first half of the Asymmetry, we lose the second half of the Asymmetry. If we say that some persons do not matter morally and some do and on that basis try to explain the second half of the Asymmetry, we lose the first half of the Asymmetry – or else find ourselves with a principle that is either inconsistent or otherwise deeply troubled in some way that has nothing to do with the content of the Asymmetry itself. In this article, I propose an alternative approach to the Asymmetry which I will call Variabilism. By understanding each and every person, whether existing or not, to matter morally but variably– such that the moral significance of any loss incurred by any person is considered to depend, not on who incurs that loss and whether that person matters morally, but rather on where that loss is incurred in relation to the person who incurs it – we can both nicely ground the two halves of the Asymmetry and avoid the conceptual difficulties that have plagued competing approaches.
High Amplitude Secondary Mass Drive

In this paper we describe a high amplitude electrostatic drive for surface micromachined mechanical oscillators that may be suitable for vibratory gyroscopes. It is an advanced design of a previously reported dual mass oscillator (Dyck, et. al., 1999). The structure is a 2 degree-of-freedom, parallel-plate driven motion amplifier, termed the secondary mass drive oscillator (SMD oscillator). During each cycle the device contacts the drive plates, generating large electrostatic forces. Peak-to-peak amplitudes of 54 {micro}m have been obtained by operating the structure in air with an applied voltage of 11 V. We describe the structure, present the analysis and design equations, and show recent results that have been obtained, including frequency response data, power dissipation, and out-of- plane motion.
Growth, Poverty, and Inequality: A Regional Panel

Empirical work in Bangladesh shows that growth reduces poverty in both urban and rural areas - and is associated with rising inequality only in urban areas. It appears that promoting growth in rural areas rather than urban areas would reduce poverty more. Most empirical work on how growth affects poverty and inequality has been based on international panel data sets. Panels can also be used within a country, if the analysis is carried out at the regional level. Wodon does this for Bangladesh, where regional panel estimates indicate that growth reduces poverty in both urban and rural areas. Growth is associated with rising inequality only in urban areas. Simulations based on these estimates indicate how much poverty reduction could increase in the next 10 years if growth were promoted in rural areas rather than urban areas. This paper - a product of the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Sector Unit, South Asia Region - was written as part of background work for the Bangladesh poverty assessment.
Stream temperature response to variable glacier coverage in coastal watersheds of Southeast Alaska

We measured stream temperature continuously during the 2011 summer run-off season (May through October) in nine watersheds of Southeast Alaska that provide spawning habitat for Pacific salmon. The nine watersheds have glacier coverage ranging from 0% to 63%. Our goal was to determine how air temperature and watershed land cover, particularly glacier coverage, influence stream temperature across the seasonal glacial meltwater hydrograph. Multiple linear regression models identified mean watershed elevation (related to glacier extent) and watershed lake coverage (%) as the strongest landscape controls on mean monthly stream temperature, with the weakest (May) and strongest (July) models explaining 86% and 97% of the temperature variability, respectively. Mean weekly stream temperature was significantly correlated with mean weekly air temperature in seven streams; however, the relationships were weak to non-significant in the streams influenced by glacial run-off. Streams with >30% glacier coverage showed decreasing stream temperatures with rising summer air temperatures, whereas those with <30% glacier coverage exhibited summertime warming. Glaciers also had a cooling effect on monthly mean stream temperature during the summer (July through September) equivalent to a decrease of 1.1 °C for each 10% increase in glacier coverage. The maximum weekly average temperature (an index of thermal suitability for salmon) in the six glacial streams was substantially below the lower threshold for optimum salmon growth. This finding suggests that although glaciers are important for moderating summer stream temperatures, future reductions in glacier run-off may actually improve the thermal suitability of some glacially dominated streams in Southeast Alaska for salmon. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Toxic shock syndrome: A review

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is an acute illness that affects multiple organ systems. It is a disorder of particular interest to obstetricians and gynecologists because it primarily affects otherwise healthy menstruating women who use tampons. The pathogenesis remains unknown. However, Staphylococcus aureus has been isolated from either focal lesions or the vagina in most cases and a staphylococcal exotoxin is believed to be the causative agent. The epidemiologic characteristics, risk factors, clinical findings, criteria for diagnosis, and recommendations for treatment are reviewed.
Switching strategies for narrow ground vehicles with dual mode automatic tilt control

A tall and narrow type of commuter vehicle has an increased tendency to overturn during hard cornering when compared to conventional vehicles. This tendency can be mitigated by tilting it toward the inside of the turn. Two types of automatic tilting control strategies have been developed: Direct Tilt Control (DTC) and Steering Tilt Control (STC). At zero or low speeds, the DTC provides torque on the body to keep the body upright. The STC provides at high speeds lower perceived lateral acceleration and possibly a more natural feel for the passengers. The two types of tilt control cannot operate simultaneously without interfering with each other so here the problem of switching from one to the other without introducing disturbing transients is studied. In general, the switch from DTC to STC occurs as a specific speed is attained but we also show how the system can switch back to DTC for safety reasons under a low traction patch of roadway in a turn.
b → sγ decay in supergravity grand unification and dark matter

Abstract An analysis of the b → sγ is given in supergravity grand unification using the framework of the radiative breaking of the electro-weak symmetry under three separate sets of constraints: 1) neutralino relic density does not overclose the universe, 2) p-stability constraint, and 3) the combined constraints of p-stability and COBE data. For case 1 it is found that the CLEO II data on the branching ratio already imposes very strong further constraints on dark matter analyses. For case 2 the branching ratio is found to lie in the range (1.5–6.3) × 10−4 and thus the data does not at present significantly limit the analyses with p-stability constraint. It is shown that improvements by a factor of 3 in the p→ ν K + lifetime will reduce SUSY effects to less than O(30%) of the Standard Model value. For case 3, the branching ratio lies in the interval (3.1–5.3) × 10−4, and the SUSY effects lie within (−10%, +50%) of the SM value. Thus as experimental bounds on B(b→sγ) improve, one would need in cases 2 and 3 the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to disentangle SUSY effects.
Optimal control of a ship for course change and sidestep maneuvers

We consider a ship subject to kinematic, dynamic, and moment equations and steered via rudder under the assumptions that the rudder angle and rudder angle time rate are subject to upper and lower bounds. We formulate and solve four Mayer problems of optimal control, the optimization criterion being the minimum time.
Cloning and characterization of human astrovirus immunoreactive epitopes.

Abstract We report the cloning of antigenic, protein-coding regions of human astrovirus serotype 1 that appear to be common to most, if not all, serotypes of human astrovirus. Screening of lambda gt11 libraries identified three different but overlapping clones (A43, A35, and A1) and one independent clone (A14) that reacted with serum from a rabbit repeatedly immunized with purified astrovirus particles but not with its preimmunization serum. These clones were shown to be astrovirus specific. Of note, a radiolabeled probe representing the immunoreactive clones A43-A35-A1 hybridized exclusively to the 7.2-kb astrovirus genomic RNA, while a clone A14-specific probe hybridized with both the genomic and the 2.8-kb astrovirus subgenomic RNAs. This suggests that the immunoreactive epitopes, selected by antiserum to purified astrovirus particles, are encoded by the subgenomic RNA as well as other regions of the genomic RNA.
On the Origin of Quasi-Periodic Oscillations and Broad-band Noise in Accreting Neutron Stars and Black Holes

Accreting neutron stars and black holes share a number of rapid variability characteristics, such as quasi-periodic oscillations and broad-band noise. The frequencies of these features were recently shown to be comparable to fundamental general relativistic frequencies of perturbed test-particle orbits near the compact objects. In this paper we propose a dynamical model for producing modulations in the inner disk properties at these characteristic frequencies. We postulate that a transition radius exists in the accretion disk close to the compact object and investigate its response to a broad spectrum of density fluctuations. We find that the transition radius acts as a low band-pass filter with a broadband response that is constant at frequencies lower than the inverse radial drift timescale and decreases above it as the inverse of the frequency. Moreover, the response shows strong resonances at frequencies nearly equal to the orbital, periastron-precession, and nodal-precession frequencies, thereby accounting for the observed power-density spectra of accreting compact objects and the correlations between their characteristic frequencies.
Monetary unit sampling: a belief-function implementation for audit and accounting applications

Abstract Audit procedures may be planned and audit evidence evaluated using monetary unit sampling (MUS) techniques within the context of the Dempster–Shafer theory of belief functions. This article shows: (1) how to determine an appropriate sample size for MUS in order to obtain a desired degree of belief that the upper bound for misstatements lies within a given interval; and (2) what level of belief in a specified interval is obtained given a sample result. The results are consistent with the view that a specified level of belief in an interval is semantically a stronger claim than the same numerical level of probability. The paper describes two variants of MUS in both probability and belief-function forms, emphasizing the systematic similarities and the numerical differences between the two frameworks. The results, based on the Poisson distribution, extend results already available for mean-per-unit variables sampling, and may readily be developed to give similar results for the binomial distribution.
Plasma emission spectroscopic detectors in HPLC for trace metal analysis and speciation

Abstract Plasma emission spectroscopic detection in HPLC has evolved into a significant method of metal analysis and speciation, providing information not readily available via most other HPLC-detector approaches. These newer 'hyphenated' techniques have been applied to a number of metal and nonmetal elements in a wide variety of sample matrices.
The impact of the Web on the stockbroking industry : Big Bang 2

An investigation of what effect online trading is having on the traditional stockbrokerage industry. There have been lots of discussions and articles written over the last couple of years debating whether the traditional stockbrokerage model is about to be upstaged by the new online version touted by the online brokerage industry. With so many diverse views being portrayed it is difficult to fully gauge the real impact that online trading is having on the traditional stock brokerage industry. A large‐scale questionnaire and interview study was conducted to get some answers.
1α-Hydroxy Derivative of Vitamin D3: A Highly Potent Analog of 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3

The 1α-hydroxy derivative of vitamin D3 has been chemically synthesized and tested for its biological activity. This analog has comparable biological activity on a weight basis to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in the stimulation of intestinal calcium transport and bone calcium mobilization in normnal and anephric rats. Because the 1α-hydroxy derivative is synthesized from cholesterol, it is easier and less expensive to prepare than 1α,25-dihydroxy derivative, making it attractive as a drug in the treatment of renal osteodystrophy and hypopara-thyroidism.
1045 ENDEMIC AND EPIDEMIC KAWASAKI SYNDROME

Kawasaki Syndrome is endemic in Hawaii with steadily increasing yearly incidence and a total of 132 cases studied prospectively: 20% carditis, 17% coronary aneurysms, 33% arthritis. Bacterial cultures from blood (82), nose/throat (76), eyes (12), stool (60), urine (84), vagina (10), and CSF (48) have been sterile or → normal flora. Staphylococci found only in 21% throat, 1% stool, no focal infections. Leptospiral studies - blood, urine negative 43, 0/24 serologic response. Viral and chlamydial isolations 74 patients → 4 isolates: RSV-like, CMV, adenovirus, coxsakie B. Electron microscopy of stool, urine, serum, throat washings ↛ infectious particles even when stained with convalescent serum. Paired sera ↛ seroconversion to legionella, CMV, EB, influenza, parainfluenza, rubeola, rubella, varicella, mycoplasma, pneumoniae, chlamydia, or rickettsiae. CF antibody rose to adenovirus in 6/52 and neutralizing antibody to RSV-like virus developed in 4/40. IgE rose, peaked in week II & III, fell in 27/34. Immune complexes found in weeks II & III in patients with carditis/arthritis. Epidemiology: Male:female 1.6:1. Peak age 6 mo-2 years (range 6 weeks-8 years). Sharply defined epidemics of 32 and 25 cases noted in February-June 1978, October-May 1979-80. Ethnic predilection: Japanese overrepresentation; Caucasians, Filipinos underrepresented. Secondary cases: 2/97 exposed siblings, 0/∼400 day care contacts. URI within 1 mo. onset: 62% cases vs 57% controls. Clinical, immunologic, epidemiologic features suggest acute infectious trigger to immunologically mediated generalized vasculitis.
On the collisional quenching of electronically excited OH, NH and CH in flames

Relating emission intensities to molecular concentrations in laser-induced fluorescence measurements requires knowledge of collisional quenching rates in flame environments. We survey the current knowledge of quenching of electronically excited states of the radicals OH, NH and CH, as pertains to combustion studies. Considered are the dependence of the cross sections on collision partner, rotational level, and temperature. Using independently determined cross sections for OH, total quenching rates are estimated for hydrocarbon and ammonia flames described in the literature. We conclude that at present OH quenching can be estimated to within 30–50% in many cases, but only to within a factor of three for NH and CH.
Early Science Instruction Addressing Fundamental Issues

Kuhn and Dean (this issue) make a valuable contribution to the challenge of increasing the scientific reasoning skills of lowperforming urban sixth graders. They describe a procedure that was highly effective in the short run, and they show how difficult it is to achieve long-term transfer with anything less than extremely detailed and direct instruction. In addition, their work raises important questions about the way that psychologists have approached the topic of children’s scientific thinking. Although I concur with Kuhn and Dean about the significance of these questions, in this Commentary I offer a set of answers that differ from theirs. My comments concern matters of emphasis, definition, and effectiveness.
Role of encapsulated Bacteroides sp. in upper respiratory tract infection

Summary Bacteroides sp. are part of the normal oral and vaginal flora and have emerged as the predominant isolates from respiratory tract infections and bacteremias associated with these infections. Bacteroides melaninogenicus and Bacteroides oralis were recovered from aspiration pneumonia, lung abscesses, chronic otitis media, sinusitis, periodontal disease, and periapical abscesses. Bacteroides corrodens was isolated from periodontal and lung abscesses, and from patients with aspiration pneumonia. Bacteroides ruminicola has been recovered from these sites as well as from peritonsillar abscesses, chronic sinusitis, and mastoiditis. Although Bacteroides fragilis is not generally found as part of the normal oral flora, it can colonize the oral cavity of patients whose oral hygiene is poor. This organism can also be recovered in infections that originate from this area, such as aspiration pneumonia, lung abscesses, chronic sinusitis, chronic otitis media, and brain abscesses. Until recently, B. melaninogenicus and B. oralis were considered susceptible to penicillins. However, penicillin-resistant strains have been reported with increasing frequency in upper respiratory tract infections. These include chronic otitis media and mastoiditis, periodontal and peritonsillar abscesses, and cervical lymphadenitis. The appearance of penicillin resistance among Bacteroides has important implications for chemotherapy, as penicillin therapy directed against a susceptible pathogen might be rendered ineffective by the presence of a penicillinase-producing organism.
Emotional exhaustion and workarounds in acute care: Cross sectional tests of a theoretical framework

Abstract Background As health care organizations strive to improve their work processes, attention is being paid to workarounds in the clinical setting. Some research has found a link between burnout and workarounds. Other research shows that the clinical work environment can influence burnout levels in clinical workers, particularly emotional exhaustion. Objective Underpinned by Conservation of Resources theory, we examined a conceptual model linking the work environment with workarounds in acute care nurses and other clinicians, and hypothesized that burnout, specifically emotional exhaustion, would mediate these relationships. Study design and setting A cross sectional survey study was conducted in a large tertiary hospital in North America. Participants All clinical care providers in the hospital's medical units were invited to participate. The response rate was 45%, with nurses comprising 85% of respondents. Method Questionnaires were mailed to employee homes using a two-wave methodology. Results Hypotheses were examined using structural equation modeling. Time pressure was positively related to exhaustion, and autonomy was negatively related. Exhaustion was positively related to workarounds, and mediated the time pressure and autonomy to workarounds relationships. Contrary to expectations, the physical environment was directly and negatively related to workarounds. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the work environment may influence more than individual clinician well-being and exhaustion, it also may influence workaround behaviors that could lead to harm for patients and/or the organization. More attention should be paid to the mechanisms that influence workarounds.
Design, Analysis, and Testing of a Metamorphic Gripper

This paper introduces a novel metamorphic gripper proposed as a step towards the solution of the bin picking problem. This gripper makes uses of multiple poses while maintaining contact with the part allowing for in-hand manipulation without the use of finger gaiting. The gripper is analyzed using classical techniques of degrees of freedom and adjacency matrices. This analysis allows for a basic understanding of the motion of the gripper.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Fluxes of methane between landfills and the atmosphere: natural and engineered controls

Field measurement of landfill methane emissions indicates natural variability spanning more than 2 seven orders of magnitude, from approximately 0.0004 to more than 4000 g m{sub -2} day{sup -1}. This wide range reflects net emissions resulting from production (methanogenesis), consumption (methanotrophic oxidation), and gaseous transport processes. The determination of an {open_quotes}average{close_quotes} emission rate for a given field site requires sampling designs and statistical techniques which consider spatial and temporal variability. Moreover, particularly at sites with pumped gas recovery systems, it is possible for methanotrophic microorganisms in aerated cover soils to oxidize all of the methane from landfill sources below and, additionally, to oxidize methane diffusing into cover soils from atmospheric sources above. In such cases, a reversed soil gas concentration gradient is observed in shallow cover soils, indicating bidirectional diffusional transport to the depth of optimum methane oxidation. Rates of landfill methane oxidation from field and laboratory incubation studies range up to 166 g m{sup -2} day{sup -1} among the highest for any natural setting, providing an effective natural control on net emissions. Estimates of worldwide landfill methane emissions to the atmosphere have ranged from 9 to 70 Tg yr{sup -1}, differing mainly in assumed methane yields from estimated quantities of landfilled refuse. At highly controlled landfill sites in developed countries, landfill methane is often collected via vertical wells or horizontal collectors. Recovery of landfill methane through engineered systems can provide both environmental and energy benefits by mitigating subsurface migration, reducing surface emissions, and providing an alternative energy resource for industrial boiler use, on-site electrical generation, or upgrading to a substitute natural gas.
Pros and cons for teaching courses in the classroom and online simultaneously

In adding an online delivery option to an existing graduate program in computer science, important choices include (1) synchronous or asynchronous delivery and (2) for synchronous delivery, whether to deliver classroom and online teaching simultaneously. This paper describes the decisions made in adding an online option to an MSCS program, which now is maturing. The factors in favor of and against simultaneous delivery are discussed in detail and the conclusions reached for one particular program are described, including experience gained in the process and an open-source software system developed to support this form of delivery.
Home self-bougienage is safe for chronic esophageal strictures

Purpose: To review the experience of home self-bougienage for chronic esophageal strictures in a population primarily consisting of patients treated for carcinoma.
Changes induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in the paraventricular nucleus. A correlated fluorescence microscopic/electron microscopic evaluation.

Remodelling of catecholaminergic (CA) fibers after cerebral intraventricular 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OH-DA) administration was evaluated quantitatively in the paraventricular nucleus (PAR) of young adult rats, using fluorescence microscopy (FM) and electron microscopy (EM). Fluorescent CA varicosities and CA boutons (marked with 5-OH-DA) were counted after survival periods of 4, 21, 56 or 180 days. Four days after 6-OH-DA treatment, the number of fluorescent varicosities dropped to 45% of control numbers but was restored to 79% of control values by 180 days. In the EM study, marked boutons had dropped more dramatically: to 12% of control numbers, after 4 days and 54% by 180 days post-neurotoxin. These data provide strong evidence that substantial but incomplete restoration of CA terminals occurred in PAR. It is of interest that, in all survival intervals, percentage reductions in numbers of CA terminals were more extreme when EM was used for quantification. Nevertheless, the trends indicating partial restoration of terminal numbers with time were parallel in the FM and EM studies. Structures identified as CA growth cones in PAR contained a feltwork of fine filaments together with mitochondria, granular vesicles (often with electron-dense cores marked by the 5-OH-DA label), vacuoles and smooth-surfaced reticulum. The presence of growth cones, some of which persisted 11 months after neurotoxin administration, further supports the inference that a regenerative response of CA elements was evoked in PAR by the 6-OH-DA treatment.
Commentary on "planning and information foraging theories and their value to the novice technical communicator"

Gattis should be applauded for finding cognitive theories that might be of use to the field, for describing them well with current resources, and for applying them to technical communication with an example. The two theories, however, are too intuitive to provide much value for describing existing behavior or for novices to use as tools.
Use of Molecular Beacons to Image Effects of Titanium Surface Microstructure on β1 Integrin Expression in Live Osteoblast-like Cells

This study used molecular beacon technology to examine substrate-dependent changes in integrin subunit expression in living cells. Molecular beacons are oligonucleotide probes that can be delivered into live cells to allow for real-time imaging of mRNA. They have a stem-loop hairpin structure with a fluorophore-quencher pair, which opens when bound to the target mRNA sequence, resulting in a fluorescent signal upon excitation. A novel molecular beacon that is specific to the β1 integrin subunit mRNA was developed and used to image osteoblast-like MG63 cells in vitro on both glass and titanium surfaces of varying roughness. Specificity was verified by comparing the molecular beacon signal intensities to real-time PCR results in both wild-type cells and cells with shRNA knockdown of β1 integrin mRNA. The molecular beacon was able to detect changes due to both surface microtopography and silencing of the mRNA target. The results showed that effects of the substrate on β1 mRNA noted previously in confluent cultures were evident in pre-confluent cells as well, supporting the hypothesis that β1 integrin pairs are important in proliferation as well as differentiation of osteoblasts. This technique overcomes the limitations of traditional gene assays (PCR, immunofluorescence) by allowing for the real-time measurement and tracking of specific mRNAs in individual live cells prior to confluence.
Current State of Estimation of Multimodal Freight Project Impacts

As available data have increased and as the national transportation funding bills have moved toward objective evaluation, departments of transportation (DOTs) throughout the United States have begun to develop tools to attempt to measure the effects of different projects. Increasingly, DOTs recognize that the freight transportation system is necessarily multimodal. However, no DOTs have clearly stated objective tools with which to evaluate multimodal freight project comparisons. This paper informs that gap by summarizing the existing academic literature on the state of the science for the estimation of freight project impacts and by reviewing methods currently used by selected DOTs nationwide. These methods are analyzed to identify common themes to determine potential avenues for multimodal project evaluation.
A SIMPLE METHOD FOR DIFFERENTIAL ASSAY OF TRITIUM AND CARBON-14 IN WATER-SOLUBLE BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS.

Abstract A methyl Cellosolve-toluene phosphor solvent system is described for the differential determination of absolute levels of tritium and C14, as well as for the determination of H3/C14 dpm ratios in water-soluble biological samples by liquid scintillation counting techniques. A plot of H3/C14 cpm vs. H3/C14 dpm determined using the above system is linear over wider range than are two other counting systems developed for the counting of water-soluble samples. H3/C14 cpm ratios counted with the methyl Cellosolve-toluene system are relatively stable in the presence of HCl and NaCl contamination, and thus this solvent system can be used in the initial determinations of H3/C14 ratios of evaporated HCl hydrolyzates and other partially purified biological materials. Activities in dilute solutions of C14- and tritium-labeled proteins can also be differentially determined using this solvent system.
A comparison of four new antiepileptic medications.

Abstract In order to select a new medication for a patient with epilepsy, it would be helpful to have an idea of which drug might have the greatest overall chance for success. Since epilepsy is a chronic disorder, the long-term effectiveness and tolerability of the medications are very important. Here, we compared gabapentin, lamotrigine, topiramate and vigabatrin using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis to see how long patients chose to stay on each drug and if they stopped, why they stopped. The results seem to suggest the type of responses to be expected in a hospital seizure clinic.
A Dynamic Programming Approach to Estimate the Capacity Value of Energy Storage

We present a method to estimate the capacity value of storage. Our method uses a dynamic program to model the effect of power system outages on the operation and state of charge of storage in subsequent periods. We combine the optimized dispatch from the dynamic program with estimated system loss of load probabilities to compute a probability distribution for the state of charge of storage in each period. This probability distribution can be used as a forced outage rate for storage in standard reliability-based capacity value estimation methods. Our proposed method has the advantage over existing approximations that it explicitly captures the effect of system shortage events on the state of charge of storage in subsequent periods. We also use a numerical case study, based on five utility systems in the U.S., to demonstrate our technique and compare it to existing approximation methods.
Automatic PC board routing cleanup procedures

Automatic routing programs produce layouts which contain features that could be improved. This paper describes straightforward techniques for layout improvement that are routing algorithm independent.
Update on new technologies in digital mammography.

Despite controversy regarding mammography’s efficacy, it continues to be the most commonly used breast cancer-screening modality. With the development of digital mammography, some improved benefit has been shown in women with dense breast tissue. However, the density of breast tissue continues to limit the sensitivity of conventional mammography. We discuss the development of some derivative digital technologies, primarily digital breast tomosynthesis, and their strengths, weaknesses, and potential patient impact.
Feline cholangiohepatitis complex.

This article describes the clinical manifestations of feline cholangiohepatitis complex. The diagnosis, based on the predominant histologic lesion, is discussed. Treatment includes antibiotics, steroids, and choleretic agents.
Active prolific scholars in communication studies: Analysis of research productivity, II

An analysis of research productivity of communication studies faculty provides a yardstick against which faculty and administrators can gauge productivity. Results suggest that a “productive” currently active scholar is one who has published six or more times (were in the top 5% of all publishers) in journals listed in the SCA Index to Journals in Communication Studies through 1990.
Mass spectrometry advances in lipidomica: collision-induced decomposition of Kdo2–lipid A

Abstract Mass spectrometry has made significant advances in the analysis of lipid substances, both simple and complex present in extracts of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The development of the ionization techniques of electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) have both been applied to the analysis of lipids. The example of the types of structural information that can be obtained from MALDI-TOF tandem mass spectrometry is exemplified by the analysis of Kdo 2 –lipid A, a complex lipopolysaccharide known to activate toll-like 4 receptors on mammalian cells. Analysis of Kdo 2 –lipid A obtained from an Escherichia coli WBB06 was found to generate an abundant [ M − H] − ion at m / z 2236.4 and a more abundant carbon-13 isotope at m / z 2237.4. Furthermore, collisional activation of the lipid A portion of the molecule at m / z 1796.3 resulted in a series of ions corresponding to the loss of all four fatty acyl groups as neutral carboxylic acids. An altogether different challenge of mass spectrometry applied to the area of lipid analysis is that of quantitative analysis. Two rather different requirements have emerged. One with high precision and accuracy for the measurement of relatively few lipid species that are produced at very low concentrations and typically interact with specific receptor proteins. A rather different challenge is that for the analysis of abundant lipid classes, which are composed of multiple molecular species that can approach several hundred under certain circumstances.
Retinal development: Communication helps you see the light

Recent studies suggest that interactions between neurons, glial cells and endothelial cells are critical in determining the structure of the retina and the optic nerve. Dysregulation of these interactions can lead to disruption of retinal architecture and impairment of vision.
Financial meltdown as normal accident: The case of the American savings and loan industry☆

Abstract This essay examines the recent financial disaster involving savings and loan institutions in the United States. The model of normal accidents, which attributes organizational disasters to the intersection of tight coupling and complexity, is used to illuminate aspects of the crisis. The neo-institutional perspective, stressing the role of three organized actors: the accounting profession, the state, and the organizations themselves, is used to understand why complexity and tight coupling increased simultaneously.
SU‐GG‐T‐108: Using Respiratory Tumor Motion as a Degree of Freedom to Improve 4D IMRT Plans

Purpose: Instead of seeing respiratory tumor motion as an obstacle to precise planning and delivery, motion can be viewed as an additional degree of freedom in improving radiotherapy. Using 4D approach, the dose from a given beam angle can be spread over different parts of normal tissues, particularly serial structures such as the spinal code and esophagus, while targeting the moving tumor. Consequently, the maximum dose to normal structures for the 4D plan can be lower than when the motion inclusive or gated treatments are used. The aim of this work was to utilize anatomic motion to improve IMRT plans. Method and Materials: For a 4D CT scan of one lungcancer patient (tumor motion of 2.1 cm and volume of 3 cm3), an IMRT plan was created. Three beams were chosen with the beam angle arrangement as follows: the first beam passed through the spinal cord to the tumor, the second passed through the esophagus to the tumor, and the third passed through the tumor only. Four different approaches were applied: (1) gated at exhale (GE), (2) gated at inhale (GI), (3) motion inclusive (MI), and (4) 4D. Results: The mean and maximum doses to serial structures are significantly decreased in the 4D plan, compared to other three plans. The dose received by 5% of volume is reduced by 38%, 40%, and 36% for the spinal cord and 29%, 33%, and 35% for the esophagus in the 4D plan, compared to the GE, GI, and MI plans, respectively. Conclusion: Taking advantage of respiratory tumor motion as an additional degree of freedom can substantially improve target coverage and spare normal tissues. Up to 40% and 35% reduction in the high dose area of the spinal cord and esophagus, respectively, was observed with 4D IMRT planning. Conflict of Interest: Research supported by 1P01CA116602.
Disruption of the Arsenic (+3 Oxidation State) Methyltransferase Gene in the Mouse Alters the Phenotype for Methylation of Arsenic and Affects Distribution and Retention of Orally Administered Arsenate

The arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (As3mt) gene encodes a 43 kDa protein that catalyzes methylation of inorganic arsenic. Altered expression of AS3MT in cultured human cells controls arsenic methylation phenotypes, suggesting a critical role in arsenic metabolism. Because methylated arsenicals mediate some toxic or carcinogenic effects linked to inorganic arsenic exposure, studies of the fate and effects of arsenicals in mice which cannot methylate arsenic could be instructive. This study compared retention and distribution of arsenic in As3mt knockout mice and in wild-type C57BL/6 mice in which expression of the As3mt gene is normal. Male and female mice of either genotype received an oral dose of 0.5 mg of arsenic as arsenate per kg containing [73As]-arsenate. Mice were radioassayed for up to 96 h after dosing; tissues were collected at 2 and 24 h after dosing. At 2 and 24 h after dosing, livers of As3mt knockouts contained a greater proportion of inorganic and monomethylated arsenic tha...
New 6-methoxyflavonols from Centaurea jacea

Abstract Two new flavonols were isolated from Centaurea jacea flowers and they have been shown to be 4′,5,7-trihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxyflavone and its 7-O-β- d -glucoside.
Studies of relaxation effects in the Coulomb gap

Abstract A new algorithm is described which is suitable for studying disordered localized systems with interactions. The algorithm is capable of finding the ground state and the low lying states of the system, in a classical approximation. Extension to quantum effects and possible applications to the study of various low-temperature properties are discussed. Results are reported of studies on the nature of low lying excitations, and on energy relaxation and dielectric relaxation at very low temperatures.
Dynamical correlations in low-energy pion double charge exchange

Abstract We consider various processes that contribute to low-energy pion double charge exchange (DCX), and we study their sensitivity to short-range correlations. Within the framework of the fixed-nucleon field theory, we derive a general expression for the following two-nucleon DCX processes: two sequential single charge exchanges via intermediate π (SEQ-π) plus ϱ (SEQ-ϱ) exchange and the lowest-order Δ33-nucleon (Δ-N) interactions via explicit π + ϱ exchange. We retain the full spin dependence of the various contributions, and we present the results in a form that can be used for any transition whose corresponding two-body density matrix elements are known. Detailed evaluations are made for 14C to illustrate the importance of short-range correlations. We show the effects on the calculated DCX cross sections that result from three different wave functions: two defined entirely within the p-shell and the other involving configuration mixing with the sd-shell. Our results indicate that SEQ-π is the dominant mechanism for low-energies and that the inclusion of the short-range correlation function decreases the cross section by nearly 50% for standard choices of the pion-nucleon interaction. The largest contribution to the cross section from configuration mixing occurs in off-diagonal transitions [e.g., (0p)2 to (0d)2]. Pairs of nucleons coupled to spin S = 0.are substantially more sensitive to the short-range correlations than pairs coupled to S = 1. The size of the ϱ-meson contribution to the SEQ mechanism is somewhat model-dependent, but the size of the Δ-N interaction is fixed from other sources. The SEQ-ϱ contribution and the Δ-N interaction are about 5–20% effects, and they may increase or decrease the cross section, depending upon details such as the energy or the amount of configuration mixing.
Is Total Ankle Arthroplasty A Cost-effective Alternative to Ankle Fusion?

Background Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) implantation is increasing, as the potential for pain relief and restoration of function and risks are compared with those for ankle fusion. A previous analysis with a simple decision tree suggested TAA was cost-effective compared with ankle fusion. However, reevaluation is warranted with the availability of newer, more costly implants and longer-term patient followup data.
Robust-statistic-based template matching

In this paper, a robust-statistic-based method is proposed to implement template matching. The proposed method has two novel advantages. First, it is computationally efficient because only a very small fraction of the template pixels is used to do template matching. Second, it generates very high mainlobes and very low sidelobes because it only accumulates the gradient magnitudes of edges when the template is moved to the object center (signal focusing (SF) accumulation), and summarizes the gradient magnitudes in homogeneous regions when the template goes to other positions (interference avoiding (IA) accumulation). It is shown experimentally that compared with the normalized correlation method, the SFIA method increases the DSNR for about 11 approximately 30 db and decrease computational cost about 20 approximately 50 times.
Hematocrit causes the most significant error in point of care glucometers

Abstract : The study by Hoedemaekers et al (1) has failed to identify the most likely and proven confounder for accuracy of point-of-care (POC) glucometers used in the intensive care unit: hematocrit. A cursory review of the literature reveals that the effect of low patient hematocrit is to systematically elevate measurements in single-channel POC glucometers (2, 3). The whole blood samples used by all single-channel POC glucometers fail to account for reduced plasma displacement by fewer red blood cells, thus artificially elevating the reported glucose value. This problem is exacerbated by the simultaneous adoption of tight glucose control (4, 5) and restrictive transfusion practices (6) in many hospitals that use POC glucometers (7). Application of the recommendation by Hebert et al for permissive anemia effectively decreases hematocrit to the range of approximately 21%. Our research has identified the level of unacceptable performance of single-channel POC glucometers to occur at 34% hematocrit (8). We have developed a simple mathematical correction formula for the top four POC devices used in the United States that reduces the substantial inaccuracy caused by anemia to a margin of error less than 5% from the reference laboratory value (8).