cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A major QTL for acute ethanol sensitivity in the alcohol tolerant and non-tolerant selected rat lines

The Alcohol Tolerant and Alcohol Non-Tolerant rats (AT, ANT) were selectively bred for ethanol-induced ataxia as measured on the inclined plane. Here we report on a quantitative trait locus (QTL) study in an F(2) intercross population derived from inbred AT and ANT (IAT, IANT) and a follow-up study of congenics that were bred to examine one of the mapped QTLs. Over 1200 F(2) offspring were tested for inclined plane sensitivity, acute tolerance on the inclined plane, duration of the loss of righting reflex (LORR) and blood ethanol at regain of the righting reflex (BECRR). F(2) rats that were in the upper and lower 20% for inclined plane sensitivity were genotyped with 78 SSLP markers. Significant QTLs for inclined plane sensitivity were mapped on chromosomes 8 and 20; suggestive QTLs were mapped on chromosomes 1, 2 and 3. Highly significant QTLs for LORR duration (LOD = 12.4) and BECRR (LOD = 5.7) were mapped to the same locus on chromosome 1. Breeding and testing of reciprocal congenic lines confirmed the chromosome 1 LORR/BECRR QTL. A series of recombinant congenic sub-lines were bred to fine-map this QTL. Current results have narrowed the QTL to an interval of between 5 and 20 Mb. We expect to be able to narrow the interval to less than 5 Mb with additional genotyping and continued breeding of recombinant sub-congenic lines.
Alkali-Metal Phthaloylphosphides: Easily Prepared Phosphide Reagents for Coordination and Main-Group Chemistry

A straightforward method for the preparation of alkali-metal phthaloylphosphide (isophosphindoline-1,3-dione(1−) ion) salts from phosphine, diethyl phthalate or its ring-substituted analogues, and ...
Parallel Out-of-Core Constrained Delaunay Mesh Generation

In this paper we present two approaches for parallel out-of-core mesh generation. The first approach is based on a traditional prioritized page replacement algorithm using prioritized version of accepted LRU replacement scheme proposed by Salmon et al. for n-body calculations. The second approach is based on the percolation model proposed for the HTMT petaflops design. We evaluate both approaches using the parallel constrained Delaunay mesh generation method. Our preliminary data suggest that for problem sizes up to half a billion element meshes the traditional approach is very effective. However for larger problem sizes (in the order of billions of elements) the traditional approach becomes prohibitively expensive, but it appears from our preliminary data that the non-traditional percolation approach is a good alternative.
The Functions of Auxilin and Rab11 in Drosophila Suggest That the Fundamental Role of Ligand Endocytosis in Notch Signaling Cells Is Not Recycling

Notch signaling requires ligand internalization by the signal sending cells. Two endocytic proteins, epsin and auxilin, are essential for ligand internalization and signaling. Epsin promotes clathrin-coated vesicle formation, and auxilin uncoats clathrin from newly internalized vesicles. Two hypotheses have been advanced to explain the requirement for ligand endocytosis. One idea is that after ligand/receptor binding, ligand endocytosis leads to receptor activation by pulling on the receptor, which either exposes a cleavage site on the extracellular domain, or dissociates two receptor subunits. Alternatively, ligand internalization prior to receptor binding, followed by trafficking through an endosomal pathway and recycling to the plasma membrane may enable ligand activation. Activation could mean ligand modification or ligand transcytosis to a membrane environment conducive to signaling. A key piece of evidence supporting the recycling model is the requirement in signaling cells for Rab11, which encodes a GTPase critical for endosomal recycling. Here, we use Drosophila Rab11 and auxilin mutants to test the ligand recycling hypothesis. First, we find that Rab11 is dispensable for several Notch signaling events in the eye disc. Second, we find that Drosophila female germline cells, the one cell type known to signal without clathrin, also do not require auxilin to signal. Third, we find that much of the requirement for auxilin in Notch signaling was bypassed by overexpression of both clathrin heavy chain and epsin. Thus, the main role of auxilin in Notch signaling is not to produce uncoated ligand-containing vesicles, but to maintain the pool of free clathrin. Taken together, these results argue strongly that at least in some cell types, the primary function of Notch ligand endocytosis is not for ligand recycling.
Leachate Recirculation Using Horizontal Trenches in Bioreactor Landfills

Leachate recirculation in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills operated as bioreactors offers significant economical and environmental benefits. Subsurface leachate recirculation in MSW landfills is commonly achieved by using horizontal trenches or vertical wells. Currently, there are no design guidelines available for leachate recirculation using a subsurface leachate recirculation system (LRS). The key objective of this study is to prepare design guidelines for LRS consisting of horizontal trenches. This paper presents a numerical study of LRS consisting of horizontal trenches. The design parameters evaluated in this study include: (1) Leachate injection pressure head; (2) hydraulic conductivity of trench backfill and MSW; (3) dimensions of trench; and (4) spacing and geometric formation of trenches. The finite-element saturated/unsaturated flow model HYDRUS-2D was used for the numerical study. The hydraulic performance of the LRS was evaluated primarily using the simulated recirculated leachate flux a...
High-dose therapy and autologous hematopoietic-cell transplantation for follicular lymphoma beyond first remission: the Stanford University experience.

Abstract A retrospective analysis was performed to investigate the outcome of high-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in patients with follicular lymphomas beyond first remission. Ninety-two patients with primary induction failure or relapsed follicular low-grade lymphoma (FLGL), follicular large cell lymphoma (FLCL), and transformed follicular lymphoma (TFL) were treated with myeloablative therapy consisting of etoposide (60 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg), and either carmustine (BCNU;15 mg/kg) or fractionated total body irradiation (FTBI; 1200 cGy) followed by transplantation of purged autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood hematopoietic cells. For the 49 patients with relapsed FLGL, the median age was 49 years and the median interval from diagnosis to HDT was 30 months. The 4-year estimate of overall survival (OS) was 60% (95% confidence interval [CI], 45%-75%) and of disease-free survival (DFS) was 44% (95% CI, 29%-59%). Treatment with the FTBI-containing HDT regimen was associated with significantly longer DFS (P = .04) and OS (P = .04) in our multivariate analysis. OS was also significantly longer among those treated with 3 or fewer chemotherapy regimens. For the 26 FLCL patients, the median age was 51 years and in 31% the indication for HDT was primary induction failure. For FLCL patients, the 4-year estimate of OS was 58% (95% CI, 37%-79%) and of DFS was 51% (95% CI, 30%-72%). Among the 17 patients with TFL, 13 (76%) transformed at first relapse, and only 6 patients (35%) achieved complete remission with salvage therapy prior to HDT. For TFL patients, the 4-year estimate of OS was 50% (95% CI, 24%-76%) and of DFS 49% (95% CI, 20%-78%). There were 3 occurrences of myelodysplasia (1 after treatment with TBI, 2 after BCNU treatment), yielding an estimated incidence of 7% (95% CI, 0%-16%) at 56 months. This analysis shows that relapsed FLGL patients treated with 3 or fewer different chemotherapy regimens show inferior survival. The HDT regimen containing FTBI appears to be superior to the BCNU-based regimen for relapsed FLGL, although longer follow-up is needed to evaluate late effects. Lastly, patients with TFL or induction failure and relapsed FLCL can achieve survival outcome comparable to those observed with the indolent follicular lymphomas. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2001;7(5):294-301.
Ion Distribution in Electrified Micropores and Its Role in the Anomalous Enhancement of Capacitance

The distribution of K+ ions in electrified slit-shaped micropores with pore widths ranging from 9.36 to 14.7 A was studied using molecular dynamics simulations. We show that, in slit pores with pore widths between 10 and 14.7 A, the K+ ion distribution differs qualitatively from that described by classical electrical double-layer (EDL) theories in that fully hydrated K+ ions accumulate primarily in the central plane of the slit pores. This phenomenon disappears when the pore width is narrower than 10 A. Ion hydration and water−water interactions, which are rarely considered in prior EDL theories for micropores, are found to be responsible for this behavior. On the basis of these results, we have developed a new sandwich capacitance model to describe the capacitance of the EDLs formed by K+ ions enclosed in slit-shaped micropores. This model is capable of predicting the anomalous enhancement of capacitance experimentally observed in micropores.
Municipal government in Soviet Russia I. Before and during the revolution

A first-hand report on municipal developments in Soviet Russia. This month the author describes the changes bought by the revolution. Next month he Will discuss the structure of the new city governments established by the soviets.
Design, fabrication and testing of CMOS operational amplifiers as training tool in analog integrated circuit design

In this paper, a design procedure and successful experimental results obtained from it are reported for implementing internally compensated operational amplifiers powered from a single power supply and with high gain-bandwidth product, good slew-rate, low output impedance and good drive levels. The procedure was developed for an in-house training course on "analog integrated circuit design" as an example of using mathematical tools (MathCad) in the design of analog integrated circuit blocks. The resulting MathCad file became a design automation tool for CMOS opamp design. It is shown that all opamp specs targeted are met or exceeded by the sample opamp designed and fabricated using Fairchild Semiconductor's CS80C CMOS process with the W/L ratios predicted by this tool.
Bound-based identification of timing-violating paths under variability

We introduce a bound-based technique to identify the top M timing-violating paths in a circuit under variability. These are the paths with the highest violation probability (i.e., C p ) which is the probability that a path (i.e., p) violates the timing constraint. To compute C p , we require the violation probabilities of the nodes (i.e., C n ) and edges (i.e., C e ) on the path. First, we show computing C n and C e of all the nodes and edges requires only two rounds of Statistical Static Timing Analysis and then for each node/edge we need one table lookup for probability calculation using a technique known as Pearson Curve. Given Cn and C e , our major contribution is in computing upper and lower bounds for C p of an arbitrary path segment. We show constant-time for incremental update of the bounds when extending a path segment to a longer one. These bounds can be used to exactly construct the top violating paths. If the goal is to find the single most-violating path, we show a bound-based formulation that can prune a large portion of circuit without losing optimality. In our simulations, we verify the correctness and accuracy of our bounds for individual paths. We also verify identification of selected paths using Monte Carlo simulation. We obtain near-optimal accuracy with fast runtimes.
Time-Reversal Optical Focusing for Biophotonics Applications

I will discuss our recent work on the use of digital optical phase conjugation and ultrasound tagging to accomplish time-reversal deep tissue optical focusing for fluorescence imaging and other applications.
Design considerations for tubular reactors with highly exothermic reactions

Practical guidelines are required for the design and operation of complicated catalytic packed-bed reactors. Primary among design considerations is the avoidance of operating regions of high parametric sensitivity, in which small changes in operating conditions can lead to thermal runaway in the reactor. Existing criteria for predicting these regions rely on complex mathematical formulations for differential sensitivity between input and output variables. The present work centers on the development of practical design criteria for avoiding reactor instability and temperature sensitivity in multitubular packed-bed reactors. A set of simple guidelines is proposed for the sizing of reactors and proper selection of operating conditions. The implications of these open-loop sensitivities for a controlled reactor are investigated. It is shown through simulation studies that violation of the proposed criteria leads to control problems and difficulty in operating at the design point.
Protein synthesis by ribosomes with tethered subunits

The ribosome is a ribonucleoprotein machine responsible for protein synthesis. In all kingdoms of life it is composed of two subunits, each built on its own ribosomal RNA (rRNA) scaffold. The independent but coordinated functions of the subunits, including their ability to associate at initiation, rotate during elongation, and dissociate after protein release, are an established model of protein synthesis. Furthermore, the bipartite nature of the ribosome is presumed to be essential for biogenesis, since dedicated assembly factors keep immature ribosomal subunits apart and prevent them from translation initiation1. Free exchange of the subunits limits the development of specialized orthogonal genetic systems that could be evolved for novel functions without interfering with native translation. Here we show that ribosomes with tethered and thus inseparable subunits (termed Ribo-T) are capable of successfully carrying out protein synthesis. By engineering a hybrid rRNA composed of both small and large subunit rRNA sequences, we produced a functional ribosome in which the subunits are covalently linked into a single entity by short RNA linkers. Notably, Ribo-T was not only functional in vitro, but was also able to support the growth of Escherichia coli cells even in the absence of wild-type ribosomes. We used Ribo-T to create the first fully orthogonal ribosome–messenger RNA system, and demonstrate its evolvability by selecting otherwise dominantly lethal rRNA mutations in the peptidyl transferase centre that facilitate the translation of a problematic protein sequence. Ribo-T can be used for exploring poorly understood functions of the ribosome, enabling orthogonal genetic systems, and engineering ribosomes with new functions.
Direct cover MVL minimization with cost-tables

A direct cover algorithm for minimizing multivalued logic functions is described. The use of cost tables facilitates cost efficient implementations. Current-mode CMOS circuits are considered as target implementations. However, the algorithm can be readily adapted to different technologies by making appropriate changes in the cost tables. Previous direct cover methods selected the most isolated minterm to be covered first. Empirical results show that it is advantageous to start with the most clustered minterm. The number of implicants which have to be considered to cover a selected minterm increases greatly when universal literals are used (as opposed to window literals). Therefore, it is essential to limit the entries in the cost tables. A novel link field, associated with each cost table entry, reduces the number of implicants considered to cover a selected minterm. Two metrics are used when choosing an implicant: cost efficiency and function complexity. >
Screening for serious mental illness in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004. Statistically significant difference between Sample A and Sample B estimate (P ! .05). yLow precision; no estimate reported. Public Law (Pub. L.) No. 102-321, the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) Reorganization Act (1), created the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and established a block grant program for U.S. states to fund community mental health services for adults with serious mental illness (SMI). The criteria for SMI require adults (18 years and older) to have at least one 12-month DSM disorder, other than a substance use disorder, resulting in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities (2). Since then, national SMI estimates have been generated from mental disorder diagnosis and impairment data yielded from the National Comorbidity Survey (3) and, most recently, the National Comorbidity Survey–Replication (NCS-R) (4). Although the NCS-R is a large, in-depth psychiatric epidemiology study, it is not conducted frequently enough to produce annual or biennial estimates, nor is it designed to generate state level estimates. To address these data needs, SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) was nominated as the vehicle to collect adult SMI prevalence estimates for the agency. A methodological study to examine the accuracy of a variety of psychiatric symptom and impairment screeners to predict SMI in NSDUH was conducted in 2000 (5). The study obtained clinical assessments on a small sample of NSDUH respondents in the Boston area. All of the scales used in the methodology study were included in a new mental health module added to the 2001 NSDUH (before the results from the methodological study were available) with the expectation that the study would be completed in time to be used to generate SMI estimates based on the 2001 NSDUH data. Ultimately, one scale, the K6 measure of non-specific psychological distress (K6), was determined to be the most
Variation in elemental intensities among teeth and between pre- and postnatal regions of enamel.

Microspatial analyses of the trace element composition of dental enamel are made possible using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Fine spatial resolution, multielement capabilities, and minimal sample destruction make this technique particularly well-suited for documenting the distribution of elements in sequentially calcifying layers of enamel. Because deciduous enamel forms from week 13 in utero up to 9 months postnatally (thereafter essentially becoming inert), the application of LA-ICP-MS allows for the retrospective measurement of prenatal and early postnatal trace-element uptake during a critical period of child development. In this study, we compared intra- and intertooth intensities of 25Mg, 57Fe, 66Zn, 68Zn, 88Sr, 138Ba, and 208Pb via LA-ICP-MS of 38 exfoliated deciduous incisors and canines donated by 36 participants in the Solis Valley Mexico Nutrition Collaborative Research Support Program (NCRSP). Pre- and postnatal comparisons within teeth showed significant increases (P < 0.001) and greater variation in the abundance of all isotopes in postnatal enamel, with the exception of a decrease in 25Mg (P < 0.001) and constant values for 88Sr (P = 0.681). Conversely, comparisons by tooth type and mouth quadrant revealed few significant differences between teeth of the same individual. We argue that more variation in the trace element composition of teeth occurs across developmental areas within a tooth than among different teeth of the same person. This study further demonstrates that sequentially calcifying areas of enamel have different chemical concentrations. The results support the use of microspatial analyses of enamel for understanding changes in nutrition, pollution, and residence.
Masculinity Priming: Testing the Causal Effect of Activating Subjective Masculinity Experiences on Self-Esteem

Most research on the link between masculinity-related constructs and psychology well-being has been conducted using correlational rather than experimental research designs. To address this limitation, this study tested the effects of activating men’s subjective masculinity experiences on state self-esteem by randomly assigning 183 men into either a masculinity priming condition or a control priming condition. Consistent with the social identity paradigm, participants who received masculinity priming reported higher state self-esteem than those in the control priming condition. A moderation effect showed that masculinity priming exerted the strongest effect on self-esteem among men with relatively negative self-perceptions. These findings are discussed within the context of the need for more experimental research on masculinity-related constructs.
An E box mediates activation and repression of the acetylcholine receptor delta-subunit gene during myogenesis.

Abstract The genes encoding the skeletal muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are induced during muscle development and are regulated subsequently by innervation. Because both the initiation and the subsequent regulation of AChR expression are controlled by transcriptional mechanisms, an understanding of the steps that regulate AChR expression following innervation is likely to require knowledge of the pathway that activates AChR genes during myogenesis. Thus, we sought to identify the cis-acting sequences that regulate expression of the AChR delta-subunit gene during muscle differentiation. We transfected muscle and nonmuscle cell lines with gene fusions between 5'-flanking DNA from the AChR delta-subunit gene and the human growth hormone gene, and we show here that 148 bp of 5'-flanking DNA from the AChR delta-subunit gene contains two regulatory elements that control muscle-specific gene expression. One element is an E box, which is important both for activation of the delta-subunit gene in myotubes and for its repression in myoblasts and nonmuscle cells. Mutation of this E box, which prevents binding of MyoD-E2A and myogenin-E2A heterodimers, decreases expression in myotubes and increases expression in myoblasts and nonmuscle cells. An E-box binding activity, which does not contain MyoD, myogenin, or E2A proteins, is present in muscle and nonmuscle cells and may be responsible for repressing the delta-subunit gene in myoblasts and nonmuscle cells. An enhancer, which lacks E boxes, is also required for expression of the delta-subunit gene but does not confer muscle-specific expression.
Head position and tilt-in-space: A study of headrest preferences in non-disabled adults

Wheelchair headrests arc currently designed so they arc not easily moved once they arc adjusted to the optimal position. This is the preferred design in most cases because it would be detrimental to the user for the headrest to accidentally move from its optimal position. However, there may be times, such as when headrests arc used in conjunction with adjustable position wheeled mobility bases and seating systems, that the user would prefer to change his headrest position. When a person who uses a tilt-in-space or reclining wheelchair changes his orientation, he may prefer to change the position of his head in relation to the rest of his body so he can continue to maintain visual attention with current activities. Evidence of research examining this phenomenon is limited. A~ a preliminary study, non-disabled adults were seated in a tilt-in-space seating system and positioned in three orientations. To simulate a passive activity requiring visual attention, they were asked to watch a videotape. In each position, the preferred headrest position was determined. Data regarding the preferred position of the headrest was collected and analyzed to determine the relationships between changes in body position and changes in preferred headrest angles. Findings indicate that the sample tested preferred to change their headrest angle in response to changes in orientation. The results of this study indicate that further investigation is warranted to determine if people who ordinarily use such devices would benefit from adjustable angle headrests.
31st International Vienna motor symposium

As every year, more than 1,000 leading automotive engineers and scientists from all over the world met at the 31st International Vienna Motor Symposium, which was held on April 29 and 30, 2010. They presented the latest findings in engine developments and provided an outlook for future trends in the automotive industry. This report contains a summary of the lectures presented in the individual sessions.
Abstract 5415: Expression of immunosuppressive leukocyte inhibitory immunoglobulin like transcript 3(ILT3) receptors increases with the development and progression of ovarian tumors

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Background: Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has been suggested as one of the barriers to anti-tumor immune response in patient with ovarian cancer (OVCA). Leukocyte Inhibitory Receptor Immunoglobulin-like Transcript 3 (ILT3) has been proposed as a factor involved in the suppression of immune response in several malignancies. However, the expression and role of ILT3 in the development and progression of ovarian tumors has not yet been studied. Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the expression and association of ILT3 in ovarian tumors in laying hen, a preclinical model of OVCA in humans. Methods: A cohort of mature White Leghorn laying hens with normal or low egg laying rates were evaluated by transvaginal ultrasound scan (15 normal hens and 30 hens with OVCA).All hens were euthanized and serum and ovarian tissues from all hens were collected and processed for immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blotting (WB) and RT-PCR. Presence of tumors and tumor staging were confirmed by gross morphology and histology. Expression of ILT3 was examined by IHC, WB and RT-PCR. Results: Immune cell like cells in the ovarian stroma as well as epithelium of the normal ovaries and ovarian tumors expressed ILT3. The intensity of ILT3 expression was significantly higher in hens with OVCA than normal hens. Moreover, the intensity of ILT3 expression varied with histological subtypes of ovarian tumors and was significantly higher in serous OVCA than endometrioid OVCA. A band of approximately 55kDa of ILT3 protein was detected in the homogenates of normal ovarian surface epithelium or tumor epithelium as well as whole normal or ovarian tumor extracts. Similar to IHC observations, protein expression was stronger in hens with OVCA than in normal hens. Conclusion: This is the first study to show that immunosuppressive ILT3 is expressed by ovarian tumor epithelium and the intensity of expression increases as the disease progresses. Thus the results are consistent with the hypothesis that ILT3 may be involved in the suppression of anti-tumor immunity in OVCA. The laying hens may be a useful model to understand the OVCA-associated expression of ILT3. This animal model also offers the opportunity to develop and test anti-ILT3 therapy to enhance anti-tumor immunity against OVCA in humans. Support: Department of Defense (OC#93303) and Elmer Sylvia and Sramek Foundation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5415. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5415
A Computational Study of the Heats of Reaction of Substituted Monoethanolamine with CO2

Various amines have been considered as materials for chemical capture of CO2 through liquid-phase reactions to form either carbamate or carbamic acid products. One of the main challenges in these CO2−amine reactions lies in tuning the heat of reaction to achieve the correct balance between the extent of reaction and the energy cost for regeneration. In this work, we use a computational approach to study the effect of substitution on the heats of reaction of monoethanolamine (MEA). We use ab initio methods at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level, coupled with geometries generated from B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) density functional theory along with the conductor-like polarizable continuum model to compute the heats of reaction. We consider two possible reaction products: carbamate, having a 2:1 amine:CO2 reaction stoichiometry, and carbamic acid, having a 1:1 stoichiometry. We have considered CH3, NH2, OH, OCH3, and F substitution groups at both the α- and β-carbon positions of MEA. We have experimentally measured heats of r...
Ancillary Services Through Demand Scheduling and Control of Commercial Buildings

Prior work showed building Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems can provide ancillary services to the power grid without sacrificing occupant comfort if the reference power variation is of high frequency (seconds to a few minutes). This paper addresses the question of how to do that when the reference power variation is of lower frequency, e.g., periods of a few minutes to an hour. The proposed control system to do so uses a two-layer architecture. An optimizer schedules the baseline cooling and heating power of a building based on load forecasts. A lower level controller is then used to track the scheduled baseline plus ancillary service reference signal. The schedule is periodically updated based on indoor measurements to ensure quality of service in spite of load forecasting error. The algorithm is tested in simulation. Results show that ancillary services in the frequency range of $f \in {[1/(1\; \text{hour}),1/(10\; \text{minutes})]}$ can be extracted from commercial building HVAC systems while still maintaining a comfortable indoor climate.
Modeling laser speckle imaging of perfusion in the skin (Conference Presentation)

Laser speckle imaging (LSI) enables visualization of relative blood flow and perfusion in the skin. It is frequently applied to monitor treatment of vascular malformations such as port wine stain birthmarks, and measure changes in perfusion due to peripheral vascular disease. We developed a computational Monte Carlo simulation of laser speckle contrast imaging to quantify how tissue optical properties, blood vessel depths and speeds, and tissue perfusion affect speckle contrast values originating from coherent excitation. The simulated tissue geometry consisted of multiple layers to simulate the skin, or incorporated an inclusion such as a vessel or tumor at different depths. Our simulation used a 30x30mm uniform flat light source to optically excite the region of interest in our sample to better mimic wide-field imaging. We used our model to simulate how dynamically scattered photons from a buried blood vessel affect speckle contrast at different lateral distances (0-1mm) away from the vessel, and how these speckle contrast changes vary with depth (0-1mm) and flow speed (0-10mm/s). We applied the model to simulate perfusion in the skin, and observed how different optical properties, such as epidermal melanin concentration (1%-50%) affected speckle contrast. We simulated perfusion during a systolic forearm occlusion and found that contrast decreased by 35% (exposure time = 10ms). Monte Carlo simulations of laser speckle contrast give us a tool to quantify what regions of the skin are probed with laser speckle imaging, and measure how the tissue optical properties and blood flow affect the resulting images.
Trans* Partner Relationships: A Qualitative Exploration

ABSTRACTThe study of romantic partner relationships among trans* individuals is critical to providing a more complete understanding of their unique challenges and experiences. There is a paucity of research in this area, despite its significance in the lives of trans* individuals. The current study sought to examine the nature of partner relationships for people who identify as trans* by looking at the common experiences that they might share. A sample of 38 trans* participants completed a one-hour, semi-structured interview that qualitatively investigated their experiences in partner relationships. The results indicate five important themes: (1) The Oppressive Gender Binary System, (2) Coming Out and Disclosure Decision, (3) Emotional and Physical Sexuality Concerns, (4) Healthy Relationships Are Work, and (5) Living an Authentic Life. Implications for future research and how to better support the trans* community are discussed.
Zirconia in biomedical applications

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The use of zirconia in medicine and dentistry has rapidly expanded over the past decade, driven by its advantageous physical, biological, esthetic, and corrosion properties. Zirconia orthopedic hip replacements have shown superior wear-resistance over other systems; however, risk of catastrophic fracture remains a concern. In dentistry, zirconia has been widely adopted for endosseous implants, implant abutments, and all-ceramic crowns. Because of an increasing demand for esthetically pleasing dental restorations, zirconia-based ceramic restorations have become one of the dominant restorative choices.Areas covered: This review provides an updated overview of the applications of zirconia in medicine and dentistry with a focus on dental applications. The MEDLINE electronic database (via PubMed) was searched, and relevant original and review articles from 2010 to 2016 were included.Expert commentary: Recent data suggest that zirconia performs favorably in both orthopedic and dental appli...
Vigabatrin Intractable Epilepsy

The relationship between vigabatrin dosage and plasma concentrations, platelet GABA-transaminase inhibition and seizure reduction in 16 children with refractory epilepsy was studied at the University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
Defining cancer survivors, their needs, and perspectives on survivorship health care in the USA

Summary More people are living after a diagnosis of cancer than ever before and now account for around 5% of the US population. The specialty of cancer survivorship has been developing and growing since the mid-1980s, but the term survivor is open to debate by people living with cancer and those caring for them. Regardless of the term used, many ongoing physical, psychological, and social needs affect quality of life for people who are living with cancer and those who have survived the disease. Survivors prefer to have these needs addressed by their oncologist but also want their primary care provider to have a role. However, survivors also believe there are communication and coordination barriers between care providers. The existing method for delivering cancer care is becoming unsustainable and is not adequately configured to deliver high-quality cancer care to this growing population in the USA, especially when confronted with projected health-care shortages by 2020. In this Series paper, we define the term cancer survivor, discuss survivors' ongoing needs and preferences for care over time, and consider the implications for delivering coordinated cancer care in the USA.
c-Met is a new therapeutic target for treatment of human melanoma

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 5974 c-Met is an RTK containing α/β chains and is activated by ligand binding with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). c-Met is overexpressed and sometimes mutated in several tumors and is an attractive target for molecular therapeutic inhibition. We found overexpression of c-Met in most of the melanoma cell lines studied by immunoblotting, including MU, PM-WK, MM-RU, MM-MC and RPM-EP while MM-AN had a lower c-Met expression. A selective small molecule inhibitor of Met kinase, SU11274, has been identified as an ATP-competitive active-site inhibitor. We found that 10μM SU11274 inhibited cell growth in all cell lines by 85-98% at 96 hrs. In all melanoma cell lines which overexpressed c-Met the IC50 of SU11274 was between 1 to 2.5 μM and 12-58% of the cells were apoptotic compared to 1-3% in control cells. The IC50 of MM-AN which expresses minimal levels of c-MET was found to be 5 μM, 2 fold higher in comparison to other cell lines over-expressing c-Met. Apoptosis could not be detected in MM-AN cells indicating that c-Met overexpression correlated with inhibition of cell growth by SU11274. Several cell lines treated with SU11274 exhibited a very dendritic and differentiated phenotype very similar to the phenotype of normal human melanocytes. Additionally SU11274 induced MITF and several melanoma differentiation proteins such as tyrosinase, gp-100 and MART-1. Si RNA against c-Met inhibited the growth of MU melanoma cells by 60% at 72 hrs and induced a differentiated phenotype similar to normal human melanocytes. Interestingly it was also found that SU11274 also inhibited the reactive oxygen species formation as seen by a 15 fold decrease in fluorescence after treatment with DHE in MU melanoma cells treated with HGF. It was also found that SU11274 inhibited the activation and phosphorylation of the c-Met receptor by HGF (pY1230/1234/1235) and also inhibited phosphorylation of Akt (pS473) and S-6 kinase (pT421/pS424) by HGF. Met also downregulated Bcl-xl an inhibitor of apoptosis. Interestingly a novel missense c-Met mutation S930N was identified in the JM domain of c-Met in melanoma cell lines. Expression of c-Met and activated phospho-Met (pY1003) was studied in 39 melanoma tumors and 9 nevi samples. It was found that c-Met was expressed in 98% of melanomas and nevi. Interestingly it was also found that Met was activated (pY1003) in 21% of human melanomas and 11% of nevi indicating that activation of c-Met occurs in melanoma development. Activation of c-Met in melanoma tumors may play a key role in their development. These results provide evidence that c-Met inhibitors exhibit a novel therapeutic potential.
Development and innovation of system resources to optimize patient care.

Purpose Various incremental and disruptive healthcare innovations that are occurring or may occur are discussed, with insights on how multihospital health systems can prepare for the future and optimize the continuity of patient care provided. Summary Innovation in patient care is occurring at an ever-increasing rate, and this is especially true relative to the transition of patients through the care continuum. Health systems must leverage their ability to standardize and develop electronic health record (EHR) systems and other infrastructure necessary to support patient care and optimize outcomes; examples include 3D printing of patient-specific medication dosage forms to enhance precision medicine, the use of drones for medication delivery, and the expansion of telehealth capabilities to improve patient access to the services of pharmacists and other healthcare team members. Disruptive innovations in pharmacy services and delivery will alter how medications are prescribed and delivered to patients now and in the future. Further, technology may also fundamentally alter how and where pharmacists and pharmacy technicians care for patients. This article explores the various innovations that are occurring and that will likely occur in the future, particularly as they apply to multihospital health systems and patient continuity of care. Conclusion Pharmacy departments that anticipate and are prepared to adapt to incremental and disruptive innovations can demonstrate value in the multihospital health system through strategies such as optimizing the EHR, identifying telehealth opportunities, supporting infrastructure, and integrating services.
Deep Neural Network-Based Phase-Recovery and Auto-Focusing Extend the Depth-of-Field in Digital Holography

A deep convolutional neural network simultaneously performs auto-focusing and phase-recovery using a single hologram intensity, and achieves >25-fold and >30-fold increase in depth-of-field and reconstruction speed of digital holographic imaging, respectively.
Legal aspects of work related stress in nursing. Exploring the issues.

Nurses are under a great deal of distress related to a variety of work stressors. Work related stress jeopardizes the mental and physical well being of nurses, as well as the quality of care provided for clients. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 holds employers responsible for the mental and physical well being of their employees. However, the regulations are not always straightforward concerning compensation claims for mental disabilities due to work stress. Recovery of claims is possible if standards (i.e., personal injury, causal relationship between injury and employment) are met. Requirements for recovery of physical/mental and mental/physical claims are agreed on by most states, whereas mental/mental claims are controversial among states and courts. Nurses can monitor and influence legislation to create requirements to encourage employers to develop preventive approaches to reducing work induced stress.
Nodavirus RNA replication: mechanism and harnessing to vaccinia virus recombinants.

In order to harness RNA replication for the amplification of mRNAs expressed from recombinant vectors and vaccines, we constructed a VV recombinant that expressed the RNA replicase encoded in the larger genomic segment of the nodavirus FHV. When both termini of the VV-derived transcript were correct, the encoded enzyme replicated its own mRNA, and replication dominated the RNA synthetic capacity of the cell. The smaller genomic segment of FHV could also be replicated by the enzyme when supplied in trans, either by coinfection with another VV recombinant or by transfection of an appropriate plasmid. However, two requirements had to be fulfilled for replication of the smaller FHV RNA segment. The first was the prior replication of the larger genomic segment, which was interpreted as a mechanism to achieve sufficient replicase synthesis before the onset of coat protein synthesis. The second was the presence in the smaller genomic RNA of an internal region between about nucleotides 525–620. Work is in progress to elucidate the reasons for these requirements for RNA 2 replication.
Deshaney v. Winnebago County & the 'Blessings of Liberty'

This chapter offers a detailed portrait of the constitutional violations alleged in the DeShaney case, which involved a civil rights claim for damages against a county social worker and agency for failing to intervene to protect a young child, Joshua DeShaney, from his father’s physical abusive conduct. The chapter situates the case in the broader legal context of “failure to protect” claims under Section 1983 and provides a critical analysis of Justice Rehnquist’s bright-line distinction between state and private action.
The role of dividend policy in cross-border mergers and acquisitions

Abstract Recent studies show that characteristics of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) between U.S. firms depend on the dividend policies of bidders and targets in accordance with predictions of asymmetric information, catering, and clientele theories. We extend these findings by using variation in shareholder protection and link dividend policy to cross-border M&A deal characteristics using agency theory. After confirming the agency-based predictions of the outcome model of dividends within the context of our sample, we show that the dividend-paying statuses of bidders and targets affect the method of payment, the bid premium, and the future dividend policy of the combined entity in cross-border deals, and that the effects are often different from the previous findings in the U.S. deals. Our paper also shows that the firm-level dividend policy status of bidders and targets provides insight on M&A characteristics beyond those identified in prior studies using only differences in country-level governance measures.
SLIM microscopy allows for visualization of DNA-containing liposomes designed for sperm-mediated gene transfer in cattle

Naked DNA has been shown to bind naturally to the sperm, a method called sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT). Based on these observations, we examined the efficiency of exogenous DNA binding to sperm using liposomes. In this experiment, we analyzed methods to select frozen-thawed bovine sperm, and evaluated the binding of exogenous DNA to those sperm. To determine the optimal selection method, we used Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA). Percoll or Swim-Up were used to select sperm, followed by incubation up to 3 h with the liposome-DNA complexes. The samples were collected after 1 h and after 3 h. We used enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) in combination with the liposomes as a marker for exogenous DNA binding. Five treatments per selection method were analyzed: (1) no incubation, no liposomes and no DNA, (2) incubation with no liposomes and no DNA, (3) incubation with liposomes and no DNA, (4) incubation with liposomes and 1 µg of DNA and (5) incubation with liposomes and 10 µg of DNA. The CASA results for total motility and rapid motility were statistically significant (P < 0.01) between the control and the other treatments in the Percoll group as opposed to Swim-Up. Swim-Up was therefore chosen as the optimal selection method. In order to determine if the liposome-DNA complex had bound to sperm, real time PCR was used to detect GFP DNA and images of the sperm were analyzed using the Spatial Light Interference Microscopy (SLIM). SLIM confirmed the presence of liposomes on the sperm head and tail.
Magnetization and Creep in YBCO Tape and CORC Cables for Particle Accelerators: Value and Modification Via Preinjection Cycle

High-temperature superconductors (HTSs), including YBCO coated conductors, are being considered for high field dipole and quadrupole magnets for future particle accelerators. The quality of the magnetic field generated by the magnet and its temporal stability are important considerations. The persistent current magnetization of superconductors can degrade the field quality of the magnetic field generated by magnets made from them by causing error fields, and flux creep in the superconductor may lead to drift in the value of the magnetic field during magnetic field ramp holding sequences, including at particle injection. HTS composites possess larger persistent current magnetizations and larger flux creep than low-temperature superconductor composites, and therefore, the error fields and any temporal change of them are typically larger. In this paper, the 4.2 K magnetization of a small segment of coated conductor was measured in a vibrating sample magnetometer in perpendicular fields up to 14 T, and the decay was measured at 1 T. The magnetization and decay of a CORC cable were measured in a 12 T cryogen-free magnet. A Hall sensor, placed close to the sample, was used to measure the magnetization. The applied magnetic field was ramped through full flux penetration, and then, brought within one flux penetration depth of the target applied magnetic field before the decay measurement was started. Selective cycling of the magnetic field applied to the samples was explored as a technique to reduce the magnetization and its decay. Significant suppression of both the initial magnetization at 1 T and its decay were observed.
Deep Learning-Based Channel Estimation for High-Dimensional Signals

We propose a novel deep learning-based channel estimation technique for high-dimensional communication signals that does not require any training. Our method is broadly applicable to channel estimation for multicarrier signals with any number of antennas, and has low enough complexity to be used in a mobile station. The proposed deep channel estimator can outperform LS estimation with nearly the same complexity, and approach MMSE estimation performance to within 1 dB without knowing the second order statistics. The only complexity increase with respect to LS estimator lies in fitting the parameters of a deep neural network (DNN) periodically on the order of the channel coherence time. We empirically show that the main benefit of this method accrues from the ability of this specially designed DNN to exploit correlations in the time-frequency grid. The proposed estimator can also reduce the number of pilot tones needed in an OFDM time-frequency grid, e.g. in an LTE scenario by 98% (68%) when the channel coherence time interval is 73ms (4.5ms).