cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential modulation of rat follicle cell gap junction populations at ovulation

The hypothesis proposed in the late 1970s that meiotic resumption in mammalian oocytes might result from the disruption of gap junction communication between follicle cells and the oocyte has not been supported by metabolic cooperation experiments which demonstrate that exogenous tracer transfer from the cumulus oophorus to the oocyte does not decrease until several hours after germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Since these studies utilized isolated cumulus-oocyte complexes for their measurements, however, they excluded from consideration the possible effect of separation of the cumulus oophorus from the membrana granulosa which was required for this assay. We considered the possibility that the disruption of cumulus junctions within the intact follicle could mimic this experimental manipulation and previously reported that cumulus gap junctions were dramatically down-regulated during the period of GVBD in vivo. In the present study, we have utilized quantitative morphometric techniques to analyze the responses of other gap junction populations in intact preovulatory rat follicles to an ovulatory stimulus and demonstrate now that membrana granulosa, cumulus, and cumulus-oocyte gap junctions are down-regulated at different times and rates during the preovulatory period. Although membrana gap junctions are down-regulated during the period of meiotic resumption, their loss is not as rapid or as complete as in the cumulus oophorus. Cumulus-oocyte gap junctions are down-regulated after meiosis resumes but during the same period other investigators have demonstrated a reduction in metabolite transfer between the cumulus oophorus and the oocyte. Our results are interpreted to suggest that the cumulus oophorus may regulate the conduction of meiosis inhibitory signals between the membrana granulosa and the oocyte.
High attenuation and the low-velocity zone

Abstract Both elastic and anelastic properties of the earth simultaneously play an important role in the high-attenuation, low-velocity zone (H.A.L.V.Z.), in the upper mantle, where the drop of velocity appears to be correlated with high attenuation. Internal friction studies and experiments suggest the possibility of relaxation mechanisms occurring within the H.A.L.V.Z. and clearly it is important to compare assumptions of relaxation processes with seismic data and investigate the consequences of such a model. A variety of physical explanations of the H.A.L.V.Z. are discussed and it is concluded that three mechanisms could produce the H.A.L.V.Z., namely partial melting, viscous grain-boundary effects and dislocation-impurity interactions. Only more experiments and more data on the Q-structure of the H.A.L.V.Z. would allow us to decide which is the most probable of these mechanisms.
Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Functionalized Cyclooctenes by a Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalyst

The ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of a variety of 5-substituted cyclooctenes by the well-defined metathesis catalyst (PCy 3 ) 2 Cl 2 RUCHCHCPh 2 (1) was accomplished. Direct polymerization of functionalized monomers allowed the incorporation of alcohol, ketone, ester, and bromine functionality along the polymer backbone. The polymers were obtained in moderate to good yields. The attempted polymerization of epoxy- and cyano-substituted cyclooctenes by 1 failed. Structures of the polymers were confirmed by IR, 1 H NMR, and 13 C NMR spectroscopies. The molecular weight of acetate-containing polymer was controlled by varying the monomer to catalyst ratio and by the addition of a chain transfer agent to the polymerization solution. Hydrogenation of the acetate derivative gave the corresponding ethylene/vinyl copolymer. The thermal properties of the polymers are reported.
PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF WING FEATHER TAXIS IN BIRDS: MACROEVOLUTIONARY PATTERNS OF GENETIC DRIFT?

Abstract Most recent research on character evolution attempts to identify either (1) homology or homoplasy (systematic use of the term character), or (2) the adaptive function or selective regime underlying the origin of a character (“adaptationist” use of the term character). There have been relatively few serious considerations or examples of neutral character evolution above the molecular level. Wing feather taxis in birds, the presence or absence of the fifth secondary feather, provides an intriguing possible example of nonadaptive character evolution. We examine the phylogenetic pattern of wing feather taxis among birds to (1) determine its polarity in modern birds (Neornithes), (2) hypothesize the frequency and taxonomic locations of changes in the taxic state, (3) test whether taxis is relatively labile or inert phylogenetically, and (4) allow preliminary consideration of whether adaptive or selectively neutral processes have produced those patterns. Minimum tree length necessary to explain the dis...
Tilted face-centered-cubic supercrystals of PbS nanocubes.

We demonstrate a direct fabrication of PbS nanocube supercrystals without size-selection pretreatment on the building blocks. Electron microscopic and synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering analyses confirm that nanocubes pack through a tilted face-centered-cubic (fcc) arrangement, that is, face-to-face along the (super) direction, resulting in a real packing efficiency of as high as ∼83%. This new type of superstructure consisting of nanocubes as building blocks, reported here for the first time, is considered the most stable surfactant-capped nanocube superstructure determined by far.
Nebulin : Does it measure up as a ruler?

A recent study has shown that the giant protein nebulin maintains the lengths of actin filaments in striated muscle cells. Although on the surface, nebulin looks like a molecular ruler, it may be playing a more complex role in regulating dynamics at the pointed end of actin filaments in striated muscle.
COLLEGE STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD MATHEMATICS'

Three samples of college students in mathematics (n = 292), psychology (n = 66), and other fields (n = 76) chose two out of 14 statements concerning mathematics and mathematicians to indicate their...
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Knight Shift in Solid Indium

The observation of the nuclear magnetic resonance of In/sup 115/ in solid polycrystalline indium and the measurment of the Knight shift are reported. The value obtained for the isotropic Knight shift parameter at 300 deg K is 0.82 plus or minus 0.04%. and the anisotropic contribution is -0.14 plus or minus 0.04%. Samples of indium prepared by agitating the molten metal in DowCorning silicone fluid were investigated. The complete The frequency dependence of the spilitting of the central transition of the resonance was used to determine the Knight shift parameters. The behavior of the spitting of the central transition of the In/sup 115/ spectrum in solid indium and the directly measured shifts of the high- and lowfrequency halves of the transition with respect to the aqueous InCl/sub 3/ standard resonance at constant magnetic field are plotted. The quadrupole coupling constants were calculated from the high- and low-frequency curves as 29.56 and 29.53 Mc/sec, reapectively. (H.D.R.)
The Effects of Mitral Regurgitation Alone Are Sufficient for Leaflet Remodeling

Background—— Although chronic mitral regurgitation results in adverse left ventricular remodeling, its effect on the mitral valve leaflets per se is unknown. In a chronic ovine model, we tested whether isolated mitral regurgitation alone was sufficient to remodel the anterior mitral leaflet. Methods and Results— Twenty-nine sheep were randomized to either control (CTRL, n=11) or experimental (HOLE, n=18) groups. In HOLE, a 2.8- to 4.8-mm diameter hole was punched in the middle scallop of the posterior mitral leaflet to create “pure” mitral regurgitation. At 12 weeks, the anterior mitral leaflet was analyzed immunohistochemically to assess markers of collagen and elastin synthesis as well as matrix metalloproteinases and proteoglycans. A semiquantitative grading scale for characteristics such as intensity and delineation of stain between layers was used to quantify differences between HOLE and CTRL specimens across the heterogeneous leaflet structure. At 12 weeks, mitral regurgitation grade was greater in ...
The nucleation of voids and other irradiation-produced defect aggregates

Abstract The nucleation of defect clusters in crystalline solids from radiation-produced defects is different from the usual nucleation process in one important aspect: the condensing defects, interstitial atoms and vacancies, can mutually annihilate and are thus similar to matter and antimatter. The theory of nucleation has been cast into a form that stresses the kinetic aspects. We describe the nucleation process as the simultaneous reaction of vacancies interstitials (and gas atoms if present) with embryos of all sizes. The comprehensive description of the XXX of nucleation and growth of vacancy and interstitial clusters in order XXX a basis for quantitative comparison with the experimentally observable XXX e.g., number densities and size distributions of clusters. Such comparisons are required to develop consistent sets of values for unknown physical parameters such as trapping and migration energies for the helium.
Consideration of a unified model of amygdalar associative functions.

: This paper considers issues arising from presentations by Barry Everitt and Gorica Petrovich concerning amygdalar involvement in appetitive conditioning. Studies reported by these researchers are beginning to unravel the distribution of associative functions among amygdalar nuclei and their efferent targets. The main issue addressed here concerns how to integrate the information from studies of appetitive conditioning with conclusions from studies of other forms of associative learning, including pavlovian fear conditioning and instrumental conditioning. Most students of this issue will agree that no prima facie integration is readily apparent in current scholarship. Although we do not here provide the definitive integration, we do attempt to take some preliminary, broad-brush steps towards that goal.
A Field Study of the Ontogeny of Social Behavior in the Lizard Anolis Aene Us

The spacing behavior, displays and aggression of hatchling and juvenile lizards (Anolis aeneus) were compared to the behavior of the adults. Tn adults these behaviors are sexually dimorphic, but juveniles of both sexes show similar behavior. Hatchling lizards a few days old have nonoverlapping home ranges or participate in dominance hierarchies of up to six steps. Status in dominance hierarchies is almost entirely size dependent. The particular type of social system shown varies with microhabitat. Juvenile home ranges are smaller than those of adults and enlarge with age. Home ranges of juveniles are more variable in size than those of adults. Temporal elements of the species specific bob pattern are very stereotyped in both juveniles and adults. Intraindividual variation in display element duration is low and interindividual variation high in all age and size groups. However, mean duraton of elements is longer for larger lizards. Two other displays are significantly more variable in juveniles than in adults. Most of this variation is due to added interindividual variance in juvenile display elements. Juveniles and adults of both sexes are able to give all displays except courtship displays. The frequency with which certain displays are given is significantly different for juveniles, adult females and adult males. Juveniles are more apt to give certain aggressive displays than are adults of either sex. Longterm ontogenetic studies of individual females indicates that initially they give the aggressive displays characteristic of juveniles in general, but that the frequency of these displays decrease when they become sexually mature. When territorial resident lizards of any age are exposed to tethered intruders they react aggressively. Aggressive responses were ranked and aggression computed for certain size ratios of intruder and resident juveniles (I/R ratio). This aggression was compared to that predicted on the basis of food competition between different lizard size ratios. At both large and small lizard size ratios (I/R) juvenile Anolis aeneus are more aggressive than are either adult males or adult females at the same size ratios. This added aggressiveness to very large and very small intruders cannot be explained in terms of food competition between juvenile lizards of different sizes.
Evaluation of the injury profile of personnel in a busy urban EMS system

The occupational injury profile of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics is not well described. We retrospectively studied 254 injuries over a 3.5-year period in a busy urban EMS system. Low back strain was the most common injury (93/254, 36%), with EMTs suffering a significantly higher injury rate than paramedics (0.33 v 0.17 injuries/person-years at risk, P = .03). Lifting caused 58/93 (62.4%) of back injuries, and most occurred at the scene to which personnel were dispatched (58/93, 62.4%). The back injuries were recurrent in 31% of personnel. The data showed trends toward higher overall injury rates among EMTs compared with paramedics (0.83 v 0.55, P = 0.057) and women compared with men (0.86 v 0.50, P = 0.11). There was a significantly higher injury rate among personnel less than 30 years of age compared with those 30 years or older (0.65 v 0.39, P = 0.01). Over 25% of the personnel injured had more than one injury per year. There was no correlation between injury rates and job experience. Approximately 96 injuries accounted for 481 compensation days with low back strain the cause of 375 days (78%). Our findings suggest a high incidence of occupational injury in EMS personnel with EMTs and persons under 30 years of age at higher risk. Guidelines for prevention programs are suggested.
Studies on the Toxicity and Efficacy of a New Amino Acid Solution in Pediatric Parenteral Nutrition

The optimum composition and concentration of crystalline amino acid solutions necessary for growth and brain maturation in critically ill infants requiring total parenteral nutrition (TPN) are unknown. Either an excess or a deficiency of amino acids could theoretically impair normal brain development in the neonate. The purpose of this study was to compare the toxicity and efficacy of two intravenous amino acid solutions, Neopham, modeled after the amino acid pattern found in human breast milk, and Aminosyn, a marketed product, designed for general usage. Sixteen infants and children requiring continuous intravenous nutrition for at least 7 days received the Neopham amino acid solution, and eight infants and children received the Aminosyn amino acid solution as part of a total parenteral nutrition regimen which included glucose, the fat emulsion Intralipid, as well as routine mineral and vitamin additives. There were no significant differences in mean gestational age, body weight, postnatal age, or mean daily nutrient intake between the patients receiving Aminosyn or Neopham. The daily nitrogen intake, excretion, and retention were similar in both groups. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in either hematological or biochemical parameters between the two study groups. The plasma levels of three essential amino acids, isoleucine, methionine, and valine, rose significantly higher in the Aminosyn-treated patients. The plasma levels of all the essential amino acids increased in both study groups.
An improved method for surface modification of porous water purification membranes

Abstract The surfaces of polysulfone and polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes were coated with polydopamine, yielding hydrophilic membranes that, under constant transmembrane pressure fouling conditions, have previously shown enhanced flux relative to unmodified membranes. When evaluated under constant permeate flux fouling, however, modified membranes exhibited higher transmembrane pressures than their unmodified analogs. This increased transmembrane pressure in the coated membranes was ascribed to the decrease in membrane permeance resulting from applying the polydopamine coating. The membrane permeance could be tuned by varying polydopamine deposition time and, even at the shortest deposition times studied here, a few minutes, a substantial increase in membrane hydrophilicity could be achieved. Therefore, polydopamine was deposited on a membrane of relatively high permeance until the pure water permeance of the modified membrane matched that of a membrane having lower native permeance, permitting a comparison of the fouling performance of a modified and unmodified membrane with the same pure water permeance. This approach was repeated, using a single, high permeance membrane as the base membrane for modification, to produce a family of modified membranes having the same initial pure water permeances as lower permeance, unmodified membranes. When unmodified and modified membranes of the same initial permeance were compared at constant flux fouling conditions, the modified membranes consistently exhibited lower transmembrane pressures and similar organic rejections to the unmodified membranes. Because many porous water purification membranes are operated at constant flux in industrial settings, an interesting methodology for membrane surface modification may be to surface-modify a membrane of high permeance until the desired permeance is achieved, rather than by surface modification of a membrane that natively has the desired water transport characteristics, since the surface modification procedures almost invariably lead to lower pure water permeance.
Pediatric anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with autograft or allograft.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in the pediatric population can be performed with the use of either autograft or allograft tissue. Commonly used autograft tissues include bone-patellar tendon-bone, hamstring tendons, and quadriceps tendon. Similarly, commonly used allograft tissues include bone-patellar tendon-bone, hamstring tendons, Achilles tendon, and tibialis tendons. Reconstruction with autograft tissue has been the gold-standard procedure. In the clinical setting, the patient knows where this tissue has been for the entire life of the graft. For example, a 14-year-old girl knows that the ACL reconstruction will use her 14-year old tendon. However, there are potential drawbacks with harvesting this tissue, including increased pain in the immediate postoperative period and long-term sequellae, such as kneeling pain for bone-tendon-bone procedures or potential loss of flexion strength hamstring procedures. Reconstruction with allograft tissue has advantages including the fact that it eliminates this donor-site morbidity. In this setting, however, the patient knows little about the origins of the tissue. The same 14-year-old girl may have an ACL reconstruction using a graft from a 14-year-old girl or a tendon from a 40-year-old man or woman. Although screening mechanisms exist, reconstruction with allograft tissue has the disadvantage of potentially transmitting diseases, including bacteria and viruses. In addition, there are concerns of slower incorporation and less robust healing. The primary purpose of the current review is to determine if the short-term failure rates of ACL reconstruction with allograft are significantly different from those with autograft in the pediatric population. A secondary purpose is to review some special
Cardiac compliance and dimensions in carbon monoxide-induced cardiomegaly

Adult male rats inhaled 500 ppm CO continuously for 38 to 47 days to produce significant cardiomegaly. In a first experiment in which heart wall stiffness was examined, haematocrit rose 45.1% and the ratio of the sum of right ventricle (RV) and left ventricle (LV) to body weight (mg X g-1) increased from 2.69 to 3.34. Compliance (ml X mmHg-1) of CO LV's and RV's studied from 0 to 25 mmHg intraluminal pressure, was generally greater than that of LV's and RV's from controls at the same pressure. These differences were greater for RV's. There was no difference between control RV's and LV's at the same distending pressure. The differences between treated and control groups disappeared when compliance was normalised per g heart weight. In a second experiment in which heart dimensions were examined, haematocrit ratio increased 48.6% and 2V (RV + LV) to body weight ratio (mg X g-1) increased from 2.77 to 3.45. Atrial weight was also greater. LV apex to base length increased 6.4% and LV outside diameter increased 7.3. No significant differences in LV, RV or interventricular septum (S) thickness resulted from CO exposure, as measured at three sites in each, in four cross-sections of the heart between the apex and base. In general, LV wall was slightly thicker than S, while RV was about 35% that of LV. The findings suggest that chronic carboxyhaemoglobinaemia produces largely eccentric cardiomegaly, and that there is no intrinsic change in wall stiffness.
Middleware support for auditing service process flows

The ever increasing security and privacy concerns require organizations to strictly comply with the regulations and the guidelines. Similar to any other part of an organization, it is necessary to conduct audits to determine whether the IT systems are in compliance. We specifically focus on the IT systems that are founded on Service Oriented Computing (SOC) principals. In a service oriented system both the internal and the external services may easily interact with each other, which may make the establishment and the enforcement of the privacy policies and the rules across the systems increasingly challenging. We introduce efficient and flexible methods for auditing such systems by leveraging the middleware platform capabilities. We show how the service process flows that have been executed in the system can be audited both based on their structure and the information that is disclosed by them.
Radio properties of narrow-lined Seyfert 1 galaxies

We have observed seven narrow-linedd Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies and one high-ionization Seyfert 2 galaxy with the Very Large Array (VLA). Combining these observations with published data, we summarize the radio properties of the NLS1 galaxies for which spectropolarimetry was reported by Goodrich. Fifteen of these 17 objects now have published radio observations of high sensitivity, and only nine of those have been detected. For a Hubble parameter of 75 km/s/Mpc, the 6 cm radio powers range from 10(exp 20) to 10(exp 23) W/Hz, within the range previously found for other types of Seyfert galaxy. The median radio size of the nine VLA-detected galaxies is no larger than 300 pc, similar to the median size found by Ulvestad & Wilson for a distance-limited sample of Seyfert galaxies. Of the six NLS1 galaxies known to have significant intrinsic optical polarization, three have measurable radio axes. Two of those three galaxies have radio major axes close to 90 deg from their polarization position angles, while the third has an inner radio axis that may be nearly parallel to the polarization position angle. The former relationship is expected for a Seyfert 1 in a unified model of Seyfert galaxies, assuming no intrinsic continuum polarization.
Activation of 5-HT1A receptors in the preBötzinger region has little impact on the respiratory pattern

The preBotzinger (preBotC) complex has been suggested as the primary site where systemically administered selective serotonin agonists have been shown to reduce or prevent opioid-induced depression of breathing. However, this hypothesis has not been tested pharmacologically in vivo. This study sought to determine whether 5-HT1A receptors within the preBotC and ventral respiratory column (VRC) mediate the tachypneic response induced by intravenous (IV) (±)-8-Hydroxy-2-diproplyaminotetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT) in a decerebrated dog model. IV 8-OH-DPAT (19 ± 2 μg/kg) reduced both inspiratory (I) and expiratory (E) durations by ∼ 40%, but had no effect on peak phrenic activity (PPA). Picoejection of 1, 10, and 100 μM 8-OH-DPAT on I and E preBotC neurons produced dose-dependent decreases up to ∼ 40% in peak discharge. Surprisingly, microinjections of 8-OH-DPAT and 5-HT within the VRC from the obex to 9 mm rostral had no effect on timing and PPA. These results suggest that the tachypneic effects of IV 8-OH-DPAT are due to receptors located outside of the areas we studied.
Patterns of research collaboration in a digital library for Economics

RePEc (Research Papers in Economics) has been conceived and developed to promote scholarly communication and to enhance the dissemination of research findings in the field of economics. RePEc offers the RePEc Author Service (RAS) where economics authors can claim authorship of the research papers that are described in RePEc archives. The data from this service forms a high-quality authorship database. We investigate the structure of research collaborations within RePEc by applying social network analysis to the co-authorship network formed by the RAS registrants. We perform a component size analysis and calculate centrality metrics. Our findings imply that the RAS registrant population is made up of highly active academics that are well connected to each other. In addition, RAS registrants appear to have a broad range of coauthors, with most individuals having only a few coauthors, whereas a few have many. We compare and contrast results from a number of recent studies of similar scope on co-authorship networks.
Obtaining Experimental Closure for the VAT-Based Energy Equations Modeling a Heat Sink as a Porous Medium

Experimentally determining internal heat transfer coefficients in porous structures has been a challenge in the design of heat exchangers. In this study, a novel combined experimental and computational method for determining the internal heat transfer coefficient within a heat sink is explored and results are obtained for air flow through basic pin fin heat sinks. These measurements along with the pressure drop allow for thermal-fluid modeling of a heat sink by closing the Volume Averaging Theory (VAT)-based governing equations, providing an avenue towards optimization. To obtain the heat transfer coefficient the solid phase is subjected to a step change in heat generation rate via induction heating, while the fluid flows through under steady state conditions. The fluid phase temperature response is measured. The heat transfer coefficient is determined by comparing the results of a numerical simulation based on volume averaging theory with the experimental results. The only information needed is the basic material properties, the flow rate, and the experimental data. The computational procedure alleviates the need for internal solid and fluid phase temperature measurements, which are difficult to make and can disturb the solid-fluid interaction. Moreover, a simple analysis allows us to proceed without knowledge of the heat generation rate, which is difficult to determine precisely. Multiple pin fin heat sink morphologies were selected for this study. Moreover, volume averaging theory scaling arguments allow a single correlation for both the heat transfer coefficient and friction factor that encompass a wide range of pin fin morphologies. It is expected that a precise tool for experimental closure of the VAT-based equations modeling a heat sink as a porous medium will allow for better modeling, and subsequent optimization, of heat sinks.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Reliability of patient self-assessment of shoulder range of motion and strength after shoulder arthroplasty

Background Patient-derived self-assessment potentially minimizes loss of valuable outcomes data, conserves medical resources, and benefits patients by saving valuable time out of work and travel expenses. The purpose of this study was to determine the physician-patient correlation of a patient-derived outcomes questionnaire that assesses range of motion (ROM) and strength after shoulder arthroplasty. Methods One hundred twenty consecutive patients completed a home-based questionnaire before their 1-year postoperative visit after shoulder arthroplasty. The questionnaire contained demographic information such as age, gender, type of surgery, education level, and income. Diagram-based questions, in which patients were asked to identify the image representing their own active shoulder ROM in various planes, were included. Patients were asked to perform a strength examination using premeasured zip-lock bags filled with water that correspond to predetermined weights up to 2.72 kg. The κ statistics were used to assess the degree of agreement between the patient's self-assessment and the clinician's measures. Results The κ statistics indicated moderate clinician-patient agreement (0.5-0.59) on items related to ROM and substantial to almost perfect agreement (0.62-0.92) on items related to strength (forward flexion and abduction). A majority of patients (>88%) correctly estimated their ROM within 1 grade of the clinician's measurement. Patients tended to err toward overestimating their ROM. Conclusions This patient-derived questionnaire provides a moderate to high level of agreement with clinician assessment. This assessment questionnaire may be an important tool in facilitating both clinical and research follow-up of patient outcomes after shoulder arthroplasty.
Electronic and film portal images: a comparison of landmark visibility and review accuracy.

Abstract Purpose: To quantitatively compare a scanning liquid ion chamber electronic portal imaging device (SLIC-EPID) and an amorphous silicon flat panel (aSi) EPID with portal film in clinical applications using measures of landmark visibility and treatment review accuracy. Methods and Materials: Six radiation oncologists viewed 39 electronic portal images (EPIs) from the SLIC-EPID, 36 EPIs from the aSi-EPID, and portal films of each of these treatment fields. The physicians rated the clarity of anatomic landmarks in the portal images, and the scores were compared between EPID and film. Nine hundred portal image reviews were performed. EPID and film portal images were acquired with known setup errors in either phantom or cadaver treatments. Physicians identified the errors visually in portal films and with computerized analysis for EPID. Results: There were no statistically significant ( p Conclusions: Both EPIDs are clinically viable replacements for film, but aSi-EPID represents a significant advancement in image quality over film.
A rapid survey technique for ‘Appropriate technology’ ecological indicators in developing urban areas

For planners, providers and evaluators of vital services in urban areas of developing nations, the availability of sufficient environmental data is oftentimes a major stumbling block. The authors here present a low-cost, rapid survey technique for gathering information on the urban ecology. The effort is developed from and validated in a research program correlating urban neighborhood (barrio) characteristics with infant and child mortality in Cali, Colombia. The technique establishes a minimal set of indicators exhibiting variance with respect to other social indices by utilizing the combined results of a random sample questionnaire and a secondary data set gathered from various public sources. The subset of efficient indicators of quality of life is derived from the total data set by utilizing a system of ridit weights.
Magnetic linear actuator for vascular access surveillance

Vascular access (VA) surveillance to guide care is essential for dialysis patients. Non-linear, patient specific formation of stenoses reduce VA efficiency. Various methods are used to monitor blood flow or pressure. However, these are surrogates for stenosis rather than direct measurements. There is also no reimbursement for VA surveillance and measurements consume clinician time, making more frequent measurements difficult. Hemodynamic variability increases the chance of infrequent observations missing stenosis formation. This paper presents a specialized ultrasound system intended to slide between the dialysis needles and provide operator independent VA geometry and volume flow during treatment. Specific attention is paid toward the magnetic design of the Lorentz force linear actuator. Experimental results indicate that the system can successfully collect Doppler flow information across a tissue-mimicking flow phantom vessel.
Incorporating hot-carrier injection effects into timing analysis for large circuits

This paper focuses on hot-carrier effects in modern CMOS technologies and proposes a scalable method for analyzing circuit-level delay degradations in large digital circuits, using methods that take abstractions up from the transistor to the circuit level. We begin with an exposition of our approach for the nominal case. At the transistor level, a multimode energy-driven model for nanometer technologies is employed. At the logic cell level, a methodology that captures the aging of a device as a sum of device age gains per signal transition is described, and the age gain is characterized using SPICE simulation. At the circuit level, the cell-level characterizations are used in conjunction with probabilistic methods to perform fast degradation analysis. Next, we extend the nominal case analysis to include the effect of process variations. Finally, we show the composite effect of these approaches in the presence of other aging variations, notably bias temperature instability, and study the relative impact of each component of aging on the temporal trends of circuit delay degradations. The analysis approaches for nominal and variational cases are both validated by Monte Carlo simulation on various benchmark circuits, and are proved to be accurate, efficient, and scalable.
Effect of molecular weight of chitosan degraded by microwave irradiation on lyophilized scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications

Chitosan (CTS) is biocompatible, biodegradable, and can be formed into 3D porous structures for bone tissue engineering applications. Although studies have reported on the effects of molecular weight (MW) on CTS physicochemical properties, studies evaluating CTS biological property relationships often do not account for MW that confounds interpretation of study results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of MW on CTS physicochemical and biological properties. CTS materials were treated for 6, 18, and 30 min by microwave irradiation to decrease MW without affecting deacetylation (DDA). Materials were evaluated for crystallinity using X-ray diffraction, thermal degradation using differential scanning calorimetry, water content, swelling ratio, and in vitro compatibility using Saos-2. Results showed that microwave treatments did not affect DDA but decreased MW and swelling ratio by 45.78% and 36.75%, respectively, after 30 min of microwave treatment. Microwave-treated CTS showed reduced or no crystalline peaks. Initial increase in exothermic peak temperatures with short (6 min) microwave treatment times were followed by a decrease with longer (18 and 30 min) treatment times. Cell growth over 7 days on samples was proportional to MW with the number of cells being 62% higher on CTS with the highest MW (3.71 ± 0.25 × 10(5) g/mol) when compared with the lower MW CTS (2.38 ± 0.12 × 10(5) g/mol). These results demonstrate the importance of MW of CTS to both its physicochemical characteristics and biological properties, providing researchers with another tool for the modulation and optimization of CTS for different biomedical applications.
CD133 progenitor cells from the bone marrow contribute to retinal pigment epithelium repair.

Our goal was to define a clinically significant population of cells by utilizing a single-step selection process to enrich hematopoietic cells capable of regenerating the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Utilizing intravitreal injection of bone marrow cells from a mouse with pigment (C57BL6:gfp) into albino recipient mice (C57BL6:Tyr-), we show that hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) enriched for CD133 can regenerate RPE cells and improve retinal function. The chemokine CXCL12 (stromal cell-derived factor 1α) is essential for migration, incorporation, and RPE regeneration by CD133+ HPCs. Once incorporated, CD133+ HPCs become pigmented, adopt an RPE morphology, and express RPE-specific proteins, leading to partial functional recovery by electroretinogram. Human CD133+ HPCs also incorporate in the retina and assume RPE morphology in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice xenografts. These data show that a clinically accessible CD133+ hematopoietic cell can home to an injured RPE layer, differentiate into cells with significant RPE morphology, and provide therapeutic functional recovery of the visual cycle. STEM CELLS2009;27:457–466
Understanding the Chemistry of Cytosine Methylation Effects

Proteins bind to DNA to initiate several important biological processes including DNA replication and transcription of genes, these processes are also highly regulated. A common method of bioregulation is cytosine methylation. Recent research suggests that cytosine methylation quenches DNA dynamics, preventing the DNA deformation often necessary for efficient protein-DNA complex formation. Using 31P NMR, we have shown that methylation induced rigidity may stem from conformational changes in the backbone from BI to BII conformation. To explore the mechanism of these conformational changes, we have turned to the study of cytosine fluorination. Through comparison of FTIR and NMR spectra, respectively, one can qualitatively and quantitatively observe the effects of methylation and fluorination on DNA structure and dynamics. Preliminary results demonstrate that these different covalent modifications of the cytosine base affect the structure and dynamics in different ways. Both modifications alter the BI/BII ratio but fluorination does not appear to affect the dynamics as significantly as methylation. We attribute the enhanced quenching of backbone dynamics by methylation to the formation of a strong dipolar interaction between the negatively charged backbone oxygen with the hydrogens of the methyl group whose proximity to the backbone is closer in BII than BI. Comparisons of fluorination and methylation effects on sequences containing both the EcoRI and Cre binding sites, as well as their modulation due to sequence context, will be presented.
Liquid crystalline poly(vinyl ether)s with bulk smectic C* phases at the air/water interface

Monolayer behavior of ferroelectric liquid crystalline polymers [CH 2 CH(OR)] n (R= (CH 2 ) 8 PhPhCOOCH 2 C * HR 1 R 2 (R 1 = Cl, CH 3 ; R 2 = Et, C * H(Ch 3 )Et); R= (CH 2 ) 6 OPhPhCOOCH 2 C * HClC * H(Me)Et) has been investigated at the air/water interface using the Langmuir trough Surface pressure vs surface area isotherms measured as a function of temperature and barrier speed showed that the molecular assembly in the monolayer was dominated by packing of the mesogens. Surface potential vs surface area isotherms were performed to investigate dipole orientation and solvation effects during compression. Isobaric creep and hysteresis measurements indicated that these polymers are good candidates for transfer to solid substrates
The Concept of Sustainability in the Evolutionary Guidance of an Educational Institution

Sustainability has been introduced at Ithaca College as a potential guiding theme for a wide range of development efforts. How these efforts will shape the institution's future is unclear, particularly when one places them in the context of recent changes in the College's approach to governance and planning. Countering rather primitive applications of systems thinking in the popular literature on sustainability, a case is made that sustainability principles can be reframed within Banathy's [Banathy, B. H. (1989). Syst. Res.6(4), 289–296.] notion of an evolutionary guidance system, and this could lead to the next evolutionary stage of the institution.
Covalent immobilization of proteins and peptides for solid-phase sequencing using prepacked capillary columns

Abstract The use of prepacked capillary columns for immobilizing proteins and peptides for solid-phase Edman degradation is described. Capillary tubes with an internal volume of about 30 μl are filled with glass beads bearing isothiocyanato groups (DITC-glass), aminophenyl groups (AP-glass), or aminoethylaminopropyl groups (AEAP-glass) and are sealed with porous plugs. Proteins or peptides in appropriate buffers are introduced into the columns by capillary action and are covalently coupled to the glass beads, either by reaction of lysine side-chain amino groups with DITC-glass, by carbodiimide-mediated reaction of carboxyl groups with AP-glass, or by reaction of homoserine lactone groups with AEAP-glass. Optimization of attachment conditions is described. The capillary columns are loaded into the sequencer and, when sequencing has been completed, are discarded. This technique greatly simplifies polypeptide immobilization and is suitable for microsequencing (
Detection of Nicotine in Foods and Plant Materials

Nicotine at several ppm was detected in the dehydrated fresh produce of the Solanaceae species including tomato, potato peel, eggplant and green pepper. Its identity was verified by GLC, TLC and CC-mass spectrometry. The presence of nicotine in all parts of the tomato plant suggested biosynthetic origin. In contrast, the 2 to 23 ppm nicotine found in green tea and instant tea samples might be attributed to insecticide contamination. There was no detectable level of nicotine in non-Solanaceae fruit and vegetables and other processed foods analyzed
The Logit Model Analysis for the Pairwise Comparisons in Ratio Scale

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTPairwise comparison methods involving ratio scale models are considered. The pairwise comparison values sometimes are cardinal representations of ordered categorical variables. This model arises in Saaty's scaling method of priorities which is referred to as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). In this article, we develop a logit model for the ordered response variable in the AHP. Relevant estimation and hypothesis testing procedures are addressed in this perspective.
Application of a relativistic jet model to the study of BL Lacertae objects

The development of a relativistic jet model and its use in fitting coordinated observations of the BL Lacertae objects Mrk 180, Mrk 421, and Mrk 501 are described. This model is a modified version of one by Koenigl (1981). The present model fits show that the properties of the jets in all three objects are similar. The variation in the angle between the jet axis and the observer's line of sight accounts for the differing degrees of variability of the sources. For the case where the jet is seen close to the line of sight (Mrk 421), the Doppler enhanced nonthermal radiation dominates the optical flux. The variation of particle density and magnetic field strength along the jets is similar in all three sources, and suggests that the energy flux is dominated by the magnetic field in the inner regions and by the particle energy at large distances from the jet apex. This result is consistent with models of jets in which the Poynting flux drives particle acceleration at large jet radii.
Poster: HealthOS: a platform for integrating and developing pervasive healthcare applications

1. THE HEALTHOS SYSTEM Recently, an increasing number of pervasive healthcare applications have been developed as a way to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional clinical infrastructure. However, the nature of these applications, both closed and vertically-integrated, hinders integration with the existing infrastructure, increases the development cost, and fails to provide a unified management interface. In response to these challenges, we propose HealthOS, a platform designed to develop pervasive healthcare applications. Figure 1 illustrates the target environment for HealthOS. As the figure suggests, HealthOS users can carry multiple healthcare-related devices in their living environments, each using their proprietary communication protocols and data formats. HealthOS collects, encrypts, and stores the data on either a local machine or in a secure cloud service. Upon request, HealthOS can translate the data into requested formats that different healthcare applications may require. From the perspective of an application developer, the attractiveness of the HealthOS platform lies in the need to implement only the analysis and representation logic of the application. We also envision the use of a HealthStore (similar to the Apple AppStore), in which pre-developed applications can be shared and reused. The various applications are handled using the unified management console in HealthOS. Furthermore, HealthOS can be adapted to mobile platforms. Achieving our vision of HealthOS, requires implementing several modules for each device. First, a module is necessary to communicate with each device and translate the custom data that it produces. We call this module a HealthOS driver. Secondly, the formats used to present the data to different stakeholders (e.g., family members, healthcare professionals, etc.) may differ. Thus, HealthOS uses a translator module used for converting a device’s proprietary data format to match well-defined, standardized medical data presentation formats used by major electronic medical record (EMR) systems [2, 6]. Both drivers and translators follow a component-based design in the sense that they provide and require well-defined interfaces for inter-module interaction and reuse. Given that data can successfully be collected and interpreted using HealthOS, application developers can focus solely on properly
Developmental physiology of corpora allata and accessory sex glands in the cecropia silkmoth

The storage of large quantities of juvenile hormone (JH) in adult male Cecropia silkmoths is dependent upon the combined activities of two organs: secretion by the corpora allata (CA) and accumulation by the accessory sex gland (ASG). We describe here some aspects of CA-ASG development and physiology which lead to JH storage. The ASG were found to have completed development and had secreted the luminal materials before eclosion. After day 16 of adult development, the ASG were able to convert JH-I acid to JH-I and store the JH-I. When incubated in vitro, the ASG showed a specificity for the uptake and storage of the three JH acids in the following order : JH-I > JH-II ≫ JH-III. The CA of male and female larvae secreted JH-I and JH-II when incubated in vitro, whereas adult male CA secreted JH-I acid and JH-II acid. The total equivalent synthetic productivity of adult male CA was found to be considerably greater than that of adult female CA. When cultured in vivo during metamorphosis to the adult in hosts of the opposite sex, the male and female CA maintained their respective pattern of secretory activity. Thus, the CA appear to be programmed to express the sexually dimorphic activity prior to the initiation of adult development.
What is the role of digital rectal examination in men undergoing serial screening of serum PSA levels

This Practice Point commentary discusses the study by Gosselaar et al. that reports the performance characteristics of digital rectal examination (DRE) in men from the Rotterdam cohort of the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer. The authors reported that the positive predictive value of DRE for detecting the presence of prostate cancer was 48.6% in the first round of screening, decreasing to 29.9% and 21.2% in the second and third rounds, respectively. Nevertheless, an abnormal DRE was associated with a significantly increased risk of very high-grade disease during all screening rounds, indicating that it provides useful additional prognostic information. This study adds to a considerable body of evidence supporting a role for DRE in early detection of prostate cancer.
QCD PREDICTIONS FOR PSEUDOSCALAR PRODUCTION IN RADIATIVE DECAYS OF HEAVY VECTOR-MESONS

Abstract We study the reaction ψ → M γ where M is a pseudoscalar meson, using QCD and a heavy quark mass expansion. We find that the matrix element is not short distance dominated, contrary to conventional assumption, and predict the rates of radiative υ decay in terms of those in ψ decay.