cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biologic scaffold for CNS repair

Injury to the CNS typically results in significant morbidity and endogenous repair mechanisms are limited in their ability to restore fully functional CNS tissue. Biologic scaffolds composed of individual purified components have been shown to facilitate functional tissue reconstruction following CNS injury. Extracellular matrix scaffolds derived from mammalian tissues retain a number of bioactive molecules and their ability for CNS repair has recently been recognized. In addition, novel biomaterials for dural mater repairs are of clinical interest as the dura provides barrier function and maintains homeostasis to CNS. The present article describes the application of regenerative medicine principles to the CNS tissues and dural mater repair. While many approaches have been exploring the use of cells and/or therapeutic molecules, the strategies described herein focus upon the use of extracellular matrix scaffolds derived from mammalian tissues that are free of cells and exogenous factors.
An NMR technique for the analysis of pore structure: Application to mesopores and micropores

The use of NMR spin-lattice relaxation experiments on water, or other proton-containing fluids, in a porous solid as a pore structure/size measurement tool has been recently reported for porous solids with pore size greater then ≈5 nm. This approach has numerous advantages, as compared to nitrogen sorption/condensation and mercury porosimetry, including no network/percolation effects, no pore shape assumption is required, wet materials may be analyzed, and small specific pore volumes may be studied. Assumptions used to relate the measured spin-lattice relaxation time, T1, to the pore size limit the application of the method to pore sizes greater than 5 nm. In this work, we explore the extension of this NMR technique to porous solids with pores in the micropore and mesopore size ranges. By comparing previously published results of the relative distribution of surface- and bulk-phase water as a function of pore size (E. Almagor and G. J. Belfort, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 66, 146, (1978)) to predictions from various pore models, we have demonstrated that the “two-fraction, fast exchange” model may be applied to relate measured T1 to pore size in the mesopore and micropore size range if the pore geometry is known (or assumed). For pore size greater than 5 nm, pore geometry is not important. Comparisons between conventional techniques, such as nitrogen sorption and mercury porosimetry, and the results of NMR spin-lattice relaxation experiments are complicated by the fact that different pore structure parameters are measured with these methods. Despite this, agreement between the methods is quite good for the five sol-gel-derived materials which we have studied.
Homeostatic effects of depolarization on Ca2+ influx, synaptic signaling, and survival.

Depolarization promotes neuronal survival through moderate increases in Ca2+ influx, but the effects of survival-promoting depolarization (vs conventional trophic support) on neuronal signaling are poorly characterized. We found that chronic, survival-promoting depolarization, but not conventional trophic support, selectively decreased the somatic Ca2+current density in hippocampal and cerebellar granule neurons. Depolarization rearing depressed multiple classes of high-voltage activated Ca2+ current. Consistent with the idea that these changes also affected synaptic Ca2+channels, chronic depolarization presynaptically depressed hippocampal neurotransmission. Six days of depolarization rearing completely abolished glutamate transmission but altered GABA transmission in a manner consistent with the alterations of Ca2+current. The continued survival of depolarization-reared neurons was extremely sensitive to the re-establishment of basal culture conditions and was correlated with the effects on intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Thus, compared with cells reared on conventional trophic factors, depolarization evokes homeostatic changes in Ca2+ influx and signaling that render neurons vulnerable to cell death on activity reduction.
Relevance of clinical trials in acute myeloid leukaemia

Patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) are increasingly being enrolled in clinical trials sponsored by pharmaceutical companies or the National Cancer Institute. These trials routinely exclude patients who are less likely to respond (LLTR), e.g. those with Zubrod performance status >2 and levels of bilirubin or creatinine ≥2.0 mg/dL. Here we examine rates of enrollment of LLTR patients in clinical trials over the past 16 years. Overall, 2323 adults with newly diagnosed AML (excluding acute promyelocytic leukaemia) were registered on clinical trials from 1991 to 2006. LLTR patients constituted a significantly smaller proportion of the patients enrolled from 1999 to 2006 than from 1991 to 1998 (p < 0.0001, considering all patients and patients 60 years or older). While 54% of patients considered ‘more likely to respond’ (MLTR) (i.e. those with performance status <3, bilirubin <2.0 mg/dL and creatinine <2.0 mg/dL) were enrolled in these studies from 1999 to 2006, only 36% of LLTR patients were enrolled during this period (p < 0.0001). Our results suggest that newer clinical trials may be less applicable to LLTR patients than previous trials. There is a need for clinical trials specific to the LLTR population, the group most in need of novel therapies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Comparison of Mesoscale Eddy Heat Fluxes from Observations and a High-Resolution Ocean Model Simulation of the Kuroshio Extension

AbstractFor the first time estimates of divergent eddy heat flux (DEHF) from a high-resolution (0.1°) simulation of the Parallel Ocean Program (POP) are compared with estimates made during the Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS). The results from POP are in good agreement with KESS observations. POP captures the lateral and vertical structure of mean-to-eddy energy conversion rates, which range from 2 to 10 cm2 s−3. The dynamical mechanism of vertical coupling between the deep and upper ocean is the process responsible for DEHFs in POP and is in accordance with baroclinic instability observed in the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Extension. Meridional eddy heat transport values are ~14% larger in POP at its maximum value. This is likely due to the more zonal path configuration in POP. The results from this study suggest that HR POP is a useful tool for estimating eddy statistics in the Kuroshio Extension region, and thereby provide guidance in the formulation and testing of eddy mixing parameterization schemes.
ERCC1 and Clinical Resistance to Platinum-Based Therapy

Praz and colleagues report in this issue on the relationship between the occurrence of a polymorphism of ERCC1 in tumor tissues of patients with colorectal cancer and the rate of disease response to the combination of oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil ([1][1]). This polymorphism is associated with
Scalable target coverage in smart camera networks

Smart camera networks are becoming increasingly popular in a number of application domains. In many applications, cameras are required to collaboratively track objects (e.g., habitat monitoring, or surveillance). In smart networks, camera coverage control is necessary to allow automatic tracking of targets without human intervention, allowing these systems to scale. In this paper, we consider the problem of automatic control of the cameras to maximize coverage of a set of targets. We formulate an optimization problem with the goal of maximizing the number of covered targets. Since the optimization problem is NP-hard, even for static targets, we propose a computationally efficient heuristic to reach near-optimal solution. Centralized solutions achieve excellent coverage, and can work well for small-scale networks, however they require significant communication cost for large scale networks. As a result, we propose an algorithm that spatially decomposes the network and computes optimal solutions for individual partitions. By decomposing the partitions in a way that minimizes dependencies between them, this approach results in coverage quality close to the centralized optimal solution, with an overhead and reaction time similar to those of distributed solutions.
Inhibition of eukaryotic translation elongation by the antitumor natural product Mycalamide B

Mycalamide B (MycB) is a marine sponge-derived natural product with potent antitumor activity. Although it has been shown to inhibit protein synthesis, the molecular mechanism of action by MycB remains incompletely understood. We verified the inhibition of translation elongation by in vitro HCV IRES dual luciferase assays, ribosome assembly, and in vivo [35S]methinione labeling experiments. Similar to cycloheximide (CHX), MycB inhibits translation elongation through blockade of eEF2-mediated translocation without affecting the eEF1A-mediated loading of tRNA onto the ribosome, AUG recognition, or dipeptide synthesis. Using chemical footprinting, we identified the MycB binding site proximal to the C3993 28S rRNA residue on the large ribosomal subunit. However, there are also subtle, but significant differences in the detailed mechanisms of action of MycB and CHX. First, MycB arrests the ribosome on the mRNA one codon ahead of CHX. Second, MycB specifically blocked tRNA binding to the E-site of the large ribosomal subunit. Moreover, they display different polysome profiles in vivo. Together, these observations shed new light on the mechanism of inhibition of translation elongation by MycB.
Latino Disparities in Prescription Drug Use and Expenditures: A Nationally Representative Analysis

BACKGROUNDLatinos are disproportionately affected by the lack of affordable prescription drugs. Within the Latino population, there are significant heterogeneities in the patterns of prescription drug expenditures and use. However, studies have traditionally treated them as a single, monolithic group.OBJECTIVESgTo identify and quantify factors associated with disparities in drug use and expenditures between non-Latino whites and Latino subgroups.METHODSWe examined trends in prescription drug use, total prescription drug expenditures, and the proportion of out-of-pocket (OOP) payment to total drug expenditures for whites and Latino subgroups using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 1999 to 2006. Multivariate regressions were used to adjust for confounding factors that may also affect drug use and expenditures.RESULTSLatinos were significantly less likely to use drugs compared to whites. Mexicans had significantly lower prescription drug costs and a higher proportion of OOP expenditures compared to w...
A CRITICAL MATRIX MODEL AT c=1

By taking the critical limit of Penner’s matrix model we obtain a continuum theory whose free energy at genus-g is the Euler characteristic of moduli space of Riemann surfaces of genus-g. The exponents, and the appearance of logarithmic corrections suggest that we are dealing with a theory at c=1.
Revolutions in the Atlantic world: a comparative history

En este conciso pero sugerente trabajo el historiador holandes Wim Klooster analiza los profundos cambios politicos y sociales generados por cuatro procesos historicos de la llamada Era de las Revoluciones. La Revolucion Americana, la Revolucion Francesa, la Independencia de Haiti y la Independencia de Hispanoamerica son estudiadas desde una perspectiva comparada tratando de establecer relaciones, similitudes y diferencias que permitan entender de mejor forma las causas, desarrollos y consecuencias de estos episodios, todos ellos trascendentales en la transicion del antiguo orden monarquico a la conformacion y consolidacion de estados nacionales soberanos en el mundo occidental. Si bien cada una de estas revoluciones ha recibido abundante atencion historiografica en forma independiente, el esfuerzo de Klooster resulta particularmente novedoso y util tanto por analizarlas en conjunto, lo que amplia las posibilidades de analisis y comparacion, como por incorporar el caso de Haiti, hasta ahora descuidado desde este punto de vista.
The Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum in the Repair of Amoeba Nuclear Envelopes Damaged Microsurgically

The nuclear envelopes of amoebae were damaged microsurgically, and the fate of the lesions was studied with the electron microscope. Amoebae were placed on the surface of an agar-coated slide. Using a glass probe, the nucleus was pushed from an amoeba, damaged with a chopping motion of the probe, and reinserted into the amoeba. Cells were prepared for electron microscopy at intervals of between 10 min and 4 days after the manipulation. Nuclear envelopes studied between 10 min and 1 h after the injury displayed extensive damage, including numerous holes in the nuclear membranes. Beginning 15 min after the manipulation, pieces of rough endoplasmic reticulum intruded into the holes in the nuclear membranes. These pieces of rough endoplasmic reticulum subsequently appeared to become connected to the nuclear membranes at the margins of the holes. By 1 day following the injury, many cells had died, but the nuclear membranes were intact in those cells that survived. The elaborate fibrous lamina or honeycomb layer characteristic of the amoeba nuclear envelope was resistant to early changes after the manipulation. Patches of disorganization of the fibrous lamina were present 5 h to 1 day after injury, but the altered parts showed evidence of progress toward a return to normal configuration by 4 days after the injury. It is proposed that the rough endoplasmic reticulum participates in the repair of injury to the nuclear membranes. The similarity of this repair process to reconstitution of the nuclear envelope in telophase of mitosis is noted, and the relationship between the nuclear envelope and the rough endoplasmic reticulum is discussed.
Effect of near-infrared light on in vitro cellular ATP production of osteoblasts and fibroblasts and on fracture healing with intramedullary fixation.

Abstract Objective Evaluate the effect of near-infrared light (NIR) on immediate production of ATP by osteoblasts and fibroblasts in vitro , and the healing process of rat femur fractures with intramedullary fixation. Background NIR is one potential treatment option for complications of fracture healing, which has shown to stimulate cellular proliferation and to enhance the healing process. Methods Cell culture – MC3T3-E1 and 3T3-A31 cells were subjected to NIR at 660 nm, 830 nm, or both combined. ATP was assayed at 5, 10, 20, and 45 min after exposure. Animal study – 18 rats had surgery with retrograde intramedullary pins inserted into their femurs, which then underwent closed, transverse femur fracture. Rats were randomly divided into 3 study groups of 6 each: nonirradiated controls, 660 nm, and 830 nm NIR. Healing process was assessed by a blinded radiologist, assigning a healing score of 1–6 for radiographs taken on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Results Cell culture – All groups gave significant increase in ATP within 5–10 min, with decay to baseline by 45 min. 660 nm NIR was significantly more effective than 830 nm with fibroblasts or either wavelength with osteoblasts. Animal study – A significant increase in the fracture healing grade in the 660 nm group at day 14, but with no differences at day 21. Conclusion The study demonstrated an immediate increase in ATP production in vitro and an initial acceleration of callus formation in the fracture healing process, in the presence of NIR.
An Integrated Procedure for Computer Simulation of Dynamics of Multibody Molecular Structures in Polymers and Biopolymers

Though computational molecular dynamics is an effective tool for nano-scale phenomenon analysis, computational costs associated with its computer simulation are extremely high. There are two major computational steps associated with computer simulation of dynamics of molecular structures. They are calculation of interatomic forces and formation and solution of the equations of motion. Currently, these two computational steps are treated separately in most commonly-used methods. For example, Fast Multipole Method (FMM) and Cell Multipole Method (CMM) have been used for calculation of interatomic forces, and Cartesian Coordinate Method (CCM) and Internal Coordinate Molecular Dynamics Method (ICMD) have been created for the formation and solution of equations of motion of an atomistic molecular system.In this paper, a new procedure is presented through a proper integration between multibody molecular algorithms (MMA) and fast multipole methods to improve computational efficiency for computer simulation of the dynamical behaviors of multibody molecular structures in polymers and biopolymers. For the computational costs associated with interatomic forces, a fast multipole method is used to calculate the interatomic forces due to the potentials. For the computational costs associated with formation and solution of equations of motion, a multibody molecular algorithm developed by the author in his previous work will be utilized to integrate with fast multipole methods. The algorithm significantly improves computational efficiency when comparing with its counterpart procedures.The fast multipole method begins by scaling all atoms into a box with coordinate ranges to ensure numerical stability of subsequent operations. The parent box is then divided into half in the direction of each Cartesian axis and each child box is then subdivided to form a computational family tree. The flow of calculations is carried out along the tree structure with five passes. The fast multipole method has been improved and modified to achieve better effectiveness and higher efficiency since it was created.The multibody molecular algorithm starts with numbering subsets, forming bond graph, and developing three computing passes along the tree structure of an atomistic molecular system. Computing data flows in the fast multipole method and the multibody molecular algorithm will properly line up with the parent-child recursive relationship along the configuration of the tree structure due to linear recursive natures of both fast multipole method and multibody molecular algorithm. Then the time spent on the recursive simulation passes in the fast multipole method for computing forces may overlap with the time spent on the three recursive computational passes in the multibody molecular algorithm for forming and solving equations of motion.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Intraspecific variation in growth rate, size, and parasitism of galls induced by Asphondylia borrichiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on three host species

Gall densities of Asphondylia borrichiae Rossi & Strong were higher on Borrichia frutescens (L.) de Candolle than on either of two species of Iva during the spring-summer season, a period when gall growth rate and final gall diameter were greatest on B. frutescens . In addition, levels of parasitism were lower on B. frutescens than on either Iva sp. during this period. In the fall-winter, differences among gall densities and characteristics among the three hosts were much less pronounced. Galls on Iva imbricata Walt, grew at a slightly greater rate than those on B. frutescens and both produced galls that were similar in size; galls on I. frutescens L. had the lowest level of parasitism among the three hosts. In addition, terminals of I. imbricata and B. frutescens persisted in the field almost twice as long as I. frutescens stems. Many more Iva terminals flowered than B. frutescens terminals; flowering prevents galling by the midge. We suggest that the temporal pattern of A. borrichiae galls is consistent with the seasonal phenology of galls on the three host plants. B. frutescens produces substantially faster growing and ultimately larger galls that have a relatively low percentage of parasitism in the spring-winter; but during the fall-winter, gall characteristics are similar among the three host plants. Because directional selection is not consistent in this system, a host shift to B. frutescens by A. borrichiae is unlikely.
IMPROVED LEFT VENTRICULAR REMODELING AFTER MITRAL VALVE REPAIR COMBINED WITH A PAPILLARY MUSCLE SLING FOR FUNCTIONAL MITRAL REGURGITATION: AN ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

The optimal treatment for functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) has not been established. Combining mitral annuloplasty with a papillary muscle sling may promote left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling and improve valve geometry. We evaluated the preoperative and follow-up echocardiograms of 48
Making Better Chimeric Antigen Receptors for Adoptive T-cell Therapy

Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) are engineered fusion proteins constructed from antigen recognition, signaling, and costimulatory domains that can be expressed in cytotoxic T cells with the purpose of reprograming the T cells to specifically target tumor cells. CAR T-cell therapy uses gene transfer technology to reprogram a patient's own T cells to stably express CARs, thereby combining the specificity of an antibody with the potent cytotoxic and memory functions of a T cell. In early-phase clinical trials, CAR T cells targeting CD19 have resulted in sustained complete responses within a population of otherwise refractory patients with B-cell malignancies and, more specifically, have shown complete response rates of approximately 90% in patients with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Given this clinical efficacy, preclinical development of CAR T-cell therapy for a number of cancer indications has been actively investigated, and the future of the CAR T-cell field is extensive and dynamic. Several approaches to increase the feasibility and safety of CAR T cells are currently being explored, including investigation into the mechanisms regulating the persistence of CAR T cells. In addition, numerous early-phase clinical trials are now investigating CAR T-cell therapy beyond targeting CD19, especially in solid tumors. Trials investigating combinations of CAR T cells with immune checkpoint blockade therapies are now beginning and results are eagerly awaited. This review evaluates several of the ongoing and future directions of CAR T-cell therapy.
Evaluating vegetation effects on animal demographics: the role of plant phenology and sampling bias

Plant phenological processes produce temporal variation in the height and cover of vegetation. Key aspects of animal life cycles, such as reproduction, often coincide with the growing season and therefore may inherently covary with plant growth. When evaluating the influence of vegetation variables on demographic rates, the decision about when to measure vegetation relative to the timing of demographic events is important to avoid confounding between the demographic rate of interest and vegetation covariates. Such confounding could bias estimated effect sizes or produce results that are entirely spurious. We investigated how the timing of vegetation sampling affected the modeled relationship between vegetation structure and nest survival of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), using both simulated and observational data. We used the height of live grasses surrounding nests as an explanatory covariate, and analyzed its effect on daily nest survival. We compared results between models that included grass height measured at the time of nest fate (hatch or failure) with models where grass height was measured on a standardized date - that of predicted hatch date. Parameters linking grass height to nest survival based on measurements at nest fate produced more competitive models, but slope coefficients of grass height effects were biased high relative to truth in simulated scenarios. In contrast, measurements taken at predicted hatch date accurately predicted the influence of grass height on nest survival. Observational data produced similar results. Our results demonstrate the importance of properly considering confounding between demographic traits and plant phenology. Not doing so can produce results that are plausible, but ultimately inaccurate.
Application of Evidence Fusion Theory in Hydroturbine PID Model

In the hydroelectrical simulation system, to solve the problems derived from traditional PID controller couldn't adopt all of the running condition, such as large overshoot and long adjust time of PID controller, vibration of rotate speed and frequency of system, a new hydroturbine PID model based on evidence fusion is proposed in the background of information fusion theory. In this model, to improve the global performance of hydroturbine, evidences are gained from multisensors that are embedded to gather the information of environment, and multi source evidences are fused in the PID fusion center. Validity and value of practical application are validated through the experiment in the Fengman hydroelectric simulation system.
Innovation in Stone Disease

Stone disease has been a part of medical practice since the birth of medicine, mentioned by Hippocrates in the Hippocratic Oath. For hundreds of years, open surgery was the treatment for stones from the kidney to the bladder. Innovation has changed the field dramatically—since the late 1970s, the advent of shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy has completely altered the treatment of nephrolithiasis. This would not have been possible without the creativity and foresight of innovators in treatment of kidney stones. We identified key innovators whose work forever changed the treatment of kidney stones and asked for their thoughts and opinions on innovation in stone disease in a Web-based survey.
The pragmatic clinical trial in a learning health care system

Background/aimsA learning health care system ideally incorporates the ability to adapt to the pace of change, the incorporation of new clinical research paradigms, and leverages electronic health r...
Vom psychologischen Begriff zum graphischen Zeichen

Mit diesem Kapitel verengen wir das Feld unserer Aufmerksamkeit auf das Gebiet der Semantik, d. h. auf das Gebiet, wo von den Zeichen und deren darstellenden Funktionen die Rede ist. Auch hier stellen wir eine Anderung der Auffassungen gegenuber der erkenntnistheoretisch eingestellten Neuzeit fest : Die Uberwindung des Psychologismus, welche der Vermengung von subjektiven und objektiven Begriffen ein Ende setzte, stellt eine wichtige Errungenschaft der Philosophie der Gegenwart dar. Aber bei vielen Autoren ging die Reaktion gegen den Psychologismus so weit, das nicht nur die subjektiven Vorstellungen von der Logik in die Psychologie zuruckversetzt, sondern auch die objektiven Begriffe fallen gelassen wurden und man sich auf eine zweistellige Semantik von sprachlichen Zeichen und abgebildeter Wirklichkeit beschrankte. Wie wir sehen werden, hat Russell mit seiner Theorie der Kennzeichnungen die Auffassung verteidigt, wonach es uberflussig sei, neben dem Bezeichneten besondere, von den Wortern bedeutete Entitaten anzunehmen (seine Theorie wird uns ubrigens zugleich als Beispiel fur eine dritte Art von Sprachanalyse dienen), und die Semantik des Leśniewski-Schulers Tarski, welche sich erstmals als ein streng formuliertes, widerspruchsfreies System darbot, war ganz auf die zweistellige Wahrheitsbeziehung zwischen den Aussagen und der Wirklichkeit ausgerichtet.
Parallel Pbx-Dependent Pathways Govern the Coalescence and Fate of Motor Columns

The clustering of neurons sharing similar functional properties and connectivity is a common organizational feature of vertebrate nervous systems. Within motor networks, spinal motor neurons (MNs) segregate into longitudinally arrayed subtypes, establishing a central somatotopic map of peripheral target innervation. MN organization and connectivity relies on Hox transcription factors expressed along the rostrocaudal axis; however, the developmental mechanisms governing the orderly arrangement of MNs are largely unknown. We show that Pbx genes, which encode Hox cofactors, are essential for the segregation and clustering of neurons within motor columns. In the absence of Pbx1 and Pbx3 function, Hox-dependent programs are lost and the remaining MN subtypes are unclustered and disordered. Identification of Pbx gene targets revealed an unexpected and apparently Hox-independent role in defining molecular features of dorsally projecting medial motor column (MMC) neurons. These results indicate Pbx genes act in parallel genetic pathways to orchestrate neuronal subtype differentiation, connectivity, and organization.
Low-Field NMR Studies of the Boundary Layers of 3He on Grafoil

The boundary layer of 3He on graphite has shown properties of a two-dimensional ferromagnet. Both, in the cases of 3He filling pores of Grafoil and with a few monolayers, magnetization far in excess of the Curie value are observed at millidegree temperatures. Our experiments on the low-field NMR spectra of the 3He boundary layers in filled pores show collective modes for T < 1 mK. One of these modes extrapolates to nonzero frequency and amplitude as the field is dropped to zero. The Heisenberg symmetry is broken by the weak dipolar energy. This dipolar energy and finite size effects allow for order in zero field and finite temperature.
Oscillations and traveling-wave-induced streaming of charge monolayers on insulating liquid interfaces

The convection of charge in highly insulating liquids, typically hydrocarbon fuels, is of considerable importance because of the associated generation of high intensity electric fields.1 It is generally accepted that a charge is often generated in two-phase liquid transport. It is not so widely recognized that the transport of this charge at interfaces can be strongly influenced by fluid convection induced by the charge itself. Charge transport from liquid to air across an interface is typically via electro-hydrodynamic instability. Previous studies2 have shown that at incipient instability, monolayers of charge should, in fact, behave as though the interface were perfectly conducting. This seeming contradiction of the insulating nature of the liquid results because the incipient instability has zero frequency, and the monolayer simply adjusts to distortions of the interface so as to cancel the electric shear stress and hence to cancel the tangential electric field.
Near field acoustic holography measurements of carbon nanotube thin film speakers

Carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film speakers produce sound with the thermoacoustic effect. Better understanding of the physical acoustic properties of these speakers will drive future design improvements. Measuring acoustic properties at the surface of the CNT thin film is difficult because the films, themselves, do not vibrate, are fragile and have a high surface temperature. In order to measure the surface particle velocity and sound pressure level (SPL), near field acoustic holography (NAH) has been used by employing probe microphones. NAH images the acoustic quantities of the source system using the set of acoustic pressure measurements on a hologram parallel to the source surface. It is shown that the particle velocity at the surface of an open-air, double-sided speaker is nominally zero, as expected. However, the SPL distribution is not uniform on the source surface, contrary to common lumped parameter model assumptions. Also, particle velocity and sound intensity distributions on the hologram have been obtained in this study. Finally, measured directivity patterns of the planar CNT speaker are reported.
Devious Design: Digital Infrastructure Challenges for Experimental Ethnography

Diverse disciplinary communities approach design with diverse design logics design directives informed by critical theoretical commitments that are to be translated into material form. Recounting the design of a digital humanities platform, this paper shows how design logics of existing digital infrastructure can at times be out of sync with those of a design community seeking to leverage it. I argue that, in such situations, a designer should do more than simply “make do” with available infrastructure; the designer should instead design deviously – leveraging infrastructure in ways that undercut its logics. This suggests that reflective design involves reflecting, not only on design practice, but also on the logics of the infrastructure available to designers.
The effect of cimaterol and its withdrawal on carcass composition and meat tenderness of broiler chickens.

To examine the effects of cimaterol (CIM) and its withdrawal on meat tenderness and carcass composition, 21-d-old broiler chickens (n = 288) were randomly assigned to one of nine treatments. For Treatments 1 through 6, birds were fed a control diet or a diet containing 1 ppm CIM until slaughter at 35, 42, or 49 d of age. Treatments 7 and 8 consisted of birds fed the CIM diet for 14 d and then withdrawn from CIM for either 7 or 14 d before slaughter (42 or 49 d of age). In Treatment 9, birds were fed the CIM diet to 42 d of age, then withdrawn from CIM for 7 d. Breast muscle (BM) weight, leg muscle (LM) weight, whole body weight, and BM and LM cathepsin B and L activities were obtained on 12 birds/treatment. Body, LM and BM composition and BM shear values were obtained on 12 additional birds/treatment. Eight birds/treatment were used to balance the number of birds per pen. Leg muscle weight, as a percentage of whole body weight, was elevated in CIM-fed birds at all ages, and BM percentage was greater at 35 d of age (P less than .05). Leg muscle fat percentage was reduced at 35 and 42 d of age (P less than .05), and LM protein was elevated at 42 and 49 d of age (P less than .05) in CIM-fed birds. Percentage of protein in the BM of CIM-fed birds was elevated at 35 and 42 d of age. Protein content of the whole body was also increased at 35 d of age. Shear values were higher in 42- and 49-d-old CIM-fed birds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Morphing structures in the Venus flytrap

Venus flytrap is a marvelous plant that intrigued scientists since times of Charles Darwin. This carnivorous plant is capable of very fast movements to catch insects. Mechanism of this movement was debated for a long time. Here, the most recent Hydroelastic Curvature Model is presented. In this model the upper leaf of the Venus flytrap is visualized as a thin, weakly curved elastic shell with principal natural curvatures that depend on the hydrostatic state of the two surface layers of cell, where different hydrostatic pressures are maintained. Unequal expansion of individual layers A and B results in bending of the leaf, and it was described in terms of bending elasticity. The external triggers, either mechanical or electrical, result in the opening of pores connecting these layers; water then rushes from the upper layer to the lower layer, and the bilayer couple quickly changes its curvature from convex to concave and the trap closes. Equations describing this movement were derived and verified with experimental data. The whole hunting cycle from catching the fly through tightening, through digestion, and through reopening the trap was described.
Historical Research in Forensics: Its Status and Guidelines for the Future

(1970). Historical Research in Forensics: Its Status and Guidelines for the Future. The Journal of the American Forensic Association: Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 36-41.
Methods for physical stabilization of ashed teeth in incinerated remains.

Methods for physically stabilizing the extremely fragile ashed teeth that are often encountered in incinerated human remains were investigated. Results of a questionnaire sent to forensic anthropologists and forensic odontologists disclosed that, for these two groups, the most popular methods currently used are impregnation with a solution of polyvinyl acetate or application of cyanoacrylate cement, respectively. In addition, extracted human teeth were incinerated in the laboratory and impregnated with commercially available preparations of either cyanoacrylate cement, clear acrylic spray paint, hair spray, spray furniture varnish, clear fingernail polish, quick-setting epoxy cement. Duco® household cement, polyvinyl acetate polymer in acetone, or self-curing clear dental acrylic resin. Every substance tested successfully stabilized the incinerated teeth. Clear acrylic spray paint was judged the most efficacious overall because of its ease of application, availability, inexpensiveness, and rapidity of setting.
Recent Advances in Electrophysiology of Antiarrhythmic Drugs

In this review, we are concerned with the most recent advances in single cell cardiac electrophysiology and pharmacology. We have restricted ourselves to research papers that appeared in the 2 years since our last review [1] and additionally certain articles of special interest. The reader is referred to the comprehensive review by SZEKERES and PAPP published in this journal [2] and to the monograph by the same authors for more extensive surveys of the many actions of numerous antiarrhythmic drugs [3]. There also are several recently published reviews and symposia dealing with various aspects of cardiac arrhythmias and therapy [4–12]. We agree with SZEKERES and PAPP [3] that it is almost impossible to completely review the ever increasing number of publications on this subject. One reason for the voluminous literature is the multiple experimental approaches used to attack the problems of arrhythmia formation and the modes of action of antiarrhythmic drugs. Our own approach is based to a great extent on studies utilizing intracellular microelectrode recording techniques [13–15]. This method permits the direct characterization of the electrophysiological properties of single cells in the heart. We will consider and evaluate recent publications concerned with cardiac arrhythmias and antiarrhythmic drugs with particular emphasis on new experimental methods which expand the physiological significance of data obtained through the use of microelectrode recording techniques.
Spontaneous Chiral Symmetry Breaking in 2D Aggregation

Recent experiments [1] using ionized-cluster-beam (ICB) deposition have revealed unusual “seahorse”-like growth patterns. These patterns possess a spontaneously broken chiral (left/right) symmetry, despite the fact that the particles constituting the aggregate are symmetric. We develop a continuum quasi-equilibrium growth model, assuming that the growing aggregate is charged, and that the incoming particles axe polarizable, and hence attracted to regions of strong electric field. This model is used both for theoretical analysis and numerical simulation of the growth process. We find that our model possesses a chiral instability. That is, during the growth, the system amplifies enormously even tiny left-right asymmetry (which may arise due to noise). This instability leads to the formation of S-like patterns like those seen experimentally. The origin of this instability is the long-range interaction (competition and repulsion) among growing branches of the aggregate, such that a right or left side consistently dominates the growth process. We also show that the electrostatic interaction can account for the principal geometrical properties of the aggregates, such as the existence of only 2 main arms, and the “finned” external edge of the main arms.
Novel Strategies of Preventing Catheter-Related Infections in the ICU

CR-BSIs are not simply an acceptable consequence of central venous access and invasive monitoring. The false perception of invisible risk, the underestimation of individual responsibility, passive attitudes regarding the complexity of the process of care, and the financial constraints that contribute to understaffing play an important role in the failure to implement prevention strategies. Many CR-BSIs are preventable infections that need to be approached systematically at a multidisciplinary level that emphasizes patient safety and quality improvement. Taking advantage of new technology such as chlorehexidine for skin antisepsis, and antiseptic or antibiotic impregnated catheters, chlorehexidine impregnated dressings, may be a useful means of reducing catheter-related infections. What is not known is whether each technology contributes additively, synergistically, or not at all. In other words, does one need all of these strategies, or will one of them suffice? In the absence of data, it seems logical to utilize these strategies in a systematic way that incorporates performance measures to evaluate the impact that each intervention has in a given ICU setting.
Megalopolitan megalomania: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s Southeastern region and the speculative growth machine

Vietnam’s Eastern Southern Region is widely celebrated as the ‘engine’ of the country’s economy. Encompassing rapidly developing Ho Chi Minh City and five surrounding provinces, the region’s growth...
Anthropogenic N deposition, fungal gene expression, and an increasing soil carbon sink in the Northern Hemisphere.

Terrestrial ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere are a globally important sink for anthropogenic CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere, slowing its accumulation as well as the pace of climate warming. With the use of a long-term field experiment (ca. 20 yr), we show that the expression of fungal class II peroxidase genes, which encode enzymes mediating the rate-limiting step of organic matter decay, are significantly downregulated (-60 to -80%) because of increases in anthropogenic N deposition; this response was consistent with a decline in extracellular peroxidase enzyme activity in soil, the slowing of organic-matter decay, and greater soil C storage. The reduction in peroxidase expression we document here occurred in the absence of a compositional shift in metabolically active fungi, indicating that an overall reduction in peroxidase expression underlies the slowing of decay and increases in soil C storage. This molecular mechanism has global implications for soil C storage and should be represented in coupled climate-biogeochemical models simulating the influence of enhanced terrestrial C storage on atmospheric CO2 and the future climate of an N-enriched Earth.
GenCache: Leveraging In-Cache Operators for Efficient Sequence Alignment

Precision Medicine will rely on frequent genomic analysis, especially for patients undergoing cancer treatments or suffering from rare diseases. Sequence alignment is invoked in multiple stages of the genomic analysis pipeline. Recent projects have introduced accelerators, GenAx and Darwin, for 2nd and 3rd generation sequencers respectively. In this work, we improve upon the GenAx design by increasing its parallelism and reducing its memory bandwidth demands. This is achieved with a combination of hardware and software innovations. We first integrate in-cache operators from prior work into the GenAx memory hierarchy; we then augment the in-cache peripheral circuit to support additional new operators. We then re-structure the sequence alignment algorithm to (i) leverage the many in-cache operators, (ii) exploit the common case in genomic datasets, (iii) use Bloom Filters to reduce futile accesses, and (iv) maximize data reuse within a re-organized memory hierarchy. While the baseline GenAx accelerator processes a batch of reads in 194 seconds while nearly saturating the 153.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, the proposed GenCache architecture processes the same batch of reads in 37 seconds at an improved energy efficiency of 8.6×, while demanding 20 GB/s average memory bandwidth. Our hardware and software techniques thus interact synergistically to target both memory and compute bottlenecks, while not affecting the outputs of the application. We show that the basic principles in GenCache can also be exploited by 3rd generation sequence aligners.
MR Imaging Enables Real-Time Monitoring of In Vitro Electrolytic Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the capability of T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to monitor electrolytic ablation-induced cell death in real time. Materials and Methods Agarose phantoms arranged as an electrolytic cell were exposed to varying quantities of electric charge under constant current to create a pH series. The pH phantoms were subjected to T2-weighted imaging with region of interest quantitation of the acquired signal intensity. Subsequently, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells encapsulated in an agarose gel matrix were subjected to 10 V of electrolytic ablation for variable lengths of time with and without concurrent T2-weighted MR imaging. Cellular death was confirmed by a fluorescent reporter. Finally, to confirm that real-time MR images corresponded to ablation zones, 10 V electrolytic ablations were performed followed by the addition of pH-neutralizing 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer. Results Analysis of MR imaging from agarose gel pH phantoms demonstrated a relationship between signal intensity and pH at the anodes and cathodes. The steep negative phase of the anode model (pH Conclusions T2-weighted MR imaging enabled the real-time detection of electrolytic ablation zones, demonstrating a strong correlation with histologic cell death.
Membrane-Immobilized Liver Microsome Drug Detoxifier

The common occurrence of poisoning due to drug overdose has led to an increasing need for a safe, simple, effective, and inexpensive means of removing such drugs from the blood in the emergency treatment of drug-overdose victims. Various devices and techniques based on extracorporeal blood processing have been investigated. Physical techniques include hemodialysis (Kennedy et al., 1969), charcoal adsorption (Widdop et al.,1975; Chang et al., 1973), and ion-exchange adsorption (Rosenbaum et al., 1971; Medd et al., 1974). Biological techniques include liver perfusion (McDermott and Norman, 1971), liver slice perfusion (Koshino et al., 1975), perfusion over hepatic cell suspensions in direct contact with the blood (Eisman and Soyer, 1971; Soyer et al., 1973), and perfusion through hollow fibers containing cultured hepatic cells on the outer surface of the fibers (Wolf and Munkelt, 1975). It is well accepted that the biological system responsible for detoxification of a variety of drugs is located in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum of hepatic cells which can be isolated as microsomes by cell fractionation. The microsomes contain a complex mixture of enzymes, including cytochrome P-450, which requires the coenzyme NADPH and molecular oxygen for drug detoxification. In general these detoxification enzymes modify toxins by increasing their polarity and consequently their aqueous solubility, thus decreasing their permeation into tissues (Mandel, 1971) and promoting excretion. The chemical modifications catalyzed by the microsomal drug detoxification enzymes include, among others, hydroxylation, demethylation, and conjugation reactions. Several of the microsomal detoxification enzymes have been purified (Lu and Levin, 1974; Brunner, 1975; Ziegler and Mitchell, 1972) and at least two have been immobilized by covalent bonding to insoluble particles (Brunner, 1975; Parikh et al., 1976; Sofer et al.,1975). One approach for utilization of these enzymes in an extracorporeal drug detoxification system is to purify the individual enzymes and then reconstitute the multienzyme complex by binding to insoluble particles. An alternative approach, the one we have chosen, is to utilize the isolated microsomes themselves. This method has the advantage of simplicity and lower cost. More importantly, in contrast to the former approach, it assures that all the microsomal enzymes are present in proportions and molecular arrangement closely resembling the in vivo state. We have used an extracorporeal hollow fiber-based enzyme reactor in an attempt to develop a therapeutic technique suitable for treatment of drug and poison detoxification. Since all the protein components of the system are impermeable to the hollow fiber membranes, adverse immunological reactions will be avoided. In addition, the safety of blood processing using hollow fiber devices has been well established in recent years by extensive use in hemodialysis.