cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expanding photon upconversion to silicon nanocrystal light absorbers

Silicon is an earth-abundant, inexpensive and non-toxic material. While decades of research have led to its prominence in the microelectronics industry, much less is understood about nanostructured silicon. The use of an indirect-gap material like silicon to absorb light for triplet fusion based photon upconversion proposed has no precedent and is fundamentally interesting. The benign nature of silicon will facilitate rapid adoption in biomedical applications where visible light must be delivered deep in tissue. The multi-excitonic processes investigated here may pave the way to using singlet fission to exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit in photovoltaics. In this talk, the structure property relationships governing triplet energy transfer between molecules and silicon colloids will be elucidated. Transient absorption experiments, in parallel with photon upconversion measurements using continuous wave irradiation, will reveal the mechanism of energy transfer. The relationship between the structural details and the optical properties will guide the rational design of silicon nanoparticle based light absorbers for photon upconversion.
Healing from heterosexism: A discovery-oriented task analysis of emotion-focused writing

Background: Expressive writing exercises are associated with psychological benefits for LGBTQ + adults processing sexual minority stressors, but the processes through which this occurs remain uncle...
High-precision sensing of chemical warfare simulants using mid-infrared spectroscopy

We show mid-infrared detection of chemical warfare simulants using rapidly tuned and broadband mid-infrared laser spectroscopy suite of chemical species with disparate absorption cross-sections. Sarin gas is one of the most lethal chemical weapons with significant impacts at trace concentrations as low as 64 ppbv within a very short exposure time. In this research, we develop theoretical models to design a mid-infrared (8-11 μm) detection system for high-precision sensing of trace chemical-warfare agents. The models are based on absorption cross-sections and theoretical estimation of chemicals using direct-absorption spectroscopy. Due to the extremely hazardous nature of Sarin, Triethyl Phosphate (TEP), which has a very similar structure to Sarin, was chosen as a proxy chemical. TEP is a standard simulant for organophosphate nerve agents like Sarin. We use a combination of direct absorption spectroscopy and wavelength modulation spectroscopy to resolve and detect line-broadened transitions of TEP. Thus, by analyzing the regression slope of the theoretical absorption cross-section and experimental absorbance, TEP concentration can be estimated in a congested molecular spectrum. The absorption cross-section was modeled using Doppler and Voigt profiles.
The effectiveness of a brief intervention to increase the likelihood of advance care planning among college students.

Advance care planning (ACP) is atypical in the United States, especially among young adults. We designed and evaluated the effectiveness of a brief intervention about the benefits of perceived cont...
Medical-Legal Partnership in Primary Care: Moving Upstream in the Clinic

Medical-legal partnership (MLP) is a health care delivery innovation that embeds civil legal aid expertise into the health care team to address health-harming legal needs for vulnerable populations at risk for poor health. The MLP approach focuses on prevention by addressing upstream structural and systemic social and legal problems that affect patient and population health. Because many unmet legal needs affect health (such as residing in substandard housing; wrongful denial of government income supports, health insurance, or food assistance; family violence; and barriers to care based on immigration status), lawyers are important members of the health care team. This review describes the MLP approach to addressing the social determinants of health, examines its benefits for improving the delivery of primary care for vulnerable patients and populations, and explores new opportunities for MLP in primary care with the advent of systems reforms driven by the Affordable Care Act.
Selective dopaminergic effects on attention and memory in male mice exposed to Methylmercury during adolescence.

Abstract Gestational exposure to methylmercury disrupts dopamine-mediated behavior and produces heightened sensitivity to monoamine agonists later in life. This has been reported and replicated following both pre- and post-natal exposure. Impacts of methylmercury when exposure occurs during the sensitive period of adolescence, a key period of dopaminergic development, remain underexplored. There have been variable results thus far in studies investigating links between adolescent exposure to methylmercury and alterations in executive function and altered sensitivity to monoamine agonists. The current study was designed to investigate adolescent exposure by exposing male mice to 0, 0.3, or 3 ppm methylmercury during adolescence and training them in a hybrid task to assess two executive functions, attention and memory, in adulthood. Behavior in these animals was probed with a range of doses of the dopamine agonist, d-amphetamine, and the norepinephrine agonist, desipramine. Attention and memory in these mice were sensitive to disruption by d-amphetamine and interacted with methylmercury exposure. Choice latencies were also longer in the MeHg-exposed mice. Desipramine did not affect behavior in these animals nor did it interact with methylmercury. It is concluded that methylmercury-related inhibition of behavior observed in this study were differentially sensitive to acute disruption in dopamine, but not norepinephrine, neurotransmission.
A novel non-uniform distributed amplifier

In this paper a non-uniform distributed amplifier is presented. Decreasingly scaling of the device and inductor sizes of a distributed amplifier will result in a better voltage and power gain-bandwidth product. A comprehensive analytical study has been done and simulations confirm the superiority of the proposed nonuniform distributed amplifier compared to its conventional counterpart in terms of a better gain-bandwidth product and more flat frequency response.
Germany’s Renewable Energy Law, State Aid and the Internal Market: An eu Perspective

Germany’s Renewable Energy Law (eeg) has come under pressure. The European Commission announced in December 2013 that it would perform an investigation for violation of state aid rules. The eeg subsidizes the production of renewable energy and requires electricity consumers to pay an “eeg surcharge”. The Commission is concerned that energy-intensive industries are largely exempt from paying the eeg surcharge and considers the privileges as illegal state aid. Germany disagrees arguing that they are a necessary means to balance the interest of the environment and those of industry burdened with high energy costs. Compromise is feasible, however, and negotiations are ongoing. Arguably more threatening is the legal prospect from Alands Vindkraft, a case in which the Court will judge whether the restriction of feed-in-tariffs to domestic sources violates Article 34 tfeu. If the Court follows the opinion of General Advocate Bot, Germany may have to open the eeg subsidy scheme to renewable sources outside the country, surely leading German voters to question the legitimacy of the eeg altogether.
Contracting chicken embryo heart cells in tissue culture: Effect of viruses and other agents

Abstract Actively contracting chicken embryo heart cells were cultured in test tubes. Some of the contracting cells were observed to have cross-striations like those of cardiac muscle cells. Pilocarpine, strophanthin K, carbamylcholine, electrical stimulation, and omission of glutamine or other amino acids from the media stimulated contraction. Four egg-adapted myxoviruses (influenza A/PR8/34, A2/N.O.1/57, and B/K302/59, and parainfluenza 1/Sendai/52) produced a cytopathic effect in chicken embryo heart cultures. This effect was not demonstrated to be associated with replication of the viruses, but was inactivated by previous heating or neutralization with antiserum. A similar cytopathic effect was produced by these viruses in cultures of other types of chicken embryonic cells, indicating that the cytopathologic change induced in chicken embryo heart cells was nonspecific. The ease with which large numbers of contracting chicken embryo heart cells can be cultured suggests that this experimental model may be useful in the study of the effects of infectious agents, toxins, drugs, and metabolic and nutritional changes on heart muscle.
On the relationship between packet size and router performance for heavy-tailed traffic

The problem of characterizing the relationship between packet size and network delay has received little attention in the field. Research in that area has been limited to either simulation studies or empirical observations that are detached from analytic traffic modeling. From a queuing viewpoint, it is simple to show that these three variables are inter-related, which necessitates a more careful study. We present a traffic model of a router fed by ON/OFF-type sources with heavy-tailed burst sizes. The traffic model considered is consistent with the evidence that Web traffic is heavy-tailed. The analysis cases that are considered establish a quantitative characterization of the complex relationship among packet payload and header sizes, traffic burstiness, and router queuing delay.
SIV-induced Translocation of Bacterial Products in the Liver Mobilizes Myeloid Dendritic and Natural Killer Cells Associated With Liver Damage

Disruption of the mucosal epithelium during lentivirus infections permits translocation of microbial products into circulation, causing immune activation and driving disease. Although the liver directly filters blood from the intestine and is the first line of defense against gut-derived antigens, the effects of microbial products on the liver are unclear. In livers of normal macaques, minute levels of bacterial products were detectable, but increased 20-fold in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected animals. Increased microbial products in the liver induced production of the chemoattractant CXCL16 by myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs), causing subsequent recruitment of hypercytotoxic natural killer (NK) cells expressing the CXCL16 receptor, CXCR6. Microbial accumulation, mDC activation, and cytotoxic NK cell frequencies were significantly correlated with markers of liver damage, and SIV-infected animals consistently had evidence of hepatitis and fibrosis. Collectively, these data indicate that SIV-associated accumulation of microbial products in the liver initiates a cascade of innate immune activation, resulting in liver damage.
Coupling instrumental and geological records of sea-level change: Evidence from southern New England of an increase in the rate of sea-level rise in the late 19th century

[1] We construct a high-resolution relative sea-level record for the past 700 years by dating basal salt-marsh peat samples above a glacial erratic in an eastern Connecticut salt marsh, to test whether or not the apparent recent acceleration in the rate of sea-level rise (SLR) is coeval with climate warming. The data reveal an average SLR rate of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm/year from about 1300 to 1850 A.D. Coupling of the regional tide-gauge data (1856 to present) with this marsh-based record indicates that the nearly three-fold increase in the regional rate of SLR to modern levels likely occurred in the later half of the 19th century. Thus the timing of the observed SLR rate increase is coincident with the onset of climate warming, indicating a possible link between historic SLR increases and recent temperature increases.
Sequence and structure of the mouse connexin45 gene.

The connexin45 (Cx45) gene was cloned from a mouse genomic Bacterial Artificial Chromosome library. Approximately 8.4 kb of the genomic DNA was sequenced, and the structure of the Cx45 gene was determined. The mouse Cx45 gene is composed of 3 exons, with the entire coding sequence contained within exon III (EMBL Accession Number AJ300716). This structure is unique for the Cx45 gene, since all other members of the connexin family have only two exons. In addition, computer analysis reveals a potential TATA box and two putative AP-1 binding sites in the 5′ region of the gene. Sequence alignment with connexin43 indicates substantial homology in the intronic sequences upstream of the 3′ exons of the two genes, suggesting that the Cx45 gene is inherently similar to the rest of the connexin family, and that it probably evolved from an ancestor common to the other connexins.
Systemic bone disease developing in small premature infants.

Three very small premature infants developed systemic bone disease, discovered in their third month of life. Roentgenograms showed epiphyseal separations, extensive subperiosteal new bone, metaphyseal cupping, rib fractures, porosis, and enlarged costochondral junctions. The babies were hypoproteinemic and anemic. One was severely neutropenic, the others moderately so. In two infants, the abnormalities slowly disappeared. The most severely affected infant died of an apparently unrelated congenital malformation. Examination of the bones post-mortem confirmed porosis, fractures, epiphyseal shippages, and periosteal new bone. There was failure of normal enchondral bone growth, which was much more severely affected than intramembranous bone formation. We believe the cause of this illness to be metabolic and probably nutritional. It is unlike any of the better known deficiency syndromes. There are similarities to the syndrome reported in copper deficiency depletion. Whatever the cause, the illness may be fairly common among small premature infants.
The effects of testosterone on the cavernous tissue and erectile function

A review of the current literature is conducted to explore the developmental aspects, animal and human experiences and the effects of pharmacological manipulation to explain the role androgens play in sexual function with special emphasis on erectile function and the erectile tissue. This review reveals that androgens are necessary for the normal development of the penis and their deficiency results in significant structural abnormalities. Although androgen receptors in the penis decrease after puberty, they usually do not disappear completely. Animal data show that androgens support erectile function through a direct effect on the erectile tissue. Experimental castration results in impaired erectile response to central and peripheral stimulation and decrease in penile tissue concentration of nitric oxide synthase-containing nerves. Testosterone replacement reverses these abnormalities. In the rat penis, apoptosis is induced by castration and new DNA synthesis is induced by testosterone replenishment. Human data are less clear than animal data. Castration results in loss of libido and in erectile dysfunction. However, these effects are not universal. Testosterone enhances libido, frequency of sexual acts and sleep-related erections. Its effects on erotic erections are not clear.
Submicrosecond Time Resolution Atomic Force Microscopy for Probing Nanoscale Dynamics

We propose, simulate, and experimentally validate a new mechanical detection method to analyze atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilever motion that enables noncontact discrimination of transient events with ∼100 ns temporal resolution without the need for custom AFM probes, specialized instrumentation, or expensive add-on hardware. As an example application, we use the method to screen thermally annealed poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester photovoltaic devices under realistic testing conditions over a technologically relevant performance window. We show that variations in device efficiency and nanoscale transient charging behavior are correlated, thereby linking local dynamics with device behavior. We anticipate that this method will find application in scanning probe experiments of dynamic local mechanical, electronic, magnetic, and biophysical phenomena.
Actin cable dynamics and Rho/Rock orchestrate a polarized cytoskeletal architecture in the early steps of assembling a stratified epithelium

To enable stratification and barrier function, the epidermis must permit self-renewal while maintaining adhesive connections. By generating K14-GFP-actin mice to monitor actin dynamics in cultured primary keratinocytes, we uncovered a role for the actin cytoskeleton in establishing cellular organization. During epidermal sheet formation, a polarized network of nascent intercellular junctions and radial actin cables assemble in the apical plane of the monolayer. These actin fibers anchor to a central actin-myosin network, creating a tension-based plane of cytoskeleton across the apical surface of the sheet. Movement of the sheet surface relative to its base expands the zone of intercellular overlap, catalyzing new sites for nascent intercellular junctions. This polarized cytoskeleton is dependent upon alpha-catenin, Rho, and Rock, and its regulation may be important for wound healing and/or stratification, where coordinated tissue movements are involved.
Laparoscopic cryosurgery of the kidney in the porcine model: an acute histological study.

Abstract Objectives. To verify histologically whether cryosurgery of the kidney can be accomplished reproducibly without injuring adjacent structures, using a combination of ultrasound and laparoscopic guidance. Materials and Methods. Six kidneys from three domestic female farm pigs were utilized in the study. Under general anesthesia and after obtaining pneumoperitoneum, the lower pole of the kidney was mobilized laparoscopically and the ureter and adjacent bowel were protected with saline-soaked gauze. Two 3.8 mm-cryoprobes were placed percutaneously into the lower pole and cryoablation was carried out under laparoscopic and ultrasound guidance using a double-freeze technique (10-minute freeze and 5-minute thaw cycles to a probe temperature of −185°C to −196°C) in five kidneys (one control). The kidneys, adjacent ureter and bowel were harvested acutely, and macroscopic, histologic, and electron microscopic evaluation of all specimens was performed. Results. Macroscopically, clear margins of cryodestruction corresponded with the ultrasound images of the iceball. In all five treated kidneys, reproducible cell death corresponding to visible margins of cryodestruction were verified histologically. Cell death was further corroborated by electron microscopy. Adjacent structures (ureter and bowel) were sectioned and no significant damage was noted. Blood pressure remained constant throughout the procedure. A crack in the renal parenchyma of one kidney was noted during the thaw phase; at harvest that animal was found to have an intraperitoneal hemorrhage. Conclusion. Combined laparoscopic and ultrasound-guided cryoablation of the lower pole of the kidney can be accomplished reproducibly in the porcine model without injury to adjacent structures.
Prenatal Testosterone and Preschool Disruptive Behavior Disorders.

Abstract Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD), including Oppositional-Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), are fairly common and highly impairing childhood behavior disorders that can be diagnosed as early as preschool. Prenatal exposure to testosterone may be particularly relevant to these early-emerging DBDs that exhibit a sex-biased prevalence rate favoring males. The current study examined associations between preschool DBD symptom domains and prenatal exposure to testosterone measured indirectly via right 2D:4D finger-length ratios. The study sample consisted of 109 preschool-age children between ages 3 and 6 (64% males; 72% with DBD) and their primary caregivers. Primary caregivers completed a semi-structured interview (i.e., Kiddie Disruptive Behavior Disorder Schedule), as well as symptom questionnaires (i.e., Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale, Peer Conflict Scale); teachers and/or daycare providers completed symptom questionnaires and children provided measures of prenatal testosterone exposure, measured indirectly via finger-length ratios (i.e., right 2D:4D). Study results indicated a significant association of high prenatal testosterone (i.e., smaller right 2D:4D) with high hyperactive–impulsive ADHD symptoms in girls but not boys, suggesting that the effect may be driven by, or might only exist in, girls. The present study suggests that prenatal exposure to testosterone may increase risk for early ADHD, particularly hyperactivity–impulsivity, in preschool girls.
Modeling spatial patterns of rare species using eigenfunction-based spatial filters: An example of modified delta model for zero-inflated data

Abstract Data of rare species usually contain a high percentage of zero observations due to their low abundance. Such data are generally referred as zero-inflated data. Modeling spatial patterns in such data has been challenging, especially when large datasets are involved and intensive computing are required. The eigenfunction-based spatial filtering provides a flexible tool that allows the existing modeling approaches that can handle zero-inflated data such as the delta model to be applied in the presence of spatial dependence. With a real dataset, the longline seabird bycatch data, the present study demonstrated a modification of delta model with the spatial filters to investigate spatial patterns in zero-inflated data for rare species. We explored a total of 108 spatial weighting matrices, and modified the delta model by incorporating the spatial filters generated from the best spatial weighting matrix. We applied the five-fold cross-validation to compare performance of the modified delta model with other three candidate models based on the mean absolute error and the mean bias. The three candidate models included the baseline model without spatial dependence considered, the trend-surface generalized additive model and the random areal effect model. The delta model modified with spatial filters showed superior performance over the other three candidate models in the seabird bycatch example. With the seabird bycatch example, we illustrated a modification of delta model with the eigenfunction-based spatial filters to investigate spatial patterns. This study provides an alternative to incorporate spatial dependence in the existing approaches for modeling spatial patterns in zero-inflated data for rare species.
Impact of ovarian function on cardiovascular health in women: focus on hypertension

Arterial blood pressure levels and the prevalence of hypertension are generally lower in premenopausal women compared with age-matched men. The lower blood pressure levels in premenopausal women are associated with a lower risk of the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. In contrast, menopause, a state characterized by a physiologic reduction in ovarian hormone levels, is associated with progressive increases in blood pressure and an overall increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. These observations suggest an association between blood pressure regulation and changes in ovarian hormone levels, estrogens in particular. In addition to menopause, the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease is also dramatically increased in premenopausal women with chronic diseases such as diabetes and systemic lupus erythematosus. Studies suggest that these chronic diseases may be associated with an imbalance in ovarian hormones, which may explain the increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in these women. However, the use of hormone therapy to manage the risk and prevent the development of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in women remains controversial. The precise mechanisms by which estrogens contribute to the regulation of blood pressure are still not completely understood. However, accumulating evidence suggests that modulating the activity of locally active hormone systems is one of the major mechanisms by which estrogens exert their effects on target organs, including the vasculature, kidneys, and immune system. In particular, the interaction between estrogens and the renin-angiotensin system has been implicated in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular function in both humans and experimental models. This review summarizes our current understanding of the mechanisms by which estrogens regulate blood pressure and the potential use of hormone therapy in prevention of hypertension and consequent cardiovascular risk.
Cerebral oxygenation during retrograde perfusion

Using a novel near-infrared spectroscopy system to measure saturation-related changes in light absorption, a case is presented in which changes in cerebral oxygenation were observed during retrograde perfusion of the superior vena cava.
Developmental delay of lingual lipase expression after guanethidine-induced sympathectomy.

Rat lingual lipase increases during postnatal development. To evaluate the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the control of lingual lipase during development, suckling rats were chemically sympathectomized by chronic treatment with guanethidine. This treatment was found to be effective in suppressing the developmental increase of lingual lipase. The effect was age dependent and also related to the dose of guanethidine given (i.e., the higher the dose, the more effective the suppression is, up to 40 micrograms/g body wt). The effect of guanethidine on lingual lipase suppression was not a result of induced stress, since simultaneous treatment with RU-38486, a known glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, did not prevent the decrease in lingual lipase activity. Ephedrine, a known sympathomimetic agent, restored the lingual lipase to a near normal level in guanethidine-treated animals, confirming that guanethidine acts through the sympathetic nerves. Furthermore, histochemical studies showed that guanethidine-treatment resulted in the reduction or elimination of catecholaminergic fibers in the von Ebner's glands. The effect of guanethidine was found to be transient, in that the lingual lipase activity showed complete recovery upon withdrawal of the treatment for 1 week. Together, the results indicated that sympathetic nerves have an important regulatory role in lingual lipase in rat pups during development.
In vivo evaluation of new carfentanil-based radioligands for the mu opiate receptor.

Abstract Eight derivatives of [ 11 C]carfentanil were evaluated as alternative mu opiod receptor radioligands with the potential for lower pharmacological activity, faster pharmacokinetics, and/or lower non-specific binding. Derivatives with aryl ring substituents or alkyl group substitutions were prepared in carbon-11 labeled form and examined for initial brain uptake and regional brain tissue pharmacokinetics in mouse brain. Promising derivatives with chloro, methoxy and methyl substituents on one aryl ring were then evaluated for specific binding in an equilibrium infusion rat model of regional brain distributions. Although no derivatives were identified with improved pharmacokinetics or lower non-specific binding, several derivatives show acceptable in vivo specific binding properties and may deserve further evaluation as less potent and thus safer compounds for in vivo imaging studies.
An Electrostatically Driven Conformational Transition Is Involved in the Mechanisms of Substrate Binding and Cooperativity in Cytochrome P450eryF

The effect of ionic strength (I) on substrate-induced spin transitions and cooperativity in cytochrome P450eryF was studied. At a saturating concentration of 1-pyrenebutanol (1-PB) increasing ionic strength in the 0.06−1.2 M range promotes the formation of the high-spin state of P450, which fraction increases from 26% at 0.06 M to 75% at 1.2 M. This effect was associated with a considerable decrease in cooperativity as revealed in the 1-PB-induced spin shift. While P450eryF exhibits distinct positive cooperativity (S50 = 8.3 μM, n = 2.4) with this substrate at low ionic strength (I = 0.06 M), n decreases to 1.2 (S50 = 3.2 μM) at I = 0.66 M. Increasing ionic strength also increases the distance between the first (effector) molecule of 1-PB and the heme, as detected by the changes in the efficiency of FRET from 1-PB to the heme. The modification of Cys154 with 7-(diethylamino)-3-(4‘-maleimidylphenyl)-4-methylcoumarin (CPM) largely suppresses these effects of ionic strength and causes a prominent decrease in...
Infarct-Sparing Effect of A2A-Adenosine Receptor Activation Is Due Primarily to Its Action on Lymphocytes

Background— A2A-adenosine receptor (A2AAR) activation on reperfusion after ischemia reduces the size of myocardial infarction, but the mechanism of action has not been fully defined. Methods and Results— We created chimeric mice by bone marrow transplantation from A2AAR-knockout or green fluorescent donor mice to irradiated congenic C57BL/6 (B6) recipients. In the GFP chimeras, we were unable to detect green fluorescent–producing cells in the vascular endothelium, indicating that bone marrow–derived cells were not recruited to endothelium at appreciable levels after bone marrow transplantation and/or acute myocardial infarction. Injection of 5 or 10 μg/kg of a potent and selective agonist of A2AAR, ATL146e, had no effect on hemodynamic parameters but reduced infarct size in B6 mice after 45 minutes of left anterior descending artery occlusion followed by 24 hours of reperfusion to 42.5±3.0% and 39.3±4.7% of risk region, respectively, compared with 61.0±2.3% in vehicle-treated B6 mice (P<0.05). Myocardial ...
In praise of arrays

Microarray technologies have both fascinated and frustrated the transplant community since their introduction roughly a decade ago. Fascination arose from the possibility offered by the technology to gain a profound insight into the cellular response to immunogenic injury and the potential that this genomic signature would be indicative of the biological mechanism by which that stress was induced. Frustrations have arisen primarily from technical factors such as data variance, the requirement for the application of advanced statistical and mathematical analyses, and difficulties associated with actually recognizing signature gene-expression patterns and discerning mechanisms. To aid the understanding of this powerful tool, its versatility, and how it is dramatically changing the molecular approach to biomedical and clinical research, this teaching review describes the technology and its applications, as well as the limitations and evolution of microarrays, in the field of organ transplantation. Finally, it calls upon the attention of the transplant community to integrate into multidisciplinary teams, to take advantage of this technology and its expanding applications in unraveling the complex injury circuits that currently limit transplant survival.
A Side Chain at Position 48 of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 Protease Flap Provides an Additional Specificity Determinant

Substitution of glycine with glutamic acid at position 48 of the human immunodeficiency virus protease resulted in an enzyme with reduced activity on one of the protease processing sites in the viral Pol polyprotein precursor. Cleavage at this site was restored by a second-site substitution in the substrate replacing an aspartic acid with either glycine or asparagine. These results suggest that the glutamic acid side chain in the mutant protease has an unfavorable charge-charge interaction with this position in the substrate. Cleavage of a processing site in the viral Gag polyprotein precursor with the mutant enzyme was enhanced, and this enhancement was dependent on the presence of an arginine residue in the substrate, again suggesting a charge-charge interaction. The potential for such interactions was confirmed using molecular modeling. The effect of the position 48 substitution was attributed to a 10-fold increase in Km for the processing site in Pol. These results indicate that the addition of a side chain at position 48 can alter the specificity of the HIV-1 protease to substrate in a sequence specific manner and that compensatory changes can be made in the substrate.
Development of a robotic device to improve chronic ankle instability through controlled perturbation

We have created a lightweight compliant robotic ankle orthotic designed to rehabilitate patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) through controlled perturbations during gait. This patient population has deficits in ankle sensorimotor control, making it difficult for them to sense and move the ankle and foot properly. This usually leads to recurrent ankle sprains, a factor that has been linked to an increased risk of osteoarthritis and articular degeneration. Current rehabilitation methods are often static, as clinicians cannot provide perturbation in a dynamic condition such as walking. Our device was developed in response to this issue. It can provide controlled force perturbations to the ankle joint in the sagittal and frontal planes during the swing phase of gait using pneumatic artificial muscles. These artificial muscles are back-drivable and extremely light compared to other types of actuation. These features along with the device being a soft orthotic allow patients to correct the error caused by the perturbations in a proactive or reactive manner. The only rigid component is a foot plate that supports the foot and provides attachments to the pneumatic muscles. The entire device weighs approximately 1.1 kg, this lightweight feature allows patients to walk with their natural gait while wearing the device. The device uses rotary encoders to measure the ankle angles as well as force sensors to determine when the foot is in contact with the ground. Initial results show that while wearing the device, plantarflexion and dorsiflexion were virtually unaffected while eversion was slightly increased during swing phase.
Interference by flavone and flavonols with chloroplast-mediated electron transport and phosphorylation

Abstract The effects of flavone and seven flavonols on the light-induced electron transport and phosphorylation of isolated spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts were investigated. With the exception of flavonol (3-hydroxyflavone), all of the compounds interacted with components of both the ATP-generating and electron transport pathways. Flavonol only interacted with the phosphorylation pathway. Interference with the phosphorylation pathway was evidenced by the greater sensitivity of the phosphorylation reaction than coupled whole-chain electron transport, inhibition of cyclic phosphorylation, inhibition of the light-activated Mg 2+ -ATPase, and inhibition of the heat-activated Ca 2+ -ATPase associated with CF 1 . The overall decreasing order of effectiveness for inhibition of cyclic phosphorylation was: galangin > quercetin = kaempferol = myricetin = flavonol > fisetin > flavone > morin. On the electron transport pathway, all of the compounds, except flavonol, interacted with the Q B -protein complex as, evidenced by inhibition of uncoupled electron transport, alteration of chlorophyll fluorescence transients, and competitive displacement of previously bound radiolabeled atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)- s -triazine]. The decreasing order of effectiveness for inhibition of uncoupled electron transport was: fisetin > quercetir = galangin > kaempferol > flavone > morin.
Further clinical studies with intrahepatic arterial infusion with 5-fluorouracil.

A total of 419 patients with progressive liver disease, in nearly all cases metastatic from gastrointestinal primaries, were treated by intrahepatic arterial infusion with 5-FU. Three-fourths of these patients had had prior trials with intravenous 5-FU for 1 or 2 months to several years and had been switched to the infusion upon the development of progression. Catheters were placed percutaneously and the patients infused with 5-FU at a dose of 20 to 30 mg kg/day × 4, then 15 mg/kg/day × 17, at which point the catheter was removed and the patient sent home on weekly i.v. doses at 15 mg/kg. Toxicity, morbidity, and mortality were minimal with the intrahepatic arterial infusion treatment and the rigid criteria of improvement were met by 55% of the study cases. The survival rate of those patients who responded to the treatment was greater than the survival rate of those who failed to respond.
A novel chlorinated ketide amino acid, herbamide A, from the marine sponge Dysidea herbacea

Abstract A collection of the marine sponge Dysidea herbacea, containing cyanobacterial symbionts, from Papua New Guinea yielded a new ketide amino acid, herbamide A (1), along with the previously reported polychlorinated tetrapeptide, dysidenin (2). The structure of 1 was determined by spectroscopic methods.
Borderline Mucinous Cystic Tumor in Jejunal Pancreatic Heterotopia

Heterotopic pancreas is a relatively common congenital anomaly, usually found incidentally during laparotomies. The jejunum is an uncommon site; stomach and duodenum are the most frequent reported locations. Every pathologic change that occurs in the pancreas can occur in its heterotopic counterpart, but neoplastic transformation is rare. Most reported cases of neoplastic transformation are ductal adenocarcinomas, and there are only a few reported cases of mucinous neoplasms arising in heterotopic pancreas. We report a mucinous neoplasm arising in a heterotopic pancreatic tissue in the jejunum of an 86-year-old woman found during a laparotomy for bowel ischemia. Because of the presence of focal papillary architecture and cytologic atypia, the tumor was classified as a borderline neoplasm. To the best of our knowledge, is the first reported case of a borderline mucinous neoplasm occurring in heterotopic pancreatic tissue.
A penny shaped crack in a transversely isotropic material under non-axisymmetric impact loads

Abstract A solution is given for problems involving non-axisymmetric dynamic impact loading of a penny shaped crack in a transversely isotropic medium. Laplace and Hankel transforms are used to reduce the equations of elasticity to integral equations, and solutions are obtained for the three modes of fracture. The stress intensity factors are determined for a penny shaped crack loaded by concentrated normal impact forces and concentrated radial shear impact forces. The integral equations are solved by numerical methods, and the results are plotted showing how the dynamic stress intensity factors are influenced by the asymmetric loading.
Indices for continuity of care: a systematic review of the literature.

This article systematically reviews published literature on different continuity of care (COC) indices that assess the physician-patient relationship and the applicability of such indices to pediatric and chronic-disease patient populations. Frequency and visit type may vary for pediatric and chronically ill patients versus healthy adult patients. Two investigators independently examined 5,070 candidate articles and identified 246 articles related to COC. Forty-four articles were identified that include 32 different indices used to measure COC. Indices were classified into those that calculated COC primarily based on duration of provider relationship (n = 2), density of visits (n = 17), dispersion of providers (n = 8), sequence of providers (n = 1), or subjective estimates (n = 4). The diversity of COC indices reflect differences in how this measure is conceptualized. No index takes into account the visit type. A unique index that reflects continuity in the physicianpatient relationship for pediatric and ...
Selections From the ABC 2014 Annual Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Let Favorite Assignments Ring: Sharpening Communication Tools and Self and Career Development

This article, the first of a two-part series, catalogs teaching innovations from the 2014 Association for Business Communication Annual Conference. These 12 assignments debuted during two My Favorite Assignment sessions. Learning experiences included job-seeking skills—resume writing, writing job applications, sharpening interview skills, interview performance feedback via video, peers, and handheld mirrors and communication tools—creating effective graphs, charts and figures, interactive web-based communication, crafting PowerPoint slides, managing communication anxiety via the web, and corporate social media strategy/tactics. Additional teaching materials—instructions to students, stimulus materials, slides, grading rubrics, frequently asked questions, and sample student projects—are posted on http://businesscommunication.org/assignments.
A regional system for transport for transport of sick neonates in Arizona

In 1967, newborn intensive care centers were developed within two community hospitals having a combined delivery rate >8000 births/year. Two hundred twelve neonates were transported from rural hospitals to these centers between July, 1967 and June, 1970 by specially trained nurses from the centers under direction of a neonatologist. Characteristics of the infants, distance travelled and morbidity and mortality were compared according to a modification of Lubchenko's method. Mortality associated with IRDS was compared between infants transported from and infants remaining in hospitals of birth. 85% of transported infants had birth weights <2500 g. Observed morbidity (86%) and mortality (28%) exceeded predicted morbidity (65%) and mortality (23%) in these infants. Predicted mortality was the same in transported infants with IRDS remaining in their hospitals of birth (59%) exceeded mortality in transported infants with IRDS (32%). Infants originating within or beyond a 60-mile radius of the center had identical mortality (28%). This transport system has made necessary care available to sick neonates born outside newborn intensive care centers with minimal compromise resulting from transport. Mortality has been independent of distance travelled.
Sucrose cocoate, a component of cosmetic preparations, enhances nasal and ocular peptide absorption

Sucrose cocoate (SL-40), an emulsifier employed in emollient, skin-moisturizing cosmetic formulations, contains a mixture of sucrose esters of coconut fatty acids in aqueous ethanol solution. In order to determine its potential utility in enhancing nasal and ocular drug delivery, absorption studies were performed in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley male rats with calcitonin and insulin, two distinct therapeutic peptides. Administration of a nasal insulin formulation containing 0.5% sucrose cocoate caused a rapid and significant increase in plasma insulin levels, with a concomitant decrease in blood glucose levels. When insulin was administered ocularly in the presence of 0.5% sucrose cocoate, a smaller increase in plasma insulin levels, and a decrease in blood glucose levels, were observed. Administration of a nasal calcitonin formulation containing 0.5% sucrose cocoate caused a rapid increase in plasma calcitonin levels and a concomitant decrease in plasma calcium levels. Mass spectrometric analyses were used to characterize the nature of the sucrose fatty acid esters in the mixture. The most abundant sucrose ester in sucrose cocoate was sucrose monododecanoate, with smaller amounts of sucrose monodecanoate and sucrose monotetradecanoate. In vivo experiments confirmed that this ester was an effective enhancer of nasal peptide drug absorption.
Abstract #10: Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases As Therapeutic Targets for Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) has a prevalence of 250,000 in the United States and an incidence of 12,000 cases per year. Secondary biochemical and physiological changes induced by trauma lead to delayed cell death, inflammation, glial scar formation, and impaired regeneration. Identification of secondary injury processes may lead to development of new therapies to limit tissue damage and improve functional outcome. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is upregulated after SCI with a peak at 3 days. APP is sequentially cleaved by γ-secretase and β-secretase (BACE1) to produce Aβ, which is directly neurotoxic and also serves to activate microglia by releasing associated neuroinflammatory factors. We hypothesized that Aβ increases after SCI and contributes to secondary damage, and that treatment with a γ-secretase inhibitor will reduce inflammation, limit tissue loss, and reduce the functional deficits after injury. Here we show that Aβ increases at 1 day, peaks at 3 days, and begins to decrease at 7 days after spinal cord injury in mice. PS1, which is a component of γ-secretase, and BACE1 are upregulated after SCI. Moreover, treatment with a γ-secretase inhibitor (DAPT) reduces the production of Aβ after injury. These data suggest that γ-secretase inhibitors may have therapeutic benefit after SCI. Support This work was supported by grants from the Paralyzed Veterans of America ( PVA2685 ) and the National Institutes of Health ( 5R01NS054221-03 ).
Sound and American Religions

Americans of diverse religious backgrounds have striven to hear God’s voice or to respond to the call of other suprahuman forces. Yet despite increased attention to visual and material culture, religious studies research mostly has been deaf to the sounds of American religious life and to the significance of hearing as a spiritual practice. This essay explores the theoretical and methodological roots of this disciplinary deafness and offers theoretical resources from fields such as social history, anthropology, acoustic sciences, and phenomenology. It reviews recurring themes in research on sound and American religions—especially related to the role of music in constructing identity and difference—and suggests directions for further research, including the need to attend to how sound mediates contact among diverse religious communities. This essay encourages scholars to become more attuned to the sonic world of American religious life.
The effect of inclusion inβ-cyclodextrin on the chemistry of peroxides: Reactions of radicals withβ-cyclodextrin

Studies by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, HPLC and NMR showed that radicals produced by thermolysis and photolysis of benzoyl peroxide,t-butyl peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide included inβ-cyclodextrin (β-CD), undergo significant reaction with theβ-CD. The formation ofβ-CD radicals was observed by EPR. Products formed by addition of radicals toβ-CD were also observed. Such host:guest radical reactions explain the reported stabilization of peroxides, found withβ-CD inclusion, as being primarily due to the interruption of chain reactions by trapping of the chain carriers. A small increase in activation barrier for cleavage of the included peroxide inβ-CD was also observed.
Description of observer feedback in an objective structured clinical examination and effects on examinees

In an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) evaluating undergraduate medical students’ physical diagnosis skills, all examinees received immediate performance feedback from faculty observers at the completion of each station. To describe the feedback and to evaluate its effect on examinee performance, a sample of 90 observer‐examinee encounters with faculty observers representing five different OSCE tasks were videotaped during the OSCE. Types of feedback during these encounters were analyzed using a behavior tally sheet. The data show that observer feedback most often included summative positive and specific negative statements and that observers’ specific statements were closely related to the checklists used by observers to evaluate examinees’ performance. Statistically significant correlations exist between examinee scores and the quantity of summative positive statements, specific positive statements, and checklist‐related omission statements given to each examinee. Post‐OSCE survey respon...
Submicron Device Physics For Numerical Simulations

Recent advances in physics for submicron, bipolar-crystalline devices suggest principles that are valid when modeling bipolar devices with noncrystalline regions such as those with polysilicon, polycrystalline silicon, and hydrogenated amorphous silicon emitters. These principles from crystalline device physics are summarized, and their implications for the noncrystalline regions of bipolar devices are given.