cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human mesenchymal stem cells reduce the severity of acute lung injury in a sheep model of bacterial pneumonia

Background Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells (hMSCs) improve survival in mouse models of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and reduce pulmonary oedema in a perfused human lung preparation injured with Escherichia coli bacteria. We hypothesised that clinical grade hMSCs would reduce the severity of acute lung injury (ALI) and would be safe in a sheep model of ARDS. Methods Adult sheep (30–40 kg) were surgically prepared. After 5 days of recovery, ALI was induced with cotton smoke insufflation, followed by instillation of live Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.5×10 11 CFU) into both lungs under isoflurane anaesthesia. Following the injury, sheep were ventilated, resuscitated with lactated Ringer9s solution and studied for 24 h. The sheep were randomly allocated to receive one of the following treatments intravenously over 1 h in one of the following groups: (1) control, PlasmaLyte A, n=8; (2) lower dose hMSCs, 5×10 6 hMSCs/kg, n=7; and (3) higher-dose hMSCs, 10×10 6 hMSCs/kg, n=4. Results By 24 h, the PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio was significantly improved in both hMSC treatment groups compared with the control group (control group: PaO 2 /FiO 2 of 97±15 mm Hg; lower dose: 288±55 mm Hg (p=0.003); higher dose: 327±2 mm Hg (p=0.003)). The median lung water content was lower in the higher-dose hMSC-treated group compared with the control group (higher dose: 5.0 g wet/g dry [IQR 4.9–5.8] vs control: 6.7 g wet/g dry [IQR 6.4–7.5] (p=0.01)). The hMSCs had no adverse effects. Conclusions Human MSCs were well tolerated and improved oxygenation and decreased pulmonary oedema in a sheep model of severe ARDS. Trail registration number: NCT01775774 for Phase 1. NCT02097641 for Phase 2.
Pyogenic liver abscesses: a comparison of older and younger patients

Objective: to evaluate whether older patients with pyogenic liver abscess have distinctive presenting features or if their management differs from that of younger patients. Design: retrospective chart review of aU cases occurring from 1982 to 1992. Setting: a regional trauma centre and two large community hospitals. Patients: a total of 38 individuals with a final diagnosis of pyogenic liver abscess. Seventeen patients aged 70 or older comprised the study group and 21 patients under age 70 the comparison group. Measurements: clinical features, laboratory data, therapeutic interventions and outcomes were sought. The presumed aetiology of the abscess was determined. Results: the study group had fewer men (47% us 81%, P = 0.028), less abdominal tenderness on physical examination (41 % us 76%, P = 0.028) and fewer positive blood cultures in those sampled (31 % us 67%, P = 0.04) than the comparison group. No study group patient had a history of trauma. Times to diagnosis were 3.2 and 5.9 days (P= 0.14) and lengths of stay 2l.6 and 29.3 days (P= 0.08) for study and comparison groups, respectively. There were no differences in mortality or other demographic, clinical, laboratory or pathological variables. Conclusions: elderly patients with pyogenic liver abscess have some subtle differences in clinical and laboratory presentation, but these do not appear to delay diagnosis. Active management is tolerated well, with no difference in mortality.
Effect of Particle Size on Compaction of Materials with Different Deformation Mechanisms with and without Lubricants

This work investigates the effect of excipient particle size on compaction properties of brittle, plastic and viscoelastic materials with and without added lubricants. Sieve cuts of Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), Starch and Dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate were obtained by sieving, then samples were tested without lubrication or with added lubricant (0.5% Mg stearate mixed for either 5 or 30-min). Compacts were left overnight before testing. It was found that in the absence of lubricant, compact tensile strength (TS) was dependent on particle size only for starch. With Mg stearate, lubricant sensitivity shows a strong dependence on excipient particle size for both starch and MCC, where smaller particles are less affected by lubricant. Dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate was not sensitive to lubricant even after 30 min mixing. This study highlights that in the absence of lubricant, initial particle size of excipients has no impact on compact strength not only for Dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate (brittle), but also for MCC (plastic). On the other hand, TS is dependent on particle size both with or without added lubricant for starch (viscoelastic).
Multiple sclerosis: it's not the disease you thought it was.

Multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common disabling neurologic disease of young people, afflicts approximately a quarter of a million Americans. The symptoms of MS result from recurrent attacks of inflammation in the central nervous system, which probably occur through an autoimmune mechanism. The target of the immune attack is myelin, the lipoprotein sheath that surrounds the axons and insulates them, and enhances nerve conduction. The white matter of the brain takes its name from the glistening white appearance of this lipid wrapping, which contains most of the pathways, tracts and axonal projections of the central nervous system. (The gray matter contains primarily the cell bodies of the neurons themselves.) Myelin is made by cells called oligodendrocytes and when it is inflamed and damaged, nerve conduction is disrupted and nerves thus lose function, thereby producing the neurologic symptoms of MS.
High performance computing environments without the fuss: the Bootable Cluster CD

This paper confronts the issue of bringing high performance computing (HPC) education to those who do not have access to a dedicated clustering environments in an easy, fully-functional, inexpensive manner through the use of the "Bootable Cluster CD" (BCCD). As an example, many primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI's) do not have the facilities, time, or money to purchase hardware, maintain user accounts, configure software components, and keep ahead of the latest security advisories for a dedicated clustering environment. The BCCD project's primary goal is to support an instantaneous, drop-in distributed computing environment. A consequence of providing such an environment is the ability to promote the education of high performance computing issues at the undergraduate level through the ability to turn an ordinary lab of networked workstations temporarily into a non-invasive, fully-functional clustering classroom. The BCCD itself is a self-contained clustering environment in a bootable CD format. Using the BCCD, students, educators and researchers are able to gain insight into configuration, utilization, troubleshooting, debugging, and administration issues uniquely associated with parallel computing in a live, easy to use "drop-in" clustering environment. As the name implies, the BCCD provides a full, cohesive clustering environment running GNU/Linux when booted from the CDROM drives of networked workstations.
Reinvigorating the Struggling Organization The Unification of Schein's Oeuvre Into a Diagnostic Model

With many scholars identifying organizational development and change as increasingly fragmented, it is time to push for coalescence by reuniting the field with its central principles. The work of Edgar Schein is used to derive a model that achieves this task by combining context, content, and process theories of change. This model also supports Schein's contribution to a growing body of knowledge based on the central tension between autonomy and structure. Integrating Schein's theories of career dynamics, process consultation, and culture change, along with the latter's subthemes of psychological safety and resocialization, this model contributes to the scientific body of knowledge by providing a guiding framework that uncovers the central tension as it permeates the context, content, and process of change. To provide practical validity, the model is used in a case study involving Unified Financial Services, a large financial services firm implementing a radical cultural change involving career development.
In Memoriam: Daniel Offer, 1929–2013

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Daniel Offer, M. D., on May 13, 2013. Dan was the founding editor of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and served 35 years as its Editor-in-Chief. After his retirement from active editing and his professorship at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, he continued to serve as editor emeritus to the journal and helped it continue to flourish. No one will ever be as important to the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and few have had such a strong mark on the empirical understanding of adolescence. He was a truly gigantic force in adolescent psychiatry, one that transformed prevailing views of normal adolescence and the transition out of it. His many articles and books have become classics. Dan’s scholarly contributions have been recognized widely, particularly by developmentalists. In 2006, for example, a group of colleagues held a festschrift in his honor (see Levesque 2007, 2008). That gathering led to several articles exemplifying the breadth and depth of Dan’s influence. Among those articles were three editorials focusing directly on Dan. One briefly reviewed his academic contributions and influence on the study of adolescence (Levesque 2007). Another, by his wife who also happened to be his research collaborator, engagingly described Dan’s childhood, eventual successes and many accomplishments (Offer, M. K. 2007). The third, by Dan himself, provided a reflection on his academic journey and took the opportunity to provide lessons he had learned (Offer, D. 2007). Those pieces, particularly the latter two, eloquently stand as wonderful tributes to Dan, as they describe so well who he was, what he stood for, and what he cherished. The brief editorials reveal why many have said that Dan had an incredible life and that he appreciated every moment. The editorials also confirm the striking aptness of a quotation, displayed at his memorial service, for describing Dan’s approach to life: ‘‘Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting...Holy cow....what a ride!!!!’’
Transcriptomic response of the red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, to nitrogen and phosphorus depletion and addition

The role of coastal nutrient sources in the persistence of Karenia brevis red tides in coastal waters of Florida is a contentious issue that warrants investigation into the regulation of nutrient responses in this dinoflagellate. In other phytoplankton studied, nutrient status is reflected by the expression levels of N- and P-responsive gene transcripts. In dinoflagellates, however, many processes are regulated post-transcriptionally. All nuclear encoded gene transcripts studied to date possess a 5' trans-spliced leader (SL) sequence suggestive, based on the trypanosome model, of post-transcriptional regulation. The current study therefore sought to determine if the transcriptome of K. brevis is responsive to nitrogen and phosphorus and is informative of nutrient status. Microarray analysis of N-depleted K. brevis cultures revealed an increase in the expression of transcripts involved in N-assimilation (nitrate and ammonium transporters, glutamine synthetases) relative to nutrient replete cells. In contrast, a transcriptional signal of P-starvation was not apparent despite evidence of P-starvation based on their rapid growth response to P-addition. To study transcriptome responses to nutrient addition, the limiting nutrient was added to depleted cells and changes in global gene expression were assessed over the first 48 hours following nutrient addition. Both N- and P-addition resulted in significant changes in approximately 4% of genes on the microarray, using a significance cutoff of 1.7-fold and p ≤ 10-4. By far, the earliest responding genes were dominated in both nutrient treatments by pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins, which increased in expression up to 3-fold by 1 h following nutrient addition. PPR proteins are nuclear encoded proteins involved in chloroplast and mitochondria RNA processing. Correspondingly, other functions enriched in response to both nutrients were photosystem and ribosomal genes. Microarray analysis provided transcriptomic evidence for N- but not P-limitation in K. brevis. Transcriptomic responses to the addition of either N or P suggest a concerted program leading to the reactivation of chloroplast functions. Even the earliest responding PPR protein transcripts possess a 5' SL sequence that suggests post-transcriptional control. Given the current state of knowledge of dinoflagellate gene regulation, it is currently unclear how these rapid changes in such transcript levels are achieved.
Political Science and International Courts

The aim of this paper is to examine the essential features of political science theories and methods as applied to international courts and tribunals, and to identify the value-added insights as well as the weaknesses of this research. The paper proceeds in five parts. Following a brief introduction, the second part of the paper considers a fundamental, epistemological distinction between law and political science as disciplines, with the former taking a largely – but not exclusively – doctrinal and “internalist” approach to international law, while the latter generally adopts a positivist and “externalist” approach. Next, in the third section, I briefly explore the range of political science theories about international politics, and the ways in which these theories have been adapted to the study of international law and courts. Building on this epistemological and theoretical basis, part four identifies five substantive, value-added contributions of political science to the study of international adjudication, which I organize under the rubrics of institutional design, judicial behavior, the behavior of litigants, judgment compliance, and the dynamic evolution of international adjudication systems over time. The fifth and final section identifies weaknesses, lacunae and blind spots of the extant political science literature, which I argue has drawn too heavily on off-the-shelf IR approaches and not enough on the insights of international legal scholarship, and concludes with a call for a more truly interdisciplinary law-and-politics approach to the study of international courts.
Cardiovascular disease and the elderly: can the evidence base avoid irrelevance?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the elderly is a problem of rapidly growing importance. The prevalence in CVD in older persons is currently about three-fold that in younger populations.1 Further, with the disproportionate growth of the elderly population worldwide, the numbers of older patients with CVD will expand considerably. Also contributing to the impact of CVD in the elderly is the sharp increase in the risk of adverse CVD outcomes that occurs with increasing age.2 Finally, the greater comorbidity associated with older age contributes to a more complex CVD patient population.3,4 This confluence of factors creates an increasingly urgent need to understand effective strategies to ameliorate the burden of CVD in older persons. Historically, however, clinical trials in CVD have focused on young populations and those without substantial comorbidity. The limited enrolment of elderly patients is likely due to several factors, such as concerns about follow-up or competing risks, both of which may threaten trials’ internal validity or power. However, the failure to include adequate numbers of older patients represents a serious threat to the external validity of trials. For example, among US Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with heart failure, <25% of patients met the enrolment criteria for the landmark clinical trials that established the efficacy of ACE-inhibitors, beta-blockers, and aldosterone antagonists.5 Thus, in many cases, clinicians face the increasing problem of providing care for patient populations for which the evidence base is either rudimentary or non-existent. The analysis by Gianni et al .6 is an important initial step towards filling in the substantial deficiencies in the existing evidence base addressing the burden … *Corresponding author. Tel: +1 303 436 5498; fax: +1 303 436 7739. E-mail address : fred.masoudi{at}uchsc.edu
Micro-operation cache: a power aware frontend for variable instruction length ISA

Modern computer architectures that support variable length instruction set architectures (ISA), such as the Intel's IA-32, distinguish between the architectural level of presentation and the micro-architectural representations of the instructions. At the micro-architectural level, instructions are represented by fixed-length micro-operations termed uops, and complex instructions are broken into sequence of uops. The fetch and decode operations in such architectures are extremely complicated and power hungry, especially if they aim to handle several variable length instructions per cycle. This paper suggests caching uop sequences from decoded instructions in a special structure, termed uop cache (UC), and use this fix-length decoded format when possible. Doing so enables reduction in the processor's power and energy consumption while not compromising performance. We will show that a moderately-sized UC can eliminate about 75% instruction decodes across a broad range of benchmarks and over 90% in multimedia applications and high-power tests. For existing Intel P6 family processors, the eliminated work may save about 10% of the full-chip power consumption. While the new proposed technique can be used to save power without degrading performance, we can also use it to improve processor performance when power is constrained.
Complement-dependent Clearance of Apoptotic Cells by Human Macrophages

Apoptotic cells are rapidly engulfed by phagocytes, but the receptors and ligands responsible for this phenomenon are incompletely characterized. Previously described receptors on blood- derived macrophages have been characterized in the absence of serum and show a relatively low uptake of apoptotic cells. Addition of serum to the phagocytosis assays increased the uptake of apoptotic cells by more than threefold. The serum factors responsible for enhanced uptake were identified as complement components that required activation of both the classical pathway and alternative pathway amplification loop. Exposure of phosphatidylserine on the apoptotic cell surface was partially responsible for complement activation and resulted in coating the apoptotic cell surface with C3bi. In the presence of serum, the macrophage receptors for C3bi, CR3 (CD11b/CD18) and CR4 (CD11c/CD18), were significantly more efficient in the uptake of apoptotic cells compared with previously described receptors implicated in clearance. Complement activation is likely to be required for efficient uptake of apoptotic cells within the systemic circulation, and early component deficiencies could predispose to systemic autoimmunity by enhanced exposure to and/or aberrant deposition of apoptotic cells.
Resistive transition broadening in two-phase polycrystalline YBaCuO

A model proposed by Tinkham1 to explain the resistance versus temperature broadening found in high Tc superconductors in applied magnetic fields is extended to “foot and knee”-structured data taken on polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O6+δ. The proposed extension involves a series combination of two types of superconductors. For this series combination to result, a critical ratio of the two types of superconductors must be met—a result common to both percolation and randomized cellular autonoma theory. This critical ratio is investigated via statistical computer models of a polycrystalline superconductor having two phases of crystallites—one with substantially lower Jc than the other.
The viability of using compression to decrease message log sizes

Fault-tolerance and its associated overheads are of great concern for current and future extreme-scale systems. The dominant mechanism used today, coordinated checkpoint/restart, places great demands on the I/O system and the method requires frequent synchronization. Uncoordinated checkpointing with message logging addresses many of these limitations at the cost of increasing the storage needed to hold message logs. These storage requirements are critical to the scalability of extreme-scale systems. In this paper, we investigate the viability of using standard compression algorithms to reduce message log sizes for a number of key high-performance computing workloads. Using these workloads we show that, while not be a universal solution for all applications, compression has the potential to significantly reduce message log sizes for a great number of important workloads.
Generalized time domain multipath channel and its application in ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless optimal receiver - part III: system performance analysis

This paper deals with the time domain characteristics of UWB multipath channel while considering UWB pulse shape distortion and its impact on system performance as well as optimal receiver design. It appears that no deterministic and analytical channel model in the time domain has ever appeared in the literature, to our best knowledge. A generalized channel model and some related exact solutions for some specific geometric configurations are discussed, based on the pulse propagation mechanisms of reflection and diffraction. In addition, a system performance framework integrated with the close-form channel model expressions is also provided, corresponding to the optimal receiver structure and the concrete geometric configurations of a UWB channel. This work is very important in the design of the optimal UWB systems
Epiphytic Survival of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. allii and X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli on Leguminous Hosts and Onion

Xanthomonas leaf blight of onion (Allium cepa), caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. allii, and common bacterial blight of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli, are perennial problems in the Central High Plains of the United States. Onion and dry bean are commonly grown in rotation in Colorado, but it is unknown if X. axonopodis pv. allii and X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli survive epiphytically or pathogenically on dry bean and onion, respectively. Under high humidity growth chamber conditions, epiphytic X. axonopodis pv. allii populations increased on alfalfa, chickpea, dry bean, lentil, and soybean, but the epiphytic populations were at least 10-fold greater on onion. When artificially inoculated under field conditions, epiphytic populations of X. axonopodis pv. allii were recovered from dry bean, lentil, and onion, but the bacterium did not persist on chickpea or soybean. Epiphytic X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli was recovered from symptomless onion plants in fields cropped to dry bean the prior year, but not from fields cropped to a host other than dry bean. Close rotation of onion and dry bean may allow X. axonopodis pv. allii and X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli to persist epiphytically, and crop rotation schemes may need to be altered to reduce survival of these pathogens in onion and dry bean cropping systems.
Integrating Formal and Grounded Representations in Combinatorics Learning

The terms concreteness fading and progressive formalization have been used to describe instructional approaches to science and mathematics that use grounded representations to introduce concepts and later transition to more formal representations of the same concepts. There are both theoretical and empirical reasons to believe that such an approach may improve learning outcomes relative to instruction employing only grounded or only formal representations (Freudenthal, 1991; Goldstone & Son, 2005; McNeil & Fyfe, 2012; but see Kaminski, Sloutsky, & Heckler, 2008). Two experiments tested the effectiveness of this approach to instruction in the mathematical domain of combinatorics, using outcome listing and numerical calculation as examples of grounded and formal representations, respectively. The study employed a pretest-training, posttest design. Transfer performance, that is, participants’ improvement from pretest to posttest, was used to assess the effectiveness of instruction received during training. In Experiment 1, transfer performance was compared for 4 types of instruction, which differed only in the types of representation they employed: pure listing (i.e., listing only), pure formalism (i.e., numerical calculation only), list fading (i.e., listing followed by numerical calculation), and formalism-first (i.e., listing introduced after numerical calculation). List fading instruction led to transfer performance on par with pure formalism instruction and higher than formalism-first and pure listing instruction. In Experiment 2, an enhanced version of list fading training was again compared to pure formalism. However, no difference in transfer performance due to training was found. The results suggest that combining grounded and formal representations can be an effective approach to combinatorics instruction but is not necessarily preferable to using formal representations alone. If both grounded and formal representations are employed, the former should precede rather than follow the latter in the instructional sequence.
Unconscious Fantasy and Modern Conflict Theory

This article traces the evolution of the concept of unconscious fantasy from its origins in Freud's early clinical writings to its place in the theory and practice of modern conflict theory. The central role played by Arlow's clarification of the ubiquitous influence of unconscious fantasy life on aspects of normal mental functioning such as perception, memory, thinking, and reality testing is highlighted. Some contemporary clinical applications of our understanding of unconscious fantasies are added to the long familiar awareness of its role in symptom formation.
Cerebral Blood Flow Thresholds in Acute Stroke Triage

To the Editor: We read with interest the recent article by Bandera and colleagues reporting their systematic review of cerebral blood flow (CBF) thresholds for ischemic penumbra and infarct core in acute ischemic stroke.1 Although we agree with the conclusion that further work is indeed required, before the use of CBF thresholds can become clinically routine, there are a number of important points not covered in this article that deserve further discussion. First and most important, this review is already dated in that there is …
Isoelectrophoretic characterization of Pseudomonas cytochrome oxidase/nitrite reductase and its heme d1-containing domain.

Abstract The cytochrome oxidase/nitrite reductase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been purified to homogeneity as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When this "homogeneous" protein is subjected to electrophoretic titration curve analysis in ampholines or to isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradient gels it is resolved into several bands, each of which possesses the olive-green color of the holoenzyme. Although the patterns of resolution replicate for a given enzyme preparation differences occur among different preparations. Furthermore, storage for several months at −20°C leads to an increase in the number of isoelectrophoretic forms. All preparations, however, have two primary bands, one with a p I of 6.97 and the other of 7.02. Both these bands possess significant cytochrome oxidase activity after elution from the gels. When each of the primary bands is eluted and again subjected to iso-electric focusing under the same conditions as before, each band interconverts into two bands with p I s of 6.97 and 7.02. The addition of the ligand cyanide to the holoenzyme produces a shift in the p I of the two bands to p I s 7.04 and 7.12 while the addition of nitrite shifts some of the band at p I 6.97 into that at p I 7.02. The heme d 1 -containing dipeptide of the enzyme, produced by treatment with subtilisin, also exhibits considerable heterogeneity upon electrophoretic titration curve analysis and by isoelectric focusing in immobiline gels. Possible explanations for the observed isoelectrophoretic behavior in terms of protein conformation and heme chemistry are discussed.
Sparse Two-Dimensional Phase Unwrapping Using Regular-Grid Methods

Phase unwrapping is usually defined as the reconstruction of a function sampled on a spatial grid given its value modulo 2pi. Phase unwrapping is a key step in image reconstruction in many imaging techniques including interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). In recent years, many new methods have been developed to exploit the presence of coherent or persistent scattering points for extracting deformation signatures in regions where the conventional InSAR fails. These techniques often yield measurements that are only poorly sampled spatially, yet these sparse data must still be unwrapped if we are to be able to extract useful geophysical information. The conventional well-sampled 2-D phase unwrapping problem based on phase residues is fairly well understood, and many novel techniques involving geometry and network flow concepts have been implemented successfully to date. For sparse data, residues may be computed over the Delaunay triangulation of the data points, but published algorithms meet with limited success when the sparse data are unwrapped. The advantages of modern unwrapping methods applicable to well-sampled data are often lost when sparse data are analyzed. In this letter, we show that a nearest neighbor interpolation scheme allows powerful and existing 2-D solvers to be applied to sparse data. We present results using both simulated and real data sets to illustrate our method.
Multi-view second-harmonic generation imaging of mouse tail tendon via reflective micro-prisms.

Here we experimentally show that second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging is not sensitive to collagen fibers oriented parallel to the direction of laser propagation and, as a consequence, can potentially miss important structural information. As an alternative approach, we demonstrate the use of reflective micro-prisms to enable multi-view SHG imaging of mouse tail tendon by redirecting the focused excitation and collection of subsequent emission. Our approach data corroborates the theoretical treatment on vanishing and nonvanishing orientations, where fibers along the laser direction are largely transparent by SHG. In strong contrast, the two-photon excited fluorescence of dye-labeled collagen fibers is isotropic and is not subject to this constraint. We utilized Pearson correlation to quantify differences in fluorescent and backward detected SHG images of the tendon fiber structure, where the SHG and TPEF were highly statistically correlated (0.6–0.8) for perpendicular excitation but were uncorrelated for excitation parallel to the fiber axis. The results suggest that improved imaging of 3D collagen structure is possible with multi-view SHG microscopy.
Design and optimization of a high temperature microheater for inkjet deposition

Inkjet deposition has become a promising additive manufacturing technique due to its fast printing speed, scalability, wide choice of materials, and compatibility for multi-material printing. Among many different inkjet techniques, thermal inkjet, led by Hewlett-Packard and Canon, is the most successful inkjet technique that uses a microheater to produce a pressure pulse for ejecting droplets by vaporizing the ink materials in a timespan of microseconds. Thermal inkjet has been widely adopted in many commercial 3D inkjet printers (e.g., 3D Systems ProJet X60 series) due to its low cost, high resolution, and easy operation. However, the viscosity of the printable materials has been limited to less than 40 cP due to insufficient energy provided inside the nozzle to overcome the viscous dissipation of energy. This paper presents a study on the design and optimization of a high temperature microheater with a target heating temperature of more than 600 °C (compared to ~300 °C for current printhead) to increase the energy supply to the nozzle. The benefits are fourfold: (1) higher temperature will lead to faster vaporization of ink and thus higher jetting frequency and print speed, (2) higher temperature will make it possible for jetting materials with higher boiling points, (3) higher temperature will reduce the viscosity of the ink and thus the viscous dissipation of energy, and (4) higher energy supply will increase the magnitude of the pressure pulse for printing more viscous materials. In this paper, a high-temperature microheater was designed with the following objectives: to reduce thermal stress in heaters and to minimize uneven heat distribution. A literature survey was first conducted on design, fabrication, and operation of thin-film resistive microheaters. A multiphysics numerical model was then developed to simulate electrical, thermal, and mechanical responses of the microheater. The model was validated by comparison to experimental data and existing models obtained from literature. With proper parameterization of the design geometry, the geometry of the microheater is optimized using a particle swarm optimization method. Results show the optimized high-temperature microheater successfully operates at temperatures in excess of 600 °C. The design optimization enabled better characteristics for even heat distribution and minimizing stress. The design approach can serve as a fundamental means of design optimization for microheaters.
Prediction of Cognitive and Functional Decline Using the Telephone‐Administered Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen

Objectives To examine whether a telephone-based cognitive assessment—the Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen (MCAS)—is effective in predicting cognitive and functional decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and conversion to dementia. Design Longitudinal. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Individuals aged 60 to 84 with MCI (N = 61). Measurements An initial office visit consisting of a neurological examination, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), and neuropsychological testing using the Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2), followed by the MCAS within 1 month. Participants completed up to three follow-up in-office neuropsychological assessments, originally scheduled 1 year apart. A multidisciplinary consensus group determined diagnosis (MCI, dementia) at each assessment. Results Higher baseline MCAS total scores emerged as a significant predictor of slower functional decline (P = .002) and dementia conversion (P = .02). An increase in score from 43 to 50 points (1st to 3rd quartile) was associated with a 0.59-point (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.23–0.95) lower CDR score at follow-up, and a 71% (95% CI = 1.11–2.63) increase in median time to dementia conversion from 2 years to 3.5 years. Of the MCAS subscales, delayed word recall predicted functional decline alone (P < .001), whereas computation was nominally associated with cognitive (P = .01) and functional (P = .01) decline. Conclusion The brief telephone-administered MCAS provides valuable information about future cognitive and functional decline in older adults with MCI and predicted conversion from MCI to dementia. These findings provide additional support for use of MCAS in clinical and research settings. The instrument may be particularly valuable in settings in which an office visit is difficult.
Heads Up: No Teamwork Required

Many team games require collaborative strategies. In this Note, I present a game that paradoxically requires cooperation, but at the same time forbids communication of any kind. A team skilled in probability can compete as if they could confer (almost). In the "Hat Problem" [1], each contestant on a team tries to guess the color (blue or red) of a hat on his/her head while seeing only the hats of the other contestants. The guesses are made simultaneously, and "passing" is an option. The team wins if at least one person guesses and no one guesses incorrectly. Before the guessing round, the participants are allowed to discuss strategy. With best play, an n-person team (where n is one less than a power of 2) can win with the surprisingly high probability n/(n + 1). (The solution to the Hat Problem provides a novel perspective on Hamming codes, but you don't need to know anything about Hamming codes to understand this note.) I enjoyed the Hat Problem and was investigating variations of it when I thought of eliminating both the pregame strategy meeting and any information the teammates could gain from each other. The resulting game, recast in the context of coin-flipping, has some curious mathematical features.
Variola type IB DNA topoisomerase: DNA binding and supercoil unwinding using engineered DNA minicircles.

Type IB topoisomerases unwind positive and negative DNA supercoils and play a key role in removing supercoils that would otherwise accumulate at replication and transcription forks. An interesting question is whether topoisomerase activity is regulated by the topological state of the DNA, thereby providing a mechanism for targeting the enzyme to highly supercoiled DNA domains in genomes. The type IB enzyme from variola virus (vTopo) has proven to be useful in addressing mechanistic questions about topoisomerase function because it forms a reversible 3′-phosphotyrosyl adduct with the DNA backbone at a specific target sequence (5′-CCCTT-3′) from which DNA unwinding can proceed. We have synthesized supercoiled DNA minicircles (MCs) containing a single vTopo target site that provides highly defined substrates for exploring the effects of supercoil density on DNA binding, strand cleavage and ligation, and unwinding. We observed no topological dependence for binding of vTopo to these supercoiled MC DNAs, indica...
Isotopically coded N-methoxy amide reagents for GC-MS profiling of carbonyl compounds via mass spectral tag generation

Synthesis and application of isotopically labeled N-methoxy-N-(2-aminooxyethyl)-propionate (MAP), a chemoselective carbonyl derivatization reagent, is reported. To exploit the ready measurement of fragments serving as reporter ions in the m/z 32–34 range, MAP is designed to undergo electron ionization (EI)-induced fragmentation to expel labeled ethyl carbenium ions for relative quantifications in multiplexed analyses. A study of the EI-MS fragmentation behavior of a panel of MAP–carbonyl adducts revealed that the N-methoxy amide motif of MAP is highly predisposed to undergo carbonyl alpha cleavage to produce corresponding labeled carbenium ions in the targeted m/z range. Use of the N-methoxy amide functionality decreased undesired (e.g., uninformative) mass spectral fragmentations as well as provided good resistance to cleavage by amines or base relative to ester functionality. These properties should facilitate the use of MAP in multiplexed GC-MS analyses of complex mixtures containing aldehyde and ketone analytes. A representative multiplexed experiment using MAP isotopologues illustrates this approach for quantification of a carbonyl analyte in pooled sample mixtures.
Properties of electromagnetic scattering at large-scale rough ground

Considering region segmentation,message transmission,load balancing,synchronization,etc,the paper presents a parallel finite-difference time-domain algorithm to calculate the electromagnetic scattering at randomly rough surface and applies the algorithm to high performance parallel computers.Theoretical analysis and simulation show that,the algorithm can calculate electromagnetic scattering at large-scale random rough ground fast and efficiently.Its correctness and feasibility are verified by comparison with analytic method under the same conditions,and its large-scale results are better to reflect the ground statistical characteristics.
Molecular Changes in Opioid Addiction: The Role of Adenylyl Cyclase and cAMP/PKA System

For centuries, opiate analgesics have had a considerable presence in the treatment of moderate to severe pain. While effective in providing analgesia, opiates are notorious in exerting many undesirable adverse reactions. The receptor targets and the intracellular effectors of opioids have largely been identified. Furthermore, much of the mechanisms underlying the development of tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal have been delineated. Thus, there is a focus on developing novel compounds or strategies in mitigating or avoiding the development of tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal. This review focuses on the adenylyl cyclase and cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (AC/cAMP/PKA) system as the central player in mediating the acute and chronic effects of opioids. This chapter also reviews the neuronal adaptive changes in the locus coeruleus, amygdala, periaqueductal gray, and ventral tegmental area induced by acute and chronic actions of opioid because these neuronal adaptive changes in these regions may underlie the behavioral changes observed in opiate users and abusers.
Quantum well heterostructure lasers

Publisher Summary Diode lasers began as simple diffused junction devices and have matured into a complex integration of modern epitaxial growth and sophisticated device processing technology, resulting in a wide range of laser structures designed to suit diverse optoelectronic applications. Quantum well heterostructure lasers are employed as sources for fiber-optic telecommunications, for optical data storage, for highly efficient pumping of solid-state lasers, and for the development of optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs). The incorporation of the semiconductor laser in such a wide variety of applications has led to the myriad material systems and device structures, each suiting a specific application. This chapter focuses on the background principles of quantum well heterostructure (QWH) diode laser operation and the important practical semiconductor QWH laser structures. It examines the physical fundamentals on which semiconductor lasers are based, emphasizing the contrast between bulk semiconductor lasers and QWH lasers. The design of actual QWH device structures is driven in part by the intended application and in part by the availability of suitable material systems and epitaxial growth processes.
Regulation of Arachidonic Acid Release and Metabolism by Tumor Promoters

Numerous studies have shown that AA release and metabolism to prostaglandins and lipoxygenase products are critically involved in the normal and pathological response of skin to external damage or irritation. There is substantial evidence that the elevated eicosanoid levels that follow treatment with the tumor promoter 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) are at least partly responsible for the inflammatory processes induced by TPA (1). The involvement of eicosanoids in inflammation induced by other agents has also been well documented (2). There is a need to understand the mechanisms and regulation involved in eicosanoid synthesis because these metabolites appear to be required for the development of tumors in carcinogen-initiated skin. Thus the question addressed in this study is, how do different agonists, and in particular the tumor promoter TPA, elicit and modulate eicosanoid synthesis and activity?
Why Ireland: How Bank Failure Was Their Key To Success

Despite Ireland’s status as the first European Union (EU) country to receive a bailout, Ireland appears to be bouncing back extremely well from the ongoing financial crisis in Europe and the EU. Looking at recent Irish economic statistics it begs the question whether the government’s complete guarantee of all Irish debts was the best response. Ireland’s financial crisis seemed quite similar to America’s: for both the root causes are freely lending for real estate and property. The responses however, were very different. While America let Lehman Brothers fail and only provided a partial guarantee to its banks, Ireland provided a complete guarantee to all debt-holders. Yet as of late, Ireland’s unemployment rate has fallen below the EU average, the growth rate of the economy in 2015 was a surprising 5.2% and may be the fastest growing economy in the EU at the moment. Using an analysis of the Irish government’s response to the crisis this paper investigates why Ireland’s complete guarantee, without traditional Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) funds, became the best move for the country.
Needle electromyography practice pattern in patients taking novel oral anticoagulants: A survey-based study (P1.347)

OBJECTIVE: To understand the needle electromyography practice pattern among electromyographers in patients taking novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs). BACKGROUND: Needle electromyography is a safe diagnostic procedure with a small risk of bleeding complications. The risk of bleeding has been assessed with antiplatelet agents and conventional anticoagulants but not with NOACs. The practice pattern of electromyography can be influenced by the lack of safety data in patients taking NOACs. METHODS: A 19 item cross-sectional survey questionnaire was sent to members of the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine via email weblink. Anonymous survey responses were collected through a secure online website (Survey Monkey). The frequency of the answers was calculated for the survey questions. RESULTS: 58 responders worked at a teaching hospital (48[percnt]) or private setting (52[percnt]). The annual number of electromyography studies performed by the responders were Less than 100 (1[percnt]), 100-500 (49[percnt]), 500-1000 (28[percnt]), More than 1000 (26[percnt]) respectively. 13 responders (22[percnt]) have written laboratory guidelines specific to needle electromyography performed on anticoagulated patients, 4 responders reported a guideline including NOACs. 54 responders (93[percnt]) would perform needle electromyography on a patient taking NOACs while 29 (50[percnt]) were willing to examine paraspinal muscles and 23 (40[percnt]) were willing to examine facial muscles. A single responder experienced bleeding complication with needle electromyography in a patient taking NOACs. 2 responders experienced a thrombotic complication while holding NOACs. 51 responders (88[percnt]) thought the bleeding risk is similar among NOACs and conventional anticoagulants. 6 responders identified Apixaban as having a lower risk of bleeding complication. CONCLUSIONS: Although most of the electromyographers were willing to perform needle electromyography on patients taking NOACs, there was a variable practice pattern when it comes to needle examination of the paraspinal and facial muscles and single fiber electromyography. A prospective risk-benefit study is needed. Disclosure: Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kushlaf has nothing to disclose.