cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-healing materials for soft-matter machines and electronics

The emergence of soft machines and electronics creates new opportunities to engineer robotic systems that are mechanically compliant, deformable, and safe for physical interaction with the human body. Progress, however, depends on new classes of soft multifunctional materials that can operate outside of a hard exterior and withstand the same real-world conditions that human skin and other soft biological materials are typically subjected to. As with their natural counterparts, these materials must be capable of self-repair and healing when damaged to maintain the longevity of the host system and prevent sudden or permanent failure. Here, we provide a perspective on current trends and future opportunities in self-healing soft systems that enhance the durability, mechanical robustness, and longevity of soft-matter machines and electronics. Progress in soft machines and electronics depends on new classes of soft multifunctional materials that can self-repair and heal when damaged so that they can survive the same real-world conditions that human skin and other soft biological materials are typically subjected too. Here, we provide a perspective on current trends and future opportunities in self-healing soft systems that enhance the durability, mechanical robustness, and longevity of soft-matter machines and electronics.
Laulimalide and taxotere inhibit human endothelial cell migration by different patterns of inhibition of phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin

2583 Microtubule-binding agents have been shown to be highly potent inhibitors of angiogenesis, and in this study we examined the mechanism by which they inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell migration (HUVEC) in vitro. The agents studied were taxotere (docetaxel) and laulimalide, a microtubule-stabilizing agent originally isolated from marine sponges and found to bind to the tubulin polymer at a site distinct from the taxoid site. Studies have also shown laulimalide to be active against tumor cells that were resistant to the taxanes and other drugs due either to overexpression of P-glycoprotein or due to mutations in the β-tubulin gene. In the present study, we found that taxotere and laulimalide inhibited HUVEC migration with IC50s of 0.08 and 0.7 nM, respectively, and also inhibited HUVEC tubule formation. Inhibition of HUVEC proliferation required concentrations 6-11 fold higher. VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration is mediated by the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of its receptor tyrosine kinases, followed by downstream signaling events which include the formation of focal adhesions and the phosphorylation of proteins involved in cell migration such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxiliin, a 68 kDa focal adhesion-associated component. Using phosphorylation site-specific antibodies, we found that VEGF rapidly induced the phosphorylation of Tyr951 of VEGFR-2 (KDR), multiple tyrosine residues on FAK, and the Tyr31 residue of paxillin. Neither laulimalide nor taxotere affected the extent of VEGF-induced VEGFR-2 phosphorylation in HUVEC. Laulimalide at 0.1 nM did, however, substantially block the phosphorylation of the Tyr397 residue of FAK, the autophosphorylation site, and had a lesser effect on the phosphorylation of the Tyr407 residue. Taxotere at 0.1 nM, in contrast, had the opposite effect, showing a greater inhibition of the Tyr407 residue when compared to its effect on Tyr397. Both agents were weaker inhibitors of the phosphorylation of FAK at the src kinase sites Tyr576 and Tyr577 and at the p130Cas-binding site Tyr861. Both laulimalide and taxotere at 0.1 nM inhibited the tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin. In conclusion, signal transduction pathways that regulate endothelial cell migration are inhibited by laulimalide and taxotere at the level of the focal adhesion, and this might contribute to their anti-angiogenic actions. Further, the different patterns of inhibition observed between the two agents could be due to their differing binding sites on the tubulin polymer.
Performance, Movement, Posture, and Perceived Discomfort in Active vs. Static Seating:

Active seating designs may enable users to move more frequently, thereby decreasing physiological risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. In this preliminary study, two active seating designs ...
A surgical “sewing machine” for rapid graft quilting and suturing in challenging spaces

Background The use of grafts is commonly employed in urologic reconstructive surgery. In poorly accessible surgical areas, graft fixation can be difficult. To improve the efficiency of quilting and suturing in challenging spaces, an improvised surgical “sewing machine” (ISSM) was developed. Materials and Methods Preoperatively, all patients were confirmed to have lumen stenosis (vaginal, urethra, bladder neck). Intraoperatively, following incision through the stenosed segments and harvesting buccal mucosa graft (BMG), the ISSM device was assembled using materials readily available in the operating room. The device was assembled by threading absorbable 4–0 barbed suture through a 20-gauge hollow needle. The parts lacking the barbs were excised. For graft quilting the needle was introduced in and out of the graft positioned on the graft bed tissue. The barbs held the suture in place allowing for easy needle removal, forward advancement and reintroduction into the tissue to create a continuous running suture for graft quilting. Results A total of 13 patients (11 men, 1 cis-gender female and 1 transgender female) with a mean age of 68 years (29–79 years) underwent buccal mucosa graft (BMG) quilting with the ISSM between January 2017 and October 2019. Surgeries performed included 8 posterior urethroplasties with BMG augmentation [1] , [2] , 1 transvesical bladder neck reconstruction [3] , 2 augmented perineal urethrostomy [4] , 1 female dorsal only BMG urethroplasty [5] and 1 revision vaginoplasty. Of these, 7 patients had prior pelvic radiation. At a mean follow-up of 46 weeks (6–127 weeks) graft survival was demonstrated in all patients and there was no disease recurrence. Suture resorption occurred between 12–20 weeks postoperatively. Conclusion The improvised surgical “sewing machine”, ISSM can be used in a variety of complex reconstructive surgeries, including those involving radiated tissue, where graft fixation and suturing is challenging without compromising surgical outcomes. Future applications in endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery are possible.
Impact of ABO-Incompatible Living Donor Kidney Transplantation on Patient Survival.

Rationale & Objective Compared with recipients of blood group ABO-compatible (ABOc) living donor kidney transplants (LDKTs), recipients of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) LDKTs have higher risk for graft loss, particularly in the first few weeks after transplantation. However, the decision to proceed with ABOi LDKT should be based on a comparison of the alternative: waiting for future ABOc LDKTs (eg, through kidney paired exchange) or for a deceased donor kidney transplant (DDKT). We sought to evaluate the patient survival difference between ABOi LDKTs and waiting for an ABOc LDKT or an ABOc DDKT. Study Design Retrospective cohort study of adults in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Setting & Participants 808 ABOi LDKT recipients and 2,423 matched controls from among 245,158 adult first-time kidney-only waitlist registrants who did not receive an ABOi LDKT and who remained on the waitlist or received either an ABOc LDKT or an ABOc DDKT, 2002 to 2017. Exposure Receipt of ABOi LDKT. Outcome Death. Analytical Approach We compared mortality among ABOi LDKT recipients versus a weighted matched comparison population using Cox proportional hazards regression and Cox models that accommodated for changing hazard ratios over time. Results Compared with matched controls, ABOi LDKT was associated with greater mortality risk in the first 30 days posttransplantation (cumulative survival of 99.0% vs 99.6%) but lower mortality risk beyond 180 days posttransplantation. Patients who received an ABOi LDKT had higher cumulative survival at 5 and 10 years (90.0% and 75.4%, respectively) than similar patients who remained on the waitlist or received an ABOc LDKT or ABOc DDKT (81.9% and 68.4%, respectively). Limitations No measurement of ABO antibody titers in recipients; eligibility of participants for kidney paired donation is unknown. Conclusions Transplant candidates who receive an ABOi LDKT and survive more than 180 days posttransplantation experience a long-term survival benefit compared to remaining on the waitlist to potentially receive an ABOc kidney transplant.
Comparison of air-displacement plethysmography and hydrodensitometry in high school football linemen

Recently, there has been concern about obesity and its co-morbidities among football linemen from the youth to professional level. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and percentage fat determined by air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) and hydrodensitometry (HW) in high school football linemen and 2) to compare ADP with HW in high school football linemen to determine the feasibility and accuracy of ADP compared with HW in this group. Thirty-one high school football linemen were recruited from local high schools and were measured for height, body mass, and percentage fat estimated from ADP and HW. BMI (kg/m) was calculated from the measured height and body mass. A majority of subjects were at-risk of being overweight (32%) or overweight (55%), and 6.5% had BMI ≥ 35 kg/m. The mean percentage fat approximated 20% for both ADP and HW measures. BMI was significantly correlated with percentage body fat for ADP (r=0.68) and HW (r=0.76). BMI was significantly correlated with fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) for both ADP (FM r=0.83, FFM r=0.49) and HW (FM r=0.88, FFM r=0.57). When analyzed by weight status (non-overweight or overweight), HW was significantly correlated with BMI for the non-overweight group (r=0.72) and overweight group (r=0.54). FM was significantly correlated with BMI for both ADP and HW, respectively, in the nonoverweight (r=0.60 and r=0.75) and overweight (r=0.64 and r=0.78) groups. Significant correlations were also noted between FFM and BMI for both ADP (r=0.68) and HW (r=0.56) but only in the overweight group. Percentage fat based upon ADP and HW were significantly correlated (r=0.68) and the mean difference between HW and ADP was -1.4%. Group analysis revealed a significant correlation in body fat percentage between ADP and
Role of complement in alloimmunization and hyperhemolysis

Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to summarize the role of complement in regulating the removal of a target alloantigen following an incompatible red blood cell (RBC) transfusion, the formation of alloantibodies following RBC alloantigen exposure, and the development of hyperhemolysis in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Recent findings Recent studies demonstrate that complement can accelerate alloantibody-mediated removal of target alloantigens from the RBC surface following incompatible transfusion. Complement also influences alloantigen availability during developing alloimmune responses and serves as a unique mediator of CD4 T-cell-independent alloantibody formation following RBC alloantigen exposure. Finally, alternative complement pathway activation appears to play a key role in the development of acute hemolytic episodes in patients with SCD, providing a potential druggable target to prevent acute complications in patients with this disease. Summary Recent studies suggest that complement can regulate a wide variety of processes germane to hematology, from transfusion complications to baseline hemolysis in patients with SCD. As the role of complement in various disease processes becomes more fully understood, the ability to leverage recently developed complement modulating drugs will only continue to enhance providers' ability to favorably intervene in many hematological diseases.
Miniaturized optical frequency reference for next-generation portable optical clocks

Optical frequency standards, or lasers stabilized to atomic or molecular transitions, are widely used in length metrology and laser ranging, provide a backbone for optical communications and lie at the heart of next-generation optical atomic clocks. Here we demonstrate a compact, low-power optical frequency reference based on the Doppler-free, two-photon transition in rubidium-87 at 778 nm implemented on a micro-optics breadboard. Our optical reference achieves a fractional frequency instability of 2.9×10−12/τ for averaging times τ less than 103 s, has a volume of ≈35 cm3 and operates on ≈450 mW of electrical power. The advanced optical integration presented here demonstrates a key step towards the development of compact optical clocks and the broad dissemination of SI-traceable wavelength references.
Glaucoma care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Purpose of review The current article reviews the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the delivery of ophthalmic, and specifically, glaucoma care. Recent findings Literature from the review period includes case series demonstrating the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in the conjunctival secretions of patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. The global ophthalmology community published reports outlining the enhanced infection control measures undertaken by different institutions around the world to mitigate transmission of the novel coronavirus. Telemedicine has been increasingly implemented in glaucoma practices to reduce in-office patient volume. New data regarding the efficacy and feasibility of tools for home monitoring of intraocular pressure, virtual visual field testing, and remote disc photography are reviewed. Summary COVID-19 has posed a global public health threat due to the severity of its contagion and associated morbidity and mortality. Glaucoma specialists have responded to the pandemic with innovative modifications to reduce viral transmission and optimize patient and staff safety in the office and operating room. The role of teleglaucoma has expanded and will continue to evolve as remote diagnostic devices undergo further refinement and validation.
Investigating Intersections of Corporate Governance & Compliance

In April 2019, Notre Dame Law in London hosted a conference entitled “Investigating Intersections of Corporate Governance & Compliance” with scholars from the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland participating. The goal of the conference was to facilitate dialogue within and amongst legal scholarly disciplines regarding the ways in which governance and compliance intersect. The effort was a resounding success, and The University of Chicago Law Review Online graciously agreed to publish the six papers presented at the conference. This is the introduction to the symposium.
Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients With Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis: A National COVID Cohort Collaborative Study.

Background & Aims In patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) with or without cirrhosis, existing studies on the outcomes with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have limited generalizability. We used the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), a harmonized electronic health record dataset of 6.4 million, to describe SARS-CoV-2 outcomes in patients with CLD and cirrhosis. Methods We identified all patients with CLD with or without cirrhosis who had SARS-CoV-2 testing in the N3C Data Enclave as of July 1, 2021. We used survival analyses to associate SARS-CoV-2 infection, presence of cirrhosis, and clinical factors with the primary outcome of 30-day mortality. Results We isolated 220,727 patients with CLD and SARS-CoV-2 test status: 128,864 (58%) were noncirrhosis/negative, 29,446 (13%) were noncirrhosis/positive, 53,476 (24%) were cirrhosis/negative, and 8941 (4%) were cirrhosis/positive patients. Thirty-day all-cause mortality rates were 3.9% in cirrhosis/negative and 8.9% in cirrhosis/positive patients. Compared to cirrhosis/negative patients, cirrhosis/positive patients had 2.38 times adjusted hazard of death at 30 days. Compared to noncirrhosis/positive patients, cirrhosis/positive patients had 3.31 times adjusted hazard of death at 30 days. In stratified analyses among patients with cirrhosis with increased age, obesity, and comorbid conditions (ie, diabetes, heart failure, and pulmonary disease), SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with increased adjusted hazard of death. Conclusions In this study of approximately 221,000 nationally representative, diverse, and sex-balanced patients with CLD; we found SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with cirrhosis was associated with 2.38 times mortality hazard, and the presence of cirrhosis among patients with CLD infected with SARS-CoV-2 was associated with 3.31 times mortality hazard. These results provide an additional impetus for increasing vaccination uptake and further research regarding immune responses to vaccines in patients with severe liver disease.
Artificial Insemination Technique Needs Attention

Significant variation exists among inseminator conception rates, (Graham, 1966; Senger et al., 1981 , Ron et al., 1983; Senger et al., 1983 and Uw1and, 1983). This variation is due at least in part to differences in skill levels of inseminators. During the last 15 years , artificial insemination responsibility has been transferred from professional technicians to herdsman-inseminators (H-1). Current estimates report that approximately 65 percent of semen is sold directly to dairy and beef herds resulting in producers performing the majority of inseminations. Often, poor insemination skills on the part of herdsman-inseminators are not recognized and the deficiencies may translate into poor reproductive performance. Until recently several major problems have existed regarding the evaluation of insemination technique. They are: I) Errors in inseminating technique specific to an individual inseminator have not been described critically; 2) there is a significant amount of misunderstanding among inseminators regarding reproductive tract anatomy. This paper will summarize several previously published reports which deal with problems in A. I. technique.
Estimating the Designability of Protein Structures

The total number of amino acid sequences that can fold to a target protein structure, known as "designability", is a fundamental property of proteins that contributes to their structure and function robustness. The highly designable structures always have higher thermodynamic stability, mutational stability, fast folding, regular secondary structures, and tertiary symmetries. Although it has been studied on lattice models for very short chains by exhaustive enumeration, it remains a challenge to estimate the designable quantitatively for real proteins. In this study, we designed a new deep neural network model that samples protein sequences given a backbone structure using sequential Monte Carlo method. The sampled sequences with proper weights were used to estimate the designability of several real proteins. The designed sequences were also tested using the latest AlphaFold2 and RoseTTAFold to confirm their foldabilities. We report this as the first study to estimate the designability of real proteins.
Defining transcomedy: Humor, tricksterism, and postcolonial affect from Gerald Vizenor to Sacha Baron Cohen

This article examines the relationship between language, humor, and postcolonial affect in the work of British performer and satirist Sacha Baron Cohen. His four major characters, Ali G, Borat, Bruno, and Admiral General Shabazz Aladeen, each uses an intentionally unreliable pattern of inter-ethnic word substitutions as a defining characteristic of their performances. Guttural word-sounds, invented ‘foreign’ gibberish, and fractured English collectively offer a metatextual critique of the power of western spectatorship in contemporary global media. This linguistic fracturing technique, defined in this article as ‘transcomedy’, uses the incongruous sensibility of humor to visualize what Homi Bhabha describes as the bifurcated status of the colonized subject. An earlier example of transcomedy is located in this article in the work of Native American essayist Gerald Vizenor.
Experiential self-focus writing as a facilitator of processing an interpersonal hurt.

Objectives This study examined the effects of experiential self-focus writing on changes in psychological outcomes (i.e., unforgiveness and negative affect) after an interpersonal hurt and the buffering effects of experiential self-focus writing on the association between anger rumination and these psychological outcomes. Design A sample of 182 college students who had experienced interpersonal hurt were randomly assigned to either the experiential self-focus writing condition, in which participants wrote about their feelings and experiences related to the hurt, or to a control writing condition in which they wrote about a recent neutral event. Results Latent growth curve analyses indicated that changes in unforgiveness over time did not differ between the experiential self-focus writing and the control writing conditions. However, relative to the control writing condition, negative affect decreased faster during writing and increased more slowly at follow-ups in the experiential self-focus writing condition. Conclusions The results supported the hypothesis that negative affect resulting from an interpersonal hurt would significantly decrease over time among participants in the experiential self-focus writing group compared with the control group. Implications of experiential self-focus writing for interpersonal hurt and directions for future studies are discussed.
Heterochromatin Protein 1 Binds to Nucleosomes and DNA in Vitro

Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) is a nonhistone chromosomal protein primarily associated with the pericentric heterochromatin and telomeres in Drosophila. The molecular mechanism by which HP1 specifically recognizes and binds to chromatin is unknown. The purpose of this study was to test whether HP1 can bind directly to nucleosomes. HP1 binds nucleosome core particles and naked DNA. HP1-DNA complex formation is length-dependent and cooperative but relatively sequence-independent. We show that histone H4 amino-terminal peptides bind to monomeric and dimeric HP1 in vitro. Acetylation of lysine residues had no significant effect on in vitro binding. The C-terminal chromo shadow domain of HP1 specifically binds H4 N-terminal peptide. Neither the chromo domain nor chromo shadow domain alone binds DNA; intact native HP1 is required for such interactions. Together, these observations suggest that HP1 may serve as a cross-linker in chromatin, linking nucleosomal DNA and nonhistone protein complexes to form higher order chromatin structures.
Report of the ISSLR conference working session on lessons learned for setting agendas for Saline Lakes Research

Minutes of a session of the joint meeting of the 10 International Conference on Salt Lake Research & FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake Issues Forum summarize and categorize approximately 150 comments made by 80 participants on lessons learned for setting research agendas for saline lakes. Successful research agendas for saline lakes appear to have three components: strong science, proactive communication, and sufficient support. This paper summarizes diverse perspectives expressed during the working session.
Optical Isomer Shift for the Spontaneous-Fission Isomer Am m 240

The optical isomer shift in the $^{8}S_{\frac{7}{2}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{10}P_{\frac{7}{2}}$ atomic transition in neutral americium has been measured for the \ensuremath{\sim}1-ms spontaneously fissioning isomer, $^{240}\mathrm{Am}^{m}(\mathrm{S}\mathrm{F})$. With use of a laser-excited optical pumping technique, this transition is shifted by +2.6 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.2 \AA{} to 6407.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 \AA{} implying a difference in nuclear mean square radii, $\ensuremath{\delta}〈{r}^{2}〉$, of 5.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 ${\mathrm{fm}}^{2}$ between the fission isomer and the normal ground state. These experiments provide the first direct experimental proof for the large deformations expected for fission isomers.
Wavelet Estimation for the Hurst Parameter in Stable Processes

In this paper we review some recent results on the statistical properties of wavelet-based estimators of the Hurst parameter when the time series are heavy tailed with α-stable infinite variance distributions. We focus on two models: linear fractional stable motion (LFSM, in short) and fractional autoregressive moving average (FARIMA, in short) time series with SαS innovations. Using the wavelet coefficients of the LFSM process or these of the FARIMA time series, we define two types of estimators for the Hurst parameter, for each of the two models. These estimators are obtained by using a weighted linear regression, involving wavelet coefficients of the process over a set of scales.
Technical and clinical testing of a computerized indirect calorimeter for use in mechanically ventilated neonates.

Testing of a proprietary indirect calorimeter (MGM, Jr.) was performed by using nitrogen displacement and added carbon dioxide to simulate oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and the respiratory quotient (RQ; VCO2/VO2). Errors in measured VO2, VCO2, and RQ were less than or equal to 2.5% when VO2 and VCO2 were 4-43 mL/min and flow rate was 100-2000 mL/min. The relative error in predicted VO2 was increased as the inspired oxygen concentration (FiO2) was raised but the error was less than 4% when the value of FiO2 minus expired oxygen concentration (FeO2) was greater than or equal to 0.015 and the FiO2 was less than or equal to 0.6. Sixteen studies were performed on seven very-low-birth-weight (VLBW), mechanically ventilated infants aged less than or equal to 11 d. VO2 was 8.37 +/- 1.81 mL.kg-1.min-1, VCO2 was 8.15 +/- 2.03 mL.kg-1.min-1, and RQ was 0.969 +/- 0.061 (means +/- SD). The MGM, Jr. is accurate for studies of low-birth-weight infants on mechanical ventilators when VO2 and VCO2 are greater than or equal to 4 mL/min, flow rate is less than or equal to 3000 mL/min, and FiO2 is less than or equal to 0.6. Clinical testing resulted in values similar to previously published data but the variability was higher.
Elevated glucose potentiates contraction of isolated rat resistance arteries and augments protein kinase C-induced intracellular calcium release.

Abstract The effect of elevated glucose on arterial contractions and intracellular calcium ([Ca ++ ] i ) release induced by protein kinase C (PKC) activation and potassium depolarization (KCI) was investigated. Mesenteric resistance arteries (Φ ++ in the presence of either agonist. An additional group of arteries were incubated in 5.5 mmol/L glucose and the concentration-response to ILV was compared versus 11 and 44 mmol/L glucose. Arteries in 44 mmol/L glucose were more sensitive to both ILV and KCI, contracting to 10.0 μmol/L ILV, 53.9 ± 10.1% in 11 mmol/L versus 85.1 ± 2.0% in 44 mmol/L glucose ( P P v 11 and 44 mmol/L glucose). The KCI EC 50 (ie, the value at which the agonist produced 50% maximal contraction) for 11 versus 44 mmol/L glucose was 41.3 ± 4.8 versus 31.1 ± 1.2 mmol/L ( P ++ sensitivity in elevated glucose for either agonist; however, Ca ++ sensitivity was augmented threefold for ILV versus KCI, demonstrating an agonist-dependent modulation of Ca ++ sensitivity. The Ca ++ EC 50 for ILV and KCI in 11 versus 44 mmol/L was 0.18 ± 0.05 versus 0.21 ± 0.05 and 0.59 ± 0.09 versus 0.60 ± 0.10 μmol/L ( P v ILV). The effect of elevated glucose on [Ca ++ ] i release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was investigated in arteries incubated in zero Ca ++ buffer containing either 11 or 44 mmol/L glucose by measuring the contraction produced by 50 mmol/L caffeine, 3.0 μmol/L ILV, or 60 mmol/L KCI. Contraction to caffeine in 11 versus 44 mmol/L glucose was comparable, constricting 42.0 ± 6.0% in 11 mmol/L and 36.0 ± 4.4% in 44 mmol/L glucose ( P > .05), and contraction to KCI was almost undetectable in both glucose concentrations. However, contraction to ILV increased from 5.6 ± 0.9% in 11 mmol/L to 18.7% ± 2.2% in 44 mmol/L glucose ( P ++ in the SR (caffeine-sensitive stores) was not increased in elevated glucose, PKC-induced release of [Ca ++ ] i was enhanced, a consequence that may explain the noted glucose-induced increase in contraction to PKC activation.
Rapidly induced chemical defenses in maize stems and their effects on short-term growth of Ostrinia nubilalis.

Plants damaged by insect herbivory often respond by inducing a suite of defenses that can negatively affect an insect’s growth and fecundity. Ostrinia nubilalis (European corn borer, ECB) is one of the most devastating insect pests of maize, and in the current study, we examined the early biochemical changes that occur in maize stems in response to ECB herbivory and how these rapidly induced defenses influence the growth of ECB. We measured the quantities of known maize defense compounds, benzoxazinoids and the kauralexin class of diterpenoid phytoalexins. ECB herbivory resulted in decreased levels of the benzoxazinoid, 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one)-β-D-glucopyranose (DIMBOA-Glc), and a corresponding increase in 2-(2-hydroxy-4,7-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one)-β-D-glucopyranose (HDMBOA-Glc). Total quantities of benzoxazinoids and kauralexins were increased as early as 24 h after the initiation of ECB feeding. The plant hormones, jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET), and the transcripts encoding their key biosynthetic enzymes also accumulated in response to ECB herbivory, consistent with a role in defense regulation. The combined pharmacological application of JA and the ET precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid to stem internode tissue likewise resulted in changes in benzoxazinoids similar to that observed with ECB damage. Despite the fact that maize actively mounts a defense response to ECB stem feeding, no differences in percent weight gain were observed between ECB larvae that fed upon non-wounded control tissues compared to tissues obtained from plants previously subjected to 24 h ECB stem herbivory. These rapid defense responses in maize stems do not appear to negatively impact ECB growth, thus suggesting that ECB have adapted to these induced biochemical changes.
PHOENICIAN UNGUENT FACTORIES IN DARK AGE GREECE: SOCIAL APPROACHES to EVALUATING the ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

Summary Several cases of overseas branches of Phoenician unguent factories have been hypothesized for Dark Age Greece. Efforts to evaluate the hypotheses to date have focused on technical and artistic characteristics of artifactual remains. This paper shifts that focus to examination of social and economic prerequisites and concomitants of foreign branch plants, and implications for archaeological testing. the economic structure of the problem is characterized as involving factory location and foreign direct investment; these concepts are examined for anachronisms. the size of establishment required to make the branch factory hypothesis plausible may not have been an insuperable problem, but the capacity to repatriate profits in the Greek Dark Age places more serious restrictions on the branch plant hypothesis. One of the more reasonable alternatives to the branch plant hypothesis is the immigrant craftsman, the implications of which are discussed.
The modulus of dielectric and conductive materials and its modification by high electric fields

Abstract An alternative to measuring dielectric polarization or conductivity in the time domain under the usual constant field conditions is to record the voltage at constant charge. In this case the voltage is proportional to the dielectric modulus M(t), defined in the frequency domain via M*(ω)=1/e*(ω). The method allows the measurement of dynamics at extremely long times, while electrode polarization (EP) effects remain small in M(t) signals. Dielectric hole-burning on vitreous ionic conductors and the elimination of EP can be achieved by combining the modulus technique with a preceeding high sinusoidal electric field.
Neural Network-Based Event-Triggered State Feedback Control of Nonlinear Continuous-Time Systems

This paper presents a novel approximation-based event-triggered control of multi-input multi-output uncertain nonlinear continuous-time systems in affine form. The controller is approximated using a linearly parameterized neural network (NN) in the context of event-based sampling. After revisiting the NN approximation property in the context of event-based sampling, an event-triggered condition is proposed using the Lyapunov technique to reduce the network resource utilization and to generate the required number of events for the NN approximation. In addition, a novel weight update law for aperiodic tuning of the NN weights at triggered instants is proposed to relax the knowledge of complete system dynamics and to reduce the computation when compared with the traditional NN-based control. Nonetheless, a nonzero positive lower bound for the inter-event times is guaranteed to avoid the accumulation of events or Zeno behavior. For analyzing the stability, the event-triggered system is modeled as a nonlinear impulsive dynamical system and the Lyapunov technique is used to show local ultimate boundedness of all signals. Furthermore, in order to overcome the unnecessary triggered events when the system states are inside the ultimate bound, a dead-zone operator is used to reset the event-trigger errors to zero. Finally, the analytical design is substantiated with numerical results.
The electrical properties of semiconductor/metal, semiconductor/liquid, and semiconductor/conducting polymer contacts

Abstract Critical comparisons are drawn between the basic electrical properties of semiconductor/metal, semiconductor/liquid, and semiconductor/conducting polymer junctions. A theoretical model is developed to describe the basic current-voltage properties of semiconductor contacts, with emphasis on the contrasts between ideal and observed behavior. Using the concepts from this model, the characteristics of a variety of semiconductor contacts are evaluated. The discussion focuses on the following semiconductors: Si, GaAs, InP, and II-VI compounds based on the Cd-(chalcogenide) materials.
Brief: new PC-based software for multiphase-flow calculations

A new multiphase flow analysis and design system for DOS-based personal computers is described. Examples are also presented and analyzed with different multiphase-flow techniques. These techniques are investigated by use of flow-map and 3D pressure surface comparisons, and a new mechanistic model is discussed that attempts to overcome many of the problems associated with existing multiphase-flow analysis methods.
Pulmonary arteriole muscularization in lambs with diaphragmatic hernia after combined tracheal occlusion/glucocorticoid therapy

Objective A morphometric study was performed to examine the effects of prenatal glucocorticoids, which were administered 48 hours before birth, on muscularization of small pulmonary arterioles ( Study Design DH was created in 23 fetal sheep at 65 days gestation. TO was performed in 16 of 24 fetuses between 110 and 140 days of gestation; 9 of the fetuses were exposed prenatally to betamethasone (0.5 mg/kg body weight) 48 hours before delivery. Six sham-operated animals served as controls. Sections of paraffin that were embedded in lung tissues were stained with Elastin-Van Gieson, and the percentage of medial wall thickness (MWT) was determined. Results The percentage of MWT in DH lambs (29.6% ± 1.9%) was increased compared with sham animals (18.1% ± 1.3%) and was not different from that of DH/TO animals (30.3% ± 1.7%). In DH/TO + glucocorticoid lambs, the percentage of MWT (24.6% ± 1.2%) was significantly lower than in the DH/TO group but was higher than the sham group. Conclusion In fetuses who underwent prolonged TO therapy for severe DH, prenatal glucocorticoid treatment decreased medial hypertrophy of pulmonary arterioles by approximately 19%. We speculate that such structural changes may have contributed to improve gas exchange that was observed in this model.
THE USE OF LIPID HEADGROUP CHARGE TO ENHANCE PHOTOINDUCED ELECTRON TRANSFER IN VESICLES: REACTIONS OF FUNCTIONALIZED PYRENE WITH A TWO COMPONENT VIOLOGEN SYSTEM

Kinetics of photoinduced electron transfer from a lipid functionalized pyrene, 1-(10-(6(8)-octadecylpyrenyl) decanoyl)-2-hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorycholine (OPyPC), to a two component viologen acceptor system have been measured by laser flash photolysis. N,N'-tetramethylene-2,2' -bipyridinium ion (DQ2+) and N,N'-dipropyl-4,4'-bipyridinium sulfonate (PVS), have been utilized as the primary and secondary acceptors. It has been shown that utilization of a lipid with a net negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol headgroup provides a driving force for localizing high concentrations of primary acceptor (DQ2+) in the region of donor. Subsequently, the charged interface can act to maintain long-term separation between the oxidized pyrene donor (OPyPC+) and the reduced secondary acceptor, PVS-. When a dioleoyl lipid is used, reaction of (OPypc+) with the double bond competes significantly with back reaction. However, substitution of diphytylphosphatidylglycerol for the dioleoyl analog results in a cation lifetime of about 0.5 ms and a continued very long-lived reduced species (approximately 4 h). Quantum yields of approximately 0.15 may be obtained in this system.
Marijuana and immediate memory.

CLINICAL anecdotes and recent studies suggest that a marijuana “high” interferes with immediate memory (ref. 1, and unpublished manuscripts by L. Clark and A. Wikler). We describe here the effects of calibrated amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on cognitive tasks which require immediate memory.
Shape grammar compilers

A general shape grammar scheme is proposed for producing a shape parsing mechanism by means of a shape grammar compiler from a high-level shape grammar description. In particular, we show how such a relation can be defined between a special class of shape grammars and a parsing mechanism called a hierarchical constraint process. Thus, we propose: a shape grammar formalism which accounts for most aspects of 2-D shape, a parsing mechanism which uses constraints between pieces of the shape, and an automatic method to compute constraint relations between the vocabulary symbols of the shape grammar.
Balloon‐borne in situ measurements of CLO and ozone: Implications for heterogeneous chemistry and mid‐latitude ozone loss

In situ measurements of chlorine oxide (ClO) obtained on 31 March 1991 with a new balloon-borne instrument are compared to results from a photochemical model which incorporates hydrolysis of N2O5 on sulfate aerosols. With the addition of this process, there is better agreement between calculation and measurement over most of the profile, except below 20 km where observed ClO is greater by as much as a factor of four. In a model which is constrained to reproduce the observed ClO below 20 km, ozone loss by catalytic cycles involving halogen oxides becomes larger than that from NO(x), which would dominate under gas-phase or standard heterogeneous conditions.
Space-charge-limited hole and electron currents in germanium

Properties associated with space-charge-limited (SCL) currents in solids are summarized in terms of their potential for device application. The effect of space-charge on limiting the flow of injected current carriers is investigated in alloyed Ge solid-state diodes. Experimental results are presented for SCL hole currents in near-intrinsic n-type Ge (ν-type) and SCL electron currents in near-intrinsic p-type Ge (π-type). I-V characteristics of p+ν p+and n+π n+solid-state diodes of various base widths W are measured at various ambient temperatures (78°K, 195°K, and 273°K). An I \sim V^{3/2} relation is observed for pure SCL hole and SCL electron currents. Theory predicts an I \sim V^{3/2} relation and is of the form I=1.43 A\epsilon\epsilon_{0}-\micro_{0}E_{c}^{1/2} V^{3/2}W^{-5/2} where µ is the low field mobility and E c is the critical electric field. A field dependent mobility of \micro = \micro_{o} (E_{c}/E)^{1/2} is assumed. A good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained. These experimental results indicate that it is practically feasible to obtain SCL current in Ge. The potential application of SCL current in a solid-state triode will be discussed.
CHEMISTRY OF THE PHENOXATHIINS AND ISOSTERICALLY RELATED HETEROCYCLES. XV. SYNTHESIS OF 1-NITROPHENOXATHIIN AND THE RELATION OF THE CARBON-13 NMR CHEMICAL SHIFT OF THE ALPHA-CARBON TO THE DIHEDRAL ANGLE

The synthesis of the previously unreported 1-nitrophenoxathiin is described. The 13C-nmr spectrum of the title compound is assigned based on chemical shift additivities and 1H-13C spin-coupling constants. From the observed 13C-nmr chemical shift of the alpha-carbon the title compound was predicted to have a molecular dihedral angle, O = 143.3°, based on a recently described interrelation between the alpha-carbon 13C-nmr chemical shift and the dihedral angle. Independent measurement of the dihedral angle in a crystallographic study has shown that there are two independent molecules contained in the assymetric unit which posess dihedral angles, O = 145.7 and 163.4°, the former in excellent agreement with the angle predicted by the assigned 13C-nmr data.
Patients with schizophrenia at risk for excessive antipsychotic dosing

Background Patient Outcomes Research Team treatment recommendations were used to investigate the relationship between patient characteristics and higher-than-recommended dosages (> 1000 chlorpromazine equivalents [CPZe]) at discharge. Method Inpatients who met the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited from 4 general hospitals. For those patients (N = 293) prescribed antipsychotics at discharge, chi-square tests and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between demographics, admission characteristics, comorbid diagnoses, and antipsychotic dosages. The relationship between clinical symptoms and antipsychotic dosage at discharge was also examined. Results Antipsychotic dosages conformed to treatment guidelines for approximately 65% of patients; 21% received doses in excess of recommended levels. African American patients and those with a history of psychiatric hospitalization were more likely to be prescribed discharge antipsychotic doses greater than 1000 CPZe. Hospital differences in antipsychotic management were also observed. Regression analyses indicated that higher-than-recommended dosages found among African American patients could not be explained by differences in symptom levels at discharge. Patients with more thought disorder were also more likely to be prescribed antipsychotic dosages in excess of the recommended range. Compared with oral administration, depot administration increased the risk of excess dosage by a factor of 30. Controlling for method of administration reduced the impact of race to nonsignificance. Conclusion These results replicate earlier findings that minority individuals are more likely to be prescribed dosages in excess of the recommended range and suggest that this pattern is due to higher use of depot injection in African American patients. Further research should examine how patient characteristics and institutional factors influence medication use.
Bridging Innate and Adaptive Immunity

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2011 to Jules Hoffmann, Bruce Beutler, and the late Ralph Steinman recognizes accomplishments in understanding and unifying the two strands of immunology, the evolutionarily ancient innate immune response and modern adaptive immunity.
Effects of orienting instructions on sensitivity to scheduled contingencies

Orienting instructions acquaint subjects with the experimental task and apparatus. Although orienting instructions are a common feature of operant research, their behavioral effects have not been extensively investigated. In the present study, each of four groups received a different set of orienting instructions prior to responding on a multiple fixed-interval, fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. Subjects who received the most detailed instructions, which specified the task and the response manipulandum, and in which subjects were advised to earn as many points as possible, showed the least amount of response variability, but they also showed the least sensitivity to programmed contingencies. Subjects that received the same instructions, minus the advice to maximize points, showed less between-subject variability than did the remaining two groups, and greater discrimination between schedule components than did all other groups. Subjects who received instructions that did not specify the task or response manipulandum showed considerable variability in responding and less sensitivity to programmed contingencies. Although orienting instructions may be required for subjects to contact the experimental contingencies, some orienting instructions influence subjects’ sensitivity to the experimental contingencies more than others.
Multiple Growth Factors Modulate mRNA Expression of Angiotensin II Type-2 Receptor in R3T3 Cells

Abstract Previous studies showed that angiotensin II type-2 receptor (AT2) sites were increased when R3T3 cells were growth arrested and decreased when they were stimulated with fibroblast growth factor or serum. We examined the effects of several other growth factors on the expression of AT2 mRNA to clarify the relation between the AT2 receptor and growth factors. R3T3 cells were cultured in the medium containing 10% FCS until they were confluent, and then serum was removed. AT2 mRNA was increased after serum was depleted, and the expression level reached a plateau after 2 days of serum depletion. The presence of serum (10%), fibroblast growth factor (10 ng/mL), or lysophosphatidic acid (1 μmol/L) reduced the AT2 mRNA expression. Phorbol ester (1 to 100 nmol/L) also suppressed the AT2 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner. Interleukin-1β (1 ng/mL) enhanced the AT2 mRNA expression 1.6-fold and the AT2 receptor number 1.4-fold. Insulin (100 nmol/L) enhanced AT2 mRNA expression 1.4-fold and the AT2 rec...
The role of cephalometry in assessing velopharyngeal dysfunction in velocardiofacial syndrome.

Objective: To report our experience with cephalometry in evaluating velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) in velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) and its utility in assessing the role of cervical spine abnormalities in VPD, prior to surgical correction of VPD. Design: Clinical charts and cephalometric radiographs done prior to surgery for VPD were retrospectively analyzed to ascertain velopharyngeal measurements and cervical spine abnormalities. Patients: Twenty-six patients (age: 6–23 years) with molecularly confirmed VCFS. Setting: Wake Forest University Health Sciences (1997–2005). Measurements: Cranial base angle, nasopharyngeal depth, velum length, and Need ratio at rest, velar dimple location, and velopharyngeal length during phonation; information on presence/absence of submucous cleft palate and cervical spine abnormalities were also obtained. The relationship between C1 anterior arch abnormalities and Need ratio was examined. Results: Seventy-three percent of the VCFS patients had excessive nasopharyngeal depth, 80% had an abnormal Need ratio, 50% had a short velum, 81% had a submucous or occult submucous cleft palate, 90.5% had a cervical spine abnormality (C1 anterior arch abnormalities in 38%) and 11.5% had platybasia. There was a significant difference in the Need ratio between patients with and without C1 anterior arch abnormalities. Conclusion: Cephalometry can be used to delineate factors such as C1 vertebral abnormalities, excessive pharyngeal depth, and short velum that contribute to VPD in VCFS. This would help otolaryngologists better understand the anatomy prior to surgical treatment of VPD. This is the first study to highlight the frequent occurrence of C1 anterior arch abnormalities in VCFS. Laryngoscope, 2011