cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface-coverage dependence of surface-enhanced raman scattering from gold nanocubes on self-assembled monolayers of analyte.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold substrates are presented for SAMs onto which gold nanocubes have been electrostaticaly immobilized. In the absence of nanocubes, no SERS signals from 4-MBA SAMs are observed. Upon addition of the gold nanocubes to the SAM, a sandwich architecture is formed, allowing for coupling between the localized surface plasmon of the nanocubes and the surface plasmon of the gold substrate. This creates a large electromagnetic field in the area where the 4-MBA molecules reside, causing the characteristic vibrational modes of 4-MBA to appear. SERS intensities increase linearly with increasing nanocube coverage up to a factor of 7 in the best case studied here, with enhancement factors of up to 10 13 .
Factors affecting improvement in the flexural modulus of polyacrylic acid‐modified crystalline films

When high-molecular weight polyacrylic acid (PAA) macromolecules are incorporated into phosphating solutions, they significantly increase the stiffness and ductility of zinc phosphate conversion crystal films deposited on metal substrate surfaces. The degree of improvement in these mechanical properties depends primarily on the thickness and fineness of the highly dense PAA-complexed zinc phosphate crystals that are formed. The presence of this complexed PAA polymer at the outermost surface sites on the crystal layer plays an essential role in promoting adhesion with polymeric topcoats by the formation of polymer—polymer chemical bonds. The use of low-molecular weight PAA results in a poor interfacial adhesion because of a high degree of alternation in chain conformation caused by charge-transfer reactions between the proton-donating COOH groups and the nucleophilic Zn2+ ions in the acidic aqueous medium. In addition, the protective polymer topcoat overlayed on the complex precoat surfaces increases the flexibility of the crystalline precoat itself. The most important factors controlling the flexibility of the precoat were low elastic modulus, high tensile strength, and elongation of the topcoat systems. These characteristics are more important than the magnitude of interfacial adhesive bonds at topcoat/precoat joints.
Non-linear dynamics of electrocardiographic waveforms following cocaine administration.

Abstract We examined dynamics of ECG waveforms preceding and following 10mg/kg intravenous administration of cocaine in freely moving cats. Cocaine induced substantial variation in ECG waveforms, as demonstrated by non-linear procedures of phase-plane plots and Poincare analyses. Phase-plane plots revealed that waveform variation following cocaine administration was not randomly or uniformly distributed, but instead followed patterns of clustered organization with unvisited regions. These patterns are characteristic of chaotic distributions, and support the hypothesis that ECG waveform variation following cocaine does not degenerate into random patterns; instead, the variation follows deterministic, though chaotic patterns.
NRMT1 knockout mice exhibit phenotypes associated with impaired DNA repair and premature aging.

Abstract Though defective genome maintenance and DNA repair have long been known to promote phenotypes of premature aging, the role protein methylation plays in these processes is only now emerging. We have recently identified the first N-terminal methyltransferase, NRMT1, which regulates protein-DNA interactions and is necessary for both accurate mitotic division and nucleotide excision repair. To demonstrate if complete loss of NRMT1 subsequently resulted in developmental or aging phenotypes, we constructed the first NRMT1 knockout (Nrmt1−/−) mouse. The majority of these mice die shortly after birth. However, the ones that survive, exhibit decreased body size, female-specific infertility, kyphosis, decreased mitochondrial function, and early-onset liver degeneration; phenotypes characteristic of other mouse models deficient in DNA repair. The livers from Nrmt1−/− mice produce less reactive oxygen species (ROS) than wild type controls, and Nrmt1−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts show a decreased capacity for handling oxidative damage. This indicates that decreased mitochondrial function may benefit Nrmt1−/− mice and protect them from excess internal ROS and subsequent DNA damage. These studies position the NRMT1 knockout mouse as a useful new system for studying the effects of genomic instability and defective DNA damage repair on organismal and tissue-specific aging.
Uranium-plutonium interdiffusion at 750°C

Abstract An isothermal diffusion couple between pure uranium and a uranium-27 at% plutonium alloy was annealed at 750°C for 25 h. Composition profiles were determined from electron microanalyses, from which interdiffusion fluxes and interdiffusion coefficients were evaluated. The presence of plutonium greatly increases diffusion at this temperature over what would be predicted from uranium self-diffusion studies. Moreover, diffusivities in the body centered cubic U(γ) phase increase with increasing plutonium concentration, unlike interdiffusion in the orthorhombic U(α) phase at lower temperatures. The diffusion results suggest that plutonium has a greater intrinsic diffusivity than uranium at 750°C.
Association of haplotypes of inflammation‐related genes with gastric preneoplastic lesions in African Americans and Caucasians

Identification of biomarkers is needed for development of screening programs to prevent gastric cancer. Because racial differences exist in cancer rates, we aimed to evaluate the association between polymorphisms in inflammation-related genes and gastric preneoplastic lesions in African Americans and Caucasians from Louisiana, USA. Gastric biopsies from 569 adults (361 African Americans and 208 Caucasians) undergoing diagnostic endoscopy were used for histological diagnosis and genomic DNA extraction. Polymorphisms within eight genes (IL1B, IL8, IL6, TNF, PTGS2, ARG1, IL10 and TGFB1) were investigated by TaqMan. The cagA status of Helicobacter pylori infection was assessed by PCR. Haplotype logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia. African Americans carrying the haplotype IL1B-511T/-31C/+3954T, which includes the three risk-associated alleles at the IL1B locus, were more likely to being diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia than those carrying the most common haplotype T-C-C (adjusted OR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.1-5.5). None of the polymorphisms were associated with intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia in Caucasians. Age and cagA-positive status were independent factors associated with these lesions. Haplotypes at the IL1B locus may participate in mediating the susceptibility to gastric carcinogenesis and might be useful as markers of advanced premalignant lesions in African Americans. Interestingly, carriage of IL1B+3954T allele seems to be the key factor, even though the role played by other polymorphisms cannot be excluded.
The nucleotide sequence of oocyte 5S DNA in xenopus laevis. I. The AT-rich spacer

Abstract The primary sequence of the principal spacer region in X. laevis oocyte 5S DNA has been determined. The spacer is AT-rich and comprises half or more of each repeating unit. The sequence is internally repetitious; most of it can be represented by the following set of oligonucleotides: CAACAGTTTTCAAAAGGTTTGCAAGTTTTT(T) The spacer, which varies in length from about 360 to 570 or more nucleotides, can be subdivided into a region (A 2 ) which is variable in length in different repeating units, flanked by regions (A 1 , A 3 , B 1 ) which are relatively constant in length. The A 2 region consists, on the average, of 5–6 tandem copies of the oligonucleotide CAAAGTTT-GAGTTTT; variation in the redundancy of this oligonucleotide accounts for much of the repeat length variation in the genomic 5S DNA. Most copies of this oligonucleotide are identical, although several differing by 1 or 2 nucleotides have been detected in plasmid-cloned 5S DNA fragments. Regions A 1 and A 3 comprise a linear array of similar, but not identical, oligonucleotides; most repeating units contain very similar A 1 and A 3 sequences. Region B 1 is a sequence of 49 nucleotides immediately adjacent to the 5′ terminus of the 5S rRNA sequence. It is GC-rich, much less repetitive than the remainder of the spacer and contains several palindromes, but no regions of dyad symmetry. This sequence is identical in all six of the single cloned repeating units of 5S DNA analyzed.
Insulin-like growth factor I receptor messenger RNA in the colon is unchanged during neoplasia.

The expression of growth factor receptor messenger RNA is difficult to quantitate due to low copy number. We describe a quantitative polymerase chain reaction that rapidly, reproducibly assays expression of human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor mRNA from small, biopsy-sized, specimens of tissue. This was then clinically applied to surgically resected specimens of colon. Total RNA was isolated from normal colonic mucosa and documented tumors from 4 patients undergoing resection. The mRNA was first reverse-transcribed with an oligomer bearing a complementary sequence specific for the mRNA at its 3′ end, and a sequence complementary to an intervening intron of the IGF-I receptor gene at the 5′ end. Competitive PCR was then performed in the presence of the cDNA product and exogenously added genomic DNA, with an upstream primer complementary to the exon sequence of the gene of interest and a downstream primer complementary to the intron sequence that was tagged to the cDNA. The genomic DNA was us...
Genetically determined ABCB5 functionality correlates with pigmentation phenotype and melanoma risk.

ABCB5 is a multidrug resistance (MDR) member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of active transporters and represents a marker for chemoresistant malignant melanoma-initiating cells. ABCB5 expression is closely linked to tumorigenicity and progression of diverse human malignancies, including melanoma, and is functionally required for tumor growth. Here, we genotyped 585 melanoma cases and 605 age-matched controls for 44 ABCB5 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to span a region covering 108.2kb of the gene on the 7p21.1 locus. We identified three SNPs that were associated with decreased melanoma risk in additive models: rs10231520 (OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.70–0.98), rs17817117 (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68–0.98), and rs2301641 (OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.69–0.98). Additionally, the rs2301641 SNP was associated with non-red compared to red hair color (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.14–1.03) in controls. Twelve human melanoma cell lines were genotyped for the rs2301641 SNP, which encodes a non-synonymous ABCB5 amino acid change (K115E). Functional studies revealed that the E form associated with lower melanoma risk correlated significantly with decreased ABCB5 transport capacity (P<0.01) and increased melanin production (P<0.05). Our results identify novel associations of the ABCB5 K115E polymorphism with human pigmentation phenotype and melanoma risk and point to potential functional roles of ABCB5 in melanomagenesis. Moreover, they provide a first example that functional variation in a prospective cancer stem cell marker can be associated with disease risk for the corresponding malignancy.
X-ray optical designs for the linac-based ultrafast x-ray source (LUX)

The Linac-based Ultrafast X-ray source (LUX) is a proposed recirculating linear accelerator for the purpose of producing intense, tunable, high repetition rate ultrafast x-ray pulses. An angle-time or position-time correlation is induced in the electron bunches by a dipole-mode RF cavity. Undulators and wigglers are sources of synchrotron radiation. Asymmetrically-cut crystals are used as optical elements of an x-ray pulse compression scheme. X-ray pulse durations of 50-100 fs are obtained over a range of photon energies from 2 to 12 keV. An undulator beamline consists of a collimating mirror, two asymmetric crystals and Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors and provides compressed, monochromatic and focused x-rays for time-resolved experiments.
Wide range gain programmable class AB linear current mirrors for low supply operation

Class AB wide range programmable linear current mirrors in bipolar and CMOS technology are presented. Bipolar mirrors can operate with /spl plusmn/0.75 V supplies, CMOS mirrors with /spl plusmn/1.5 V supplies. They are characterized by having an approximately constant bandwidth that is independent of the gain adjustment. Experimental and simulation results are shown that verify the proposed structures. >
MULTIPLE BOVINE MYOGLOBIN INHIBITION OF CYTOCHROME C REDUCTION BY XANTHINE OXIDASE.

FRIDOVITCH1 identified myoglobin as a contaminant in partially purified preparations of cytochrome c and found the protein moiety of myoglobin to be a potent, competitive inhibitor of cytochrome c reduction by xanthine oxidase. Since the myoglobin of pig and horse heart exhibited markedly different affinity constants for the enzyme, the inhibition seemed to be highly specific for the globin structure1.
CYTOTAXONOMIC STUDIES IN THE SUBFAMILIES CRASSULOIDEAE, KALANCHOIDEAE, AND COTYLEDONOIDEAE OF THE CRASSULACEAE

BLOMQUIST, H. L., AND H. J. HUMM. 1946. Some marine algae new to Beaufort, North Carolina. Jour. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 62: 1-11. B0RGESEN, F. 1914. Marine algae of the Danish West Indies, I. Dansk Bot. Arkiv 2: 1-68. FELDMANN, JEAN. 1939. Algues marines de la cote des Alberes. IV. Rhodophyce'es. Rev. Algol. 11: 247330. GUTSELL, J. S. 1930. Natural History of the bav scallop. Bull. (U. S.) Bur. Fisheries 46: 569-632. HOYT, W. D. 1920. Marine algae of Beaufort, N. C., and adjacent regions. Bull. (U. S.) Bur. Fisheries 36: 372-550. NEWTON, L. B. 1931. A handbook of British Seaweeds. British Mus. Nat. Hist. London. PARR, A. E. 1933. A geographic-ecological analysis of the seasonal changes in temperature conditions in shallow water along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Bull. Bingham Oceanog. Coll. 4:1-90. ROSENVINGE, L., KOLDERUP LUND, AND S0REN LUND. 1941. The marine algae of Denmark. Vol. II. Phaeophyceae, 1. Ectocarpaceae and Acinetosporaceae. Copenhagen, Denmark Det Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Biologiske Skrifter, Bind 1, Nr. 4. pp. 1-59.
Poroviscoelastic Modeling of Perfused Bovine Liver Tissue

Blunt and penetrating liver injuries make up one-third of all abdominal injuries, and 5% of all trauma admissions are due to injuries to this organ [1]. Additionally, the majority of blunt liver injuries stem from motor vehicle crashes (Moore 2004). Validated computational models of liver are useful for understanding injury to the liver from mechanical loading. It has been shown previously that the mechanical behavior of perfused ex vivo liver closely approximates the in vivo behavior, while unperfused ex vivo liver response differs significantly from the in vivo case [2]. Therefore, to achieve a realistic approximation of in vivo liver mechanics for injury prediction, it is beneficial to adopt a constitutive model for liver that incorporates both fluid and solid phases of the tissue, to reflect this perfusion effect.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Rates of safety incident reporting in MRI in a large academic medical center.

PURPOSE To describe our multiyear experience in incident reporting related to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a large academic medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant study. Incident report data were collected during the study period from April 2006 to September 2012. The incident reports filed during the study period were searched for all reports related to MRI. Incident reports were classified with regard to the patient type (inpatient vs. outpatient), primary reason for the incident report, and the severity of patient harm resulting from the incident. RESULTS A total of 362,090 MRI exams were performed during the study period, resulting in 1290 MRI-related incident reports. The rate of incident reporting was 0.35% (1290/362,090). MRI-related incident reporting was significantly higher in inpatients compared to outpatients (0.74% [369/49,801] vs. 0.29% [921/312,288], P < 0.001). The most common reason for incident reporting was diagnostic test orders (31.5%, 406/1290), followed by adverse drug reactions (19.1%, 247/1290) and medication/IV safety (14.3%, 185/1290). Approximately 39.6% (509/1290) of reports were associated with no patient harm and did not affect the patient, followed by no patient harm but did affect the patient (35.8%, 460/1290), temporary or minor patient harm (23.9%, 307/1290), permanent or major patient harm (0.6%, 8/1290) and patient death (0.2%, 2/1290). CONCLUSION MRI-related incident reports are relatively infrequent, occur at significantly higher rates in inpatients, and usually do not result in patient harm. Diagnostic test orders, adverse drug reactions, and medication/IV safety were the most frequent safety incidents.
Postprandial serum gastrin concentrations in normal foals.

Summary Postprandial gastrin concentrations were assayed in serum samples from a group of six foals at one day, one week, one month and three months of age. Before sampling, each foal was prevented from feeding for 2 h and was then allowed to suck for 15 mins. Blood samples were taken at the start of the meal and at 30 min intervals for the next 3 h. Feeding increased serum gastrin concentrations at one day, one week and one month, with the greatest increases detected at one day. Mean pre-feeding gastrin concentrations were 25.2 ± 2.3 pg/ml at one day, 22.8 ± 3.9 pg/ml at one week, 15.2 ± 2.3 pg/ml at one month and 15.6 ± 7.5 pg/ml at three months. Highest mean post prandial concentrations were at 60 mins on Day one (47.4 ± 15.2 pg/ml) and at 30 mins for the one week (44.4 ± 14.2 pg/ml) and one month (25.2 ± 4.1 pg/ml) old foals. There was no apparent post prandial increase in serum gastrin concentrations in foals at three months of age. Precise reasons for changes in postprandial serum gastrin concentrations remain unknown. Factors that could be important include maturation of G cell function, alterations in gastrin metabolism and excretion, and changes in gastrointestinal motility with increasing age.
Clinical Needs of Patients with Problem Drug Use

Introduction: Illicit drug use is a serious public health problem associated with significant co-occurring medical disorders, mental disorders, and social problems. Yet most individuals with drug use disorders have never been treated, though they often seek medical treatment in primary care. The purpose of this study was to examine the baseline characteristics of people presenting in primary care with a range of problem drug use severity to identify their clinical needs. Methods: We examined sociodemographic characteristics, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, drug use severity, social and legal problems, and service utilization for 868 patients with drug problems. These patients were recruited from primary care clinics in a medical safety net setting. Based on Drug Abuse Screening Test results, individuals were categorized as having low, intermediate, or substantial/severe drug use severity. Results: Patients with substantial/severe drug use severity had serious drug use (opiates, stimulants, sedatives, intravenous drugs); high levels of homelessness (50%), psychiatric comorbidity (69%), and arrests for serious crimes (24%); and frequent use of expensive emergency department and inpatient hospitals. Patients with low drug use severity were primarily users of marijuana, with little reported use of other drugs, less psychiatric comorbidity, and more stable lifestyles. Patients with intermediate drug use severity fell in between the substantial/severe and low drug use severity subgroups on most variables. Conclusions: Patients with the highest drug use severity are likely to require specialized psychiatric and substance abuse care, in addition to ongoing medical care that is equipped to address the consequences of severe/substantial drug use, including intravenous drug use. Because of their milder symptoms, patients with low drug use severity may benefit from a collaborative care model that integrates psychiatric and substance abuse care in the primary care setting. Patients with intermediate drug use severity may benefit from selective application of interventions suggested for patients with the highest and lowest drug use severity. Primary care safety net clinics are in a key position to serve patients with problem drug use by developing a range of responses that are locally effective and that may also inform national efforts to establish patient-centered medical homes and to implement the Affordable Care Act.
Activation of Hippocampal Adenosine A3 Receptors Produces a Desensitization of A1 Receptor-Mediated Responses in Rat Hippocampus

The adenosine A3 receptor is expressed in brain, but the consequences of activation of this receptor on electrophysiological activity are unknown. We have characterized the actions of a selective adenosine A3 receptor agonist, 2-chloro- N 6-(3-iodobenzyl)-adenosine-5′- N -methyluronamide (Cl-IB-MECA), and a selective A3 receptor antagonist, 3-ethyl-5-benzyl-2-methyl-4-phenylethynyl-6-phenyl-1,4-(±)-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (MRS 1191), in brain slices from rat hippocampus. In the CA1 region, activation of A3 receptors had no direct effects on synaptically evoked excitatory responses, long-term potentiation, or synaptic facilitation. However, activation of A3 receptors with Cl-IB-MECA antagonized the adenosine A1receptor-mediated inhibition of excitatory neurotransmission. The effects of Cl-IB-MECA were blocked by pretreatment with MRS 1191, which by itself had no effect on A1 receptor-mediated responses. The presynaptic inhibitory effects of baclofen and carbachol, mediated via GABAB and muscarinic receptors, respectively, were unaffected by Cl-IB-MECA. The maximal response to adenosine was unchanged, suggesting that the primary effect of Cl-IB-MECA was to reduce the affinity of adenosine for the receptor rather than to uncouple it. Similar effects could be demonstrated after brief superfusion with high concentrations of adenosine itself. Under normal conditions, endogenous adenosine in brain is unlikely to affect the sensitivity of A1 receptors via this mechanism. However, when brain concentrations of adenosine are elevated (e.g., during hypoxia, ischemia, or seizures), activation of A3 receptors and subsequent heterologous desensitization of A1 receptors could occur, which might limit the cerebroprotective effects of adenosine under these conditions.
Photooxidation of Hog Pancreatic α Amylase

The findings suggest that histidine is present at the "active site" of hog pancreatic a amylase. The functions of α and β amylase are explained.
The Maturation of Career Theory

Career theory, like the phenomena it describes, has grown and developed over the past century. During that time, four main types of theory have emerged. This paper examines the contributions and limitations of each type, starting with the oldest, and identifies the most fundamental trends in the evolution of this theory. The key trend identified is a continuous shift from a relatively static to a relatively dynamic theory. The paper offers a synthesis of this literature, and concludes by suggesting what types of research and theoretical development are now needed if career theory is to continue to mature.
Measurements of the fracture energy of lithiated silicon electrodes of Li-ion batteries.

We have measured the fracture energy of lithiated silicon thin-film electrodes as a function of lithium concentration. To this end, we have constructed an electrochemical cell capable of testing multiple thin-film electrodes in parallel. The stress in the electrodes is measured during electrochemical cycling by the substrate curvature technique. The electrodes are disconnected one by one after delithiating to various states of charge, that is, to various concentrations of lithium. The electrodes are then examined by optical microscopy to determine when cracks first form. All of the observed cracks appear brittle in nature. By determining the condition for crack initiation, the fracture energy is calculated using an analysis from fracture mechanics. In the same set of experiments, the fracture energy at a second state of charge (at small concentrations of lithium) is measured by determining the maximum value of the stress during delithiation. The fracture energy was determined to be Γ = 8.5 ± 4.3 J/m2 at s...
Increased expression of macrophage colony-stimulating factor after coronary artery balloon injury is inhibited by intracoronary brachytherapy.

Background— The mechanisms underlying the reduced neointimal proliferation (NP) by intracoronary brachytherapy (ICBT) are unknown. We hypothesized that ICBT inhibits NP by reducing expression of macrophage colony–stimulating factor (M-CSF). Methods and Results— Thirty coronary arteries from 10 pigs were divided into 3 groups of 10 each: control (C), balloon injury (BI), and BI followed by ICBT (16 Gy at 0.5-mm tissue depth with a 32P balloon system). Pigs were killed at 24 hours (n=3) and at 7 (n=4) and 14 (n=3) days. Expression of M-CSF was assessed by Western blot, ELISA, and quantitative immunostaining. Persistently increased levels of M-CSF after BI (to 1.4±0.2 nmol/L [ELISA] and 29.4±4.9% of cross-sectional area stained [immunocytochemistry]; P< 0.001 versus control for both) were observed in the injured arteries. Treatment of BI arteries with ICBT reduced M-CSF expression compared with BI alone (to 0.7±0.1 nmol/L [ELISA] and 13.5±2.9% of cross-sectional area stained [immunocytochemistry]; P<0.001 ve...
Health, nutrition and economic prosperity: A micro-economic perspective

The positive correlation between health and economic prosperity has been widely documented. The extent to which this reflects a causal effect of health on economic outcomes is very controversial. Two classes of evidence are examined. Carefully designed random assignment laboratory and field studies provide compelling evidence that nutrient deficiency -- particularly iron -- reduces work capacity and, in some cases, work output. Confidence in these results is bolstered by a good understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms. Some random assignment studies indicate improved health services yield returns in the labor market. Observational studies suggest that general dimensions of nutritional status, such as height and body mass index, are significant predictors of economic success although their interpretation is confounded because they reflect influences of early childhood investments and family background. Energy intake and possibly diet quality have also been found to be predictive of economic success in observational studies. However, identification of causal pathways in observational studies is difficult and involves statistical assumptions about unobserved heterogeneity that are difficult to test. Illustrations using survey data demonstrate the practical importance of this concern. Furthermore, failure to take into account the dynamic interplay between changes in health and economic status has limited progress in this literature. Broadening random assignment studies to measure effects of an intervention on economic prosperity, investing in population-based longitudinal socio-economic surveys, and exploiting emerging technologies to better measure health in those surveys will yield very high returns in developing a better understanding of how health influence economic prosperity.
The Tensions of Diasporic 'Return' Migration: How Class and Money Create Distance in the Vietnamese Transnational Family

Propelled by the globalization of work opportunities in the Global South, thousands of Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) 1.5- and second-generation migrants are “returning” to Vietnam to find skilled...
Avionics design for testability a vendor's viewpont

Historically, testability of new avionic systems has been accorded a rather low priority by de sign engineers who were also concerned with more easily measured parameters such as sys tem performance, reliability, or ability to op erate in harsh environments. Generation of Test Requirement Documentation and calculation of the Shop Non-Ambiguity Ratio for a Unit Under Test provides a means of measuring the testability of that UUT. For digital circuit modules, this ef fort can be automated through the use of ATE with circuit simulation capability. With eight years experience in generating TRD's for several systems, GE has found that UUT's are more testable when designed by engineers who have been involved with TRD generation and validation than when they are designed by en gineers with no TRD experience. While test ability assessment and enhancement efforts usually extend development schedules and add to the cost of avionic systems while reducing their reliability, the negative impact on a development program can be minimized by utilizing a special ized team of testability/maintainability engineers to perform the testability assessment and en hancernent efforts in parallel with the system de sign engineers at the very beginning of the devel opment program before the system design is firmly documented by issuance of a drawing structure.
Modeling the Matrix of Articular Cartilage Using a Continuous Fiber Angular Distribution Predicts Many Observed Phenomena

Cartilage is a hydrated soft tissue whose solid matrix consists of negatively charged proteoglycans enmeshed within a fibrillar collagen network. Though many aspects of cartilage mechanics are well understood today, most notably in the context of porous media mechanics, there remain a number of responses observed experimentally whose prediction from theory has been challenging. In this study the solid matrix of cartilage is modeled with a continuous fiber angular distribution, where fibers can only sustain tension, swelled by the osmotic pressure of a proteoglycan ground matrix. It is shown that this representation of cartilage can predict a number of observed phenomena in relation to the tissue's equilibrium response to mechanical and osmotic loading, when flow-dependent and flow-independent viscoelastic effects have subsided. In particular, this model can predict the transition of Poisson's ratio from very low values in compression (approximately 0.02) to very high values in tension (approximately 2.0). Most of these phenomena cannot be explained when using only three orthogonal fiber bundles to describe the tissue matrix, a common modeling assumption used to date. The main picture emerging from this analysis is that the anisotropy of the fibrillar matrix of articular cartilage is intimately dependent on the mechanism of tensed fiber recruitment, in the manner suggested by our recent theoretical study (Ateshian, 2007, ASME J. Biomech. Eng., 129(2), pp. 240-249).
A Chaotic Image Encryption Scheme Based on Circular Bit Shift Method

Chaos-based image encryption algorithms are widely investigated recently. Concrete implementation of theses conventional chaos-based algorithms usually arise some security problems due to the computation precision restriction. This paper proposes an improved chaos-based image encryption scheme, in which the grayscale substitution is done by circular bit shift method. The scheme enlarges key space to 2212, which improves the security under precision restricted condition. The combination of position permutation and grayscale substitution operation makes the encryption system strong against known/chosen-plaintext attack. The chaotic binary and decimal key streams are proved to have good statistical property. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the scheme proposed in this paper is more secure than conventional chaos-based ones.
IgE-mediated allergen gene vaccine platform targeting human antigen-presenting cells through the high-affinity IgE receptor.

Background Treatment of IgE-mediated food allergy with standard protein-based allergen immunotherapy has proved both unsuccessful and hazardous. Allergen gene vaccination represents a promising alternative, but difficulties in gene targeting and expression in antigen-presenting cells represent a major limitation for efficient gene vaccination. Objective We sought to construct a genetically engineered human e-polylysine (EPL) fusion protein that binds allergen gene expression systems and targets the gene vaccine complex to antigen-presenting cells through the interaction of EPL and the high-affinity receptor for IgE for efficient allergen gene vaccination. Methods Genetic engineering was used to design and produce the EPL fusion gene, consisting of the human CHe2-4 linked to 55 lysine residues, and the conventional approaches were used to characterize the biologic features of EPL. Results EPL was assembled as functional dimers and capable of binding DNA plasmids in both an EPL protein and plasmid DNA concentration–dependent manner. EPL targeted plasmid DNA to the high-affinity receptor for IgE on cell surfaces and increased the model gene uptake/expression. The EPL-DNA complexes were shown not to trigger mast cell degranulation. Conclusion EPL is able to function as a gene carrier system to target allergen gene to the high-affinity receptor for IgE-expressing cells through ligand receptor–mediated interactions.
Invasive European Annual Plants Impact a Rare Endemic Sunflower

Abstract Pentachaeta lyonii A. Gray is a state- and federally-listed endangered species, endemic to heavily invaded southern California grasslands. Recent population extirpations resulting in a decrease in range size have prompted investigation into the effects of invasive annual plants on this species. The goals of this study were (1) to examine the impacts of competition from non-native species from three different functional groups (annual grasses, early-season forbs, and late-season forbs) on P. lyonii success in the field and in pots, (2) to determine which non-native species/functional groups have the greatest competitive effect on P. lyonii, and (3) to evaluate the environmental conditions that contribute to the displacement of P. lyonii by non-native plants. In the field, at two sites over two years, control plots were paired with plots in which non-native competitors were clipped at the soil surface. In pots, individual P. lyonii plants were grown in competition with all three groups of non-nativ...
Human Atrial Fibrillation Initiates via Organized Rather Than Disorganized Mechanisms

Background— It is unknown how atrial fibrillation (AF) is actually initiated by triggers. Based on consistencies in atrial structure and function in individual patients between episodes of AF, we hypothesized that human AF initiates when triggers interact with deterministic properties of the atria and may engage organized mechanisms. Methods and Results— In 31 patients with AF, we mapped AF initiation after spontaneous triggers or programmed stimulation. We used 64-pole basket catheters to measure regional dynamic conduction slowing and to create biatrial activation maps during transitions to AF. Sixty-two AF initiations were recorded (spontaneous, n=28; induced, n=34). Notably, AF did not initiate by disorganized mechanisms, but by either a dominant reentrant spiral wave (76%) or a repetitive focal driver. Both mechanisms were located 21±17 mm from their triggers. AF-initiating spirals formed at the site showing the greatest rate-dependent slowing in each patient. Accordingly, in 10 of 12 patients with multiple observed AF episodes, AF initiated using spatially conserved mechanisms despite diverse triggers. Conclusions— Human AF initiates from triggers by organized rather than disorganized mechanisms, either via spiral wave re-entry at sites of dynamic conduction slowing or via repetitive focal drivers. The finding that diverse triggers initiate AF at predictable, spatially conserved functional sites in each individual provides a novel deterministic paradigm for AF with therapeutic implications.
Osteotomy for Thumb Metacarpal Lengthening

Reconstruction of acquired traumatic amputations at the level of the middle third of the thumb may be accomplished by pollicization of an injured or partially amputated digit, the cocked-hat flap, metacarpal lengthening, or osteoplastic reconstruction techniques that involve a bone graft covered by a tubed pedicle flap and an island pedicle flap. Particularly in the absence of another injured or partially amputated digit, metacarpal lengthening followed by a second-stage bone grafting procedure and deepening of the web space with phalangization of the remaining thumb at the same time provides an excellent method of managing this devastating injury (Figs. 57-1 A Figs. 57-1 B Figs. 571-1 C Figs. 571-1 D-N). The purpose of this operation is to restore length and mobility to oppose other digits. In addition, the reconstructed thumb should have adequate sensation, stability to allow strong resistance without collapse, and freedom from pain.
Effects of Different Types of Respiratory Muscle Training on Exercise Performance in Runners

ABSTRACTTo compare two different types of respiratory muscle training on exercise performance, a protocol was devised consisting of a combination of a 4-week, 12-session resistive respiratory muscle training (RRMT) followed by a 4-week, 12-session voluntary isocapnic hyperpnea training (VIHT) and conducted in experienced runners (4 men, 4 women). Measurements before and 5 days after training included: pulmonary function (spirometry), maximal inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressures, respiratory endurance time, maximal oxygen uptake (V▪O2max), running time to voluntary exhaustion at 80% V▪O2max, blood lactate concentration, and minute ventilation. There were no statistically significant differences in pulmonary functions and V▪O2max post-RRMT and post-VIHT compared to pre-RMT. Following RRMT the inspiratory muscle strength had improved by 23.8 ± 30% and 18.7 ± 21.4% at rest and immediately after the running test, respectively. RRMT did not increase the time intense voluntary isocapnic ventilation could b...
Brain Tissue Segmentation Based on Diffusion MRI Using ℓ0 Sparse-Group Representation Classification

We present a method for automated brain tissue segmentation based on diffusion MRI. This provides information that is complementary to structural MRI and facilitates fusion of information between the two imaging modalities. Unlike existing segmentation approaches that are based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), our method explicitly models the coexistence of various diffusion compartments within each voxel owing to different tissue types and different fiber orientations. This results in improved segmentation in regions with white matter crossings and in regions susceptible to partial volume effects. For each voxel, we tease apart possible signal contributions from white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with the help of diffusion exemplars, which are representative signals associated with each tissue type. Each voxel is then classified by determining which of the WM, GM, or CSF diffusion exemplar groups explains the signal better with the least fitting residual. Fitting is performed using l0 sparse-group approximation, circumventing various reported limitations of l1 fitting. In addition, to promote spatial regularity, we introduce a smoothing technique that is based on l0 gradient minimization, which can be viewed as the l0 version of total variation (TV) smoothing. Compared with the latter, our smoothing technique, which also incorporates multi-channel WM, GM, and CSF concurrent smoothing, yields marked improvement in preserving boundary contrast and consequently reduces segmentation bias caused by smoothing at tissue boundaries. The results produced by our method are in good agreement with segmentation based on T1-weighted images.
Effects of awareness on the control of attention

Previous studies show that it is possible to attend to a stimulus without awareness of it. Whether attention and awareness are independent or have a specific relationship, however, remains debated. Here, we tested three aspects of visual attention with and without awareness of the visual stimulus. Metacontrast masking rendered participants either subjectively aware or not aware of the stimulus. Attention drawn to the stimulus was measured by using the stimulus as a cue in a spatial attention task. We found that attention was drawn to the stimulus regardless of whether or not people were aware of it. However, attention changed significantly in the absence of awareness in at least three ways. First, attention to a task-relevant stimulus was less stable over time. Second, inhibition of return, the automatic suppression of attention to a task-irrelevant stimulus, was reduced. Third, attention was more driven by the luminance contrast of the stimulus. These findings add to the growing information on the behavior of attention with and without awareness. The findings are also consistent with our recently proposed account of the relationship between attention and awareness. In the attention schema theory, awareness is the internal model of attention. Just as the brain contains a body schema that models the body and helps control the body, so it contains an attention schema that helps control attention. In that theory, in the absence of awareness, the control of attention should suffer in basic ways predictable from dynamical systems theory. The present results confirm some of those predictions.
Novel multifunctional theranostic liposome drug delivery system: construction, characterization, and multimodality MR, near-infrared fluorescent, and nuclear imaging.

Liposomes are effective lipid nanoparticle drug delivery systems, which can also be functionalized with noninvasive multimodality imaging agents with each modality providing distinct information and having synergistic advantages in diagnosis, monitoring of disease treatment, and evaluation of liposomal drug pharmacokinetics. We designed and constructed a multifunctional theranostic liposomal drug delivery system, which integrated multimodality magnetic resonance (MR), near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent and nuclear imaging of liposomal drug delivery, and therapy monitoring and prediction. The premanufactured liposomes were composed of DSPC/cholesterol/Gd-DOTA-DSPE/DOTA-DSPE with the molar ratio of 39:35:25:1 and having ammonium sulfate/pH gradient. A lipidized NIR fluorescent tracer, IRDye-DSPE, was effectively postinserted into the premanufactured liposomes. Doxorubicin could be effectively postloaded into the multifunctional liposomes. The multifunctional doxorubicin-liposomes could also be stably radiolabe...
Application of whole-body liquid scintillation counters to pharmacological studies.

The relatively recent development of large-volume liquid scintillation counters [1,2] has made possible research on the development of a new methodology for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of pharmacologically active substances. In vivo radioassay, as made possible with large-volume liquid scintillators, is particularly attractive to the research pharmacologist for drug screening studies. The obvious advantages of this technique are three in number: (1) observations may be made on the living animal, (2) serial observations may be made on the same animal over extended periods of time and, (3) it should be possible to reduce the size of experimental groups of animals. This technique has not been exploited to date. This paper describes some experiments carried out with diuretic drugs, using a large-volume liquid scintillation counter, and discusses other classes of drugs which might be studied using similar methods.
Active Balancing of a High Speed Rotor in Magnetic Bearings

This paper describes the application of an open loop control technique for the attenuation of unbalance response in a high speed rotor. The test rig is a mock up of a dual wheel compressor with an operating speed range of 30,000 to 70,000 rpm. The rotor has a third critical speed (first bending mode) at 24,050 rpm which is lightly damped. Excessive rotor synchronous response occurs during run-up at this speed and intermittently causes loss of support. An open loop control is used to introduce a rotating magnetic force to balance the rotor and reduce rotor synchronous response at this speed. With this control, the third critical speed is essentially canceled. Also demonstrated is the use of the open loop control to attenuate housing structure vibrations when the rotor is operating at one of the housing’s natural frequencies, 42,300 rpm.
Improving decision-making performance through argumentation

While research has shown that argument based systems (ABSs) can be used to improve aspects of individual thinking and learning, relatively few studies have shown that ABSs improve decision performance in real world tasks. In this article, we strive to improve the value-proposition of ABSs for decision makers by showing that individuals can, with minimal training, use a novel ABS called Pendo to improve their ability to predict housing market trends. Pendo helps to weight and aggregate evidence through a computational engine to support evidence-based reasoning, a well-documented deficiency in human decision-making. It also supports individuals in the creation of knowledge artifacts that can be used to solve similar problems in the same domain.An unexpected finding and one of the major contributions of this work is that individual unaided decision-making performance was not predictive of an individual's performance with Pendo, even though the average performance of assisted individuals was higher. We infer that the skills activated when using the tool are substantially different than those enacted to solve the same problem without that tool. We discuss the implications this result has for the design and application of ABSs to decision-making, and possibly other decision support technologies. We measure subjects' ability to predict housing market trends using an argument based tool with belief aggregationThe population mean performance improves by 36% when using the systemDecision structures generated by subjects outperform the subjects themselves on held-out problemsIndividual performance when using the tool does not correlate with performance when not using the toolWe tentatively conclude that the tool replaces, rather than amplifies, the user's internal decision process
Quantification of Polybrominated and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Human Matrices by Isotope-Dilution Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

We have developed a highly sensitive and selective analytical method capable of quantifying a total of 15 polybrominated and polychlorinated biphenyls (11 PBBs and 4 PCBs) in human serum. Samples were subjected to liquid-liquid extraction followed by solid-phase extraction prior to measurement using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Quantification was performed using isotope-dilution calibration covering a concentration range of 0.005-12.5 ng/mL. Limits of detection for all target compounds were in the low range (0.7-6.5 pg/mL). The method was validated using in-house pooled human serum fortified at two concentrations (0.5 ng/mL and 1.0 ng/mL), whole semen fortified at one concentration (0.25 ng/mL), and NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1958, which includes five of the target compounds. Method accuracies for all target compounds ranged from 84 to 119% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of <19%. The measured values for the five target compounds present in the SRM agreed with the certified reference values (89-119% accuracy with RSDs <9%). As this method was developed to support ongoing epidemiologic investigations, we evaluated its suitability by analyzing subsets of serum and whole semen samples from the Michigan PBB Registry cohort. PBB-153, PCB-118, PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180 were detected in all serum samples analyzed, with PBB-77 and PBB-101 detected less frequently in serum. PBB-153, PCB-118, PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180 were detected in at least one whole semen sample.