cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Innate immune factors modulate ethanol interaction with GABAergic transmission in mouse central amygdala

Excessive ethanol drinking in rodent models may involve activation of the innate immune system, especially toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathways. We used intracellular recording of evoked GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (eIPSPs) in central amygdala (CeA) neurons to examine the role of TLR4 activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and deletion of its adapter protein CD14 in acute ethanol effects on the GABAergic system. Ethanol (44, 66 or 100mM) and LPS (25 and 50μg/ml) both augmented eIPSPs in CeA of wild type (WT) mice. Ethanol (44mM) decreased paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), suggesting a presynaptic mechanism of action. Acute LPS (25μg/ml) had no effect on PPF and significantly increased the mean miniature IPSC amplitude, indicating a postsynaptic mechanism of action. Acute LPS pre-treatment potentiated ethanol (44mM) effects on eIPSPs in WT mice and restored ethanol's augmenting effects on the eIPSP amplitude in CD14 knockout (CD14 KO) mice. Both the LPS and ethanol (44-66mM) augmentation of eIPSPs was diminished significantly in most CeA neurons of CD14 KO mice; however, ethanol at the highest concentration tested (100mM) still increased eIPSP amplitudes. By contrast, ethanol pre-treatment occluded LPS augmentation of eIPSPs in WT mice and had no significant effect in CD14 KO mice. Furthermore, (+)-naloxone, a TLR4-MD-2 complex inhibitor, blocked LPS effects on eIPSPs in WT mice and delayed the ethanol-induced potentiation of GABAergic transmission. In CeA neurons of CD14 KO mice, (+)-naloxone alone diminished eIPSPs, and subsequent co-application of 100mM ethanol restored the eIPSPs to baseline levels. In summary, our results indicate that TLR4 and CD14 signaling play an important role in the acute ethanol effects on GABAergic transmission in the CeA and support the idea that CD14 and TLR4 may be therapeutic targets for treatment of alcohol abuse.
THE EFFECT OF HYPOXIA ON MYOCARDIAL HIGH ENERGY PHOSPHATE CONTENT IN THE NEWBORN AND ADULT RABBIT

THE EFFECT OF HYPOXIA ON MYOCARDIAL HIGH ENERGY PHOSPHATE CONTENT IN THE NEWBORN AND ADULT RABBIT
Ion transport in heart mitochondria. XIII. The effect of ethylenediaminetetraacetate on monovalent ion uptake

Abstract 1. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) markedly activates the accumulation of Na + and Li + and the swelling which accompanies the ion uptake by isolated heart mitochondria. This activation is reflected in the removal of limited amounts of endogenous Mg 2+ and extensive loss of K + . The removal of these cations requires the presence of Na + , a source of energy, and a permeant anion as well as EDTA. The effects of EDTA on the activation of Na + uptake and cation removal are duplicated by chelators with a high affinity for Mg 2+ , but not by ethyleneglycol-bis-(β-aminoethylether)-N, N′-tetraacetic acid. Mg 2+ at concentrations 5 to 6 times less than EDTA prevents both activation of Na + uptake and cation removal. 2. EDTA does not appear to be bound by heart mitochondria. At neutral pH the chelator penetrates into the mitochondrial water volume to the same extent as sucrose and mannitol. At pH 8.1 where the removal of mitochondrial Mg 2+ by EDTA is more effective, EDTA penetrates virtually the entire water volume. This penetration requires the presence of a source of energy, a transported cation such as Na + , and a permeant anion. It appears possible that the oscillations in ion uptake and swelling observed in the presence of EDTA at pH 8.1 may be related to the presence of the chelator in the interior compartment under these conditions.
Molecular interactions of Alzheimer amyloid-β oligomers with neutral and negatively charged lipid bilayers.

Interaction of p3 (Aβ17–42) peptides with cell membranes is crucial for the understanding of amyloid toxicity associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Such p3–membrane interactions are considered to induce the disruption of membrane permeability and integrity, but the exact mechanisms of how p3 aggregates, particularly small p3 oligomers, induce receptor-independent membrane disruption are not yet completely understood. Here, we investigate the adsorption, orientation, and surface interaction of the p3 pentamer with lipid bilayers composed of both pure zwitterionic POPC (palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine) and mixed anionic POPC–POPG (palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol) (3 : 1) lipids using explicit-solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MD simulation results show that the p3 pentamer has much stronger interactions with mixed POPC–POPG lipids than pure POPC lipids, consistent with experimental observation that Aβ adsorption and fibrillation are enhanced on anionic lipid bilayers. Although electrostatic interactions are main attractive forces to drive the p3 pentamer to adsorb on the bilayer surface, the adsorption of the p3 pentamer on the lipid bilayer with C-terminal β-strands facing toward the bilayer surface is a net outcome of different competitions between p3 peptides–lipid bilayer and ions–p3–bilayer interactions. More importantly, Ca2+ ions are found to form ionic bridges to associate negatively charged residues of p3 with anionic headgroups of the lipid bilayer, resulting in Aβ–Ca2+–PO4− complexes. Intensive Ca2+ bound to the lipid bilayer and Ca2+ ionic bridges may lead to Ca2+ hemostasis responsible for neuronal dysfunction and death. This work provides insights into the mutual structure, dynamics, and interactions of both Aβ peptides and lipid bilayers at the atomic level, which expand our understanding of the complex behavior of amyloid-induced membrane disruption.
High-Order Methods for Diffusion Equation with Energy Stable Flux Reconstruction Scheme

This study investigates the viscous term formulation for the newly developed energy stable flux reconstruction (ESFR) scheme, as an extension to the linear advection flux formulation in the original ESFR scheme. The concept of energy stability for the flux reconstruction approach is put forward. This paper also discusses the formulation of inviscid first derivative flux based on flux reconstruction and diffusive second derivative flux based on solution reconstruction. Numerical experiments for the linear advection equation, diffusion equation, advection-diffusion equation and viscous Burger’s equations are performed. The stability and accuracy of three recovered schemes, i.e. Nodal Discontinuous Galerkin, Spectral Difference, and Huynh type methods, are studied. Lastly, the choice and implementation of the interface numerical flux are found to affect the stability and accuracy of the various schemes. In particular, central flux is compared with the unbiased upwind and downwind flux. Traditional CFD methods are in general second order accurate schemes. In contrast are high order methods that can achieve arbitrary order of accuracy and produce significant less numerical dissipation than low-order methods. On the other hand, traditional low order schemes are very robust and very simple to implement. They have also been extensively tested and validated in industry. High order methods are in general more complex and less robust. Making the current high order methods simpler, more robust, and more stable is an area of active research. In recent work by Vincent, Castonguay and Jameson, 1 a new class of high-order energy stable flux reconstruction schemes has been developed for linear advection equation. As suggested by its name, this new class of flux reconstruction scheme is energy stable. Various high order methods can be recovered by changing a single parameter in the scheme. This new approach has the potential to offer robustness, efficiency, simplicity and unification tovarious high order schemes, hence a step towards the goal of wide-spread adoption of high order schemes. In this study, we extend the energy stable flux reconstruction scheme to deal with the viscous term by considering the diffusion equation. The rest of the paper is organized as follows. We first discuss the concept of energy stability, and present a brief overview of the energy stability estimate for various high order methods such as nodal Discontinuous Galerkin 2–5 and Spectral Difference. 6–10 In parallel, we outline the the Flux Reconstruction scheme proposed by Huynh 11 and analyze the energy stability estimate for Flux Reconstruction scheme. These set the theme for a short overview of the Energy Stable Flux Reconstruction Scheme in the following section. In greater details, we then present the formulation for the viscous term within the Energy Stable Flux Reconstruction Scheme. This is followed by numerical tests to validate current implementation.
In search of powerful empowerment

Summary and conclusion My critique of the current discourse on empower-ment is similar to Woodall et al.’s [1], yet our rec-ommendations for action based on this diagnosisdiffer. Speciﬁcally, while I agree that the prevalenceof individualistic notions of empowerment arerelated to the ascendant neoliberal ideology andare responsible for much of empowerment’s ter-minological dilution, I would nevertheless cautionscholars and practitioners against neglecting anylevel of analysis, including the psychological level.Instead, I urge increased familiarity with psycho-logical empowerment, which has been conceptua-lized ecologically as a multilevel construct [3, 4]that is inextricable from organizational andcommunity-level empowerment. Likewise, it is im-portant to adjust practices and research programs inaccordance with this multilevel framing [28].Further, I recommend greater attention to psycho-logical empowerment as a multi-component con-struct [9, 14]. More widespread understanding ofPowerful empowerment373
Strategies for Organizational Change.

Strengthening organizational support for continuing education requires continuing educators who are proficient at designing and managing the organizational change process.
E.E. Just's "independent irritability" revisited: the activated egg as excitable soft matter.

Ernest Everett Just's experimental work on post-fertilization events in invertebrate eggs led him to posit a dynamic and directive role for the zygotic “ectoplasm” (cortical cytoplasm), in subsequent development. His perspective was neglected during the years that followed his early death not only because of his well-documented marginalization as an African-American in U.S. science, but because his ideas were at odds with the growing gene-centrism of developmental biology in the latter half of the 20th century. This essay reviews experimental work that shows that the egg cortex in many animal groups is a chemically and mechanically active medium that sustains both spatiotemporal calcium ion transients and periodic deformations in the time leading up to cleavage. These wave phenomena are seen to play regulatory roles in germ plasm localization and gene expression, and influence the reliability and success of developmental outcomes. Just resisted vitalistic explanations for the active processes he observed and inferred regarding the egg cortical cytoplasm, but recognized that the physics and chemistry of his time were inadequate to account for these phenomena and anticipated that expansions of these fields would be necessary to explain them. Here again he proved prescient. Late 20th century developments in the physics of “excitable media” and “soft matter” have provided the bases for models, some of which are described here, of chemical and mechanochemical wave propagation in the activated egg cortex. Lastly, the implications of these post-fertilization phenomena for animal evolution, a problem also addressed by Just, are discussed. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 76: 966–974, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Keeping the Law Up to Date: The Idiom of Legalism and the Reform of Administrative Law in England and Wales

The political effectiveness of legal expertise in the United States has rested on the ability of a peak association to present itself as representing the opinion of the profession as a whole. It has also relied on a broad epistemology in which lawyers claim to know the right thing to do. However, the effectiveness and placement of such expertise is a comparative issue. This article argues that organizations other than peak associations can muster the support required for legitimacy in the modem state. The legal profession's epistemology could lead it to narrow rather than broaden its claims in order to effectively claim expertise in something. The ability of the central state to shape a profession's mandate and to reject its advice will also influence the deployment of legal expertise. The article explores these issues in the context of the reform of administrative law in England and Wales. In England and Wales, an expertise-based commission mimicked the processes expected of a peak association. In anticipation of rejection by the central administration, it constrained rather than broadened its policy recommendations.
Factors that Influence Competitive Intermolecular Solvation of Protonated Groups in Peptides and Proteins in the Gas Phase

The ability of 18-crown-6 (18C6) to form noncovalent complexes with cationic groups in the gas phase has been leveraged in numerous, largely orthogonal mass spectrometry-based applications. Although the fundamental interaction between 18C6 and a charged group in the gas phase is quite strong, the strength of attachment of 18C6 to large molecules is more difficult to predict because intramolecular binding of the cation can be competitive. Herein, we demonstrate in experiments with model peptides that 18C6 adducts are not strongly attached to flexible molecules with numerous potential hydrogen bonding sites. 18C6 adduct stability is increased if intramolecular charge complexation is inhibited by sterics or competitive binding. It is demonstrated with molecular mechanics that significant structural changes occur upon loss of 18C6 in model peptides. Examination of the loss of 18C6 adducts from proteins following collisional activation reveals that lower charge states lose the most 18C6. The degree of 18C6 adduct stability may reflect the degree of structural reorganization that occurs following collisional activation, suggesting that lower charge states represent structures that are not similar to gas phase idealized states. In this regard, 18C6 may serve the function of protecting solution phase protein structure. Collisional activation of holomyoglobin with 18C6 adducts attached reveals that heme loss occurs primarily after 18C6 loss, further supporting the notion that 18C6 protects native structure by solvating charged sites.
Translocation breakpoint in two unrelated Tourette syndrome cases, within a region previously linked to the disorder

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by both motor and vocal tics. The etiology of TS is poorly understood; however, evidence of genetic transmission arises from family and twin studies. A complex mode of inheritance has been suggested, likely involving contributions of several genes with different effect size. We describe here two unrelated families wherein balanced t(6;8) chromosomal translocations occur in individuals diagnosed with TS. In one of these families, the transmission of the translocation is associated with learning and behavioral difficulties; in the other family, one parent is unaffected and the other cannot be traced, thus transmission cannot be demonstrated and it is possible that the translocation may have occurred de novo. The breakpoint on chromosome 8 occurs within the q13 band in both families, suggesting that a gene or genes in this region might contribute to the TS phenotype. Existing linkage and cytogenetic data, suggesting involvement of chromosome 8 in TS families and individuals, further support this hypothesis. We have identified two YAC clones mapping distal and proximal to the chromosome 8 translocation site, as determined by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). PCR amplification of genetic markers in this region, using isolated chromosomes from one of the patients, followed by BAC screening with the closest flanking genetic markers, has identified a 200-kb BAC, which, by FISH, we have demonstrated encompasses the chromosome 8 breakpoint in both families. The fact that the chromosomal breaks in the TS cases from both families occur within such a small region of chromosome 8 further supports the hypothesis that disruption of a gene or genes in this part of chromosome 8 contributes to the clinical phenotype.
Ophthalmic manifestations of fibrous dysplasia : A disease of children and adults

Abstract Objective To determine whether adults constitute a significant proportion of patients presenting with ophthalmic complications of fibrous dysplasia. Design A retrospective case series. Participants Twenty patients with biopsy-proven fibrous dysplasia participated. Main outcome measures Patient demographics, major signs and symptoms, occurrence of visual loss, pattern of bone involvement, and radiographic appearance of fibrous dysplasia were studied. Results In contrast to observations made in the past, the authors found that adults constitute a significant proportion of patients suffering from the ophthalmic complications of fibrous dysplasia. Of 20 patients, 9 were younger than 18 years of age (children) and 11 were 18 years of age or older (adults) at the time of presentation. Changes in facial contour and symmetry were the most common presenting signs and symptoms. Five patients, four of whom were adults, presented because of acute visual loss. Most patients had monostotic lesions that crossed suture lines to involve multiple craniofacial bones. On computed tomographic scan, most fibrous dysplasia lesions had a characteristic, pagetoid appearance, with alternating areas of radiolucency and radiodensity. Conclusions Because fibrous dysplasia of the orbital bones can be a cause of significant dysfunction and disfigurement, as well as a treatable cause of blindness in both children and adults, the diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia should not be ruled out based solely on the age of the patient. The characteristic radiologic appearance of this disease allows one to differentiate fibrous dysplasia from other tumors associated with bony expansion or density changes, specifically meningioma.
VESS: coordinating graphics, audio, and user interaction in virtual reality applications

VESS (Virtual Environment Software Sandbox) is a suite of libraries designed to aid in the creation of applications for virtual reality research. It combines the power of a scene graph library, a flexible input device library, and support for other senses (audio, haptics, etc.). It then adds higher-level libraries that integrate graphics and user input, creating a single, coherent platform that is flexible and easy to use. VESS handles the technical challenges facing virtual reality applications, leaving the developer free to focus on the details of the application itself.
The core variables of symbolic-experiential therapy: a qualitative study.

Symbolic-experiential therapists have been criticized for not adequately operationalizing symbolic theory and empirically validating their methods. Although pioneering researchers have noted that the task of studying and evaluating humanistic therapies is complex, we agree that all therapists need to eb held accountable for their intervantions. Int this article we identify the core variables underlying symbolic-experiential therapy that emerged from a research study using grounded theory. The inductively derived conceptual framework for symbolic-experiential therapy included: (a) Gegnerating an interpersonal set; (b) creating a syprasystem; (c) stimulating a symbolic context; (d) activating stress within the system; (e) creating symbolic experience; and (f) moving out of the system.
Conversion of prothrombin to autoprothrombin II.

With thromboplastin, Ac-globulin, and calcium ions, purified prothrombin converts to biothrombin. This derivative of prothrombin is also obtained with purified platelet factor 3, Ac-globulin, calci...
Outcomes of first-line treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia with 17p deletion

Although uncommon in treatment-naive patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, deletion 17p is a high-risk disease characteristic. We analyzed and reported outcomes for 63 patients with deletion 17p chronic lymphocytic leukemia who received first-line therapy at our institution; at time of first treatment, 81% had unmutated immunoglobulin heavy chain variable gene and 58% had complex karyotype. Forty-nine patients (76%) received first-line fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab-based therapy, 6 (11%) received rituximab-based and 8 (13%) received lenalidomide-based treatment. Overall, the complete plus nodular partial remission rate was 33%; on multivariable model, higher complete plus nodular partial remission rate was observed in patients with less than 50% cells positive for deletion 17p, and a higher probability of achieving at least a partial remission was observed with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab-based treatment. After a median follow up of 33 months (range 1–89 months), the estimated median progression-free survival was 14 months (95% confidence interval 10–18) and estimated median overall survival was 63 months (95% confidence interval 43–83). In multivariable analysis, factors independently associated with longer progression-free survival were response to treatment and absence of complex karyotype. Achievement of complete plus nodular partial remission rate and mutated immunoglobulin heavy chain variable gene were independently associated with longer overall survival in multivariable model. Complex karyotype was associated with increased risk for Richter’s transformation. New first-line strategies and agents must aim at both improving response and maintaining remission in patients with deletion 17p, particularly in the presence of complex karyotype.
ZAP-70 and Bcl-2 expression in B lymphoblastic leukemia cells and hematogones.

Background: Flow cytometric immunophenotyping has an established role in the diagnosis and monitoring of B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-LL). However, the search continues for an optimal reagent set that can identify leukemic blasts with specificity, reproducibility, and sensitivity, at any point during the course of the disease and in every specimen type. Methods: This study evaluated the diagnostic utility of detecting the intracytoplasmic antigens zetaassociated protein (ZAP-70) and Bcl-2 in the distinction between the leukemic blasts of B-LL and hematogones. Results: In comparison with hematogones in reference specimens, significantly higher levels of Bcl-2 were identified in 21 of 23 (91%) B-LL. In particular, Bcl-2 expression was consistently higher in leukemic blasts with bright intensity CD10 expression than the equivalent most immature (CD10 bright intensity) hematogones. As previously reported, Bcl-2 expression was lower in B-LL with BCR-ABL1 gene rearrangement, but the fluorescence intensity of this group of specimens was still significantly higher than that seen for hematogones. In contrast, ZAP-70 was expressed at significantly higher levels in only 7 of 23 (30%) B-LL and demonstrated other findings that might limit clinical utility, including differences in the level of ZAP-70 expression during therapy and between blasts in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. Conclusions: Bcl-2 over-expression provides a useful tool for the distinction between B-LL and hematogones. In contrast, although further optimization of the ZAP-70 assay might increase the sensitivity of detection, over-expression of ZAP-70 was identified in only a minority of B-LL. V C 2011 International Clinical Cytometry Society Key terms: B lymphoblastic leukemia; flow cytometry; Bcl-2; ZAP-70
Geriatric Trauma Patients With Cervical Spine Fractures due to Ground Level Fall: Five Years Experience in a Level One Trauma Center

Background: It has been found that significantly different clinical outcomes occur in trauma patients with different mechanisms of injury. Ground level falls (GLF) are usually considered “ minor trauma ” with less injury occurred in general. However, it is not uncommon that geriatric trauma patients sustain cervical spine (C-spine) fractures with other associated injuries due to GLF or less. The aim of this study is to determine the injury patterns and the roles of clinical risk factors in these geriatric trauma patients. Methods: Data were reviewed from the institutional trauma registry of our local level 1 trauma center. All patients had sustained C-spine fracture(s). Basic clinical characteristics, the distribution of C-spine fracture(s), and mechanism of injury in geriatric patients (65 years or older) were compared with those less than 65 years old. Furthermore, different clinical variables including age, gender, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), blood alcohol level, and co-existing injuries were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression in geriatric trauma patients due to GLF and internally validated by random bootstrapping technique. Results: From 2006 - 2010, a total of 12,805 trauma patients were included in trauma registry, of which 726 (5.67%) had sustained C-spine fracture(s). Among all C-spine fracture patients, 19.15% (139/726) were geriatric patients. Of these geriatric patients 27.34% (38/139) and 53.96% (75/139) had C1 and C2 fractures compared with 13.63% (80/587) and 21.98% (129/587) in young trauma patients (P Conclusion: Geriatric patients tend to sustain more upper C-spine fractures than non-geriatric patients regardless of the mechanisms. GLF or less not only can cause isolated C-spines fracture(s) but also lead to other significant injuries with ICP as the most common one in geriatric patients. Advanced age and male are two risk factors that can predict this co-injury pattern. In addition, it seems that alcohol plays no role in the cause of GLF in geriatric trauma patients. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jocmr1227w
Clinical characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus infections in healthy versus previously compromised host

In an effort to delineate the clinical characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the compromised host, we compared children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), congenital heart disease (CHD), premature birth, failure to thrive, and gastroesophageal reflux to previously healthy children. During a four-year period, 262 patients were admitted to the hospital with RSV infection diagnosed by a rapid RSV antigen detection test. Children with BPD or CHD had more hospital days and supplemental oxygen days than the previously healthy group (P less than 0.05). Patients with BPD also had more ICU days, ventilator days, and NPO days, as well as a higher physiologic stability index and therapeutic intervention score than the previously healthy group (P less than 0.05). Premature infants were more likely to present with apnea from RSV (P less than 0.001). Patients with underlying illness tended to be older, although significant difference was demonstrated only for the BPD group (7.0 +/- 5.3 vs. 3.5 +/- 3.3, P less than 0.05). Patients with BPD and CHD had more nosocomial infections than the previously healthy group (P less than 0.0001) and death occurred only in patients with underlying illness. We conclude that previously compromised patients are at risk for more severe and prolonged RSV disease. Earlier diagnosis and therapeutic intervention may be necessary in such patients to improve outcome.
Transpiration-use efficiency of barley

Transpiration-use efficiency, the ratio of biomass (Y) produced per unit of water transpired (T) by a crop, depends on crop characteristics and on the environment in which crops develop. Transpiration-use efficiency has been described as Y/T = kc/Da, where kc is a crop dependent constant and Da is the daytime air vapor pressure deficit. Our objectives were to determine Y/T and kc of barley grown in Pullman, WA, and to analyze the variation in Y/T and kc of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) reported in the literature. Transpiration and biomass accumulation of barley crops were measured in the years 2000 and 2001. The coefficient kc was estimated as the slope of the regression between cumulative values of biomass and T/Da .I t ranged from 6.6 � 0.4 to 6.9 � 0.2 Pa. These figures are greater than 5.8 Pa obtained by applying equations developed by Tanner and Sinclair [Tanner, C.B., Sinclair, T.R., 1983. Efficient water use in crop production: research or re-search. In: Taylor, H.M., et al. (Eds.), Limitations to Efficient Water Use in Crop Production. ASA, Madison, WI, pp. 1‐27]. Data on kc reported in the literature, although scarce, ranged from 3.0 to 5.9 Pa for barley, and from 2.8 to 6.7 Pa for wheat, with the lower values occurring at low Da (<1 kPa). This variability seems to associate with the response of the internal (leaf) to external (bulk air) CO2 concentration ratio (ci/ca) to changes of the leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit (Dl), suggesting that kc rather than a constant could be a function of Dl. The evaluation of more field data on kc, the field validation of the response of ci/ca to Dl, and testing this approach for different species and cultivars is needed to improve the understanding of the Y/T determination at the canopy level. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
From the Nuclear Fusion to the Radiated Energy on the Earth

This chapter deals with the energy generated inside the Sun that reaches the Earth. It is a fantastic trip in which the reader is involved with the two main concepts of very big (the scale of the universe and the produced energy) and of very small (inside semiconductor). Energy is considered both as an electromagnetic radiation and as a particle beam.
Quantitative comparison of optical coherence tomography after pegaptanib or bevacizumab in neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose To demonstrate the benefit of enhanced quantitative analysis of optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using computer-assisted grading to compare the short-term morphologic effects of pegaptanib and bevacizumab treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Retrospective consecutive case series. Participants Fifty-three cases with neovascular AMD undergoing pegaptanib or bevacizumab therapy. Methods Fifty-three consecutive cases of patients who underwent StratusOCT imaging followed by treatment with either intravitreal pegaptanib (n = 18) or bevacizumab (n = 35) for neovascular AMD were retrospectively collected. Raw exported StratusOCT images were analyzed using publicly available custom software (OCTOR) designed to define the boundaries of various spaces manually. Changes in thickness and volume of the retina, subretinal fluid (SRF), subretinal tissue, and pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) before treatment and at 3 months after treatment were calculated and compared between treatment groups. OCTOR software measurements after manual grading were also compared with the automated StratusOCT output. Main Outcome Measures Volume and thickness measurements calculated by the automated StratusOCT software and the manual grading software OCTOR. Results Intravitreal bevacizumab resulted in a statistically significant greater reduction of total retinal volume than pegaptanib (−0.88±1.4 mm 3 vs. −0.07±0.5 mm 3 , P = 0.003). Mean foveal central subfield (FCS) retinal volume decreased from 0.26±0.1 mm 3 to 0.21±0.1 mm 3 ( P = 0.001) in the bevacizumab group and remained constant at 0.22±0.1 in the pegaptanib group 3 months after injection. Subanalysis of the SRF, subretinal tissue, and PEDs revealed statistically significant reductions of the total volume of all 3 spaces after bevacizumab injections but no significant change after pegaptanib treatment. Automated StratusOCT output measurements of FCS thickness, foveal center point thickness, and total volume of the retina did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the treatments. Conclusions Differences in morphologic response between treatments were less apparent on automated StratusOCT output than on computer-assisted analysis. Although intravitreal bevacizumab was associated with a greater short-term reduction in features of exudation than pegaptanib therapy, the retrospective design of the study limits the significance of this finding. Computer-assisted subanalysis of OCT data, however, may be a useful tool in more precisely defining the anatomic effects of therapies for neovascular AMD.
High Q Single-Mode High-Tone Bulk Acoustic Resonator Integrated With Surface-Micromachined FBAR Filter

This paper describes a novel high-tone bulk acoustic resonator (HBAR) integrated with a surface micromachined FBAR (film bulk acoustic resonator) filter on sapphire substrate. The single-mode HBAR exhibited a quality factor (Q) of 3,580 at 2.5 GHz with total size (including the contact pads) of 0.8×0.4×0.4mm 3 . The integrated narrow band FBAR filter provides adequate suppression (>4dB) of the unwanted modes in the HBAR. This high Q and small size resonator is ideally suited for Pierce oscillator for voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) above 2 GHz.
Photoacoustic microscopy of lipids using a graded-index multimode fiber amplifier

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) of lipid-rich tissue has applications in identifying atherosclerotic plaques and monitoring peripheral neuropathy. Many lipids have an optical absorption peak in the 1200 nm spectral range, which is typically produced with very expensive optical parametric oscillator (OPO) lasers. We have previously demonstrated that an inexpensive 1064 nm laser and nonlinear fiber optics can produce pulses in the 1200 nm spectral range. In this paper, we demonstrate an improved system producing a 10-fold increase in pulse energy at a wavelength (1215 nm) that is closer to the optical absorption peak of lipids. The key factors are: (1) a higher energy laser at a slightly shorter wavelength (2) and a graded-index multimode fiber (GIMF). Our system is based on a 1047 nm Q-switched Nd:YLF laser producing 14 ns pulses with 150 uJ of energy at a 1 kHz repetition rate. The laser pulses are coupled into a 95 meter long GIMF (0.2 NA, core diameter = 50 um). Stimulated Raman scattering produces four new spectral lines at 1098, 1150, 1215, and 1275 nm. The GIMF output pulse energies are measured to be 60, 12, 9, 7, and 3 uJ, respectively. Despite the multimode nature of the GIMF, beam profile measurements suggest that the new wavelengths occupy the fundamental mode of the fiber. PAM experiments are performed on a lipid phantom consisting of a small strip of butter placed between approximately 1.2 mm thick pieces of chicken breast meat. The butter strip is only visible at 1215 nm, which is consistent with the optical absorption peak of lipids. We believe the graded-index multimode fiber amplifier is a promising cost-effective method to produce microjoule-level pulses near 1210 nm for high-speed spectroscopic photoacoustic microscopy of lipid-rich tissue.
More Than Just an Abscess: Ultrasound-Assisted Diagnosis of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Infection.

A 60-year-old female with a history of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement three years prior presented with a painful abdominal wall mass. The patient denied fevers, nausea, vomiting, headaches, or dizziness. Physical exam revealed an afebrile, well-appearing female with a raised, erythematous, fluctuant mass on the right lower abdominal wall. She had no abdominal tenderness otherwise. Labs were unremarkable. A bedside ultrasound revealed a complex fluid collection over the area of fluctuance that tracked along the course of the VPS tubing into the abdomen. Plan for incision and drainage was deferred. Neurosurgery was consulted. The neurosurgeon attempted to tap the shunt but encountered very high resistance. The patient was admitted for intravenous antibiotics for VPS infection and malfunction. VPSs are neurosurgically implanted devices used to treat hydrocephalus by shunting cerebral spinal fluid from the lateral ventricles of the brain into the peritoneum. Shunt infections, including meningitis, ventriculitis, and peritonitis, occur in 2–17% of VPS cases.1–3 Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for VP shunt complications in patients who present with typical symptoms suggestive of increased intracranial pressure. In this case, a less obvious complication such as an abscess in an atypical location lowered the practitioner’s threshold for bedside imaging and further investigation.
Towards a Unified Framework for Pose, Expression, and Occlusion Tolerant Automatic Facial Alignment

We propose a facial alignment algorithm that is able to jointly deal with the presence of facial pose variation, partial occlusion of the face, and varying illumination and expressions. Our approach proceeds from sparse to dense landmarking steps using a set of specific models trained to best account for the shape and texture variation manifested by facial landmarks and facial shapes across pose and various expressions. We also propose the use of a novel $\ell _1$ -regularized least squares approach that we incorporate into our shape model, which is an improvement over the shape model used by several prior Active Shape Model (ASM) based facial landmark localization algorithms. Our approach is compared against several state-of-the-art methods on many challenging test datasets and exhibits a higher fitting accuracy on all of them.
Learning Objectives and AP Economics College Preparation

The Advanced Placement (AP) economics education program serves thousands of high school students each year, many of whom receive college credit upon successful completion of an AP economics exam. The AP curriculum, and tests, are not explicitly tied to a set of economic learning objectives. In this article I discuss possible benefits of establishing such objectives, for more reliability in scoring the AP test, and for better AP teacher preparation and college buy-in.
Reasons as Causes For Action

In most summary accounts of the theory of action, a section is devoted to “The Reasons vs. Causes Debate.” Thus advertised, the topic will sound to the neophyte as if it were constituted by some mighty conceptual struggle, with well-defined forces lining up on either side, a philosophical analogue to “The Frazier vs. Ali Fight” or “The 1955 World Series.” Of course, there are initial advantages to structuring the issues of the field under vivid headings, but I have come to believe that the long term disadvantages, in the present case, are weightier. We give the impression that our understanding of the nature of the problems is relatively sharp and that nothing is left but a matter of working out details that will point toward a satisfactory solution. The more I contemplate the reasons vs. causes debate, the less confident I am that our questions have been well-drawn. In this essay, I will explain some of the more significant doubts I feel about recent discussions of the subject (including my own)1 and will indicate some of the areas that are likely to require extensive clarification if substantial progress is to be achieved. In most instances, I will have space only to sketch the pertinent concerns and to adumbrate the perspective on them that I favor.
Harmonic Excitation of Surface Acoustic Waves on Gallium Nitride Thin Films for Biological and Chemical Sensor Applications

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a robust piezoelectric semiconductor with excellent thermal and chemical stability, making it an attractive material for surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors operating in high temperature and harsh environments. The sensitivity of SAW devices is proportional to the square of the operating frequency. Therefore, high operating frequencies into the GHz regime are desirable for SAW sensors. For GaN, this requires sub-micron interdigital transducers (IDTs) when devices are designed to operate at the fundamental Rayleigh mode frequency. The necessity for sub-micron IDTs can increase fabrication costs and complexity. By designing SAW devices to operate at harmonic frequencies, GHz operation can be realized with relatively large IDTs, resulting in simpler and more cost effective solutions for GaN based SAW sensors. Devices have previously been designed to operate at the 5th and higher harmonics on lithium niobate, but there are no reports of using this technique on GaN in the literature. In this study, GaN thin films have been grown via metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on sapphire substrates. SAW devices designed to operate at the fundamental frequency and higher harmonics have been fabricated and measured. Operating frequencies greater than 2 GHz have been achieved using IDTs with 5 μm fingers. In addition, reduction of electromagnetic feedthrough around the 5th and 7th harmonic is demonstrated through varying ground electrode geometries.
Comparison of Reconstructive Techniques after Total Gastrectomy as Determined by Patient Quality of Life and Nutritional Status

Purpose: Many reconstruction procedures have been developed in order to resolve patient complaints after a total gastrectomy. However, until now, there has been no general agreement with regard to the ideal reconstruction to perform after a total gastrectomy. Moreover, there have been few reports of the long-term effects of different reconstruction procedures. In this study, we compared the long-term nutritional status and quality of life for patients that received either a Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy (R-Y), jejunal interposition (JI), jejunal pouch interposition (JPI), or double tract reconstruction (DT), to determine the optimum reconstruction procedure after a total gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 41 patients younger than 80 years who had undergone a total gastrectomy with curative resection and who had no evidence of recurrence at our hospital between August 2000 and January 2004. The patients were classified into the following four groups, according to the type of reconstruction; simple Roux-en-Y (R-Y group, n=15), jejunal interposition (JI; group, n=8), j Jejunal pouch interposition (JPI group, n=8), double tract interposition (DT group, n=10). The nutritional status was assessed by measuring body weight, serum albumin level, serum hemoglobin level, and the level of serum total protein, and the PNI (Prognostic nutritional index). Quality of life was assessed by GSRS. In addition, endoscopy was performed to confirm the presence of reflux esophagitis. Results: The laboratory findings showed no significant differences between the four groups except for a lower total protein and album level in the DT group after 3 years postoperatively (P=0.006, P=0.033). The percentage of body weight at 1 year, and 3 years postoperatively in the JI group (P=0.013, P=0.011) were significantly less than other groups (P=0.011, P=0.000). The frequency of postoperative symptoms and reflux esophagitis and eating capacity showed no significant differences between the four groups. The GSRS score in the JIP group was significantly better than for the other groups at 1 year, and 3 years postoperatively (P=0.028, P=0.003). Conclusion: We believe that the jejunal pouch interposition is the most useful of the four procedures for improving postoperative quality of life.
The Investigation Among Hospitalized Children with Kawasaki Disease in Baoding Children’s Hospital From 2003 to 2006

OBJECTIVE To understand the prevalence situations,epidemiological characteristics and clinical features among hospitalized children with Kawasaki disease in Baoding Children’s Hospital. METHODS To analyze onset age,gender,season and clinical features of all hospitalized children selected during the four-year period January 2003 and December 2006 by the "Kawasaki disease diagnostic criteria"from Japan’s Kawasaki disease research group. RESULTS During the four-year period 64 cases of child patients with KD were treated。The incidence rate showed a rising tendency of which 68.75% was male and 31.25% was female with a ratio 2.2∶1 of male to female. Onset age ranged from 3 months old to 10 years old with an average of 2.5 years old and the percentage under 4 years old was 84.38%.The peak time was between April and June each year. One case of recurrence accounted for 1.5%.Fevers were still the common clinical features.Cases of coronary artery disease accounted for 26.57%(17/64). CONCLUSION The peak time of KD in the region was between April to June.Male cases were more than female. Coronary artery injury was still the most common complication,which suggested that clinical pediatricians should pay attention to the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Over the Threshold of Constitutional Adjudicative Retroactivity

After a period of experimentation, the Supreme Court decreed that its constitutional decisions overruling prior precedents or applying new legal rules to the parties govern all pending and future adjudicative proceedings on direct review, even if the underlying operative events occurred under a different legal framework. But this understanding of the temporal boundaries of legal change is potentially unsettling in some circumstances after the Supreme Court’s holding in Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015), that laws excluding same-sex couples from civil marriage on the same terms and conditions as opposite-sex couples are invalid. The application of Obergefell to retroactively backdate same-sex relationships into ceremonial or common law marriages in certain contexts has the potential to disrupt settled understandings and expectations, such as in property transactions with third parties or in divorce actions predicated on the parties’ cohabitation beginning and ending before legal recognition was afforded to their union.Building on the insights of prior scholars, this Article constructs a more comprehensive typology of the institutional, remedial, and procedural doctrines that serve to protect reliance, fairness, and efficiency interests in a regime of retroactive application of judicial decisions. Strategic employment of these doctrines can safeguard settled reliance interests while optimizing utilitarian benefits during a period of legal transition. The Article proceeds to evaluate potential retro-activity issues facing same-sex marriages in light of the proposals, demonstrating that remedial and procedural doctrines such as judgment scope, declaratory breadth, limitations periods, and judgment finality, in conjunction with the Court’s prior institutional incrementalism on same-sex marriage, can secure settled expectations while fulfilling the promise of marriage equality.
Role of phosphate retention in the progression of renal failure.

Abstract Dietary phosphorus restriction can prevent the progression of renal failure in subtotally nephrectomized rats or in rats with nephrotoxic serum nephritis, independent of protein and calorie intake. 44,46,47 Conversely, diets high in phosphorus content result in a more rapid deterioration of renal function. 59 The results are less compelling in indicating that phosphorus restriction can slow the progression of renal failure in the clinical setting. 49–54 The toxicity of phosphate appears to be related to induction of calcium phosphate precipitation, resulting in tubulointerstitial disease. Most studies of prevention of renal calcification have addressed a single pathway in the development of nephrocalcinosis. These include inhibitors of calcium phosphate precipitation, 59,60 calcium channel blockers, 73 or an inhibitor of PTH secretion. 74 All of these studies have shown a beneficial effect in preserving renal function. It is possible that a combination of these agents, started early in the course of CRF, may have an additive effect in preventing the progression to ESRD. The discussion of other factors associated with progression of renal failure is beyond the scope of this review. It is obvious that dietary protein restriction, treatment of systemic and intraglomerular hypertension and lipid abnormalities, and prevention of iron overload, all play roles in the preservation of renal function in CRF.
The Impact of the Seminary Experience on the Marital Relationship

A sample of married seminarians and their wives was surveyed at a northeastern seminary where individuals were going into the ministry as a second career. The survey focuses on perceived changes in the marital relationsip as a result of the seminary experience and suggests the need for future research.