cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of acute focal cerebral ischemia with concentrated albumin.

The object of the investigation was to study the effects of concentrated albumin upon the evolution of cerebral infarction. Twenty adult cats lightly anesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride underwent right middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion for 6 hours. Ten cats were not treated and 10 cats received concentrated (i.e., 25 g/100 ml) human serum albumin (5 ml/kg i.v.) at the time of MCA occlusion. The blood volume increased 30 to 40% in the cats receiving concentrated albumin. The hematocrit fell for 32 +/- 5% (SD) before occlusion to 23 +/- 6% at 2.5 hours after occlusion in treated cats, whereas the hematocrit in untreated cats remained stable at 35 +/- 5. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) changes in the right sylvian region were similar in the untreated and treated groups. The mean rCBF before occlusion was 42 +/- 11 ml/100 g/minute in the untreated cats and 44 +/- 8 ml/100 g/minute in the treated cats. Untreated and treated cats had similar reductions of rCBF in the right sylvian region to less than or equal to 18 ml/100 g/minute at some point after occlusion. An index of erythrocyte flow and microcirculatory resistance was determined by measuring the transit of 99Tc-labeled erythrocytes in the right sylvian region. The erythrocyte transit time before occlusion was 10 +/- 2 seconds in the untreated group and 9 +/- 1 seconds in the treated group. After 6 hours, the erythrocyte transit was 19 +/- 3 seconds in the untreated group and 15 +/- 3 seconds in the treated group (p less than or equal to 0.1), suggesting that less microcirculatory impairment occurred in some treated cats. Electroencephalographic changes during the initial 3 hours of occlusion were less severe in the treated cats than in the untreated cats, suggesting that the collateral flow in the border zone of the MCA territory initially may have been improved by treatment. Impairment of carbon perfusion, ischemic edema, and neuronal alterations after 6 hours of occlusion were the same in both groups. Increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier to Evans blue dye, however, was more marked in the treated group. The findings of the study indicate that concentrated albumin does not substantially modify the evolution of cerebral infarction.
Calcium and signal transduction in plants

Environmental and hormonal signals control diverse physiological processes in plants. The mechanisms by which plant cells perceive and transduce these signals are poorly understood. Understanding biochemical and molecular events involved in signal transduction pathways has become one of the most active areas of plant research. Research during the last 15 years has established that Ca2+ acts as a messenger in transducing external signals. The evidence in support of Ca2+ as a messenger is unequivocal and fulfills all the requirements of a messenger. The role of Ca2+ becomes even more important because it is the only messenger known so far in plants. Since our last review on the Ca2+ messenger system in 1987, there has been tremendous progress in elucidating various aspects of Ca(2+) -signaling pathways in plants. These include demonstration of signal-induced changes in cytosolic Ca2+, calmodulin and calmodulin-like proteins, identification of different Ca2+ channels, characterization of Ca(2+) -dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) both at the biochemical and molecular levels, evidence for the presence of calmodulin-dependent protein kinases, and increased evidence in support of the role of inositol phospholipids in the Ca(2+) -signaling system. Despite the progress in Ca2+ research in plants, it is still in its infancy and much more needs to be done to understand the precise mechanisms by which Ca2+ regulates a wide variety of physiological processes. The purpose of this review is to summarize some of these recent developments in Ca2+ research as it relates to signal transduction in plants.
Remote sensing reflectance in the Great Lakes: In situ measurements, closure analyses, and a forward model

Abstract Observations of remote sensing reflectance (R rs ), the signal available to support remote sensing of optically active constituents (OACs) of water quality interest, are presented for multiple sites within each of the Laurentian Great Lakes based on in situ measurements made with a hyperspectral radiometer. R rs (λ) spectra are contrasted among these lakes and in time and space within selected systems. Qualitative analyses of spectra are provided that identify the inherent optical property (IOP) and coupled OAC conditions responsible for the differences in R rs (λ). The much higher R rs peaks observed in the green wavelengths for the lower Great Lakes (Erie and Ontario) are attributed to elevated backscattering levels caused by higher concentrations of minerogenic particles. The credibility of the R rs (λ) spectra is established through successful closure analyses that demonstrate good matches with IOP-based predictions and consistency of coefficient values for radiative transfer expressions with related literature and theory. A mechanistic forward model of R rs (λ) is developed that accommodates the effects of three OACs, including metrics of phytoplankton biomass, minerogenic particles and colored dissolved organic material. This includes the development of the critical cross-section relationships that quantify the couplings between the OACs and IOPs, and in turn the IOPs and the R rs (λ) signal. The model is demonstrated to perform well in matching observations in Lake Erie, and to be sensitive to the representation of the spectral dependency of backscattering and likely variations in the dependence of phytoplankton absorption on chlorophyll. The modeled predicted responses of Lake Erie to different OAC levels are presented.
Mapping the Lipoyl Groups of the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex by Use of Gold Cluster Labels and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

This paper describes the organization of lipoyl moieties within the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex from Escherichia coli as studied in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The PDH complex is a multienzyme complex consisting of E1, pyruvate dehydrogenase, E2, dihydrolipoyl transacetylase, and E3, dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase. The core of the complex is the cubic 24-subunit E2 component, which contains the lipoyl moieties bonded to lipoyl-bearing domains. E1 and E3 are associated along the edges (E1) and on the faces (E3) of the core. The lipoyl moieties were reduced with NADH and alkylated with a p-maleimidobenzoyl undecagold cluster complex. The gold labels were found to be bound very nearly specifically by dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2). Undecagold clusters were imaged directly by the STEM and also digitally mapped by radial mass analysis. The mass of the E2E3 subcomplex is about half that of the PDH complex. The PDH complex and GC-PDH are both about 420 A in diameter, as determined by radial mass analysis, and the E2E3 subcomplex and GC-E2E3 are 320 and 350 A, respectively. The outer boundary of the E2E3 subcomplex was clearly shown in STEM micrographs by the undecagold labels in GC-E2E3. Data obtained from radial mass analysis of GC-E2E3 and the unlabeled E2E3 subcomplex also showed that the size of the subcomplex is extended by the lipoyl-bearing domains surrounding the central E2 core. The capabilities of lipoyl moieties to undergo translocation over long distances through structural mobility in the lipoyl-bearing domains was confirmed by the observation that many of the lipoyl groups in E2E3 subcomplexes relax outward into space vacated by the removal of E1 during the preparation of the subcomplex from PDH complex. Radial mass analysis of the PDH complex and GC-PDH indicates that lipoyl groups are distributed over a large region of the PDH complex, extending from the central core to 170-180 A from the center of the complex, with the highest density at about 75 A from the particle centers, near the interface between E2 and the associated components E1 and E3.
The Darwinian Revolution as Viewed by a Philosophical Biologist

Darwin proclaimed his own work revolutionary. His revolution, however, is still in progress, and the changes that are going on are reflected in the contemporary historical and philosophical literature, including that written by scientists. The changes have taken place at different levels, and have tended to occur at the more superficial ones. The new ontology that arose as a consequence of the realization that species are individuals at once provides an analytical tool for explaining what has been happening and an example of the kind of changes that seem in order. It provides a clear distinction between the roles of history and of laws of nature. Pre-Darwinian “evolution” was superficial in the sense that it treated change as either as something pre-ordained or else due to timeless laws of nature, rather than historical contingency. Darwinism puts the ontological emphasis upon concrete, particular things (individuals) and therefore delegitimizes both essentialistic and teleological ways of thinking. However, traditional ways of thinking have persisted, if not explicitly, then often as assumptions and procedures that are merely implicit or even unconscious. As a result, anti-evolutionary attitudes continue to influence the practice of evolutionary biology as well as the study of its history and philosophy.
Global Proteomics and Pathway Analysis of Pressure-overload Induced Heart Failure and Its Attenuation by Mitochondrial Targeted Peptides

Background—We investigated the protective effects of mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant and protective peptides, Szeto-Schiller (SS) 31 and SS20, on cardiac function, proteomic remodeling, and signaling pathways. Methods and Results—We applied an improved label-free shotgun proteomics approach to evaluate the global proteomics changes in transverse aortic constriction (TAC)–induced heart failure and the associated signaling pathway changes using ingenuity pathway analysis. We found that 538 proteins significantly changed after TAC, which mapped to 53 pathways. The top pathways were in the categories of actin cytoskeleton, mitochondrial function, intermediate metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and citrate cycle. Concomitant treatment with SS31 ameliorated the congestive heart failure phenotypes and mitochondrial damage induced by TAC, in parallel with global attenuation of mitochondrial proteome changes, with an average of 84% protection of mitochondrial and 69% of nonmitochondrial protein changes. Th...
A simple analytic derivation suggests that prostate cancer α/β ratio is low

Since the publication of Brenner and Hall’s recent paper (1) suggesting that the a/b ratio for prostate cancer is 1.5 Gy, a debate has been propagated through the radiotherapy community (2–5). This surprisingly low value carries implications of more efficient (and perhaps less costly) regimens of external beam radiotherapy (i.e., hypofractionated schedules) and optimal forms of brachytherapy (i.e., high dose rate). Should it prove to be true, such a low ratio would negate the therapeutic advantage of conventional fractionation regimens and call out for clinical trials. There is certainly indirect evidence for a low a/b ratio. The very small proportion of proliferating cells (6, 7), the very long observed doubling times (8, 9), the slow response to irradiation, and the recent interim results of high-dose-rate brachytherapy of varying fractionation (10) are all are consistent with such a low value. The surprise is that this value is as low as, if not even lower than, normal tissue response to irradiation. Can one apply the linear-quadratic (LQ) equation to outcomes of a population of clinically localized prostate cancer after radiotherapy? The LQ equation, although purely phenomenological, has certainly proven to be of great use, both in the study of cultured tumor cells irradiated in vitro, in comparing regimens of different fractionation, and in the study of normal tissue response to radiation. Although issues of interand intratumor heterogeneity are not directly accounted for in the standard LQ formalism, these issues might not necessarily affect the a/b ratio when applied to changes in fraction size (4). Whereas the a term, a direct measure of radiosensitivity, does depend upon heterogeneity (3) and is intimately tied to the number of clonogens, the ratio a/b might not. We present a simple analytical derivation of a/b that is a logical conclusion from the observation that, for clinically localized prostate cancer, external beam and permanent brachytherapy appear to achieve equivalent outcomes. This derivation makes no assumptions and does not attempt to fit models to specific clinical data. For fractionated external-beam irradiation to a total dose De, with dose per fraction d, the LQ survival fraction of clonogens can be written as follows:
Configurable Air Transport

*This paper describes a concept of a large flying fuselage transport aircraft that carries the cargo or missionized payload in several large, detachable modules instead of carrying this cargo or payload internally as in current aircraft designs. The paper addresses the application of this concept to the global military airlift missions of air refueling, materiel transport, and persistent air power projection. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the extension of this module-based aircraft design to other emerging military and commercial air transport needs.
Relative pitch estimation of multiple instruments

We present an algorithm based on probabilistic latent component analysis and employ it for relative pitch estimation of multiple instruments in polyphonic music. A multilayered positive deconvolution is performed concurrently on mixture constant-Q transforms to obtain a relative pitch track and timbral signature for each instrument. Initial experimental results on mixtures of two instruments are quite promising and show high levels of accuracy.
Charge assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of droplets

We propose and evaluate a new mechanism to account for analyte ion signal enhancement in ultraviolet-laser desorption mass spectrometry of droplets in the presence of corona ions. Our new insights are based on timing control of corona ion production, laser desorption, and peptide ion extraction achieved by a novel pulsed corona apparatus. We demonstrate that droplet charging rather than gas-phase ion-neutral reactions is the major contributor to analyte ion generation from an electrically isolated droplet. Implications of the new mechanism, termed charge assisted laser desorption/ionization (CALDI), are discussed and contrasted with those of the laser desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization method (LD-APCI). It is also demonstrated that analyte ion generation in CALDI occurs with external electric fields about one order of magnitude lower than those needed for atmospheric pressure matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization or electrospray ionization of droplets.
Gyro-aided feature tracking for a moving camera: fusion, auto-calibration and GPU implementation

When a camera rotates rapidly or shakes severely, a conventional KLT (Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi) feature tracker becomes vulnerable to large inter-image appearance changes. Tracking fails in the KLT optimization step, mainly due to an inadequate initial condition equal to final image warping in the previous frame. In this paper, we present a gyro-aided feature tracking method that remains robust under fast camera-ego rotation conditions. The knowledge of the camera's inter-frame rotation, obtained from gyroscopes, provides an improved initial warping condition, which is more likely within the convergence region of the original KLT. Moreover, the use of an eight-degree-of-freedom affine photometric warping model enables the KLT to cope with camera rolling and illumination change in an outdoor setting. For automatic incorporation of sensor measurements, we also propose a novel camera/gyro auto-calibration method which can be applied in an in-situ or on-the-fly fashion. Only a set of feature tracks of natural landmarks is needed in order to simultaneously recover intrinsic and extrinsic parameters for both sensors. We provide a simulation evaluation for our auto-calibration method and demonstrate enhanced tracking performance for real scenes with aid from low-cost microelectromechanical system gyroscopes. To alleviate the heavy computational burden required for high-order warping, our publicly available GPU implementation is discussed for tracker parallelization.
Trends in energy intake in U.S. between 1977 and 1996: similar shifts seen across age groups.

NIELSEN, SAMARA JOY, ANNA MARIA SIEGA-RIZ, AND BARRY M. POPKIN. Trends in energy intake in U.S. between 1977 and 1996: similar shifts seen across age groups. Obes Res. 2002;10:370 –378. Objective: To determine the trends in locations and food sources of Americans stratified by age group for both total energy and the meal and snack subcomponents. Research Methods and Procedures: Nationally representative data was taken from the 1977 to 1978 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey and the 1989 to 1991 and 1994 to 1996 (and 1998 for children age 2 through 9) Continuing Surveys of Food Intake by Individuals. The sample consisted of 63,380 individuals, age 2 and up. For each survey year, the percentage of total energy intake from meals and snacks was calculated separately for 2- to 18-year-olds, 19to 39-year-olds, 40- to 59-year-olds, and those 60 years and older. The percentage of energy intake by location (at-home consumption or preparation, vending, store eaten out, restaurant/fast-food, and school) and by specific food group was computed for all age groups separately. Results: The trends in location and food sources were almost identical for all age groups. Key dietary behavior shifts included greater away-from-home consumption; large increases in total energy from salty snacks, soft drinks, and pizza; and large decreases in energy from low- and mediumfat milk and medium- and high-fat beef and pork. Discussion: Total energy intake has increased over the past 20 years, with shifts away from meals to snacks and from at-home to away-from-home consumption. The similarity of changes across all age groups furthers the assertion that broad-based environmental changes are needed to improve the diets of Americans.
Radiance Comparisons of MODIS and AIRS Using Spatial Response Information

Abstract The combination of multiple satellite instruments on a pixel-by-pixel basis is a difficult task, even for instruments collocated in space and time, such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on board the Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua. Toward the goal of an improved collocation methodology, the channel- and scan angle–dependent spatial response functions of AIRS that were obtained from prelaunch measurements and calculated impacts from scan geometry are shown within the context of radiance comparisons. The AIRS spatial response functions are used to improve the averaging of MODIS radiances to the AIRS footprint, and the variability of brightness temperature differences (ΔTb) between MODIS and AIRS are quantified on a channel-by-channel basis. To test possible connections between ΔTb and the derived level 2 (L2) datasets, cloud characteristics derived from MODIS are used to highlight correlations between these quantities and ΔTb, es...
Toxicity of direct non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of living tissue

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma applied directly to living tissues is now being widely considered for various clinical applications. One of the key questions that arise in this type of topical treatment is if the skin remains undamaged after non-thermal plasma treatment.
Memoria, voz, y patrimonio: Considering Latina/o Film, Print and Sound Archives.

An introduction to the section of this InterActions special issue on archives and record- keeping that focuses on Memoria, voz y patrimonio: The First Conference on Latino/Hispanic Film, Print and Sound Archives and Sixth Institute of the Trejo Foster Foundation for Hispanic Library Education. This conference/ institute offered a glimpse of the breadth of Latina/o archival collections, practice, research and concerns. The guest editors of this Latina/o archival section are Clara M. Chu and Rebecca Dean, with contributions by Patrick Keilty, of the UCLA Department of Information Studies.
Measurement of Teen Dating Violence Attitudes An Item Response Theory Evaluation of Differential Item Functioning According to Gender

Accurate assessment of attitudes about intimate partner violence is important for evaluation of prevention and early intervention programs. Assessment of attitudes about cross-gender interactions is particularly susceptible to bias because it requires specifying the gender of the perpetrator and the victim. As it is likely that respondents will tend to identify with the same-gender actor, items and scales assessing attitudes about intimate partner violence may not have equivalent measurement properties for male and female respondents. This article examines data from 2,575 high school students who participated in a teen-dating violence intervention study. The majority of participants were Latino (91%), and the sample was nearly evenly split with respect to gender (51% female). Items from two scales (boy-on-girl violence, 4 items; girl-on-boy violence, 5 items) reflecting teens' attitudes about dating violence were calibrated with the graded item response theory (IRT) model and evaluated for differential item functioning (DIF) by gender. A total of three items, two from the girl-on-boy violence scale and one from the boy-on-girl violence scale, were identified as functioning differently for girls and boys. In all cases where DIF was detected, the item's attitudinal statement was easier to accept for the gender group that was portrayed as victim rather than perpetrator. For both scales, accounting for the identified DIF influenced inferences about the magnitude of mean differences in attitudes between boys and girls. These results support the use of IRT scores that account for DIF to minimize measurement error and improve inferences about gender differences in attitudes about dating violence.
Sub-Botnet Coordination Using Tokens in a Switched Network

Botnets have evolved to incorporate peer-to-peer communication for the purpose of better hiding the administrative source of the botnet. Current botnet detection mechanisms identify network traffic patterns at strategic locations within a network such as the gateway. As detection techniques improve, botnet design will continue to evolve to evade detection; thus, it is advantageous to identify potential future botnet models for the purpose of developing defense mechanisms before an actual new attack type is seen in the wild. This paper presents a model for coordinating external communication among bots located within the same switched network. This model prevents a gateway-based monitor from correlating external communication dialogs as the internal source of the communication is not a single bot-host. Future phases of this project include developing efficient techniques for mitigating this potential future botnet model.
Tomosynthesis reconstruction from multi-beam X-ray sources

We investigate methods for reconstructing tomosynthesis data using arrays of microfabricated X-ray sources and area CCD detectors. Tomosynthesis is a 3D imaging technique for limited-angle tomography that uses multiple radiographic images taken from an X-ray source placed at several positions to estimate a 3D distribution of X-ray attenuation. In our implementation, the moving X-ray source is replaced with multiple carbon nanotube field-emission X-ray sources fabricated on a single wafer. The sources are individually addressable, so the motion of the single X-ray source in traditional tomosynthesis is replaced by sequential sampling of the individual sources. Reconstruction is performed using the ordered-subsets convex (OSC) algorithm with pre-computed geometry factors and an image shearing technique for efficiency. Because of the limited resolution of tomosynthesis along the primary direction of projection, reconstructions are computed on non-cubic voxels for relatively thick slabs. We demonstrate the capabilities of the reconstruction technique on simulated data and breast phantom data from a prototype device. Reconstructions for an 11-beam system with 1000/spl times/1000 pixels per projection onto a 800/spl times/800/spl times/20 grid require 55 minutes ( 10 iterations) on a 3.2 GHz workstation with 2 GB memory. We conclude that this implementation of the OSC algorithm is effective for reconstructing tomosynthesis datasets.
Folk Classification of Classic Maya Pottery

other set of documents, recorded not in Chinese characters but in Mayan hieroglyphic writing, underscores the value of Chang's approach. The present paper reports on the decipherment in Mayan script of terms for a single category of artifact: Classic Maya pottery, which has long intrigued specialists for the light it sheds on chronology and intersite comparison (Sabloff and Smith 1969:283284; and more recently, Rice and Sharer 1987, cf. Dunnell 1971). These terms are of interest to specialists, but they also touch on a broader question: Do written sources, particularly those from periods of limited literacy, lend themselves easily to the reconstruction of folk classifications
Development of monetite/phosphorylated chitosan composite bone cement.

In this article, we report the development of a biodegradable monetite [dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA), CaHPO4]/phosphorylated chitosan (p-chitosan) composite orthopedic cement. The cement pastes showed desirable handling properties, injectability, and washout resistance. The incorporation of p-chitosan powders at 5 wt % shortened the setting time of DCPA and significantly improved the mechanical performance of DCPA cement, increasing the compressive strength almost twice from 11.09 ± 1.85 MPa at 0% chitosan to 23.43 ± 1.47 MPa at 5 wt % p-chitosan. On the other hand, higher p-chitosan content or untreated chitosan incorporation lowered the performance of DCPA cements. The cytocompatibility of the composite cement was investigated in vitro using the preosteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1. An increase in cell proliferation was observed in both DCPA and DCPA–p-chitosan. The results show that both the materials are as cytocompatible as hydroxyapatite. Based on these results, DCPA–p-chitosan composite cement can be considered as potential bone repair material. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 102B: 260–266, 2014.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia and new airway technologies

Current endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes have high volume low pressure cuffs. These cuffs are ineffective at preventing the ongoing pulmonary aspiration of oropharyngeal and gastric contents. This ubiquitous complication of intubation is the most important cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), the commonest and most devastating nosocomial infection in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Current tracheal tubes are made of relatively fixed curved PVC, and this produces forces on the airway tissues which is associated with laryngeal and tracheal injury. There is a need for the development of tracheal tube technologies to prevent aspiration injury and the reduce airway injury associated with mechanical ventilation of the critically ill. Given the costs associated with VAP there is currently a massive mismatch in what we spend on prevention.
Postmodernism Perspectives for Macromarketing: An Inquiry into the Global Information and Sign Economy

The author proposes a postmodern framework for understanding the contemporary global economic and social/cultural order. Because the origins of postmodernism are so diverse and disparate, the challenge for macromarketers is to capture the key concepts that are relevant to macromarketing theory and practice. Toward this goal, the author specifies five postmodern conditions that constitute the postmodern framework: the sign system, hyperreality, particularism, fragmentation, and the symbolic nature of consumption. The article proceeds to identify and analyze three contemporary macromarketing topics using the postmodern framework: the global sign economy, flexible regimes of production and consumption, and the information economy and informational capitalism. The article concludes with implications for future research and practice.
Effect of high‐pressure processing on the permeance of selected high‐barrier laminated films

This study investigated the effects of high pressure processing (HPP) on the barrier properties of eight multilayer films. Pouches made from these films were filled with distilled water, sealed and then pressure processed at 600 and 800 MPa for 5, 10 and 20 min at 45°C. Controls were similarly prepared but exposed to atmospheric pressure. After processing, all pouches were dried and their oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour permeance determined. Films used in this study were PET/SiOx /LDPE, PET/Al2O3/LDPE, PET/PVDC/nylon/HDPE/PE, PE/nylon/EVOH/PE, PE/nylon/PE, metallized-PET/EVA/LLDPE, PP/nylon/PP and PET/PVDC/EVA. Results showed that metallized PET was most severely affected by HPP, as its permeance values for oxygen, carbon dioxide and water increased as much as 150%. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Study of Phenyl Phosphate and α-Naphthyl Phospate as Substrates for SerumAcid Phosphatases

In 120 patients without cancer and 87 with prostatic cancer, the α-naphthyl phosphate substrate method proved as sensitive as or more sensitive than the tartrate inhibitable phenyl phosphate substrate method. The major nonprostatic acid phosphatase fraction of blood had properties unlike that of the red blood cell enzyme and was destroyed at room temperature, pH 6.2. Subtle local extensions of prostatic cancer were associated with small but significant increases in mean serum acid phosphatase concentration.
A bio-inspired, chemo-responsive polymer nanocomposite for mechanically dynamic microsystems

This paper reports the development of a biologically-inspired, variable-modulus nanocomposite material for mechanically dynamic biomedical microsystems. This nanocomposite is comprised of a poly(vinyl acetate) matrix polymer that is reinforced with rigid cellulose nanofibers, and becomes very flexible when exposed to water. A direct-write CO 2 laser was used to pattern structures in this chemical- and temperature-sensitive material. Tensile testing of laser-cut, micron-scale nanocomposite beams was performed using a custom-built tensile tester. These samples displayed a significant reduction in Young's modulus from 4.1 GPa to 6.1 MPa when the nanocomposite was exposed to phosphate buffered saline. Additionally, the modulus change was observed to be reversible upon drying of soaked tensile samples. As a well-suited application of this nanocomposite, cortical probes utilizing this material as a substrate were fabricated. Gold-coated, dual-shank cortical probes utilizing this nanocomposite as a substrate were shown to record action potentials from a single neuron in a cockroach brain.
Reflections on Athletic Training Education Reform

Editor's Note: This manuscript is from the Distinguished Educator Keynote presentation given at the 2005 Professional Educators' Conference.
“It's Normal…Mom Will Be Home in an Hour”: The Role of Fathers in Menstrual Education

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine fathers’ self-reports about their role in educating daughters and sons about menstruation. Through postings in online venues, 110 fathers were recruited. Fathers indicated that they were an important source of information for their children, particularly sons. Traditional beliefs about mothering, but not fathering, negatively predicted knowledge and comfort in talking about menstruation. Fathers reported that they would talk about it earlier to their daughters than to their sons, but conversation topics were generally similar for both sexes. Negative aspects of menstruation (e.g., mood swings) were more likely to be raised with sons, however.
Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis: It Is Not Simple Anymore.

For decades, and until very recently, managing asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS) seemed to be a relatively simple and straightforward process: one merely had to wait for the onset of symptoms, at which point it was reasonable to recommend aortic valve replacement (AVR). This was based
Comment: Accounting for Fishing Mortality When Comparing Density-Dependent with Density-Independent Mortality in Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper

Gazey et al. (2008) investigated the potential for density-dependent total mortality to act on the population of juvenile Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus in the western Gulf of Mexico. Their analy...
Thermo-Economic Analysis of Microalgae Co-Firing Process for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants

A thermoeconomic analysis of microalgae co-firing process for fossil fuel-fired power plants is studied. A process with closed photobioreactor and artificial illumination is evaluated for microalgae cultivation, due to its simplicity with less influence from climate variations. The results from this process would contribute to further estimation of process performance and investment. The concept of co-firing (coal-microalgae or natural gas-microalgae) includes the utilization of CO2 from power plant for microalgal biomass culture and oxy-combustion of using oxygen generated by biomass to enhance the combustion efficiency. As it reduces CO2 emission by recycling it and uses less fossil fuel, there are concomitant benefits of reduced GHG emissions. The by-products (oxygen) of microalgal biomass can be mixed with air or recycled flue gas prior to combustion, which will have the benefits of lower nitrogen oxide concentration in flue gas, higher efficiency of combustion, and not too high temperature (avoided by available construction materials) resulting from coal combustion in pure oxygen. Two case studies show that there are average savings about $0.386 million/MW/yr and $0.323 million/MW/yr for coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants, respectively. These costs saving are economically attractive and demonstrate the promise of microalgae technology for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.© 2010 ASME
Capabilities, Perceptions, and Risks: A Bayesian Model of International Behavior

As the ease of computer analysis makes inductive research in international relations more attractive, there is likely to be an increase in the number of competing hypotheses in the literature. Since this can impede the task of theory building, the author suggests the use of a formal model which can provide the flexibility and precision necessary for the manipulation of variables that inductive methods are unable to achieve. To illustrate this, a Bayesian model of decision-making is formulated to reconceptualize a research problem regarding the role of uncertainty in the occurrence of war presented in an article by Singer et al. By introducing the concept of subjective probabilities, the model shows that uncertainty is not only a factor that can affect a nation's choice of an alternative, but that it can also be created and used by a country to mask its true intentions to achieve its goals.
Abstract CN02-03: Prospects for targeted reduction of ovarian cancer risk

Abstracts: Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research 2008 CN02-03 The 5 year survival for patients diagnosed with Stage 3 and 4 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is less than 40% in spite of overall benefit from primary treatment with debulking surgery and chemotherapy. For advanced EOC, even clinical complete responses are usually time-limited, a situation that supports a strategy for earlier intervention. Efforts to establish a screening program with ultrasound and CA-125 have been encumbered by false positive results. The absence of demonstrated benefit in a definitive trial precludes the implementation of widespread screening in the general population. For high risk women like those with BRCA or HNPCC mutations, prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy is available for risk reduction. Otherwise, the identification of specific risk markers and precursor lesions in the general population remains a challenging goal for EOC prevention research. Because access to human tissues of interest is limited, many questions about the natural history of EOC remain to be answered, and translational efforts have focused on preclinical models and animal studies. In spite of the difficulties, there are promising leads and methodology that can be pursued to make ovarian cancer risk reduction a broader reality. From epidemiologic studies, a major result in risk modification is the association of oral contraceptive use with EOC risk reduction. The literature is replete with studies that also link EOC with a variety of other hormonal and reproductive factors. These results have been used to support a number of etiologic hypotheses including risk related to 1) incessant ovulation, 2) gonadotropins, 3) hormones (estrogen/androgen/progesterone, and 4) inflammation. These hypotheses are interrelated and support a systems biology approach that integrates changes in the tumor microenvironment along with changes in the epithelium to identify targeted opportunities for preventive modulation. At this point, the translational research process may be well served by small clinical trials that are carefully designed to reconcile inconsistencies in existing data and to test mechanistic leads from preclinical studies as well as from investigations with therapeutics like bevacizumab and anti-Mullerian hormone. Pathways of interest include those related to aromatase and prostaglandins. With specific targets in mind, biomarker comparison in controls using placebo versus subjects using chemopreventive agents as mechanistic probes should allow an improved definition of risk and response. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):CN02-03.
Advances in clinical evaluation of the new lipid-altering agents from the perspective of drug administration guidance

The cardiovascular death ranks first place among all causes of death in China.Lipid disorder is an important risk factor of cardiovascular diseases.Research of lipid-altering drug is one of the hot spots in the discovery and development of the cardiovascular agents.Clinical research is the essential stage of evaluating the efficacy and safety of new drugs.The rational design and implementation of a clinical trial have major impact on the study results.Therefore,the drug administration agency provides technical suggestions for the industry in the form of guidance generally.This article reviews the guidances on clinical investigation of agents for the treatment of lipid disorders.It may provide references for clinical research of new lipid-altering drugs in China.
NF-κB Activation with Aging: Characterization and Therapeutic Inhibition

Aging is a condition characterized by progressive decline in tissue homeostasis due, at least in part, to the accumulation of replicative, oxidative, and genotoxic stress over time. The activity of the transcription factor NF-κB is upregulated in both naturally aged mice and multiple progeroid mouse models of accelerated aging. Suppressing NF-κB activity genetically or pharmacologically has been shown to delay the onset and progression of aging pathology and therefore prolong the healthspan in progeroid mouse models. Here, we describe the methods for measuring aging endpoints along with NF-κΒ activation in mice, as well as after pharmacologic intervention to prevent NF-κB activation using a NEMO-binding domain (NBD)-protein transduction domain (PTD) fusion peptide.
Laboratory Detection of JAK2 V617F in Human Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Recently, a point mutation in the JAK2 gene, JAK2 (V617F) , was discovered in several myeloid proliferative neoplasms including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Demonstration of the mutation and other similar mutations has now become one of the major criteria in the diagnosis of these neoplasms in the revised World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of Hematopoietic Tissues. In this chapter, we compared the advantages and disadvantages of five commonly used methods for the detection of JAK2 (V617F) . We explained, based on the current literature, why analytic sensitivity of the methodology is of particular importance for the detection of JAK2 (V617F) . A detailed laboratory procedure for the performance of an extensively optimized ARMS-PCR assay was presented. The assay shows distinct patterns for normal, mutant, and mixed genotypes. Diagnostically, it is highly sensitive, highly specific, and simple to perform with no need for any specialized equipment other than thermocyclers.
About the Pace of Climate Change: Write a Report to the President.

SummaryThis project allows students to better understand the scope and pace of climate change by conducting their own analyses. Using data readily available from NASA and NOAA, students can apply their knowledge of regression models (or of the modeling of rates of change). The results lend themselves to a writing assignment in which students demonstrate their understanding by explaining their findings to a non-expert.
The Myth of Polarity: A Perennial Problem of Semiotics

A casual reading of the literature of semiotics makes it clear that polarities and binary structures have been fundamental in the study of semiotics, for as Thomas Sebeok has pointed out, ‘the sign is bifacial’ (1976:117). In its very nature, the sign is a dividing, cutting tool which introduces perspective and localises perception about an externalised world through a self-aware perceiver. So from early Greek thought to symbolic logic, from linguistic slot theory to phonetic differences, from information theory to computer codes, from Cartesian and Freudian models of mentality to brain architectonics, and from Saussure to Peirce as the founders of modern semiotics, the binary construct runs like a spoor, marking the trail of the Sign, or at least the trail of the Signer.
Host-mediated shift in the cold tolerance of an invasive insect.

While many insects cannot survive the formation of ice within their bodies, a few species can. On the evolutionary continuum from freeze‐intolerant (i.e., freeze‐avoidant) to freeze‐tolerant insects, intermediates likely exist that can withstand some ice formation, but not enough to be considered fully freeze tolerant. Theory suggests that freeze tolerance should be favored over freeze avoidance among individuals that have low relative fitness before exposure to cold. For phytophagous insects, numerous studies have shown that host (or nutrition) can affect fitness and cold‐tolerance strategy, respectively, but no research has investigated whether changes in fitness caused by different hosts of polyphagous species could lead to systematic changes in cold‐tolerance strategy. We tested this relationship with the invasive, polyphagous moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker). Host affected components of fitness, such as larval survivorship rates, pupal mass, and immature developmental times. Host species also caused a dramatic change in survival of late‐instar larvae after the onset of freezing—from less than 8% to nearly 80%. The degree of survival after the onset of freezing was inversely correlated with components of fitness in the absence of cold exposure. Our research is the first empirical evidence of an evolutionary mechanism that may drive changes in cold‐tolerance strategies. Additionally, characterizing the effects of host plants on insect cold tolerance will enhance forecasts of invasive species dynamics, especially under climate change.
Abstract 4014: Whole-genome microRNA profiling identifies prognostic serum biomarkers of esophageal adenocarcinoma

Background: Cell free circulating microRNAs (cfmiRNAs) have been recognized as robust and stable biomarkers of cancers. However, little is known about the prognostic significance of cfmiRNAs in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA). In this study, we explored whether specific cfmiRNA profiles could predict EA prognosis and whether H. pylori (HP) infection status could influence the association between cfmiRNAs and EA survival outcomes. Methods: At discovery stage, we profiled 1075 cfmiRNAs in 6 pooled serum samples from 30 EA patients and 30 cancer-free control subjects. After filtration, a total of 589 cfmiRNAs were stably detectable in the serum samples. The most significantly differential expressed cfmiRNAs were then validated the association with overall survival (OS) in an independent cohort of 82 patients, using Log-Rank test and multivariate Cox regression models in overall samples or stratified by HP infection status. qRT-PCR was used for cfmiRNA profiling in validation. HP infection status was determined by immunoblotting assay. Results: We identified a 21-cfmiRNA panel that could distinguish EA patients from cancer-free subjects (multiple response analysis by Hotelling T test, P = 3.0E-12). In validation, the OS analysis among HP-positive subtype patients showed that no cfmiRNA was significantly associated with EA prognosis. In HP-negative patients, however, 9 cfmiRNAs were significantly associated with OS (minimal P = 1.9E-4, all FDR adjusted q-value Conclusions: Our findings suggest that deregulated cfmiRNAs may contribute to EA prognosis and HP infection status may modify the association between cfmiRNAs and EA survival. Citation Format: Yongyue Wei, Li Su, David C. Christiani. Whole-genome microRNA profiling identifies prognostic serum biomarkers of esophageal adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4014. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4014
Diagnosing barriers to safety and efficiency in robotic surgery

AbstractRecent studies exploring the effects of surgical robots on teamwork are revealing challenges not reflected in clinical studies. This study is a sub analysis of observational data collected from 89 procedures utilising the da Vinci systems. Previous analyses had demonstrated interactions between flow disruptions and contextual factors. This study sought a more granular analysis to provide better insight for improvement. Raters sub-classified disruptions, based upon the original notes, grouped according to four operative phases (pre-robot; docking; surgeon on console; undocking; and finish). The need for repeated utterances; additional supplies retrieval; fogging or matter on the endoscope and procedure-specific training were particularly disruptive. Variations across phases reflect differing demands across the operative course. Combined qualitative and quantitative observational methodologies can identify otherwise undocumented sources of process variation and potential failure. Future observationa...
WEB-Based Enhanced Services

This article describes a prototype of integration of the Telephony and Internet domains for the enabling of new and existing Services for access via WWW protocols by operators, subscribers, or both. The described solution enables telephone subscribers who also have a WWW browser to perform: Self-registration for the use of a Telco Multiple Services Platform, and Self-registration and service management of single number call forwarding service.
Blood pressure and renal function in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Source Citation Ravid M, Savin H, Lang R, et al. Proteinuria, renal impairment, metabolic control, and blood pressure in type 2 diabetes mellitus. A 14-year follow-up report on 195 patients. Arch I...