cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Holo-Chidi video concentrator card

The Holo-Chidi Video Concentrator Card is a frame buffer for the Holo-Chidi holographic video processing system. Holo- Chidi is designed at the MIT Media Laboratory for real-time computation of computer generated holograms and the subsequent display of the holograms at video frame rates. The Holo-Chidi system is made of two sets of cards - the set of Processor cards and the set of Video Concentrator Cards (VCCs). The Processor cards are used for hologram computation, data archival/retrieval from a host system, and for higher-level control of the VCCs. The VCC formats computed holographic data from multiple hologram computing Processor cards, converting the digital data to analog form to feed the acousto-optic-modulators of the Media lab's Mark-II holographic display system. The Video Concentrator card is made of: a High-Speed I/O (HSIO) interface whence data is transferred from the hologram computing Processor cards, a set of FIFOs and video RAM used as buffer for data for the hololines being displayed, a one-chip integrated microprocessor and peripheral combination that handles communication with other VCCs and furnishes the card with a USB port, a co-processor which controls display data formatting, and D-to-A converters that convert digital fringes to analog form. The co-processor is implemented with an SRAM-based FPGA with over 500,000 gates and controls all the signals needed to format the data from the multiple Processor cards into the format required by Mark-II. A VCC has three HSIO ports through which up to 500 Megabytes of computed holographic data can flow from the Processor Cards to the VCC per second. A Holo-Chidi system with three VCCs has enough frame buffering capacity to hold up to thirty two 36Megabyte hologram frames at a time. Pre-computed holograms may also be loaded into the VCC from a host computer through the low- speed USB port. Both the microprocessor and the co- processor in the VCC can access the main system memory used to store control programs and data for the VCC. The Card also generates the control signals used by the scanning mirrors of Mark-II. In this paper we discuss the design of the VCC and its implementation in the Holo-Chidi system.
The influence of uterine position on pregnancy rates with in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer

We found no difference in clinical pregnancy rates following IVF-ET in women with anteverted versus retroverted uteri. Patients can be reassured that the probability of clinical pregnancy following IVF-ET is not compromised by uterine position.
Interstitial protein alterations in rabbit vocal fold with scar.

Summary: Fibrous and interstitial proteins compose the extracellular matrix of the vocal fold lamina propria and account for its biomechanic properties. Vocal fold scarring is characterized by altered biomechanical properties, which create dysphonia. Although alterations of the fibrous proteins have been confirmed in the rabbit vocal fold scar, interstitial proteins, which are known to be important in wound repair, have not been investigated to date. Using a rabbit model, interstitial proteins decorin, fibromodulin, and fibronectin were examined immunohistologically, two months postinduction of vocal fold scar by means of forcep biopsy. Significantly decreased decorin and fibromodulin with significantly increased fibronectin characterized scarred vocal fold tissue. The implications of altered interstitial proteins levels and their affect on the fibrous proteins will be discussed in relation to increased vocal fold stiffness and viscosity, which characterizes vocal fold scar.
A Nationality of Her Own: Women, Marriage, and the Law of Citizenship

In 1907, the United States federal government declared that any American woman marrying a foreigner had to assume the nationality of her husband, and thereby denationalized thousands of American women. This study follows the variations in women's nationality rights, citizenship law and immigration policy in the United States during the late Progressive and interwar years, placing the history and impact of "derivative citizenship" within the broad context of the women's suffrage movement. Making use of primary sources, and utilizing documents from many leading women's reform organizations, government agencies, Congressional hearings and federal litigation involving women's naturalization and expatriation, Candice Bredbenner provides a contemporary feminist perspective on key historical, political and legal debates relating to citizenship, nationality, political empowerment, and their implications for women;s legal status in the United States.
Associations Between Parental Smoking Restrictions and Adolescent Smoking

The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional relation between reported levels of parental smoking restriction and several behavioral and cognitive variables in a sample of 757 (363 males, 394 females) adolescent smokers. Experimenters administered surveys to students in the homerooms of three Florida high schools. After controlling for student age, gender, and parental smoking status, results revealed that more restrictive parental smoking policies were significantly associated with less smoking on weekdays and weekend days, greater latency to smoking the first cigarette of the day, greater motivation to quit smoking, greater confidence in ability to quit smoking, and higher estimated risk perception regarding the health consequences of smoking. Results also revealed that 44% of adolescent smokers reported that their parents or legal guardians did not know that they smoked tobacco. These findings suggest that parental smoking restrictions may have the potential to impede adolescent progression to adult smoking behavior by reducing smoking rates and nicotine dependence, and increasing motivation to quit, self-confidence to quit, and health risk perception. Parental restrictions on smoking may present obstacles and inconveniences to adolescent smoking behavior that make smoking cessation a more attractive option.
Scaling down of ultrathin HfO2 gate dielectrics by using a nitrided Si surface

A surface nitridation technique using NH3 anneal has been investigated to reduce interface reaction and consequently the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of TaN/HfO2/Si metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitor. For the same EOT, the nitrided samples showed 1–2 order of magnitude lower leakage current density compared to the non-nitrided ones. Furthermore, the nitrided samples showed better thermal stability. However, nitridation induced higher interface state density and larger hysteresis. The degraded interface quality due to the nitridation was improved by post-metal annealing (PMA). Using the optimized nitridation and PMA, EOT of the capacitor was scaled down to ∼10 A with keeping leakage current below 0.1 mA/cm2 at −1.5 V. Interface state density and hysteresis were ∼8.4×1010 eV−1/cm2, and 45 mV, respectively.
Conifer growth and reproduction in urban forest fragments: predictors of future responses to global change?

Global change has a large and growing influence on forests, particularly in urban and urbanizing areas. Compared to rural forests, urban forests may experience warmer temperatures, higher CO2 levels, and greater nitrogen deposition, with exacerbated differences at urban forest edges. Thus, comparing urban to rural forests may help predict future effects of global change on forests. We focused on the conifer western red-cedar (Thuja plicata) to test three hypotheses: at urban forest edges, relative to rural forests and urban forest centers, trees experience 1) higher temperatures and nitrogen levels, 2) lower seedling recruitment, and 3) greater growth. We additionally tested anecdotal reports that 4) tree seedling recruitment in urban and rural forests is much lower than in “pristine” old-growth forests. To test these hypotheses, we quantified air temperature, soil nitrate, adult T. plicata growth and seedling recruitment in five urban and three rural parks at both forest edges and centers. We also quantified T. plicata recruitment at five old-growth “pristine” sites. Temperatures were highest at urban forest edges, and soil nitrate was highest in urban forests. In urban relative to rural forests, we observed greater T. plicata growth, but no difference in seedling densities. However, seedling densities were lower in urban and rural forests than in old-growth forests. In all, our results suggest urban influences enhance adult T. plicata growth, but not seedling recruitment. Recruitment in urban and rural forests was reduced compared to old-growth forests, implying that fragmentation and logging reduce T. plicata seedling recruitment.
Synthesis and Pharmacological Studies of 3-Amino-2-methyl-1-phenylpropanones as Hypolipidemic Agents in Rodents

A series of 3-amino-2-methyl-1-phenylpropanones were synthesized and proven to have potent hypolipidemic activity in rodents by lowering both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels at 8 mg/kg/day, i.p. and orally. Many of these analogs showed significantly higher activity than standard drugs, lovastatin and clofibrate at their therapeutic doses. 2-Methyl-3 (perhydroazepin-1-yl)-1-phenylpropanone (4), 3-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-1-phenylpropanone (5), and 2-methyl-3-(4-pyrrolidinocarbonyl-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-1-(4 -fluorophenyl) propanone (17) showed the best overall activities in lowering both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in CF1 mice at 8 mg/kg/day after 16 days of treatment. Compounds 4, 5, and 17 lowered serum cholesterol levels 63%, 58%, and 42%, respectively, after 16 days at 8 mg/kg/day i.p. These agents reduced the serum triglyceride levels by 33%, 37%, and 54%, respectively. In Sprague-Dawley rats these compounds also demonstrated significant serum lipid lowering effects by decreasing both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels after 14 days of oral drug administration at 8 mg/kg/day. Compound 17 reduced the rat aorta cholesterol levels by 37%, triglyceride levels by 50%, and neutral lipid levels by 34% after 14 days of oral administration. These compounds lowered the chylomicron, VLDL, and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels while elevating the HDL cholesterol levels significantly. In hyperlipidemic rodents, these analogs also demonstrated significant serum lipid lowering effects but were, less active-than in normalipidemic rodents. The activities of some enzymes, such as mouse hepatic acetyl CoA synthetase, HMG GoA reductase, phosphatidylate phosphohydrolase, and hepatic lipoprotein lipase, were significantly reduced by these compounds.
Object recognition by three-dimensional curve matching

Experimental results for the recognition of general curves in three-space using registered range and intensity images are presented. the matching algorithm uses fast Fourier transforms to determine the least-squares difference between sequences of points sampled at equal intervals along two piecewise linear approximations of curves in three-space and returns the rotation and translation required to bring one of the curves into closest juxtaposition with the other. Performance of the algorithm is demonstrated by matching curves in three-space which are the boundaries of regions of contrasting reflectivity on curved surfaces. the experiments use a recently developed range sensor which is able to generate a 512 × 460 × 12 bit range image (with registered intensity image) in 40 s.
Failure-aware checkpointing in fine-grained cycle sharing systems

Fine-Grained Cycle Sharing (FGCS) systems aim at utilizing the large amountof idle computational resources available on the Internet. Such systems allow guest jobs to run on a host if they do not significantly impact the local users of the host. Since the hosts are typically provided voluntarily, their availability fluctuates greatly. To provide fault tolerance to guest jobs without adding significant computational overhead, we propose failure-aware checkpointing techniques that apply the knowledge of resource availability to select checkpoint repositories and to determine checkpoint intervals. We present the schemes of selecting reliable and efficient repositories from the non-dedicated hosts that contribute their disk storage. These schemes are formulated as 0/1 programming problems to optimize the network overhead of transferring checkpoints and the work lost due to unavailability of a storage host when needed to recover a guest job. We determine the checkpoint interval by comparing the cost of checkpointing immediately and the cost of delaying that to a later time, which is a function of the resource availability. We evaluate these techniques on an FGCS system called iShare, using trace-based simulation. The results show that they achieve better application performance than the prevalent methods which use checkpointing with a fixed periodicity on dedicated checkpoint servers.
An update on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)--report on the international conference.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has had devastating effects upon society and has proven to be the greatest recent challenge to all health care authorities. At this second international AIDS conference held in Paris in June, over 900 papers and posters were presented in an effort to share strategies in solving the many problems this syndrome imposes. Over 2500 participants attended sessions that focused on immunology, virology, epidemiology, public health and psychology. The purpose of this report is to provide a recent update on the status of AIDS and to outline issues of particular interest to midwives.
Effect of Time and Temperature on TBC Failure Mode Under Oxidizing Environment

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC) have been recently introduced on hot section components; such as transition pieces and first two stages of turbine blades and vanes of advanced F, G, and H class land-based turbine engines. The TBC coating is typically applied on metallic coated components. The metallic bond coat provides oxidation and/or corrosion protection. It is generally believed that the primary failure mode of TBCs is delamination and fracture of the top ceramic coating parallel to the bond coat in the proximity of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) between the coatings. One of the concerns associated with the use of a TBC as a prime reliant coating is its long-term stability. The effect of long-term operation at typical land based turbine operating temperatures below 1010°C (1850°F) on the failure mode of TBCs is unknown. Long-term isothermal tests were conducted on the TBC coated specimens at three temperatures, 1010°C (1850°F), 1038°C (1900°F), and 1066°C (1950°F) to determine the effects of long term exposure on the TBC failure location (mode). Following isothermal testing, the samples were destructively examined to characterize the degradation of TBC and determine the extent of TGO cracking, TGO growth, bond coat oxidation, and TBC failure location after long term exposure for up to 18000 hours. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) attached with an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system were used to study the degradation of the TBC and bond coatings. The results showed that long term isothermal exposure leads to a change in the TBC failure mode from delamination of TBC at the TGO/TBC interface to internal oxidation of the bond coat and the bond coat delamination. In this paper, the effect of long-term exposure on delamination of TBC and bond coat failure mode is discussed.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Revisiting and revising suppressor T cells

A great deal of experimental evidence supports the phenomenon of immunological suppression. The molecular mechanisms to explain the phenomenology have, however, remained controversial. In this review, the data are reinterpreted in light of the recent advances in the understanding of T-cell subsets, the cross-regulatory properties of lymphokines and the differential presentation capacities of different antigen-presenting cell types.
A Survey of Structure−Property Relationships of Surfaces that Resist the Adsorption of Protein

This paper describes the use of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy and self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to determine the characteristics of functional groups that give surfaces the ability to resist the nonspecific adsorption of proteins from solution. Mixed SAMs presenting different functional groups were prepared for screening using a synthetic protocol based on the reaction of organic amines with a SAM terminated by interchain carboxylic anhydride groups. Surfaces that presented derivatives of oligo(sarcosine), N-acetylpiperazine, and permethylated sorbitol groups were particularly effective in resisting the adsorption of proteins. Incorporation of these groups into single-component SAMs resulted in surfaces that are comparable to (but slightly less good than) single-component SAMs that present oligo(ethylene glycol) in their ability to resist the adsorption of proteins. In the group of surfaces examined, those that resisted the adsorption of proteins had the following properties: they were ...
Radio Echoes and Lightning

OBSERVATIONS are being made by 10-cm. radar at Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, on distant and overhead storms and rain clouds.
Management of dysphagia in a patient with closed head injury

This case report describes the evaluation and treatment of a closed head injured (CHI) patient with dysphagia and cognitive and language deficits. On October 27, 1985, the patient, a 35-year-old man, sustained multiple intracranial hemorrhages in a pedestrian-motor vehicle accident. Over a 4-month hospitalization in a rehabilitation setting, he progressed from nasogastric tube feeding to complete oral feeding with an unrestricted diet. When admitted to our inpatient rehabilitation unit 2 months after injury, the patient demonstrated confused, agitated, inappropriate behaviors and had a tracheostomy. He showed minimal neurologic impairment of his lips, tongue, face, jaw, velopharynx (i.e., palatopharyngeal isthmus), larynx, and respiratory motor mechanism. Three videofluoroscopic dysphagia studies were performed. Initial findings included pharyngeal paresis and laryngeal penetration of liquids. Safe swallowing was possible only by using compensatory strategies, such as decreasing bolus size and swallowing twice after each mouthful. Persisting cognitive and language deficits complicated the dysphagia treatment program. Behavior modification techniques, a structured environment, supervision, and family education were utilized to address the cognitive and language deficits contributing to dysphagia. The interactions of cognitive, language, and swallowing impairments are discussed. General considerations in the management of dysphagia in patients with closed head injuries are also addressed.
The English School and the concept of ‘empire’: theoretical and practical/political implications

The English School (ES) of International Relations is mainly associated with the idea of ‘international society’ defined as a group of states bound by a common set of rules in their relations with one another and sharing in the working of common institutions. However, the idea of ‘empire’ has posed some challenges to ES thinking. Consequently, some ES scholars have viewed ‘empire’ as a form of statehood and, therefore, as constituting one of the units in an international society. Some others have considered ‘empire’ as a form of an international society in itself while others have treated it as a form of a ‘world society’. Because the ideas of ‘international’ and ‘world society’ are associated with particular, norms, rules, practices, and policies, the present article aims at addressing this controversy within the ES and examining the political implications stemming from the various ES usages of the concept of ‘empire’.
A Dataflow Framework for DSP Algorithm Refinement

Current video compression algorithms are increasingly complicated and difficult to analyze and profile. Design tools and system level languages often prove to be inefficient and incapable of providing complexity analysis as a first step directed toward at the implementation of video compression algorithms. This paper proposes framework that will help to develop a methodology that facilitates the derivation of analytical dataflow models. The framework proposes dataflow models for quantifying the underlying algorithm's memory complexity, related timing considerations, and verification of the correctness of the video compression algorithm.
Analysis of 5-fluoro-2′-deoxycytidine and 5-trifluoromethyl-2′-deoxycytidine and their related antimetabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract An isocratic, ion-paired, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography technique for the quantitative determination of 5-fluoro-2′-deoxycytidine (FdCyd) and 5-trifluoromethyl-2′-deoxycytidine (F 3 methyldCyd) and their related antimetabolites is described. Extraction and purification of these compounds from DNA, RNA, and free pools is reviewed diagrammatically. Total analysis time including quantitation of DNA and RNA primary constituents is 45 min. Average combined recoveries for prodrugs and anti-metabolites is above 90% with standard deviations of 0.07 and 0.58 and average precisions of 5.51 and 8.30% for FdCyd and F 3 methyldCyd, respectively. Average coefficients of variation were 3.8 ± 0.5% for FdCyd and 7.7 ± 1.0% for F 3 methyldCyd. Limits of detection were approximately 1 pmol for unlabelled prodrugs and antimetabolites. FdCyd, when generally tritiated with a specific activity of 18 Ci/mmol, was detected in the 5 · 10 −15 –20 · 10 −15 mol (fmol) range depending on sample condition.
Evidence that substrate-specific effects of C5 protein lead to uniformity in binding and catalysis by RNase P

The ribonucleoprotein enzyme RNase P processes all pre-tRNAs, yet some substrates apparently lack consensus elements for recognition. Here, we compare binding affinities and cleavage rates of Escherichia coli pre-tRNAs that exhibit the largest variation from consensus recognition sequences. These results reveal that the affinities of both consensus and nonconsensus substrates for the RNase P holoenzyme are essentially uniform. Comparative analyses of pre-tRNA and tRNA binding to the RNase P holoenzyme and P RNA alone reveal differential contributions of the protein subunit to 5′ leader and tRNA affinity. Additionally, these studies reveal that uniform binding results from variations in the energetic contribution of the 5′ leader, which serve to compensate for weaker tRNA interactions. Furthermore, kinetic analyses reveal uniformity in the rates of substrate cleavage that result from dramatic (>900-fold) contributions of the protein subunit to catalysis for some nonconsensus pre-tRNAs. Together, these data suggest that an important biological function of RNase P protein is to offset differences in pre-tRNA structure such that binding and catalysis are uniform.
Child Welfare Workers’ Personal Safety Concerns and Organizational Commitment: The Moderating Role of Social Support

This study examined the association between child welfare workers’ safety concerns and organizational commitment, with specific attention to the possible cross-level interaction effect of leader-member exchange (LMX) on the relationship between workers’ safety concerns (organizational level) and organizational commitment (individual level). Results suggested that frequent exposure to unsafe working environments were associated with lower levels of organizational commitment. Cross-level interaction of LMX was found, which indicates that as the quality of leader-member exchange improves, the negative relationship between unsafe climate and organizational commitment decreases. The importance of workplace safety and its relevance for administrative practice are discussed.
2.3.1 Using the Swing Weight Matrix to Weight Multiple Objectives

Multiobjective decision analysis is used for trade studies and the evaluation of alternative system and architecture designs. Attributes are identified to measure the achievement of each objective. Value (or utility) models are mathematical equations that assess the value (or utility) of a score on an attribute and relative weight of each attribute. One of the challenging concepts is that weights depend on both importance and variation of the range of the attribute. Many analysts, not familiar with the mathematical theory, assess weights using only importance. Several years ago, we developed the swing weight matrix to properly assess weights by explicitly defining importance and variation. A second motivation was to provide a tool for communication with stakeholders and decision makers. This paper presents the swing weight matrix theory, the approaches used to define importance and variation, and some illustrative applications. We conclude with the challenges, improvements, and benefits of the swing weight matrix.
Frequency of varicocele in black adolescents

To determine the incidence of varicocele among blacks, 423 black adolescent males were examined. Fifty-eight (13.7%) had varicocele compared to a 14–15% incidence among white teenage males. The close to 10% of adolescents with a varicocele who develop subnormal fertility cannot be predicted, nor has it been shown that early varicocelectomy prevents the problem. There is a need for prospective evaluation of early varicocelectomy in adolescent males to determine if subnormal fertility can be avoided.
Determination of Total Sulfur in Rubber and Rubberlike Materials

Abstract The determination of total or combined sulfur in vulcanized rubber and materials of similar type involves numerous difficulties. This fact is attested by the very large number of methods which have been proposed. All the most important methods involve oxidation of the sulfur, in whatever form it may be present, to sulfate and weighing the latter as barium sulfate. The only essential differences lie in the methods of oxidation employed. The methods which seem to be the most popular at the present time are (1) oxidation of the sample in a Parr bomb with sodium peroxide, potassium chlorate, and sugar; (2) oxidation with perchloric acid and nitric acid, sometimes with the additional use of bromine; (3) oxidation with nitric acid and bromine, followed by sodium carbonate-potassium nitrate fusion; and (4) oxidation with nitric acid-zinc oxide mixture, bromine, and potassium chlorate. Serious explosions have been known to occur with perchloric acid oxidations; hence this method is not so popular at pres...
Factors presaging early recurrent myocardial infarction (“Extension”)

A prospective study of 200 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction was undertaken to characterize the frequency and severity of early recurrent infarction (extension), manifested by secondary plasma MB creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin peaks, and to identify patients at particularly high risk. Serial MB CK and myoglobin determinations and continuous electrocardiographic recordings were obtained in all patients for 14 days, and serial radioventriculograms were obtained in selected patients. Chest pain and S-T segment changes occurred often, in 57 and 43 percent, respectively, of the entire group of patients. However, a secondary rise in plasma MB CK levels indicative of recurrent infarction, occurring an average of 10 +/- 4 days after the initial infarct, was evident in only 17 percent of patients. Forty-three percent (25 of 58) of patients with initial subendocardial infarction exhibited recurrent infarction compared with only 8 percent of those with initial transmural infarction. The mortality rate was 7 percent in patients with subendocardial infarction without early recurrence compared with 16 percent among those with recurrent. Logistic regression analysis indicated that obese women with initial subendocardial infarction and repeated episodes of prolonged chest pain had a high probability rate (60 percent) of recurrence in contrast to the low probability (2 percent) in patients without these features. Thus, early recurrent infarction is frequent after subendocardial infarction and is associated with a marked increase in mortality. These results suggest that patients with subendocardial infarction are at particularly high risk for recurrent infarction and that patients with this type of infarction require vigorous monitoring and prolonged surveillance.
The effect of x-radiation upon the mobility of silver iodide sols

Abstract The change in the electrophoretic mobility of negative silver iodide sols was studied as a function of dose of 50 kev. X-rays. The change in mobility almost directly reflects the growth (and decay) of iodine in an iodide solution, the change possibly being caused by the preferential adsorption of iodine over iodide at the particle surface or by a change in the adsorption characteristics of positive ions onto the double layer. Contrary to previous findings, results indicate that iodine is formed, at low doses, in dilute (less than 10 −3 M ) deaerated potassium iodide solutions; however, further irradiation reduces the iodine back to iodide by radiation-produced hydrogen.
STUDIES ON THE SENSITIZATION OF ANIMALS WITH SIMPLE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS : VI. EXPERIMENTS ON THE SENSITIZATION OF GUINEA PIGS TO POISON IVY

Experiments are described on the latency period in sensitization to poison ivy and on the time necessary for the agent to remain in contact with the skin. The chief matter of investigation concerned the manner in which the whole skin becomes sensitive following treatment at a particular site, and especially whether this is effected by way of the epidermis. Two methods were used to interrupt the continuity of the skin, one by cutting through both skin and the underlying thin muscular layer, the other by removing a strip of skin so as to spare the skin muscle. These procedures led to different results when poison ivy extract was applied to the areas thus isolated. In the first case, sensitization was mostly prevented, whereas with the second method generalized hypersensitiveness occurred almost uniformly. An explanation is to be found in the severance of the lymph vessels lying on the surface of the muscular layer, pointing to the necessity of a free lymph passage. On the other hand the experiments prove that general sensitization is not dependent upon maintaining the integrity of the skin around a treated area. An inhibition of sensitization by incisions extending through the panniculus carnosus was seen to some extent in anaphylactic sensitization with protein antigens, namely when sufficiently small amounts were employed.
Alcohol dehydrogenase accentuates ethanol-induced myocardial dysfunction and mitochondrial damage in mice: role of mitochondrial death pathway.

Objectives Binge drinking and alcohol toxicity are often associated with myocardial dysfunction possibly due to accumulation of the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde although the underlying mechanism is unknown. This study was designed to examine the impact of accelerated ethanol metabolism on myocardial contractility, mitochondrial function and apoptosis using a murine model of cardiac-specific overexpression of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH).
Initiation of clathrin-mediated endocytosis: All you need is two?

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is a major route for the retrieval of plasma-membrane cargoes, and defects of this process can cause catastrophic human dysfunctions. However, the processes governing how a clathrin-coated profile (ccp) is initiated are still murky. Despite an ever-growing cast of molecules proposed as triggers of ccp nucleation and increasingly sophisticated bioimaging techniques examining clathrin-mediated endocytosis, it is yet unknown if ccp formation is governed by a universal mechanism. A recent paper by Cocucci et al. has tracked single-molecule events to identify that stable accumulation of ccps requires the near-simultaneous arrival of two AP2 adaptors bridged by one clathrin triskelion. This commentary examines the role of AP2 in cargo-mediated endocytosis in the light of recent advances in biophotonics, chemical inhibitors and genetics, examines the claims of other molecules to be the initiators of ccp formation and proposes future directions in research into this topic. Editor's suggested further reading in BioEssays: The evolution of dynamin to regulate clathrin-mediated endocytosis Abstract Clathrin-mediated endocytosis: What works for small, also works for big Abstract.
X-ray reflectivity Structural Study of PKCα-C2 Domain Binding to SOPC/SOPS Lipid Monolayers

An understanding of signal transduction mechanisms is vital to investigate the causes of diseases. The C2 domain is a conserved protein signaling motif and membrane-targeting domain widely found in signaling proteins. In this work, we study the interaction of the C2 domain of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) with a lipid monolayer of a mixture of SOPC (1-stearoyl-2-oleyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and SOPS (1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine). Recent results from crystallography and EPR studies indicate that PKCα-C2 is likely to orient parallel to the membrane. In this work, we use x-ray reflectivity to directly determine that the PKCα-C2 domain is perpendicular to the membrane. Our new analysis method allows us to test all orientations and demonstrates that our data is inconsistent with the parallel orientation. To carry out this experiment, the PKCα-C2 was injected into the subphase under an SOPC/SOPS (7:3) mixture supported on a buffered aqueous solution. X-ray reflectivity was used to determine the orientation and penetration depth of PKCα-C2 bound to the SOPC/SOPS monolayer. The reflectivity is analyzed in terms of the known crystallographic structure of PKCα-C2 and a slab model that represents the lipid layer, yielding an electron density profile of the lipid layer and bound C2 domain. The orientation of PC/PS-bound PKCα-C2 is described by two angles, θ = 35° and φ = 210°, and the domain penetrates 7.6 A into the lipid layer. The structure that we determined is consistent with many observations from mutational studies. The perpendicular model further suggests how PKCα-C2 interacts with other lipid components such as phosphatidylinositol, other domains within PKC such as the C1 domain, and the receptor for activated C-kinase.
New germ plasm—The merits and uses of some plant introductions

The value of the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Plant Introduction Program, and some examples of introductions of new varieties for increased yield, disease, and insect resistance are discussed.
Peopletones: a system for the detection and notification of buddy proximity on mobile phones

Mobile phones have the potential to be useful agents for their owners by detecting and reporting situations that are of interest. Several challenges emerge in the case of detecting and reporting nice to know situations. Being alerted of these events may not be of critical importance but may be useful if the user is not busy. For detection, the precision of sensing must be high enough to minimize annoying false notifications, despite the constraints imposed by the inaccuracy of commodity sensors and the limited battery power available on mobile phones. For reporting, the notifications cannot be too obtrusive to the user or those in the vicinity. Peripheral cues are appropriate for conveying information like proximity, but have been studied primarily in settings like offices where sensors and cueing mechanisms can be controlled.We explore these issues through the design of PeopleTones, a buddy proximity application for mobile phones. We contribute (1) an algorithm for detecting proximity, (2) techniques for reducing sensor noise and power consumption, and (3) a method for generating peripheral cues. Empirical measurements demonstrate the precision and recall characteristics of our proximity algorithm. A two-week study of three groups of friends using PeopleTones shows that our techniques were effective, enabling the study of how people respond to peripheral cues in the wild. Our qualitative findings underscore the importance of cue selection and personal control for peripheral cues.
A comparative study of human skin thermal response to sapphire contact and cryogen spray cooling

Surface cooling, in conjunction with various thermally mediated therapeutic procedures, can provide a means to protect superficial tissues from injury while achieving destruction of deeper targeted structures. We have investigated the thermal response of in-vivo human skin to: (1) contact cooling with a sapphire window (6-12/spl deg/C); and (2) spray cooling with a freon substitute cryogen [tetrafluoroethane; boiling point /spl ap/-26/spl deg/C at 1 atmospheric pressure (atm)]. Measurements utilizing infrared radiometry show surface temperature reductions from 30/spl deg/C to 14-19/spl deg/C are obtained within approximately is in response to sapphire contact cooling. Surface temperature reductions to values between 5/spl deg/C and -9/spl deg/C are obtained in response to 20-100-ms cryogen spurts. Computational results, based on fitting the measured radiometric surface temperature to estimate heat transfer parameters, show: (1) temperature reductions remain localized to approximately 200 /spl mu/m of superficial tissue; and (2) values of heat flux and total energy removed per unit skin surface area at least doubled when using cryogen spray cooling.
Amplified Bioactive Signaling and Proteolytic Enzymes Following Ischemia Reperfusion and Aging Remodeling Pathways That Are Not Like a Fine Wine

Left ventricular (LV) remodeling, defined as changes in myocardial structure and geometry, is considered to be a fundamental milestone in the progression to heart failure. This is particularly true in the clinical context of a myocardial infarction (MI) whereby adverse LV remodeling is directly associated with the progression to heart failure and increased morbidity and mortality.1 LV remodeling is a multifactorial process which includes changes within the myocardial, vascular and extracellular matrix (ECM). However, in terms of post-MI remodeling, changes in myocardial growth/viability and ECM structure/composition are ubiquitous events, and occur in a heterogeneous fashion within the remote viable myocardium, the myocardial region surrounding the MI (borderzone), and the MI scar itself. It is the summation of the alterations within both the cellular and extracellular compartments, which occur in all these regions post-MI, which promulgate adverse LV remodeling and ultimately the progression to heart failure. Through the use of animal models and clinical translational studies, certain signaling and proteolytic events have been identified to uniformly occur following an MI, and likely induce the cascade of events which yield changes in myocardial structure and function.2–8 In this issue of Circulation, Jugdutt and colleagues report how activation of a specific signaling pathway, the angiotensin-II receptor, influences a number of critical cellular signaling and ECM proteolytic events which can contribute to adverse LV remodeling.2 These investigators examined a number of critical pathways following a period of ischemia and reperfusion, which resulted in a significant and relevant MI. These investigators not only examined these signaling/proteolytic events in a clinically relevant model of MI, but more importantly examined the post-MI remodeling process within the aging myocardium. The findings from this study are important for 2 reasons. First, this study clearly demonstrated that important interactions occurred between the angiotensin-II receptor and the induction of bioactive molecules and proteases following an acute MI. Second, this study demonstrated that an amplified response occurs between these intersecting pathways within the aging myocardium following an acute MI. Taken together, the findings by Jugdutt and colleagues provide mechanistic evidence that the elderly myocardium is a more vulnerable substrate to an ischemic insult, and that this is likely due to enhanced/amplified induction of signaling cascades and proteolytic events that would directly contribute to a more advanced and accelerated LV remodeling process.
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

While critically ill patients experience a life-threatening illness, they commonly contract ventilator-associated pneumonia. This nosocomial infection increases morbidity and likely mortality as well as the cost of health care. This article reviews the literature with regard to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. It provides conclusions that can be implemented in practice as well as an algorithm for the bedside clinician and also focuses on the controversies with regard to diagnostic tools and approaches, treatment plans, and prevention strategies.
A PATH MODEL OF PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT

According to the social exchange model of perceived organizational support (Eisenherger, Htmtingtrm, Hutchison. & Sowa. I9fi6) employees exchange their loyalty and effort for material and .social rewards from the organization. Employees' perceptions of support from the organization serve as the link between actions taken hy the organization and actions taken by the employee. Surveys measuring employees' perceptions of the organization's actions (i.e., role ambiguity, role conflict, decision centralization. supervi,wr consideration, and participation in decision making) were administered to a sample of 205 members of the faculty and staff of a large western state universit\. Path analysis provided results that were consistent with the social exchange model. Employees' perceptions of the organization's actions had direct effects on their perceptions of support from their supervisors, management and the organization, but did not have direct effects on their commitment to the organization. Consistent with the social exchange model, only employees' perceptions of support from the organization had direct ^effects on their commitment to the organization. Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, and Sowa (1986) proposed that employees' commitment to their organization is based, in part, on their perception of the organization's commitment to them. This built on Blau's (1964) description of social exchange as an opwn-ended stream of transactions that result in diffuse and unspecified obligations on the part of both parties involved in social interaction. The organization's commitment to its employees was conceptualized as the employees' perceptions of support from the organization (i.e., perceived organizational support). Several studies have reported that employees with high levels of perceived organizational support are absent less often and are more conscientious about carrying out their work responsibilities than are employees with low levels of perceived organizational support (Eisenberger etal., 1986; Eisenberger, Fasolo,&Davis-LaMastro, 1990). Author's Note: t would like lo thank Martin Chemers, H. Kandy Rohde. and Rick Crandall for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this article.
The Benevolent Bandit Laboratory: a testbed for distributed algorithms

The design, implementation, and use of a distributed processing environment on a network of IBM PCs running DOS is described. Temporarily unused PCs can be accessed by other users on the network to perform distributed computations. An owner of a PC need not be aware that the machine is being used during idle times; the machine is immediately returned when the owner begins to work again. Some degree of computation resiliency is provided in this unreliable environment; if a PC is part of a distributed algorithm and is reclaimed by its owner, the system finds a replacement node (if possible), resends the affected code to the processor, and restarts it. Thus, a distributed computation is able to proceed despite a set of transient processors. System performance, distributed applications, and fault tolerance are discussed. Performance improvements are demonstrated by applications like parallel merge sort and a distributed search solution to the eight puzzle. >
Fertilization of Eggs of Zebrafish, Danio rerio, by Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

To evaluate the potential for fertilization by sperm injection into fish eggs, sperm from zebrafish, Danio rerio, were microinjected directly into egg cytoplasm of two different zebrafish lines. To evaluate physiological changes of gametes on the possible performance of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), four different combinations of injection conditions were conducted using activated or nonactivated gametes. From a total of 188 zebrafish eggs injected with sperm in all treatments, 31 (16%) developed to blastula, 28 (15%) developed to gastrula, 10 (5%) developed abnormally to larval stages, and another 3 (2%) developed normally and hatched. The highest fertilization rate (blastodisc formation) was achieved by injection of activated spermatozoa into nonactivated eggs (35%). Injections were most effective when performed within the first hour after egg collection. Flow cytometric analysis of the DNA content of the developing ICSI embryos revealed diploidy, and the use of a dominant pigment marker confirmed paternal inheritance. Our study indicates that injection of a single sperm cell into the cytoplasm of zebrafish eggs allows fertilization and subsequent development of normal larvae to hatching and beyond.
Glass recycling in the labour suite is environmentally sound and economical

Background Glass bottles are used for the storage of local anaesthetics in the US and are recyclable. Recycling would result in hospital solid waste reduction. Methods The members of the Department of Anaesthesia were surveyed to determine where these local anaesthetic bottles were disposed of. From November 2002 to April 2003, glass bottles used on the labour and delivery suite were saved for recycling. The number of bottles and the weight recycled were recorded. The number of procedures involving anaesthesia were also recorded during this time period. Results Residents dispose of the local anaesthetic bottle in the sharps container while consultants dispose of them in the trash (P Conclusion The recycling of glass is good for the environment through waste reduction and results in small savings to the hospital.
Reading in/between: migrant bodies, Latin American translations

This essay examines the role of translation in the redefinition of the relationship between authors and their respective national cultures, and in continuing discussions of gender, sexuality, migration and cultural identity in translation studies. The translation of Witold Gombrowicz’s novel Ferdydurke from Polish into Spanish by Cuban author Virgilio Pinera and a Translation Committee, not only calls into question the conventional dichotomy of author and translator, but also creates a transnational literary community which questions a number of assumptions about the history of translation in the West, its complicity both in the construction of literary canonicity and the maintenance of the educational institution.
Collagen density and alignment in responsive and resistant trastuzumab-treated breast cancer xenografts

Tumor collagen characteristics influence tumor malignancy, invasion, and metastasis. This study investigates the effects of trastuzumab (Tz) on the collagen of Tz-responsive (BT474) and Tz-resistant (HR6) breast cancer xenografts. Collagen content was assessed by in vivo second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging and histological trichrome staining of tumor sections. Collagen SHG imaging of control BT474 and HR6 tumors demonstrated increased collagen density after 14 days of treatment (p 0.05), consistent with the physically distinctive nature of these measurements. There was also no correlation between tumor size and collagen endpoints ( p> 0.05). These results identify changes within the collagen compartment of the tumor microenvironment following Tz treatment, which are independent from the tumor cell response to Tz, and demonstrate that intravital collagen SHG imaging is capable of measuring dynamic changes in tumor microenvironment following treatment that complements trichrome staining. © 2015 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) (DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.20.2.026004)