cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A tale of two curriculums: Strategies for pocus instruction in the ICU

Rationale: It is recommended that internal medicine residency programs incorporate point of care ultrasound (POCUS) training into the curriculum. However, the optimal approach to this training lacks recommendations or structural guidelines. We sought to compare an asynchronous video curriculum to a bedside hands-on/didactic curriculum. We used diagnostic accuracy as a surrogate for quality of ultrasound education. We hypothesize there is no difference in the accuracy of cardiac and lung POCUS comparing these two strategies. Methods: This pilot study was conducted in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Via block randomization, internal medicine trainees were assigned to a combined hands-on/didactic (further called “didactic”) ultrasound curriculum or a video-based curriculum. The didactic curriculum consisted of a 45-minute demonstration of cardiac and lung POCUS taught by a pulmonary/critical care fellow. Trainees assigned to the video curriculum were provided access to six short, topic-focused ultrasound videos. For both curricula, topics included introduction to the machine, parasternal long axis, parasternal short axis, apical four chamber, and subxiphoid views. Lung ultrasound focused on lung sliding, B lines, A lines, and pleural effusions. Participants were asked to perform ultrasounds while rotating in the MICU on patients who were scheduled to receive a gold-standard diagnostic test (CT chest, chest X-ray, formal transthoracic echocardiogram). Trainees were asked to comment on left and right ventricular function and pericardial effusion. Lung ultrasound evaluated for pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, and ascites. Participants recorded the interpretations of their images in an online based form, prior to reviewing the formal gold-standard study. The results of the formal exams were retrospectively compared to the POCUS interpretations. The primary outcome of this study was diagnostic accuracy. Results: A total of 36 cardiac exams and 20 lung exams were performed. We utilized a Fisher's Exact Test to compare the diagnostic accuracy of those who receive the didactic curriculum to the video curriculum. There was no difference in interpretation accuracy between didactic and video curriculums in cardiac or lung ultrasound. Conclusion: Based on diagnostic accuracy, a video-based POCUS curriculum is non-inferior to a didactic curriculum. As the COVID pandemic continues, the medical education paradigm will need to shift from traditional strategies to ones that implore asynchronous learning to promote social distancing. However, this cannot come at the cost of inferior medical education. Our results suggest that instruction can continue safely using a video-based curriculum with no impact on ultrasound education. (Table Presented).
Daily GnRH agonist treatment delays the development of reproductive physiology and behavior in male rats.

Abstract The present study was designed to examine the effects of suppressing pubertal onset with leuprolide acetate, a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. Starting on postnatal day (PD) 25, male Long-Evans rats were injected daily with either leuprolide acetate (25 μg/kg dissolved in 0.9% sterile physiological saline; n = 13) or sterile physiological saline (1.0 ml/kg 0.9% NaCl; n = 14) for a total of 25 days. Males were monitored daily for signs of puberty (i.e., preputial separation). On the last day of leuprolide treatment (PD 50), half of each treatment group was injected with 10.0 μg of estradiol benzoate (EB) daily for three consecutive days (PD 50–52) and 1.0 mg of progesterone (P) on the 4th day (PD 53), whereas the other half of each treatment group received oil injections. Four hours after P injections, all subjects were given the opportunity to interact with a gonadally-intact male and a sexually receptive female rat (i.e., a partner-preference test with and without physical contact). Copulatory behavior and sexual motivation were measured. Hormone injections and mating tests were repeated weekly for a total of 3 consecutive weeks. Results showed that leuprolide delayed puberty as well as the development of copulatory behavior and the expression of sexual motivation. By the last test, the leuprolide-treated subjects showed signs of catching up, however, many continued to be delayed. Estradiol and progesterone mildly feminized male physiology (e.g., decreased testes weight and serum testosterone) and behavior (e.g., increased lordosis), but did not interact with leuprolide treatment.
Prion Disease Contamination: Should We Disclose? (A)

In the A case, Rose Matthews, vice president for patient advocacy at University Hospital, must decide how to handle a startling discovery about patient risk. Weeks after a patient dies, lab results revealed the cause was prion disease, a deadly condition similar to mad cow disease. Since the diagnosis of this very rare condition was not known at the time of the patient's brain biopsy, surgical instruments used for the procedure were conventionally sterilized (rather than using special methods required to kill prions) and reused in up to 100 other surgeries. Now Matthews and her team must decide an ethical communication dilemma: (1) disclose the potential, though very low risk that patients may years later develop the disease; or (2) choose to protect patients from mental anguish related to worrying about a disease they most likely will not develop. The B case reveals that the medical team decided not to disclose this news to patients, only to have the news leaked to the media by a disgruntled hospital employee. The teaching note offers three potential teaching plans for this case depending on the desired learning objectives: (1) writing a risk or crisis communication plan; (2) setting up a two-minute role-play of an oral statement delivered at the beginning of an internal meeting or for a press conference; and (3) responding to the media leak. Excerpt UVA-BC-0269 Dec. 12, 2018 Prion Disease Contamination: Should We Disclose? (A) Rose Matthews Rose Mathews, RN, DNP, had worked at University Hospital (UH) for nearly 15 years. Prior to attending the University of Virginia's doctoral program, she had earned a BSN and an RN from Howard University in Washington, DC. She earned her DNP at the University of Virginia, and then relocated to take a job at UH and never looked back. As a prominent teaching hospital, UH was a great place to work, with much to offer the world in terms of medical advancements. Mathews also appreciated UH's ongoing commitment to making sure the right supports were in place for each stage of a patient's health care needs and was proud to now be at the forefront of this effort. When Mathews got to her office at 7 a.m. on Monday, her phone rang almost immediately. As the vice president for Patient Advocacy at UH, she had many responsibilities, including acting as an intermediary between displeased patients and clinical staff. She took notes while listening to the caller, who was Dr. Radha Agrawal, Chief of Infectious Diseases at UH. She hung up and looked at what she had written: “Patient Lewis, wife Samantha,” “Mad Cow Disease??,” “6 weeks,” and “Possibly 100 PATIENTS exposed.” . . .
A data-driven functional mapping of the anterior temporal lobes.

Even though the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) comprises several anatomical and functional subdivisions, it is often reduced to a homogeneous theoretical entity, such as a domain-general convergence zone, or “hub”, for semantic information. Methodological limitations are largely to blame for the imprecise mapping of function to structure in the ATL. There are two major obstacles to using fMRI to identify the precise functional organization of the ATL: the difficult choice of stimuli and tasks to activate, and dissociate, specific regions within the ATL and poor signal quality due to magnetic field distortions near the sinuses. To circumvent these difficulties, we developed a data-driven parcellation routine using resting-state fMRI data (24 females, 64 males) acquired using a sequence that was optimized to enhance signal in the ATL. Focusing on patterns of functional connectivity between each ATL voxel and the rest of the brain, we found that the ATL comprises at least 34 distinct functional parcels that are arranged into bands along the lateral and ventral cortical surfaces, extending from the posterior temporal lobes into the temporal poles. In addition, the anterior region of the fusiform gyrus, most often cited as the location of the semantic hub, was found to be part of a domain-specific network associated with face and social processing, rather than a domain-general semantic hub. These findings offer a fine-grained functional map of the ATL and offer an initial step towards using more precise language to describe the locations of functional responses in this heterogeneous region of human cortex. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The functional role of the anterior aspects of the temporal lobes (ATL) is a contentious issue. While it is likely that different regions within the ATL subserve unique cognitive functions, most studies revert to vaguely referring to particular functional regions as “the ATL” and, thus, the mapping of function to anatomy remains unclear. We used resting-state fMRI connectivity patterns between the ATL and the rest of the brain to reveal that the ATL comprises at least 34 distinct functional parcels that are organized into a three-level functional hierarchy. These results provide a detailed functional map of the anterior temporal lobes that can guide future research on how distinct regions within the ATL support diverse cognitive functions.
Electrophysiologic Implications of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Incidence, Outcomes, and Current Management Strategies

Purpose of review Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has changed the paradigm for management of severe aortic stenosis. Despite substantial procedural advancements, conduction system abnormalities remain a common complication following TAVR. In this review, we describe (1) incidence and risk factors for the development of conduction disturbances following TAVR, along with their prognostic significance, (2) the incidence and prognostic significance of new-onset arrhythmias following TAVR, (3) approach to management of perioperative and post-procedural conduction disturbances and arrhythmias, and (4) novel areas of research. Recent findings Conduction disturbances including left bundle branch block (LBBB) and high-grade atrioventricular block (HAVB) remain common issues post-TAVR despite advancements in valve technology and improvements in procedural technique. Despite data showing most conduction abnormalities resolve over time, rates of post-procedural permanent pacemaker implantation remain high. Similarly, rates of new-onset or newly detected arrhythmia, particularly atrial fibrillation, have been widely reported post-implantation of all types of TAVR valves. Recent consensus statements and decision pathway documents have been helpful in standardizing an approach to post-TAVR conduction disturbances. New areas of research show promise both for predicting which patients will develop conduction disturbances post-TAVR and for management of HAVB with novel pacing techniques. On the other hand, management of new-onset or newly detected atrial fibrillation after TAVR remains a significant challenge without standardized treatment strategy.
Setting the Mood for Critical Thinking in the Classroom

Most current efforts to enhance critical thinking focus on skills practice and training. The empirical research from the fields of cognition and affect sciences suggest that positive mood, even when transiently induced, can have beneficial effects on cognitive flexibility and problem solving. We undertook this study to test this hypothesis in a practical setting. Using an A-B-A-B within subject design, we measured the impact of positive (versus neutral) mood on critical thinking demonstrated on four essay exams in an undergraduate course in personality. There was a significant enhancing effect of positive mood on critical thinking in female students, but not in male students. We discuss possible sex differences that may account for the partial support of the mood-critical thinking effect.
A Conversation concerning Technology: The “Appropriate” Technology Movement

In this paper I propose to discuss the topic of technology from a praxical perspective. The aim is to accomplish two objectives: first, to assess the residual effects of the social movement of the Seventies called “appropriate technology”1; and secondly, in the course of this assessment, to defend a mode of philosophical discourse concerning technology that is anti-foundational and historicist.2
The influence of water vapor absorption in the 290–350 nm region on solar radiance: Laboratory studies and model simulation

[1] Water vapor is an important greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere. Absorption of solar radiation by water vapor in the near-UV region may partially account for up to 30% discrepancy between the modeled and the observed solar energy absorbed by the atmosphere. But the magnitude of water vapor absorption in the near-UV region at wavelengths shorter than 384 nm is not known. We have determined absorption cross sections of water vapor at 5 nm intervals in the 290–350 nm region, by using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. Water vapor cross-section values range from 2.94 × 10−24 to 2.13 × 10−25 cm2/molecule in the wavelength region studied. The effect of the water vapor absorption in the 290–350 nm region on the modeled radiation flux at the ground level has been evaluated using radiative transfer model.
Using a Kinase‐Inducible Bimolecular Switch to Control Enzyme Activity in Living Cells

Molecular switches have been instrumental in the development of powerful and versatile genetic tools for probing biochemical processes, such as intracellular signaling, directly within their native contexts. This protocol outlines a method for using a kinase-inducible bimolecular switch, along with live-cell fluorescence microscopy, to directly control and monitor the activity of a specific enzyme in living cells.
1,3‐Dimethyl‐3‐Methoxy‐4‐Phenylazetidinone

1,3-Dimethyl-3-methoxy-4-phenylazetidinone product: 1,3-Dimethyl-3-methoxy-4-phenylazetidinone. intermediate: 1.25 g (5.0 mmol) of [(methyl)(methoxy)carbene]pentacarbonyl chromium(0)] Keywords: addition, to CO; alkylation, O-alkylation; annulation, heterocyclic-[4]; cyclization, cycloaddition; metalation reactions, chromium; photochemical reactions; benzene; metal carbonyls, toxicity; methyllithium, ethereal solution of; photochemical apparatus, lamps, vitalites
Structure of Ceramic Surfaces Modified by Ion Beam Techniques

Modification of the near-surface region of materials by use of energetic ion beams has been investigated extensively in recent years. The nature of the process allows one to introduce any element into the near-surface region of solids in a controlled and reproducible manner that is independent of most equilibrium constraints. Since the process is nonequilibrium in nature, compositions and structures unattainable by conventional methods may be produced.
An assessment of the skill of real-time models of Mid-Atlantic Bight continental shelf circulation

[1] Prescribing open boundary conditions for regional coastal ocean models encounters the challenge of imposing information on sea level, velocity and tracers that characterize the unrepresented far field ocean. Deriving such information from a larger domain model without communicating information from the ‘‘nested’’ model back to the exterior model is ‘‘downscaling’’. We evaluate whether real-time models presently in operation for the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) can deliver useful predictions of subtidal frequency currents and subsurface temperature and salinity for this downscaling purpose. The MAB is a broad continental shelf region where several models run in real time and there is a dense observational data set available for skill assessment. We examine seven real-time models that cover the MAB: three global models, and four regional models. A regional climatology is included as an eighth model. Skill metrics with respect to model bias, centered root mean square error and cross correlation are computed for temperature and salinity profile data from 16 autonomous underwater glider vehicle missions and four hydrographic voyages in 2010–2011. Two years of hourly HF-radar surface current observations that span the shelf are used to evaluate modeled mean surface currents and daily time scale variability in speed and direction. Skill metrics, with uncertainty estimates, are reported for inner and outer shelf subregions, and for stratified and unstratified seasons. A group of models is identified that offers useful skill for the purposes of providing open boundary data to inner shelf and estuary models for real-time applications. Citation: Wilkin, J. L., and E. J. Hunter (2013), An assessment of the skill of real-time models of Mid-Atlantic Bight continental shelf circulation, J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 118, 2919–2933, doi:10.1002/jgrc.20223.
Military Parents' Personal Technology Usage and Interest in e-Health Information for Obesity Prevention

Abstract Background: U.S. military families are experiencing high obesity rates similar to the civilian population. The Department of Defense's Military Health System (MHS) is one of the largest healthcare providers in the United States, serving approximately 9.2 million active duty service members, retirees, spouses, and children. The annual cost to the MHS for morbidities associated with being overweight exceeds $1 billion. The preschool age has been suggested as an opportune time to intervene for the prevention of obesity. Thus, this study investigated the current level of technology usage by military service member families and assessed their needs and interests in health/nutrition information. This needs assessment is crucial for researchers/educators to design further studies and intervention programs for obesity prevention in military families with young children. Materials and Methods: In total, 288 military parents (233 Army and 55 Air Force) at two military bases whose children were enrolled in ...
Stability Radius as a Method for Comparing the Dynamics of Neuromechanical Systems

Robust motor behaviors emerge from neuromechanical interactions that are nonlinear, have delays, and contain redundant neural and biomechanical components. For example, in standing balance a subject's muscle activity (neural control) decreases as stance width (biomechanics) increases when responding to a lateral perturbation, yet the center-of-mass motion (behavior) is nearly identical regardless of stance width. We present stability radius, a technique from robust control theory, to overcome the limitations of classical stability analysis tools, such as gain margin, which are insufficient for predicting how concurrent changes in both biomechanics (plant) and neural control (controller) affect system behavior. We first present the theory and then an application to a neuromechanical model of frontal-plane standing balance with delayed feedback. We show that stability radius can quantify differences in the sensitivity of system behavior to parameter changes, and predict that narrowing stance width increases system robustness. We further demonstrate that selecting combinations of stance width (biomechanics) and feedback gains (neural control) that have the same stability radius produce similar center-of-mass behavior in simulation. Therefore, stability radius may provide a useful tool for understanding neuromechanical interactions in movement and could aid in the design of devices and therapies for improving motor function.
In the zone or zoning out? Tracking neural and behavioral fluctuations in visual attentional state

•Studies of sustained attention often sample behavior infrequently, or fail to demonstrate decrements in performance over time. In addition, moment-to-moment fluctuations in performance are treated as noise. •The current study aimed to: -Develop a novel continuous performance task to better assess such attentional fluctuations. -Use fMRI to characterize the neural correlates of fluctuations in performance (defined by both RT variability and errors).
Dual energy pulses for Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy with the stochastic Gabor function

This paper introduces the stochastic Gabor function (SGF), an excitation waveform that can be used to design optimal excitation pulses for Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) of the brain. The SGF is a Gaussian function modulated by uniformly distributed noise; it has wide frequency spectrum representation regardless of the stimuli pulse length. The SGF was studied in the time-frequency domain. As shown by frequency concentration measurements, the SGF is least compact in the sample frequency phase plane. Numerical results obtained by using a realistic human head model indicate that the SGF may allow for both shallow and deeper tissue penetration than is currently obtainable with conventional stimulus paradigms, potentially facilitating tissue subtraction assessment of parenchymal dielectric changes in frequency. This could be of value in advancing EIS of stroke and hemorrhage.
Evidence from electron scattering on the elementary nature of the photon

The differential cross section for the elastic scattering of electrons by protons was measured at angles between 18 and 90 deg and for values of the invariant momentum transfer squared of 4 and 10 fm/sup -2/ in an attempt to detect the effects of the recently suggested Regge pole nature of the photon. The cross sections were in agreement with the predictions of the Rosenbluth formula derived on the assumption that the scattering takes place through the exchange of a single elementary spin-one photon. (C.E.S.)
Comorbidities in Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: Do They Influence Hospital Costs and Length of Stay?

Background Increasing national expenditures and use associated with TKA have resulted in pressure to reduce costs through various reimbursement cuts. However, within the arthroplasty literature, few studies have examined the association of medical comorbidities on resource use and length of stay after joint arthroplasty.
Linoleate-dependent co-oxygenation of benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol by rat cytosolic lipoxygenase.

1. Co-oxygenation of 14C-labelled benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol was studied in rat lung cytosol, using linoleic acid as a co-substrate. Covalently bound and soluble metabolites were quantified by radiometry and h.p.l.c., respectively.2. The co-oxygenation resulted in the production of reactive metabolites capable of protein binding as well as a series of soluble derivatives.3. Co-oxygenation of benzo(a)pyrene yielded primarily a significant amount of benzo(a)pyrene-6,12-dione while benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol led to a significant amount of benzo(a)pyrene-trans-anti-tetrol.4. Their production was abolished by addition of 25 μM of the lipoxygenase inhibitor and antioxidant NDGA.5. It is postulated that the lineoleic acid peroxyl radicals, formed by rat lung lipoxygenase, initiate the one-electron oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene to its quinones, and epoxidation of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol to the ultimate carcinogenic benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide.
The aging of a science and its exploitation of innovation: Lessons from X-ray and radio astronomy

Analysis of the growth of radio and X-ray astronomy in the 1960s suggests that future reductions in the size of entering cohorts of new doctorates in astronomy may lengthen the time needed to exploit future innovations, discoveries or breakthroughs. This may well lead to slower rates of advancement in astronomical knowledge. Most scientists making up the early growth of these two problem areas hadrecently earned their Ph. D's, and, it was found, the probability of initiating research in radio or X-ray astronomy declined with the age of the scientist. Since smaller entering cohorts of new scientists would imply an overall aging of the astronomical community, the rate at which scientists will move in to exploit future innovations will probably be slower than during the periods of peak growth in the 1960s.
Residual Stress and Microstructure Effects on Fatigue Crack Growth in AA2050 Friction Stir Welds

Abstract In this work, results of a study conducted on fatigue crack propagation in friction stir welded AA2050 and the effects of FSW induced residual stresses, as well as changes in the microstructure, are presented. Longitudinal residual stress profiles across butt welded 2050 plates were determined using the cut compliance technique and fatigue crack growth testing was conducted on compact tension specimens machined from the friction stir welds. Tests were performed with the crack propagating nominally perpendicular to the weld and with a constant, applied, cyclic, stress intensity factor. Two different material tempers were investigated and in both cases residual stresses were found to have a major effect on the fatigue crack propagation. It was shown that compressive residual stresses are present in the vicinity of the weld, leading to crack closure and a decrease in the fatigue crack growth rate as the crack approaches the weld. Once in the weld nugget, the crack propagation rate increases. This increase is believed to be linked in part to tensile residual stresses but also to a microstructural effect present when the crack grows through the recrystallized nugget. It was also observed that other closure mechanisms, such as oxide-induced closure may affect the fatigue behavior of the 2050 FSW’s. Two methods to predict fatigue crack growth rates in the weld zones were attempted: using the residual stress profiles determined by cut compliance and using the effective stress intensity factor, Δ K eff , obtained during fatigue crack growth testing.
DIELECTRICALLY-ASSISTED DRYING OF A NONHYGROSCOPIC POROUS MATERIAL

ABSTRACT Experiments and simulations for dielectrically-assisted drying of a nonhygroscopic material that exhibits negligible capillary moisture transfer have been conducted in order to ascertain phenomena associated with the transient drying process. Results and predictions indicate that, in general, dielectrically-assisted drying is characterized by three drying regimes. An initial regime occurs in which the material is heated convectively and dielectrically, followed by a transition regime and ultimately, a final regime during which the material is dielectrically heated and convectively cooled. During the final regime, an inverted temperature distribution in the material induces internal condensation which influences transport rates and the thermal response of the system. Measured and predicted drying histories are bracketed by algebraic expressions derived from simple energy balances under a range of conditions where volumetric dielectric heating is strong, relative to surface convective heating or co...
Epidemiology of Pancreatic Cancer

In the United States the incidence of and mortality from pancreatic cancer have increased over the past several decades but have tended to level off in recent years. The rates are higher in blacks than in whites and higher in males than in females. Mortality rates increase with age but there appears to be a decline in elderly blacks, possibly on an artifactual basis. There is a suggestion that rates are higher in Jews. No consistent differences by socioeconomic status or by geographic location within the United States have been identified. Both genetic and environmental factors may be playing significant roles in this disease. Cigarette smoking may be etiologically related, or at the very least, may help to identify a group of patients at increased risk of pancreatic cancer. However, the relative risk estimated for cigarette smoking is much lower than that found for cancer of the lung. The leveling off in incidence and mortality rates for pancreatic cancer in recent years also differs from the time trends observed for lung cancer. However, this could result from differences in site-specific carcinogens and from the fact that the lung is the first organ to be exposed to cigarette smoke in the highest concentrations and prior to the metabolism of any of its components. Dietary factors may have an important role in pancreatic cancer, but further research is needed to clarify this relationship. In particular, the possibility that dietary fats may be implicated and that vitamins or fiber may be protective in this disease remains to be explored. Finally, there is suggestive evidence that specific chemical exposures may be carcinogenic for the pancreas. Many of the data are from animal studies, and the findings from human studies are not entirely consistent.
Combined fiber optic strain sensor and composite cure monitor for smart structure applications

An adaptation of an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) strain sensor is described that permits the state of cure of an epoxy matrix to be monitored when the sensor is embedded in a polymeric matrix composite. By using a glass rod with a retroreflecting end for the target fiber in the EFPI sensor, the intensity of the light reflected depends on the refractive index of the host matrix, if a low coherence source is used. As the epoxy cross-links during cure, the refractive index of the epoxy will increase to a value exceeding that of the target fiber. The resulting increased loss in the fiber can be detected at the sensor output and correlated to the state of cure of the epoxy. After cure, the sensor may be operated as a conventional EFPI strain sensor if a coherent source is used.
Pulsed laser cleaning of sub- and micron-size contaminant particles from optical surfaces: cleaning versus ablation and damage

Pulsed laser cleaning of sub- and micron-sized (0.3-10 μm) monodispersed model spherical polystyrene particles and fused silica particles from fused silica and glass optical surfaces was performed by means of ns TEA CO 2 laser. Efficient removal of these absorbing particles has been demonstrated in certain laser fluence range, which is below the threshold for ablative damage of the fused silica and glass substrate. Removal mechanisms of dry and steam laser cleaning of various critical optical surfaces are discussed.
Multilayers of colloidal particles

Abstract A new technique has been developed by which alternate layers of positively and negatively charged colloidal particles, such as silica and alumina, can be deposited from sols onto a smooth surface such as glass. By this means films of controlled, uniform thickness can be built up, showing interference colors. By using uniform colloidal particles such as silica or polystyrene latex about 100 mμ in diameter as a visible indicator film, the adsorption of invisibly small particles, polyvalent ions, surfactants, and water-soluble polymers can be simply observed and studied.
Regulation of amniotic fluid volume by intramembranous absorption in sheep: Role of passive permeability and vascular endothelial growth factor

Abstract Objective: During long-term intravascular fluid infusion in the ovine fetus, a large increase in fetal urinary flow rate occurs while amniotic fluid volume increases only slightly because of increased intramembranous absorption. The current study tested the hypotheses that passive intramembranous permeability increases in response to fetal intravascular saline solution infusion and that the increased intramembranous absorption occurs in parallel with an increase in vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in the amnion, chorion, and placenta. Study Design: Chronically catheterized fetal sheep that average 126 ± 1 (SE) days of gestation either were infused intravascularly with 7 L of normal saline solution over 3 days (n = 8 sheep) or served as time controls (n = 6 sheep). Amniotic fluid volume and fetal urinary flow rate were measured daily. Intramembranous diffusional permeability was estimated daily as being equal to the clearance of intra-amniotically injected technetium 99m. Vascular endothelial growth factor messenger RNA abundance in the amnion, chorion, and placenta was determined by Northern blot analysis. Statistical analyses included analysis of variance. Results: In the infused fetuses, amniotic fluid volume and urinary flow increased ( P P Conclusion: The up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth gene expression may mediate the increase in the intramembranous absorption that is induced by volume-loading diuresis; however, this does not occur by passive mechanisms. We speculate that vascular endothelial growth mediates the increased intramembranous absorption by increasing vesicular transport. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:786-93.)
X-measuring ellipsometer (XME): a novel ellipsometric technique to fully characterize film-substrate systems

We discuss the X-measuring ellipsometer which measures the film-thickness exponential function of a film-substrate system: detecting two conditions on X. It works for all types of film-substrate systems: negative, zero, and positive. Only the transparent zero film-substrate system is discussed in detail. We present more than one ellipsometric configuration to implement the technique. We also present the inversion procedure to obtain the optical constants of the film and the substrate, in addition to the film thickness. Closed-form formulas to obtain the film thickness; the film thickness and its multiplicity; or the film thickness, its multiplicity, and the film and substrate optical constants using one, two, or three measurements, respectively. The instrument is versatile, accurate, fast, and is easily automated. The measurement multiplicity as related to the film thickness, and the permissible-thickness bands and forbidden-thickness gaps are briefly presented and discussed.
A reconsideration of the reptilian relationships of Archaeopteryx

The cladistic relationships of Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, are re-examined and previous hypotheses of relationships evaluated. The morphology of Archaeopteryx is redescribed. New interpretations of the fossils are presented, particularly in regard to the morphology of the pectoral girdle, manus, pelvic girdle, tarsus and pes. These new interpretations challenge some of the phylogenetic hypotheses recently presented and a new version of thecodontian relationships is suggested.
Negotiating Work and Family

Explorations of women’s work and family lives, and negotiations between these two realms, have become increasingly popular topics of inquiry among sociologists. According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011, 2012a, 2012b), women in the United States make up nearly half of the paid labor force, the majority of women with children under six work for pay, and one-third of women earn more than their husbands in married-couple families. Yet, as sociologists and economists have repeatedly pointed out, women’s increased economic contributions have not been met with adequate recognition and support: Women continue to complete a disproportionate amount of household labor in comparison to men (Hochschild 2003; Sayer 2005), the United States remains unique among industrialized nations in its lack of provisions for paid maternity leave (Ray et al. 2008), and the costs associated with the care of children continue to be shouldered by individual women and families (Folbre 2008; England and Folbre 1999; Correll et al. 2007). Thus, women must typically privately navigate work-family dilemmas. Arlie Hochschild has been one of the most influential scholars to explore the complexities of women’s work and family lives – from the emotional labor that female employees engage in for corporate benefit, to the second shift that women in dual-income families complete at the end of their paid workday, to the effects of globalization on the lives of migrant domestic workers. Hochschild has developed a diverse range of concepts, such as “second shift,” “time bind,” “emotion work,” “deep acting,” “economy of gratitude,” “global care chains,” and “commodity frontier,” that have not only been heavily incorporated into sociology Qual Sociol (2012) 35:355–358 DOI 10.1007/s11133-012-9233-5
Desktop video conferencing: technical advances and evaluation issues

Abstract Videophones have existed since the early 1960s and, despite capturing public attention, have met with very limited commercial success. Today there is a resurgence of interest in video communication, due largely to the emerging ‘multimedia’ marketplace. But have things really c changed, or is the videophone still the proverbial solution looking for a problem? This paper covers some of the recent advances in network and video communications, and looks at the likely implications for collaborative systems. Desktop video conferencing epitomizes the integration of computer and communications. However, although there have been many technical advances in both network and video communications, little is understood about the non-technical issues involved in the limited impact of the current generation of video conferencing. This paper concludes that the major issues in the successful development of desktop video conferencing systems will be the design of multi-user interfaces and the effective evaluation of such systems.
Elliptic equations with BMO coefficients in Reifenberg domains

The inhomogeneous Dirichlet problems concerning divergence form elliptic equations are studied. Optimal regularity requirements on the coefficients and domains for the W1,p theory, 1 < p < ∞, are obtained. The principal coefficients are supposed to be in the John-Nirenberg space with small BMO seminorms. The domain is a Reifenberg domain. These conditions for the W1,p theory not only weaken the requirements on the coefficients but also lead to a more general geometric condition on the domains. In fact, these domains might have fractal dimensions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
TRIF licenses caspase-11-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome activation by gram-negative bacteria.

Summary Systemic infections with Gram-negative bacteria are characterized by high mortality rates due to the "sepsis syndrome," a widespread and uncontrolled inflammatory response. Though it is well recognized that the immune response during Gram-negative bacterial infection is initiated after the recognition of endotoxin by Toll-like receptor 4, the molecular mechanisms underlying the detrimental inflammatory response during Gram-negative bacteremia remain poorly defined. Here, we identify a TRIF pathway that licenses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by all Gram-negative bacteria. By engaging TRIF, Gram-negative bacteria activate caspase-11. TRIF activates caspase-11 via type I IFN signaling, an event that is both necessary and sufficient for caspase-11 induction and autoactivation. Caspase-11 subsequently synergizes with the assembled NLRP3 inflammasome to regulate caspase-1 activation and leads to caspase-1-independent cell death. These events occur specifically during infection with Gram-negative, but not Gram-positive, bacteria. The identification of TRIF as a regulator of caspase-11 underscores the importance of TLRs as master regulators of inflammasomes during Gram-negative bacterial infection.
Application of High-Angle Annular Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry, and Energy-Filtered Transmission Electron Microscopy to the Characterization of Nanoparticles in the Environment

A major challenge to the development of a fundamental understanding of transport and retardation mechanisms of trace metal contaminants (<10 ppm) is their identification and characterization at the nanoscale. Atomic-scale techniques, such as conventional transmission electron microscopy, although powerful, are limited by the extremely small amounts of material that are examined. However, recent advances in electron microscopy provide a number of new analytical techniques that expand its application in environmental studies, particularly those concerning heavy metals on airborne particulates or water-borne colloids. High-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), STEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), and energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM) can be effectively used to identify and characterize nanoparticles. The image contrast in HAADF-STEM is strongly correlated to the atomic mass: heavier elements contribute to brighter contrast. Gold nanocrystals in pyrite and uranium nanocrystals in atmospheric aerosols have been identified by HAADF-STEM and STEM-EDX mapping and subsequently characterized by high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). EFTEM was used to identify U and Fe nanocrystals embedded in an aluminosilicate. A rare, As-bearing nanophase, westerveldite (FeAs), was identified by STEM-EDX and HRTEM. The combined use of these techniques greatly expands the effective application of electron microscopy in environmental studies, especially when applied to metals of very low concentrations. This paper describes examples of how these electron microbeam techniques can be used in combination to characterize a low concentration of heavy metals (a few ppm) on nanoscale particles.
Dioxygenase Activity of Epidermal Lipoxygenase-3 Unveiled TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL FEATURES OF ITS CATALYTIC ACTIVITY WITH NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Epidermal lipoxygenase-3 (eLOX3) exhibits hydroperoxide isomerase activity implicated in epidermal barrier formation, but its potential dioxygenase activity has remained elusive. We identified herein a synthetic fatty acid, 9E,11Z,14Z-20:3ω6, that was oxygenated by eLOX3 specifically to the 9S-hydroperoxide. Reaction showed a pronounced lag phase, which suggested that eLOX3 is deficient in its activation step. Indeed, we found that high concentrations of hydroperoxide activator (e.g. 65 μm) overcame a prolonged lag phase (>1 h) and unveiled a dioxygenase activity with arachidonic acid; the main products were the 5-, 9-, and 7-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HPETEs). These were R/S mixtures (ranging from ∼50:50 to 73:27), and as the bis-allylic 7-HPETE can be formed only inside the enzyme active site, the results indicate there is oxygen availability along either face of the reacting fatty acid radical. That the active site oxygen supply is limited is implied from the need for continuous re-activation, as carbon radical leakage leaves the enzyme in the unactivated ferrous state. An Ala-to-Gly mutation, known to affect the positioning of O2 in the active site of other lipoxygenase enzymes, led to more readily activated reaction and a significant increase in the 9R- over the 5-HPETE. Activation and cycling of the ferric enzyme are thus promoted using the 9E,11Z,14Z-20:3ω6 substrate, by continuous hydroperoxide activation, or by the Ala-to-Gly mutation. We suggest that eLOX3 represents one end of a spectrum among lipoxygenases where activation is inefficient, favoring hydroperoxide isomerase cycling, with the opposite end represented by readily activated enzymes in which dioxygenase activity is prominent.
Concentrations of chlorinated pesticides and PCBs in microlayer and seawater samples collected in open-ocean waters off the U.S. East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Microlayer and surface seawater samples, collected during four surveys in 1985 and 1987 to open-ocean waters off the United States middle and south East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, were analyzed for selected chlorinated pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Analytes detected by gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) were confirmed by analysis with a different gas chromatographic column or detector or both. Of the 27 filter and filtrate microlayer samples collected during the surveys, only one contained pesticides or individual PCB congeners above method detection limits ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 ng 1−1. Most PCB congeners and pesticides were not detected in any of the 24 open-ocean surface seawater samples, even at method detection limits of 0.5-3.0 pg 1−1, which were achieved by processing 9001 of seawater. Lindane was detected at concentrations in the range of 0:01-0.15 ng 1-1 in nearly every seawater filtrate sample taken off the Southeast Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Chlordane was the other pesticide found predominantly in Gulf of Mexico samples at concentrations of 0.004-0.034 ng 1−1. Only a few sample contained very low concentrations of DDTs and their degradation products. No more than four to five individual PCB congeners were detected in any seawater sample; none of the samples possessed an Aroclor pattern. Previous literature on concentrations of pesticides and PCBs in open-ocean waters is reviewed. Most literature values for pesticides (almost exclusively DDTs and their degradation products) and PCBs in microlayer and surface seawater samples are 10–20 years old. Concentrations of PCBs and DDT identified in the earlier studies were significantly higher than their concentrations in samples collected in our 1985 and 1987 surveys. These observations may reflect an actual decline in PCB and DDT levels in the open ocean or improvement in analytical methods, including confirmation of analyte identities. In the earlier studies, PCBs and pesticides were determined by a single-column, single-detector analysis (i.e. GC-ECD): confirmation analysis of identified analytes was not performed.
The shortened EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care 30 questionnaire adequately measured parent satisfaction in pediatric intensive care units.

Abstract Objective To shorten and validate the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC) questionnaire of optimal length to measure satisfaction of parents whose child has been admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Study Design and Setting A total of 3,354 (55.4%) parents in eight PICUs completed the 65-item EMPATHIC questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was applied to evaluate the statistical performances. The reduced domains were intercorrelated by the Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. The robustness of the findings was evaluated by adjusted R 2 for internal cross-validations. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency. Results Multiple regression analysis based on statistical redundancy established the optimal length at 30 items over five different domains: information (5 items), care and cure (8 items), organization (5 items), parental participation (6 items), and professional attitude (6 items). The explained variances of the domains ranged from 85% to 93%. The domains of the full and optimal version showed strong correlations ( r = 0.92–0.97). Cross-validation among eight centers and across time provided adjusted R 2 values on domain level between 85% and 95%. The reliability estimates of the domains, assessed by Cronbach's α, varied between 0.73 and 0.93. Conclusion By statistically eliminating the redundant items, the EMPATHIC questionnaire could be reduced from 65 to 30 items.