cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protocol for Construction of Rat Nerve Stimulation Cuff Electrodes

Peripheral nerve stimulation has emerged as a platform therapy to treat a wide range of disorders. Continued development and translation of these strategies requires that researchers have access to reliable, customizable electrodes for nerve stimulation. Here, we detail procedures to build three different configurations of cuff electrodes with varying numbers and orientations of contacts for nerve stimulation in rats. These designs are built with simple, widely available materials, using platinum-iridium electrodes assembled into polyurethane tubing. Moreover, the designs can easily be customized to increase versatility and individualize for specific stimulation applications. This protocol provides a resource to facilitate the construction and customization of stimulation cuffs to support preclinical nerve stimulation research.
507 DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF ANNEXIN A1 EXPRESSION IN OVARIAN CELLS.

Background Ovarian cancer, as well as breast cancer, is quite an elusive disease; thus, the more information we have about a certain breast sample culture, the better the prognosis. Often a biopsy is performed on patient samples and the results tell the physician whether the cancers are invasive. However, there is no test that shows if a currently benign tumor will become invasive-and therefore malignant-in the near future. This study has tried to determine whether the annexin A1 is a significant marker in differentiating between benign and premalignant mammary cells. Methods We constructed a paraffin-block microarray consisting of breast tissue from 100 patients. All the samples were taken from the Department of Pathology at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, and they included sections from normal breast tissue, fibroadenomatous tissue, invasive ductal carcinoma tissue, invasive lobular carcinoma tissue, ductal carcinoma in situ tissue, and lobular carcinoma in situ tissue. To analyze the samples, we used rabbit polyclonal annexin A1 antibodies. Results Annexin A1 expression was qualitatively lower in neoplastic cells in the cytoplasmic and nuclear cell compartments. Conclusion The absence of annexin A1 in mammary myoepithelial cells is a useful marker in differentiating between normal and malignant glands in challenging cases of breast cancer.
Three-Component Turbulence Measurements and Analysis of a Supersonic, Axisymmetric Base Flow

The wake formed behind an axisymmetric body aligned with a Mach 2.49 freestream is studied experimentally using non-time-correlated stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (S-PIV), which simultaneo...
Integrated Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging for Effective Endovenous Laser Ablation: A Characterization Study

Chronic venous insufficiencies due to venous valvular incompetence cause varicose veins. Varicose are characterized by the superficial bulging varicosities and are responsible for a variety of ailments, including pain, bleeding, dermatitis and even venous ulcers. Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) is a minimally invasive, ultrasound (US)-guided procedure for treating varicose veins. However, US imaging suffers from artifacts and is unable to visualize the accurate location of the fiber tip within the vein. Current clinical EVLA procedures lack the ability to monitor the real-time temperature inside the vein during ablation procedures. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging can be integrated with existing EVLA systems for accurate fiber tip tracking and real-time temperature monitoring. This study will focus on characterizing the effectiveness of the PA-guided fiber tip tracking procedures at (1) different depths of the vessel, (2) different fiber orientations and different pulsed laser energies. The temperature monitoring capabilities of PA imaging will be evaluated using a real-world
Climate Change and Adaptation in Global Supply-Chain Networks

This paper examines how physical climate risks affect firms' financial performance and operational risk management in global supply-chains. We document that weather shocks at supplier locations reduce the operating performance of suppliers and their customers. Further, customers respond to perceived changes in suppliers' climate-risk exposure: When realized shocks exceed ex-ante expectations, customers are 6-11% more likely to terminate existing supplier-relationships. Consistent with models of experience-based learning, this effect increases with signal strength and repetition, is insensitive to long-term climate projections, and increases with industry competitiveness and decreases with supply-chain integration. Customers subsequently choose replacement suppliers with lower expected climate-risk exposure.
A Case for Using the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual-2 Instead of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 in University and College Counseling Centers

Counseling centers are part of a national practice environment that arguably encourages expedience rather than thoroughness in working with psychological difficulties. In this landscape, diagnosis ...
How pulmonary valve regurgitation after tetralogy of fallot repair changes the flow dynamics in the right ventricle: An in vitro study

Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic congenital disease, affecting 10% of children with congenital heart disease. The surgical management of patients with Tetralogy of Fallot leads, however, to significant detrimental effects on the right ventricle including pulmonary valve regurgitation. This experiment aimed to simulate different cases of pulmonary valve regurgitation with varying degrees of severity in order to observe the changes in flow structures present in the right ventricle. Planar time-resolved particle image velocimetry measurements have been performed on a custom-made double activation simulator reproducing flow conditions in a model of a right ventricle. Changes in flow characteristics in the right ventricle have been evaluated in terms of velocity fields and profiles, tricuspid inflow jet orientation and viscous energy dissipation. Our results show that pulmonary valve regurgitation significantly alters the flow in the right ventricle mostly by impairing the diastolic inflow through the tricuspid valve and by increasing viscous energy loss. This fundamental work should allow for a better understanding of such changes in the RV flow dynamics. It may also help in developing new strategies allowing for a better follow-up of patients with repaired TOF and for decision-making in terms of pulmonary valve replacement.
MetaNet: Repository, Identification System, and Applications

The ubiquity of metaphor in language (Lakoff and Johnson 1980) has served as impetus for cognitive linguistic approaches to the study of language, mind, and the study of mind (e.g. Thibodeau & Boroditsky 2011). While native speakers use metaphor naturally and easily, the treatment and interpretation of metaphor in computational systems remains challenging because such systems have not succeeded in developing ways to recognize the semantic elements that define metaphor. This tutorial demonstrates MetaNet's frame-based semantic analyses, and their informing of MetaNet's automatic metaphor identification system. Participants will gain a complete understanding of the theoretical basis and the practical workings of MetaNet, and acquire relevant information about the Frame Semantics basis of that knowledge base and the way that FrameNet handles the widespread phenomenon of metaphor in language. The tutorial is geared to researchers and practitioners of language technology, not necessarily experts in metaphor analysis or knowledgeable about either FrameNet or MetaNet, but who are interested in natural language processing tasks that involve automatic metaphor processing, or could benefit from exposure to tools and resources that support frame-based deep semantic, analyses of language, including metaphor as a widespread phenomenon in human language.
Behavioral Validation of the Smartphone for Remote Microphone Technology

As part of a National Institutes of Health–National Institute on Deafness and Other communication Disorders (NIH-NIDCD)–supported project to develop open-source research and smartphone-based apps for enhancing speech recognition in noise, an app called Smartphone Hearing Aid Research Project Version 2 (SHARP-2) was tested with persons with normal and impaired hearing when using three sets of hearing aids (HAs) with wireless connectivity to an iPhone. Participants were asked to type sentences presented from a speaker in front of them while hearing noise from behind in two conditions, HA alone and HA + SHARP-2 app running on the iPhone. The signal was presented at a constant level of 65 dBA and the signal-to-noise ratio varied from −10 to +10, so that the task was difficult when listening through the bilateral HAs alone. This was important to allow for improvement to be measured when the HAs were connected to the SHARP-2 app on the smartphone. Benefit was achieved for most listeners with all three manufacturer HAs with the greatest improvements recorded for persons with normal (33.56%) and impaired hearing (22.21%) when using the SHARP-2 app with one manufacturer's made-for-all phones HAs. These results support the continued development of smartphone-based apps as an economical solution for enhancing speech recognition in noise for both persons with normal and impaired hearing.
Automated segmentation and analysis of retinal microglia within ImageJ.

Abstract Microglia are immune cells of the central nervous system capable of distinct phenotypic changes and migration in response to injury. These changes most notably include the retraction of fine dendritic structures and adoption of a globular, phagocytic morphology. Due to their characteristic responses, microglia frequently act as histological indicators of injury progression. While algorithms seeking to automate microglia counts and morphological analysis are becoming increasingly popular, few exist that are adequate for use within the retina and manual analysis remains prevalent. To address this, we propose a novel segmentation routine, implemented within FIJI-ImageJ, to perform automated segmentation and cell counting of retinal microglia. We show that our routine could perform cell counts with accuracy similar to manual observers using the I307N Rho model. Tracking cell position relative to retinal vasculature, we observed population migration towards the photoreceptor layer beginning 12 h post light damage. Using feature selection with Chi2 and principal component analysis, we resolved cells along a morphological gradient, demonstrating that extracted features were sufficiently descriptive to capture subtle morphological changes within cell populations in I307N Rho and Balb/c TLR2−/− retinal degeneration models. Taken together, we introduce a novel automated routine capable of efficient image processing and segmentation. Using data retrieved following segmentation, we perform morphological analysis simultaneously on whole populations of cells, rather than individually. Our algorithm was built entirely with open-source software, for use on retinal microglia.
Older Americans’ Spending Profiles: One Size Does Not Fit All

Understanding the spending patterns of the elderly and forming an educated estimate of households’ budgets throughout households’ old age is a key element of retirement planning. In this Issue Brief, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) explores variations in spending of older households using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS). The analysis also seeks to identify the factors that are correlated with spending patterns in order to provide additional insight for approaches to saving and investment for retirement. Such analysis can also help in the development of more effective withdrawal strategies during retirement. Assessing the HRS CAMS data, we find there are four spending profiles: Typical, Home, Health, and Discretionary.
Performance of PV integrated dynamic overhangs applied to US homes

Abstract The performance of PV-integrated dynamic overhangs is evaluated when applied to windows for a prototypical home located in various US climates. The analysis includes both the shading effects on heating and cooling thermal loads as well as the electricity generated by the PV arrays. The dynamic overhangs can slide and rotate to maximize both their shading impacts and their PV generation levels. Various control strategies are investigated to operate the PV-integrated dynamic overhangs to minimize annual net energy demand for US home. A series of analyses are conducted to assess the impact of the design features of the overhangs, operation strategies, as well as the climatic conditions. The series of analyses indicate that the PV-integrated dynamic overhangs can provide significant benefits both for managing the shading effects and for generating electricity. Specifically, PV-integrated dynamic overhangs can achieve 57.8% savings in total annual energy demand for a home located in San Francisco, CA, due to the window shading effects of the overhangs and the PV electricity generation. Moreover, several design features can be optimized to enhance the performance of PV-integrated dynamic overhangs such as their geometry as well as the size and the orientation of the windows.
Revealing protein-protein interactions at the transcriptome scale by sequencing

Summary We describe PROPER-seq (protein-protein interaction sequencing) to map protein-protein interactions (PPIs) en masse. PROPER-seq first converts transcriptomes of input cells into RNA-barcoded protein libraries, in which all interacting protein pairs are captured through nucleotide barcode ligation, recorded as chimeric DNA sequences, and decoded at once by sequencing and mapping. We applied PROPER-seq to human embryonic kidney cells, T lymphocytes, and endothelial cells and identified 210,518 human PPIs (collected in the PROPER v.1.0 database). Among these, 1,365 and 2,480 PPIs are supported by published co-immunoprecipitation (coIP) and affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS) data, 17,638 PPIs are predicted by the prePPI algorithm without previous experimental validation, and 100 PPIs overlap human synthetic lethal gene pairs. In addition, four previously uncharacterized interaction partners with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) (a critical protein in DNA repair) known as XPO1, MATR3, IPO5, and LEO1 are validated in vivo. PROPER-seq presents a time-effective technology to map PPIs at the transcriptome scale, and PROPER v.1.0 provides a rich resource for studying PPIs.
Analysis of the COVID-19 impacts on employment and unemployment across the multi-dimensional social disadvantaged areas

Abstract This is the study of economic impacts in the context of social disadvantage. It specifically considers economic conditions in regions with pre-existing inequalities and examines labor market outcomes in already socially vulnerable areas. The economic outcomes remain relatively unexplored by the studies on the COVID-19 impacts. To fill the gap, we study the relationship between the pandemic-caused economic recession and vulnerable communities in the unprecedented times. More marginalized regions may have broader economic damages related to the pandemic. First, based on a literature review, we delineate areas with high social disadvantage. These areas have multiple factors associated with various dimensions of vulnerability which existed pre-COVID-19. We term these places “multi-dimensional social disadvantaged areas”. Second, we compare employment and unemployment rates between areas with high and low disadvantage. We integrate geospatial science with the exploration of social factors associated with disadvantage across counties in Tennessee which is part of coronavirus “red zone” states of the US southern Sunbelt region. We disagree with a misleading label of COVID-19 as the “great equalizer”. During COVID-19, marginalized regions experience disproportionate economic impacts. The negative effect of social disadvantage on pandemic-caused economic outcomes is supported by several lines of evidence. We find that both urban and rural areas may be vulnerable to the broad social and economic damages. The study contributes to current research on economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak and social distributions of economic vulnerability. The results can help inform post-COVID recovery interventions strategies to reduce COVID-19-related economic vulnerability burdens.
Exposure therapy for hypochondriasis

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on symptoms and behavior of patients with hypochondriasis and presents treatment efficacy for exposure therapy. Individuals with hypochondriasis have limited insight into the senselessness of their concerns, whereas others view their concerns as somewhat excessive or unreasonable but are unable to dismiss them. Persons with hypochondriasis experience a persistent fear of having a serious illness or disease. Most people with hypochondriasis base these concerns about illness on a misinterpretation of bodily symptoms. Many people with hypochondriasis seek expensive medical evaluations, often repeatedly, and incur significant health-care costs. The preoccupation with disease persists despite appropriate medical testing and reassurance. Although some health concerns are quite common in the general population, persons meeting diagnostic criteria for hypochondriasis experience clinically significant distress and/or substantial impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning. Persons with hypochondriasis may have concerns focused on single or multiple diseases. The chapter presents a case report to illustrate the need to conduct further research into treatment matching for patients with hypochondriasis.
Range-Wide Genetic Variation in Port-Orford-Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana [A. Murr.] Parl.)

Abstract A large tree-breeding program has begun in Oregon to improve resistance of Port-Orford-cedar to Phytophthora lateralis, a deadly root disease. To assist in range-wide seed-transfer decisions, five long-term common-garden tests were established with 343 open-pollinated families from 82 native stands. Seven-year height, survival, and health at three field tests showed strong geographic-altitudinal structure. Natural watersheds and derived breeding zones accounted for the majority of genetic variation. Variation was negligible among stands. However, genotype × environment interaction was large among families, implying the need to restrict movement or deploy multiple resistant families. Climatic influences from the ocean and altitude of seed origin primarily determined the geographic variation pattern. Survival and growth displayed opposite geographic patterns; coastal sources had highest growth and lowest survival potentials, while interior and higher altitude sources had higher survival and lower g...
Fluffy, the major regulator of conidiation in Neurospora crassa, directly activates a developmentally regulated hydrophobin gene.

Summary The fluffy (fl) gene of Neurospora crassa is required for asexual sporulation and encodes an 88 kDa polypeptide containing a typical fungal Zn2Cys6 DNA-binding motif. Identification of genes regulated by fl will provide insight into how fungi regulate growth during morphogenesis. As a step towards identifying the target genes on which FL may act, we sought to define target sequences to which the FL protein binds. The DNA binding domain of FL was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion with glutathione S-transferase (GST) and purified using glutathione-sepharose affinity chromatography. The DNA binding sites were selected and amplified by means of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated random-site selection method involving affinity bead-binding and gel mobility shift analysis. Sequencing and comparison of the selected clones suggested that FL binds to the motif 5′-CGG(N)9CCG-3′. A potential binding site was found in the promoter region of the eas (ccg-2) gene, which encodes a fungal hydrophobin. In vitro competitive binding assays revealed a preferred binding site for FL in the eas promoter, 5′-CGGAAGTTTC CTCCG-3′, which is located 1498 bp upstream of the eas translation initiation codon. In vivo experiments using a foreign DNA sequence tag also confirmed that this sequence resides in a region required for FL regulation. In addition, yeast one hybrid experiments demonstrated that the C-terminal portion of FL functions in transcriptional activation. Transcriptional profiling was used to identify additional potential targets for regulation by fl.
Synthesis and assembly of simian virus 40. II. Synthesis of the major capsid protein and its incorporation into viral particles.

African green monkey kidney cells infected by simian virus 40 were analyzed for the presence of the major capsid protein (capsid protein I) by immunological and radiolabeling techniques. Antisera with different specificities were prepared by immunization with intact or denatured viral particles. Antisera prepared against intact virus reacted by complement fixation with viral particles and with an 8S subunit containing the capsid protein I. Antisera prepared against denatured viral particles reacted with unassembled capsid protein(s) as well as with viral particles. These antisera were used to detect 8S viral subunits or unassembled viral capsid protein in soluble extracts of infected cells after centrifugation at 100,000 × g to remove viral particles. The soluble antigen pool was found to be small during infection with wild-type virus or a temperature-sensitive mutant deficient in the synthesis of viral particles. Pulse-chase experiments, performed at a high multiplicity of infection, also indicated a small pool of nonparticle capsid protein I. Radioactive lysine was incorporated into capsid protein I of virus particles during a 2-hr pulse. A subsequent chase with excess unlabeled lysine resulted in only a slight increase in the radio-activity found in capsid protein I of viral particles. Furthermore, in the same experiments, capsid protein I was incorporated preferentially into empty shells during the pulse with a shift in radioactivity to intact virions during the chase period, indicating a possible precursor relationship between the two types of virus particles.
Tumor motion ranges due to respiration and respiratory motion characteristics

Many soft-tissue tumors targeted with extracranial SRS move during respiration. New imaging technologies, motion compensation strategies, and treatment planning algorithms are being developed which enable tracking and treatment of moving tumors in real-time. For this chapter we reviewed the literature to determine known tumor motion amplitudes for lung, liver, and pancreas. Then we analyzed predicted tumor motion for 36 patients and 117 treatment fractions that were previously saved in CyberKnife® (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, CA) treatment logfiles. These represent 27 tumors in the lung (16 upper lung, 4 middle lung, 7 lower lung) and 9 pancreas patients. For each treatment, the location of the target at end inspiration and end expiration was determined in the patient coordinate system. The origin of the patient coordinate system is at the center of mass of the fiducials as marked on the simulation CT, +x is patient inferior, +y patient left, and +z anterior in a right-handed coordinate system. The mean and variance of respiratory cycle extrema positions were calculated using a program written in MatLab code. Observed motion ranges for all sites except pancreas agree very well with the literature. The largest motion amplitudes of up to 38.7 mm were observed in the lower lung. Twenty-five percent of tumors in the upper lung could have been treated without Synchrony® (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, CA) with a PTV margin of 2 mm, because the uncertainty is in the range of the technical tracking accuracy of Synchrony of 1.5 mm. Possible causes of large fluctuations around the mean motion could be fiducial tracking errors or irregular breathing. We concluded that a subset of all patients could have been treated using skeletal structure tracking, rather than implanted fiducials, and a PTV margin in the range of the stated tracking accuracy for Synchrony. Defining meaningful parameters to characterize the effects of free breathing is part of ongoing research, since published data from non-dynamic SBRT is limited to short fluoroscopic studies or Cine-CT. The results can be transferred to other treatment modalities to determine PTV margins in standard external beam treatments as well as defining the PTV in the third dimension for 2D motion compensation [1].
The Śrāddha: The Development of Ancestor Worship in Classical Hinduism

The association of Hinduism with reincarnation is well-known, but this connection obscures a long tradition of ancestor worship. The ritual texts of the Vedic and later Hindu traditions describe in detail the procedure for several forms of ancestral rite. This paper outlines the development of the theological discourse on ancestor worship from its earliest expression to the formation of Classical Hinduism early in the Common Era and highlights the underlying theological, social, and practical concerns that shaped that discourse. The development that culminated in the theological construction of an enduring model of ancestor veneration, the śrāddha, revolves around two central tensions, between the solemn and domestic ritual traditions and between the ritual and renunciation traditions. The resolution of the first tension produces the śrāddha. The reactions to the second tension in the ritual literature shape the śrāddha, bringing it to its classical form, and generate the complex soteriology of later Hinduism.
Identification of a Cytolethal Distending Toxin Gene Locus and Features of a Virulence-Associated Region in Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

A genetic locus for a cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) was identified in a polymorphic region of the chromosome of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, a predominant oral pathogen. The locus was comprised of three open reading frames (ORFs) that had significant amino acid sequence similarity and more than 90% sequence identity to the cdtABC genes of some pathogenic Escherichia coli strains and Haemophilus ducreyi, respectively. Sonic extracts from recombinant E. coli, containing the A. actinomycetemcomitans ORFs, caused the distension and killing of Chinese hamster ovary cells characteristic of a CDT. Monoclonal antibodies made reactive with the CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC proteins of H. ducreyi recognized the corresponding gene products from the recombinant strain. CDT-like activities were no longer expressed by the recombinant strain when an ΩKan-2 interposon was inserted into the cdtA and cdtB genes. Expression of the CDT-like activities in A. actinomycetemcomitans was strain specific. Naturally occurring expression-negative strains had large deletions within the region of the cdt locus. The cdtABC genes were flanked by an ORF (virulence plasmid protein), a partial ORF (integrase), and DNA sequences (bacteriophage integration site) characteristic of virulence-associated regions. These results provide evidence for a functional CDT in a human oral pathogen.
Patch clamp studies of apical membranes of renal cortical collecting ducts

Patch clamp techniques were used in study of the apical membrane of isolated renal cortical collecting ducts. Whereas on-the-cell patches (reported previously) gave channel activity due primarily to K+, isolated inside-out patches of the same membranes bathed with 150 mM Na+, 5 mM K+, and 1 mM Ca2+ gave channel activity due primarily to Na+. Na+ channels could remain either open or closed for periods of milliseconds to minutes. Although unitary currents of tenths of a pA were observed routinely, patch activity could change spontaneously between quiescent and violent with ‘apparent’ unitary currents of several pA. It was not possible to rule out the idea that the complex activity of the patches was due to synchronous or near synchronous openings/closings of several channels of identical unitary current. The unpredictable spontaneous changes of patch activity make difficult the design of experiments to test for the influence of agents expected or suspected to alter channel behavior.
A conditional probability interpretation of Kanerva's sparse distributed memory

It is shown that P. Kanerva's sparse distributed memory (SDM) (Sparse Distributed Memories, Bradford Books/MIT Press, 1988) is a Monte Carlo approximation to a multidimensional conditional probability integral. The SDM will produce acceptable responses from a training set when this approximation is valid, that is, when the training set contains sufficient data to provide good estimates of the underlying joint probabilities and there are enough Monte Carlo samples to obtain an accurate estimate of the integral. This analysis makes clear that in order to construct, through examples, an analog device that will transform a set of inputs into a set of outputs using the SDM, care must be taken to match the training set data to the resources. In particular, ambiguities in amplitude space can arise in a manner similar to the way aliasing can corrupt samples of analog signals in the space and time domains if the sampling density is too low. This observation could very well apply to other learning systems. >
The Nature, Meaning, and Measure of Teacher Flow in Elementary Schools: A Test of Rival Hypotheses

Purpose: This inquiry is the first comprehensive, empirical analysis of the nature and measurement of flow in elementary teachers. The clearest sign of flow is the merging of action and awareness, ...
Behavior of Si Photoelectrodes under High Level Injection Conditions. 3. Transient and Steady-State Measurements of the Quasi-Fermi Levels at Si/CH3OH Contacts

Real-time measurements of the photovoltage rise and decay at the back of lightly doped, thin, long lifetime Si photoelectrodes were recorded subsequent to a variety of spatial and temporal carrier generation impulses. The functional form of the rising portion of the photovoltage signal is sensitive to charge transport processes, and this signal was used to validate experimentally the hypothesis that charge transport in these samples under high level injection is primarily driven by diffusion, as opposed to drift. The decay of the photovoltage signal back to its equilibrium value yielded information concerning the surface recombination velocity, Sf, of the various Si/CH3OH redox couple contacts. These data validated the relatively high surface quality of the Si/liquid interface in contact with a variety of redox species. Furthermore, the low surface recombination velocities are in agreement with prior theoretical and experimental estimates of interfacial charge-transfer rate constants for semiconductors in...
Inactivation of rotavirus by new polymeric water disinfectants.

Abstract Two new insoluble polymeric materials were evaluated for their efficacies in inactivating rotavirus in flowing water in a biocidal filter application. The two polymers are N-chloro and N-bromo derivatives of a poly-styrene hydantoin prepared from commercial poly-styrene. The studies were conducted for rotavirus in halogen demand-free water at pH 7.0, 25 °C and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Test Water no. 2 at pH 9.0, 4 °C which contained heavy halogen demand. The range of flow rates studied was 0.16–1.22 ml s−1 corresponding to contact times in the range of 4–24 s. Both of the polymers were effective in inactivating rotavirus, the N-bromo deravative providing a 4–6 log reduction under the test conditions. The materials may be useful as supplemental filters for hand-held water purification units.
Refrigerant pressure drop in chevron and bumpy style flat plate heat exchangers

Abstract Adiabatic pressure drop in chevron and two styles of bumpy plate heat exchangers were investigated for vertical upward flow with R134a. Qualities ranging from sub-cooled liquid to superheated vapor were investigated. Mass fluxes ranged from 16 kg/m 2 s (for superheated vapor) to approximately 300 kg/m 2 s (for sub-cooled liquid). The pressure drop experiments were conducted for 10 °C and 20 °C inlet temperatures. A two-phase pressure drop model, based on the kinetic energy of the flow, was developed in order to relate the two-phase pressure drop data to the single-phase data. The model predicts two-phase pressure drop within 15% of experimental measurements.
A new-specificity mutant of 434 repressor that defines an amino acid-base pair contact.

The represser encoded by bacteriophage 434 binds to its operators by inserting a 'recognition' α-helix into the major groove of the DNA1,2. We have identified an amino acid–base pair contact that determines (in part) the DNA-binding specificity of 434 represser. The identification is based on the properties of a 'new-specificity' mutant, named Represser[Ala 28], which bears the substitution of Ala for Gln at the first residue of its recognition α-helix. Represser[Ala 28] binds with high affinity to a particular doubly mutant operator bearing the same substitution at position 1 in each half-site, but does not bind to either the wild-type operator or to other mutant operators. We describe molecular models of residue 28–base pair 1 interactions that account for the binding specificities of both the mutant and wild-type proteins.
Fatal Chaetomium cerebritis in a bone marrow transplant patient

The number of opportunistic infections in the central nervous system (CNS) has been steadily increasing because of a rising number of immunocompromised patients. A rare form of CNS infection can be caused by Chaetomium species, one of the largest genera of saprophytic ascomycetes. The CNS lesions in the present case were caused by Chaetomium atrobrunneum. The main characteristic of almost all Chaetomium species is presence of hairs or setae covering the ascomata. Microbiological studies are the only definitive way to correctly identify this fungal organism. The rapid evolvement of the cerebral infection suggests that the brain tissue provides a favorable environment for growth and proliferation of these fungi. This is the second documented case of a fatal brain abscess caused by Chaetomium atrobrunneum, and the first case report in a bone marrow transplant patient.
Acute dystonic reactions from “Street valium”

Abstract Four patients presented to the emergency department with acute dystonic reactions 36 hours after the ingestion of “Valium tablets” they purchased on the street. Complete reversal of the symptomatology was achieved with the use of intramuscular diphenhydramine. The pathophysiology, epidemiology, and treatment principles for dystonic reactions are discussed.
A phenomenological friction model of tripod constant velocity (CV) joints

Constant velocity (CV) joints have been favored for automotive applications, compared to universal joints, due to their superiority of constant velocity torque transfer and plunging capability. High speed and sport utility vehicles with large joint articulation angles, demand lower plunging friction inside their CV joints to meet noise and vibration requirements, thus requiring a more thorough understanding of their internal friction characteristics. In this paper, a phenomenological CV joint friction model was developed to model the friction behavior of tripod CV joints by using an instrumented CV joint friction apparatus with tripod-type joint assemblies. Experiments were conduced under different operating conditions of oscillatory speeds, CV joint articulation angles, lubrication, and torque. The experimental data and physical parameters were used to develop a physics-based phenomenological CV joint dynamic friction model. It was found that the proposed friction model captures the experimental data well, and the model was used to predict the external generated axial force, which is the main source of force that causes vehicle vibration problems.
High-field magnetization of the spin-Peierls compound (TMTTF) 2 PF 6

High-field cantilever-force magnetization measurements of the spin-Peierls compound $(\mathrm{TMTTF}{)}_{2}{\mathrm{PF}}_{6}$ indicate that the uniform phase spin susceptibility is ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{s}\ensuremath{\approx}(4.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4} \mathrm{e}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{u}/\mathrm{m}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{l}$ and is nearly the same magnitude as the molecular diamagnetic contribution. Magnetic-field sweeps in the spin-Peierls dimerized phase show that the onset of magnetic excitations is near ${B}_{c}\ensuremath{\approx}19 \mathrm{T},$ with large hysteresis developing at temperatures $Tl~3 \mathrm{K}.$
Influence of thermal history on mesoscale ordering in polydomain smectic networks

Dramatic changes in mesoscale ordering and macroscopic mechanical behavior are observed in smectic polydomain networks after annealing at a temperature well above the glass transition temperature but below the clearing temperature. Tensile testing reveals gradual stiffening and loss of extensibility, and X-ray linewidth measurements confirm that stiffening is initially due to thickening of domains. At long annealing times, a more highly ordered smectic mesophase forms, further stiffening the networks and reducing their extensibility. Increasing the concentration of (flexible) crosslinkers hinders domain growth and suppresses formation of the higher order mesophase, a useful guideline for design of smectic networks that exhibit reduced sensitivity to thermal history. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2013
Effect of 17β-Estradiol on Metabolism of Acetylated Low-Density Lipoprotein by THP-1 Macrophages in Culture

Abstract Evidence from numerous epidemiological and animal studies has shown a protective effect of estrogens on the development of atherosclerosis. Since not all of the beneficial effects of estrogen can be explained by alterations in plasma lipoprotein profiles, estrogens may have a direct effect on the arterial wall on one or more of the key steps in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that estrogens decrease macrophage foam cell formation by reducing lipoprotein uptake via the scavenger receptor pathway. Incubation of the human THP-1 macrophage cell line with 17β-estradiol reduced the uptake and metabolism of 125 I-labeled human acetylated LDL (acLDL) in a concentration-dependent manner (from 10 −9 to 10 −5 mol/L) by 30% to 40% at the highest concentrations used. This decrease was accompanied by a reduction in cholesterol accumulation and esterification. When chloroquine was used to block lysosomal degradation, 17β-estradiol retained its ability to decrease accumulation of acLDL. This finding suggested that the effect of estrogen occurs before degradation of acLDL by lysosomes. 17β-Estradiol had no effect on binding of 125 I-acLDL at 4°C. When 125 I-acLDL was bound at 4°C and warmed to 37°C, less acLDL was internalized and degraded in cells treated with 17β-estradiol, due to greater dissociation of the bound acLDL from the surface of estrogen-treated cells during internalization. We conclude that as a result of the estrogen-induced increase in dissociation of acLDL, less lipoprotein cholesterol is delivered to macrophages, resulting in a reduced rate of foam cell formation. This may be one mechanism by which estrogens reduce the development of atherosclerosis.
Coincidence experiments in desorption mass spectrometry

Abstract The detection of coincidental signals can enhance the amount of information available in desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) by identifying physical, chemical and/or spatial correlations between secondary ions. Detection of coincidental emissions requires that the target surface be bombarded with individual primary ions (keV or MeV), each resolved in time and space. This paper will discuss the application of coincidence counting to TOF-MS to: extract the secondary ion mass spectrum and secondary ion yields from an organic target produced by a single primary ion type when multiple primary ions simultaneously impact the sample; examine the metastable dissociation pathways and decay fractions of organic secondary ions using an ion-neutral correlation method; and study the chemical microhomogeneity (on the sub-μm scale) of a surface composed of two chemically distinct species.
Regulation of distinct pools of protein kinase C δ in beta cells

Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated the presence of several isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC), Ca2+-independent and Ca2+-dependent, in both whole islets and tumor-derived beta cells. In the basal state, a major proportion of the isoform was found in the crude membrane fraction with smaller amounts found in both the cytosolic and cytoskeletal fractions. Whole islets showed a similar distribution of the isoform. These studies were done to analyze the effects of insulin secretagogues on the distribution of PKC δ to different cellular pools in isolated insulinoma beta cells. The phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), produced a transient association of PKC δ with the beta cell cytoskeleton along with sustained decreases in cytosolic enzyme and transient increases in membrane enzyme. Neither glucose nor carbachol could acutely affect the subcellular distribution of PKC δ. Oleic acid decreased the amount of the enzyme associated with the cytoskeleton and led to a sustained decrease of cytosolic enzyme and a transient increase in membrane enzyme. Oleic acid was also able to prevent the increase in cytoskeletal enzyme induced by PMA. Both oleic acid and PMA potentiated glucose-induced insulin release but oleic acid, in contrast to PMA, was unable to initiate insulin release in the presence of substimulatory concentrations of glucose. These data demonstrate that different activators of PKC may have different effects on localization of the enzyme within the cells and suggest that there are at least three apparently distinct pools of PKC δ within the beta cell which may be important in insulin secretion or other aspects of beta cell function. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Moms, Sisters, and Ladies Women Student Trainers in Men's Intercollegiate Sport

This study presents accounts of nine women student athletic trainers (SATs) working as interns in an athletic program at a large university. The presence of women within a historically closed masculine sport environment was resolved by viewing the women within the traditionally feminine roles of “mom,”“sister,” and “lady.” Subject to overt and subtle discrimination, sexist and misogynist behavior, as well as sexual harassment and imposition, the women were essentially forced to choose among behaviors that either “defeminized” or “deprofessionalized” them. A professional attitude was generally favorable to coaches and supervisors yet defeminized them in the eyes of peer trainers and male athletes. On the other hand, a sociable attitude permitted positive peer relations but deprofessionalized them in the eyes of peer trainers and male athletes. Hence, while the mom, sister, and lady labels sometimes prevented offensive behavior by men, they contributed to the women's professional disempowerment and sexualiz...
Spatial distribution of carbon stocks in Southeast Mexican forests

Abstract Carbon (C) stocks for southeast Mexican forests for the years 1990–1991 were calculated by two different methods. The first method multiplied land area of each forest by C densities of phytomass, necromass, and soil‐organic matter. A digital map derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) imagery provided forest areas. Carbon‐density values were obtained from ecological studies reported in the literature. The second method calculated C densities from climate‐based regression models for each forested pixel in the AVHRR cover map. A combination of the two methods was used to calculate C stocks because neither approach was suitable for all forests. Land area was estimated as 13 Mha for the tropical evergreen forest, 7 Mha for the tropical deciduous forest, and 7 Mha for the oak‐coniferous forest. Carbon stocks for tropical evergreen, tropical deciduous, and oak‐coniferous forests were 3.12, 1.30, and 0.92 PgC, respectively. The southeast forests contribute approximately 40% to tota...
Hybrid Cars Now, Fuel Cell Cars Later

We compare the energy efficiency of hybrid and fuel cell vehicles as well as conventional internal combustion engines. Our analysis indicates that fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen from fossil fuels offer no significant energy efficiency advantage over hybrid vehicles operating in an urban drive cycle. We conclude that priority should be placed on hybrid vehicles by industry and government.
Interactive Multi-Modal Visualization Environment for Complex System Decision Making

Decision making in a complex system requires a large amount of data, and real time interaction and visualization tools become effective solutions. Constant improvement in computer graphics technology has encouraged the research of developing better and more efficient ways of interacting and visualizing complex three-dimensional image data. This paper presents a unique software framework for interacting and visualizing complex volume image data in a virtual environment. For efficient user interactions, a wireless gamepad controller is used as the main input device. The buttons and joysticks on the gamepad controller are intuitively mapped to perform different functions depending on the feature mode that the software is currently in. Apart from the general viewer, an extension of the software also reads in standard format patient medical images such as CT/MRI scans. As an effective decision making tool, the software allows the user to apply fast pseudo-coloring and multiple interactive oblique clipping planes for an immersive detailed examination of any 3D model. In the medical imaging extension of this software, it features the ability for the user to select a specific range of tissue densities to render and an endosurgery planning mode that allows a surgeon to place simulated laparoscopic surgical instruments in a virtual model of the patient. The developed software allows for better interaction with complex volume data for use as a decision making and evaluation tool.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
CI-960 (PD127391 or AM-1091), sparfloxacin, WIN 57273, and isepamicin activity against clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium-intracellularae complex, M. chelonae, and M. fortuitum.

Abstract A 7H9 broth microdilution method against CI-960, sparfloxacin, WIN57273, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, isepamicin, amikacin, kanamycin, ethambutol, isoniazid, and rifampin was used to test 35 Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAI) and five M. chelonae-fortuitum strains. The majority of MAI isolates were inhibited by all tested compounds, with sparfloxacin (MIC 90 , 0.5 μg/ml) being the most active among the fluoroquinolones; isepamicin (MIC 90 , 4 μg/ml), the most potent aminoglycoside; and isoniazid, rifampin, and ethambutol also demonstrating some degree of activity. Mycobacterium chelonae strains were resistant to all drugs except ciprofloxacin (MIC 50 , 1 μg/ml). Mycobacterium fortuitum isolates were generally susceptible, especially to the newer fluoroquinolones.