cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of an integrated multiplatform approach for assessing brush management conservation efforts in semiarid rangelands

Millions of dollars have been spent on brush management, or removal of unwanted woody vegetation, as a conservation practice to control the presence of woody species. Land managers need an inexpensive means of monitoring the effects of brush management conser- vation methods for decreasing degradation in rangeland systems. In this study, free, publically available, high-resolution (1 m) imagery from the National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) and moderate-resolution (30 m) Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery were com- bined to produce a large-scale technique for mapping woody cover. High-resolution imagery- based estimates of woody cover were found to be reasonable (RMSE ¼ 3.8%, MAE ¼ 2.9%) surrogates for ground-based woody cover. An equation for TM-derived woody cover was developed. TM scenes of woody cover (TMWC) were produced and validated using NAIP and ground-based data. Results showed that the developed relation produced viable (RMSE ¼ 8.5%, MAE ¼ 6.4%) maps of woody cover that could be used to successfully track the occurrence of brush removal, as well as monitor the presence or lack of subsequent reemergence. This work provides land managers with an operational means of determining where to allocate resources to implement brush management, as well as a cost-effective method of monitoring the effects of their efforts. © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI. (DOI: 10.1117/1.JRS.9
Making Grids Real: Standards and Sociology

Grid technologies attempt to answer several fundamental needs. Complex applications often require resources (instruments, computers, information...) that exist in multiple locations under the administration of multiple organizations. Grid technology attempts to address the combining of these resources to fulfill the needs of these advanced applications. However, there is a second fundamental need that Grid technology aims to meet-providing for these organizations to work together without loss of autonomy or security. Because effective Grid systems require software and information technology from multiple sources, standards are essential. Because Grid systems require resources from multiple organizations, careful process and sociology structures are necessary. These include process, policy, and organizational incentives. Catlett will talk about lessons learned as Chair of Global Grid Forum and as Executive Director of the US National Science Foundation’s TeraGrid project in these areas.
Calling site choice and its impact on call degradation and call attractiveness in the gray treefrog, Hyla versicolor

To evaluate the effects of calling site on call degradation, we broadcast synthetic advertisement calls of male gray treefrogs through forest, over open terrain, and across pond water. Calls were recorded at distances of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 m. We varied speaker and microphone heights for a total of five elevation combinations ranging from surface level to a height of 1.5 m. We quantified structural degradation in recorded calls using “∆V,” a measure of relative sound energy in call pulses and interpulse intervals. A subset of recorded calls was used in two-speaker discrimination tests with females. Finally, we examined male selection of perch height by recording locations of calling males on ladder-like trellises positioned around the periphery of a breeding pond. We found the greatest degradation for calls broadcast through forest followed by calls transmitted across open terrain and then pond water. At relatively small source-receiver separations, elevation had only small effects on degradation. However, for separations greater than 4 m (especially through forest), elevation had a significant impact on ∆V—with calls broadcast and recorded near the substrate particularly vulnerable to degradation. Choice tests demonstrated that such levels of degradation could significantly reduce a male’s attractiveness. This may, in part, explain why males only seldom called from low rungs of trellises.
Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency: A biotin-responsive organic acidemia

The clinical and biochemical features of an infant affected by holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency are presented. The patient was the sibling of the deceased child in whose cultured skin fibroblasts the precise enzymatic disorder was first determined. This fact permitted administration of specific therapy in the form of oral biotin, resulting in immediate improvement from impending respiratory failure and shock. The clinical response to biotin was accompanied by recovery of the biochemical mechanisms known to be biotin-dependent, as manifested by disappearance of intermediates in urine and blood. The variability of biotin responsiveness and the diversity of clinical presentation in the patients originally thought to have a deficiency of beta methylcrotonylCoA carboxylase, a biotin-dependent enzyme, raises the question of a separate, specific apocarboxylase defect.
Toward a theory of nursing ethics

The development of nursing ethics as a field of inquiry has largely paralleled developments within the field of biomedical ethics. However, there is growing evidence that the development of a theory of nursing ethics might not necessarily follow a similar pattern. The value foundations of nursing ethics are derived from the nature of the nurse-patient relationship instead of from models of patient good, rights-based notions of autonomy, or the social contract of professional practice as articulated in prominent theories of medical ethics. The value foundations of nursing are analyzed, and a moral-point-of-view theory with caring as a fundamental value is proposed for the development of a theory of nursing ethics.
Osteogenic Sarcoma of the Femur in a Guinea—Pig

The rarity of spontaneous tumors of the guinea-pig has been emphasized in the few reports available. This rarity is especially remarkable in view of the enormous numbers of guinea-pigs that are constantly being used for routine laboratory procedures as well as in research problems. Raebiger, in his laboratory, where many thousands of these animals were sectioned, was unable to discover a single instance of neoplastic growth. Twenty spontaneous tumors in guinea-pigs have been recorded in the literature. In 1931 Maury, in a critical review, was able to collect 11 cases. Of these, 5 were epithelial in origin, namely, 3 adenocarcinomata of the breast (Sternberg: Jones; Blumensaat and Champy), a tumor of the suprarenal cortex (Roskin), and an embryoma of the ovary (Montroni). The other six were derived from connective tissue and included a spindle-cell sarcoma of the neck with metastases to the lungs, liver, spleen, suprarenals, uterus and lymph nodes, and a subcutaneous spindle-cell sarcoma of the back, in a male, extending to the spine and metastasizing to the spleen (Lubarsch; reported also by Kleinkunen): a lipofibrosarcoma of the mammary region in a female (Murray); a splenoma (Guerin); 2 sarcomas of undetermined origin, lymphosarcoma or round-cell sarcoma (Bender; Miguez). 2 To these, 7 were added by Woglom: 2 adenocarcinomata of the mammary region in males (Migunow); a mammary carcinoma and an adenocarcinoma with cystic kidney in 2 guinea-pigs of unstated sex (Katase); an osteogenic sarcoma of the kidney coincident with carcinoma of the breast in a male (C. C. and J. M. Twort); a fibrosarcoma of the foreleg in a female (Wood), and a fibrosarcoma of the neck (Dickson). Bablet and Bloch have described a large pedunculated, circumscribed tumor of the anterior abdominal wall (without metastases) in a male, which they considered to be a malignant glioma. A round-cell sarcoma of the kidney has been reported by Ball and Pagnon.
Activation of NFκB is inhibited by curcumin and related enones

The transcription factor NFkappaB (NFkappaB) is up-regulated in many cancer cells where it contributes to development of the pro-survival, anti-apoptotic state. The natural product curcumin is a known inhibitor of activation of NFkappaB. Enone analogues of curcumin were compared with curcumin for their abilities to inhibit the TNFalpha-induced activation of NFkappaB, using the Panomics' NFkappaB Reporter Stable Cell Line. The enones tested included curcumin analogues that retained the 7-carbon spacer between the aromatic rings, analogues with a 5-carbon spacer, and analogues with a 3-carbon spacer. Inhibitors of NFkappaB activation were identified in all three series, a number of which were more active than curcumin. Enone analogues in the series with the 5-carbon spacer were especially active, including members that contained heterocyclic rings. 1,5-Bis(3-pyridyl)-1,4-pentadien-3-one was the most active analogue, IC50 = 3.4 +/- 0.2 microM. The most active analogues retain the enone functionality, although some analogues devoid of the enone functionality exhibited activity. The activity of the analogues as inhibitors of the activation of NFkappaB did not correlate with their anti-oxidant activity. The data suggest that the abilities of curcumin and analogues to prevent the stress-induced activation of NFkappaB result from the inhibition of specific targets rather than from activity as anti-oxidants.
Molecular signature of oncogenic ras-induced senescence.

Senescence irreversibly arrests the proliferation of cells that have sustained significant cellular stress. Replicative senescence, due to the shortening and dysfunction of telomeres, appears to provide a barrier to the immortalization of cells and development of cancer. In normal human fibroblasts, senescence induced by oncogenic H-ras displays a nearly identical cellular phenotype to that of replicative senescence, suggesting the activation of a common senescence mechanism. In this study, we investigated the gene expression profile of oncogenic H-ras-induced senescent human diploid fibroblasts. We found altered gene expression of various cell cycle regulators in both oncogenic H-ras-induced senescent cells and replicative senescent cells. Similar to replicative senescent cells, H-ras-induced senescent cells exhibited specific downregulation of genes involved in G2/M checkpoint control and contained tetraploid cells that were arrested in a G1 state. This observation suggests that the inactivation of G2/M checkpoints may be involved in senescence and may play a role in the generation of senescent G1 tetraploid cells. Lastly, we have identified two genes, topoisomerase IIα and HDAC9, whose expression was specifically altered under several conditions associated with senescence, suggesting that these two molecules may be novel biomarkers for senescent human fibroblasts.
Vaginally Placed Meshes: A Review of Their Complications, Risk Factors, and Management

With the aging population, the number of women who will undergo surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is increasing dramatically. Pelvic reconstructive surgeries for genital prolapse have been shown significant improvement in quality of life and prolapse-related symptoms. With improving the surgical techniques and introducing synthetic mesh, more women undergo repairs of POP recently. However, with the increasing use of mesh in pelvic reconstructive surgery, there has been an increase in the number of patients seeking care for mesh-related complications. There has been a recent surge in the literature regarding the use of vaginally placed mesh for pelvic floor disorders largely due to the widely publicized complications associated with its use. The aim of this study is to review the current literature on mesh complications in POP treatment, with specific emphasis on vaginally-placed mesh for POP.
Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy : An Empirical Inquiry

Abstract. Some prominent economists have argued that the structure of a nation's economic life – capitalist or socialist - helps to shape its political institutions. Though its importance seems self-evident, scholars have not yet integrated this idea into the literature of empirical democratic theory. Drawing on previous work, we formulate four propositions about the relationship between economic structure and political democracy. Economic structure does in fact mould political forms, but not in a simple, linear fashion. Rather, it does so in a more complex, non-linear manner, a relationship we label the ‘mixed-economy’ model. This relationship survives and flourishes in the face of extensive challenges. Its implication is simple: democratic political practice reaches a maximum under moderate amounts of public direction of economic affairs, but suffers at the extremes of both unfettered capitalism and socialism.
Homocysteine inhibits endothelial cell growth via DNA hypomethylation of the cyclin Agene

We reported previously that homocysteine (Hcy) inhibits endothelial cell (EC) growth by transcriptional inhibition of the cyclin A gene via a hypomethylation-related mechanism. In this study, we examined the effect of Hcy on epigenetic modification of the cyclin A gene and its biologic role in human ECs. Cyclin A mRNA levels were significantly suppressed by Hcy and a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. The cyclin A promoter contains a CpG island spanning a 477-bp region (-277/200). Bisulfite sequencing followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the cyclin A promoter (-267/37) showed that Hcy eliminated methylation at 2 CpG sites in the cyclin A promoter, one of which is located on the cycle-dependent element (CDE). Mutation of CG sequence on the CDE leads to a 6-fold increase in promoter activity. Hcy inhibited DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) activity by 30%, and reduced the binding of methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) and increased the bindings of acetylated histone H3 and H4 in the cyclin A promoter. Finally, adenovirus-transduced DNMT1 gene expression reversed the inhibitory effect of Hcy on cyclin A expression and EC growth inhibition. In conclusion, Hcy inhibits cyclin A transcription and cell growth by inhibiting DNA methylation through suppression of DNMT1 in ECs.
LITHIC ANALYSIS AS A COGNITIVE SCIENCE: A FRAMEWORK

AbstractResearch into the cognitive foundations of lithic technology has been increasingly prolific and productive over the last 30 years. However, Evolutionary Cognitive Archaeology (ECA) lacks an explicit theoretical framework. In this paper, I selectively review past work and propose a theoretical framework to open discussion amongst researchers. First, I distinguish between the two components of cognition: knowledge and the intelligent systems that make that knowledge possible. The chaine operatoire approach provides a powerful method for describing and analyzing technical knowledge. Thomas Wynn's (1993) three-layer model of tool behavior provides a useful heuristic for organizing research into the underlying neurocognitive processes that make technical knowledge possible. Contemporary work by Wynn, Gowlett, Bril, Moore, Stout, and Uomini are placed within this framework. Notable findings are reviewed to describe the current state of knowledge in ECA. Without an adequate theoretical framework, ECA wil...
A Chapman-Enskog formalism for inertial suspensions

Abstract We present a Chapman–Enskog formalism to analyze the microstructure and rheology of Brownian suspensions subjected to external flows in the limit of weak particle inertia. The Fokker–Planck equation for the phase-space probability density in an inertial suspension is solved in a perturbative fashion for small values of the Stokes number, St. The latter is a dimensionless measure of particle inertia defined as the ratio of the inertial relaxation time of an individual particle to the flow time-scale. While restricted to the limit when the inertial relaxation time is much smaller than the flow time-scale, the procedure allows for an arbitrary ratio of the configurational and flow time-scales, and in addition, places no restriction on the particle concentration. The perturbation is performed about the inertialess limit; it entails expanding the solution in a series of Hermite polynomials involving the fluctuation velocity, the difference between the actual velocity of a particle and the velocity of a (fictitious) inertialess particle at the same location, and solving the resulting configuration-space equations for the expansion coefficients. The analysis yields the form of the O(St) corrections to the Smoluchowski equation that characterize, to first order, the effect of particle-phase inertia on the spatial microstructure of a suspension. The nature and relevance of these and higher-order corrections is discussed.
Effect of Relative Amplitude and Formant Transitions on Perception of Place of Articulation by Adult Listeners With Cochlear Implants

Previous studies have shown that manipulation of a particular frequency region of the consonantal portion of a syllable relative to the amplitude of the same frequency region in an adjacent vowel influences the perception of place of articulation. This manipulation has been called the relative amplitude cue. Earlier studies have examined the effect of relative amplitude and formant transition manipulations upon labeling place of articulation for fricatives and stop consonants in listeners with normal hearing. The current study sought to determine if (a) the relative amplitude cue is used by adult listeners wearing a cochlear implant to label place of articulation, and (b) adult listeners wearing a cochlear implant integrated the relative amplitude and formant transition information differently than listeners with normal hearing. Sixteen listeners participated in the study, 12 with normal hearing and 4 postlingually deafened adults wearing the Nucleus 22 electrode Mini Speech Processor implant with the mul...
Understanding and Improving the Validity of Self-Report of Parenting

Although researchers using parental self-report data have questioned its validity (Holden, 2001) and called for more work in this area (Krevans & Gibbs, 1996; Locke & Prinz, 2002), methodological concerns regarding self-report about parenting practices have not been addressed adequately. The susceptibility of parental report to systematic distortions suggests a need for research on ways to improve self-report. This paper attempts to synthesize research findings from other fields (e.g., survey methodology) about ways to improve the validity of self-report, and to discuss the implications for self-report of parenting behaviors. Methods for improving self-report are presented for each of the 5 major tasks in responding to a question: (1) understanding the question, (2) recalling relevant behavior, (3) inference and estimation, (4) mapping the answer onto the response format, and (5) "editing" the answer for reasons of social desirability. Self-administered interviewing, audio-computer-assisted interviewing, pretesting, conversational interviewing, and the decompositional item may be among the best candidates for use in parental self-report. Recommendations are offered with respect to strategies that might prove useful in improving parental assessment of parenting, and to research efforts to evaluate the utility and potential costs of these strategies.
Clinical Experience with the Kay-Shiley Mitral Valve Prosthesis: An Eleven-Year Follow-Up Study

A total of 63 patients, who survived mitral valve replacement with the Kay-Shiley caged disc mitral valve prosthesis, were followed for 11 years by a single clinic group to assess long-term results post valve replacement. Sixty-one patients (97%) received a muscle guard type Kay-Shiley prosthesis. All patients received oral anticoagulation therapy. The valvular damage was caused by rheumatic disease in 51 patients, infectious endocarditis in six patients, myxomatous degeneration in two patients, coronary artery disease in two patients, and idiopathic ruptured chordae tendineae in two patients. Late death occurred in 21 patients (33%); the 10-year actuarial survival was 65%. Twenty-six patients had at least one thromboembolic event, and the total number of thromboembolic events was 10.3 per 1000 patient months. Two patients developed prosthetic valve endocarditis. Both patients were heroin addicts and died of valve ring abscess. Long-term periods of clinical observation are necessary to assess the effects ...
Utterance classification in AutoTutor

This paper describes classification of typed student utterances within AutoTutor, an intelligent tutoring system. Utterances are classified to one of 18 categories, including 16 question categories. The classifier presented uses part of speech tagging, cascaded finite state transducers, and simple disambiguation rules. Shallow NLP is well suited to the task: session log file analysis reveals significant classification of eleven question categories, frozen expressions, and assertions.
Conduction block and continuous motor unit activity in chronic acquired demyelinating polyneuropathy

The term continuous motor unit activity (CMUA) may be used to refer to the involuntary, sustained activity of motor units caused by hyperactivity of peripheral motor nerves. CMUA has been reported in association with acquired neuropathies such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The precise mechanism responsible for the excess muscle activity is not defined, but the activity is believed to originate in the peripheral nerves, perhaps at sites of focal demyelination. We describe a case of an acquired, demyelinating neuropathy associated with distal motor conduction block in which CMUA was observed in muscles innervated by blocked axons. Despite the prolonged disease duration of nearly 40 years, marked clinical and electrophysiological improvement as well as resolution of the CMUA were observed following immunosuppressive therapy. A relationship between the chronic motor conduction block and the excess muscle activity is postulated.
Risk stratification of patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for soft tissue and bone sarcomas.

Objectives Our objective was to identify risk factors associated with survival in patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for soft tissue or bone sarcoma and to create a risk stratification model. Methods A retrospective review of the prospectively maintained University of California Los Angeles Sarcoma Database was performed. Clinical, pathologic, and treatment variables were analyzed for overall survival and disease-free survival. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed, and variables that were identified as significant were included to create a risk model. A total of 155 patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for soft tissue sarcoma (n = 108 patients) or bone sarcoma (n = 47 patients) from 1994 to 2010 were identified. Results Multivariate analysis identified 7 factors associated with poor overall survival: age more than 45 years, disease-free interval less than 1 year, thoracotomy, synchronous disease, location and type of sarcoma (soft tissue vs bone sarcoma), and performance of a lobectomy. The number of factors present was associated with poor overall survival, which varied widely from 64% in patients with 2 factors to 3% in those with 5 factors. Conclusions We have identified prognostic variables associated with overall survival after lung metastasectomy. Our model may be used as a risk stratification model to guide treatment decisions on the basis of the number of risk factors present. Although prospective studies are warranted to determine the benefit of surgical intervention in all cohorts compared with other local therapies or medical therapy, given the attendant dismal prognosis in patients with 5 or more risk factors, the benefit of surgical resection in this group is questioned.
Eine metaphysische Geschichte des Atheismus

Das Kapitel bietet eine umfassende kritische Wurdigung von Charles Taylors Sakularisierungstheorie. Besonders positiv wird Taylors Widerlegung der subtraction story hervorgehoben – die moderne Naturwissenschaft und der moderne Humanismus lassen sich nicht als naturliches Resultat einer Beseitigung der Religion deuten. Doch die mangelnde Klarheit von Taylors eigenen religionsphilosophischen Positionen, sein Unbehagen gegenuber dem rationalistischen Gottesbegriff, seine Unterschatzung der modernen protestantischen Theologie seit Schleiermacher und seine viel zu schuchterne Diskussion der Frage, ob nicht der moderne Atheismus selber eine providentielle Funktion erfullt, bleiben unbefriedigend.
Optimization of postproduction heat treatment for plastic solar cells

We present this detailed study of a postproduction heat treatment of flexible organic solar cells based on regio-regular (RR) P3HT:PCBM composite in a wide temperature range from 75°C to 150°C. The efficiency of the photovoltaic device was significantly improved by postproduction heat treatment and both optimal annealing temperature and time dependencies were determined. Optimized parameters yielded >3% efficiency for devices on glass substrates and, using these optimized parameters, an efficiency of >2% was found for devices fabricated on flexible substrates. The optimal phase separation of PCBM and RR-P3HT into bi-continuous network structure occurs within a very short period of time and are very stable. We found that optimal concentration of PCBM in a RR-P3HT matrix is rather low, only 34 w.%. We show the performance of plastic solar cells fabricated on flexible substrates (ITO coated PET) using these optimized heat treatment parameters.
Repellency of Aqueous Solutions of Boric Acid and Polybor 3 to House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

Mixed-sex 3- to 5-d-old adult house flies, Musca domestica (L.), were exposed in nonchoice, choice, and consumption tests to increasing levels of boric acid and polybor formulated in 10% sucrose to test for repellent effects. Results of nonchoice and choice tests suggested repellency to high levels of both borates. Consumption decreased at levels >2.25% boric acid and 3.0% polybor, with approximate intake of 0.102 and 0.161 mg of boron, respectively. Our results indicate that 2.25% boric acid and 3.0% polybor are optimal treatment levels.
Tachistoscopic exposure time and spatial proximity in the organization of visual perception.

This study investigated the temporal sequence of spatial organization, using varying proximity of geometric designs (e.g. (h) … … … and (d) … … …) as the criteria for organization. In addition, the study explored the possible impairment of such space-time relations in schizophrenics. Perception of groupings evolved in a predictable sequence of differentiation, correct groupings (e.g. pairs of dots) emerging more quickly the better the spatial differentiation. The results were similar for twenty-four medical-surgical and twenty-four schizophrenic hospital patients, except that the latter required more time to see correct groupings in most of the designs.
Public policy: Goals, means, and methods

The author details the basic concepts and principles of systematic public policy evaluation which involves processing goals to be achieved, the means available for achieving these goals and methods of determining relations and drawing conclusions on the best policies or combinations of policies. Filled with examples, visual aids, questions, references, indexes and glossaries, as well as other useful features. Originally published in 1984 by St. Martin's Press, this edition contains a new preface by the author.
A glimpse at the future of some endocrine aspects of prostate cancer

There is new scientific information on the relationship between androgenic hormones and prostate cancer. In spite of a plausible association between androgenic hormones and the development of prostate cancer, precise mechanisms are lacking. Racial variability in the incidence of prostate cancer may be related to hormonal influences but suggestive observations were noted in studies with a small sample size. Currently, a serum hormone profile will not identify groups or individuals at higher risk of prostate cancer. The earlier integration of hormonal therapy into treatment plans for prostate cancer will substantially alter the model. Early treatment may be vastly more expensive, and the long-term benefit is uncertain. The aggregate costs of hormonal treatment for prostate cancer to the health care system will require a re-evaluation of less expensive, traditional methods for androgen deprivation.
NG2+ Progenitors Derived From Embryonic Stem Cells Penetrate Glial Scar and Promote Axonal Outgrowth Into White Matter After Spinal Cord Injury

The glial scar resulting from spinal cord injury is rich in chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG), a formidable barrier to axonal regeneration. We explored the possibility of breaching that barrier by first examining the scar in a functional in vitro model. We found that embryonic stem cell-derived neural lineage cells (ESNLCs) with prominent expression of nerve glial antigen 2 (NG2) survived, passed through an increasingly inhibitory gradient of CSPG, and expressed matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) at the appropriate stage of their development. Outgrowth of axons from ESNLCs followed because the migrating cells sculpted pathways in which CSPG was degraded. The degradative mechanism involved MMP-9 but not MMP-2. To confirm these results in vivo, we transplanted ESNLCs directly into the cavity of a contused spinal cord 9 days after injury. A week later, ESNLCs survived and were expressing both NG2 and MMP-9. Their axons had grown through long distances (>10 mm), although they preferred to traverse white rather than gray matter. These data are consistent with the concept that expression of inhibitory CSPG within the injury scar is an important impediment to regeneration but that NG2+ progenitors derived from ESNLCs can modify the microenvironment to allow axons to grow through the barrier. This beneficial action may be partly due to developmental expression of MMP-9. We conclude that it might eventually be possible to encourage axonal regeneration in the human spinal cord by transplanting ESNLCs or other cells that express NG2.
Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocrystalline Yttrium Oxide Prepared with Tetraalkylammonium Hydroxides

Controlled chemical precipitation of yttrium hydroxynitrate has been used to synthesize nanocrystalline yttrium oxide powders with high thermal stability. The type of base employed as the precipitating agent has a significant effect on the properties of the yttrium oxide product. Precipitation with tetraalkylammonium hydroxides was shown to produce a much finer-grained product than a conventional ammonium hydroxide synthesis route. This is attributed to the higher pH that can be achieved with tetraalkylammonium hydroxides, as well as the ability of tetraalkylammonium cations to inhibit precipitate particle growth by lowering the rate of diffusion of soluble precursors to the particle surface.
An in vitro validation of cardiac magnetic resonance 4D flow measurements with bioprosthetic mitral valve flow volumes quantification

Background Four dimensional flow MRI is a new methodology for evaluating the morphology of the heart using phase contrast cardiac magnetic resonance imaging not only in the usual three dimensions (x, y and z), but also across time. The full breadth of this new form of imaging has yet to be fully established. In order to evaluate this modality and its accuracy, we decided to use 4D flow MRI to quantify diastolic flow volumes across a bioprosthetic valve (BPV) in a controlled and reproducible in vitro system. Methods Three different sizes of BMV’s (27, 29, and 31 mm) were consecutively mounted in an MRI compatible flow loop where the flow conditions could be controlled using software that programmed a pump to generate pulsatile, physiologic ventricular ejection and filling simulations. The generated pulses were generated using each valve and mimicked diastolic flow volumes of about 70, 90 and 110 ml/beat at a rate of 70 bpm. An in-series ultrasonic flow transducer (UFT) was used to measure flow (L/min) by which diastolic flow volumes were determined. The acquisition of 3D cine (4D flow) phase contrast velocity data was acquired in a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner (Avanto, Siemens Medical Solutions, Inc., Erlangen, Germany). The typical imaging parameters were: repetition time 45-48 ms, echo time 2.75 ms, flip angle 15°, slice thickness 1.5 mm, field of view 350 × 260 mm2, voxel size 1.5 × 1 × 1.25 mm3. The flow measurements were determined at 3 locations within the valve in post-imaging examination including at the valve base, leaflet tips, and midway between the base and the tips. Results
The molecular basis of disorders of human hemoglobin synthesis.

The structure and organization of the human globin genes at the nucleotide level has been established by restriction endonuclease digestion of cellular DNA, and by the isolation and purification of these. genes in phage vectors. With this approach it has been possible to define alterations at the DNA level resulting in a group of inherited diseases of man known as the thalassemia syndromes, and related disorders. Combined with other known genetic and biochemical data, these studies provide a framework for understanding the pathogenesis of these disorders at the molecular level.
Aerogels derived from multifunctional organic monomers

Traditional inorganic aerogels are mad via the hydrolysis and condensation of metal alkoxides. Recently, we reported the synthesis of organic aerogels based upon the aqueous polycondensation of (1) resorcinol with formaldehyde and (2) melamine with formaldehyde. The former materials can also be pyrolyzed in an inert atmosphere to form vitreous carbon aerogels. In both the inorganic and organic systems, the structure and properties of the dried aerogel are dictated by polymerization conditions. Factors such as pH, reactant ratio, and temperature influence the crosslinking chemistry and growth processes taking place prior to gelation. The ability to tailor the structure and properties of aerogels at the nanometer scale opens up exciting possibilities for these novel materials. This paper addresses the chemistry-structure-property relationships of organic aerogels. 22 refs., 7 figs.
Chronic disuse and skeletal muscle structure in older adults: sex-specific differences and relationships to contractile function

In older adults, we examined the effect of chronic muscle disuse on skeletal muscle structure at the tissue, cellular, organellar, and molecular levels and its relationship to muscle function. Volu...
Advanced apparatus for combinatorial synthesis of buried II–VI nanocrystals by ion implantation

Abstract The understanding, discovery and optimization of new complex functional materials requires combinatorial synthesis techniques and suitable fast screening and analysis methods. In this contribution the synthesis of buried II–VI compound semiconductor nanocrystals by combinatorial ion-implantation in SiO 2 on silicon will be presented. To this end we constructed a computer controlled implanter target station, in which a 4-in. wafer can be implanted with a lateral pattern of distinct dose or energy combinations. The chemical reaction of the implanted components is initiated either during the implantation process or in a second step, with the advantage that also a reactive atmosphere can be applied, during annealing. The resulting optical photoluminescence properties of the individual fields of the pattern can then be screened in rapid succession in an optical cryostat into which the whole wafer is mounted and cooled down. In this way complex interdependences of the physical parameters will be studied on one wafer and the technically relevant properties optimized.
DISPERSION RELATIONS FOR COMPTON SCATTERING

The perturbation formulas for Compton scattering with radiative corrections are written as dispersion relations. The purpose is to learn something about (1) the number of subtractions that are needed in the relations, (2) the analytic continuation of the scattering amplitude into the unphysical region, and (3) the role of the infrared divergence. It is found that one subtraction is needed to obtain dispersion relations but that these equations still depend on the fictitious mass of the photon. To obtain relations which contain only physical quantities another subtraction is made. It is suggested that the imaginary part of the amplitude has fewer singularities than the amplitude itself, and consequently may, in some cases, be continued by means of the phase-shift expansion. Finally, it is shown that the Born approximation is equivalent to the so-called one-electron-intermediate-state contribution to the dispersion relation.
A case study: Statistical analysis in a production quality improvement project

Abstract This paper documents the results of a case study in total quality management conducted in a production setting. In 1995 internal inspection had detected that defects in the final product had increased at a major manufacturing firm in the southeastern United States. A comprehensive quality improvement project was initiated to locate and fix the major problems. This study recognizes that group processes and interpersonal skills are important. However, this paper focuses on the use of the scientific method and statistical analysis used to evaluate the success of the major objective of the plan i.e. to reduce high defect levels in the roll machines. Major overall improvement occurred in specific areas only after a systematic application of the scientific, TQM process.
Cost-effectiveness of surgical treatment for degenerative spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis.

STUDY DESIGN Systematic review. OBJECTIVE To identify cost-effective treatment strategies for lumbar spine degenerative diseases. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There is a paucity of literature assisting physicians and society regarding the cost-efficiency of management of lumbar spine conditions. Limited articles on selective operative and nonoperative therapies have been published for a variety of lumbar conditions. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration data base, University of York, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (National Health Services Economic Evaluation Database and health technology assessment), and the Tufts CEA Registry was conducted through December 16, 2013. Three specific questions were addressed for adult patients: (1) What is the evidence that surgery is cost-effective compared with nonsurgical management for lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis or stenosis? (2) What is the evidence that fusion is cost-effective compared with no fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis or stenosis? and (3) What is the evidence that instrumentation is cost-effective compared with none for degenerative spondylolisthesis? The Quality of Health Economic Studies instrument was used to provide an initial basis for critical appraisal of included economic studies. Articles were further refined with individual review based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. RESULTS Initial search resulted in 122 potentially relevant citations, 115 of which were excluded at title and abstract levels and 3 at full-text reviews, leaving 5 for analysis. No non-English language text met inclusion/exclusion criteria. All studies illustrated a clinical benefit of surgical treatment as measured by quality-adjusted life year (0.11-8.05). Surgical treatments had a greater financial cost than nonoperative care ($5883-$26,035). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio calculations noted operative treatment over nonoperative treatment for spondylolisthesis ($59,487-$115,600) per quality-adjusted life year. However, cost for patients without spondylolisthesis varied greatly from nonoperative treat dominating to $77,600 per quality-adjusted life year favoring surgery. Because the articles had heterogeneous methods and patient population, conclusion differed greatly on cost assessment. CONCLUSION Limited quality data exist on cost-effective treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal conditions, despite more recent interest related to this topic. It is important that future research efforts focus on constructing higher quality trials in this area to help determine the most cost-effective care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Oral Therapy with Ketoconazole for Dermatophyte Infections Unresponsive to Griseofulvin

Oral ketoconazole therapy was evaluated with 21 patients who had recalcitrant dermatophytosis. During an 18-week period, all patients, including three with organisms resistant to griseofulvin in vitro, showed impressive clinical improvement. The four patients without nail involvement became mycologically negative earlier than those with onychomycosis. The latter group showed progressive clearing of the nails, but only three were mycologically clear after 18 weeks. Adverse reactions to ketoconazole were negligible, and no patients required discontinuance of the drug. Ketoconazole appears to be a safe, effective drug for oral therapy of dermatophytoses in humans.
An interference-aware routing metric in multi-radio multi-hop networks

It is generally admitted that the performance of ad hoc networks can be quite poor and disappointing due to high contention and lack of an optimal MAC protocol. Here we investigate one approach to alleviate the contention: allowing nodes to communicate simultaneously on different channels by configuring them with multiple radios. Though simply adding radios improves throughput, a more dramatic enhancement can be obtained when using an interferenceaware routing metric, which improves the TCP throughput by an average of 89% against single radio network.
Toward the optimization of operating conditions for hydrogen polymer electrolyte fuel cells

A study is performed to find the optimal operating conditions of hydrogen polymer electrolyte fuel cells using an efficient optimization approach based on validated multi-resolution fuel cell simulation tool developed in house. Through the design of experiment method, a set of designed simulation runs were carried out using the fuel cell simulation tool. Based on the simulation results, an analytic metamodel was then constructed using the radial basis function approach. A feasible sequential quadratic programming scheme was then employed to optimize the metamodel to achieve the global optimal solutions. To illustrate the optimization approach, four control parameters including cell temperature, cathode stoichiometry, cathode pressure, and cathode relative humidity were considered. The optimization objective is defined as the maximization of the overall efficiency of the fuel cell system under ideal or realistic system assumptions. The study shows that different optimal solutions exist for different system assumptions, as well as different current loading levels, classified into small, medium, and large current densities. The approach adopted in this study is generic and can be readily applied to a larger number of control parameters and further to the fuel cell design optimizations.
A liquid-in-glass thermometer read by an interferometer

Abstract In mercury thermometers, the meniscus moves erratically, limiting resolution to about 1 mK. We describe a miniature liquid-in-glass thermometer in which the working fluid is 10 μL of water, topped by a thin layer of oil. By measuring the level of the oil meniscus with an interferometer, the thermometer can detect temperature changes of less than 2 μK at room temperature. We believe the smooth motion of the meniscus is due to a wetting film formed above it. We intend to modify the device for use as a microcalorimeter.
Impoverished Appalachia and Kentucky genomes: what is at stake? How do feminists reply?

Abstract Genomic medicine can and does improve the health of individuals, but it is also important to question the role genomic research plays in maintaining inequality. Here we raise questions about the possible impact of genomic medicine on the lives and well-being of impoverished women in the United States, especially when they are already routinely stereotyped as deficient, whether behaviourally, mentally, or physically. In the context of these issues, we present a brief history of the confluence of eugenics and sexuality, childbirth, and sterilization, and we examine the present birth control practices, especially tubal ligation, of women in poor rural communities in the United States. Do past eugenic ideologies, or classist and racist motivations influence how impoverished Appalachian women are treated gynecologically? How will they be treated in the future? We argue that the issues regarding genomic research involving reproduction are very complex and multi-layered and call for feminist scholars to...
Amphetamine administration does not alter protein levels of the GLT-1 and EAAC1 glutamate transporter subtypes in rat midbrain, nucleus accumbens, striatum, or prefrontal cortex

Abstract Our laboratory and others have previously shown that glutamate transmission is required for chronic amphetamine-induced neuroadaptations, and that glutamate transmission itself is altered by chronic amphetamine administration. For example, N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit expression are altered in a region- and withdrawal-specific manner. The goal of this study was to determine whether repeated amphetamine administration influences the expression of two glutamate transporter subtypes, GLT-1 and EAAC1. Rats were treated with saline or 5 mg/kg amphetamine for 5 days (chronic saline and amphetamine groups, respectively), or saline for 4 days and 5 mg/kg amphetamine on day 5 (acute amphetamine group), and decapitated 24 h after the last injection. Tissue was dissected from brain regions involved in the psychomotor effects of amphetamine (nucleus accumbens, striatum, prefrontal cortex, ventral tegmental area, and substantia nigra). Levels of GLT-1 and EAAC1 were quantified by Western blotting and normalized to actin levels. We found no significant change in levels of GLT-1 or EAAC1 in response to either acute or chronic amphetamine treatment. These findings suggest that the transporter component of the glutamate system might not play a significant role in the alterations in glutamate transmission observed following repeated amphetamine administration.
Treatment of Eikenella corrodens and Actinomyces odontolyticus Foot Abscess in a Penicillin-Allergic Patient

Objective:TO report a case of Eikenella corrodens and Actinomyces odontolyticus foot abscess secondary to a toothpick puncture in a penicillin-allergic patient that was successfully treated with a long-term course of doxycycline.Case Summary:A 39-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus type 2 and hyperlipidemia presented with difficulty ambulating as well as pain and swelling of her right foot. Prior to presentation, she sustained a toothpick puncture to her right foot; she removed the toothpick intact and did not know whether it had been used. Due to a penicillin allergy, she began treatment with levofloxacin, which was changed to clindamycin one day later. The patient was diagnosed with right Achilles tendonitis/cellulitis and was discharged on a one-week course of clindamycin. Twenty-five days later she was readmitted, complaining of pain and swelling in the same area, which this time presented as an abscess. Upon this admission, vancomycin and levofloxacin were initiated and incision and drainage (I & D...