cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Diagnostic Validity of Hip Provocation Maneuvers to Detect Intra-Articular Hip Pathology

Objective To determine which hip provocation maneuvers best predict the presence of an intra-articular hip pathology. Design Prospective diagnostic study. Setting Musculoskeletal clinic at a university-based multispecialty group practice. Participants Fifty subjects referred for intra-articular hip injection under fluoroscopic guidance. Interventions Subjects were examined with 4 pain provocation maneuvers before and after anesthetic intra-articular hip injection administered under fluoroscopic guidance. Main Outcome Measurements Presence of intra-articular hip pain generator was confirmed by ≥80% improvement on visual analog scale after intra-articular hip injection. Results The most sensitive tests were flexion abduction external rotation (FABER) test and internal rotation over pressure (IROP) maneuver. For the FABER test, sensitivity was 0.82 (95% CI 0.57-0.96); sensitivity for the IROP maneuver was 0.91 (95% CI 0.68-0.99). The most specific test was the Stinchfield maneuver, with specificity at 0.32 (95% CI 0.14-0.55). FABER and IROP had the highest positive predictive value, with 0.46 (95% CI 0.28-0.65) and 0.47 (95% CI 0.29-0.64), respectively. IROP had the highest negative predictive value at 0.71 (95% CI 0.25-0.98). Conclusions IROP and FABER may be worthwhile components of the clinical evaluation of hip pain to determine intra-articular hip pathology. These tests are nonspecific and therefore not necessarily negative in the absence of intra-articular hip pathology. These hip provocation maneuvers are a useful part of an evaluation that includes history, further examination findings, and other diagnostic studies.
Rules versus cognitive structure as bases for children's performances on probability problems

Abstract The present study compared two hypotheses about children's solutions to Piaget and Inhelder's (1975) two-set alternative choice probability problems. The first was that children follow rules that specify a temporally ordered sequence of tests and decisions (Siegler, 1981). One prediction of rules is that children who know strategies that combine variables within sets (e.g., ratio or subtraction strategies) will only use them on problems that require such strategies (conflict problems), whereas lower level (nonconflict) problems will be solved by directly comparing the values of variables between sets. The second hypothesis was that once children develop knowledge of within-set solutions to probability problems, they apply them to both conflict and nonconflict problems. The results supported the latter hypothesis. The majority of children who solved conflict problems using within-set strategies explained at least one nonconflict problem by referring to within-set combinations. Results were discussed in terms of their implications for cognitive development and for instruction.
Processing fluency affects behavior more strongly among people higher in trait mindfulness

Processing fluency is the ease of processing information about a stimulus, which people can attribute to the experience of enjoyment. Despite consistent findings that processing fluency can affect self-reported judgments, little research has examined whether processing fluency or its interactions with personality traits can affect behavior. The current studies demonstrate that processing fluency is more likely to affect behavior among people higher in trait mindfulness. We manipulated processing fluency with rhyming versus nonrhyming maxims in Study 1 and with regulatory fit versus nonfit in Study 2. Participants higher in mindfulness showed a stronger positive effect for processing fluency on the dependent variable: the number of ideas they listed in a task they continued for as long as they enjoyed it.
The potential of a new fungicide fludioxonil for stem-end rot and green mold control on Florida citrus fruit

Abstract Fludioxonil is a newly registered and classified as reduced-risk fungicide by the US EPA for citrus fruit postharvest treatments. The efficacy of fludioxonil for the control of diplodia stem-end rot caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae and green mold ( Penicillium digitatum ) on Florida citrus fruit was evaluated. The ED 50 values of fludioxonil against L. theobromae and P. digitatum in potato dextrose agar were 0.012 and 0.020 mg/L, respectively. Application of fludioxonil at 250–1200 mg/L on oranges using a simulated commercial drench system before fruit ethylene degreening reduced diploda stem-end rot incidence by 75.7–88.6%, and fludioxonil at 500–1200 mg/L performed similarly to the commercial postharvest fungicide imazalil or thiabendazole (TBZ) at 1000 mg/L. Fludioxonil was compatible with chlorine in drench suspension as measured by the efficacy of fludioxonil for diplodia stem-end rot control. Fludioxonil also effectively reduced both diplodia stem-end rot and green mold when applied through a simulated commercial packingline system. Fludioxonil was more effective for diplodia stem-end rot control on non-ethylene-treated oranges than on ethylene-treated fruit. Fludioxonil was also effective for the control of TBZ-resistant P. digitatum isolates on oranges. An active suppression of P. digitatum sporulation by fludioxonil on citrus fruit was observed. However, fludioxonil showed a much less activity for P. digitatum sporulation control compared to postharvest fungicide imazalil. The registration of fludioxonil has provided a new alternative, reduced-risk compound for citrus postharvest disease control and fungicide resistance management in Florida.
Colonic obstruction as a complication of ulcerative colitis

Colonic obstruction requiring specific treatment as a complication of ulcerative colitis occurred in four of 644 patients with ulcerative colitis seem from 1969 through 1979. Four other cases have been reported by others. These obstructions were caused by strictures or pseudopolyps. Although the treatment is nonoperative in some cases, surgery is indicated if carcinoma cannot be ruled out or if obstruction persists.
Quantitative fundus autofluorescence in healthy eyes

Purpose Fundus autofluorescence was quantified (qAF) in subjects with healthy retinae using a standardized approach. The objective was to establish normative data and identify factors that influence the accumulation of RPE lipofuscin and/or modulate the observed AF signal in fundus images. Methods AF images were acquired from 277 healthy subjects (age range: 5-60 years) by employing a Spectralis confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO; 488-nm excitation; 30°) equipped with an internal fluorescent reference. For each image, mean gray level was calculated as the average of eight preset regions, and was calibrated to the reference, zero-laser light, magnification, and optical media density from normative data on lens transmission spectra. Relationships between qAF and age, sex, race/ethnicity, eye color, refraction/axial length, and smoking status were evaluated as was measurement repeatability and the qAF spatial distribution. Results qAF levels exhibited a significant increase with age. qAF increased with increasing eccentricity up to 10° to 15° from the fovea and was highest superotemporally. qAF values were significantly greater in females, and, compared with Hispanics, qAF was significantly higher in whites and lower in blacks and Asians. No associations with axial length and smoking were observed. For two operators, between-session repeatability was ± 9% and ± 12%. Agreement between the operators was ± 13%. Conclusions Normative qAF data are a reference tool essential to the interpretation of qAF measurements in ocular disease.
Following the 'tracks': Tramtrack69 regulates epithelial tube expansion in the Drosophila ovary through Paxillin, Dynamin, and the homeobox protein Mirror.

Epithelial tubes are the infrastructure for organs and tissues, and tube morphogenesis requires precise orchestration of cell signaling, shape, migration, and adhesion. Follicle cells in the Drosophila ovary form a pair of epithelial tubes whose lumens act as molds for the eggshell respiratory filaments, or dorsal appendages (DAs). DA formation is a robust and accessible model for studying the patterning, formation, and expansion of epithelial tubes. Tramtrack69 (TTK69), a transcription factor that exhibits a variable embryonic DNA-binding preference, controls DA lumen volume and shape by promoting tube expansion; the tramtrack mutation twin peaks (ttktwk) reduces TTK69 levels late in oogenesis, inhibiting this expansion. Microarray analysis of wild-type and ttktwk ovaries, followed by in situ hybridization and RNAi of candidate genes, identified the Phospholipase B-like protein Lamina ancestor (LAMA), the scaffold protein Paxillin, the endocytotic regulator Shibire (Dynamin), and the homeodomain transcription factor Mirror, as TTK69 effectors of DA-tube expansion. These genes displayed enriched expression in DA-tube cells, except lama, which was expressed in all follicle cells. All four genes showed reduced expression in ttktwk mutants and exhibited RNAi phenotypes that were enhanced in a ttktwk/+ background, indicating ttktwk genetic interactions. Although previous studies show that Mirror patterns the follicular epithelium prior to DA tubulogenesis, we show that Mirror has an independent, novel role in tube expansion, involving positive regulation of Paxillin. Thus, characterization of ttktwk-differentially expressed genes expands the network of TTK69 effectors, identifies novel epithelial tube-expansion regulators, and significantly advances our understanding of this vital developmental process.
Helium gas mixtures for ring imaging Cherenkov detectors with CsI photocathodes

Use of He gas mixtures at atmospheric pressure (instead of low-pressure hydrocarbon gases) will ease the construction and operation of large-scale parallel-plate RICH detectors with CsI photocathodes. Due to the low density of He gas the number of primary electrons created by minimum-ionizing particles is very small even at atmospheric pressure. Therefore the Cherenkov detector will be nearly blind to ionizing tracks. However, He alone is not a good counting gas; a suitable quenching component must be added for stable operation of the chamber at high gas gain. Five different quenching gases, CH4, C2H6, isobutane, CF4 and CO2 have been tested at a mixing ratio of 5%. The first three gas mixtures show very promising performance. The parallel-plate avalanche chamber (PPAC) can be operated up to gains ≈ 5×105 without secondary avalanches. When the He gas mixture includes 5% of the quenching gas (38 Torr) the efficiency for minimum-ionizing particles is calculated to be < 20% using a Monte Carlo simulation based on measured gas-gain spectra. Experimental investigation shows that the ratio of the quantum efficiency of a CsI photocathode in an atmospheric-pressure He/i-C4H10 (95/5) gas mixture to that in low-pressure i-C4H10 gas is ≈ 75% for PPAC operation. The effect of mechanical tolerance on uniformity of gas gain at various pressures is also discussed in detail, and He/i-C4H10 (95/5) has the least variation of gain with gap thickness of the mixtures tested.
Algorithm for Achieving Minimum Energy Consumption in CMOS Circuits Using Multiple Supply and Threshold Voltages at the Module Level

This paper proposes an optimum methodology for assigning supply and threshold voltages to modules in a CMOS circuit such that the overall energy consumption is minimized for a given delay constraint. The modules of the circuit should have large enough gate depths such that the delay and energy penalties of the level shifters connecting them are negligible. Both static and dynamic energy are considered in the optimization. Energy savings of up to 48% have been achieved on various example circuits. The first step in the optimization finds optimum supply and threshold voltages for each module in the circuit. If the circuit has a large number of modules, this step might yield a correspondingly large number of different supply and threshold voltages for minimum energy consumption. Since having a large number of different supply and threshold voltages on an IC is not feasible in current technologies, an additional step clusters the multiple voltages obtained from the first step into a fixed number of supply and threshold voltages (for example, 2 different supply voltages and 2 different threshold voltages). In addition to the application of this method to circuit optimization, it can also be applied to a wide range of problems with delay constraints, such as software tasks running on a dynamically variable V/sub DD/ and V/sub th/ processor.
Genetic Dissection of Cell Growth Arrest Functions Mediated by the Epstein-Barr Virus Lytic Gene Product, Zta

Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latency-associated genes activates cell cycle progression and drives immortalization of the infected cell. In contrast, progression of the EBV replication program occurs most efficiently in growth-arrested cells. Previous studies showed that the EBV-encoded immediate-early transcription factor, Zta, can induce expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p21 and p27, the tumor suppressor, p53, and cell growth arrest. Moreover, Zta-mediated induction of growth arrest occurs independently of its transcriptional transactivation function. Here we show that substitution of Zta’s basic DNA binding domain with the analogous region of the Zta homologue, c-Fos, abrogates Zta’s ability to induce growth arrest and to induce p21, p27, or p53 expression, suggesting that protein-protein interactions between this region of Zta and key cell cycle control proteins are involved in signaling cell cycle arrest. We also show that despite the crucial role for Zta’s basic domain in eliciting cell growth arrest, its amino terminus is required for efficient induction of p27 and it modulates the level of p53 induction. Last, we provide evidence that Zta-mediated inductions of p21, p27, and p53 occur, at least in part, through distinct pathways. Therefore, Zta interacts with multiple growth arrest pathways, a property which may have evolved partly as a means to ensure that lytic replication occurs in a growth-arrested setting in multiple different tissues in various states of differentiation.
Pushing the science forward: chitosan nanoparticles and functional repair of CNS tissue after spinal cord injury.

We continue our exploration of the large polysaccharide polymer Chitosan as an acute therapy for severe damage to the nervous system. We tested the action of subcutaneously injected nanoparticles (~ 100 – 200 nanometers in diameter; 1 mg per ml) against control injections (silica particle of the same size and concentration) in a standardized in vivo spinal cord injury model. These functional tests used standardized physiological measurements of evoked potentials arriving at the sensorimotor cortex subsequent to stimulation of the tibial nerve of the contralateral hindlimb. We further explored the degree of acetylation and molecular weight of chitosan on the success of sealing cell damage using specific probes of membrane integrity. Not one of the control group showed restored conduction of evoked potentials stimulated from the tibial nerve of the hindleg – through the lesion – and recorded at the sensorimotor cortex of the brain. Investigation if the degree of acetylation and molecular weight impacted “membrane sealing” properties of Chitosan were unsuccessful. Dye - exchange membrane probes failed to show a difference between the comparators in the function of Chitosan in ex vivo injured spinal cord tests. We found that Chitosan nanoparticles effectively restore nerve impulse transmission through the crushed adult guinea pig spinal cord in vivo after severe crush/compression injury. The tests of the molecular weight (MW) and degree of acetylation did not produce any improvement in Chitosan’s membrane sealing properties.
Effect of a teaching skills program on faculty skills and confidence.

Background.—Although education is a central mission of medical schools, effectiveness of faculty as teachers is variable, with many faculty lacking formal training. Therefore, a series of sessions around teaching skills was developed. Objective.—To improve the skill, confidence, and comfort levels of faculty who teach general pediatrics. Method.—A faculty development program consisting of nine 1-hour sessions on a variety of topics and a 3-hour workshop on Feedback and Evaluation was provided to all faculty members in a single academic division. The program was evaluated with a needs assessment and a quantitative postprogram self-assessment. A qualitative e-mail survey was performed 3 years after completion to assess durability. Results.—The 13 full-time faculty members (10 women) in the Community and General Pediatrics Division attended a mean of 6.5 sessions each (range 4–10). All 13 participants completed the 22-item postprogram survey regarding comfort with and knowledge of teaching techniques. Statistically significant change was seen for all items. Comments from the open-response section reflected specific improvement in the area of feedback and the need for increased time to focus on teaching. Responses to the follow-up survey (46% response rate) were positive about the program in general and about the continued use of the skills that were learned in the program. Conclusions.—Busy general pediatric faculty attended a majority of sessions in a faculty development program on teaching. Skill and comfort levels significantly improved in many of the areas covered, and the skills were still being used 3 years later.
Single-shot two-dimensional spectroscopy

A new method of acquiring two-dimensional correlation spectra in a single-shot is presented. As a demonstration of the functionality of this spectrometer, the two-dimensional correlation spectrum of atomic rubidium is measured.
Instituting Parent Education Practices in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Administrative Case Report of Practice Evaluation and Statewide Action

Background and Purpose. Infants born preterm are at high risk of developmental disabilities and benefit from early developmental intervention programs. Physical therapists with neonatal expertise are ideally suited to educate parents about ways to support their infant’s development in the first months of life. However, administrative policies are needed to support the therapist in providing adequate parent education in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This administrative case report describes the process used by a team of neonatal therapists to evaluate clinical practice, determine the need for change, and develop and implement a new parent education program in the NICU. Case Description. Physical therapy parent education practices were evaluated in an academic medical center with a 36-bed, level-3 NICU. Physical therapists with neonatal expertise covered multiple units within the hospital each day. A series of focus groups, a small descriptive study, and staff discussion were used to evaluate parent education practices in this academic medical center. A new parent education program was developed based on data collected and literature to improve clinical care. Outcomes. The new parent education model was implemented over the course of several months using overlapping initiatives. Administrative support for the change was developed through collaboration, open communication, and presentation of clinical data. In addition, this hospital-based program contributed to the development of a statewide initiative to educate parents of preterm infants about the importance of supporting development in the first months of life. Discussion. A collaborative and data-driven approach to evaluating parent education practices supported the development of a new parent education practice while acknowledging the need to meet staff productivity standards and provide excellent care throughout the hospital.
Gene Therapy for Very Long Chain Acyl-coA Dehydrogenase Deficiency Using Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors: A Dissertation

Very long chain acyl-coA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) is the rate-limiting step in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. VLCAD deficient mice and patients’ clinical symptoms stem from not only an energy deficiency but also long-chain metabolite accumulations. VLCAD deficient mice were treated systemically with 1x10 vector genomes of rAAV9-VLCAD. Expression was detected in the liver, heart and muscle. Also substantial expression of VLCAD was noted in the brain, where it was expressed across different sections of the brain and in different cell types with different morphologies. Biochemical correction was observed in vector-treated mice beginning two weeks post-injection, as characterized by a significant drop in long chain fatty acyl accumulates in whole blood after an overnight fast. Changes persisted through the termination point around 20 weeks post injection. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) revealed normalization of intramuscular lipids in treated animals. Correction was not observed in liver tissue extracts, but cardiac muscle extracts showed significant reduction of long chain metabolites. Disease-specific phenotypes were characterized, including thermoregulation and maintenance of euglycemia after a fasting cold challenge. Internal body temperatures of untreated VLCAD-/mice dropped below 20°C and the mice became lethargic, requiring euthanasia. In contrast all rAAV9-treated VLCAD-/mice and the wildtype controls maintained body temperatures. rAAV9-treated VLCAD-/mice maintained euglycemia, whereas untreated VLCAD-/mice suffered hypoglycemia following a fasting cold challenge. These promising results suggest rAAV9 gene therapy as a potential treatment for VLCAD deficiency in humans.
A Framework for Assessing Usage of Web-Based e-Learning Systems

The knowledge of students enables an e-learning system to provide individualized lessons for each student. This paper presents the use of web usage mining method to discover the knowledge of students from their usage sequences. The structure of lessons offered by an e- learning system can be used as website ontology to facilitate usage mining. We also present a framework for representing assessment results and usage patterns by a hierarchy of flow graphs, which can be used as decision algorithms for evaluating relationships between usage patterns and performance of students. Usage patterns can be translated into decision rules or trees for predicting student performance and for providing timely lessons.
Single or Multiple Guidance Methods for Peripheral Nerve Blockade in Modern-Day Practice of Regional Anesthesia

R egional anesthesia has traditionally been performed with the help of a single modality, which has depended on the availability of technology at the time of performance of these blocks. The transitions from paresthesia-guided to nerve stimulation to ultrasound-guided nerve blocks have helped advance regional anesthesia as a science rather than an art, and have taken it to a higher level of sophistication. However, the visual information obtained with the use of ultrasonography remains subject to interpretation by the user and, consequently, is limited by the ability to optimize the sonographic image, variations in formal training of applied ultrasound physics, and overall experience in ultrasonography. Even though ultrasound visualization by itself is presumably associated with minimal risks, the safety claimed by ultrasound enthusiasts may not necessarily result in the safest clinical practice. There is current debate as to whether the use of nerve stimulation or ultrasonography is superior as a nerve localization instrument for regional anesthesia; there is also a proposal that the use of dual or multiple guidance modalities may further expand the opportunities to employ regional anesthesia versus use of a single method. Regional anesthesia reliably works if the correct amount of the correct local anesthetic is placed within the correct fascial plane in correct proximity to the nerve. Nerve stimulation is generally able to provide one or two of these objectively, that is, depositing a local anesthetic near the nerve to be blocked. Anesthesiologists traditionally have used larger doses of local anesthetics with this technique to ascertain block success, as it is not possible to stimulate the nerve again after even a small dose of local anesthetic has been deposited. Ultrasonography does not solve all of these problems but it
Response to Downing and Fredriksen

This is a response to criticisms raised by Paula Fredriksen and F. Gerald Downing of my recent JSNT article, ‘Jesus in Jerusalem: Armed and Not Dangerous’. After noting cases where Fredriksen and Downing misrepresent my arguments, I respond to Fredriksen’s disagreement with my interpretation of μάχαιρα as ‘sword’ and to the objections raised by both respondents about the lack of legal evidence for the prohibition of carrying arms in a city. I also address a number of historical and methodological issues raised by both responses.
Generalized Vector Transform WithApplications in Power Electronics

With power electronics entering the saturation side of the technology's S-curve, we cannot expect too many new topologies or circuits. The future development should come mostly from application of new power semiconductor devices or from identification of new application fields. The only way to disrupt the contemporary incremental development consists in analyzing and branching out of the original theories that founded power electronics discipline. This paper develops the mathematical theory of a generalized vector transform able to smooth the progress of new research directions in power electronics by considering any three-phase set of nonsinusoidal waveforms instead of the conventional sinusoidal waveforms. Immediate applications are demonstrated.
Analysis on the Wiener space

In this chapter we study the differential calculus on a Gaussian space. That is, we introduce the derivative operator and the associated Sobolev spaces of weakly differentiable random variables. Then we prove the equivalence of norms established by Meyer and discuss the relationship between the basic differential operators: the derivative operator, its adjoint (which is usually called the Skorohod integral), and the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck operator.
Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla: Report of a case and literature review.

Abstract Purpose Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma characterized by a highly aggressive clinical course. Though typically found in the larynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx, we report a rare case of BSCC originating in the maxillary sinus in an otherwise healthy 32-year-old male. Materials and methods Single case report of a patient with BSCC of the maxillary sinus and retrospective chart review of all cases of BSCC of the maxilla at a single academic institution between January 1, 1986 and December 31, 2013. The MEDLINE database was additionally queried for all case series or reports of BSCC arising in the maxilla, and pertinent clinical data were extracted. Results The clinical presentation, disease course, and management of a patient with BSCC of the maxilla are presented. In this recent case, the patient presented with persistent alveolar pain and a nonhealing tooth infection. Radiographic studies demonstrated a large necrotic mass in the left maxillary sinus that was biopsy-proven as BSCC. The patient underwent surgical resection followed by postoperative radiation without complications. Conclusions BSCC of the maxilla is a rare oncologic entity that may progress to late disease stage without obvious clinical signs or symptoms. Optimal treatment involves complete surgical resection followed by postoperative.
Is Complete Wound Healing a Valid Endpoint for Clinical Trials of Venous Stasis Ulcer Treatment

Complete wound healing is often used as an endpoint in clinical trials comparing different treatments of venous stasis ulcers. The authors have found, however, that determining exactly when a wound is completely healed is often difficult and quite subjective. Because of this concern, they undertook the following survey.Photographs of 46 venous stasis ulcers were classified by the authors as obviously healed (H, n=5), obviously not healed (NH, n=7), and ambiguous (Amb, n=34). Blinded reviewers were instructed to judge the wounds as if they were conducting a clinical trial, and were asked: (1) Is the wound healed? (yes/no/can't tell), and (2) If forced to decide yes or no for question 1, which would you choose? (yes/no).Forty-eight reviewers took part in the study: 29 physicians or nurse clinicians with a specialty in wound care (MD/RN) and 19 medical students (MS). When given the three options, they classified 17% of the wounds as "can't tell" (H 27%, NH 5%, Amb 17%). The percentage of reviewers disagreein...
Agreement with non-uniform information delays

We propose a novel agreement framework for multiple (possibly heterogeneous) agents evolving on a directed information graph with non-uniform delays. Our proposed framework can ensure agreement of a certain scalar quantity among the agents, as long as 1) for each agent, we can design a local control s.t. its closed-loop transfer function has unit gain at dc and gain strictly less than unity elsewhere; 2) the information graph has a globally reachable node (i.e. there exists a path from it to every other nodes); and 3) the information delays are finite constants. Rendezvous simulation is performed to verify the theory.
Development of multilayer fluorescent thin film chemical sensors using electrostatic self-assembly

Electrostatic layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly is an attractive method for depositing films, composed of charged molecules, on a wide variety of charged substrates. This report describes progress toward development of LBL as a platform for fabrication of fluorescent sensors based on nanocomposite multilayer ultrathin films. This study had two main features: 1) assessment of methods for immobilizing indicators using LBL and 2) demonstration of the versatility of these methods for application to templates of specific interest for optical sensing. Ruthenium-based oxygen indicators were used as model fluorophores. Three techniques for building fluorescent sensing films were considered, including direct electrostatic assembly of charged fluorescent indicators, fluorophore:polyion premixing, and conjugation of indicator to polyelectrolyte. Dye-conjugated polyion films exhibit superior linearity in growth, stability, and resistance to desorption during the assembly process. Multilayer fluorescent films containing bis(2, 2'-bipyridine) 4'-methyl-4-carboxybipyridine-ruthenium-N-succinimidyl-ester bis(hexafluoro-phosphate) (Ru(bpy)2(mcbpy)) conjugated to poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) were deposited onto glass slides, fiber-optics and polymer microspheres. Additional layers of fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated to PAH were deposited on the same templates to serve as an internal reference and allow ratiometric measurements. The fluorescence properties of films on the different substrates were similar, demonstrating that the deposition process is versatile and generally portable between templates. In all cases, the films retained oxygen sensitivity and did not exhibit significant self quenching. This work provides a basis for development of sensors for numerous biomedical sensing applications, including fiber-optic probes designed for research and clinical measurements, sensing films on tissue culture substrates, and implantable micro/nanoparticle based sensors for in vitro or in vivo monitoring.
Decrement of somatosensory evoked potentials during repetitive stimulation.

Abstract In normal subjects, cerebral potentials were evoked by brief, passive extension of the wrist joint at various interstimulus intervals (ISIs). The resulting somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were found to decrease during repetitive stimulation. The greatest decrement occured between the first and second responses of each series. After cessation of stimuli, the SEP amplitude returned to control values over a prolonged, exponential time course. The authors postulate that the observed response decrement may be a form of habituation, which provides a model for studying the neuronal substrates of behavior.
Overlapping resource use in three Great Basin species: implications for community invasibility and vegetation dynamics

Summary 1 In the Great Basin of the western United States of America, the invasive annual grass Bromus tectorum has extensively replaced native shrub and bunchgrass communities, but the native bunchgrass Elymus elymoides has been reported to suppress Bromus . Curlew Valley, a site in Northern Utah, provides a model community to test the effects of particular species on invasion by examining competitive relationships among Elymus , Bromus and the native shrub Artemisia tridentata . 2 The site contains Bromus / Elymus , Elymus / Artemisia and monodominant Elymus stands. Transect data indicate that Elymus suppresses Bromus disproportionately relative to its above-ground cover. Artemisia seedlings recruit in Elymus stands but rarely in the presence of Bromus . This relationship might be explained by competition between the two grasses involving a different resource or occurring in a different season to that between each grass and Artemisia . 3 Time reflectometry data collected in monodominant patches indicated that in spring, soil moisture use by Bromus is rapid, whereas depletion under Elymus and Artemisia is more moderate. Artemisia seedlings may therefore encounter a similar moisture environment in monodominant or mixed perennial stands. However, efficient autumn soil moisture use by Elymus may help suppress Bromus . 4 In competition plots, target Artemisia grown with Bromus were stunted relative to those grown with Elymus , despite equivalent above-ground biomass of the two grasses. Competition for nitrogen in spring and autumn, assessed with 15 N tracer, appears to be secondary to moisture availability in determining competitive outcomes. 5 Elymus physiology and function appear to play an important role in determining the composition of communities in Curlew Valley, by maintaining zones free of Bromus where Artemisia can recruit. Key-words : 15 N tracer, Artemisia tridentata , Bromus tectorum , cheatgrass, Elymus elymoides , Great Basin, N uptake, resource competition, semiarid, Sitanion hystrix ,
X-ray Scattering Techniques for Characterization of Nanosystems in Lifescience

The intent of this chapter is to provide the basics of using x-ray diffraction techniques in order to obtain information on the structure and morphology of the nanosystems, and also to point out some of its strengths and weaknesses when compare to other characterization techniques. X-ray scattering examines over a wide range of density domains from a tenth to a thousandth angstrom. Essentially, this covers a whole range of condensed matter, including the structure and morphology of nanosystems, particularly useful for examining nanostructures in lifescience. This range of domain size requires both the wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) and small-angle (SAXS) x-ray scattering techniques. Roughly WAXS covers from 2 nm down, and SAXS covers from .5 nm to 100 nm and possibly 1,000 nm for a finely tuned instrument. Brief theoretical description of both WAXS and SAXS will be given in this chapter. WAXS, by itself is a powerful technique in providing information on the crystallographic structure or lack of structure, atomic positions and sizes in a unit cell, to some extend, chemical compositions and as well as chemical stoichiometry. Examples of such experiments will also be given. In order to be able to describe the technique of x-ray scattering, somemore » historical and theoretical background will be given in the hope of making this subject interesting and simple.« less
What are stylized facts

Economists use the term ‘stylized fact’ in many contexts, though the meaning of this phrase and the motivation for using such a concept is unclear. In this paper, we provide a philosophical analysis of stylized facts, which aims to be methodologically interesting and useful. While our framework applies to all principled uses of stylized facts, we illustrate its core features by applying it to Nicholas Kaldor's initial and exemplary use of stylized facts in growth economics.
Low load compliant mooring history and status update

The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) has traditionally deployed three core mooring types in its Weather Buoy Program. These consist of an all-chain mooring, semi-taut mooring, and an inverse-catenary mooring. The all-chain moorings are comprised completely of chain and form a catenary in the water column. These moorings are used in shallow water only, due to the weight of the chain on the buoy, and derive their compliance from the access chain. The inverse-catenary moorings are comprised almost entirely of synthetic line with a buoyant section in the middle mooring to produce an "S" shape in the water column. The buoyant section is created using either a buoyant line such as polypropylene or through the use of mooring floats. These moorings derive their compliance from the excess line that forms the "S" shape and are used exclusively in deep water. The semi-taut moorings are similar to all-chain moorings in composition but use a section of nylon line in the middle mooring to reduce the dead weight of the mooring. These moorings are used in moderate depths. In 2004, NDBC conducted a study of the previous six years of mooring failures from these configurations (a total of 75) and determined that the majority of the known modes of failure could be distilled into three main categories; cyclic fatigue of connection hardware, chafe zone erosion, and fish bite/vandalism. From this information, a design effort was conducted to eliminate or mitigate these failures to improve overall network mooring performance. The result has been termed a low-load compliant mooring. The performance of this mooring is similar in a hydrodynamic manner to a traditional inverse-catenary mooring but with the capability to be deployed in all but the most shallow locations. The preliminary mooring model analysis indicated that the mooring loads would be significantly less than existing configurations, which would have a major impact on cyclic fatigue along with the selection of synthetic connection hardware. The chafe zone was completely removed via the design, and the fish-bite problem was mitigated through the design of a fish-bite-resistant line. Since the initial design, 32 stations have converted to the low load compliant design with only three failures to date, all which have been attributed to vandalism. This paper will discuss the design and modeling details more thoroughly and provide performance data for the deployed moorings, including observed sea conditions.
The effect of high-temperature intermetallic growth on ball shear-induced cratering

The effect of the growth of additional gold-aluminum intermetallics at elevated temperatures on ball shear-induced silicon cratering is investigated. A mechanism that explains the high incidence of silicon cratering when thermosonic gold ball bonds are sheared from aluminum metallized pads over silicon and SiO/sub 2/ is proposed. The mechanism is based on the transmission of energy from the ball shear ram through the rigid intermetallic weld to the underlying dielectric. The concentration of this transmitted energy in the form of stress concentrators was estimated, using finite-element modeling, to be highly dependent on ball and weld geometry. This failure mode does not require that the substrate be cracked initially through the use of improper bonding conditions, as cratering was observed to occur even though the range of bonding parameters used in this study produced no visible damage to the underlying dielectric material. The mechanism may be partly responsible for shear-induced cratering in plastic-encapsulated packages. Recommendations are made regarding steps that can be taken to reduce this effect by altering bonding parameters, pad metal thickness, and cure schedule. >
Drug Dosing Considerations in Alternative Hemodialysis

The provision of renal replacement therapy for patients with chronic kidney disease has been reasonably standardized for decades, with thrice-weekly hemodialysis being the standard. Short-daily and nocturnal hemodialysis are 2 new hemodialysis techniques, each are administered 6 to 7 days a week but differ primarily in the duration of the treatment and blood-flow rate. The emergence of these hemodialysis regimens has shown promise in attenuating some of the complications associated with chronic kidney disease. The benefits of these daily regimens are postulated to be a result of enhanced solute clearance and improved extracellular volume management. The improved solute clearance associated with daily hemodialysis is likely to lead to altered dialytic clearance of drugs given to patients receiving these therapies. The purpose of this paper is to review the concepts pertinent to drug removal by hemodialysis and discuss the issues related to these new dialysis techniques and how they may have a impact on drug removal and the design of dosing regimens.
Grating orientation as a measure of tactile spatial acuity.

Recent studies have used grating orientation as a measure of tactile spatial acuity on the fingerpad. In this task subjects identify the orientation of a grooved surface presented in either the proximal-distal or lateral-medial orientation. Other recent results have suggested that there might be a substantial anisotropy on the fingerpad related to spatial sensitivity. This anisotropy was revealed using a task in which subjects discriminated between a smooth and a grooved surface presented at different orientations on the fingerpad. The anisotropy was substantial enough that it might permit subjects to discriminate grating orientation on the basis of intensive rather than spatial cues. The present study examined the possibility that anisotropy on the fingerpad might provide cues in a spatial acuity task. The ability of subjects to discriminate between a smooth and a grooved surface was measured under conditions that are typically used in grating orientation tasks. No evidence of anisotropy was found. Also,...
RNA Aptamers Directed to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag Polyprotein Bind to the Matrix and Nucleocapsid Domains and Inhibit Virus Production

Gag orchestrates the assembly and release of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles. We explored here the potential of anti-Gag RNA aptamers to inhibit HIV-1 replication. In vitro, RNA aptamers raised against an HIV-1 Gag protein, lacking the N-terminal myristate and the C-terminal p6 (DP6-Gag), could bind to matrix protein (MA), nucleocapsid protein (NC), or entire DP6-Gag protein. Upon cotransfection with pNL4-3.Luc molecular clone into 293T cells, six of the aptamers caused mild inhibition (2- to 3-fold) in the extracellular capsid levels, and one aptamer displayed 20-fold inhibition. The reduction was not due to a release defect but reflected Gag mRNA levels. We hypothesized that the aptamers influence genomic RNA levels via perturbation of specific Gag-genomic RNA interactions. Binding studies revealed that the "NC-binders" specifically compete with the packaging signal (ψ) of HIV-1 for binding to DP6-Gag. Therefore, we tested the ability of two NC-binders to inhibit viruses containing ψ-region deletions (ΔSL1 or ΔSL3) and found that the NC-binders were no longer able to inhibit Gag synthesis. The inability of these aptamers to inhibit ψ-deleted viruses correlated with the absence of competition with the corresponding ψ transcripts lacking SL1 or SL3 for binding DP6-Gag in vitro. These results indicate that the NC-binding aptamers disrupt Gag-genomic RNA interaction and negatively affect genomic RNA transcription, processing, or stability. Our results reveal an essential interaction between HIV-1 Gag and the ψ-region that may be distinct from that which occurs during the encapsidation of genomic RNA. Thus, anti-Gag aptamers can be an effective tool to perturb Gag-genomic RNA interactions.
Alkaptonuria-Associated Changes in Disc Degeneration: A Case Report.

Case: A thirty-nine-year-old man with alkaptonuria presented with low back pain. Imaging demonstrated lumbar scoliosis, extensive irregularities of end-plate vertebral margins, and Thompson Grade-V disc degeneration. Six months later, the patient returned with a herniated L2-L3 disc. Minimally invasive disc surgery was performed, and harvested disc tissue showed marked extracellular matrix changes and ochronotic pigment deposits. Conclusion: Scattered previous literature is available regarding disc changes in alkaptonuria. Although rare, alkaptonuria appears to severely impact the disc as reflected by cellular and matrix inclusions that contribute to disc-cell pathology.
Land Change Modeling: Status and Challenges

Over the past years, land change science has emerged as a fundamental component of global environmental change and sustainability research, and modeling of land change has been recognized as a premier research area in land change science. Various land change modeling approaches have been developed to explore the functioning of land changes at aggregated and individual levels, across various spatiotemporal scales, as well as in human, natural, or the coupled systems. This chapter will review a collection of land change modeling approaches including statistical regression models, artificial neural networks, Markov chain models, cellular automata, economic models, and agent-based models. For each approach, the theoretical and methodological basics and major characteristics will be examined. Moreover, several important issues challenging the successful implementation of land change modeling will be discussed, which include coupling human and environmental systems, scale dependency and multilevel interactions, and temporal dynamics and complexity. Finally, a review on the progress of integrating land change models with other environmental modeling techniques for global environmental change research will be provided.
Nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in ultrathin Si-on-glass films

We present a femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy approach for characterization of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon films grown on glass substrates. Such films are presently being considered as absorbers in tandem-type, Si-based photovoltaic cells. Our experiments consisted of time-resolved, two-colour femtosecond optical measurements, performed in the transmission mode in a wide range of delay times. Depending on the sample growth process, collected normalized transmissivity change (ΔT/T) waveforms exhibited a bi-exponential relaxation dynamics with the characteristic times varying from picoseconds to nanoseconds. Experimental data were interpreted using a three-rate-equation models, and the relaxation was identified as, depending on the Si film type, being dominated by either carrier trapping or electron-phonon cooling and followed by electron-hole recombination. An excellent fit between the model and the ΔT/T transients was obtained and a correlation between the Si film growth process, its hydrogen content, and the associated trap concentration was demonstrated.