cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development- and differentiation-dependent reorganization of intermediate filaments in fiber cells.

PURPOSE. To define the remodeling of lens fiber cell intermediate filaments (IF) that occurs with both development and differentiation. METHODS. Prenatal and postnatal mice were probed for the IF proteins phakosin, filensin, and vimentin, using light microscope immunocytochemical methodology. RESULTS. The pattern of vimentin accumulation in elongating fiber cells changed with development. Early in development vimentin first emerged predominantly as focal accumulations in the basal region of both epithelial and primary fiber cells. A light diffuse cytoplasmic staining was also noted. Later in embryonic development, and through maturity, vimentin in fiber cells was predominantly associated with the plasma membrane with no anterior-posterior polarity. Phakosin and filensin were first detected in the very latest stages of primary fiber elongation and continued to accumulate well after cells had completed elongation. Initially, these proteins accumulated in the anterior half of the fiber cells and were cytoplasmic in distribution. After P13, the pattern of initial distribution in differentiating fiber cells changed to a predominantly plasma membrane localization. Neither beaded filament protein showed focal basal accumulations. In mature lenses, all three proteins ultimately disappeared from the nuclear fiber cells. CONCLUSIONS. Beaded filament protein accumulation lags significantly behind both primary and secondary fiber cell elongation, suggesting a functional role subsequent to elongation. The subcellular distribution of vimentin and the headed filament proteins showed marked differences within the cell, with differentiation, and with development. The differences in time of initial synthesis and in distribution of these IF proteins may bear on hypotheses about the role of IFs in fiber cell elongation and in structural-functional polarity of the fiber cell.
Unresolved Problems in Vadose Zone Hydrology and Contaminant Transport

Despite a great deal of research, many unsolved problems remain in vadose zone hydrology. Because of the difficulties in sampling spatially variable soil and in monitoring at great depths, the effect of heterogeneities on flow and transport is poorly understood. Observations from the few comprehensive field studies that have been conducted suggest that preferential flow, or rapid flow through a small part of the soil volume, is present under a variety of conditions and can be a significant or even dominant part of the total flow regime. Reasons for the occurrence of preferential flow are soil dependent, but include flow through structural voids, channeling caused by discrete obstacles within the soil matrix, and fluid instability (arising from a host of causes). Once believed to occur exclusively in structured soils, preferential flow is now recognized as prevalent under a wide range of conditions in permeable, structureless soils as well as those containing cracks and crevices. Monitoring of preferential flow has thus far only been possible using dyes, densely replicated soil coring, or analysis of tile-drain effluent. These tools either fail to characterize the speed of preferential flow, as is the case with dyes or coring, or provide no spatial resolution of the preferential flow event, as with tile-drain monitoring. To make any real progress in characterizing preferential flow, we need rapid-response tensiometers and solution samplers that offer minimum disturbance of the soil, and we need some means of monitoring a substantial portion of the soil volume at a high degree of spatial resolution.
Interview With Dr. Judith Miranti: A Servant Leader and Advocate for the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling

Dr. Judith Miranti has contributed over 40 years of service to the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC). The purpose of this article is to highlight and recognize a pioneer and influential leader of ASERVIC. The interview discusses Dr. Miranti's (a) historical knowledge and memories of the development of ASERVIC, (b) involvement in ASERVIC in various leadership roles and with others who influenced her, and (c) hope for the future of ASERVIC.
Development and validation of the Cerebral Performance Categories-Extended (CPC-E).

Abstract Background Optimizing resuscitation efforts after cardiac arrest (CA) requires valid and reliable measurements of functional outcomes. The Cerebral Performance Category (CPC), the historical "gold" standard outcome measure post-CA, lacks psychometric validation. The purpose of this study was to establish the psychometric properties of a revised CPC: the CPC-Extended (CPC-E). Methods The study had two phases: We established content validity of the CPC-E by identifying existing domains in the CPC, by adding new domains following a literature review, and iterative input from a panel of CA and rehabilitation experts. We tested the CPC-E's feasibility, intra-rater (IR) reliability and inter-rater reliability (IRR) using retrospective reviews of the electronic medical records (EMR) and "in-person" in-hospital administration. Results The CPC-E has 10 domains. For both IR and IRR record reviews, 5/10 domains had frequent missing data and in three instances, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) could not be calculated. Of the scores that could be calculated, ICC ranged from poor to high ( n =30; 0.46–1.0) and poor to high ( n =50; −0.16 to 0.93) for IR and IRR, respectively. No data were missing for the "in-person" IRR for the 10 domains and ICC ranged from good to excellent ( n =26; 0.79–1.00). In-hospital and post-discharge domains were completed in under 7min. Conclusions The CPC-E is a valid and clinically feasible outcome measure for describing post-CA impairment and disability status. In-person hospital administration of the CPC-E yields more complete data and good to excellent inter-rater reliability compared to retrospective EMR review.
The Liquidity Coverage Ratio: the need for further complementary ratios?

This paper considers components of the Liquidity Coverage Ratio – as well as certain prevailing gaps which may necessitate the introduction of a complementary liquidity ratio. The definitions and objectives accorded to the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) and Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) highlight the focus which is accorded to time horizons for funding bank operations. A ratio which would focus on the rate of liquidity transformations and which could also serve as a complementary metric given certain gaps which currently prevail with the Liquidity Coverage Ratio, as well as existing gaps with other complementary liquidity monitoring tools, is proposed.
Teaching physicians to be patient: a hospital admission experience for family practice residents.

Background: A program has been developed to sensitize physicians to the discomforts, uncertainties, and anxieties experienced by patients on admission to the hospital, so that greater empathy and increased communication can be fostered with their own hospitalized patients. Methods: For the last 5 years, all incoming family medicine residents at Long Beach, california, Memorial Medical Center have been admitted incognito to the hospital during their first day in the residency. Hospitalized residents are assigned an admission diagnosis and an associated disability, given a pseudonym, and provided with fabricated insurance information (by the hospital administration) to facilitate their admission. Each incoming group of 6 residents is admitted over the course of an afternoon and evening and discharged the next morning. Residents evaluated the admission experience by means of before-and-after questionnaires. They and residency graduates also responded to a follow-up survey instrument that asked participants to assess the program’s long-term educational impact (response rate, 100 percent; n = 30). Results: Although the program is carried out annually, we have been able to admit the residents to this large (998 beds) medical center typically without their identities being discovered, resulting in a realistic educational experience. While diagnoses are contrived, the discomforts are real, and participants become acutely aware of the loneliness, pain (e.g., from intravenous lines), and uncertainty experienced by patients. Long-term effects on day-to-day practice attributed to the program by residents and graduates include minimizing orders for nonessential tests and middle-of-the-night examinations and keeping patients well-informed (especially letting them know when they will be seen by the physician). Conclusions: The effort, logistical problems, and costs associated with hospitalization of incoming residents disguised as patients appear to be offset by the admission program’s long-term impact on participants’ sensitivity regarding experiences undergone by hospitalized patients and their awareness of their role in helping to ameliorate discomforts associated with hospital admission. Strong support from the hospital administration, however, is essential to the success of this type of program.
Ribavirin use questioned.

In Reply.— The concerns of Dashefsky et al regarding the validity of the studies that led to the FDA approval of aerosolized ribavirin for the treatment of patients with respiratory syncytial virus infection are well described in their critical review of those studies.1 We agree that none of those studies provided the kind of conclusive quantification of ribavirin9s efficacy that should preclude further placebocontrolled trials. Nonetheless, ribavirin is on the market, and physicians who care for young infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus infection must decide whether and when it should be used.
Study of Potential Mechanisms of Traumatic Rupture of the Aorta Using InSitu Experiments

Traumatic rupture of the aorta (TRA) is an important transportation-related injury. This study investigated TRA mechanisms using in situ human cadaver experiments. Four quasi-static tests and one dynamic test were performed. The quasi-static experiments were conducted by perturbing the mediastinal structures of the cadavers. The mechanisms investigated included anterior, superior, and lateral displacement of the heart and aortic arch. The resulting injuries ranged from partial tears to complete transections. All injuries occurred within the peri-isthmic region. Intimal tears were associated with the primary injuries. The average failure load and stretch were 148 N and 30 percent for the quasi-static tests. This study illustrates that TRA can result from appropriate application of nominal levels of longitudinal load and tension. The results demonstrate that intraluminal pressure and whole-body acceleration are not required for TRA to occur. The results suggest that the role of the ligamentum arteriosum is likely limited, and that TRA can occur in the absence of pulmonary artery injury. Tethering of the descending thoracic aorta by the parietal pleura is a principal aspect of this injury. Language: en
Cervical Fusion for Absent Pedicle Syndrome Manifesting with Myelopathy

Background Absent congenital pedicle syndrome is a posterior arch defect characterized by numerous congenital and mechanical abnormalities that result from disconnection of the anterior and posterior columns of the spinal canal. Absent congenital pedicle syndrome is a rare anomaly that is most commonly diagnosed incidentally, after evaluation of minor trauma, or after complaints of chronic neck pain. We report a case of absent congenital pedicle syndrome in a patient who presented with myelopathy and lower extremity weakness and review the literature on the surgical management of this entity. Case description A 32-year-old woman with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus presented to the Neurosurgery Service with progressive weakness in her upper and lower extremities, clonus, and hyperreflexia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed congenital absence of the pedicles of C2, C3, C4, C5, and C6 with a congenitally narrow canal at C4-5. The patient underwent a staged anterior and posterior cervical decompression and fusion. She was placed in a halo after surgery; at the 1-year follow-up, she was ambulatory with demonstrated improvement in weakness and fusion of her cervical spine. Conclusions Absent congenital pedicle syndrome is rare, and most reported cases were treated conservatively. Surgical management is reserved for patients with myelopathy or instability.
Reframing Workplace Spirituality to Reduce Career and Social Costs to Women

Women tend to sacrifice career, family life, or both in ways men do not. Studies have shown repeatedly that these career and social costs are higher for women than men. This article argues that career and social costs only exist because workplace policies and practices are based on values that are grounded in beliefs derived from scientific, religious, and spiritual sources. The authors employ three ontological ideal-types to examine workplace policies that affect men and women differently. The analysis considers how different ontological assumptions might lead to more socially equitable policies and outcomes. Characteristics associated with one type in particular may lead to more desirable workplace policies than the others. Therefore, when scholars generically promote “workplace spirituality” in an effort to generate more desirable individual and workplace outcomes, it is important to be specific about which particular beliefs are being promoted and which are being left out.
Parallel programming approaches for an agent-based simulation of concurrent pandemic and seasonal influenza outbreaks

Abstract In this paper we propose parallelized versions of an agent-based simulation for concurrent pandemic and seasonal influenza outbreaks. The objective of the implementations is to significantly reduce the replication time and allow faster evaluation of mitigation strategies during an ongoing emergency. The simulation was initially parallelized using the g++ OpenMP library. We simulated the outbreak in a population of 1,000,000 individuals to evaluate algorithm performance and results. In addition to the OpenMP parallelization, a proposed CUDA implementation is also presented.
Periosteal reactions in pediatrics

The periosteum normally is not identified radiologically due to lack of mineral content. It consists of an outer membranous layer and an inner cambium layer. The latter is replete with osteoblasts and osteoclasts and thus possesses the faculties of deposition and resorption of bone. Periosteum protects from minor stimuli but may swell, crack or ulcerate under stress and yet heal perfectly well and rarely tbrms keloid. Any external or internal stimulus, e.g. trauma, infection, metabolic process and neoplasm may induce periosteal reaction. The periosteum envelops the cortex and is relatively loose in the diaphyses of long bones, particularly in children. The periosteum blends intimately with the cortex towards the ends of long bones. While periosteal reaction is easily manifest in tubular bones, the cuboidal bones, e.g. carpus and flat bones, e.g. calvaria, manifest infrequently. Periosteal reaction is a radiological findings and represents subperiosteal calcification and ossification. Growth spurt may produce physiological periosteal reaction in infants, particularly below the age of six months in a symmetrical fashion along tubular bones (Fig. 1), but, as a
On the Optimality of Binning for Distributed Hypothesis Testing

We study a hypothesis testing problem in which data are compressed distributively and sent to a detector that seeks to decide between two possible distributions for the data. The aim is to characterize all achievable encoding rates and exponents of the type 2 error probability when the type 1 error probability is at most a fixed value. For related problems in distributed source coding, schemes based on random binning perform well and are often optimal. For distributed hypothesis testing, however, the use of binning is hindered by the fact that the overall error probability may be dominated by errors in the binning process. We show that despite this complication, binning is optimal for a class of problems in which the goal is to “test against conditional independence.” We then use this optimality result to give an outer bound for a more general class of instances of the problem.
Soil lead distribution at an abandoned smelter site in Socorro, New Mexico

Soil Pb concentrations from three 30.5-m× 30.5-m squares at an abandoned smelter site in Socorro, New Mexico, are reproducible only within several hundred ppm. There was no statistically significant difference in log-transformed sample means for two of the three squares tested, due to the large degree of variability among samples from each square. Even where sample means are not significantly different, attempts at replication using similar sample spacing and collection techniques yield radically different spatial distributions of Pb. This variability suggests that common assumptions about soil contamination at hazardous waste sites must be reconsidered and also that understanding the statistics of contaminant distribution may be the key to designing effective clean-up strategies.
Managing knowledge in distributed projects

A hybrid approach to knowledge management helps maximize the benefits of the centralized and P2P approaches.
Blocking of morphine based reinforcement by alpha-methyltyrosine

Abstract L-α-Methyl-p-tyrosine (AMT) was tested for its ability to block the reinforcing action of intravenous doses (32 μg/kg) of morphine sulfate in non-dependent, non-tolerant rats. Three intraperitoneal doses of 75 mg/kg of AMT over 8 hours preceding an acquisition test blocked the development of self-administration behavior. The same pretreatment before a session of 100 behaviorally non-contingent pairings of a buzzer and morphine prevented the establishment of the buzzer as a conditioned (secondary) reinforcer. Because the latter effect was shown in a test performed four days after the drug treatment, it is concluded that the results cannot be attributed to non-specific motor inhibitory properties of AMT.
Proliferation cell nuclear antigen and soluble interleukin 2 receptor levels in cutaneous T cell lymphoma: correlation with advanced clinical diseases

Abstract Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and leukemias (CTCL) are malignant clonal proliferation of T lymphocytes which have a predilection to home to and proliferate in the skin. There are no clinical and laboratory parameters which consistently correlate with stage of disease, which varies from patch, plaque, tumor, or erythroderma. Soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL2-R) levels are elevated both in benign and malignant diseases involving immune activation. Proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a marker of the G1 and G S phases of cell cycle and can be used to quantitate proliferation. We studied 43 skin biopsies of CTCL in various clinical stages for the presence of PCNA via immunoperoxidase techniques to establish a relationship between PCNA and the stage of disease. In addition, sIL2-R levels were determined in 14 patients. PCNA reactivity was detected in the nuclei of infiltrating cells in a total of 25 patients (58%). According to clinical stage there were 2 12 patch (12%), 9 17 plaque (53%), 4 4 tumor (100%) and 9 10 erythrodermic (90%) stage patients with PCNA positive cells. Thus PCNA positivity correlated with advanced clinical stage. sIL2-R levels were elevated in 14 of 14 patients and the degree of elevation correlated with advanced clinical stage of disease and with increased numbers of PCNA positive cells. Immunohistochemical studies for PCNA and serum sIL2-R levels can be used as laboratory parameters to correlate with clinical stage of disease and enhance prognostication in CTCL.
Version management in an object-oriented database

We describe a database system that includes a built-in version control mechanism that can be used in the definition of any new object types. This database system is object-oriented in the sense that it supports data abstraction, object types, and inheritance.
A note on Peltzman's theory of offsetting consumer behavior

Abstract A re-estimation of the basic Peltzman (1975) model using a richer data set strongly indicates that mandated automobile safety legislation has been important in reducing traffic fatalities. There is little or no evidence of offsetting consumer behavior.
Light adaptation of rod and cone luminosity horizontal cells of the retina of the goldfish

Abstract Intracellular recordings from rod horizontal cells and luminosity external horizontal cells of the goldfish retina were obtained, and the process of light adaptation induced by steady, full-field background illumination was investigated. Rod horizontal cells had remarkably steep response vs intensity (rvi) functions when dark-adapted. Background illumination reduced the sensitivity of these cells primarily due to response compression, with intense backgrounds resulting in eventual response saturation. Increment threshold functions for these cells were non-linear, and increment saturation was evident when 500-nm backgrounds exceeded 10.5 log photons s −1 cm −2 . Cone luminosity cells displayed broad response operating functions when dark-adapted. Light adaptation resulted in substantial narrowing of the rvi function, as well as a shift in the operating function to greater intensities. Response compression played only a minor role in the loss of sensitivity of these cells.
Effect of stimulation of the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis on the membrane potential of cat lumbar motoneurons during sleep and wakefulness.

The present study was performed in order to determine the effect of electrical stimulation of the medullary nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis (NRGc) on the membrane potential of spinal cord motoneurons during sleep and wakefulness. Accordingly, intracellular recordings were obtained from lumbar motoneurons in unanesthetized normally respiring cats during naturally occurring states of wakefulness, quiet sleep and active sleep. Electrical stimuli applied to the NRGc evoked synaptic potentials which occurred at short latency (<10ms) and did not exhibit consistent changes in their waveforms during any states of sleep or wakefulness. During wakefulness and quiet sleep, longer latency (20ms) low-amplitude hyperpolarizing potentials occasionally followed NRGc stimulation. However, during active sleep, NRGc stimulation produced,in all motoneurons, relatively large hyperpolarizing potentials that were characterized by a mean amplitude of3.5±0.4mV(mean±S.E.M.), a mean latency-to-peak of43.0±0.8ms, and an average duration of34.4±1.7ms. These potentials were capable of blocking the generation of orthodromic spikes elicited by sciatic nerve stimulation. When anodal current or chloride was passed through the recording electrode, the hyperpolarizing potentials decreased in amplitude, and in some cases their polarity was reversed. These results indicate that the active sleep-specific hyperpolarizing potentials were inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. Thus, the NRGc possesses the capability of providing a postsynaptic inhibitory drive that is directed toward lumbar motoneurons which is dependent on the occurrence of the behavioral state of active sleep. These data suggest that the NRGc may be an important link in the brainstem-spinal cord system that is responsible, during active sleep, for the postsynaptic inhibition of lumbar motoneurons.
Absent STAT-1 expression perturbs adaptation and apoptosis after massive intestinal resection.

Abstract Background We have previously established the significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activity and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 waf1/cip1 (p21) for the adaptive response of the intestine to massive small bowel resection (SBR). In this study, we tested the role of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT-1) as this transcription factor is activated by the EGFR and known to induce p21 expression. Methods Control (n = 40; C57/Bl6) and STAT-1–null mice (n = 40) underwent 50% proximal SBR or sham operation. After 3 days, the remnant ileum was harvested and the villus and crypt morphology was measured along with changes in rates of enterocyte proliferation and apoptosis. Results The magnitude of resection-induced adaptation was greater in STAT-1–null animals as verified by taller villi and deeper crypts. The expected increase in enterocyte apoptosis did not occur after SBR in the background of STAT-1 deficiency. Western blotting revealed elevated expression of p21 protein in both STAT-1–null and controls after SBR. Conclusion Increased p21 expression after SBR in the absence of STAT-1 suggests an alternate mechanism for resection-induced regulation of p21. Enhanced adaptation in STAT-1–null animals suggests that this transcription factor serves an inhibitor to the process of adaptation, perhaps via regulation of enterocyte apoptosis.
Observing Tautomerization of a Deoxycytidine Analog Kp1212: Molecular Origin of Lethal Mutagenesis Against Hiv

A novel class of antiviral drugs has been developed based on a principle termed “lethal mutagenesis” which aims at artificially increasing the mutation rates such that the viral population collapsed due to the intolerable amount of mutations. Specifically, KP1212 is a mutagenic deoxycytidine analog that elevates the G to A mutations in viral genome shown by clinical studies. It was hypothesized that the mutation originates from the tautomerization of KP1212 from the canonical amino-keto form to the imino-keto form, which results in favorable base pairing to A. We systematically characterized the tautomeric equilibria of KP1212 under physiological conditions using two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy. The intrinsic picosecond time-resolution of 2D IR enables us to detect various tautomers that are rapidly interconverting. Moreover, the unique 2D IR cross-peak patterns for each tautomer allow for unambiguous assignment which is not possible by traditional techniques. Strikingly, we observed significant amount of enol population which is regarded as the “rare” tautomer in DNA bases. Finally, we have performed temperature-jump (T-jump) 2D IR experiments to measure the tautomerization kinetics. We found that with a 10oC T-jump, the enol populations increase at the expense of the keto populations on the nanosecond timescale. The nanosecond tautomerization is much faster than the speed of polymerase (1 millisecond/base), therefore allowing sufficient time for the formation of mismatched base pairs.
Proliferative potential and outcome in pediatric astrocytic tumors

In 43 pediatric patients (29 male, 14 female) with primary astrocytic tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), the correlation was evaluated between outcome and proliferative potential, measured by the bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling index (LI). Twenty-five patients had low-grade gliomas, 13 had anaplastic gliomas, and 5 had glioblastomas multiforme (GBM). All patients underwent surgery; 37 also had chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both. The median BrdU LIs were 5% have died (median survival 29 weeks). Median survival has not been reached in patients with BrdU LI <1% (19/22 alive) or between 1% and 5% (12/13 alive) after median follow-up periods of 165 and 120 weeks, respectively. A high BrdU LI correlated with short survival (p = 0.0001); the association between malignant histology and short survival was weaker (p = 0.019). BrdU LI is therefore a significant predictor of outcome in patients with primary CNS astrocytomas and appears to be a stronger predictor than histology in patients with low-grade and anaplastic gliomas. More patients need to be studied to confirm these preliminary observations.
Nursing management of a patient with a urinary diversion

HEN PERMANENT urinary diversion is included in the treatment plan for a patient with cancer of the bladder, the first and immediate preoperative need of the patient and family is information. The patient who has decided to have this radical procedure as a condition for cure or remission needs to understand the proposed surgery and the consequences of living with a stoma. Most likely, the patient will be concerned and worried about the stress and pain of surgery, body appearance with an abdominal stoma, how the new method of urine elimination will be managed, sexual function, and social rejection. In addition, the patient may fear that the disease is inoperable or that the cancer may recur even if it is removed. Financial worries about the cost of surgery and hospitalization are common. Preoperative teaching and counseling is of major importance for successful rehabilitation. The patient must be reassured that the stoma will be managed by skilled professionals until he is ready to learn, and that he, or a delegated person, will be taught stoma care under supervision. Prior to surgery, stoma equipment may be demonstrated and the patient should be told that a normal stoma is red and moist and around one inch in diameter. There should be continuing reinforcement that the stoma will be manageable, that urine will be collected in an odorproof pouch, and when clothed, there will be no visible evidence of the stoma or its equipment. The determination of the stoma site is done preoperatively by the ET nurse or the surgeon. The site is usually on the right lower abdominal quadrant for an ileal loop diversion or on the left lower quadrant for a colon conduit. The site selected should avoid abdominal scars, folds, and creases, and bony prominences. The patient should be observed in the standing (if possible), sitting, and supine positions prior to site selection. When the patient is in the sitting position, he should be instructed to bend slowly forward as if to pick up an object. All folds, creases and uneven contours will be accentuated in this position and these potentially troublesome areas should be avoided for a stoma location. In addition, the patient should be able to see the site so he will be able to manage the stoma. The specialty of ET nursing provides specialized care to patients who have surgeries resulting in enterostomas. The ET nurse does not replace the nursing staff. Instead, she is an additional member with specialized knowledge and experience necessary for the patient’s optimal recovery and rehabilitation. A preoperative visit from a person who has successfully lived with a urinary stoma may be helpful, if desired by the patient. The visitor should be the same sex and approximately the same age as the patient with a similar lifestyle. These trained visitors are most often members of the UOA or the ACS
Effect of ProRoot MTA mixed with chlorhexidine on apoptosis and cell cycle of fibroblasts and macrophages in vitro.

Hernandez EP, Botero TM, Mantellini MG, McDonald NJ, Nor JE. Effect of ProRoot � MTA mixed with chlorhexidine on apoptosis and cell cycle of fibroblasts and macrophages in vitro. International Endodontic Journal, 38, 137-143, 2005. Aim To compare the percentage of apoptotic cells and the cell cycle profile of fibroblasts and macrophages exposed to either ProRootmineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) mixed with chlorhexidine (CHX), or exposed to ProRootMTA mixed with sterile water. Methodology Mouse gingival fibroblasts or mouse macrophages were seeded in six-well plates and allowed to attach overnight. Freshly mixed or set (allowed to dry for 24 h) specimens of tooth-coloured (white) ProRootMTA were prepared with 0.12% CHX gluconate (MTA/CHX) or with sterile water (MTA/ H2O). The cells were exposed for 24 h to the MTA specimens, which were placed over permeable mem- brane inserts to avoid direct contact with the cells. Untreated cells served as controls. Propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effects of ProRootMTA on cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Statistical analyses were performed by one-way anova followed by post-hoc tests with the use of the SigmaStat 2.0 software, and significance was determined at P £ 0.05. Results MTA specimens containing CHX induced apoptosis of macrophages and fibroblasts (P 0.05). Cell cycle analysis showed that exposure to MTA/CHX decreased the percentage of fibroblasts and macrophages in S phase (DNA synthesis) as compared with exposure to MTA/ H2 O( P < 0.05). Conclusion This in vitro study demonstrated that the substitution of CHX for sterile water in MTA increases its cytotoxicity. This suggests that the poten- tially beneficial antimicrobial effect of CHX may be accompanied by an increase in the cytotoxicity of the resulting MTA-based material.
Differences in cation sensitivity of ligand binding to Y1 and Y2 subtype of neuropeptide Y receptor of rat brain

Abstract The binding of selective ligands to the Y1 subtype of neuropeptide Y receptor in rat brain particulates was promoted by Ca2+ and also stimulated by Sr2+, but reversibly reduced by Ba2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, by the organic polycations neomycin and spermidine, and by chelating agents. The alkali monovalent cations inhibited the Ca2+-enabled Y1 subtype binding with some selectivity (Cs+≥NH4+>Li+>Na+,K+), with half-inhibition between 70–120 mM. The specific Y2 subtype binding was enhanced by all alkaline-earth divalent cations, Mn2+, neomycin and spermidine in the range of 0.1–10 mM, and by alkali cations at up to 100 mM, and also by Na+ salts of the chelators EGTA and EDTA. The large disparity in cation sensitivity indicates substantial differences in the structure of the binding sites of the Y1 and Y2 receptors, predictable from known distinct features of ligand epitopes and of primary structure of the receptors.
Hope-lax type formular for u∞ t +H u,D u =0: II

The first order equation u t +H u,D u =0 with u T,x =g x is considered with terminal dat g which is assumed to be only quasiconvex, is a significant generalization of convex functions. The hamiltonian H γ,p is assumed to be homogeneous degree one in p and nondecreasing in γ. It is prove that the explicit solution of such a problem is u t,x = g # γ,p T-t H γ,p # where # refers to the quasiconvex conjugate of the functions in the x variable.
From scalar to string confinement

We outline a connection between scalar quark confinement, a phenomenologically successful concept heretofore lacking fundamental justification, and QCD. Although scalar confinement does not follow from QCD, there is an interesting and close relationship between them. We develop a simple model intermediate between scalar confinement and the QCD string for illustrative purposes. Finally, we find analytically the bound state spectrum of the light degrees of freedom for a spinless, massless quark in scalar, time-component vector, and string confinement through semi-classical quantization.
The histochemistry of thiols and disulphides. III. Staining patterns in rat tissues

With the aid of new staining methods, thiol groups produced by the reduction of disulphide bonds were positively distinguished from pre-existing groups in paraffin sections of several organs of the rat. Good preservation of structures in which the natural thiol-disulphide balance had been maintained was sought by fixing the tissues in neutral formalin containing an organomercurial. After dissociation of the resulting mercaptide bonds that protected the native thiols, these were shown in one colour and then disulphide sites in another within the same sections. Intracellular granules and extracellular membranes rich in disulphides thereby stood out in red against the predominantly blue labelling of the cellular ground plasm. Intimate mixtures of the two forms in some places and the presumed transformation of thiols to disulphides in others, notably the keratinizing epithelium of the tongue, were readily seen. Supplemented by separate visualization of thiols and disulphides along with suitable controls for specificity of staining, the results obtained diverged in some major respects from those of previous investigations.
Predicting and improving power reliability

The availability for use or reliability of a telecommunications installation is dependant on a number of critical factors. Perhaps the most fundamental is whether or not the facility is online with all systems functioning correctly. This state can only occur, and be relied upon, if the systems are operating in environments that they have been designed for and in particular are receiving power of an acceptable quality. This paper explores the reliability of the sources of power available and how they can be used to maintain quality critical supplies at the point of use, thereby improving the reliability of the installation as a whole. This paper discusses power supply systems and reliability study methods. The following power system component sections are described: substations, generators, UPS, data conversion, rotary and hybrid rotary systems, flywheels, and batteries. Reliability improvement and maintenance are also discussed.
Making Multicultural Education Personal

In this article the author examines changes in students’ self-awareness of multicultural topics during a multicultural education course. The course is a three-credit elective course offered in the university's school of education but taken by students across disciplines at a large, public research university in a mid-Atlantic state. Course instructors encourage students to reflect on what multicultural education topics mean to them and how they interact with students different from themselves. This qualitative study followed six students’ experiences using interviews, student topic papers, and student reflection papers. Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS: Bennett, 1986, 1993) was used as a framework for evaluating changes in self-awareness concerning ableism, racism, classism, sexism, and heterosexism. All participants showed an increase in multicultural self-awareness. Students assessed the instructional strategies they felt supported their growth in self-awareness. Small gr...
Low-Overhead Maximum Power Point Tracking for Micro-Scale Solar Energy Harvesting Systems

Environmental energy harvesting is a promising approach to achieving extremely long operational lifetimes in a variety of micro-scale electronic systems. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is a technique used in energy harvesting systems to maximize the amount of harvested power. Existing MPPT methods, originally intended for large-scale systems, incur high power overheads when used in micro-scale energy harvesting, where the output voltage of the transducers is very low (less than 500mV) and the harvested power is miniscule (only hundreds of µW). This paper presents a low-overhead MPPT algorithm for micro-scale solar energy harvesting systems. The proposed algorithm is based on the use of a negative feedback control loop and is particularly amenable to hardware-efficient implementation. We have used the proposed algorithm to design a micro-scale solar energy harvesting system, which has been implemented using IBM 45nm technology. Post-layout simulation results demonstrate that the proposed MPPT scheme successfully tracks the optimal operating point with a tracking error of less than 1% and incurs minimal power overheads.
Activation of long chain fatty acids by subcellular fractions of rat liver: I. Activation oftrans‐unsaturated acids

The optimal fatty acid to protein ratio for maximum rat liver microsomal or mitochondrial activation of thetrans-monounsaturated acids elaidate ortrans-vaccenate is similar to the ratio for maximum palmitate activation but approximately double the optimal ratio for maximum activation of thecis-unsaturated fatty acids, oleate,cis-vaccenate, or of thetrans-diunsaturated linelaidic acid. However, when the substrate is a fatty acid-albumin complex rather than free fatty acids, optimal fatty acid activation appears to be independent of geometrical configuration or degree of unsaturation. All-trans retinoate, d-α-tocopheryl acid succinate, and dihomogeranoate are not activated themselves, but at low concentrations extensively inhibit activation ofcis-acids (oleate,cis-vaccenate, petroselenate, linoleate, linolenate, arachidonate) and thetrans-diunsaturated linelaidate but do not affect activation of palmitate ortrans-monounsaturated acids elaidate andtrans-vaccenate. Anionic, cationic or nonionic detergents in a pH 7.4 buffered incubation medium were shown to inhibit, have no effect on, or apparently activate oleate activation, respectively, while not affecting or inhibiting palmitate and elaidate activation. The effect observed was dependent on the fatty acid to protein ratio, the fatty acid configuration and the detergent concentration.
How to satisfy both clinical and information technology goals in designing a successful picture archiving and communication system

Designing and operating a PACS system requires an integrated focus to maintain peak performance of the system from an information technology (IT) perspective and to ensure that all clinical and financial requirements are met. An IT-based picture archiving and communication system (PACS) manager is in the best position to satisfy these sometime conflicting audiences. This report will describe how an institution moving towards PACS can unite radiologists, hospital administrators, and information systems (IS)/IT specialists into one cohesive team to ensure the highest levels of success with their future PACS. There are several keys to success: (1) Designing and selecting PACS requires a dedicated team, with representatives from radiology, as well as IS/IT and administration. (2) Each group needs to thoroughly outline their specific needs, so that the final PACS solution is relevant from all perspectives. This needs assessment needs to be made before issuing a request for proposal (RFP) and interviewing vendors. (3) The team needs to be small to be effective. Each group should have one or at most two representatives that collect input from, and report to, a group of his or her peers. (4) Plans need to be made to determine how to integrate current and future hospital information systems (HIS), in order to ensure a smooth pathway to the electronic medical record. (5) All team members should agree on the overall objectives for PACS and participate in its design and installation. (6) Each team member is charged with motivating, and helping to educate, his or her peers. (7) Training should be tailored to the needs of each audience. Explain how each staff member benefits from the PACS. Training should be ongoing to accommodate the addition of new system features and new users. This report will describe the importance of recognizing PACS as being an IT system with a clinical focus. The importance of designing goals of the PACS system from various perspectives, including clinical, technical, and financial, will be addressed. More importantly, this presentation will high-light the benefits a medical institution will receive if the various groups can work together, while at the same time outlining some pitfalls they can expect to encounter if the groups take an adversarial approach.
Hook-up Sexual Experiences and Problem Behaviors Among Adolescents

This study focuses on the sexual phenomenon of “hooking up.” A hook-up is defined as a single sexual encounter that may or may not include sexual intercourse with someone who is a stranger, brief acquaintance, or friend. The aim of this study was to document the prevalence of hook-ups in a sample of 1,011 urban middle and high school students and to examine the relationship between hooking up and a variety of problem behaviors, including, alcohol, cigarette, and/or illicit drug use, truancy, and school suspensions. The results revealed that 28% of the sample had engaged in at least one hook-up experience, and this percentage increased with age. Hook-ups were correlated moderately with all problem behaviors examined.
Improving TCP performance in integrated wireless communications networks

Many analytical and simulation-based studies of TCP performance in wireless environments assume an error-free and congestion-free reverse channel that has the same capacity as the forward channel. Such an assumption does not hold in many real-world scenarios, particularly in the hybrid networks consisting of various wireless LAN (WLAN) and cellular technologies. In this paper, we first study, through extensive simulations, the performance characteristics of four representative TCP schemes, namely TCP New Reno. SACK, Veno, and Westwood, under the network conditions of asymmetric end-to-end link capacities, correlated wireless errors, and link congestion in both forward and reverse directions. We then propose a new TCP scheme, called TCP New Jersey, which is capable of distinguishing wireless packet losses from congestion packet losses, and reacting accordingly. TCP New Jersey consists of two key components, the timestamp-based available bandwidth estimation (TABE) algorithm and the congestion warning (CW) router configuration. TABE is a TCP-sender-side algorithm that continuously estimates the bandwidth available to the connection and guides the sender to adjust its transmission rate when the network becomes congested. TABE is immune to the ACK drops as well as ACK compression. CW is a configuration of network routers such that routers alert end stations by marking all packets when there is a sign of an incipient congestion. The marking of packets by the CW-configured routers helps the sender of the TCP connection to effectively differentiate packet losses caused by network congestion from those caused by wireless link errors. Our simulation results show that TCP New Jersey is able to accurately estimate the available bandwidth of the bottleneck link of an end-to-end path; and the TABE estimator is immune to link asymmetry, bi-directional congestion, and the relative position of the bottleneck link in the multi-hop end-to-end path. The proactive congestion avoidance control mechanism proposed in our scheme minimizes the network congestion, reduces the network volatility, and stabilizes the queue lengths while achieving more throughput than other TCP schemes.
Minimum Detectable Effects: A Simple Way to Report the Statistical Power of Experimental Designs

This article describes a simple way to assess the statistical power of experimental designs. The approach presented is based on the concept of a minimum detectable effect, which, intuitively, is th...
Diagnostic Accuracy of Transesophageal Echocardiogram for the Detection of Patent Foramen Ovale: A Meta‐Analysis

Background Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a remnant of the fetal circulation present in 20% of the population. Right-to-left shunting (RLS) through a PFO has been linked to the pathophysiology of stroke, migraine with aura, and hypoxemia. While different imaging modalities including transcranial Doppler, intra-cardiac echo, and transthoracic echo (TTE) have often been used to detect RLS, transesophageal echo (TEE) bubble study remains the gold standard for diagnosing PFO. The aim of this study was to determine the relative accuracy of TEE in the detection of PFO. Methods and Results A systematic review of Medline, using a standard approach for meta-analysis, was performed for all prospective studies assessing accuracy of TEE in the detection of PFO using confirmation by autopsy, cardiac surgery, and/or catheterization as the reference. Search results revealed 3105 studies; 4 met inclusion criteria. A total of 164 patients were included. TEE had a weighted sensitivity of 89.2% (95% CI: 81.1–94.7%) and specificity of 91.4% (95% CI: 82.3–96.8%) to detect PFO. The overall positive likelihood ratio (LR+) was 5.93 (95% CI: 1.30–27.09) and the overall negative likelihood ratio (LR−) was 0.22 (95% CI: 0.08–0.56). Conclusion While TEE bubble study is considered to be the gold standard modality for diagnosing PFO, some PFOs may still be missed or misdiagnosed. It is important to understand the limitations of TEE and perhaps use other highly sensitive screening tests, such as transcranial doppler (TCD), in conjunction with TEE before scheduling a patient for transcatheter PFO closure.