cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gait Variability and Relationships With Fear, Avoidance, and Pain in Adolescents With Chronic Pain

Objective Some children with chronic pain struggle with fear of pain, avoidance behaviors, and associated disability; however, movement adaptations in the context of chronic pain in childhood is virtually unknown. Variability in adaptive movement responses previously observed between individuals might be largely explained by the presence of problematic psychological drivers (eg, fear, avoidance). The goals of this study were to (1) quantify the variability of gait and (2) examine relationships among pain, fear, avoidance, function, perceived and objective, and gait variability. Methods This study used a cross-sectional design. Eligible patients were between 8 and 17 years of age and had musculoskeletal, neuropathic, or headache pain that was not due to acute trauma (eg, active sprain) or any specific or systemic disease. Participants completed the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FOPQ), Functional Disability Inventory (FDI), and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and received kinematic gait analysis. Relationships were analyzed among these measures, and the self-report and functional measures were examined to determine whether they predicted gait variability (GaitSD). Results The 16 participants who were evaluated (13.8 [SD = 2.2] years of age; 13 female) had high NPRS scores (6.2 [SD = 2.1]), FOPQ-Fear scores (25.9 [SD = 12.1]), FOPQ-Avoidance scores (22.8 [SD = 10.2], and FDI scores (28.6 [SD = 9.4]) and low 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) distance (437.1 m [SD = 144.6]). Participants had greater GaitSD than age-predicted norms. Fear was related to self-selected GaitSD, and avoidance was related to both self-selected and standardized GaitSD. Avoidance predicted 43% and 47% of the variability in self-selected and standardized GaitSD, respectively. Conclusions Gait variability was significantly related to both fear of pain and avoidance behaviors, suggesting the interplay of these psychological drivers with movement. FOPQ-Avoidance was robust in accounting for GaitSD. Impact This study offers preliminary evidence in understanding movement adaptations associated with adolescents with chronic pain. They may lend to more directed interventions.
Investors' Assessment of the Dilution and Solvency Effects of Hybrid Instruments

The current financial reporting model requires dichotomous classification of financial claims as either liabilities or equity. Classifying financial claims is challenging when instruments have attributes of both liabilities and equity (i.e., hybrid instruments). In this study, we examine under what conditions that common equity investors assess one class of hybrid instruments – preferred stock – similar to liabilities or equity. Preferred stock is similar to liabilities because it is senior to common equity and thus reduces the claims of common shareholders on the net assets of the firm (a dilution perspective). Preferred stock also is similar to equity because it cannot cause insolvency (a solvency perspective). We extend capital structure theory to identify entity-level economic characteristics important to determining when the dilution or solvency perspective is most consistent with investors’ assessments of preferred stock. We predict and find that investors assess preferred stock similar to liabilities when expected financial distress costs are low. We predict and find that investors assess preferred stock similar to equity when expected financial distress costs are high. Further, our results indicate that investors do not assess preferred stock instruments consistent with current U.S. GAAP classifications that are based on instruments’ contractual provisions.
Evidence of The Unintended Labor Scheduling Implications of The Minimum Wage

Problem definition: The effect of the minimum wage is an important yet controversial topic that has received attention for decades. Our study is the first to take an operational lens and empirically study the impact of the minimum wage on firms' scheduling practices. Methodology/results: Using a highly granular dataset from a chain of fashion retail stores, we estimate that a $1 increase in the minimum wage, while having a negligible impact on the total labor hours used by the stores, leads to a 27.7% increase in the number of workers scheduled per week, but a 20.8% reduction in weekly hours per worker. For an average store in California, these changes translate into four extra workers and five fewer hours per worker per week. Such scheduling adjustment not only reduces the total wage compensation per worker but also reduces workers' eligibility for benefits. We also show that the minimum wage increase reduces the consistency of weekly and daily schedules for workers. For example, the absolute (relative) deviation in weekly hours worked by each worker increases by up to 33.0% (6.7%) and by up to 9.5% (2.0%) in daily hours, as the minimum wage increases by $1. Managerial implications: Our study empirically identifies and highlights a new operational mechanism through which increasing the minimum wage may negatively impact worker welfare. Our further analysis suggests that the combination of the reduced hours, lower eligibility for benefits, and less consistent schedules (that resulted from the minimum wage increase) may substantially hurt worker welfare, even when the overall employment at the stores stay unchanged. By better understanding the intrinsic trade-off of firms' scheduling decisions, policy makers can better design minimum wage policies that will truly benefit workers.
Residual activity analysis of Tc-99m MAA administered interarterially in patients preparing for radioembolization.

2130 Objectives: Future radioembolization dosimetry using Yttrium-90 may require knowing the amount of activity of Tc-99m macro aggregated albumin (MAA) used for the diagnostic SPECT/CT image. The objective of this study is to determine the administered activity of MAA by analyzing the initial assays and final residual assays of the syringe used to infuse the MAA. Methods: Kits of MAA were transferred to a 3-mL syringe with a leur-lock attached. Prior to administration to the patient, the syringe was assayed in a dose calibrator. Once the initial activity and assay time were documented, the dose was transported to the interventional suite and administered to the patient via a micro catheter placed in a tumor supplying hepatic artery. Following administration, the syringe was assayed for residual activity. All activities were decayed to the time of administration. The percent residual was defined as the decayed residual divided by the decayed administered activity, multiplied by 100. Analysis included linear regression between the percent residual and the time range between labeling and administration. The effect of catheter type or length and the physician administering the MAA was also analyzed. Results: Twenty-seven MAA administrations were evaluated. The mean administered activity of MAA was 66 ± 10 MBq (43-85 MBq) with the mean percent residual being 17 ± 11% (2-39%). Linear regression analysis did not show any statistically significant relationship between the time between kit preparation and administration. Analysis of catheter type was limited due to lack of variance in type used. When analyzing variance in administration technique used by different physicians, a bias was noted. Conclusion: These results show that there is residual present, however there is no relationship between the time of labeling to time of administration and the residual amount. Occasionally, the residual was greater than 20% indicating a need for future research to determine the minimal amount of MAA needed for quantitative SPECT/CT imaging.
Ammonia emissions from manure belt laying hen houses and manure storage

Ammonia (NH3) emission rates (ER) of two commercial manure-belt (MB) layer houses in Iowa were monitored for a full year. Hen manure was removed daily from the MB houses. Ammonia and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations of incoming and exhaust air streams were measured using custom-designed portable monitoring units (PMUs) that shared similar performance to EPA-approved measurement apparatus. Ventilation rates of the houses were determined by calibrated CO2 mass balance using the latest metabolic rate data for modern laying hens. The data were collected bi-weekly throughout the year, with each collection episode lasting two consecutive days. A total of 108 independent house-day measurements or 5,184 semi-hourly emission data points were involved for the layer houses. Ammonia ER showed considerable diurnal variation, with the peak occurring during manure removal. Data from the 12-month monitoring revealed the NH3 ER (mean standard error) of 0.054 ±0.0035 g NH3 d"1 hen"'(varying from 0.002 to 0.195 g NH3 d"1 hen"1) for the belt layer houses with manure removed daily. Seasonal variations in NH3 ER were less noticeable, with the mean ER of 0.042, 0.060, 0.054, and 0.057 g NH3 d"1 hen"1 for the spring, summer, fall and winter season, respectively. Results of the study contribute to the U.S. national inventory on NH3 emissions from animal feeding operations.
Do bilineal pedigrees represent a problem for linkage analysis? Basic principles and simulation results for single-gene diseases with no heterogeneity.

Some investigators have expressed concern—specially for psychiatric disorders—that bilineal pedigrees should not be included in linkage studies. This study compares the ‘informativeness’ of bilineal and unilineal families for a homogeneous single-gene disorder. Three approaches were used: (1) simulation studies of three-generation pedigrees, ( 2 ) calculation of expected lod scores (ELODs) in nuclear families, and ( 3 ) calculation of Fisher's information number I(θ) in nuclear families. The simulation studies in (1) permitted a realistic comparison between bilineal datasets and purely unilineal ones. The calculations in nuclear families in ( 2 ) and (3) then made it possible to analyze the sources of information loss in bilineal families. Overall, in datasets of five three-generation pedigrees each, the drop in mean maximum lod score was approximately 50% from purely unilineal datasets to extremely bilineal ones. In less-extreme bilineal datasets, which are closer to most real data than the extremely bilineal ones, the drops in lod score were very small—less than 10% in some, and practically zero in others. The details will vary, depending on size and structure of the pedigree, genetic model, true value of the recombination fraction, and informativeness of the marker. However, these results imply that the information loss due to bilineality is not necessarily very great. The nuclear-family calculations showed that for phase-known matings there is relatively little information loss in bilineal families, but for phase-unknown matings the loss is much greater. In conclusion, for single-gene disorders with no genetic heterogeneity, whereas bilineal families can be less informative than comparable unilineal families, they are not so much less informative that they should automatically be discarded from linkage datasets. The implications of bilineal pedigrees for linkage studies of heterogeneous disorders are also discussed. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Regulation of the Visual Cycle: Retinol Dehydrogenase and Retinol Fluorescence Measurements In Vertebrate Retina

The initial and only light-activated step in vision is the photoisomerization of the ligand of the visual pigment,11-cis retinal to all-trans retinal, which occurs while being covalently bound to a lysine deep in the membrane region of the visual pigment. This event leads to the activation of the g-protein, transducin, which in turn activates c-gmp phosphodiesterase causing the destruction of c-gmp, the closure of cation channels in the plasma membrane of the photoreceptor, and eventually to the reduction in release of synaptic transmitter to other retinal neurons in the visual pathway. However, the visual pigment containing retinal in its all-trans form is now incapable of absorbing photons in the visual region of the spectrum and can no longer activate the transduction cascade. In order to do so, it must be regenerated into a form that contains 1 1-cis retinal. The biochemical reactions by which this occurs are collectively called the visual cycle. This complex series of reactions is initiated in the photoreceptors themselves, by the reduction of all-trans retinal to all-trans retinol by all-trans retinol dehydrogenase (rdh) and the cofactor nadph. All the subsequent steps in the regeneration of 11-cis retinal take place in the retinal pigment epithelium. Regenerated 11-cis retinal is then transported from the retinal pigment epithelium through the extracellular matrix back to the photoreceptor cells where it condenses with opsin to reform visual pigment.
Vancomycin dosing in healthy-weight, overweight, and obese pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVES: With an increase in vancomycin resistance and the prevalence of obesity in children, alterations of vancomycin dosing regimens may be necessary to achieve target serum concentrations. The primary objective of this study was to describe initial vancomycin dosing with resulting serum concentrations in healthy-weight and overweight/obese children. Secondary objectives include comparing vancomycin dosing regimens of healthy-weight and overweight/obese patients that produced target trough serum concentrations and evaluating the likelihood of attaining target concentrations by patient characteristics. METHODS: This retrospective review evaluated healthy-weight and overweight/obese patients, aged 2 to 18 years, who had vancomycin trough serum concentrations obtained between 2005 and 2010. Vancomycin dosing, initial trough serum concentrations, pharmacokinetic parameters, and patient demographics were collected for analysis. Target trough serum concentrations were defined as 10 to 20 mg/L. RESULTS: Th...
Encoding of LPC spectral parameters using switched-adaptive interframe vector prediction (speech coding)

An efficient, low-complexity method called switched-adaptive interframe vector prediction (SIVP) has been developed for linear predictive coding (LPC) of spectral parameters in the development of low-bit-rate speech coding systems. SIVP utilizes vector linear prediction to exploit the high frame-to-frame redundancy present in the successive frames of LPC parameters. When SIVP is combined with scalar quantization, it has been found that the LPC parameter bit rate required to achieve high-quality synthetic speech is only 1300 b/s. With vector quantization, the bit-rate can be reduced even further (to 1000 b/s) without introducing any perceivable quantization noise in the reconstructed speech. >
Optimization of the doping profile in Si permeable base transistors for high-frequency, high-frequency, high-voltage operation

The effects of variations in doping profiles along the direction of current flow in Si permeable base transistors have been investigated. Numerical simulations of Poisson's equation and the electron-current-continuity equation have been used to determine the fundamental tradeoff between the unity-current-gain frequency f/sub T/ and the breakdown voltage V/sub B/ for a variety of doping profiles. These range from a uniform profile (4*10/sup 16/ cm/sup -3/) to a highly nonuniform profile in which the doping in the emitter region is greater than 100 times that in the collector region. Although f/sub T/ decreases significantly with increasing collector-to-emitter voltage for the uniformly doped case, it is nearly independent of collector-to-emitter voltage for the nonuniform doping profile. In addition, nonuniform doping profiles produce devices with higher V/sub B/ than uniform doping profiles for a given f/sub T/. A class A power analysis performed using simulated current-voltage characteristics showed that output power, power-added efficiency, and large-signal gain can be increased with devices having nonuniform doping profiles. Experimental devices with nonuniform vertical doping profiles have been fabricated using high-energy (300-400 keV) P implantation into a high-resistivity (4- Omega -cm) epitaxial layer. Although present processing technology limits the f/sub T/ and V/sub B/ to 60% and 80% of the simulated values, respectively, an f/sub T/>20 GHz at a base-to-collector bias of 16 V and an f/sub T/ of 12 GHz at a base-to-collector bias of 26 V have been obtained. >
Fiber Bragg sensor for smart bed sheet

This research proposes use of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors to measure and monitor patient body temperature non-intrusively on a Smart Bed Sheet. The use of FBG sensors allows smart bed sheet to have the look and feel of an ordinary conventional bed sheet since FBG sensors have a very thin and light linear geometry. Additionally, they are dielectric in nature, and have a total immunity to electromagnetic and RF interferences. Recent developments in FBG research have made these sensors considerably inexpensive but very reliable. Simple signal processing techniques can extract very precise temperature from FBG sensors.
Severity of airway hyperreactivity associated with laryngeal mask airway removal: correlation with volatile anesthetic choice and depth of anesthesia.

Abstract Study Objective: To compare the influence of anesthetic depth and choice of volatile anesthetic drug on the incidence and severity of airway hyperreactivity associated with Laryngeal Mask Airway™ (LMA) removal. Design: Randomized observer-blinded study. Setting: Ambulatory Surgical Center at a University Medical Center. Patients: 123 ASA physical status I and II children undergoing infraumbilical procedures. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: Group 1=anesthetic induction with halothane, maintenance with isoflurane, nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and oxygen (O 2 ), LMA removed when child awakened; Group 2=anesthetic induction and maintenance as in Group 1, LMA removed while child anesthetized with age adjusted 2 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) end-tidal concentration of isoflurane; Group 3=anesthetic induction and maintenance with sevoflurane, N 2 O, and O 2 , LMA removed when child awakened; Group 4=anesthetic induction and maintenance as in Group 3, but LMA removed while child anesthetized with age-adjusted 2 MAC end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane. Measurements and Main Results: Severity of airway hyperreactivity was graded as mild, moderate, or severe. A significant difference was not found amongst the four groups with respect to mild and moderate airway hyperreactivity. Severe airway hyperreactivity leading to a critical event [partial or complete laryngospasm with oxygen saturation (SPO 2 ) 2 p p Conclusions: Depth of anesthesia during LMA removal does not appear to affect the incidence or severity of airway hyperreactivity when sevoflurane is the maintenance anesthetic. However, awake LMA removal during isoflurane anesthesia results in a higher incidence of adverse airway events and carries the risk of severe airway hyperreactivity.
Simulating switchgrass biomass production across ecoregions using the DAYCENT model

The production potential of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has not been estimated in a Mediterranean climate on a regional basis and its economic and environmental contribution as a biofuel crop remains unknown. The objectives of the study were to calibrate and validate a biogeochemical model, DAYCENT, and to predict the biomass yield potential of switchgrass across the Central Valley of California. Six common cultivars were calibrated using published data across the US and validated with data generated from four field trials in California (2007–2009). After calibration, the modeled range of yields across the cultivars and various management practices in the US (excluding California) was 2.4–41.2 Mg ha 1 yr 1 , generally compatible with the observed yield range of 1.3–33.7 Mg ha 1 yr 1 . Overall, the model was successfully validated in California; the model explained 66–90% of observed yield variation in 2007–2009. The range of modeled yields was 2.0– 41.4 Mg ha 1 yr 1 , which corresponded to the observed range of 1.3–41.1 Mg ha 1 yr 1 . The response to N fertilizer and harvest frequency on yields were also reasonably validated. The model estimated that Alamo (21– 23 Mg ha 1 yr 1 ) and Kanlow (22–24 Mg ha 1 yr 1 ) had greatest yield potential during the years after establishment. The effects of soil texture on modeled yields tended to be consistent for all cultivars, but there were distinct climatic (e.g., annual mean maximum temperature) controls among the cultivars. Our modeled results suggest that early stand maintenance of irrigated switchgrass is strongly dependent on available soil N; estimated yields increased by 1.6–5.5 Mg ha 1 yr 1 when residual soil mineral N was sufficient for optimal re-growth. Therefore, management options of switchgrass for regional biomass production should be ecotypespecific and ensure available soil N maintenance.
Half-life of the 1.27 MeV level in Sn116 by resonant self-absorption

Abstract Self-absorption measurements of nuclear resonance fluorescence obtained with a gaseous In116mCl3 gamma source were used to determine the half-life of the 1.27 MeV state of Sn116. A value of 0.33±0.07 psec was obtained.
Modeling of deep fracture zone opening and transient ground surface uplift at KB-502 CO2 injection well, In Salah, Algeria

The Krechba gas field at In Salah (Algeria), the site of the first industrial scale on-shore CO2 storage demonstration project, is also known for satellite-based ground-deformation monitoring data of remarkable quality. In this work, we focus on the In Salah injection well KB-502, where a double-lobe uplift pattern has been observed in the ground-deformation data. On the basis of previous numerical results, semi-analytical inverse deformation solutions, and seismic analyses, we explain this pattern of uplift as resulting from injection-induced deformation in a deep vertical fracture zone. In this study, we simulate a fracture zone characterized by high permeability and low mechanical stiffness, which activates after a few months of injection, causing irreversible changes in permeability. We study the transient evolution of uplift using the observed injection rate and compare it to the field Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data using the displacement in the satellite line-of-sight. We also carry out a sensitivity study, analyzing the extent of the fracture zone, particularly its height from the reservoir depth. Our analysis supports the notion that the fracture zone is confined within the caprock and does not penetrate into the overlying aquifer.
Solid-phase synthesis and crystallization of [Asn22, Gln25, Asn26]-A-chain-[Asn49, Glu50]-B-chain-monellin, an analogue of the sweet protein monellin.

The sweet protein monellin consists of two noncovalently associated polypeptide chains, the A chain of 44 amino acid residues and the B chain of 50 residues. The [Asn22, Gln25, Asn26]-A chain, an analogue of the A chain, was synthesized by the stepwise Fmoc-solid-phase method in an overall yield of 13.4%. The synthetic A chain analogue was combined with the [Asn49, Glu50]-B chain, which was left over from a previous work, to give [Asn22, Gln25, Asn26]-A-chain-[Asn49, Glu50]-B-chain-monellin in a yield of 26.2%. This synthetic monellin analogue was approximately 550 times sweeter than sucrose. Changing the carboxyl groups of Asp22, Glu25 and Asp26 of the A chain to amide groups significantly decreased the sweetness potency. Crystallization was performed by a vapor diffusion method.
INSECT NEUROSECRETION IN VITRO

The use of cell and organ culture for the study of insect neurosecretion is a relatively new methodology that is developing rapidly. Recent studies indicate that although it is possible to correlate the presence of stainable neurosecretory material and electrondense neurosecretory granules with the presence of neurohormones in some systems, the actual release of the hormone can be detected only by bioassay. Bioassay systems for both tropic hormones and peptide metabolic hormones have been used to demonstrate the synthesis, storage, and release of neurohormones by cultured neuroendocrine organs. The experimental flexibility permitted by in vitro techniques is rapidly making it the method of choice in neuroendocrinological studies.
Preconception health trajectories and birth weight in a national prospective cohort.

Abstract Purpose This study was designed to assess the relationship between birth weight and prospectively measured trajectories of preconception health across adolescence and young adulthood in a diverse national cohort of young adult women. Methods Data came from Waves I (1994–1995), III (2001–2002), and IV (2007–2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Eligibility was restricted to all the singleton live births (n = 3,436) to female participants occurring between the Wave III (ages 18–26 years) and Wave IV (ages 24–32 years) interviews. Preconception cigarette smoking, overweight/obesity, adequate physical activity, heavy alcohol consumption, and fair/poor self-rated health were measured in adolescence (Wave I) and early adulthood (Wave III) and combined into four-category variables to capture the timing and sequencing of exposure. The outcome measure, birth weight, was classified as low ( 4,000 g). Results Multinomial logistic regression results indicated that adult-onset overweight significantly increased the odds of having a macrosomic birth (odds ratio=1.56; 95% confidence interval=1.02–2.38). Conclusions This study provides new evidence about the influence of maternal body mass index trajectories on offspring birth weight. Adult-onset overweight/obesity during the transition to adulthood was common in the sample and increased the odds of subsequently delivering a macrosomic infant by 56%. This finding suggests that healthy weight promotion before this transition would confer intergenerational benefits, and supports recommendations for preconception care to address overweight/obesity.
Dim Light at Night Exaggerates Weight Gain and Inflammation Associated With a High-Fat Diet in Male Mice

Elevated nighttime light exposure is associated with symptoms of metabolic syndrome. In industrialized societies, high-fat diet (HFD) and exposure to light at night (LAN) often cooccur and may contribute to the increasing obesity epidemic. Thus, we hypothesized that dim LAN (dLAN) would provoke additional and sustained body mass gain in mice on a HFD. Male mice were housed in either a standard light/dark cycle or dLAN and fed either chow or HFD. Exposure to dLAN and HFD increase weight gain, reduce glucose tolerance, and alter insulin secretion as compared with light/dark cycle and chow, respectively. The effects of dLAN and HFD appear additive, because mice exposed to dLAN that were fed HFD display the greatest increases in body mass. Exposure to both dLAN and HFD also change the timing of food intake and increase TNFα and MAC1 gene expression in white adipose tissue after 4 experimental weeks. Changes in MAC1 gene expression occur more rapidly due to HFD as compared with dLAN; after 5 days of experimental conditions, mice fed HFD already increase MAC1 gene expression in white adipose tissue. HFD also elevates microglia activation in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and hypothalamic TNFα, IL-6, and Ikbkb gene expression. Microglia activation is increased by dLAN, but only among chow-fed mice and dLAN does not affect inflammatory gene expression. These results suggest that dLAN exaggerates weight gain and peripheral inflammation associated with HFD.
Selenium in eggs and milt of razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) in the middle Green River, Utah

Eggs from three female and milt from five male endangered razorback suckers (Xyrauchen texanus) were collected from the Razorback Bar (about 20 km upstream of Ashley Creek) in the Green River of northeastern Utah. Eggs, but not milt, had concentrations of selenium that were above the range of selenium concentrations in control fish from laboratory studies or reference fish from field studies. The concentrations, however, were below those reported in selenium-exposed fish that had reproductive problems in laboratory studies or field investigations. Tests with three streamside spawned pairs of razorback suckers, which were sampled for eggs and milt in this study, resulted in no hatching of fertilized eggs. Concentrations of selenium in eggs and milt were significantly correlated with selenium concentrations in muscle plugs taken from the same fish, but egg and milt concentrations were not significantly different from muscle plugs. Selenium concentrations in eggs of razorback suckers in the Green River may be sufficiently elevated to cause reproductive problems that are contributing to the decline of this species in the upper Colorado River basin.
Comparative Measures of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Dispersion

Model composites of DNA-wrapped single-wall carbon nanotubes in poly(acrylic acid) are used to evaluate metrics of nanotube dispersion. By varying the pH of the precursor solutions, we introduce a controlled deviation from ideal behavior. On the basis of small-angle neutron scattering, changes in near-infrared fluorescence intensity are strongly correlated with dispersion, while optical absorption spectroscopy and resonant Raman scattering are less definitive. Our results represent the first systematic comparison of currently accepted measures of nanotube dispersion.
Analysis of cephalexin from canine skin biopsy by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet-visible photodiode-array detection

Abstract A sensitive and selective ion-paired liquid chromatographic method with UV—VIS photodiode-array detection was developed to measure cephalexin in skin biopsy samples. The method involved a sonication of minced canine skin with ethanol—acetonitrile—water (30:20:50, v/v/v ) and ultrafiltration of received extract through 10 000 daltons. Separation of cephalexin from other components was by liquid chromatography using a reversed-phase column which was eluted with an ion-paired acetonitrile—water solution. Detection was achieved with a UV—VIS photodiode-array detector scanning from 230 to 320 nm. Cephalexin in the eluate was quantitated at its wavelength maximum of 260 nm. The evaluation of chromatographic peak homogeneity was performed by absorbance ratios, contour maps, first-derivative spectra and a three-dimensional spectrochromatogram. Additionally, the cephalexin peak identity was confirmed by liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry.
Quantitative immunocytochemical study of secretory protein expression in parotid glands of rats chronically treated with isoproterenol.

Chronic treatment of mice and rats with isoproterenol (IPR) causes marked hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the salivary glands, and alters the expression of several secretory proteins. We used quantitative postembedding immunogold labeling to study the cellular responses in the rat parotid gland during daily (up to 10 days) injections of IPR and during recovery (up to 14 days) after cessation of IPR treatment. Labeling densities of acinar cell secretory granules with antibodies to amylase and protein SMG-B1 (cross-reactive with the rat homologue of Parotid Secretory Protein, PSP) fell to 10% of control levels after 8–10 IPR injections, then increased during recovery, paralleling previous biochemical determinations of changes in protein and mRNA levels. With antibodies to proline-rich proteins (PRP), labeling densities initially fell, then subsequently showed considerable variability, but never exceeded control levels. These results contrast with biochemical determinations showing a marked induction of PRP synthesis, and may have both immunological and structural explanations. Occasional intercalated duct cells located close to the acini underwent differentiation toward an acinar-like phenotype as a result of IPR treatment. After 1–2 IPR injections, the secretory granules of these cells labeled with antibodies to amylase and PRP. Subsequently, the granules appeared electron-lucent and were increased in size and number. These observations support earlier work, suggesting that intercalated duct cells may differentiate into other gland cell types.
Self-administered preoperative antiseptic wash to prevent postoperative infection after deep brain stimulation

Background Prevention of surgical site infections is critical in deep brain stimulation (DBS). In the present study, we tested the ability of a self-administered preoperative alcohol-based (70% ethyl alcohol) preparation to reduce the rate of postoperative infection after DBS surgery. Methods This Institutional Review Board–approved retrospective review was conducted at our institution between January 2005 and October 2007 (mean follow-up, 23 months). The participants comprised a consecutive sample of 172 patients with movement disorders who underwent DBS surgery at our institution. Starting in January 2007, all patients were required to use the alcohol-based preparation. These patients (n = 48) were instructed to self-administer the wash on the night before surgery and the morning of surgery. Before this time, no self-administered wash was used (n = 122). Results There was no difference in preoperative skin cleansing between the 2 groups, and all patients received intravenous antibiotics immediately before and after surgery for 24 hours. We compared the rate of postoperative infection in the 2 groups and reviewed other possible factors underlying infection. We found 11 cases of infection (6.47%), all in the group without the preoperative antiseptic wash. The infection rate was 9.02% in the group without the preoperative wash and 0 in the group with the preoperative wash ( P Conclusions Our results support the incorporation of this self-administered antiseptic wash into our standard antiseptic protocol for patients undergoing DBS surgery.
Characterization of solder interfaces using laser flash metrology

Abstract Thermal conductivity and normalized thermal resistance measurements on eight bulk solders and three tri-layer samples were performed using the laser flash technique. In this study, the laser flash technique is demonstrated to be capable of measuring thermal conductivity of 0.7-mm-thick solders ranged from 20 to 90 W/mK with an average uncertainty of 11%. Laser flash was then used to measure the intrinsic thermal resistance of Cu/Solder/Cu, tri-layer sandwich structures. Analysis shows that the total intrinsic thermal resistance measurement is confounded by sample voiding. C-SAM scanning ultrasonic microscope metrology was shown to be useful in providing information regarding solder voiding and the quality of the solder/copper interfaces. The laser flash method also proved to be useful in assessing voiding effects resulting from different assembly processes and different contacting surfaces on package thermal performance.
The synthesis and testing of E-17 alpha-(2-iodovinyl)-5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and Z-17 alpha-(2-iodovinyl)-5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone as gamma-emitting ligands for the androgen receptor.

Two iodinated steroids, E-17α-(2-iodovinyl)-5α-dihydrotestosterone and Z-17α-(2-iodovinyl)-5α-dihydro testosterone were synthesized in a search for a γ-emitting androgen that binds with high affinity to the androgen receptor. Such compounds would be extremely useful research tools for studies of androgen responsive tissues and as in vivo probes of androgen responsive tumors such as prostate cancer. These 17α-iodovinyl steroids were synthesized because many 17α-substituents do not interfere markedly with binding to the androgen receptor and because similar analogs of other steroids, estrogens and progestins, have been shown to have the requisite properties for ligands to those receptors. Both of these potential ligands were tested for their ability to compete with [3H]R1881 for binding to the androgen receptor in cytosols from prostate, hypothalamus and pituitary. The relative binding affinities ranged between 5 and 20%, depending upon the tissue and steroid. In order to test the two ligands directly, they were both synthesized labelled with 125I and tested for binding to the androgen receptor in prostatic cytosol and in vivo for specific concentration in androgen responsive tissues. While there was considerable binding in the prostatic cytosol, it was not specific because 5α-dihydrotestosterone did not compete. Likewise in the in vivo experiment there was no evidence for androgen receptor mediated concentration of the tracers. While on the basis of relative binding affinity, these 2 steroids appeared to be good candidates for androgen receptor ligands, neither were useful for this purpose. These results contribute new information which will be valuable in the design of other γ-emitting androgens and emphasises that, in this process, other factors such as metabolism and nonspecific binding must be considered.
MR imaging of the breast.

The current strategy for breast cancer treatment involves early detection of the neoplasm before it has metasta-sized outside the breast, and surgical treatment of the lesion that minimizes deformity. Conventional methods of diagnostic imaging of the breast, including mammogra-phy, sonography, and galactography, do not adequately address clinical needs with regard to lesion characterization and staging. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been proposed as a modality that may address these needs. The potential clinical uses of MR imaging are defined in terms of clinical needs and technologic requirements. Applications of MR imaging in detection of breast lesions can be divided into two major approaches based on the clinical questions to be answered: (a) improved specificity and (b) improved sensitivity. These approaches are defined by specific sets of clinical needs and have substantially different technologic requirements. The specificity approach is used to reduce the number of biopsies performed to confirm false-positive mammo-graphic findings. The MR imaging device that is used to improve specificity must visualize only the lesions that are seen mammographically. The sensitivity approach requires the visualization of lesions not identified at mammography, so that breast disease can be more effectively staged for treatment. The technologic requirements for the sensitivity approach are considerably more rigorous, because all lesions must be identified. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches and the potential clinical ramifications are described.
Breast cancer after augmentation mammaplasty: treatment by skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction.

Breast conservation has been associated with poor cosmetic outcome when used to treat breast cancer in patients who have undergone prior augmentation mammaplasty. Radiation therapy of the augmented breast can increase breast fibrosis and capsular contraction. Skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction are examined as an alternative treatment.Six patients with prior breast augmentation were treated for breast cancer by skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. One patient underwent a contralateral prophylactic skin-sparing mastectomy. Silicone gel implants had been placed in the submuscular location in five patients and in the subglandular position in one patient a mean of 10.2 years (range, 6 to 20 years) before breast cancer diagnosis. The mean patient age was 41.3 years (range, 33 to 56 years). Four independent judges reviewed postoperative photographs to grade the aesthetic results in comparison with the opposite native or reconstructed breast. The American Joint Committee on Cancer staging was stage 0 in one patient, stage I for four patients, and stage II for one patient. Five of the six patients presented with a palpable breast mass. Latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction was performed in four patients (bilaterally in one) and a transverse rectus abdominis muscle (TRAM) flap was used in two patients. Three patients were treated by skin-sparing mastectomy with preservation of the breast implant (two patients with latissimus flaps, and one patient with a TRAM flap). The tumor location necessitated the removal of implants in two patients (one patient with a latissimus flap and one with a TRAM. A saline implant was placed under the latissimus flap after gel implant removal. The patient who underwent bilateral skin-sparing mastectomies desired explantation and placement of saline implants. No remedial surgery was performed on the opposite breast to achieve symmetry. Complications occurred in two patients at the latissimus dorsi donor site (seroma in one patient, and seroma and infection in one). Five patients underwent complete nipple reconstructions. The mean duration of follow-up was 33.6 months (range, 15.5 to 70.3 months), and there were no recurrences of breast cancer. The aesthetic results were judged to be good to excellent in all cases.Skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction can be used in patients with prior breast augmentation, with good to excellent cosmetic results. Depending on the tumor and implant location, the implant may be preserved without compromising local control.
Joint Server Selection and Routing for Geo-replicated Services

The performance and costs of geo-replicated online services depend on which data centers handle user requests, and which wide-area paths carry traffic. To provide good performance at reasonable cost, service providers adapt the mapping of user requests to data centers (e.g., through DNS), and routing of responses back to users (i.e., through multi-homed route control). Mapping and routing are typically managed independently, with mapping having limited visibility into routing decisions, response path latencies, and bandwidth costs. However, poor visibility and uncoordinated decision-making can lead to worse performance and higher costs when compared to a joint decision. In this paper, we argue that mapping and routing should continue to operate modularly, but cooperate towards service-wide performance and cost goals. Our main contribution is a distributed algorithm to steer cooperating, yet functionally separate, mapping and routing provably towards a globally optimal operating point. Trace-based evaluations on an operational CDN show that the algorithm converges to within 1% of optimum in 3-6 iterations.
Elasticity of (Mg 0.83 , Fe 0.17 )O ferropericlase at high pressure: Ultrasonic measurements in conjunction with X-radiation techniques

Abstract The elasticity of ferropericlase with a potential mantle composition of (Mg 0.83 ,Fe 0.17 )O is determined using ultrasonic interferometry in conjunction with in situ X-radiation techniques (X-ray diffraction and X-radiography) in a DIA-type cubic anvil high-pressure apparatus to pressures of 9 GPa (NaCl pressure scale) at room temperature. In this study, we demonstrate that it is possible to directly monitor the specimen length using an X-ray image technique and show that these lengths are consistent with those derived from X-ray diffraction data when no plastic deformation of the specimen occurs during the experiment. By combining the ultrasonic and X-ray diffraction data, the adiabatic elastic bulk ( K S ) and shear ( G ) moduli and specimen volume can be measured simultaneously. This enables pressure scale-free measurements of the equation of state of the specimen using a parameterization such as the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. The elastic moduli determined for (Mg 0.83 ,Fe 0.17 )O are K S0 =165.5(12) GPa, G 0 =112.4(4) GPa, and their pressure derivatives are K S0 ′=4.17(20) and G 0 ′=1.89(6). If these results are compared with those for MgO, they demonstrate that K S0 and K S0 ′ are insensitive to the addition of 17 mol% FeO, but G 0 and G 0 ′ are reduced by 14% and 24%, respectively. We calculate that the P and S wave velocities of a perovskite plus ferropericlase phase assemblage with a pyrolite composition at the top of the lower mantle (660 km depth) are lowered by 0.8 and 2.3%, respectively, when compared with those calculated using the elastic properties of end-member MgO. Consequently, the magnitudes of the calculated wave velocity jumps across the 660 km discontinuity are reduced by about 11% for P wave and 20% for S wave, if this discontinuity is considered as a phase transformation boundary only (ringwoodite→perovskite+ferropericlase).
New imaging modalities in bladder cancer.

Carcinoma of the urinary bladder is estimated to account for 61,420 new cases of cancer and 13,060 cancer related deaths in the United States in 2006 [1]. Of these approximately 80% of patients will present with superWcial cancer which can be treated by endoscopic resection with or with out neoadjuvant intravesical chemotherapy. However, despite adequate treatment of superWcial cancer there is a 70% recurrence rate at 3 years and a 10–30% chance of development of invasive cancer [2, 3]. Invasive but organ conWned disease is treated by radical cystectomy while more advanced tumors are treated by palliative chemotherapy or radiation. Hence, accurate pretreatment clinical and radiological staging at presentation is vital for therapeutic decision making and accurate prognosis. Traditionally urine cytology and standard cystoscopy have been eVective in the diagnosis of bladder cancer. However, urine cytology is insensitive for low-grade lesions and does not provide information about the stage of disease. Standard cystoscopy is minimally invasive and lacks speciWcity for Xat malignancies [3, 4]. Therefore non-invasive imaging plays a signiWcant role not only in the diagnosis and staging of bladder cancer but also in post treatment surveillance. The development of newer imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET), lymphotropic nanoparticle enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (LNMRI), CT/ MR cystography, virtual cystoscopy, MR spectroscopy and intra-operative ultrasound has brought imaging to the forefront of bladder cancer evaluation. This article will review these newer imaging modalities and describe speciWc applications of each technique.
An application of one-sided Jacobi polynomials for spectral modeling of vector fields in polar coordinates

A spectral tau-method is proposed for solving vector field equations defined in polar coordinates. The method employs one-sided Jacobi polynomials as radial expansion functions and Fourier exponentials as azimuthal expansion functions. All the regularity requirements of the vector field at the origin and the physical boundary conditions at a circumferential boundary are exactly satisfied by adjusting the additional tau-coefficients of the radial expansion polynomials of the highest order. The proposed method is applied to linear and nonlinear-dispersive time evolution equations of hyperbolic-type describing internal Kelvin and Poincare waves in a shallow, stratified lake on a rotating plane.
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE): delayed myelination-inhibition in vitro with EAE-serum: changes in vulnerability of oligodendroglia and newly formed myelin sheaths.

Myelinating mouse spinal cord fragments were cultured in Maximow assemblies. A variable interval after explanation they were exposed to low concentrations of serum from rabbits with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). As a general rule, the longer they were kept under EAE serum, the more completely myelination was inhibited. If the experiments were made with low concentrations of EAE serum (about 1%), the number of myelinated cultures was proportional to the number of days by which the application of EAE-serum was delayed. If one worked with EAE-serum at higher concentrations (5%), the cultures on which the serum was applied with a delay from 1 to 5 days were practically completely inhibited in their myelination. If exposed from the 7th day onward only, nearly all of these cultures were able to myelinate and therefore showed myelin, when viewed on day 12 in vitro. If, however, they were left under the same concentrations of EAE-serum for another week, the myelin sheaths disappeared again without leaving any signs of myelin destruction. These cultures showed loose spirals of glial cytoplasma membranes around axons. Cultures in which the application of EAE-serum was delayed for 4–6 days showed differentiated oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, which was not the case in cultures inhibited from the explantation onward.