cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing Cellular Mechanical Responses to Stimuli Using Ballistic Intracellular Nanorheology

Abstract We describe a new method to measure the local and global micromechanical properties of the cytoplasm of single living cells in their physiological milieu and subjected to external stimuli. By tracking spontaneous, Brownian movements of individual nanoparticles of diameter ≥100 nm distributed within the cell with high spatial and temporal resolutions, the local viscoelastic properties of the intracellular milieu can be measured in different locations within the cell. The amplitude and the time‐dependence of the mean‐squared displacement of each nanoparticle directly reflect the elasticity and the viscosity of the cytoplasm in the vicinity of the nanoparticle. In our previous versions of particle tracking, we delivered nanoparticles via microinjection, which limited the number of cells amenable to measurement, rendering our technique incompatible with high‐throughput experiments. Here we introduce ballistic injection to effectively deliver a large number of nanoparticles to a large number of cells simultaneously. When coupled with multiple particle tracking, this new method—ballistic intracellular nanorheology (BIN)—makes it now possible to probe the viscoelastic properties of cells in high‐throughput experiments, which require large quantities of injected cells for seeding in various conditions. For instance, BIN allows us to probe an ensemble of cells embedded deeply inside a three‐dimensional extracellular matrix or as a monolayer of cells subjected to shear flows.
Creating Customized Metasearch Engines on Demand Using SE-LEGO

Frequently, the documents needed by a user are available only via multiple search engines. For example, research papers about a particular subject may be found from the search engines of related digital libraries and journals. It is inconvenient for the user to search these search engines separately. An effective way to address this problem is to employ a metasearch engine, which is a system that provides unified access to multiple existing search systems. When a metasearch engine receives a user query, it passes the query to its underlying search engines. The results returned by the search engines, are then combined by the metasearch engine to form a single ranked list for presentation to the user [2].
Cancer Chemoprevention by Connexins

Gap junctions, or connexons, are formed by connexin proteins and connect most cells in the body to form water-filled channels directly linking the cytoplasm. Among the molecules known to be transferred via junctions are cAMP, ATP, IP3 and glucose. Tumor cells are in general deficient in functional gap junctions either as a result of gene silencing, or failure to correctly process and assemble connexons. Tumor promoters inhibit function whereas certain cancer preventive agents increase junctional communication. When connexin expression in tumor cells is forced by introduction of exogenous genes or is increased by pharmacological agents, connexin expression reduces growth in suspension and growth as xenografts in nude mice. It is as yet unclear if in tumor cells these actions depend on junctional transfer of signal molecules or reflect some other function of these genes. Restoration of connexin function offers an exciting opportunity to delay tumor progression and inhibit metastasis.
Bridging the Realist/Constructivist Divide: The Case of the Counterrevolution in Soviet Foreign Policy at the End of the Cold War

The surprising end of the Cold War has led to a debate within international relations (IR) theory. Constructivists have argued that the end of the Cold War is best explained in terms of ideas and agency—specifically Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev's new thinking. A few realists have countered that Soviet material decline was “endogenous” to the new ideas. Can these two theoretical perspectives be reconciled with respect to this case? They can be partially integrated with a path-dependent strategy that places an emphasis on “institutions.” Nevertheless, explaining the end of the Cold War largely requires a theory of Soviet foreign policy and its relation to the state. As a former or ossified revolutionary state, Soviet foreign policy for at least several years was largely based on the principle of externalization: outside threats were used to rationalize radical centralization, repression, and the dominance of the Party. In using the USSR's institutionalized legacy as a revolutionary state, Gorbachev acted as a counterrevolutionary and reversed this process with his revolution in foreign policy. In creating a new peaceful international order, he sought—through the “second image reversed”—to promote radical decentralization, liberalization, and the emergence of a new coalition. The case examines how Gorbachev's domestic goals drove his foreign policy from 1985 to 1991.
Particle size improvement by a countercurrent tower crystallizer

A continuous, staged-feed column crystallizer was investigated to obtain enlarged product size distribution in precipitation from solution. Stage population balances, in moment form, were solved analytically for several single-feed configurations. It was found that internal staging permits control of the solids concentration profile, and if collision nucleation is unimportant then countercurrent operation yields the greatest product size enlargement. Nucleation kinetic parameters for a given salt indicate the potential product size improvement, compared to product from an MSMPR crystallizer of equal volume.
Can coase govern the Green Bay Packers

Purpose – The agency problem inherent in governing public corporations predicts a management not acting in shareholders’ best interest. The purpose of this paper is to use the Green Bay Packers’ unique ownership structure as a case study to show that a disperse shareholder base does not necessarily lead to failures in corporate governance. Design/methodology/approach – The Packers have been run by a great management team since 1992. The authors argue that the new management has become the de facto owners of the Packers organization and dealt away the agency costs as a result. This argument is in line with the Coase Theorem. Findings – The ownership of the Packers is a property. As would be argued with the Coase Theorem, if the property right is well defined, who controls the property, under certain circumstances, is irrelevant in regard of maximizing ownership value. Research limitations/implications – With only one sample point, the authors, however, cannot rule out the randomness of the Packers’ stellar...
Adapting Self-Management Programs for Classwide Use Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness

The time-saving features of self-management as well as its demonstrated effectiveness at improving behavior make it an appealing strategy to promote inclusion of students with disabilities. As such, it is surprising that relatively few studies have investigated the classwide use of self-management programs in general education settings. This article is divided into two parts. In Part 1, we review the literature on acceptability and feasibility studies of programs to improve behavior to identify criteria seen as critical when judging the practicality and acceptability of an intervention. Part 2 describes the implementation and evaluation of a classwide peer-assisted self-management (CWPASM) program based on its feasibility, acceptability, and effects on classroom behavior. Present findings indicate that (a) after training, the teacher and students were able to implement the procedures with a high degree of accuracy; (b) the teacher and students generally enjoyed CWPASM and found it acceptable and effective...
Utility of B-type natriuretic peptide and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide in evaluation of respiratory failure in critically ill patients.

Study objectives B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro BNP (NTproBNP) have been shown to correlate with pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (PAWP) in patients with heart failure. We studied whether BNP and/or NTproBNP can differentiate high- vs low-PAWP respiratory failure in ICU patients. We also evaluated if BNP and NTproBNP will reflect accurately cardiac dysfunction and predict 30-day survival. Design Prospective observational study of ICU patients in an urban teaching hospital. Patients Forty-one consecutive patients with hypoxic respiratory failure undergoing pulmonary artery catheterization were enrolled between January and December, 2003. Interventions BNP and NTproBNP were assayed from a venous blood sample. Hemodynamic variables were obtained at the time blood was drawn. Survival was documented at day 30. Measurments and results BNP and NTproBNP correlated significantly with each other ( r = 0.656, p r = − 0.481, p r = − 0.384, p r = − 0.441, p r = − 0.623, p 2 : BNP AUROC = 0.643, NTproBNP AUROC = 0.885 (p 2 : BNP AUROC = 0.754 (p Conclusions NTproBNP and BNP failed to differentiate high- vs low-PAWP respiratory failure but were inversely correlated with indexes of cardiac contractility. With higher accuracy, NTproBNP may be a more discerning marker than BNP in patients with milder cardiac dysfunction. Neither peptide predicted short-term mortality.
Genomics of seed development: Challenges and opportunities for genetic improvement of seed traits in crop plants

Seed development represents an important phase in the life cycle of flowering plants including the majority of the crop plants. During this phase, developmental and metabolic programs are coordinated to produce the seed that contains the germline information and storage reserves. Although seed developmental patterns vary significantly between the monocots and dicots, they share several conserved developmental programs. The embryo is the major component of the seed in dicots whereas the endosperm is predominant in monocot seeds. The formation of the dormant seed that protects the embryo and provides nutrition during germination is a key characteristic adaptive feature in the evolution of the angiosperms and a determining factor of yield in crop plants. From a crop perspective, the metabolites and especially the storage products deposited in the seed defines the value of the seed. Despite progress in fundamental understanding of seed development, the global genetic and metabolic programs involved in the making of the seed and their implications to genetic improvement of the seed is yet to be fully exploited in crop plants. So, the major goal of several recent studies is to develop comprehensive systems-level insights into molecular and biochemical programs associated with gene expression, protein and metabolite profiles during seed development in model and crop plants. These integrated systems approaches and studies are producing foundational and comprehensive datasets. In this review, we will present an overview of advances in the developmental, genetic and genomic studies of seed biology and their implications to improve seed characteristics in crop plants.
Phenomenolgical two-branch model for the long-wavelength excitation spectrum of superfluid He 4

It is suggested that the long-wavelength excitation spectrum of superfluid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ may consist of a branch of quasiparticle excitations which has a gap at zero momenta in addition to a branch of hydrodynamic phonons. A phenomenological two-branch spectrum is constructed. The model is suggested by the structure of a theory of boson pairing similar to the BCS theory of fermions. The low-temperature specific heat of $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ is calculated within the model and compared with experimental data. It is found that a two-branch-model excitation spectrum can describe the low-temperature anomaly in the specific heat without contradicting existing direct measurement of the excitation spectrum. Some features of a possible microscopic theory of the two-branch spectrum are discussed, and the possibilities of making direct measurements testing the idea of a two-branch excitation spectrum are considered.
Complementary expression of parvalbumin and calbindin D-28k delineates subdivisions of the rabbit medial geniculate body.

The complementary pattern of immunohistochemical staining for the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin (PV) and calbindin D-28k (CB) was used to delineate four major subdivisions of the rabbit medial geniculate body (MGB). PV immunoreactivity predominates in the ventral and medial divisions, whereas CB-immunoreactiv cells characterize the dorsal and internal divisions. The ventral nucleus is strongly PV+ due to dense neuropil labeling and moderately labeled somata. The medial nucleus contains both medium-sized and large PV+ somata, as well as thick PV+ axons and terminals. The wedge-shaped internal nucleus, composed of densely labeled CB+ cells, separates the dorsal and ventral nuclei rostrally, and expands caudally to encapsulate the posterior MGV. Large multipolar CB+ neurons with radiate dendrites characterize the dorsal nucleus. The differential expression of PV and CB also distinguishes the deep dorsal and superficial dorsal subnuclei in the dorsal division and a ventrolateral component in the ventral division. A comparison with studies of MGB connectivity in a variety of species suggests that PV immunoreactivity is highest in subdivisions that receive a substantial input from the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus and that project to primary auditory cortex. In contrast, CB immunoreactivity characterizes nuclei that receive input primarily from other sources, such as the paracentral nuclei of the inferior colliculus, the lateral tegmentum, and the spinal cord, and that project to secondary auditory areas. The ability of calcium-binding protein immunohistochemistry to delineate neuronal compartments across indistinct cytoarchitectonic borders makes it a powerful tool for guiding future connectional and physiological studies of the MGB. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Determination of analytic potentials from finite element computations

Abstract We present here a general approach for determining analytic electrical potentials from the results of finite difference calculations. Such an approach allows us to explore effects of realistic electrode structures that are not directly amenable to analytic treatment. We then use this technique to find the effects of various modifications of hyperbolic electrode structures of some practical interest by way of example.
X-RAY DRIVEN FLYER FOIL EXPERIMENTS NEAR 1.0 GBAR

Abstract We have measured speeds of planar shocks in gold target foils impacted by ablatively driven gold flyer foils. The drive for the flyer foils was produced in a high- Z hohlraum by the Nova laser. Dynamic pressures inferred from the measurements were 0.75 ± 0.2 Gbar, higher than previous dynamic shocks produced in the laboratory. We suggest a technique which may allow the laboratory investigation of equations of state in the gigabar regime.
Evaluation of ADAMTS-13 activity in plasma using recombinant von Willebrand Factor A2 domain polypeptide as substrate.

The metalloprotease ADAMTS-13 cleaves von Willebrand fac-tor (VWF), and is absent or severely reduced in the plasma of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP). Under physiologic flowing conditions, the enzyme cleaves endothelial cell-derived ultra-large VWF multimers at the Y842/M843 peptide bond located in the A2 domain, where many mutations associated with Type 2A VWD cluster. These VWF mutants are more susceptible for cleavage activity, decreasing the large VWF multimers in the plasma.The suscep-tibility of a recombinant VWF-A2 domain to ADAMTS-13 and the potential application in detecting enzyme activity were investigated. In vitro, fluid phase cleavage of VWF by ADAMTS- 13 requires denaturing conditions and prolonged incubation in order to estimate enzyme activity. We have measured ADAMTS-13 activity based on enzyme cleavage of a recombi-nant VWF-A2 domain under non-denaturing conditions. In our assay, enzyme activity was absent in plasma from congenital and acquired TTP patient, and blocked by each EDTA, monoclonal antibody VP-1 (peptide-specific antibody against residues 828- 842 of VWF), and an ADAMTS-13 antibody purified from plas-ma of an acquired TTP patient.This novel recombinant VWF-A2 protein has potential utility as matrix for a rapid clinical meas-urement of plasma ADAMTS-13 activity.
The ACTFL oral proficiency interview: Validity evidence

Abstract A number of researchers have raised concerns about the validity of the ACTFL Guidelines in general and the Oral Proficiency Interview in particular. This study reports results of a variety of validity analyses involving the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview as it was administered to 59 learners of English and 60 learners of French. Scalability of the level descriptors was investigated using the one parameter Rasch model. Based on estimates of internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, concurrence between ratings from ACTFL-trained raters and from naive native speakers, and scalability of levels, it is concluded that the Guidelines can be useful as an assessment tool and offer advantages which warrant serious consideration in the development of language testing procedures.
Access, accommodation, and science: Knowledge in an “open” world

The rising popularity of open access (OA) publishing in scholarly communities is purportedly leading to increased public knowledge. At least, that’s a key piece of the OA moral argument. This is especially true for discussions of scientific research. We argue, however, that while there have been significant moves to provide better material/technological access to research, OA advocates must still tackle the issue of making original scientific research conceptually accessible. Despite being freely available on the Internet, articles are not also by default linguistically, conceptually, or ideologically accessible to the global public(s) they are intended to reach. In this article, we examine how OA coupled with innovative scientific communication practices can help align the ideals of OA with the realities of complex, specialized genres of writing to provide better, more “open,” access to research. We look to PLOS ONE and the PLOS Blog Network to discuss how the innovative material access of PLOS ONE coupled with the communication strategies of PLOS Bloggers can work together toward more openly accessible original scientific research articles.
Recombinant porcine leptin reduces feed intake and stimulates growth hormone secretion in swine.

Abstract Two experiments (EXP) were conducted to test the hypothesis that porcine leptin affects GH, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin, thyroxine (T 4 ) secretion, and feed intake. In EXP I, prepuberal gilts received intracerebroventricular (ICV) leptin injections. Blood was collected every 15 min for 4 hr before and 3 hr after ICV injections of 0.9% saline (S; n = 3), 10 μg ( n = 4), 50 μg ( n = 4), or 100 μg ( n = 4) of leptin in S. Pigs were fed each day at 0800 and 1700 hr over a 2-wk period before the EXP. On the day of the EXP, pigs were fed at 0800 hr and blood sampling started at 0900 h. After the last sample was collected, feeders were placed in all pens. Feed intake was monitored at 4, 20, and 44 hr after feed presentation. In EXP II, pituitary cells from prepuberal gilts were studied in primary culture to determine if leptin affects GH secretion at the level of the pituitary. On Day 4 of culture, 10 5 cells/well were challenged with 10 −12 , 10 −10 , 10 −8 , or 10 −6 M [Ala 15 ]-h growth hormone-releasing factor-(1-29)NH 2 (GRF), 10 −14 , 10 −13 , 10 −12 , 10 −11 , 10 −10 , 10 −9 , 10 −8 , 10 −7 , or 10 −6 M leptin individually or in combinations with 10 −8 and 10 −6 M GRF. Secreted GH was measured at 4 hr after treatment. In EXP I, before injection, serum GH concentrations were similar. Serum GH concentrations increased (P 4 , glucose, and free fatty acids were unaffected by leptin treatment. In EXP II, relative to control (31 ± 2 ng/well), 10 −10 , 10 −8 , and 10 −6 M GRF increased (P −6 M and 10 −7 M leptin increased (P −11 and 10 −9 M leptin in combination with 10 −6 M GRF or 10 −11 M leptin in combination with 10 −8 M GRF-suppressed (P
Vibration damping of superalloys and thermal barrier coatings at high-temperatures

A high-temperature mechanical spectroscopy system, based on non-contact laser vibrometry, has been developed to investigate the temperature dependence of the flexural damping properties of materials and coatings up to 900 °C. Results for the damping coefficient and Young's modulus have been obtained for several high temperature alloys (FeCrAlY and a single crystal, Ni-based superalloy PWA 1484), ceramics (polycrystalline alumina and yttria-stabilized zirconia) and an electron-beam deposited thermal barrier coating. The results indicate that the thermally grown oxide, formed by high-temperature oxidation does not confer significant damping, whereas, coatings of the yttria-stabilized zirconia produce measurable damping over the entire temperature range with a peak centered at ∼200 °C. The damping peak appears to be an intrinsic property of the YSZ material whether in the form of a bulk material or a metastable coating. Data on the temperature dependent in-plane Young's modulus of the 7 wt.% yttria-stabilized zirconia thermal barrier coating between room temperature (22 GPa) and 900 °C (18 GPa) is also reported for the first time.
Restoring the Procofactor State of Factor Va-like Variants by Complementation with B-domain Peptides

Coagulation factor V (FV) circulates as an inactive procofactor and is activated to FVa by proteolytic removal of a large inhibitory B-domain. Conserved basic and acidic sequences within the B-domain appear to play an important role in keeping FV as an inactive procofactor. Here, we utilized recombinant B-domain fragments to elucidate the mechanism of this FV autoinhibition. We show that a fragment encoding the basic region (BR) of the B-domain binds with high affinity to cofactor-like FV(a) variants that harbor an intact acidic region. Furthermore, the BR inhibits procoagulant function of the variants, thereby restoring the procofactor state. The BR competes with FXa for binding to FV(a), and limited proteolysis of the B-domain, specifically at Arg1545, ablates BR binding to promote high affinity association between FVa and FXa. These results provide new insight into the mechanism by which the B-domain stabilizes FV as an inactive procofactor and reveal how limited proteolysis of FV progressively destabilizes key regulatory regions of the B-domain to produce an active form of the molecule. Background: B-domain fragments of factor V (FV) were used to assess the mechanism by which it is maintained as a procofactor. Results: A basic region fragment binds to FV containing an intact acidic region and inhibits FXa binding. Conclusion: B-domain sequences function as cis- and trans-acting elements to suppress FV(a) procoagulant function. Significance: The results provide mechanistic insight into FV autoinhibition and activation.
The Grameen bank of Bangladesh: History procedures, effects and challenges

(2000). The Grameen bank of Bangladesh: History procedures, effects and challenges. Asian Affairs: Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 160-169.
Common Decomposition Pathways of 1-Epoxy-3-butene and 2-Butenal on Pd(111)

High resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) were employed to study the decomposition of 1-epoxy-3-butene (EpB) and 2-butenal (crotonaldehyde, CrHO) on Pd(1 11). HREELS investigations indicate that both EpB and CrHO decompose through a common surface aldehyde intermediate that is distinct from molecular CrHO. The surface aldehyde intermediate decomposes to yield the gas phase decarbonylation products CO and propylene, as well as H 2 . Comparison with previous studies suggests that Pd is unique compared to previously studied surfaces in its reactivity with EpB and CrHO.
Emerging Property Rights Issues in Resource Economics: Discussion

At first glance, these three papers may seem to have little in common. Wunderlich's paper dwells upon philosophical issues in defining fairness, Batie's upon methodological alternatives, and Runge's upon advances in property rights theory. Yet, considered together, the papers show the diverse nature of the property rights issues that now concern resource economists. Wunderlich's concerns are of a very fundamental kind, reminding us that before Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations, he had written The Theory of Moral Sentiments, and that modern economics is as much an
Asymmetrical distribution of non-conserved regulatory sequences at PHOX2B is reflected at the ENCODE loci and illuminates a possible genome-wide trend

Transcriptional regulatory elements are central to development and interspecific phenotypic variation. Current regulatory element prediction tools rely heavily upon conservation for prediction of putative elements. Recent in vitro observations from the ENCODE project combined with in vivo analyses at the zebrafish phox2b locus suggests that a significant fraction of regulatory elements may fall below commonly applied metrics of conservation. We propose to explore these observations in vivo at the human PHOX2B locus, and also evaluate the potential evidence for genome-wide applicability of these observations through a novel analysis of extant data. Transposon-based transgenic analysis utilizing a tiling path proximal to human PHOX2B in zebrafish recapitulates the observations at the zebrafish phox2b locus of both conserved and non-conserved regulatory elements. Analysis of human sequences conserved with previously identified zebrafish phox2b regulatory elements demonstrates that the orthologous sequences exhibit overlapping regulatory control. Additionally, analysis of non-conserved sequences scattered over 135 kb 5' to PHOX2B, provides evidence of non-conserved regulatory elements positively biased with close proximity to the gene. Furthermore, we provide a novel analysis of data from the ENCODE project, finding a non-uniform distribution of regulatory elements consistent with our in vivo observations at PHOX2B. These observations remain largely unchanged when one accounts for the sequence repeat content of the assayed intervals, when the intervals are sub-classified by biological role (developmental versus non-developmental), or by gene density (gene desert versus non-gene desert). While regulatory elements frequently display evidence of evolutionary conservation, a fraction appears to be undetected by current metrics of conservation. In vivo observations at the PHOX2B locus, supported by our analyses of in vitro data from the ENCODE project, suggest that the risk of excluding non-conserved sequences in a search for regulatory elements may decrease as distance from the gene increases. Our data combined with the ENCODE data suggests that this may represent a genome wide trend.
Poly-Si Thin Film Transistors: Opportunities for low-cost RF applications

The demand for low-power and low-cost RF applications such as wireless sensor nodes and radio frequency identification (RFID) have driven the development of new technologies in lieu of bulk CMOS. Low Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistors (LTPS TFTs) on glass substrates is one of the promising candidates for its low manufacturing cost. However, due to inherent grain boundaries (GBs) in the channel, poly-Si TFTs suffer from lower carrier mobility compared to bulk CMOS transistors. This has been the critical limiting factor for its use in low-voltage and high-speed operations. In this paper, our device modeling present the potential of optimized LTPS TFTs for high frequency operations — cut off frequency ƒ T ∼40 GHz of nFETs. We show that high resistivity channel due to the presence of GBs leads to high linearity and independence from channel length. In addition, glass substrate also presents a major advantage by providing negligible substrate-loss, leading to high quality-factor inductors. With the proposed LTPS TFTs and inductors, we designed an inductive coupling wireless link having 2.7 mW of power consumption. This wireless link demonstrates an upper limit of 408 Mbps data rate with inductive coupling distance of 5 cm between two coupling inductors. The designed wireless link presents new opportunities for low-cost RF applications.
Development of a distance-to-roadway proximity metric to compare near-road pollutant levels to a central site monitor

The primary objective of the Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study (DEARS) was to compare air pollutant concentrations measured at various neighborhoods, or exposure monitoring areas (EMAs), throughout a major metropolitan area to levels measured at a central site or community monitor. One of the EMAs was located near a busy freeway (annual average daily traffic (AADT) of ∼130,000) so that impacts of mobile sources could be examined. Air pollution concentrations from the roadway-proximate sites were compared to the central site monitor. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) selected (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p- and o-xylene, 1,3 butadiene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene and 4-ethyltoluene) are typically associated with mobile sources. Gradients were also evident that demonstrated the amplification of pollutant levels near the roadway compared to the community monitor. A novel distance-to-roadway proximity metric was developed to plot the measurements and model these gradients. Effective distance represents the actual distance an air parcel travels from the middle of a roadway to a site and varies as a function of wind direction, whereas perpendicular distance is a fixed distance oriented normal to the roadway. Perpendicular distance is often used as a proxy for exposures to traffic emissions in epidemiological studies. Elevated concentrations of all the compounds were found for both a summer and winter season. Effective distance was found to be a statistically significant (p < 0.05) univariate predictor for concentrations of toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene and o-xylene for summer 2005. For each of these pollutants, effective distance yielded lower p-values than the corresponding perpendicular distance models, and model fit improved. Results demonstrate that this near-road EMA had elevated levels of traffic-related VOCs compared to the community monitor, and that effective distance was a more accurate predictor of the degree to which they were elevated as a function of distance. Effective distance produced a range of distance-to-roadway values for a single site based on wind direction, thus increasing the number and range of values that could be used to plot and predict relative differences in pollutant concentrations between two sites.
Computational study of IAG-nucleoside hydrolase: determination of the preferred ground state conformation and the role of active site residues.

The mechanism of action of inosine-adenosine-guanosine nucleoside hydrolase (IAG-NH) has been investigated by long-term molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in TIP3P water using stochastic boundary conditions. Special attention has been given to the role of leaving group pocket residues and conformation of the bound substrate at the active site of IAG-NH. We also describe the positioning of the residues of an important flexible loop at the active site, which was previously unobservable by X-ray crystallography due to high B-factors. Five MD simulations have been performed with the Enzyme·Substrate complexes: Enzyme·anti-Adenosine with Asp40-COOH [E(40H)·Ade(a)], Enzyme·anti-Adenosine with Asp40-COO- [E(40)·Ade(a)], Enzyme·syn-Adenosine with Asp40-COOH [E(40H)·Ade(s)], Enzyme·syn-Adenosine with Asp40-COO- [E(40)·Ade(s)], and Enzyme·anti-Inosine with Asp40-COO- [E(40)·Ino(a)]. Overall, the structures generated from the MD simulation of E(40H)·Ade(s) preserve the catalytically important hydrogen bonds as well...
Effects of ischemia and reperfusion on intrinsic vascular regulation in the postnatal intestinal circulation.

Effects of Ischemia and Reperfusion on Intrinsic Vascular Regulation in the Postnatal Intestinal Circulation
Prevalence and prognosis of exercise-induced nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in apparently healthy volunteers.

Although exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia (VT), whether sustained or nonsustained, is usually associated with significant organic heart disease, its prevalence, associated characteristics and prognostic significance in an asymptomatic, unreferred community-dwelling population are unknown. Therefore, the prevalence of VT associated with maximal treadmill exercise was assessed in 597 male and 325 female volunteers, aged 21 to 96 years (mean ± standard deviation 54 ± 16), from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging who were without apparent heart disease. Ten subjects, 7 men and 3 women, with exercise-induced VT were identified, representing 1.1% of those tested; only 1 was younger than 65 years. All episodes of VT were asymptomatic and nonsustained. In 9 of 10 subjects, VT developed at or near peak exercise. The longest run of VT was 6 beats; multiple runs of VT were present in 4 subjects. Two subjects had exercise-induced ST-segment depression, but subsequent exercise thallium scintigraphic results were negative in each. Compared with a group of age- and sex-matched control subjects, those with asymptomatic, nonsustained VT displayed no difference in exercise duration, maximal heart rate, or the prevalence of coronary risk factors or exercise-induced ischemia as measured by electro-cardiography and thallium scintigraphy. Over a mean follow-up period of 2 years, no subject has developed symptoms of heart disease or experienced syncope or sudden death. Thus, exercise-induced VT in apparently healthy subjects occurs almost exclusively in the elderly, is limited to short, asymptomatic runs of 3 to 6 beats usually near peak exercise, and does not portend increased cardiovascular morbidity or mortality rates over a 2-year period of observation.
Temporal Bone Fractures: Traditional Classification and Clinical Relevance

Objectives/Hypothesis: The objectives were to evaluate the clinical relevance of traditional temporal bone radiographic descriptors and to investigate the efficacy of an alternative fracture classification scheme. Study Design: Retrospective consecutive case series. Methods: Charts and computed tomography scans representing 155 temporal bone fractures at a level I trauma center were reviewed. Fracture types were correlated with clinical presentation and outcomes. Results: The traditional classification system (i.e., longitudinal, transverse, or mixed) correlated poorly with clinical findings such as facial nerve weakness and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. It also had limited utility in predicting conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing. An alternative schema distinguishing petrous from nonpetrous involvement demonstrated better correlation with these measures. Cerebrospinal fluid leak was 1.1 times more common in transverse than in longitudinal fractures but was 9.8 times more common in petrous than in nonpetrous fractures. Similarly, facial nerve injury more strongly correlated with fractures through the petrous temporal bone than did the other fracture types. Sensorineural hearing loss did not correlate with the transverse fracture classification but was significantly more prevalent in petrous fractures. Likewise, conductive hearing loss did not correlate with longitudinal fractures but was four times more common in the “middle ear” subcategory of nonpetrous fractures. Conclusion: Traditional temporal bone fracture descriptions correlate poorly with clinical findings. However, simply distinguishing petrous from nonpetrous involvement demonstrates significant correlation with the occurrence of serious sequelae of temporal bone fractures. Subcategories of mastoid and middle ear involvement further refine this classification schema to correlate with minor complications. This simple, radiographically based scheme better focuses clinical resources and attention toward more likely sequelae.
Improved stability of the human epidermal membrane during successive permeability experiments

Abstract In many cases it is instructive to use a single human epidermal membrane (HEM) sample to perform successive in vitro permeability experiments under varied experimental conditions. This study focused upon the feasibility of such successive permeability experiments in side-by-side, two-chamber diffusion cells. It was shown that for permeability experimental protocols which involved performing one permeability experiment per day and extensive washing between permeability experiments, the barrier properties of HEM samples were altered significantly within the first 72 h of the protocol. However, if the HEM is supported in the diffusion cell with a porous synthetic membrane, a single HEM sample remains essentially unaltered with respect to mannitol permeability and electrical resistance for up to 5 days. This suggests that protecting the HEM from physical stress is an essential element in performing successive permeability experiments.
Numerical simulation of biomass fast pyrolysis in an auger reactor

Abstract Fast pyrolysis is an effective means of converting solid low-energy density biomass to intermediate energy products, such as bio-oil. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the biomass fast pyrolysis processes in both the fluidized-bed and the auger reactors were conducted. The numerical results were validated by experimental data. Materials of all phases were modeled as interpenetrating continua by use of a multi-fluid model. Chemical reactions were simulated using a multi-step reaction mechanism that considers multiple compounds in biomass and various gaseous species in the reactor. In the study of biomass fast pyrolysis in the fluidized-bed reactor, CFD simulation results were analyzed to obtain the average residence time of materials in the reactor. This residence time was used as the time for chemical reactions in estimating the final product yields. The estimated product yields agreed well with the experimental data. To simulate the complex geometry and fluid dynamics in the auger reactor, a numerical approach based on a rotating reference frame was incorporated into the multi-fluid model to account for the auger rotation. Good levels of agreement between the predicted and measured product yields were obtained. A parametric study was conducted to characterize the effects of operating conditions on product yields. The study shows that the optimal wall temperature for maximum tar production was approximately 823 K. The tar yield decreased with increased pre-treatment temperature of the biomass feedstock. It was also found that increased inlet nitrogen flow rate was beneficial to tar yield, while increased biomass feed rate had a negative effect on tar production.
Blood pressure responses to epinephrine-treated gingival retraction strings in the rhesus monkey

Results of animal studies confirm previous reports of absorption of racemic epinephrine and associated hypertension and increased pulse rate. Blood pressure and pulse rate data obtained suggest that more careful clinical observations be made, particularly in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Remote Raman spectroscopy of minerals at elevated temperature relevant to Venus exploration

ABSTRACT We have used a remote time-resolved telescopic Raman system equipped with 532 nm pulsed laser excitation and a gated intensified CCD (ICCD) detector for measuring Raman spectra of a number of minerals at high temperature to 970 K. Remote Raman measurements were made with samples at 9-meter in side a high-temperature furnace by gating the ICCD detector with 2 micro-sec gate to minimize interference from blackbody emission from mineral surfaces at high temperature as well as interference from ambient light. A comparison of Raman spectra of gypsum (CaSO 4 .2H 2 O), dolomite (CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 ), and olivine (Mg 2 Fe 2-x SiO 4 ), as a function of temperature shows that the Raman lines remains sharp and well defined even in the high-temperature spectra. In the case of gypsum, Raman spectral fingerprints of CaSO 4 .H 2 O at 518 K were observed due to dehydration of gypsum. In the case of dolomite, partial mineral dissociation was observed at 973 K at ambient pressure indicating that some of the dolomite might surviv e on Venus surface that is at ~750 K and 92 atmospheric pressure. Time-resolv ed Raman spectra of low clino-enstatite (MgSiO
Reducing the impact of wind noise on cochlear implant processors with two microphones

Behind-the-ear (BTE) processors of cochlear implant (CI) devices offer little to almost no protection from wind noise in most incidence angles. To assess speech intelligibility, eight CI recipients were tested in 3 and 9 m/s wind. Results indicated that speech intelligibility decreased substantially when the wind velocity, and in turn the wind sound pressure level, increased. A two-microphone wind noise suppression strategy was developed. Scores obtained with this strategy indicated substantial gains in speech intelligibility over other conventional noise reduction strategies tested.
MICROWAVE-PHOTON-ASSISTED TUNNELING BETWEEN SUPERCONDUCTING TIN AND BULK NIOBIUM.

Abstract Photon assisted tunneling between thin films of Sn and bulk Nb has been observed under microwave radiation of 10 and 37 GHz.
A Long-term Prospective Study of Varicella Vaccine in Healthy Children

Background. Studies in Japan and the United States have shown that varicella vaccine is both safe and efficacious. In 1984, we undertook a 10-year prospective study using a research lot of Oka/Merck varicella vaccine to assess antibody persistence and breakthrough chickenpox rates. In 1987, we began a similar prospective study with lots made in production facilities that ended after 6 years because many children were given a second dose. The purpose of this study is to report humoral antibody persistence and breakthrough chickenpox rates after 6 to 10 years of prospective follow-up. Methods. One hundred forty-three seronegative children received a research lot (950 plaque-forming units/dose) with 97.9% seroconversion by an assay for fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA). One hundred thirty-eight children received production lots (1145 to 3265 plaque-forming units/dose) with 93.5% seroconversion. Yearly chickenpox exposure surveys were completed by phone, and children were seen by a study nurse whenever chickenpox was suspected. A subset in each group had serum collected every 2 years and tested for FAMA antibody. Results. In the research group there have been 25 cases of chickenpox in 137 seroconverters in a period of more than 10 years (yearly rate of 1.7%). In the production lot group there have been 22 cases of chickenpox in 129 seroconverters in a 6-year period (yearly rate of 2.8%). In the research group the median titer rose from 1:16 to 1:64 between 1 and 10 years. In the production group, the median titer did not change between 1, 2, and 4 years. Median antibody titers were compared between the research and production groups at 1, 2, and 4 years and did not differ. The rate of development of modified chickenpox has not increased with time since vaccination, and neither has the case severity. Children with FAMA titers ≤8 at 6-weeks9 postvaccination were four times more likely to develop chickenpox than those with titers ≥64. Conclusions. 1) Modified chickenpox has occurred in approximately 2% to 3% of vaccinees per year, regardless of the vaccine lot given. 2) FAMA titers have risen between 1 and 10 years in research lot recipients and remained the same in production lot recipients. 3) The likelihood of modified chickenpox developing is inversely related to the 6-week postvaccination FAMA titer.
Terbutaline-induced hypotension in a pregnant asthmatic patient

Abstract A known asthmatic patient who was 38–39 weeks pregnant was being treated for asthma in an emergency department. After treatment with subcutaneous terbutaline, she developed a hypotensive episode that lasted almost 30 minutes. Emergency physicians should understand the underlying hemodynamic changes in pregnancy and in the therapy of asthma, and should be aware of the potential for this unusual complication.
Can advanced technology improve future commuter aircraft

The short-haul service abandoned by the trunk and local airlines is being picked up by the commuter airlines using small turboprop-powered aircraft. Most of the existing small transport aircraft currently available represent a relatively old technology level. However, several manufacturers have initiated the development of new or improved commuter transport aircraft. These aircraft are relatively conservative in terms of technology. An examination is conducted of advanced technology to identify those technologies that, if developed, would provide the largest improvements for future generations of these aircraft. Attention is given to commuter aircraft operating cost, aerodynamics, structures and materials, propulsion, aircraft systems, and technology integration. It is found that advanced technology can improve future commuter aircraft and that the largest of these improvements will come from the synergistic combination of technological advances in all of the aircraft disciplines. The most important goals are related to improved fuel efficiency and increased aircraft productivity.
National trends in screening, prevalence, and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors.

Abstract Background Few studies have documented national trends in screening, awareness, and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors. We evaluated trends in screening, prevalence, and treatment of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking. Methods Data were analyzed from the 1984–1998 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a series of yearly cross-sectional population-based surveys of U.S. adults. Unadjusted and adjusted time trends (age-, gender-, ethnicity-, education-, and income-adjusted) in screening, prevalence, and treatment were evaluated. Results From 1984 to 1998, a larger proportion of U.S. adults were older, more educated, richer, and Hispanic. Hypertension screening was >97% (1988–1998), prevalence ranged from 21 to 24% (1984–1998), and approximately 58% (1984–1992) were prescribed blood-pressure-lowering medications. Hypercholesterolemia screening increased from 47 to 67% (1987–1998), prevalence from 18 to 31% (1987–1998), and cholesterol-lowering prescriptions from 22 to 25% (1988–1990). Smoking prevalence remained around 28% (1984–1998), while quit attempts declined from 63 to 47% (1990–1998). Conclusions Although screening for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia has increased, a substantial proportion of cases were not being prescribed medications. While the prevalence of smoking remains constant, quit attempts have fallen. Continuing challenges for cardiovascular disease prevention include identification of individuals with hypercholesterolemia, appropriate prescription (initiation and/or maintenance) of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications, and intensifying smoking cessation efforts.