cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Translational Animal Model for Scar Compression Therapy Using an Automated Pressure Delivery System

Hypertrophic scar (HTS) is a common cutaneous complication following cutaneous trauma, surgery, infection, or burn. Scar tissue is visibly different from surrounding uninjured skin by measures of height, pliability, pigmentation, glossiness, and vascularity. Patients further experience severe itching, neuropathic pain, sleep disturbances, and impairment of daily activities.1 Cases of disfigurement or unpleasant aesthetics have led to psychological complications such as posttraumatic stress,2 loss of self-esteem,3 and stigmatization.4 Severe cases of scaring can cause contractures or disabling physical deformities.5 In developed countries, as many as 100 million people are estimated to acquire some form of scar following cutaneous injury. About 15% of these scars develop into further unaesthetic or debilitating conditions.6 A survey of major patient concerns after surgery showed that 91% of the patients favored better resolution for scar.7 The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying impaired wound healing are poorly understood.8 Wounds resulting in HTSs exhibit longer epithelialization times, delayed and extended overlapping in wound-healing phases, abundant inflammatory mediator expression,9 and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as collagen with modulated subtype proportions. A variety of approaches are used in HTS management including surgical excision with or without grafting,10-12 intralesional interferon,13 topical and intralesional corticosteroids,14 intralesional bleomycin,15 silicone gel sheeting,16,17 and laser therapy.18 Mechanomodulatory strategies have proven effective in controlling incisional wound scarring.19 Pressure therapy has been used in HTS treatment,20 with varying degrees of success due to the limited understanding of its mechanism of action, nonstandardized application protocols, and lack of validated animal models.8,21 Developing a reproducible wound model is paramount to the study of scar physiology22 and assessing the efficacy of therapeutic intervention. While studying human tissue is most ideal, uncontrollable factors such as the injury depth, location, and patient compliance make this impractical. Research using Duroc pigs have increasingly documented similarities to human wound healing and scar formation by molecular, cellular, and gross measures. Unlike other animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits, or rats, red Duroc size is comparable to humans and offers flatter skin surfaces that make them the choice animal in large and producible wounds creation. To date, there is no established tool offering precise pressure delivery or a validated animal model for assessing the effect of pressure in HTS therapy. Here, a novel automated pressure delivery system (APDS) capable of delivering an adjustable steady pressure was designed and tested in red Duroc scar model. The aim of this work was to evaluate the suitability of APDS in studying and characterizing the effect of pressure application in red Duroc swine as a model of HTS therapy under controlled conditions.
Abortion-Related Mortality in the United States 1998–2010

OBJECTIVE:To examine characteristics and causes of legal induced abortion–related deaths in the United States between 1998 and 2010.METHODS:Abortion-related deaths were identified through the national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System with enhanced case-finding. We calculated the abortion mort
UNE ANATOMIE DE L'EMPATHIE

L’empathie est fondee sur notre capacite a reconnaitre implicitement qu’autrui est semblable a soi mais sans confusion entre soi-meme et l’autre. Elle peut etre declenchee intentionnellement en se mettant a la place de l’autre. L’empathie implique non seulement un partage affectif avec l’autre mais aussi une comprehension des etats mentaux de cette personne. Cet article propose un modele multidimensionnel de l’empathie dont la responance affective, la flexibilite mentale pour adopter le point de vue subjectif d’autrui, la regulation des emotions constituent les composantes de base. Ces composantes sont modulees par des processus motivationnels et attentionnels et sont sous-tendues par des systemes neuro-cognitifs distribues et dissociables (dans le cortex preforntal et parietal de l’hemisphere droit). On peut, a partir de ce modele fonctionnel, predire des troubles de l’intersubjectivite et de l’emphathie distincts selon que l’un ou l’autre des composants est endommage ou non operationnel.
Brain gene expression: genomics and genetics.

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the genomics and genetics of the brain gene expression. Gene expression in the central nervous system (CNS) modulates synaptic efficacy, signal transduction, and numerous other cell functions involved in information processing and cellular homeostasis. Variation in gene expression is influenced by multiple factors, including polymorphic upstream modifier genes, environmental factors, and interactions between genetic and environmental factors. These factors cause gene expression to vary along a continuum. Microarray-based assays of expression measure the steady-state relative abundance of mRNAs. Because transcript abundance is a polygenic trait determined by the action of many other genes, and both internal and external environmental factors complex trait analysis methods can be profitably applied to study the genetic control of gene expression. Complex trait analysis or quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping involves associations of known genetic markers with phenotypical values in the progeny of a segregating cross. Transcriptome-QTL analysis creates new challenges in multiple testing corrections. By exploiting individual genetic differences, a complex gene regulatory network can be defined, dissected, and perturbed experimentally. It is also possible to locate and identify key genes that generate downstream differences in mRNA abundance. Some of these key modulators of mRNA abundance may prove useful targets for disease prevention and treatment. Building a model of brain function from multipoint, multi-tissue gene expression, and phenomic observation is also described in the chapter.
D-alanine carboxypeptidase from Bacillus subtilis membranes. II. Interaction with penicillins and cephalosporins.

Abstract The purified d-alanine carboxypeptidase isolated from Bacillus subtilis was irreversibly inactivated by penicillin G and other β-lactam antibiotics. The reaction involved an initial reversible binding step followed by an irreversible step. Both the reversible binding constant (Ki) and the rate constant for irreversible inactivation (k3) were determined for a number of β-lactam antibiotics. In general Ki varied among these antibiotics much more than k3. Significant differences were also observed in the Ki for the pure soluble enzyme and that for the membrane bound enzyme; these differences might be attributable to the solubility of the β-lactam antibiotic in the membrane phase.
Diffusing Management Practices within the Firm: The Role of Information Provision

A key role of corporate managers is to encourage subsidiaries to adopt innovative practices. This paper examines the conditions under which corporate managers use information provision to encourage subsidiaries' adoption of advanced management practices. Focusing on the distribution of expertise across subsidiaries, we propose that corporate managers elect an information provision strategy when (i) subsidiaries, on average, possess moderate levels of related expertise, (ii) subsidiaries exhibit significant heterogeneity in this expertise, and (iii) the subsidiaries are more diversified and less concentrated. We examine the efforts to diffuse pollution prevention practices exhibited by manufacturing firms in the information and communication technology sector in the United States, and find empirical support for the four hypotheses developed here. The research presented in this paper has implications for our understanding not only of who adopts advanced environmental management practices, but more broadly, of when firms adopt information provision strategies to encourage knowledge transfer within the organization.
Use of Phages in Therapy and Bacterial Detection

The continued emergence of drug-resistant bacteria combined with the threat of bioterrorism necessitates a renewed effort to develop rapid detection methods and novel treatment strategies for infectious diseases. Bacteriophages may provide a viable option. The use of bacteriophages to treat infectious disease followed shortly after their discovery independently in 1915 by the English bacteriologist and physician Frederick Twort and in 1917 by the French-Canadian bacteriologist Felix d’Herelle. Earlier studies demonstrated the highly effective role of the innate immune system in the rapid removal of phages from the circulatory system, thereby decreasing the efficacy of intravenously injected phages. The results of independent experiments passing phage lambda through 10 successive cycles in mice were two mutant phages that were able to evade entrapment by the reticuloendothelium system. Supernatants were tested for phages with lytic activity, and one phage, designated oMR11, was selected based on its broad host range. Although toxin genes are an important consideration, they are by no means the only virulence factor encoded by phages. The potential for treating infectious diseases with phages has been pursued since their discovery, but for the reasons outlined in this chapter, phage therapy is not currently accepted in Western medicine. Phages can also be used in the clinical setting as tools for detecting specific bacteria from patient samples and for the rapid identification of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.
Mucosal iron transport by rat intestine.

Using highly sensitive 2-site immunoradiometric assays, we examined the relationship between iron absorption from closed intestinal loops and transferrin and ferritin concentrations in isolated duodenal mucosal cells. As in prior studies, mucosal ferritin correlates inversely with iron absorption and directly with body iron stores as measured by the concentration of nonheme iron in liver. Mucosal transferrin, on the other hand, varies directly with both the total mucosal uptake of radioiron and the proportion of this radioiron transferred from the mucosa to the carcass. The highest correlation with iron absorption was observed with the transferrin-ferritin ratio in isolated mucosal cells. These results suggest that there are two functionally distinct iron- binding compartments in the duodenal mucosa. One is a strong compartment, ferritin, and the other is a transport compartment, transferrin. Control of iron absorption by the intestinal mucosa is closely tied to the balance between these two intracellular iron compartments.
Increasing access to cholesterol screening in rural communities catalyzes cardiovascular disease prevention

Purpose Despite increasing frequency, little evidence guides cholesterol screening in less traditional health care settings, such as rural health fairs. Methods The Miller School of Medicine Department of Community Service (DOCS) is a student-run organization providing free basic health care to underserved South Florida communities. We retrospectively reviewed all new patients seen at 2007 DOCS rural fairs to describe their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) values. In addition, we assessed if patient characteristics were associated with cholesterol abnormalities and whether patients with abnormalities who returned to a subsequent fair in 2008 or 2009 improved their cholesterol. Findings Of 252 patients, 145 (58%) had an LDL cholesterol over 129 mg/dL and 61 (24%) had an HDL cholesterol below 40 mg/dL or 50 mg/dL for males and females, respectively. Baseline LDL cholesterol was not associated with body-mass index (BMI), age over 60 years, gender, healthy lifestyle habits, or insurance status. Of 36 patients with elevated LDL cholesterol and a follow-up screening, 24 (67%) reduced their LDL cholesterol by at least 16 mg/dL though reductions were not associated with BMI reduction, and 22 (61%) increased their HDL cholesterol by at least 5 mg/dL, trending with BMI reduction. Conclusions Cholesterol screening at rural fairs can identify a high proportion of patients with abnormal cholesterol, including those who might not be considered at high risk. Although this may catalyze favorable cholesterol changes, the lack of an association with weight loss suggests patients seek additional medical care, which should be considered before offering cholesterol screening at fairs.
A double-blind controlled trial of oral-pulse methotrexate therapy in the treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis

Background/Aims: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a progressive disease with no accepted effective treatment. Because methotrexate was associated with clinical and histological improvement in two men with PSC, we conducted a prospective trial of methotrexate in PSC. Methods: A prospective placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of methotrexate in PSC was performed. Twenty-four patients with PSC were randomized to receive methotrexate or placebo for a 2-year period. Seven of 12 taking methotrexate and five taking placebo had cirrhosis. Serial liver biopsies, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and biochemical tests of liver function were followed. Results: There were no significant changes in liver histological results, ERCP findings, tests of liver function (other than alkaline phosphatase), or outcome between the two groups. Mean alkaline phosphatase levels decreased by 152 IU in the methotrexate group and increased by 30 IU in the placebo group (P = 0.032). Patients taking methotrexate were more likely to reduce or discontinue cholestyramine than patients taking placebo. Conclusions: This study does not support efficacy for methotrexate in the treatment of PSC. On the basis of this study, the empiric use of methotrexate in patients with PSC is not recommended. However, methotrexate is being further evaluated in patients with precirrhotic PSC.
Distribution of Megastigmus aculeatus (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) and the levels of seed predation of Rosa multiflora (Rosaceae)

Rosa multiflora Thunb. (Rosaceae), an invasive plant that currently infests millions of hectares in the eastern half of the USA, was planted initially in the 1940s as a “living fence”, cover for game animals and for erosion control. The larvae of Megastigmus aculeatus var. nigroflavus Hoffmeyer (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) feed on the developing R. multiflora seeds and have the potential to reduce the seed output of R. multiflora. Rosehips were collected from 49 sites across eastern and southern Iowa, USA, to determine the presence and distribution of M. aculeatus, the larvae of which were found in 266 of the 979 (27%) rosehips that were dissected and at 31 of the 49 sites (63%) that were sampled. The levels of M. aculeatus infestation over 2–3 years were determined at three selected sites and it was documented that more seeds were aborted than were viable or contained wasp larvae. A negative relationship was observed between the numbers of both the aborted and the viable seeds and the probability of a rosehip being attacked by M. aculeatus, indicating that M. aculeatus females are not preferentially selecting rosehips with higher numbers of viable or aborted seeds for oviposition. There is a significant reduction in both the viable seeds and the aborted seeds in hips that have been attacked by M. aculeatus. Detailed knowledge of R. multiflora demography is necessary to determine the level of seed predation that is required to reduce the recruitment of new individuals into the population.
(1S,1′S,2R,2′R,4R,4′R)-N,N′-(1R,2R)-1,2-cyclohexanediyl bis[2-hydroxy-2,7,7-trimethylcyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-methanesulfonamide]

[264906-55-0] [264906-56-1] C26H46N2O6S2 (MW 546.78) InChI = 1S/C26H46N2O6S2/c1-23(2)17-9-11-25(23,21(29)13-17)15-35(31,32)27-19-7-5-6-8-20(19)28-36(33,34)16-26-12-10-18(14-22(26)30)24(26,3)4/h17-22,27-30H,5-16H2,1-4H3/t17-,18-,19-,20-,21-,22-,25-,26-/m1/s1 InChIKey = KVVHJCZXSZVOLS-BASDDVJQSA-N InChI = 1/C26H46N2O6S2/c1-23(2)17-9-11-25(23,21(29)13-17)15-35(31,32)27-19-7-5-6-8-20(19)28-36(33,34)16-26-12-10-18(14-22(26)30)24(26,3)4/h17-22,27-30H,5-16H2,1-4H3/t17-,18-,19-,20-,21-,22-,25-,26-/m1/s1 InChIKey = KVVHJCZXSZVOLS-BASDDVJQBC (reagent used as a ligand on titanium to generate a chiral Lewis acid for promotion of the asymmetric addition of alkyl, vinyl, dienyl, and aryl groups to ketones) Physical Data: mp 181–182 °C. Solubility: soluble dichloromethane, THF, toluene (slightly). Preparation: both enantiomers of the ligand are prepared in two steps from commercially available materials (eq 1). In the first step, the diamine and sulfonyl chloride react cleanly in the presence of triethylamine to afford the diketone in excellent yield. The crude diketone may be used directly in the NaBH4 reduction, which provides the desired ligand 1 as a mixture of diastereomers (3.5:1).1 The diastereomers are separable by column chromatography. The mixture of diastereomers has been used in some cases without detrimental effects on the enantioselectivity. (1) Purification: column chromatography on silica with ethyl acetate and hexanes. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: air-stable, crystalline solid. This ligand is used in combination with organozinc reagents that are pyrophoric and must be handled with care under nitrogen. Titanium tetraisopropoxide is used and should be distilled if needed. The ligand has also been used in tandem asymmetric addition/diastereoselective epoxidation reactions with oxygen or tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), which are oxidants. When these oxidants are employed in combination with dialkylzinc reagents, appropriate precautions must be taken.
Numerical benchmark solutions for time-dependent neutral particle transport in one-dimensional homogeneous media using integral transport

The time-dependent, neutral particle, single-collision kernels have been used to produce benchmark type solutions in one-dimensional planar and spherical geometries. The solution procedure begins with the formulation of an inhomogeneous integral equation for time-dependent transport. This equation is evaluated using standard integral equation methods and numerical integration techniques. Excellent agreement with benchmark values in the available literature have been achieved for singular sources in planar and spherical infinite medium geometries. The solution technique has been further used to produce finite medium benchmark solutions in the same one-dimensional geometries. This work once again demonstrates, what past experience with steady-state problems has shown, that highly accurate solutions for neutral particle transport can be obtained using the integral equation formulation of the transport equation.
Side reading and side writing effects of track follower loop gain

A theoretical explanation is given for an experimentally observed dependency of track follower loop gain on the side reading and side writing properties of conventional monolithic ferrite recording heads using thin-film media in high track density disk drives. Following the problem definition and a summary of experimentally observed gain variation effects, it is shown that these effects are due to variation in the amount of side interference present in the readback servo code waveform. By applying A. van Herk's (1977) theory of side reading and Y. Ichiyama's (1977) equation for side writing, it is possible to make accurate quantitative predictions of the amount of variation present. >
Process control software

This paper examines the nature of the software which is necessary so that a real-time computer may be used to control industrial processes. The general nature of a process control software system is discussed, and several methods for implementing such a system are examined. This paper is divided into several sections. First, the general structure of process control software systems is examined, and the programming problems associated with developing such a system are discussed. Then several tools for doing this programming are discussed, including problem-oriented languages, "fill-in-the-blank programming systems," procedural programming languages, and the operating systems which are used to tie the different portions of a process control system together. This paper closes with a dicussion of future trends in process control software, and recent activities in developing software standards. It will be assumed that the reader is generally familiar with software with at least a passable knowledge of FORTRAN programming.
A Lagrangian Model to Predict the Modification of Near-Surface Scalar Mixing Ratios and Air–Water Exchange Fluxes in Offshore Flow

A model was developed to predict the modification with fetch in offshore flow of mixing ratio, air–water exchange flux, and near-surface vertical gradients in mixing ratio of a scalar due to air–water exchange. The model was developed for planning and interpretation of air–water exchange flux measurements in the coastal zone. The Lagrangian model applies a mass balance over the internal boundary layer (IBL) using the integral depth scale approach, previously applied to development of the nocturnal boundary layer overland. Surface fluxes and vertical profiles in the surface layer were calculated using the NOAA COARE bulk algorithm and gas transfer model (e.g., Blomquist et al. 2006, Geophys Res Lett 33:1–4). IBL height was assumed proportional to the square root of fetch, and estimates of the IBL growth rate coefficient, α, were obtained by three methods: (1) calibration of the model to a large dataset of air temperature and humidity modification over Lake Ontario in 1973, (2) atmospheric soundings from the 2004 New England Air Quality Study and (3) solution of a simplified diffusion equation and an estimate of eddy diffusivity from Monin–Obukhov similarity theory (MOST). Reasonable agreement was obtained between the calibrated and MOST values of α for stable, neutral, and unstable conditions, and estimates of α agreed with previously published parametrizations that were valid for the stable IBL only. The parametrization of α provides estimates of IBL height, and the model estimates modification of scalar mixing ratio, fluxes, and near-surface gradients, under conditions of coastal offshore flow (0–50 km) over a wide range in stability.
Language and technology: Partners in helping students with disabilities develop numeracy

Improving the mathematics skills of students with disabilities has long challenged both teachers and researchers. Not surprisingly, the research in this area has focused primarily on identifying and teaching students strategies for unlocking the meaning of text‐based problems because most instructional materials and assessments define problem solving this way. However, text‐based problems rarely generate the academic, attitudinal, and emotional responses in low‐achieving students that problems in everyday life do. This paper describes how Enhanced Anchored Instruction (EAI) uses video‐based math problems to promote the development of math skills in low‐achieving adolescents.
Behavior features of soot combustion in diesel particulate filter

Infra-red measuremnts of the combustion of particular matter (PM) deposited on the surface of a single layer diesel particulate filter (DPF) showed that it may proceed in three different modes: either by a moving hot zone emanating from a single ignition point, or hot zones generated at several different ignition points or uniform combustion all over the surface. The velocity of the downwards moving temperature front exceeds that of the upstream front bounding the hot zone. The number of ignition points increases as the PM loading is decreased. The highest temperature rise is obtained by a downward moving hot zone. Avoiding this mode of combustion decreases the probability of excessive hot zone formation during the PM regeneration.
CO2-selective polymeric membranes containing amines in crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol)

Abstract CO 2 -selective membranes have a variety of applications, such as synthesis gas purification, natural gas sweetening, and greenhouse gas sequestration. In this study, CO 2 -selective membranes containing both mobile and fixed carriers in crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) were synthesized. Transport properties of membranes, including CO 2 flux and permeability, H 2 flux and permeability, CO 2 /H 2 selectivity, and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity, were studied with a gas stream consisting of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. The effects of feed pressure, water content, and temperature on transport properties were investigated. The membranes showed good CO 2 permeabilities and CO 2 /H 2 selectivities up to 170 °C. At 120 °C, the CO 2 permeability and CO 2 /H 2 selectivity reached 8200 Barrers (1 Barrer = 10 −10 cm 3 (STP) cm/(cm 2 s cm Hg)) and 450, respectively. The synthesized membranes also had high CO 2 /CO selectivities in the temperature range of 100–170 °C.
Thirty Years of Broadcasting Africa on U.S. Network Television News

This study examines the coverage of Africa by the U.S. television networks over a 30-year period, to determine whether the evening news broadcasts pay equal attention to Africa compared to South America and Europe. Also assessed is whether incidents of wars, famine, and public health crises and the increasing importance of Africa's oil, gold, and diamonds on the international market, continue to dominate the U.S. television network evening news coverage of the continent. A content analysis of ABC World News, NBC News, and CBS Evening News shows that coverage of Africa has steadily decreased more than coverage of other regions. The majority of international stories were about Europe while coverage of Africa on all three networks was far less when compared to other regions. Also, conflicts and crises dominated Africa's coverage throughout the 3 decades and stories linked a considerable amount of the news events to a particular U.S. interest. More results and their implications are discussed in detail.
Remedial measures and disposal practices for wastes containing dioxins and furans

Abstract Recent events in Seveso, Italy and in Niagara Falls, New York, Jacksonville, Arkansas, and the State of Missouri regarding polychlorinated dioxins (PCDDs) and a major transformer fire in Binghamton, New York involving polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated furans (PCDFs), have clearly illustrated the need for swift, appropriate, remedial measures to control and contain contaminated areas. The paper discusses alternative approaches that have been or are currently being employed for the destruction or containment of PCDD-, PCB-, or PCDF-contaminated wastes in the United States. Because of the notoriety of these “political wastes”, evaluation of control measures is made more difficult; however, some generally useful conclusions are detailed.
Delayed mGluR5 activation limits neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration after traumatic brain injury.

Background Traumatic brain injury initiates biochemical processes that lead to secondary neurodegeneration. Imaging studies suggest that tissue loss may continue for months or years after traumatic brain injury in association with chronic microglial activation. Recently we found that metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) activation by (RS)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG) decreases microglial activation and release of associated pro-inflammatory factors in vitro, which is mediated in part through inhibition of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. Here we examined whether delayed CHPG administration reduces chronic neuroinflammation and associated neurodegeneration after experimental traumatic brain injury in mice.
Active Trafficking of Alpha 1 Antitrypsin across the Lung Endothelium

The homeostatic lung protective effects of alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) may require the transport of circulating proteinase inhibitor across an intact lung endothelial barrier. We hypothesized that uninjured pulmonary endothelial cells transport A1AT to lung epithelial cells. Purified human A1AT was rapidly taken up by confluent primary rat pulmonary endothelial cell monolayers, was secreted extracellularly, both apically and basolaterally, and was taken up by adjacent rat lung epithelial cells co-cultured on polarized transwells. Similarly, polarized primary human lung epithelial cells took up basolaterally-, but not apically-supplied A1AT, followed by apical secretion. Evidence of A1AT transcytosis across lung microcirculation was confirmed in vivo by two-photon intravital microscopy in mice. Time-lapse confocal microscopy indicated that A1AT co-localized with Golgi in the endothelium whilst inhibition of the classical secretory pathway with tunicamycin significantly increased intracellular retention of A1AT. However, inhibition of Golgi secretion promoted non-classical A1AT secretion, associated with microparticle release. Polymerized A1AT or A1AT supplied to endothelial cells exposed to soluble cigarette smoke extract had decreased transcytosis. These results suggest previously unappreciated pathways of A1AT bidirectional uptake and secretion from lung endothelial cells towards the alveolar epithelium and airspaces. A1AT trafficking may determine its functional bioavailablity in the lung, which could be impaired in individuals exposed to smoking or in those with A1AT deficiency.
The effect of the dose of diethylnitrosamine on the initiation of altered hepatic foci in neonatal female rats.

The dose-response characteristics of initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was investigated in the neonatal female rat by means of the quantitative stereologic estimation of altered hepatic foci (AHF) expressing multiple markers. At 5 days of age, female Sprague-Dawley rats were given a single i.p. dose of DEN (0.1-30 mg/kg body wt) or the vehicle (trioctanoin). The semisynthetic AIN-76A diet was provided to half of the rats in each treatment group, while the remainder received this diet containing 500 mg phenobarbital (PB)/kg for 8 months from weaning until the animals were killed. To ascertain more exactly the dose-response relationship for initiation by DEN, the number, volume percentage and phenotypes of the resulting AHF were determined by quantitative stereological analysis on serial sections of frozen tissue, each stained for one of four markers of preneoplasia. A linear relationship was observed between the dose of DEN (0-30 mg/kg) and the number and volume percentage of AHF detected, with each single marker or the total number of AHF detected when the placental isozyme of glutathione S transferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), canalicular adenosine triphosphatase, or glucose-6-phosphatase was used as the marker. For each dose, PB administration increased the number and volume of AHF scored compared with similarly initiated rats that did not receive a promoting stimulus. This was, in part, owing to enhanced GGT expression in AHF with PB administration. Promotion by PB resulted in a distribution of AHF phenotypes altered from that observed in rats not receiving PB. Initiation of AHF in neonatal female rats by DEN was linear with doses from 0 to 30 mg/kg for all four of the phenotypic markers employed. In addition, while PB administration stimulated the growth of all AHF phenotypes, the growth of a subset of AHF that expressed the widest variation in preneoplastic markers was specifically enhanced by PB administration.
Buckminsterfullerene-Containing Microemulsions

We have shown that C{sub 60}-containing microemulsions can be readily prepared. This opens up the possibility of studying C{sub 60} molecules in a medium which has significant practical applications. One of the most intriguing aspects of this work is the revelation of a local C{sub 60} environment, inside the micelles, which is largely aromatic and weakly polar. This shows that van der Waals interactions between a fullerene molecule and the aromatic {pi} cloud of the solvent molecules are important in bringing the solute into solution in a largely aliphatic micellar interior. 23 refs., 1 fig.
Ruthenium cluster compounds containing 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf): an electrochemical analysis and the crystal structure of [Ru3(CO)11]2(μ-dppf)

Abstract The electrochemistry of 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) derivatives of Ru3(CO)12 was investigated. Two known compounds [Ru3(CO)8(μ-dppf)2 (1) and Ru3(CO)10dppf (2)] and a new compound [Ru3(CO)11(μ-dppf)Ru3(CO)11 (3)] were prepared. Compound 3 was characterized spectroscopically and an X-ray crystal structure was obtained. The reductive electrochemistry of 1 and 2 showed an irreversible reduction and a follow-up oxidation, similar to Ru3(CO)12. The electrochemistry of compound 3 showed two irreversible waves and a follow-up oxidation. A trend in the reduction potential vs. the number of coordinated phosphorus atoms was noted. The oxidative electrochemistry of 1–3 showed a dppf-based chemically reversible wave, and an irreversible wave similar to that of Ru3(CO)12. Trends were also noted between the oxidation potential and the number of coordinated phosphorus atoms.
Metabolism of serum proteins. I. Albumin labeled with valine-1-C14 and methionine-S35.

Abstract Biosynthetically labeled serum albumin has been isolated following the administration of methionine-S35 and valine-1-C14 to a rat, and its S 35 C 14 ratio has been determined. The albumin was given intravenously to a recipient rat, and the serum albumin was recovered in an identical fashion after a period of 2 or 6 days. Isotopic analysis of the two albumin preparations has shown an increase in the S 35 C 14 ratio during the metabolic period. This would suggest that the C14-containing amino acids within the intact protein molecule are in a more metabolically labile state than are the S35-containing structures. An exchange of free amino acids from the surrounding medium with their like residues within the framework of the plasma protein is discussed as an explanation of the observed results.
Characterization and modeling of extensional and bending actuation in ionomeric polymer transducers

Ionomeric polymer transducers have received considerable attention in the past ten years due to their ability to generate large bending strain and moderate stress at low applied voltages. Bending transducers made of an ionomeric polymer membrane sandwiched between two flexible electrodes deform through the expansion of one electrode and contraction of the opposite electrode due to cation displacement. This is similar to a bimorph-type actuation. In this study we report actuation through the thickness of the membrane, leading to the potential of a new actuation mechanism for ionomeric polymer materials. Several experiments are performed to compare bending actuation with extensional actuation. A novel fabrication process previously developed by the authors, called the direct assembly process, is used to fabricate ionic polymer transducers with controlled electrode dimensions and morphology. In the first experiment, the actuators are cut in a beam shape and are allowed to bend in a cantilever configuration. In the second set of experiments, bending is constrained by sandwiching the membranes between two solid metal plates and force is measured across the thickness of the actuator. A bimorph model is used to assess the effect of electrode thickness on the strain. In the bimorph model, the electrode is assumed to be the 'active area' that generates strain due to charge displacement. An electromechanical coupling model that relates strain to charge is assumed. This model contains a linear and a quadratic term that acts at the active area and produces volumetric strain. The quadratic term in the strain generates a zero net bending moment for ionic polymer transducers with symmetric electrodes, while the linear term is canceled in extensional actuation for symmetric electrodes. The model successfully predicts the bending response from parameters computed using experimental thickness results. The prediction is particularly precise in estimating the trends of nonlinearity as a function of the amount of asymmetry between the two electrodes.
Law Enforcement Mission Statements Post-September 11

Mission statements are instruments of organization communication. They have the ability to shape the attitudes and behavior of individuals in the organization. They also have the ability to shape the perceptions of the public. Changes in organizational activity and responsibility are often accompanied by changes in the written mission of the organization. At times these changes are brought about by conflict or crisis. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, are presented here as the impetus for change in law enforcement mission statements. This research examines the extent to which law enforcement agencies have incorporated references to terrorism in their mission statements. The research also examines the ease with which citizens are able to locate these mission statements through accessing agency Web sites. The content of law enforcement mission statements is also examined in respect to five key dimensions.
Ectopic expression of Musashi-1 in alzheimer disease and pick disease

Abnormal accumulation of proteins in filamentous cytoplasmic inclusions is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer disease (AD) and Pick disease (PD). Musashi-1 (Msi-1), an RNA-binding protein associated with neural progenitor cells, has been shown by others to increase the accumulation of tau isoforms in intracellular inclusions in frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17. We investigated the expression of Msi-1 in the hippocampus of AD, PD, and aged normal control subjects using immunohistochemistry. Comparison of immediately adjacent serial sections stained using the modified Bielschowsky method and immunostained for Msi-1 showed that Msi-1 was present in 83 +/- 6% of neurofibrillary tangle bearing neurons in AD and 94 +/- 14% of Pick bodies in PD specimens. Aged control hippocampus demonstrated virtually no Msi-1 immunostaining. The presence of Msi-1 in a significant percentage of neurons containing cytoplasmic inclusions in 2 different neurodegenerative diseases suggests that it may play a role in the pathogenesis of these lesions.
Three models of song learning: evidence from behavior

Research on avian song learning has traditionally been based on an instructional model, as exemplified by the sensorimotor model of song development. Several large-scale, species-wide field studies of learned birdsongs have revealed that variation is narrowly restricted to certain aspects of song structure. Other aspects are sufficiently stereotyped and so widely shared by species' members that they qualify as species-specific universals. The limitations on natural song variation are difficult to reconcile with a fully open, instructive model of song learning. An alternative model based on memorization by selection postulates a system of innate neural templates that facilitate the recognition and rapid memorization of conspecific song patterns. Behavioral evidence compatible with this model includes learning preferences, rapid conspecific song learning, and widespread ocurrence of species-specific song universals that are recognized innately but fail to develop in songs of social isolates. A third model combines instruction, in the memorization phase, with selection during song production. An overproduced repertoire of plastic songs previously memorized by instruction is winnowed by selection imposed during social interactions at the time of adult song crystallization. Selection during production is well established as a factor in the song development of several species, in the form of action-based learning. The possible role of selective processes in song memorization merits further neurobiological investigation.
The control of errors in i.r. spectrophotometry—III. Transmission measurements using thin cells

Abstract In the determination of accurate transmission intensities the use of a compensating cell in the reference beam of an i.r. spectrophotometer is only feasible for measurements on dilute solutions. Spectra of pure liquids and solids must be obtained with an open reference beam and the radiation losses in the cell must be computed by the application of classical optical theory to the passage of the radiation through the cell system. This creates special problems where the absorption bands are strong and thin films must be used in which the path length is of the same order as the wavelength. Reflection and interference phenomena in the cell system are considered quantitatively as also are the effects of the convergence of the incident beam, the probable non-parallelism of the cell windows, the polarization discrimination of the spectrophotometer and the imperfect polish of the cell windows. It is shown that the non-parallelism of the cell windows can introduce significant errors in intensity measurements and a method is described for determining the wedge effect in the cell cavity and for the measurement of the transmission when such wedge shaped cells are used in convergent radiation beams. Computer programs to deal with these problems have been developed and will be available.
Lithographically defined integrable air-lifted bow-tie antennas

A vertically placed monopole type bow-tie antenna has been fabricated using dynamic mode multidirectional ultraviolet (UV) lithography and polymer metallization on a non-transparent printing wiring board. A photopatternable liquid state polyurethane is utilized to define a bow-tie antenna backbone with a height of 4.5mm, a top portion width of 3mm, a bottom portion width of 800µm, and a flare angle of 30°, which allows a resonant radiation frequency of 12 GHz. The printing wiring board with a thickness of 508 µm has a drilled hole with a diameter of 800 µm through which backside tilting exposure has been performed to define the vertical bow-tie slab. Conductor backed coplanar waveguide (CB-CPW) has been used for feeding the air-lifted bow-tie antenna. The measurement results show a resonant radiation frequency of 12.34GHz and a 10dB-bandwidth of 7%. It shows an omnidirectional far-field radiation pattern based on simulation. Different shapes of air-lifted backbone for 12GHz resonant radiation has been fabricated and the performance has been simulated using a high frequency structure simulator tool.
Super-Amorphous Alumina Gels

The structures of alumina gels made from aluminum sec butoxide have been studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy as a function of pH as well as of the temperature of peptization and gelling. The structures of these gels appear to be very sensitive to the conditions of preparation, and lead to a variety of gelled products and transformation behaviors on firing. Specific attention is directed to preferential orientation and to structures which are X-ray super-amorphous.
Adjusting Expectations: The Study of Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency in Second Language Acquisition

It is a good practice to try to understand matters at hand by first stepping back and adopting an historical perspective, which I will begin this review by doing. Next, I will take up the challenges that each of the authors in the articles in this volume has presented for the study of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) in second language acquisition. Finally, I will conclude by issuing a few challenges of my own, along with proposing a broader frame in which to situate the study of CAF.
Effect of diffusion layer pH and solubility on the dissolution rate of pharmaceutical acids and their sodium salts II: Salicylic acid, theophylline, and benzoic acid

The pH-solubility profiles of salicylic acid and theophylline, as determined by the addition of HCl or NaOH to their aqueous suspensions, were identical with those of their sodium salts except during phase transitions from acid to salt or vice versa. Supersaturated solutions were formed during phase transitions. Unlike the solubility profiles, the pH-intrinsic dissolution rate profiles of an acid and its salt differed greatly. Good conformity with the Noyes-Whitney equation was demonstrated when the solubility values under pH conditions as the diffusion layer thickness, h, approaches zero (Cs,h = 0) were used rather than solubilities under pH conditions of the bulk media (Cs). The pH when h approaches zero (pHh = 0) was estimated by equilibration of a dissolution medium with an excess of material. Good correlation was shown between the pHh = 0 values of benzoic acid estimated according to this method and the pHh = 0 values reported in the literature. The intrinsic dissolution rate constant, the ratio of the diffusion coefficient to the diffusion layer thickness (D/h), may be assumed constant when comparing the dissolution rates of salicylic acid, theophylline and sodium theophylline. On the other hand, D/h decreased significantly during dissolution of sodium salicylate due to a large increase in Cs,h = 0 and the consequent increase in viscosity in the diffusion layer. A simple method of predicting the dissolution rate of an acid or a salt at different pH values has been developed.
Novel value‐added uses for sweet potato juice and flour in polyphenol‐ and protein‐enriched functional food ingredients

Blackcurrant, blueberry, and muscadine grape juices were efficiently sorbed, concentrated, and stabilized into dry granular ingredient matrices which combined anti-inflammatory and antioxidant fruit polyphenols with sweet potato functional constituents (carotenoids, vitamins, polyphenols, fibers). Total phenolics were highest in blackcurrant-orange sweet potato ingredient matrices (34.03 mg/g), and lowest in muscadine grape-yellow sweet potato matrices (10.56 mg/g). Similarly, anthocyanins were most concentrated in blackcurrant-fortified orange and yellow sweet potato matrices (5.40 and 6.54 mg/g, respectively). Alternatively, other protein-rich edible matrices (defatted soy flour, light roasted peanut flour, and rice protein concentrate) efficiently captured polyphenols (6.09–9.46 mg/g) and anthocyanins (0.77–1.27 mg/g) from purple-fleshed sweet potato juice, with comparable efficiency. Antioxidant activity correlated well with total phenolic content. All formulated ingredient matrices stabilized and preserved polyphenols for up to 24 weeks, even when stored at 37°C. Complexation with juice-derived polyphenols did not significantly alter protein or carbohydrate profiles of the matrices. Sensory evaluation of the ingredient matrices suggested potential uses for a wide range of functional food products.
Combination treatment significantly enhances the efficacy of antitumor therapy by preferentially targeting angiogenesis

Combination treatment significantly enhances the efficacy of antitumor therapy by preferentially targeting angiogenesis
Cold, dilute, trapped bosons as an open quantum system

We present a master equation governing the reduced density operator for a single trapped mode of a cold, dilute, weakly interacting Bose gas, and we obtain an operator fluctuation-dissipation relation in which the Ginzburg-Landau effective potential plays a physically transparent role. We also identify a decoherence effect that tends to preserve symmetry, even when the effective potential has a ``Mexican hat'' form.
Electrically induced patterning in block copolymer films

Thin films of block copolymers were manipulated on two different length scales simultaneously by use of an electric field. Electrostatic pressure generated at the surface of a block copolymer film ...
Shift multiplexed holographic 3D disk

Keywords: shift multiplexing ; holographic 3D disks ; surface storage density Reference EPFL-CONF-158466View record in Web of Science Record created on 2010-11-25, modified on 2017-05-10