cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aerospace Propulsion and Power Materials and Structures Research at NASA Glenn Research Center

AbstractThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) is well recognized for its contributions toward development of advanced materials and structures for aerospace propulsion and power systems. The Structures and Materials Division conducts research across a broad range of technical areas relevant to the agency’s future aeronautics and space mission requirements. This paper will introduce the technical areas of strategic importance in the Structures and Materials Division today and briefly address some of the specific research activities within these areas. A broad look at how the research areas of emphasis have evolved over time, beginning in the early 1940s when the GRC was first formed, will be discussed. Examples of some of the more notable research accomplishments and their impact on the aerospace industry over this time period will be included. A discussion of the division’s planned technical directions believed to be required to meet the longer-term national ...
Equation of state and ideals-gas heat capacity of a gaseous mixture of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, pentafluoroethane, and difluoromethane

We present the gas-phase equation of state and ideal-gas heat capacity of a ternary mixture (nominal molar concentration) of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (35%), pentafluoroethane (30%), and difluoromethane (35%) for temperatures between 260 and 453 K and pressures between 0.05 and 7.7 MPa. These results were based on two very different measurement techniques. The first technique measured the gas density of the mixture in a Burnett apparatus from 313 to 453 K and from 0.2 to 7.7 MPa. The second technique deduced the gas density and ideal-gas heat capacity from high-accuracy speed-of-sound measurements in the mixture at temperatures between 260 and 400 K and at pressures between 0.05 and 1.0 MPa. The data from the two techniques were analyzed together to obtain an equation of state that reproduced the densities from the Burnett technique with a fractional RMS deviation of 0.038%, and it also reproduced the sound speeds with a fractional RMS deviation of 0.003%. Finally, the results are compared to a predictive model based on the properties of the pure fluids.
Amino Acid Propensities for the Collagen Triple-Helix†

Determination of the tendencies of amino acids to form α-helical and β-sheet structures has been important in clarifying stabilizing interactions, protein design, and the protein folding problem. In this study, we have determined for the first time a complete scale of amino acid propensities for another important protein motif: the collagen triple-helix conformation with its Gly-X-Y repeating sequence. Guest triplets of the form Gly-X-Hyp and Gly-Pro-Y are used to quantitate the conformational propensities of all 20 amino acids for the X and Y positions in the context of a (Gly-Pro-Hyp)8 host peptide. The rankings for both the X and Y positions show the highly stabilizing nature of imino acids and the destabilizing effects of Gly and aromatic residues. Many residues show differing propensities in the X versus Y position, related to the nonequivalence of these positions in terms of interchain interactions and solvent exposure. The propensity of amino acids to adopt a polyproline II-like conformation plays...
Authoritarian Traits as Predictors of Candidate Preference in 1968 United States Presidential Election

The literature on the relationship of authoritarianism and political behavior is complex. This study investigated the relation of candidate preference during the 1968 presidential election to score...
Cocaine alters dendritic spine density in cortical and subcortical brain regions of the postpartum and virgin female rat

Cocaine use during pregnancy induces profound neural and behavioral deficits in both mother and offspring. The present study was designed to compare the effects of cocaine exposure on spine density of postpartum and virgin female rat brains. Timed, pregnant, primiparous rats were injected with either cocaine (30 mg/kg) or saline, once daily, from gestational day 8 to 20. Twenty-four hours after giving birth, dam brains were processed for Golgi-impregnation. Virgin females were also injected with the same dose of cocaine or saline for 12 days and sacrificed 24 h after the last injection for comparison. Pregnant rats had significantly greater spine density in the medial amygdala (MeA) and medial preoptic area (MPOA) and lower spine density in CA1 than virgin females independent of cocaine treatment. Cocaine significantly increased dendritic spine density on the apical branch of pyramidal cells in the prefrontal cortex (PFC, 15%), both apical (13%) and basal (14.8%) branches of CA1 and cells in the MeA (28%) of pregnant rats. In the MPOA, cocaine administration resulted in a decrease in dendritic spine density (14%) in pregnant rats. In virgin females, cocaine had fewer effects but did increase dendritic spine density on both branches of CA1 neurons and in the MeA. The present study is the first to demonstrate that spine density differs between pregnant and virgin females and that pregnancy makes the brain more vulnerable to cocaine, which has important clinical implications.
Some effects of boundary conditions and fluid properties on vacillation in thermally driven rotating flow in an annulus

Abstract A series of laboratory experiments have been carried out which demonstrate the conditions favourable for vacillation in baroclinic thermally driven flows in a rotating annular convection chamber. As earlier studies have indicated amplitude vacillation occurs close to the transitions between dominant wave numbers in the regime under which regular waves are observed. Amplitude vacillation is shown to be less common when the depth of the system is decreased; it is not greatly affected by the use of a free or rigid upper boundary condition. It is however much more frequent when the Prandtl number of the convecting fluid is increased from 11 to 74 although in these experiments other parameters of the system, eg the isotherm slopes, were necessarily changed. Shape vacillation is only significant in the experiments when the upper surface is free; it is not influenced by the nature of the fluid. An heuristic argument is advanced to account for the observations of amplitude vacillation. This is shown to b...
Effects of exchange transfusion with perfluorochemical emulsions on hepatic oxygen supply and blood flow in the rat

Exchange-transfusion to hematocrit 20 with isotonic perfluorochemical (PFC) emulsions containing 3% hydroxyethylstarch (HES) in rats breathing 100% oxygen produced significant reductions of hepatic PO2 and blood flow in comparison to rats hemodiluted with isotonic 3% or 6% HES solution. The results indicate that PFC and/or emulsifiers were associated with adverse effects on liver blood supply.
Land-use system modeling and analysis of shaded cacao production in Belize

Shaded cacao (Theobroma cacao) cultivation is a tropical land-use that has potential to reduce pressure on the forest and provide additional income to smallholder growers. A land-use system (LUS) model was formulated to represent the economic returns derived from shaded cacao production practiced by smallholders in the Toledo district of Belize. Sixty scenarios were tested to elicit response of net-present-value (NPV), returns to labor, and annual returns to land (ARTL) to individual changes in 10 system parameters. Further scenarios tested the combined interactions between hardwood shade tree type, planting density, time to harvest hardwoods, cacao cultivation practice, and expected output. As a modeling exercise, LUS analysis highlights system components that government agencies, donors, NGOs, extension agents, and smallholders should target with policies, agri-silvi- culture projects, and further research. Results identify more favorable credit, labor-saving technology, better shade-management practices, grafting, and incorporating non-hardwood shade trees and laurel (Cordia alliadora) as interventions that could improve cacao financial performance and encourage adoption. At present, the model cannot predict whether smallholders would respond to recommendations and invest in shaded cacao cultivation in lieu of alternative agricultural land-uses or off-farm employment.
A proof of Kirillov's conjecture

Let G = GLn(K) where K is either R or C and let P = Pn(K) be the subgroup of matrices in GLn(K) consisting of matrices whose last row is (0, 0, . . . , 0, 1). Let π be an irreducible unitary representation of G. Gelfand and Neumark [Gel-Neu] proved that if K = C and π is in the Gelfand-Neumark series of irreducible unitary representations of G then the restriction of π to P remains irreducible. Kirillov [Kir] conjectured that this should be true for all irreducible unitary representations π of GLn(K), where K is R or C:
Partial attenuation of hemodynamic responses to rapid sequence induction and intubation with labetalol.

Abstract The effectiveness of labetalol (a combination nonselective beta and alpha-1-adrenergic receptor antagonist) in modifying hemodynamic responses associated with rapid sequence induction and tracheal intubation was evaluated. In a double-blind study, 24 ASA physical status I or II male patients scheduled for elective surgery were given either IV labetalol, 0.25 mg/kg (n = 8) or 0.75 mg/kg (n = 8), or a saline placebo (n = 8). Five minutes later, patients were given oxygen by mask and IV vecuronium, 0.01 mglkg. Ten minutes after giving labetalol or placebo, cricoid pressure was applied and anesthesia was induced with IV sodium thiopental (4 mg/kg) and succinylcholine (1.5 mg/kg) 1 minute prior to intubation. The mean duration of laryngoscopy was 17 ± 3 seconds. Prior to induction, the 0.25 mg/kg and 0.75 mg/kg) doses of labetalol significantly ( p p
Identification and characterization of the maize arogenate dehydrogenase gene family

In plants, the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine are synthesized from arogenate by arogenate dehydrogenase and arogenate dehydratase, respectively, with the relative flux to each being tightly controlled. Here the characterization of a maize opaque endosperm mutant (mto140), which also shows retarded vegetative growth, is described The opaque phenotype co-segregates with a Mutator transposon insertion in an arogenate dehydrogenase gene (zmAroDH-1) and this led to the characterization of the four-member family of maize arogenate dehydrogenase genes (zmAroDH-1–zmAroDH-4) which share highly similar sequences. A Mutator insertion at an equivalent position in AroDH-3, the most closely related family member to AroDH-1, is also associated with opaque endosperm and stunted vegetative growth phenotypes. Overlapping but differential expression patterns as well as subtle mutant effects on the accumulation of tyrosine and phenylalanine in endosperm, embryo, and leaf tissues suggest that the functional redundancy of this gene family provides metabolic plasticity for the synthesis of these important amino acids. mto140/arodh-1 seeds shows a general reduction in zein storage protein accumulation and an elevated lysine phenotype typical of other opaque endosperm mutants, but it is distinct because it does not result from quantitative or qualitative defects in the accumulation of specific zeins but rather from a disruption in amino acid biosynthesis.
Metabolism of Abnormal Cartilage Cells Associated with Tibial Dyschondroplasia

Similarities in morphology between copper-deficient cartilage and abnormal cartilage associated with tibial dyschondroplasis (TD) led to studies dealing with copper metabolism and its possible relation to TD. Abnormal cartilage and copper deficient cartilage cells both oxidize significantly less glucose to CO2 and water when compared to normal epiphyseal and day-old hypertrophic cartilage cells. Plasma ceruloplasmin levels and cartilage copper content were not different between normal birds and those affected wth TD, which seemed to rule out a genetic defect in copper metabolism as being partly responsible for the abnormal cartilage occurrence. Mitochondrial marker enzyme activities were investigated, and abnormal cartilage showed a significant decrease in activity of both cytochrome oxidase and citrate synthase. The yield of mitochondria on a percent of total activity basis was quite low from both normal and abnormal cartilages, and, thus, an absolute conclusion with regard to mitochondrial impairment cannot be made at this time.
Structure-Guided Design of a High-Affinity Platelet Integrin αIIbβ3 Receptor Antagonist That Disrupts Mg2+ Binding to the MIDAS

An integrin found on platelets, α(IIb)β(3) mediates platelet aggregation, and α(IIb)β(3) antagonists are effective antithrombotic agents in the clinic. Ligands bind to integrins in part by coordinating a magnesium ion (Mg(2+)) located in the β subunit metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS). Drugs patterned on the integrin ligand sequence Arg-Gly-Asp have a basic moiety that binds the α(IIb) subunit and a carboxyl group that coordinates the MIDAS Mg(2+) in the β(3) subunits. They induce conformational changes in the β(3) subunit that may have negative consequences such as exposing previously hidden epitopes and inducing the active conformation of the receptor. We recently reported an inhibitor of α(IIb)β(3) (RUC-1) that binds exclusively to the α(IIb) subunit; here, we report the structure-based design and synthesis of RUC-2, a RUC-1 derivative with a ~100-fold higher affinity. RUC-2 does not induce major conformational changes in β(3) as judged by monoclonal antibody binding, light scattering, gel chromatography, electron microscopy, and a receptor priming assay. X-ray crystallography of the RUC-2-α(IIb)β(3) headpiece complex in 1 mM calcium ion (Ca(2+))/5 mM Mg(2+) at 2.6 A revealed that RUC-2 binds to α(IIb) the way RUC-1 does, but in addition, it binds to the β(3) MIDAS residue glutamic acid 220, thus displacing Mg(2+) from the MIDAS. When the Mg(2+) concentration was increased to 20 mM, however, Mg(2+) was identified in the MIDAS and RUC-2 was absent. RUC-2's ability to inhibit ligand binding and platelet aggregation was diminished by increasing the Mg(2+) concentration. Thus, RUC-2 inhibits ligand binding by a mechanism different from that of all other α(IIb)β(3) antagonists and may offer advantages as a therapeutic agent.
Age Group and Sex Do Not Influence Responses of Vitamin K Biomarkers to Changes in Dietary Vitamin K

Inadequate vitamin K intake has been associated with abnormal soft tissue calcification. Older adults may have insufficient intakes of vitamin K and respond less to vitamin K supplementation compared with younger adults. However, little is known about the determinants that influence the response to vitamin K supplementation. Our primary objective was to assess dietary and nondietary determinants of vitamin K status in healthy younger and older adults. In a nonrandomized, nonmasked study, 21 younger (18–40 y) and 21 older (55–80 y) men and women consumed a baseline diet (200 μg phylloquinone/d) for 5 d, a phylloquinone-restricted diet (10 μg phylloquinone/d) for 28 d, and a phylloquinone-supplemented diet (500 μg phylloquinone/d) for 28 d. Changes in vitamin K status markers in response to vitamin K depletion and repletion were studied and the influences of BMI, body fat, and circulating TG were assessed by including them as covariates in the model. Despite baseline differences in measures of vitamin K status, plasma phylloquinone tended to increase (P = 0.07) and the percentage of uncarboxylated osteocalcin and uncarboxylated prothrombin both improved with phylloquinone supplementation (P < 0.007), regardless of age group or sex. Only the excretion of urinary menadione, a vitamin K metabolite, was greater among younger adults in response to depletion than in older adults (P = 0.012), regardless of sex. Adiposity measures and circulating TG did not predict response of any measures. In conclusion, poor vitamin K status can be similarly improved with vitamin K supplementation, regardless of age group or sex.
Presence of a Yolk Sac on Transvaginal Sonography Is the Most Reliable Predictor of Single-Dose Methotrexate Treatment Failure in Ectopic Pregnancy

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine which imaging characteristics can be used as prognostic indicators in conjunction with beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) levels in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy (EP) with single-dose methotrexate (MTX). Methods A retrospective study was performed on 62 patients (age range, 16-47 years; mean, 29 years) treated with MTX for EP from November 2000 to August 2003. The transvaginal sonographic findings in each case were analyzed for the presence and size of an extraovarian mass or a pseudogestational sac, amount of free fluid, presence of a yolk sac, and fetal heart motion. Patient age and beta-hCG level were also noted. Success of treatment was defined as a single dose of MTX that resulted in appropriate lowering of beta-hCG levels. Results Of 62 patients, 17 (27%) had single-dose MTX treatment failure. A yolk sac was identified in 15 (88%) of the 17 treatment failures and in none of the cases in which treatment was successful (positive predictive value, 100%). The average beta-hCG level in the cohort of patients who had single-dose treatment failure was 3282 mIU/mL compared with 1544 mIU/mL in the treatment success cohort. The presence of fetal heart motion was seen in only 1 patient, and this patient had treatment failure. The age of the patient, size of the extraovarian mass, presence of a pseudogestational sac, and amount of free fluid did not correlate with outcome. Conclusions The presence of a yolk sac was always associated with treatment failure in single-dose MTX treatment of EP and was the most reliable predictor of failure among all features analyzed. The beta-hCG level was a useful adjunct. A prediction rule was created correlating the probability of treatment success with the beta-hCG level.
Prediction of hospitalization due to heart diseases by supervised learning methods.

Abstract Background In 2008, the United States spent $2.2 trillion for healthcare, which was 15.5% of its GDP. 31% of this expenditure is attributed to hospital care. Evidently, even modest reductions in hospital care costs matter. A 2009 study showed that nearly $30.8 billion in hospital care cost during 2006 was potentially preventable, with heart diseases being responsible for about 31% of that amount. Methods Our goal is to accurately and efficiently predict heart-related hospitalizations based on the available patient-specific medical history. To the best of our knowledge, the approaches we introduce are novel for this problem. The prediction of hospitalization is formulated as a supervised classification problem. We use de-identified Electronic Health Record ( EHR ) data from a large urban hospital in Boston to identify patients with heart diseases. Patients are labeled and randomly partitioned into a training and a test set. We apply five machine learning algorithms, namely Support Vector Machines (SVM), AdaBoost using trees as the weak learner, logistic regression, a naive Bayes event classifier, and a variation of a Likelihood Ratio Test adapted to the specific problem. Each model is trained on the training set and then tested on the test set. Results All five models show consistent results, which could, to some extent, indicate the limit of the achievable prediction accuracy. Our results show that with under 30% false alarm rate, the detection rate could be as high as 82%. These accuracy rates translate to a considerable amount of potential savings, if used in practice.
Activity-driven clock design

In this paper, we investigate reducing the power consumption of a synchronous digital system by minimizing the total power consumed by the clock signals. We construct activity-driven clock trees wherein sections of the clock tree are turned off by gating the clock signals. Since gating the clock signal implies that additional control signals and gates are needed, there exists a tradeoff between the amount of clock tree gating and the total power consumption of the clock tree. We exploit similarities in the switching activity of the clocked modules to reduce the number of clock gates. Assuming a given switching activity of the modules, we propose three novel activity-driven problems: a clock tree construction problem, a clock gate insertion problem, and a zero-skew clock gate insertion problem. The objective of these problems is to minimize the system's power consumption by constructing an activity-driven clock tree. We propose an approximation algorithm based on recursive matching to solve the clock tree construction problem. We also propose an exact algorithm employing the dynamic programming paradigm to solve the gate insertion problems. Finally, we present experimental results that verify the effectiveness of our approach. This paper is a step in understanding how high-level decisions (e.g., behavioral design) can affect a low-level design (e.g., clock design).
Normative Beliefs and Relational Aggression: An Investigation of the Cognitive Bases of Adolescent Aggressive Behavior

The relations between normative beliefs about different forms of aggression and corresponding aggressive behaviors were investigated in 2 studies of adolescents. In Study 1, we revised an instrument designed to assess normative beliefs about aggression to include beliefs about the acceptability of relational aggression, and we examined the psychometric properties of the instrument. In Studies 1 and 2, the unique associations of normative beliefs about relational and physical aggression with self-reported relational and physical aggression were examined. Findings across both studies revealed that beliefs-behavior associations were specific to aggression forms. In other words, beliefs about relational aggression were uniquely associated with engagement in relationally aggressive acts, whereas beliefs about physical aggression, but not relational aggression, contributed unique information about adolescents' level of physical aggression. No gender effects were found. Results are discussed within a social-cognitive framework, and implications are explored for future prevention and intervention efforts to reduce aggressive behaviors.
The effects of chromium concentration on magnetically polarized heat-treated steel torque transducer shafts

We have discovered that a large enhancement in transducer sensitivity can be gained by increasing the chromium concentration of the steel to as high as the 12% level (with nickel concentrations under 1%), without the sacrifice of any essential mechanical properties. Beyond this optimal concentration level, the enhancement in the sensitivity appears to have saturated and then gradually disappears as additional chromium is added. Among the steel shafts we investigated were four types, W-1, S-7, D-2, and F-255, with transducer sensitivities of 15.1, 40.3, 71.1, and 25.2 /spl infin/G/psi, respectively. Additionally, the S-7 and D-2 magnetic transducers exhibited still further increases in their sensitivity following their standard heat treatments, with the greatest increase occurring for the D-2 sample.
Effect of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on Hippocampal Dopamine and Serotonin

The 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced increase in the extracellular concentration of dopamine and the long-term depletion of 5-HT were studied in the hippocampus of the rat brain. MDMA produced a dose-dependent increase in the extracellular concentration of dopamine in the hippocampus, as well as in the striatum. The MDMA-induced increase in the extracellular concentration of dopamine in the hippocampus, but not in the striatum, was suppressed in rats treated with the norepinephrine uptake inhibitor, desipramine, and in rats in which noradrenergic neurons in the hippocampus were lesioned with DSP4 (N-(2- chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromo benzylamine). However, the long-term depletion of 5-HT in the hippocampus produced by MDMA was unaltered in desipramine-treated rats. These results are supportive of the view that the MDMA-induced increase in the extracellular concentration of dopamine in the hippocampus is the result of an enhanced release of dopamine from noradrenergic neurons. In addition, the MDMA-induced depletion of 5-HT in the hippocampus appears not to involve dopamine-initiated processes, because suppression of MDMA-induced dopamine release did not attenuate the long-term depletion of 5-HT in the hippocampus.
Toxic trace element assessment for soils/sediments deposited during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from southern Louisiana, USA: A sequential extraction analysis

Analysis of soil/sediment samples collected in the southern Louisiana, USA, region three weeks after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed was performed using sequential extraction procedures to determine the origin, mode of occurrence, biological availabil ity, mobilization, and transport of trace elements in the environment. Five fractions: exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to iron (Fe)–manganese (Mn) oxides, bound to organic matter, and residual, were subsequently extracted. The toxic trace elements Pb, As, V, Cr, Cu, and Cd were analyzed in each fraction, together with Fe in 51 soil/sediment samples. Results indicated that Pb and As were at relatively high concentrations in many of the soil/sediment samples. Because the forms in which Pb and As are present tend to be highly mobile under naturally occurring environmental conditions, these two compounds pose an increased health concern.Vanadium and Cr were mostly associated with the crystal line nonmobile residual fraction. A large portion of the Cu was associated with organic matter and residual fraction. Cadmium concentrations were low in all soil/sediment samples analyzed and most of this element tended to be associated with the mobile fractions. An average of 21% of the Fe was found in the Fe–Mn oxide fraction, indicating that a substantial part of the Fe was in an oxidized form. The significance of the overall finding of the present study indicated that the high concentrations and high availabilities of the potentially toxic trace elements As and Pb may impact the environment and human health in southern Louisiana and, in particular, the New Orleans area. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:1419–1428. © 2010 SETAC
Distinct mechanisms of transcriptional pausing orchestrated by GAGA factor and M1BP, a novel transcription factor

Thousands of genes in Drosophila have Pol II paused in the promoter proximal region. Almost half of these genes are associated with either GAGA factor (GAF) or a newly discovered factor we call M1BP. Although both factors dictate the association of Pol II at their target promoters, they are nearly mutually exclusive on the genome and mediate different mechanisms of regulation. High-resolution mapping of Pol II using permanganate-ChIP-seq indicates that pausing on M1BP genes is transient and could involve the +1 nucleosome. In contrast, pausing on GAF genes is much stronger and largely independent of nucleosomes. Distinct regulatory mechanisms are reflected by transcriptional plasticity: M1BP genes are constitutively expressed throughout development while GAF genes exhibit much greater developmental specificity. M1BP binds a core promoter element called Motif 1. Motif 1 potentially directs a distinct transcriptional mechanism from the canonical TATA box, which does not correlate with paused Pol II on the genomic scale. In contrast to M1BP and GAF genes, a significant portion of TATA box genes appear to be controlled at preinitiation complex formation.
Next-Generation Transparent Conducting Oxides for Photovoltaic Cells: an Overview

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are becoming a more critical element in thin-film photovoltaic devices. In the continued drive to increase efficiency and stability while reducing cost and optimizing performance, the optical, electrical, and materials properties of TCOs gain increasing importance. TCOs can perform a variety of important functions, including contacts, antireflection coatings, and chemical barriers. In this paper, we will review some of the current advances in the field of transparent conductors and, where possible, will relate these advances to thin-film photovoltaic devices. Highlights will be on the rapidly growing collection of new n- and p-type materials; the implications of these materials on PV have not been fully assessed.
Sunshine Trading and Financial Market Equilibrium

In this article, we consider the possibility that some liquidity traders preannounce the size of their orders, a practice that has come to be known as "sunshine trading." Two possible effects preannouncement might have on the equilibrium are examined. First, since it identifies certain trades as informationless, preannouncement changes the nature of any informational asymmetries in the market. Second, preannouncement can coordinate the supply and demand of liquidity in the market. We show that preannouncement typically reduces the trading costs of those who preannounce, but its effects on the trading costs and welfare of other traders are ambiguous. We also examine the implications of preannouncement for the distribution of prices and the amount of information that prices reveal. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
Fentanyl transdermal patches: overview of cutaneous adverse effects in humans

Using Medline, Embase, and the Science Citation Index, we summarize the cutaneous adverse effects of transdermal and parenteral fentanyl. The fentanyl transdermal therapeutic system (TTS; patch) provides continuous systemic delivery of fentanyl (N-phenyl-N-(1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl) propanamide), a potent opioid analgesic, for 72 hours. Clinical studies of fentanyl TTSs demonstrated varying rates of irritation at the application site, ranging from none to 42%, with a median of 25%. Most descriptions of skin reactions included erythema at the application site, indicating irritant dermatitis. Skin testing in 2 subjects receiving parenteral doses concluded that although immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fentanyl exist, few cases of immediate-type allergic reactions to fentanyl have been substantiated. Comparing the reactions to anesthetic agents during allergenic testing demonstrated positive "wheal and flare" to fentanyl in only 1 of 50 patients (2%). Pruritus has been frequently reported during administration of epidural fentanyl, but allergenicity has not been shown. The few case reports of possible anaphylactic reactions to fentanyl have not clearly demonstrated fentanyl as the causal agent. In addition, transdermal and intravenous/epidural routes of administration may not be comparable because of large differences in plasma concentrations: When these results are taken together, fentanyl (TTS) has shown limited skin intolerance.
Social Value Orientations and Decisions to Take Proenvironmental Action1

This study assessed whether social value orientations influence decisions to actively support a proposal for a transportation pollution reduction program. Participants with prosocial or proself orientations were given the opportunity to send letters of support or opposition to the program director. Proself participants were more likely to send letters opposing the program, whereas prosocial participants were more likely to send letters of support. Although proself and prosocial participants reported equivalent support for the program and equivalent perceptions of the program's environmental benefits, proself participants reported higher perceptions of personal costs associated with the program. Social value orientations may lead to differences in environmental behaviors, primarily because of differences in perceptions of the personal costs incurred from engaging in these behaviors.
Atrial natriuretic factor and blood pressure control: role of sodium and aldosterone.

This study examined the long-term actions of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), at physiological levels, on renal function and mean arterial pressure (MAP) and the importance of Na intake and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in modulating those effects. After a control period, ANF was infused intravenously at a rate of 10 ng.kg-1.min-1 for 7 days, followed by 7 days of 20 ng.kg-1.min-1 and 7 days of recovery. After 7 days of ANF at 10 ng.kg-1.min-1, MAP decreased from 87 +/- 3 to 80 +/- 2 mmHg in normal dogs on low sodium intake (LS, 7 meq Na/day) and from 89 +/- 2 to 79 +/- 2 mmHg in adrenalectomized dogs (ADX, 7 meq Na/day) given constant mineralocorticoid replacement. In both groups, no significant change in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was observed, although sodium excretion increased transiently. ANF failed to cause significant changes in MAP, GFR, or sodium excretion in normal dogs on high sodium intake (HS, 269 meq Na/day). In LS and HS no long-term effects of ANF on plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone were observed. In ADX, as expected, no change in aldosterone was observed. Thus, in normal and adrenalectomized dogs on LS, chronic ANF infusion caused sustained reductions in MAP. HS markedly attenuated the hypotensive effect of ANF. Our data suggest that the long-term effect of ANF is salt sensitive but that decreases in PRA and aldosterone are not essential for the long-term hypotensive effect of ANF.
Effects of Solid Loadings on Slip-Cast Density

The effect of solid concentration on slip-cast density have been investigated for three alumina powders with different particle size distributions. It was clearly observed in the powder with the multi-modal particle size distributions, but slightly in that with a monosize distribution. Once a slip was prepared with a higher solid loading for a long period to proceed homegeneity, no further notable decrease in density with decreasing in solid loadings was observed even for the multi-modal powders. The low green density casted from the slurries with the low solid loadings is attributed to the inhomogeneity that arise mainly from insufficient mixing. Therefore, it is more important for the raw materials with the particle size distributions which are expected to have the higher particle packing density.
Jazz Form and Jazz Function: An Analysis of Unfinished Women Cry in No Man's Land While a Bird Dies in a Gilded Cage

Aisha Rahman's Unfinished Women Cry in No Man's Land While a Bird Dies in a Gilded Cage is an underground classic which has played in college and university theaters throughout the United States since its publication in Margaret Wilkerson's 1986 anthology Nine Plays by Black Women. Although the play has rarely received professional production since its premiere at the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1977,1 it has received several college and university productions and is highly respected among theater scholars and practitioners who have recognized its unique structural, thematic and theatrical qualities. The play's title states simply yet poetically the script's primary concerns. The "unfinished women" are five teenagers who are confined (both literally and figuratively) to the Hide-A-Wee Home for Unwed Mothers, a "no man's land" where men are not allowed. The date is March 12,1955, the day they must decide whether to keep their babies or surrender them for adoption. Their guardian is Nurse Jacobs, an unwed mother herself who hides this fact by calling her daughter her "niece" and insisting upon moral rectitude among the women. Significantly, March 12,1955 is also the date of the death of Charlie Parker, the highly-acclaimed jazz saxophonist who died in the apartment of a wealthy European baroness. Parks and his "pasha," (a fictionalized version of Parker's patron) occupy the "gilded cage" of the title, described by Rahman as "a lush fragrant love bower" (205). The play follows the young women as they are propelled toward their moment of decision while simultaneously showing Parker's final hours and eventual death. Rounding out the cast is Charlie Chan, a "black man in blackface, a minstrel who acts as Master of Ceremony...." (205). This synopsis demonstrates that Rahman's play does not follow traditional linear patterns common to western dramatic structure. The play lacks logical cause-and-effect development; instead it is episodic, almost cinematic, in its structure movement. While episodic structure
The Literary Expansion of Ezekiel's “Two Sticks” Sign Act (Ezekiel 37:15–28)*

In Ezek 37:15–28 the prophet Ezekiel is instructed to inscribe two “sticks” (Hebrew ), one for Judah and one for Joseph, and to unite them in a visual display meant to signify God's intention to reunite the former kingdoms of Judah and Israel. This intended meaning is made clear in the accompanying oracle (vv. 21–28), which explicitly proclaims this interpretation of the act. This form of prophetic announcement, in which a conspicuous action is followed by an oracle that is, in part or in whole, an interpretation of it, is often referred to as a symbolic action, or “sign act.” Whereas other sign acts in the Hebrew Bible strive for a simple and clear relationship between the act and the prophecy that they introduce, this one is more complex, both in its form and in the hermeneutical relationship between the act and its interpretation.
Opportunistic Spinlocks: Achieving Virtual Machine Scalability in the Clouds

With increasing demand for big-data processing and faster in-memory databases, cloud providers are moving towards large virtualized instances besides focusing on the horizontal scalability.However, our experiments reveal that such instances in popular cloud services (e.g., 32 vCPUs with 208 GB supported by Google Compute Engine) do not achieve the desired scalability with increasing core count even with a simple, embarrassingly parallel job (e.g., Linux kernel compile). On a serious note, the internal synchronization scheme (e.g., paravirtualized ticket spinlock) of the virtualized instance on a machine with higher core count (e.g., 80-core) dramatically degrades its overall performance. Our finding is different from the previously well-known scalability problem (i.e., lock contention problem) and occurs because of the sophisticated optimization techniques implemented in the hypervisor---what we call sleepy spinlock anomaly. To solve this problem, we design and implement OTICKET, a variant of paravirtualized ticket spinlock that effectively scales the virtualized instances in both undersubscribed and oversubscribed environments.
Quality accident survey and analysis of chemical cleaning for new boiler in a power plant

After chemical cleaning one infrastructure boiler,no a uniform and dense passive film but rust has been seen through cutting water cooled wall tube and economizer tube.The corrosion rate of the test piece in the monitoring tube is 10.16g/(m2·h) and the total corrosion amount is 99.89 g/m2,either has reached the related standards.This paper analyzes the process control parameters in the cleaning,finds the influence factors.
Extending EXPRESS for Imprecise and Uncertain Engineering Information Modeling.

Information with imprecision and uncertainty is inherently presented in engineering design and manufacturing. The nature of imprecision and uncertainty is incompleteness. Product data model, being a core of intelligent manufacturing system, consists of all concerned data in the product life cycle. It is possible that crisp data as well as incomplete data are involved in product data model. So EXPRESS, being a powerful tool to develop a product data model, should be extended for this purpose. Using fuzzy sets and possibility distributions, this paper extends the EXPRESS to make it possible to model fuzzy engineering information.
The HIV-positive surgeon: an evidence-based approach.

The recent report of an HIV-positive cardiothoracic surgeon in Israel has offered a contemporary perspective on the risks of transmission of HIV in health care settings, specifically surgical settings.
After Postmaterialism: An Essay on China, Russia and the United States: A Comment

Brym’s article in the current issue of this journal is an interesting and well-written discussion of an important topic and it presents a substantial body of evidence, addressing a theoretically significant question. Unfortunately, Brym misinterprets the theory he seeks to refute. He implies that Inglehart’s theory of intergenerational value change predicts that a trend toward Postmaterialist values and Self-expression values will always occur, regardless of economic and social conditions— interpreting evidence of any move in the opposite direction as refuting the theory. In fact, Inglehart has, from the start, argued that the intergenerational shift toward Postmaterialist values and Self-expression values is driven by rising levels of existential security. If younger birth cohorts grow up under substantially higher levels of economic and physical security than their elders, this will produce a trend toward new values; and declining levels of existential security will have the opposite effect.
Enteric Micromotor Can Selectively Position and Spontaneously Propel in the Gastrointestinal Tract

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which hosts hundreds of bacteria species, becomes the most exciting organ for the emerging microbiome research. Some of these GI microbes are hostile and cause a variety of diseases. These bacteria colonize in different segments of the GI tract dependent on the local physicochemical and biological factors. Therefore, selectively locating therapeutic or imaging agents to specific GI segments is of significant importance for studying gut microbiome and treating various GI-related diseases. Herein, we demonstrate an enteric micromotor system capable of precise positioning and controllable retention in desired segments of the GI tract. These motors, consisting of magnesium-based tubular micromotors coated with an enteric polymer layer, act as a robust nanobiotechnology tool for site-specific GI delivery. The micromotors can deliver payload to a particular location via dissolution of their enteric coating to activate their propulsion at the target site toward localized tissue p...
Tissue Degeneration following Loss of Schistosoma mansoni cbp1 Is Associated with Increased Stem Cell Proliferation and Parasite Death In Vivo

Schistosomiasis is second only to malaria in terms of the global impact among diseases caused by parasites. A striking feature of schistosomes are their ability to thrive in their hosts for decades. We have previously demonstrated that stem cells, called neoblasts, promote homeostatic tissue maintenance in adult schistosomes and suggested these cells likely contribute to parasite longevity. Whether these schistosome neoblasts have functions independent of homeostatic tissue maintenance, for example in processes such as tissue regeneration following injury, remains unexplored. Here we characterize the schistosome CBP/p300 homolog, Sm-cbp1. We found that depleting cbp1 transcript levels with RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in increased neoblast proliferation and cell death, eventually leading to organ degeneration. Based on these observations we speculated this increased rate of neoblast proliferation may be a response to mitigate tissue damage due to increased cell death. Therefore, we tested if mechanical injury was sufficient to stimulate neoblast proliferation. We found that mechanical injury induced both cell death and neoblast proliferation at wound sites, suggesting that schistosome neoblasts are capable of mounting proliferative responses to injury. Furthermore, we observed that the health of cbp1(RNAi) parasites progressively declined during the course of our in vitro experiments. To determine the fate of cbp1(RNAi) parasites in the context of a mammalian host, we coupled RNAi with an established technique to transplant schistosomes into the mesenteric veins of uninfected mice. We found transplanted cbp1(RNAi) parasites were cleared from vasculature of recipient mice and were incapable of inducing measurable pathology in their recipient hosts. Together our data suggest that injury is sufficient to induce neoblast proliferation and that cbp1 is essential for parasite survival in vivo. These studies present a new methodology to study schistosome gene function in vivo and highlight a potential role for schistosome neoblasts in promoting tissue repair following injury.
ADP based long-term renewable generation planning while considering the effects of hourly SCUC

This paper proposes an Approximate Dynamic Programming (ADP) based approach for solving the long-term renewable generation expansion planning problem by considering the effects of hourly security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC). Compared with traditional approaches, the proposed approach can assist Independent System Operators (ISO) to determine the dynamic expansion for multiple years on the basis of current year information, hence it can reduce the computation burden from future states forecasting. The objective of the proposed long-term power system planning is to minimize the total costs of investment and operation for the base case with forecast values while considering variable cost from uncertainties. Numerical case studies on a 6-bus system illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed ADP based long-term planning model for the integration of renewable energy under various uncertainties.
18F-Nifene: Efficacy as PET imaging agent of Nicotinic α4β2 Receptors from Mice to Humans

490 Objectives We have developed the agonist 18F-nifene for PET imaging studies of nicotinic α4β2 receptors in various CNS disorders. Upon successful completion of rodent and monkey studies, we report comparative brain distribution of 18F-nifene in humans. Methods Radiosyntheses of 18F-nifene was carried out with high specific activity 18F-fluoride as reported previously. Rodent, monkey and human studies were carried out either on an Inveon MicroPET/CT, MicroPET P4, or Siemen’s HR+ scanner. Human 18F-nifene studies were carried out under an FDA approved IND. All studies were carried out after an IV bolus injection of 18F-nfiene (~0.2 mCi for mice, ~0.7 mCi for rats, ~2-3 mCi for monkeys, ~5 mCi for humans) at a specific activity >2Ci/mmol. Isoflurane anesthesia (1.5-3%) was used for rodents and monkeys. Binding of 18F-nifene to α4β2 receptor-rich regions were analyzed using ASIPro and PMOD. Results Rapid brain uptake of 18F-nifene was observed in all brain regions across all species. Cerebellum (CB) was used as a reference region across all species, except humans. For humans, corpus callosum (CC) was used as a reference region. Thalamus (TH) exhibited the highest levels of 18F-nifene uptake with a time of pseudo equilibrium, indicated by plateau of target/reference curves, of ~45mins across all species. Extrathalamic uptake in regions such as cortical areas, lateral geniculate, cingulate gyrus and other brain regions were observed in all species and consistent with the reported levels of α4β2 receptors. At equilibrium, 18F-nifene exhibited ratios of: TH/CC~3 (humans), TH/CB~3 (monkeys, rats and mice). Conclusions 18F-Nifene appears to be a safe, stable, selective and effective α4β2 nicotinic receptor imaging agent in animal models and humans. Our findings with 18F-nifene suggest homology of the α4β2 receptor-site across species. 18F-Nifene therefore may be reliably used to quantify α4β2 receptor distribution in brain regions for the translational study of various CNS disorders. Research Support NIH R01AG029479