cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Barriers to physical activity maintenance after cardiac rehabilitation.

Purpose Little is known about the contextual determinants for the maintenance of physical activity after cardiac rehabilitation. This study aimed to examine perceived social, psychological, and health-related barriers to the maintenance of physical activity among phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation graduates. Methods Researchers using an open-ended format asked 160 participants (121 men and 39 women) 6 months after rehabilitation to identify perceived barriers to physical activity maintenance. The content of the participant responses was analyzed through categorization and coding of data, with independent review used to assess accuracy and reliability of decision rules. A social ecologic perspective was used for secondary coding and categorization. A chi analysis of categories was conducted to explore differences by gender, ethnicity, education, and employment. Results Four categories were developed from the coded responses: intrapersonal, interpersonal, environmental, and organizational. In their responses, 93% of the participants reported intrapersonal barriers, with 24% reporting interpersonal barriers, 18% reporting environmental barriers, and 11% reporting organizational barriers. Years of education contributed significantly to acceptance of an inactive lifestyle among those less educated (chi = 32.489; P = .028). Employment status showed significant differences for work as a barrier among those employed full-time (chi = 13.570, P = .004). Barriers to physical activity by gender showed significant differences for interpersonal barriers as a whole (chi = 6.804; P = .009). Conclusions The open-ended format provided rich narrative data regarding barriers to the maintenance of physical activity. The acknowledgment of barriers, particularly from a social ecologic perspective, is needed to guide innovative, multilevel interventions for promoting physical activity maintenance among those with diagnosed coronary heart disease.
Crosstalk in direct-detection optical fiber FDMA networks

Direct-detection (DD) optical fiber frequency division multiple access (FDMA) is a simple and practical alternative to optical heterodyne FDMA. Previous works on estimating the performance of DD optical FDMA networks have usually focused only on the (linear) crosstalk degradation, typically relying on simplifying approximations such as the dominance of the adjacent channel interference. Other sources of performance degradation such as signal loss due to optical (predetection) and electrical (postdetection) filtering, intersymbol interference (ISI) due to the optical filtering, and channel beats (or nonlinear crosstalk) are usually ignored. This paper presents a more precise analysis that takes into account the effect of optical and electrical filtering, ISI, and linear crosstalk. The model used here is valid for arbitrary optical filter transfer functions and received pulse shapes. We consider in this paper only On-Off-Keyed (OOK) modulation; extending the analysis to Frequency-Shift-Keyed (FSK) modulation is straightforward, but is not discussed here.
Vision of Bermuda Reef Fishes

RELYING heavily on the conclusions of Beer1, Walls2 and Brett3 assert that fishes are generally near-sighted. Although Beer found evidence by retinoscopy of far-sightedness in fishes, he assumed that retinoscopic reflexion occurs from the front retinal surface and thus falsely concluded that fishes are near sighted. By examining the eye through a +10 dioptre lens with a dissecting microscope equipped for vertical illumination, Baylor and Shaw4 found that the reflexion comes from the guanine layer behind the retina. On the other hand, far-sightedness in fishes was reported by Rochon-Duvigneaud5 and Verrier6,7. Moreover, Verrier7 found that on replacing the back of the retina with a screen, the image focused on the screen.
A Ti:Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ master-oscillator/power-amplifier system

The authors have constructed a multistage Ti:Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ master-oscillator/power-amplifier system which generates 115-ns, 0.38-J pulses at 800 nm. The system is tunable from 760 to 825 nm and has a repetition rate of 10 Hz. Measurements of the output pulse demonstrate near-diffraction-limited performance and a Fourier-transform-limited bandwidth of approximately 4 MHz. >
An algorithm for computing screened Coulomb scattering in Geant4

Abstract An algorithm has been developed for the G eant 4 Monte-Carlo package for the efficient computation of screened Coulomb interatomic scattering. It explicitly integrates the classical equations of motion for scattering events, resulting in precise tracking of both the projectile and the recoil target nucleus. The algorithm permits the user to plug in an arbitrary screening function, such as Lens–Jensen screening, which is good for backscattering calculations, or Ziegler–Biersack–Littmark screening, which is good for nuclear straggling and implantation problems. This will allow many of the applications of the TRIM and SRIM codes to be extended into the much more general G eant 4 framework where nuclear and other effects can be included.
AFM Visualization of Individual and Periodic Assemblies of a Helical Dendronized Polyphenylacetylene on Graphite

Self-organization of individual dendronized poly(phenylacetylene) (PPA) macromolecules on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) is revealed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The dendronized PPA...
A novel method for extracting oscillator strength of select rare-earth ion optical transitions in nanostructured dielectric materials

Abstract A new technique to obtain the oscillator strength of select rare-earth optical transitions in nanostructured dielectric materials (nanophosphors) is presented. It is based on the experimentally observed nanophosphor lifetime dependence on the embedding medium. A constant oscillator strength and parity-allowed electric dipole transitions of the RE ion emission are assumed. The oscillator strength is obtained from the slope of the 1 / τ i j vs. n ( n 2 + 2 ) 2 plot, where τ i j is the radiative lifetime of transition between states i and j , and n is the index of refraction of the embedding medium. The use of the technique is illustrated for the Y 2SiO5:Ce nanophosphor.
Holographic interferometry applied to characterize the dynamic and modal behavior of in-the-ear hearing aid devices

variations of thistechnology have also been applied to define dynamic and vibration related structuralbehavior. Such applications of holographic technique offer some of the most effectivemethods of modal and dynamic analysis available. The technology is non-destructive,real-time, and definitive in allowing the identification of vibrational modes,displacements, and motion geometry. Structures and processed materials can be analyzedwith very low amplitude excitation and the resultant data can be used to adjust theaccuracy of mathematically derived structural models.Holographic Interferometry has offered a powerful tool to aid in the development andanalysis of new designs for in-the-ear hearing aid technology. Engineering applicationssuch as this must consider that the microscopic components and the mounting structuresin these devices are highly susceptible to unwanted acoustic vibration and structure bornenoise. These undesirable effects are detrimental to both the operation and overall behaviorof this sort of device. The requirement for measurement of small vibration, modal, andmechanical motions are ideal requisites for analysis using advanced holographic methodsin initial design and subsequent test. Holographic methods are non-destructive, real-time,and definitive in allowing the identification of vibrational modes, displacements, andmotion geometries. Such information can be crucial to the determination of mechanicalconfigurations and designs as well as operational parameters of in-the-ear hearing aid
Errata: G 1 interpolation of generally unrestricted cubic Bézier curves

Abstract This note corrects errors found in some equations of [Sarraga '87] after publication. The corrected equations are also reformulated in more suitable forms.
RNA Interference-Mediated Change in Protein Body Morphology and Seed Opacity through Loss of Different Zein Proteins

Opaque or nonvitreous phenotypes relate to the seed architecture of maize (Zea mays) and are linked to loci that control the accumulation and proper deposition of storage proteins, called zeins, into specialized organelles in the endosperm, called protein bodies. However, in the absence of null mutants of each type of zein (i.e. α, β, γ, and δ), the molecular contribution of these proteins to seed architecture remains unclear. Here, a double null mutant for the δ-zeins, the 22-kD α-zein, the β-zein, and the γ-zein RNA interference (RNAi; designated as z1CRNAi, βRNAi, and γRNAi, respectively) and their combinations have been examined. While the δ-zein double null mutant had negligible effects on protein body formation, the βRNAi and γRNAi alone only cause slight changes. Substantial loss of the 22-kD α-zeins by z1CRNAi resulted in protein body budding structures, indicating that a sufficient amount of the 22-kD zeins is necessary for maintenance of a normal protein body shape. Among different mutant combinations, only the combined βRNAi and γRNAi resulted in drastic morphological changes, while other combinations did not. Overexpression of α-kafirins, the homologues of the maize 22-kD α-zeins in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), in the β/γRNAi mutant failed to offset the morphological alterations, indicating that β- and γ-zeins have redundant and unique functions in the stabilization of protein bodies. Indeed, opacity of the β/γRNAi mutant was caused by incomplete embedding of the starch granules rather than by reducing the vitreous zone.
Monaural envelope correlation perception for bands narrower or wider than a critical band

Monaural envelope correlation perception concerns the ability of listeners to discriminate stimuli based on the degree of correlation between the temporal envelopes of two or more frequency-separated bands of noise [Richards, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 82, 1621–1630 (1987)]. Previous work has examined this ability for relatively narrow bandwidths, generally 100 Hz or less. The present experiment explored a wide range of bandwidths, from 25 to 1600 Hz, which included bands narrower and wider than a critical bandwidth. Stimuli were pairs of noise bands separated by a 500-Hz-wide spectral gap centered on 2250 Hz. The magnitude spectra of the pair of comodulated bands were either identical or reflected around the midpoint of the band, and performance was assessed with and without a low-pass noise masker. Although discrimination was best for intermediate bandwidths, mean performance was above chance for all bandwidths tested. Data were similar for stimuli with identical and reflected magnitude spectra, and for stimuli with and without the low-pass masker. The one exception was particularly good performance for intermediate-bandwidth stimuli with identical spectra, for which some listeners reported hearing a tonal cue. Results indicate that listeners are flexible in selecting spectral regions upon which to base across-frequency comparisons.
The Production of Diffraction GratingsI. Development of the Ruling Art

In this first paper of several on the design and production of diffraction gratings of high resolving power, an outline is given of the development and present status of mechanically controlled ruling engines. Gratings having notable performance are described, and problems involved in producing on a reflecting surface large numbers of parallel equidistant grooves of constant or controlled form, with position tolerances of one micro-inch or better, are analyzed. Distinctive features of the engines of Rowland, Michelson, Gale, Anderson, Babcock, Siegbahn, and others are discussed. It is pointed out that the low productivity of many ruling engines in the past should not discourage present-day experimenters, as improved surfaces for ruling, superior ruling tools, alloys less susceptible to wear, warpage, creep, and fatigue, better methods of lubrication, and servo-mechanisms capable or making a ruling engine self-correcting, are all now available. Much can be learned by studying the strong points and weaknesses of previous engine designs. A current trend in the use of gratings appears to be away from the concave and toward the plane form. Succeeding papers will deal with a suggested method for obtaining improved gratings having high resolving power, and with the modification and testing of a 14-inch ruling engine, originally designed and partially built at the University of Chicago by Gale and O’Donnell, and recently transferred to M.I.T.
Evaluation of cardiac hyperthropy in spontaneous hypertensive rats using measures of left ventricular deformation and lvef of cardiac micropet imaging data

Abstract Background: Assessment of regional heart wall deformation can provide quantitative information regarding ventricular wall function in congestive heart failure. In particular, mechanisms involving the progression of cardiac hypertrophy are being evaluated in rat models using measures of LVEF and 3D left ventricular deformation. Methods: PET data were acquired using the microPET II. A dose of 1 mCi of F-18-FDG was injected into normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats and the same dose was injected into spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). The rats ranged in weight from 200 to 350 grams. For imaging a gated acquisition is used for one hour acquiring eight frames over the cardiac cycle of approximately 500–900 million total counts. LVEF was calculated using a method that does not require the identification of the endocardial edge of the LV and was shown to work well for small hearts in clinical application. Also, left ventricular deformation was quantified by warping analysis of the gated microPET images, which allows for the extraction of strain information from sequences of images of deforming tissue. The warping approach uses the end-systolic image data sets as a reference configuration (template) and uses the end-diastole image data sets as the deformed configuration (target). The warping technique produces a body force from the intensity differences between the images. This force is applied to a FE representation of the template image, causing it to deform into registration with the target image. Results: At the age of 5 months, the results indicated that the average circumferential strain was 15% larger for the LV of a normotensive rat than the LV of a hypertensive rat, whereas there were a 13% difference between the LVEF. While the strain distributions were similar for each model, the magnitude of the circumferential strains were lower in the spontaneous hypertensive rat models. Conclusions: The warping of high-resolution microPET data can document differences in circumferential strain in normotensive and hypertensive rats and is potentially a more sensitive measure of regional changes in cardiac hypertrophy than LVEF.
Increasing response rates from physicians in oncology research: a structured literature review and data from a recent physician survey

Although the physician survey has become an important tool for oncology-focused health services research, such surveys often achieve low response rates. This mini-review reports the results of a structured review of the literature relating to increasing response rates for physician surveys, as well as our own experience from a survey of physicians as to their referral practices for suspected haematologic malignancy in the United States. PubMed and PsychINFO databases were used to identify methodological articles assessing factors that influence response rates for physician surveys; the results were tabulated and reviewed for trends. We also analysed the impact of a follow-up telephone call by a physician investigator to initial non-responders in our own mailed physician survey, comparing the characteristics of those who responded before vs after the call. The systematic review suggested that monetary incentives and paper (vs web or email) surveys increase response rates. In our own survey, follow-up telephone calls increased the response rate from 43.7% to 70.5%, with little discernible difference in the characteristics of early vs later responders. We conclude that in addition to monetary incentives and paper surveys, physician-to-physician follow-up telephone calls are an effective method to increase response rates in oncology-focused physician surveys.
Brood raiding and the population dynamics of founding and incipient colonies of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta

. 1. One of the first activities of minim workers in incipient fire ant nests is mutual brood raiding, the amalgamation of nests through the reciprocal stealing of brood and defection of workers. 2. Discrete mating flights created cohorts of incipient colonies. About 25% of founding nests survived the claustral period of 16–48 days (depending on season). Early incipient colony mortality was 5–6% per day. Over 60% of this mortality was accounted for through brood raiding. Most colonies raided when each cohort first became active, and many raided more than once. Raid size (number of nests, duration, distance) tended to increase during the summer as colonies grew through raiding. After the raiding period, nest mortality rate dropped 3–10-fold. Only 1–3% of founding nests were still alive at this time. 3. Queens from losing or failed nests tended to abandon their nests and attempted to enter successful ones, often following raiding trails to do so. This emigration was at least as successful as non-emigration in ultimately achieving the status of reproductrix of a successful nest (about 4%). 4. Brood raiding is a dominant process in early population dynamics, probably accounting for most of the early nest mortality. Its effect is to change the venue and unit of competition from nest-against-nest to a shifting aggregation of queens, workers and brood involving entire local populations. Nest thinning is thus very rapid, and the boost to the size of winning nests very large, allowing raiding colonies to win the competition for territory, and to achieve the early colony maturity so important to this, and other, weedy species. The importance of winning brood raids may also have driven increased minim production through the evolution of pleometrosis.
A knowledge-based system for information management in an automated and integrated manufacturing system

Abstract In recent years there has been considerable interest in flexible automation of manufacturing processes in an effort to improve the productivity of manufacturing industry. Central to an integrated, flexible and intelligent manufacturing system is the information management function. The sharing of data is the basis of flexible and intelligent decision-making, the means of integrating the system components, the mode of synchronizing their processes and the method of maintaining the consistency of their states. It appears that the data management and manipulation function in manufacturing systems is increasingly becoming a bottleneck for further performance improvement of manufacturing systems. New information management systems need to be developed that meet the needs of modern manufacturing systems in terms of efficiency, flexibility, reliability and intelligence. A new model for an integrated manufacturing information system is presented. A double structure of two parallel but independent system is proposed for manufacturing control and manufacturing information management. The objective is to improve service efficiency. representational adequacy, consistency of information and reliability in the information system.
Heralded entanglement between atomic ensembles : Preparation, decoherence, and scaling

Heralded entanglement between collective excitations in two atomic ensembles is probabilistically generated, stored, and converted to single-photon fields. By way of the concurrence, quantitative characterizations are reported for the scaling behavior of entanglement with excitation probability and for the temporal dynamics of various correlations resulting in the decay of entanglement. A lower bound of the concurrence for the collective atomic state of 0.9+/-0.3 is inferred. The decay of entanglement as a function of storage time is also observed, and related to the local dynamics.
Copper promotion of high temperature shift

Abstract A four-step, redox kinetic mechanism provides an accurate description of the rate of water-gas shift over ferrochrome catalysts. When the heats of formation of the surface intermediates in the model are decreased by only 10 kJ mol−1, as might be expected when copper cations substitute for iron cations in the oxide catalyst, the model predicts increased activity and decreased inhibition by CO2. Experimental measurements using copper-promoted ferrochrome catalysts confirm these predictions. Furthermore, with small changes in most of the thermodynamic parameters, the same four-step, redox kinetic mechanism accurately models the rate of water-gas shift over the promoted catalyst. A four-step mechanism involving a formate intermediate also fits the experimental data for ferrochrome and for copper-promoted ferrochrome. The changes in the thermodynamic parameters for the formate mechanism are greater than those for the redox mechanism, but still within a range that can be ascribed to substitution of copper cations for iron cations in the ferrochrome catalyst. The results show that the formation of metallic copper is not necessary to explain the effect of copper promotion for either redox or associative mechanisms.
Functional consequences of cysteine modification in the ligand binding sites of peroxisome proliferator activated receptors by GW9662.

In the course of a high throughput screen to search for ligands of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), we identified GW9662 using a competition binding assay against the human ligand binding domain. GW9662 had nanomolar IC50 versus PPARγ and was 10- and 600-fold less potent in binding experiments using PPARα and PPARδ, respectively. Pretreatment of all three PPARs with GW9662 resulted in the irreversible loss of ligand binding as assessed by scintillation proximity assay. Incubation of PPAR with GW9662 resulted in a change in the absorbance spectra of the receptors consistent with covalent modification. Mass spectrometric analysis of the PPARγ ligand binding domain treated with GW9662 established Cys285 as the site of covalent modification. This cysteine is conserved among all three PPARs. In cell-based reporter assays, GW9662 was a potent and selective antagonist of full-length PPARγ. The functional activity of GW9662 as an antagonist of PPARγ was confirmed in an assay of adipocyte diff...
Polymerized whole ragweed: A two-year follow-up of patients treated with an improved method of immunotherapy.

Abstract We have previously reported, in a 1-yr study, the effectiveness of polymerized ragweed (PRW) as an improved method of immunotherapy for patients suffering from ragweed hay fever. In that study, treatment with PRW was found to be superior to treatment with monomer ragweed extract (MRW) because of the reduced allergenicity of the PRW. The current study is a 2-yr follow-up of nine patients treated with PRW and nine patients treated with MRW. After 1 yr of immunotherapy, both MRW- and PRW-treated patients received 9,000 protein nitrogen units (PNU) and after a second year of maintenance therapy both groups received a cumulative dose of 15,000 PNU. Serum blocking antibody against ragweed antigen E (AgE) was measured periodically during the study. After 1 yr of immunotherapy, blocking antibody in the PRW- and MRW-treated groups was similar with respective means of 1,300 and 1,500 ng AgE bound per milliliter of serum. At the end of 2 yr of therapy, these serum AgE binding activities rose to 2,700 and 4,100, respectively. No significant local or systemic reactions occurred in the PRW-treated group during the year of maintenance therapy. However, large local reactions prevented three of the nine patients treated with MRW from achieving a monthly maintenance schedule. A significant decrease in rhinitis symptoms was noted in both treated groups as compared with the season before immunotherapy and also to a group of patients untreated with immunotherapy during the 1978 ragweed season.
Avulsed maxillary central incisors: The case for autotransplantation

A Traumatic dental injuries most often occur in childhood and early adolescence. The most serious of these injuries is complete tooth avulsion. The incidence of avulsion is greatest for the maxillary central incisors and usually occurs when they are erupting between the ages of 7 and 10 years. A critical decision for the dentist at this time is whether to replant the avulsed tooth. There are many biologic considerations with varying outcomes. At the time of the injury, it is often a difficult conversation to have with the parents. Also, since these types of injuries
Linear System Response by DFT: Analysis of a Recent Modified Method

An analysis of a recent modified frequency-domain procedure for computing the response of linear systems using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm is described. This modified procedure eliminates the appended free-vibration interval that is used in the standard approach. The duration of the period of computation still needs to be longer than that of the response interval of interest, but only slightly. Reducing the period of computation lowers the number of frequencies at which the transfer function needs to be defined. The major drawback of the method is a high sensitivity to errors in the computed values of the transfer function, which reduces the role of interpolation in the transfer function definition. The modified method is related to the discrete Laplace transform.
Hyperstrange hadronic matter

We present the binding energy of hyperstrange matter in the hadronic phase that is calculated as a function of strangeness fraction in the mean field approximation to a relativistic field theory of matter. This is compared to a calculation of Chin and Kerman for the quark phase.
Auto-calibration based control for independent metering of hydraulic actuators

This paper describes a novel auto-calibration state-trajectory-based control method and its application to electronic flow control for independent metering systems. In this paper, the independent metering architecture that is considered uses five Electro-Hydraulic Poppet Valves (EHPV's). The proposed control method is applied to four of these valves, arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration, to regulate the flow of hydraulic oil coming into and out of an actuator. For simplicity, the fifth valve is operated via open-loop to control the supply pressure. Experimental data presented herein demonstrate that the control method learns the valve's conductance characteristics (i.e. the inverse input-state dynamic map of the valve) while simultaneously controlling the motion of the hydraulic actuator.
Influence of Additions of Anatase TiO2 Nanoparticles on Early-Age Properties of Cement-Based Materials

The performance and properties of cement-based materials can potentially be altered by the addition of nano-sized inclusions. In this study, the effect of chemically nonreactive anatase TiO2 nanoparticles on early-age hydration of cement was investigated. First, the effects of different percentage addition rates of TiO2 to portland cement on early-age behavior were examined through isothermal calorimetry and measurements of chemical shrinkage. On the basis of accelerations in hydration observed in TiO2 portland cements, additional experiments were performed with tricalcium silicate (C3S), the main strength-giving mineral component of portland cement, to determine whether the influence of TiO2 could be adequately described by a kinetic model that relies on boundary nucleation theory. Comparison of the experimental results and the modeling showed that (a) an increase in addition rates of TiO2 accelerates the rate of cement hydration and (b) the heterogeneous nucleation effect rather than the dilution effect...
The inhibition by xanthine phosphodiesterase inhibitors of the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity in HeLa cells: Relationship of enzyme activity to cyclic AMP concentrations

The three xanthine derivatives, caffeine, theophylline and 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine (IBMX) produced dose-dependent increases in cyclic AMP concentrations in HeLa cells after long term treatment. Only IBMX produced increases over the first 60 minutes, with a peak of approximately 5-fold control values five to 10 minutes after the addition of the drug. About four hours after the addition of either 0.67 or 1.0 mM IBMX there was a second peak in the concentration of cyclic AMP which was at least as large and usually larger than the peak observed at five to ten minutes. Neither caffeine nor theophylline increased cyclic AMP concentrations above control values until one hour after addition of the compounds, and there was no indication of a peak in the concentration at four hours. Between 24 and 72 hours, all three compounds produced elevations in cyclic AMP levels that were steadily maintained. At any given concentration, the order of potency was IBMX greater than theophylline greater than caffeine. If the xanthine derivatives were removed from the medium after 24 hours of treatment, the cyclic AMP concentrations fell to control levels within one hour. Treatment with 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IdUrd) or hydrocortisone alone did not change the levels of cyclic AMP, nor did the presence of these inducers of alkaline phosphatase activity alter the effects of the xanthine derivations on cyclic AMP concentrations. The data showed a significant correlation between the magnitude of the increase in cycli AMP concentrations over the period from 24 to 72 hours and the degree of inhibition by the xanthine derivatives of the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity.
Desensitization to gonadotropin-releasing hormone observed in superfused pituitary cells on Cytodex beads.

Chronic exposure to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in vivo eventually results in a failure to maintain maximal gonadotropin secretion, suggesting a loss of pituitary responsiveness. To examine changes in pituitary sensitivity in vitro, we have developed a superfusion technique in which dissociated rat anterior pituitary cells are attached to Cytodex beads. In this system, continuous administration of 30 nM GnRH caused an initial 20-fold increase in LH and FSH secretion rates. However, hormone secretion declined rapidly, reaching basal levels within 12 h. Both the calcium ionophore A23187 and the cocarcinogen phorbol myristate acetate were effective in releasing additional LH and FSH from cells made refractory to 30 nM GnRH, whereas higher doses of GnRH and 8-bromo-cAMP were minimally active. A rapid loss of response was also seen with a superactive GnRH agonist but was not observed with a GnRH antagonist. Desensitization to prolonged superfusion with phorbol myristate acetate was also observed, alt...
Astrocytes cultured from transgenic mice carrying the added human glial fibrillary acidic protein gene contain rosenthal fibers

Mice carrying copies of the human glial fibrillary acidic protein (hGFAP) gene driven by its own promoter have been generated that express the human transgene at different levels (Messing et al.: 152:391-398, 1998). Lines that expressed high levels of the gene died shortly after birth. Astrocyte cultures prepared from a low overexpressor (Tg73.2) exhibited abnormal cytoplasmic inclusions identical to those seen in vivo in the high overexpressors. Astrocytes in the Tg73.2 cultures appear odd-shaped and enlarged, express increased levels of GFAP (both human and mouse), and express alphaB crystallin protein, Hsp27 protein, and vimentin protein. At the light microscopic level, the Tg73.2 astrocytes are filled with eosinophilic deposits surrounded by positive GFAP immunostain. Ultrastructurally, the Tg73.2 astrocytes contain osmophilic deposits on a bed of intermediate filaments identical to Rosenthal fibers found in the brain in Alexander's disease. It seems that Tg73.2 mouse astrocytes in culture do not require additional stress from external sources or contact with other neuroectodermal cells to produce Rosenthal fibers. This suggests that the added hGFAP gene is sufficient to induce Rosenthal fibers and that an excess of GFAP in astrocytes may be detrimental to normal function. We hypothesize that the normal mechanism for GFAP turnover may be insufficient to handle the excess GFAP, thus causing an accumulation of stress proteins. The increased amounts of stress proteins and GFAP results in the formation of Rosenthal fibers, similar to those found in Alexander's disease.
Transcriptome of Atoh7 retinal progenitor cells identifies new Atoh7-dependent regulatory genes for retinal ganglion cell formation

The bHLH transcription factor ATOH7 (Math5) is essential for establishing retinal ganglion cell (RGC) fate. However, Atoh7-expressing retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) can give rise to all retinal cell types, suggesting that other factors are involved in specifying RGCs. The basis by which a subpopulation of Atoh7-expressing RPCs commits to an RGC fate remains uncertain but is of critical importance to retinal development since RGCs are the earliest cell type to differentiate. To better understand the regulatory mechanisms leading to cell-fate specification, a binary genetic system was generated to specifically label Atoh7-expressing cells with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-purified GFP(+) and GFP(-) cells were profiled by RNA-seq. Here, we identify 1497 transcripts that were differentially expressed between the two RPC populations. Pathway analysis revealed diminished growth factor signaling in Atoh7-expressing RPCs, indicating that these cells had exited the cell cycle. In contrast, axon guidance signals were enriched, suggesting that axons of Atoh7-expressing RPCs were already making synaptic connections. Notably, many genes enriched in Atoh7-expressing RPCs encoded transcriptional regulators, and several were direct targets of ATOH7, including, and unexpectedly, Ebf3 and Eya2. We present evidence for a Pax6-Atoh7-Eya2 pathway that acts downstream of Atoh7 but upstream of differentiation factor Pou4f2. EYA2 is a protein phosphatase involved in protein-protein interactions and posttranslational regulation. These properties, along with Eya2 as an early target gene of ATOH7, suggest that EYA2 functions in RGC specification. Our results expand current knowledge of the regulatory networks operating in Atoh7-expressing RPCs and offer new directions for exploring the earliest aspects of retinogenesis.
Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Radiofrequency ablation could be described as a thermal strategy to destroy a tissue by increasing its temperature and causing anirreversible cellular injury. Radiofrequency ablation is a relatively new modality which has found use in a wide range of medical applications and gained acceptance. RF ablation has been used in destroying tumors in liver, prostate, breast, lung, kidney, bones, and the eye. One of the early applications in clinical setting was its use in treating supraventricular arrhythmias by selectively destroying cardiac tissue. Radiofrequency ablation has become established as the primary modality of transcatheter therapy for the treatment of symptomatic arrhythmias. Radiofrequency catheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias were investigated using a finite-element based solution of bioheat transfer equation. Spatial and temporal temperature profiles in the cardiac tissue were visualized.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The Influence of Auditors' Perceptions of Organizational Decline on Audit Risk

This paper builds upon the work of researchers who have examined the effects of decline on an organization's exchange partners. Its purpose is to examine the relationship between auditors' perceptions of oganizational decline and audit firms' specification of clients' audit risk. Based on relevant organizational decline and accounting literatures, we propose that perceptions of greater decline are associated with higher firm assigned audit risk. We also propose that larger, public and longer-term audit clients would make this connection stronger. The results reveal that the relationship of perceived decline to audit risk is quadratic curved rather than linear as anticipated. Assigned audit risk is high for smaller, privately held firms perceived to be rapidly declining or rapidly growing. Audit risk is even higher for larger, public client firms perceived to be in rapid decline. However, audit risk is relatively low for larger, public firms perceived to be rapidly growing. The time a firm is an audit client is not important. An implication of these findings is that research on the reactions of an organization's exchange partners to decline should be extended to include their reactions to rapid growth for certain types of organizations.
Bactericidal Effect of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles on Escherichia coli

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nano-Fe0) in aqueous solution rapidly inactivated Escherichia coli. A strong bactericidal effect of nano-Fe0 was found under deaerated conditions, with a linear correlation between log inactivation and nano-Fe0 dose (0.82 log inactivation/mg/L nano-Fe0·h). The inactivation of E. coli under air saturation required much higher nano-Fe0 doses due to the corrosion and surface oxidation of nano-Fe0 by dissolved oxygen. Significant physical disruption of the cell membranes was observed in E. coli exposed to nano-Fe0, which may have caused the inactivation or enhanced the biocidal effects of dissolved iron. The reaction of Fe(II) with intracellular oxygen or hydrogen peroxide also may have induced oxidative stress by producing reactive oxygen species. The bactericidal effect of nano-Fe0 was a unique property of nano-Fe0, which was not observed in other types of iron-based compounds.
Male and Female Preferences in Selected Career Factors

This study investigated seven factors relating to personal preferences in choosing a career. Differences between male and female preferences were also studied. While males and females express similarities relating to the seven factors, they also reveal differences that should be considered by counselors helping individuals explore career choices.
An embedded robotic wheelchair control architecture with reactive navigations

In this paper, we propose a robotic wheelchair control architecture for reactive navigations to improve safety. The proposed solution is developed based on the XScale embedded platform and real-time embedded Linux. A touch panel is used to display useful information for users. In addition, reactive navigation techniques of mobile robots are developed by combining the obstacle detection sensor information to perform collision free navigations where the obstacle detection sensor uses a laser range finder and the reactive navigation uses the artificial field potential (APF) approach. The collections of obstacle information and realizations of APF navigations are implemented as device drivers in the kernel space to improve real time performance, as well as to reduce the computational loads of graphical user interface (GUI) in the user space. In addition, the modules of power monitoring, travel distance counter and drive speed counting are also developed as device drivers. Consequently, the proposed robotic wheelchair control architecture has the features of real-time performance, simple architecture, high reliability, and safety. Meanwhile, the device drivers and GUI are all developed as open source codes, and they are easy for integrations. Finally, a robotic wheelchair prototype is produced in our laboratory for experimental validations of the embedded robotic wheelchair control architecture, as well as for the evaluations of reactive navigations.
Rapid Presumptive Diagnosis of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome by Peripheral Blood Smear Review

Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is a rare but frequently lethal acute zoonotic viral infection in rural North America. The rapidity of progression from febrile prodrome to cardiogenic shock and noncardiogenic pulmonary edema requiring intensive care creates high diagnostic urgency and a need for a rapid screening tool. In this retrospective cohort study, 2 pathologists scored blinded peripheral blood smears from 52 patients with HCPS and 128 seronegative patients referred for diagnosis of suspected hantavirus infection. During the prodromal phase, thrombocytopenia was the only consistent abnormality and could be used to indicate hantavirus serologic testing. After the onset of pulmonary edema detected radiographically, the presence of 4 of 5 findings (thrombocytopenia, myelocytosis, hemoconcentration, lack of significant toxic granulation in neutrophils, and more than 10% of lymphocytes with immunoblastic morphologic features) has a sensitivity for HCPS of 96% and a specificity of 99% and missed no patients with HCPS who required intensive care. While each abnormality is commonly seen, the combination of at least 4 of these CBC count data and peripheral blood smear findings can guide early treatment and patient transport decisions until rapid, specific, serologic testing becomes widely available.
The effects of bayluscide and malathion on the mortality and infectivity of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae

Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the effects of bayluscide and malathion on the mortality and infectivity of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. Mortality of cercariae varied with time of exposure and concentration of tested chemicals. The LC5, LC50, and LC95 for bayluscide were 0.04, 0.07, and 0.10 ppm after 2 h of exposure; 0.03, 0.04, and 0.06 ppm after 4 h of exposure; and 0.02, 0.03, and 0.05 ppm after 6 h of exposure, respectively. Malathion gave LC5, LC50, and LC95 values of 59.16, 107.07, and 193.78 ppm after 2 h of exposure; and 39.79, 69.36, and 120.89 ppm after 4 h of exposure, respectively. Sublethal concentrations of bayluscide and malathion significantly reduced the rate of infection of laboratory mice by S. mansoni cercariae (p < 0.01). Approximately 1.50 and 0.00% of adult worms were recovered by autopsy of mice whose cercariae were preexposed for only 1 h to 0.04 ppm of bayluscide and 50.00 ppm of malathion, respectively. These results clearly show that bayluscide is much more toxic to cercariae than to snail intermediate hosts cited in the literature, and that malathion possesses some cercaricidal properties at concentrations expected to be achieved in the field.
The Role of Medical Directors in Dialysis Facilities :Series Editor : Robert A. Gutman: The Dialysis Medical Director’s Role in Quality and Safety: MEDICAL DIRECTOR: ROLE IN QUALITY

The medical director of dialysis is responsible for leadership in a dialysis facility’s quality improvement activities and patient safety initiatives. The Director should have knowledge of, and an ability to utilize, Continuous Quality Improvement techniques, evidence-based guidelines, standardized mortality, hospitalization and transplantation data and other modalities to improve systems of care.
Endoscopic-assisted laparoscopic surgical removal of a gastric neurofibroma in a child

Abstract An 11-year-old boy, who presented with abdominal pain and vomiting was noted to have a gastric submucosal mass at endoscopy. Endoscopic ultrasound showed it arising from the fourth ultrasound level of the gastric wall precluding endoscopic removal. Open surgery was avoided by use of endoscopic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (EALS) to remove the mass. The mass was found to be an isolated gastric neurofibroma, a rare tumor in children. We show that combined use of intraluminal endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery allows for safe and less-invasive surgery for removal of a submucosal mass in a child. Further, we review the rare finding of gastric neurofibromas.
PURE SINGLET OXYGEN CYTOTOXICITY FOR BACTERIA

We have modified the separated-surface-sensitizer singlet oxygen generating system previously described (Midden and Wang, 1983) for the efficient exposure to pure singlet oxygen of bacteria collected on membrane filters. Physical separation of the photosensitizer and the bacteria eliminates the possibility of direct interaction between bacteria and photoexcited sensitizers that could lead to Type I (non-singlet oxygen) photooxidation processes. This system was used to examine the bacterial cytotoxicity of singlet oxygen. The role of singlet oxygen was confirmed by measuring the decrease in cytotoxicity as the distance between the singlet oxygen source and the bacteria was increased. The gas phase half-life of the intermediate responsible for cell killing, determined from this distance dependence analysis (24 ± 6 ms), is the same as that calculated from literature data for the gas phase half-life of singlet oxygen (53 ± 37 ms). Killing of various strains of Salmonella lyphimurium and Escherichia coli was compared at the same dose of singlet oxygen. Bacteria were killed by singlet oxygen at levels several orders of magnitude lower than those effective in killing by H2O2. Altered DNA repair capacities (uvrB, recA, xth, nth, pKM101) did not affect survival. Incomplete cell wall lipopolysaccharide formation decreased survival following singlet oxygen exposure. Overproduction of the singlet oxygen quencher histidine increased survival, as did accumulation of the dipeptide carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine). No evidence for mutagenicity of exogenous singlet oxygen exposure was obtained in a variety of S. typhimurium strains killed to 35% survival.
Integrating Aesthetics Into Professional Development for Teachers of English Learners

The emphasis on testing in curricular content areas has left little room in most U.S. schools for education in the arts. Yet research supports the pedagogical value of aesthetic education, particularly for English learners (ELs), whose representation in schools continues to increase. This article presents a qualitative action research study intended to contribute to the understanding of the impact of incorporating aesthetic education into the training protocol for teachers of ELs. Twenty-three graduate education students at a private university in Queens, New York, participated in an artist-led workshop rooted in the aesthetic education theories of Maxine Greene (1995, 2011, 2007) and structured around the four-stage knowledge acquisition schemas of Torbert (2006) and Heron and Reason (2006). Thereafter, the trainees experimented with using arts-based lessons in their own classrooms, which included ELs. Interviews conducted after the workshop and again after the practice attempts showed that participants gained confidence and facility in integrating arts and aesthetics into their teaching. Participants' reflections also support research that suggests that arts-based education is an excellent means to develop the cognitive, linguistic, and cultural abilities of ELs. These findings are supplemented with recommendations for implementation and with a sample rubric for an EL-friendly aesthetic education unit.
Cooperative Problem Solving by Albino Rats: A Re-Evaluation

Previous work demonstrated that rats behave cooperatively when placed in pairs in an apparatus that requires the simultaneous emission of topographically incompatible responses to escape shock and obtain food. Not only does one rat prevent occurrence of shock while the second obtains food but they shift positions (mutual shifts) frequently enough to allow an equitable division of reinforcers. The present study demonstrated that both the frequency and type of mutual shifting behavior was a function of length of the chamber. Increasing the length so physical contact between pairs of subjects was impossible completely eliminated shifting behavior. These results suggested that the mutual shifting behavior was under the control of a discriminated avoidance procedure in which physical contact between animals was essential for the maintenance of the cooperative-like behavior.