cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nerve Versus Tendon Transfer for Radial Nerve Paralysis Reconstruction.

Purpose With radial nerve lesions, the results of nerve transfers and how they objectively compare with the outcomes of tendon transfers remain unstudied. We compared the results after nerve transfer in patients with less than 12 months since radial nerve injury with the results after tendon transfer in patients not eligible for nerve surgery because of longstanding paralysis (minimum of 15 months). Methods In 14 patients with radial nerve lesions incurred less than 12 months previously, we transferred the anterior interosseous nerve to the nerve of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB), while the nerve to the flexor carpi radialis was transferred to the posterior interosseous nerve. In 13 patients with lesions of longer duration, we transferred the pronator teres tendon to the ECRB, the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon to the extensor digitorum communis, and the palmaris longus to the rerouted extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon. At a final evaluation, we measured passive and active range of motion (ROM) of the wrist, finger, and thumb and grasp strength. Results In a comparison of wrist flexion-extension ROM and grasp strength, we observed better recovery in the nerve transfer than in the tendon transfer group. In the tendon transfer group, we observed limitations in wrist flexion in 9 of the 13 patients and permanent radial deviation in 5. Half of the patients in the tendon transfer group needed to flex their wrist to fully extend their fingers, whereas finger extension was possible with the wrist either extended or at neutral in all patients following nerve transfer. After nerve transfer, extension at the first carpometacarpal joint was restored in 11 of the 14 patients, whereas this occurred in just 4 of the 13 patients following tendon transfer. In both groups, we observed a 30° lag in thumb metacarpophalangeal extension, which reflects poor recovery of EPL function. Conclusions Overall, we observed better outcomes in those who underwent nerve transfer versus tendon transfer procedures. However, room still remains for improved thumb motion with both procedures. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Handling-Qualities Perspective on Rotorcraft Load Alleviation Control

The objective of this research effort is to assess the impact of load alleviation control on the quantitative handling-qualities specifications (also known as predicted handling qualities) of both ...
Challenges in Thrombectomy: Mega Clots

Mechanical thrombectomy has become standard of care for patients with ischemic strokes with large vessel occlusion (LVO). Fortunately, new device technology for mechanical thrombectomy and better selection methods have led to more effective treatment and better outcomes from this devastating condition. Patients with large clot burden (mega clots) or continuous thrombus reaccumulation are among the most difficult types of clots to treat in the setting of LVO, often resulting in unsuccessful recanalization and poor patient outcome. In this chapter, we seek to share methods of mega clot management found successful in our clinical practice.
Impact of Long-term Exposures to PM2.5 Sources on Cause-Specific Mortality in U.S. Medicare Beneficiaries

Background: While studies have demonstrated associations between long-term PM2.5 exposures and mortality, our understanding of the component(s) or sources responsible for observed mortality risks i...
Comparison of 12-Hour Biweekly Versus 6-Hour Weekly Shifts on Fatigue in Student Nurses.

BACKGROUND Some challenges affecting student nurse learning include student fatigue, clinical recovery time, and hindered clinical experiences due to students experiencing long clinical shifts. AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between 12-hour biweekly and 6-hour weekly shifts on student nurse fatigue. METHODS A descriptive research design was used with second-year nursing students (N = 80) upon completion of their clinical rotations of four distinct cohorts during 2019-2020. All students in these cohorts were invited to complete the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery (OFER15) online survey, developed and validated to assess the full spectrum of fatigue. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences in acute fatigue, chronic fatigue, or the inter-shift recovery subscale for the 6-hour and 12-hour clinical groups. Student nurses, like registered nurses, would likely prefer to choose between a 6-hour and 12-hour clinical shift depending on their individual circumstances. In the parameters of this study, there was no statistical significance in shift length and student nurse fatigue. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION Student nurse fatigue levels can affect learning inside and outside of nursing clinical experiences. In this study, no statistical significances were found between 6-hour and 12-hour clinical experiences in second-year nursing students. Offering both the 6-hour and 12-hour clinical experiences provides flexibility for students, clinical sites, and the school of nursing.
A Case for Local Governance and Private Property

It cannot be assumed that local land use decisions are inadequate, nor that the federal government can somehow do better. The proper role of government in land planning is not to determine the best use of land, which is a task for the marketplace, but to define the rights of owners and to assure that developers comply with the rules of the game. The inconsistency in local decision making reflects fundamental disagreements over these matters, which are being dealt with through more flexible zoning and permitting procedures. Although interstate conflicts may arise, there is no reason to assume that federal bureaucrats can resolve the controversies on their merits more readily than local residents. At most, a mediation service could be useful, but not a national plan. The idea that land should be a public trust provides no guidance as to what purposes it should serve, nor to who should be the beneficiaries or the trustees. It is not a useful concept for resolving land use problems.
Interrelationship of Velocity and Chest Compression in Blunt Thoracic Impact to Swine

As part of a continuing study of thoracic injury resulting from blunt frontal loading, the interrelationship of velocity and chest compression was investigated in a series of animal experiments. Anesthetized male swine were suspended in their natural posture and subjected to midsternal, ventrodorsad impact. Twelve animals were struck at a velocity of 14.5 plus or minus 0.9 m/s and experienced a controlled thoracic compression of either 15,19,or 24%. Six others were impacted at 9.7 plus or minus 1.3 m/s with a greater mean compression of 27%. For the 14.5 m/s exposures the severity of trauma increased with increasing compression, ranging from minor to fatal. Injuries included skeletal fractures, pulmonary contusions, and cardiovascular ruptures leading to tamponade and hemothorax. Serious cardiac arrhythmias also occurred, including one case of lethal ventricular fibrillation. The 9.7 m/s exposures produced mainly pulmonary contusion, ranging in severity from moderate to critical. Cardiac arrhythmias occurred but were typically minor. In contrast to the lower compression impacts at 14.5 m/s, there were no rib fractures or cardiovascular ruptures. In general, peak sternal acceleration and applied force correlated with impact velocity but not with normalized compression; and spinal acceleration did not correlate with any parameter. Overall, the high velocity exposures, produced higher mechanical responses, more severe gross trauma and more serious cardiac arrhythmias despite lower compression levels. The results of this study while reconfirming normalized compression as one correlate of injury, emphasize the importance of loading velocity in determining the overall severity of blunt thoracic impact.
Spatio-Temporal-Thematic Analysis of Citizen Sensor Data: Challenges and Experiences

We present work in the spatio-temporal-thematic analysis of citizen-sensor observations pertaining to real-world events. Using Twitter as a platform for obtaining crowd-sourced observations, we explore the interplay between the 3 dimensions in extracting insightful summaries of observations. We present our experiences in building a web mashup application, Twitris [1] that also facilitates the spatio-temporal-thematic exploration of social signals underlying events.
Unnoticeable Jitter in ATM Workstation Configurations

We evaluate the variation of inter-cell arrival times, namely jitter, as seen by a workstation. We present experimental results of actual jitter measurements on the FORE ASX200BX switch and a Pentium workstation running Linux. We analyze how the ATM network card device driver on a workstation perceives the jitter introduced by the network. We conclude from our data that the cell clumping that takes place at the ATM network card often negates any jitter introduced by the network. These findings contradict conventional analytical evaluations that claim that jitter significantly affects real-time end-to-end performance.
Gender and Development

Global financial problems, rising food prices, climate change, international migration – increasingly by women – conflict situations in many poor countries, the spread of tropical diseases such as malaria and dengue fever and the increased incidence of HIV/AIDS and TB, and changing patterns of trade have all added new dimensions to gender issues in developing countries. These problems are frequently being brought to public attention in the media and through long-haul tourism. Consequently students’ interest in gender and development has grown considerably in the last few years. This updated second edition provides a concise, accessible introduction to Gender and Development issues in the developing world and in the transition countries of Eastern and Central Europe. The nine chapters include discussions on changes in theoretical approaches, gender complexities and the Millennium Development Goals; social and biological reproduction including differing attitudes to family planning by states and variation in education and access to housing; differences in health and violence at major life stages for women and men and natural disasters and gender roles in rural and urban areas. The penultimate chapter considers the impact of broad economic changes such as the globalization of trade and communications on gender differences in economic activity and the final chapter addresses international progress towards gender equality as measured by the global gender gap. The text is particularly strong on environmental aspects and the new edition builds on this to consider the effects of climate change and declining natural resources illustrated by a case study of changing gender roles in fishing in India. There is also enhanced coverage of topics such as global trade, sport as a development tool, masculinities, and sustainable agriculture. Maps, statistics, references and boxed case studies have been updated throughout and their coverage widened. Gender and Development is the only broad based introduction to the topic written specifically for a student audience. It features student friendly items such as chapter learning objectives, discussion questions, annotated guides to further reading and websites. The text is enlivened throughout with examples and case studies drawn from the author’s worldwide field research and consultancies with international development agencies over four decades and her experience of teaching the topic to undergraduates and postgraduates in many countries. It will be an essential text for a variety of courses on development, women’s studies, sociology, anthropology and geography.
E-rulemaking: new directions for information technology and regulation

Each year, government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Aviation Administration, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission collectively promulgate thousands of new regulations. Electronic rulemaking, or e-rulemaking, offers the potential to enhance the public's involvement in the regulatory process as well as improve the management of rulemaking. The Regulatory Policy Program at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government convened two workshops on e-rulemaking over the past year: one in Washington, D.C., the other in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation's Digital Government Research Program, these workshops brought together academic experts from computer sciences, law, and public management, along with key public officials involved in managing federal regulation, to forge a forward-looking research agenda needed to improve and expand e-rulemaking efforts. The panel at dg.o2003, the National Conference on Digital Government Research, shared the key themes that emerged from the Harvard workshops with the larger digital government research community and discussed the major challenges for future research on e-rulemaking.
Assessing gender biases: Development and initial validation of the gender role stereotypes scale

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to develop and validate a new gender role stereotypes scale intended to be a short, effective, and modern measure of gender role attitudes.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 800 participants completed an online survey, with 546 completing a second survey one week later. Recommended scale development procedures were utilized throughout in order to design and test the proposed instrument.Findings – Item analyses determined a final set of most effective items, while exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided support for the eight‐item, two‐dimensional (female stereotypes, male stereotypes) scale (Gender Role Stereotypes Scale – GRSS). Additionally, internal consistency and test‐retest reliabilities were acceptable, as was the construct‐related validity. This study also finds that gender role stereotypes are best examined as a two‐factor construct (male, female), rather than conceptualized as two poles of a unidimensional continuum.Practical implicati...
Steady-State Operation of a Compressor for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell System

The performance of a system consisting of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell coupled to a centrifugal air compressor is simulated. Two modes of operation of the system are investigated: one in which the speed of the compressor is constant, and the other in which the compressor speed is varied with the electric load on the fuel cell stack. The operating characteristics of the compressor and the PEM fuel cell stack and their influence on the system efficiency are analyzed for a step change in the stack current. The effects of the fuel cell stack back-pressure and the electric load on the compressor power consumption and the system efficiency are studied. It is found that the system efficiency is higher when the fuel cell stack is operated at a constant oxygen gas stoichiometry by varying the compressor speed instead of at a constant compressor speed. The system model can be used to determine the rotation speed of the compressor for various electric loads.
The Schwarzian derivative for maps between manifolds with complex projective connections

In this paper we define, in two equivalent ways, the Schwarzian derivative of a map between complex manifolds equipped with complex projective connections. Also, a new, coordinate-free definition of complex projective connections is given. We show how the Schwarzian derivative is related to the projective structure of the manifolds, to projective linear transformations, and to complex geodesics.
Cell adhesion and phagocytosis promoted by monoclonal antibodies not directed against fibronectin receptors.

In this report we describe cell adhesion and phagocytosis promoted by two monoclonal antibodies that were selected for immunofluorescence staining of non-permeabilized baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Anti-BHK1 staining was heaviest along cell margins, whereas anti-BHK2 staining was continuous along cell margins. Neither antibody stained elongated plaque structures such as were observed when cells were reacted with antibodies to fibronectin (FN) receptors. The monoclonal antibodies functioned as adhesion ligands in four different assays: attachment to culture dishes, spreading, binding of latex beads and phagocytosis. Anti-BHK1 and anti-BHK2 promoted attachment to culture dishes similarly, but anti-BHK2 was more effective at promoting cell spreading. Antibody-promoted cell spreading was inhibited by the peptides Ser-Asp-Gly-Arg and Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro but not by other, related, peptides tested. The monoclonal antibodies also promoted binding of latex beads, and the bead binding sites were motile, on the basis of their ‘capping’ response. Nevertheless, anti-BHK2 beads were phagocytosed by cells 5- to 20-fold more efficiently than anti-BHK1 beads. The binding sites for anti-BHK1 and anti-BHK2 were characterized by immunoprecipitation experiments. Anti-BHK1 binding sites contained 50K (K = 10(3) Mr) and 88K components under non-reducing conditions that migrated as a 51/53K doublet and a 93K component under reducing conditions. On the other hand, anti-BHK2 binding sites contained 88K and 110K components under non-reducing conditions that shifted to apparent 107K and 128K values when measured under reducing conditions.
The Social Work Retreat Experience: An Informal Educational Technique for Integrating Professional and Personal Development

Abstract This paper addresses a structured retreat experience as a technique for professional development that integrates formal and informal educational processes. The authors define the social work retreat, present a rationale for its use within the larger context of social work education, present findings from two different retreats, illustrate specific activities that have been used, and suggest recommendations for using the social work retreat in other programs.
Simulation of droplet heating and desolvation in an inductively coupled plasma

Summary form only given, as follows. The total desolvation rate of sample droplets in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is investigated through the development of a two-phase flow computer model. The model uses the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method for time-dependent studies of aerosol number density, droplet size, droplet temperature, and droplet velocity as a function of axial and radial distance from the nebulizer nozzle, the nebulizer dimensions, carrier gas flow rates, and solution uptake rates. The desolvation model is supplemented by equations used to determine the trajectories of particles through the plasma. The effect of coalescence following droplet-droplet collisions is also considered, as well as the effect of high Knudsen number environments on the desolvation and transport of the aerosol.
Thermodynamic incompatibility of proteins at the air–water interface?

Abstract Competitive adsorption of eight protein 1–protein 2–water ternary systems at the air–water interface has been studied. The equilibrium composition of proteins in the mixed protein films did not follow a Langmuir-type competitive adsorption model. The deviation from the Langmuir model is shown to be due to thermodynamic incompatibility of the protein species in the mixed protein film. This incompatibility changed the ratio of the binding affinity of the proteins to the air–water interface in a protein 1–protein 2–water ternary system when compared to that in a protein 1–water and protein 2–water binary systems. Two parameters—an empirical incompatibility parameter and an interaction parameter—have been determined for each of the eight ternary systems. The relevance of these two parameters in predicting the intensity of incompatibility among two proteins at the air–water interface is described. It is proposed that, because of incompatibility, proteins in a mixed protein film at interfaces may undergo two-dimensional phase separation.
Combinatorial approaches to QoS scheduling in multichannel infrastructure wireless networks

We study the resource allocation problem in multi-tone frame based broadband wireless access systems. Frequency and time resources must be allocated by a central controller (Base Station) to a number of users. We consider variations of a resource allocation problem, some of which are difficult to solve. Situations in which only the objective of the Base Station need to be maximized are easily dealt with as are cases where all the users perceive the same channel conditions. Scenarios where both the objectives of the BS as well as those of the end users must be met simultaneously require more complicated solutions since individual users experience different channel conditions. We present linear programming relaxations for the resource allocation problem. While solving the LP using standard techniques like ellipsoidal algorithm can provide optimal allocations for all users, it can be expensive in terms of computing overhead as the number of users in the system increase. Therefore we present an efficient algorithm which performs well even as the number of clients n, and the number of channels m in the system increases. We also present a heuristic based on the interpretation of the linear programming relaxation as a concurrent flow problem. We note that in numerical experiments, the performance of the heuristic closely matches the optimal solution to the linear programming relaxation. Extensions of the basic formulation to scenarios where the clients use simple radios and to network scenarios where the clients can be multi-homed are presented. We discuss how the solution to the LP leads to a realizable schedule in all the above formulations. We also present a Mixed Integer Programming formulation for a scenario in which the signaling overhead incurred due to communication of these computed allocations is reduced, and provide initial directions on the joint power and slot assignment problem.
Development of Oil/Water/Surfactant Microemulsions as Templates for Micro and Nanostructured Metal Foams

There are a range of applications for bicontinuous metal micro and nanostructures including as porous electrodes for supercapacitors, in fuel cells and in advanced batteries. We have previously demonstrated a number of methods of generating metal nanostructures by electrodeposition into various templates including hexagonal surfactant phases and mesoporous silica. More recently we have been exploring the application of oil-in-water microemulsions as templates. We have found empirically that the formation of microstructure is strongly effected by the viscosity of the oil phase, the rate of metal electroreduction and the surface roughness of the substrate. We interpret these observations as reflecting a competition between growth of the metal around the oil droplet and the redistribution of the oil in front of the growing metal film. We are currently exploring bicontinuous and water-in-oil phases with the expectation that such templates will yield bicontinuous metal films with larger accessible surface areas. Preliminary results with water-in-oil phases appear to show the formation of bicontinuous nanostructured films on the 20 nm length scale.
Why We Do What We Do: A Biopsychosocial Theory of Human Motivation

Esquisse d'une theorie de la motivation humaine s'appuyant sur les processus biologiques, psychologiques et sociaux. Sont abordes la non prevoyance intrinseque du monde experimente par les gens, le principe qui pose que les individus peuvent etre considerees comme responsables de leurs actes, l'importance du sens de la vie, la reformulation de la theorie de l'apprentissage, un processus qui souleve des questions sur des suppositions de base de l'interactionnisme symbolique et sur la theorie du choix rationnel, les causes et les consequences des differences de genres dans le comportement, les raisons pour lesquelles des etats positifs de bien-etre psychologique sont souvent associes a un niveau de stress eleve et a un manque de controle, le processus de la maturation psychologique adulte et les limites du concept d'« agency » dans la theorie de structuration
The prediction of methane solubility in natural waters to high ionic strength from 0 to 250°C and from 0 to 1600 bar

Abstract A model for the solubility of methane in brines (0–6 m) for temperatures from 0 to 250°C and for pressures from 0 to 1600 bar (or slightly above) is presented. The model is based on Pitzer phenomenology for the liquid phase and a highly accurate equation of state recently developed for the vapor phase. Comparison of model predictions with experimental data indicates that they are within experimental uncertainty. Most experimental data sets are consistent within errors of about 7%. Although the parameters were evaluated from binary and ternary data, the model accurately predicts methane solubility in much more complicated systems like seawater and Salton geothermal brines. Application to fluid inclusion analysis is discussed. Minimum trapping pressures are calculated given the composition and homogenization temperature.
Gel electrophoresis of giant proteins: solubilization and silver-staining of titin and nebulin from single muscle fiber segments.

Giant proteins in the megadalton range (> 0.5 MDa) appear to play important structural and functional roles in striated muscle. Titin (∼ 3 MDa) is involved in the generation of resting tension and the assembly and stability of the sarcomere in skeletal and cardiac muscle tissues, while nebulin (∼ 0.7 MDa) is thought to regulate thin filament length in skeletal muscle. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-gel electrophoresis is an important tool in revealing the size, quantity and integrity of these giant proteins in muscle tissues. We report here a method for solubilizing, detecting and quantifying titin and nebulin from short segments of single fibers of the rabbit psoas muscle. Muscle proteins ranging from 15 kDa to 3MDa were resolved on 3.3–12% gradient polyacrylamide gels that were silver-stained and quantitated by densitometry. Presoaking fiber segments in a low ionic strength pH 8.4 buffer enhances the amount of solubilized titin and nebulin. Solubilizing the presoaked fiber segments with SDS at 60°C for 60 s maximizes the amount of intact titin; solubilizing at higher temperatures causes extensive degradation of titin. Detection sensitivity is sufficient to study titin and nebulin in fiber segments as short as 120 μm.
Spontaneous resolution of acute cranial subdural hematomas.

Acute cranial subdural hematoma (SDH) represents a common consequence of traumatic brain injury. The vast majority of acute SDHs larger than 10 mm in thickness require immediate surgical evacuation. In rare occasions, however, spontaneous resolution may occur. In our current communication, we present four cases of spontaneous resolution of acute cranial SDH. Further more, the proposed theories explaining spontaneous resolution of acute SDH, as well as, clinical parameters and imaging characteristics that might predict such phenomenon, are also reviewed. The possibility of spontaneous resolution of an acute SDH, although remote, may impact the decision making process regarding the management of these patients under certain conditions.
Statistical Characteristics of the Large-Scale Response of Coastal Sea Level to Atmospheric Forcing

Abstract As part of a study of the large-scale response of coastal sea level to atmospheric forcing along the west coast of North America during June–September 1973, Halliwell and Allen calculate space- and time-lagged cross-correlation coefficients Rτζ between adjusted sea level ζ at fixed alongshore locations ζ(y0) and the alongshore component of the wind stress τ at general alongshore positions τ(y). Similarly, correlation coefficients Rζζ and Rττ involving, respectively, ζ(y0) versus ζ(y) and τ(y0) versus τ(y) are computed. The Rτζ correlations show a consistent asymmetry in time and space lag (tL, yL), with maximum values of Rτζ found for τ(y) to the south of ζ(y0) and leading in time. The Rττ correlations are typically symmetric in tL and in yL while Rζζ generally show sea level fluctuations to the south leading those to the north in time. It is shown here that the observed correlation coefficients involving ζ are consistent with those derived from solutions to the forced, first-order wave equation ...
A refined conjecture of Mazur-Tate type for Heegner points

In [MT1], Mazur and Tate present a “refined conjecture of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer type” for a modular elliptic curveE. This conjecture relates congruences for certain integral homology cycles onE(C) (the modular symbols) to the arithmetic ofE overQ. In this paper we formulate an analogous conjecture forE over a suitable imaginary quadratic fieldK, in which the role of the modular symbols is played by Heegner points. A large part of this conjecture can be proved, thanks to the ideas of Kolyvagin on the Euler system of Heegner points. In effect the main result of this paper can be viewed as a generalization of Kolyvagin's result relating the structure of the Selmer group ofE overK to the Heegner points defined in the Mordell-Weil groups ofE over ring class fields ofK. An explicit application of our method to the Galois module structure of Heegner points is given in Sect. 2.2.
Cold-rolled and primary recrystallization textures in cold-rolled single crystals of silicon iron

Abstract Quantitative pole figures are given for the cold-rolled textures and the primary recrystallization textures obtained from single crystals of silicon iron. The orientation changes produced by cold rolling, by primary recrystallization, and by secondary recrystallization are discussed. Each primary recrystallization texture is shown to consist of several preferred orientations with one component predominant. Minor components are shown to have the orientations found for components of the secondary recrystallization texture when secondary recrystallization occurs on further annealing. The conclusion is reached that large primaries from a minor component of the primary recrystallization structure grow and become secondaries of the same preferred orientation, provided they are large enough to grow in competition with other primaries and do not come from a component which by itself or together with a twin component represents too large a fraction of the texture. The results obtained for both primary and secondary recrystallization agree better with the oriented-nucleation growth-selectivity theory than with other current theories.
Expression of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene in the respiratory tract of normal individuals and individuals with cystic fibrosis

The most common mutation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene, CFTR, associated with the clinical disorder cystic fibrosis (CF) is called "delta Phe508," a triple-base deletion resulting in loss of phenylalanine at residue 508 of the predicted 1480-amino acid CFTR protein. In the context that the lung is the major site of morbidity and mortality in CF, we evaluated airway epithelial cells for CFTR mRNA transcripts in normal individuals, normal-delta Phe508 heterozygotes, and delta Phe508 homozygotes to determine if the normal and delta Phe508 CFTR alleles are expressed in the respiratory epithelium, to what extent they are expressed, and whether there are relative differences in the expression of the normal and abnormal alleles at the mRNA level. Respiratory tract epithelial cells recovered by fiberoptic bronchoscopy with a cytology brush demonstrated CFTR mRNA transcripts with sequences appropriately reflecting the normal and delta Phe508 CFTR alleles of the various study groups. CFTR gene expression quantified by limited polymerase chain reaction amplification showed that in normal individuals, CFTR mRNA transcripts are expressed in nasal, tracheal, and bronchial epithelial cells at approximately 1-2 copies per cell, more than 100-fold greater than in pharyngeal epithelium. Importantly, allele-specific hybridization studies demonstrated that the normal and delta Phe508 CFTR alleles are expressed in the respiratory epithelium in similar amounts.
Analysis and design of passive low-pass filter-type vibration isolators considering stiffness and mass limitations

Abstract The aim of this paper is to design stiff and lightweight uniaxial passive vibration isolators that have low stop-band frequency. In order to make fair comparisons, stop-band frequencies of various isolator designs are formulated in a general framework. Two new n-degree-of-freedom (n-dof) isolator designs are introduced. The first design has n - 1 anti-resonance frequencies (zeros), which are generated by n - 1 single-degree-of-freedom (sdof) dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs). It is shown that this system offers lower stop-band frequency than an equivalent mass–spring chain, which just uses resonance frequencies to achieve isolation. The second design is synthesized using n lever-type anti-resonant vibration isolators in series, so it has n zeros. It is shown that this design attains lowest stop-band frequency when all the isolator mass is concentrated on lever tips. Finally, comparative numerical examples are presented.
Estrogen activates mitogen-activated protein kinase in native, nontransfected CHO-K1, COS-7, and RAT2 fibroblast cell lines.

CHO-K1, COS-7, and Rat2 fibroblast cell lines are generally believed to be devoid of estrogen receptors (ERs) and have been widely used to study the functions of ER-α and ER-β after transfection of their cDNAs. Numerous studies have demonstrated that transfected ER-α or ER-β mediates estradiol-induced activation of multiple signaling pathways, including the MAPK/ERK pathways. We report here for the first time that both 17α-estradiol and 17β-estradiol elicit activation of MAPK/ERK in native, nontransfected CHO-K1, COS-7, and Rat2 fibroblast cell lines. We further report that, contrary to the generally held belief, these cell lines are not unresponsive to estradiol in their native, nontransfected state, and that this estrogen responsiveness is associated with estrogen binding. Using multiple ER antibodies, we failed to find ER-α or ER-β isoforms or even ER-X. In view of these findings, researchers, using such cells as models to investigate mechanisms of estrogen action, must always take into account the exi...
Design space exploration of FinFET cache

Integration of cache on-chip has significantly improved the performance of modern processors. The relentless demand for ever-increasing performance has led to the need to increase the cache capacity and number of cache levels. However, the performance improvement is accompanied by an increase in chip's power dissipation, requiring the use of more expensive cooling technologies to ensure chip reliability and long product life. The emergence of FinFETs as the technology of choice for high-performance computing poses new challenges to processor designers. With the introduction of new features in FinFETs, for example, independently controllable back gates, researchers have proposed several innovative memory cells that can reduce leakage power significantly, making the integration of a larger cache more practical.In this article, we comprehensively evaluate and compare the performance, power consumption (both dynamic and leakage), area, and temperature of different FinFET SRAM caches by exploring common configurations with varying cache size, block size, associativity, and number of banks. We evaluate caches based on four well-known FinFET SRAM cells: Pass-Gate FeedBack (PGFB), Row-based Back-Gate Biasing (RBGB), 8T, and 4T. We show how the caches can be simulated at self-consistent temperatures (at which leakage and temperature are in equilibrium).Drowsy and decay caches are two well-known leakage reduction techniques. We implement them in the context of FinFET caches to investigate their impact. We show that the RBGB cell-based cache is far superior in leakage and Power-Delay Product (PDP) to those based on the other three cells, sometimes by an order of magnitude. This superiority is maintained even when drowsy or decay leakage reduction techniques are applied to caches based on the other three cells, but not to the one based on the RBGB cell. This significantly diminishes the importance of drowsy or decay cache techniques, at least when the RBGB cell is used.
The Novel Triterpenoid 2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) Potently Enhances Apoptosis Induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor in Human Leukemia Cells

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a potent activator of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway that leads to up-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins. Hence, TNF induces apoptosis in the presence of inhibitors of protein or RNA synthesis. We report that a novel triterpenoid, 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9,-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) inhibits NF-κB-mediated gene expression at a step after translocation of activated NF-κB to the nucleus. This effect appears specific for the NF-κB pathway as CDDO does not inhibit gene expression induced by the phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). CDDO in combination with TNF caused a dramatic increase in apoptosis in ML-1 leukemia cells that was associated with activation of caspase-8, cleavage of Bid, translocation of Bax, cytochrome crelease, and caspase-3 activation. Experiments with caspase inhibitors demonstrated that caspase-8 was an initiator of this pathway. TNF also induced a transient activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which upon addition of CDDO was converted to a sustained activation. The activation of JNK was also dependent on caspase-8. Sustained activation of JNK is frequently pro-apoptotic, yet inhibition of JNK did not prevent Bax translocation or cytochromec release, demonstrating its lack of involvement in CDDO/TNF-induced apoptosis. Apoptosis was acutely induced by CDDO/TNF in every leukemia cell line tested including those that overexpress Bcl-xL, suggesting that the mitochondrial pathway is not required for apoptosis by this combination. These results suggest that the apoptotic potency of the CDDO/TNF combination occurs through selective inhibition of NF-κB-dependent anti-apoptotic proteins, bypassing potential mitochondrial resistance mechanisms, and thus may provide a basis for the development of novel approaches to the treatment of leukemia.
Actin-Myosin Binding Kinetics in Relation to Actin Sliding Velocities

Actin-Myosin Binding Kinetics in Relation to Actin Sliding VelocitiesMuscle shortening velocities are widely thought to be solely limited by ATP-induced actin-myosin dissociation; however, recent studies indicate that muscle shortening velocities are influenced significantly by the kinetics and energetics of myosin's weak-to-strong binding transition. To test this hypothesis, we have developed a novel assay that allows us to measure actin-sliding velocity, V, and actin-myosin binding, kon, and dissociation, koff, kinetics in the same flow chamber. Using this assay we study the effects of different modulators of muscle mechanics such as blebbistatin, vanadate, sucrose, ATP, ADP, and Pi on kon, koff, and V. In general, when koff is varied (e.g., by varying [ATP]), we observe a strong correlation between actin-myosin dissociation kinetics and V as predicted by detachment-limited models of V. However, certain modulators such as blebbistatin and vanadate affect V by altering weak-to-strong binding kinetics, kon. This assay will allow us to better understand the mechanism by which changes in kon affect V.
Inspiring Academically Talented High School Students to Consider Teaching Careers in Urban Schools

This article addresses a unique effort to implement a summer residential program that identifies and inspires potential educators by reaching down the pipeline to academically talented high school students. The primary goal of the program was to introduce participants to various dimensions of urban teaching. The research and evaluation for the program was designed to include diverse forms of data (quantitative and qualitative) from both staff and program participants. This study’s findings indicate that participants became more informed about prevalent issues in under-resourced urban schools, better understood the need for teachers’ ongoing professional development and felt more comfortable in urban schools. A number of the focal participants also expressed sustained or increased aspirations for teaching youth in urban schools.
Specific Mismatch Correction in Bacteriophage Lambda Crosses by Very Short Patch Repair

In crosses under rec+, red+, gam+ conditions, mutation am6 in the cI (repressor) gene of bacteriophage λ recombines with other cI mutations much more frequently than predicted by the physical distances involved. In four-factor crosses of am6 with mutations located 22–60 base pairs to the left, cI+ recombinants that are expected to require three crossovers (triple recombinants) are more frequent than recombinants that require only one crossover. However, when am6 is crossed with large insertions in cI, which may be expected to interfere with the formation of heteroduplexes by branch migration, the frequency of cI+ triple recombinants is very low. In addition, cI+ recombinants in crosses between am6 and adjacent mutations have a high probability of retaining the flanking markers of the am6 parent. These findings suggest that am6 is particularly susceptible to mismatch repair in heteroduplexes are presumed to be the result of branch migration from crossovers occurring at some distance from am6. The absence of co-repair when am6 is crossed with adjacent cI mutations indicates that most repair tracts extend no farther than about 20 bp to either side of the mismatch.
The Pedagogy of the Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives: A Survey

This study examines pedagogical uses of the Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives (DALN), an online, publicly available, searchable database of autobiographical stories about literacy development. The DALN aspires to make visible the everyday literacy practices of ordinary people, a mission that makes it an invaluable resource for scholars and teachers. In particular, the DALN offers opportunities to deepen and complicate pedagogical approaches to literacy narratives in composition, rhetoric, and literacy studies. This article briefly reviews the historical uses of literacy narratives in composition courses before turning to current experiments incorporating the DALN. Based on surveys and conversations with instructors, the authors categorize and synthesize various approaches, providing specific examples and instructors’ reflections that offer insights and highlight areas of concern. The final discussion considers what this research suggests about best practices and critical questions for educators interested in using the DALN in their teaching.
Comparison of healing parameters of full thickness wounds transplanted with micrografts, spit thickness skin grafts or cultured keratinocytes

INTRODUCTION: Transplantation of split-thickness skin grafts, culturedautologouskeratinocytesandskinmicrograftsresultinhealing of full-thickness wounds. This study compares these methods in a porcine wound model, investigating the utility of micrograft transplantation in skin restoration. METHODS: Full-thickness wounds were created on Yorkshire pigs and assigned to one of the following treatment groups: meshed splitthickness skin graft (STSG), cultured autologous keratinocytes (CK), skin micrografts (MG), wet environment (W) and dry environment (D). Dry wounds were covered with gauze and the other groups were enclosed in a polyurethane chamber containing 2 mL of saline. Samples were taken 6, 12 and 18 days post wounding. Macroscopic wound healing was quantified using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS). Wound healing parameters such as contraction, reepithelialization, epidermal characteristics and scar formation was determined by quantitative morphometric or morphologic analysis. RESULTS: Grafted wounds had a lower VSS score compared to non-grafted wounds (STSG:4, CK:6, MG:3, W:8.5, D:10, unwounded skin:0). Wounds grafted with STSG and MG showed significantly reduced contraction compared to non-grafted wounds (STSG:25%, CK:35%, MG:28%, W:43%, D:44%). All grafted wounds showed increased epidermal healing compared to nongrafted wounds. Furthermore, transplantation with STSG or MG led to less scar tissue formation compared to the non-grafted wounds andnosignificantimpactonscarformationwasobservedaftertransplantation of CK.
Cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 in obsessive-compulsive disorder and trichotillomania.

Abstract Recent studies have suggested that neuroimmune abnormalities may play an important role in the pathogenesis of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders. This study was undertaken to determine whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 differ between OCD and trichotillomania patients and healthy control subjects. Lumbar puncture with a standardized procedure was performed on 26 patients with OCD and 9 with trichotillomania. All patients were drug-free and met DSM-IV criteria. Twenty-six age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers underwent the same procedure. CSF was assayed for IL-6 using a quantitative ‘sandwich' enzyme immunoassay technique. Mean±S.D. CSF IL-6 levels did not differ between OCD patients ( n =26) (2.4±1.1 pg/ml) and controls ( n =26) (2.4±1.9 pg/ml) or between trichotillomania patients ( n =9) (2.3±0.8 pg/ml) and their matched controls ( n =14) (1.9±0.5 pg/ml). These findings fail to support speculation that ongoing immune activation may be causally involved in the pathogenesis of OCD or trichotillomania.
The effect of esmolol pretreatment on the incidence of regional wall motion abnormalities during electroconvulsive therapy.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is associated with dramatic increases in arterial blood pressure and heart rate (HR) that may precipitate new left ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs) suggestive of myocardial ischemia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of pretreatment with esmolol on the incidence of RWMAs after ECT. Thirteen patients served as their own controls and, in a random fashion, received a standard succinylcholine/methohexital anesthetic for one of two ECT sessions, and an identical anesthetic with esmolol 1 mg/kg for their other ECT session. Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), mean arterial pressures (MAP) and HR were recorded after drug administration and before ECT and at l-, 2-, 4-, 5-, lo-, and 15-min intervals after ECT. Echocardiograms were obtained at baseline, after drug administration, 1 min after ECT, and at recovery 15 min later. All patients had significant increases in SBP, DBP, and MAP at 1,2, and 4 min after ECT versus baseline, whereas HR was significantly faster at all times in the control sessions. HR was significantly slower after anesthetic induction until 2 min after ECT in the esmolol versus the control group (P < 0.05). New RWMAs were seen in only 1 of 26 (4%) ECT sessions, despite the presence of baseline RWMAs in 31% of the patients. We conclude that contrary to previously reported data, new RWMAs after ECT are uncommon. Consequently, this study was unable to demonstrate any beneficial effect of pretreatment with esmolol on the incidence of ECT-induced RWMAs. (Anesth Analg 1996;82:143-7)
The spectra of chromium oxalate crystals

Abstract The 2 E → 4 A 2 emission spectra of hexagonal NaMgAl(C2O4)3·9H2O crystals, doped with Cr+3, have been recorded. Neither line widths nor splittings are altered when the Cr+3 concentration is increased from 0.1 to 75 mole %. Increasing the temperature from 4° to 77°K only serves to populate the upper component of 2E. The vibronic structure is very weak in emission and can be assigned to the ground-state intramolecular vibrations. The 0-0 bands coincide in absorption and emission, but the vibronic distributions differ considerably in the two spectra. A monoclinic modification exists in which the trigonal field splitting of 2E is absent.