cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Initial and Long-term Retention of Robotic Technical Skills in an Otolaryngology Residency Program.

Author(s): Shay, Sophie G; Chrin, Jonathan D; Wang, Marilene B; Mendelsohn, Abie H | Abstract: Objectives/hypothesisTo objectively assess the initial and long-term retention of robotic surgical skills of otolaryngology residents.Study designThis study was performed in an academic otolaryngology residency training program. Between October 2015 and November 2016, residents were invited to complete a prospective, multiphase robotic surgical skills training course: 1) online da Vinci Surgical System Assessment and didactic, 2) faculty-supervised robotic simulator training, 3) robotic docking and draping training, 4) robotic dry-lab exercises. To optimize surgical skill retention, the training laboratory was repeated 2 weeks after the initial training session.MethodsTwenty otolaryngology residents were included. Primary outcome was measured as robotic skill assessment scores on three tasks: camera targeting, peg board, and needle targeting. Skill assessments were completed prior to training, between the two training sessions, and at 1 month and 6 months after training. Residents were also asked to complete a self-assessment questionnaire.ResultsCamera targeting scores were improved at midtraining (P l .001) and 1-month posttraining (P = .010). Peg board scores were improved at 1 month training (P = .043). Needle targeting scores were improved at midtraining (P = .002), 1 month (P = .002), and 6 months posttraining (P l .001). Resident self-assessment scores demonstrating comfort with using the robotic console (P l .01) and docking/draping (P l .01) improved significantly following the training.ConclusionsFollowing a multiphase robotic training program, otolaryngology residents demonstrated significant, objective skill acquisition and retention at 1 month and 6 months follow-up. Although the proposed training strategy may be considered an important step in otolaryngology residency training, additional innovations are being designed toward a formal robotic training curriculum.Level of evidenceNA Laryngoscope, 129:1380-1385, 2019.
Reduced fast electron transport in shock-heated plasma in multilayer targets due to self-generated magnetic fields

Fast electron transport has been studied in cold solid density CH, cold CH foam ($200\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mg}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$), and CH plasma (40 eV $30\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mg}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$) targets---the latter created by shocking the CH foam with a 1.2 kJ long pulse laser and allowing it to expand. The fast electrons were produced using the OMEGA EP laser pulse (800 J, 8 ps) incident on a Au flat target. With the CH plasma, the fluence of fast electrons reaching a Cu foil at the far side of the transport was reduced significantly ($25\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ weaker peak $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ emission). Particle-in-cell simulations using the osiris code modeled fast electron transport in the unshocked foam and plasma cases assuming fixed ionization and including source generation, transport in Au and CH layers, Coulomb collisions, and refluxing. Simulations indicate two main mechanisms which alter electron energy transport through the target between the foam and plasma cases, both due to the magnetic field: a collimating field in the CH region, caused by the resistivity of the return current and more prevalent in the foam; and an insulating field at the Au-CH interface, present only with the plasma.
Dialogue in the Monastery: Hagiography as a Pedagogical Model

This article explores the reasons why dialogue has been such a key part of religious education by examining several texts from the medieval period: Gregory the Great's Dialogues, Petrus Alfonsi's Dialogue against the Jews and three hagiographical narratives from tenth-century Spanish manuscripts. It will argue that when read or listened to, the dialogue of the text was meant in turn to cue an internal dialogue, a response within the self, and a transformation. While meditative religious reading of all kinds was thought of as producing this inner reflection and debate, the dialogue format was an especially effective didactic tool for inculcating in beginners a mode of internal reflection and questioning, inspired by an outside source. Finally, although the content and even the message of the dialogue that is written or overheard may be fixed and clear, its effect on those who read or hear it remains open and provisional. It is up to readers or listeners to draw their own conclusions and absorb their own lessons from it.
Power trace functions over finite fields

We count the number of solutions to a power trace function equal to a constant and use this to find the probability of a successful attack on an authentication code proposed by Ding et al. (2005) [...
LES of Subsonic Reacting Mixing Layers

We study a class of chemically reacting, spatially evolving, subsonic mixing layers via large eddy simulations (LES). A primary goal is to assess the inflow conditions, numerical methods, and physical models requirement to reproduce experimental results on molecular mixing and effects of inflow conditions in high-Reynolds number mixing layers: here, we target experiments performed by Slessor et al. (J. Fluid Mech. 376, 115–138 1998). The streams forming the mixing layer carry small amounts of hydrogen and fluorine, initiating a hypergolic reaction upon mixing at large Damkohler number. In this regime, product formation and temperature rise in the flow is mixing limited. The chemical compositions considered for this study correspond to low levels of heat release and results in adiabatic flame temperature rise of 171K and 267K. Both reacting and non-reacting simulations are performed with the Vreman sub-grid scale model (Vreman Phys. Fluids 16(10), 3670–3681 2004). A grid resolution study is done and comparisons are made with the available experimental data. To mitigate dispersive errors and ensure boundedness in species mass fractions that occur in simulations of non-premixed combustion, non-linear scaling limiters are used for reconstructing species densities during flux evaluation. The simulations show good agreement of the velocity and temperature rise profiles with experiment, and reveal differences in the flow field attributed to changes in the inflow conditions.
IL-5 Exposure In Utero Increases Lung Nerve Density and Airway Reactivity in Adult Offspring

Asthma is characterized by airway hyperreactivity and inflammation. In the lungs, parasympathetic and sensory nerves control airway tone and induce bronchoconstriction. Dysregulation of these nerves results in airway hyperreactivity. Humans with eosinophilic asthma have significantly increased sensory nerve density in airway epithelium, suggesting that type 2 cytokines and inflammatory cells promote nerve growth. Similarly, mice with congenital airway eosinophilia also have airway hyperreactivity and increased airway sensory nerve density. Here, we tested whether this occurs during development. We show that transgenic mice that overexpress IL-5, a cytokine required for eosinophil hematopoiesis, give birth to wild-type offspring that have significantly increased airway epithelial nerve density and airway hyperreactivity that persists into adulthood. These effects are caused by in utero exposure to maternal IL-5 and resulting fetal eosinophilia. Allergen exposure of these adult wild-type offspring results in severe airway hyperreactivity, leading to fatal reflex bronchoconstriction. Our results demonstrate that fetal exposure to IL-5 is a developmental origin of airway hyperreactivity, mediated by hyperinnervation of airway epithelium.
In Vitro Reconstitution of an Intestinal Mucus Layer Shows That Cations and pH Control the Pore Structure That Regulates Its Permeability and Barrier Function

Dysfunction of the intestinal mucus barrier causes disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The function of this essential barrier may be affected by the periodically changing lumi...
Jam tail estimation using vehicle and road agents

Today, an increasing number of vehicles use IoT devices to communicate with a control center to obtain such traffic information as road congestion conditions and the current shortest route. We analyze the enormous amount of data obtained from these vehicles and detect jam tails even if the percentage of vehicles with IoT devices is small. For effective performance and improved accuracy when analyzing an enormous amount of data for a wide road area, we use a multi-agent system to collect and analyze the IoT data, which is stored in memory with a hierarchical structure organized by vehicle agents and road agents. This structure enables time series data to be analyzed from the viewpoint of each vehicle and to be aggregated for jam analysis from the viewpoint of each road. Furthermore, we use a large-scale traffic simulator to evaluate the behavior of this IoT agent system.
On the distinct drag, reconfiguration and wake of perforated structures

Using especially designed laboratory experiments, we demonstrate that the flow-driven deformation of sufficiently porous, wall-mounted, flexible plates can exhibit positive Vogel exponent power of the incoming flow velocity. High-resolution force balance, planar particle image velocimetry and particle tracking velocimetry are used to measure the drag force, flow characteristics and plate bending. For a flexible plate with relatively high porosity given by an array of regularly spaced square openings, we derive a simple analytical argument that accounts for the sub-quadratic trends of the drag in a range of flow velocities spanning one order of magnitude. There, the drag experienced by the structure is modulated by the contributions of the local structure containing an open area. The effective approach velocity for each of these sections appears to increase monotonically with increased structure deformation due to the reduced effect of local wakes produced by adjacent areas. The uncovered aerodynamic behaviour may help to understand the complex flow–structure interaction of perforated structures in nature and engineering.
The Diagnostic Infant Preschool Assessment-Likert Version: Preparation, Concurrent Construct Validation, and Test-Retest Reliability.

Objective: The Diagnostic Infant and Preschool Assessment was revised to include Likert ratings (DIPA-L) to give a broader range of severity ratings that may have greater utility for clinical and research purposes. In addition, the instrument was updated for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. (DSM-5), and two types of Likert ratings-frequency versus problem intensity-were explored for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Concurrent construct validation and test-retest reliability were examined for the five most common disorders seen in very young children in outpatient clinics: PTSD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A sixth disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), which was created in DSM-5, was tested for the first time. Functional impairment was also examined. Methods: The caregivers of 58 two- through six-year-old children (57 mothers and 1 father) were recruited from an outpatient clinic. They were interviewed at Time 1, and 52 were reinterviewed at Time 2 by research assistants (children's age M 4.7 years, standard deviation 1.2). Results: Few differences were found between the ratings of frequency versus problem intensity for PTSD symptoms. Tests of concurrent criterion validation were acceptable for all disorders when compared against disorder-specific questionnaires; the range of Pearson correlation coefficients was 0.56-0.94. A trend for attenuation of diagnoses from Time 1 to Time 2 was evident, but not statistically significant. Test-retest reliabilities were strong when examined with continuous Likert scores, except for GAD (the range of intraclass correlation coefficients values was 0.29-0.91, but were less consistent for categorical disorder-level status [the range of Cohen's κs was 0.35-0.79]). The range of internal consistencies was 0.78-0.95, excluding DMDD, which could not be calculated. Conclusions: The updated and revised DIPA-L demonstrated many acceptable features of a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of very young children. While the findings are tentative given the small sample size, the DIPA-L is the only diagnostic instrument for young children with a replication, tested in clinic populations, updated for DSM-5, with psychometrics for functional impairment, and has Likert ratings.
Statistical considerations for medication adherence research.

Medication non-adherence is a widespread problem and has been known to be associated with worse health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Although many measures of adherence have been develop...
g m /I D -Based Frequency Compensation of CMOS Two-Stage Operational Amplifiers

The g m /I D -based design of analog integrated circuits introduced by Silveira, et al. in 1996 [1] employs an empirical transistor sizing methodology using SPICE-generated lookup tables that enables good agreement between simulations and specifications. A new SPICE lookup table is introduced that extends the gm/ID approach to the Miller pole-splitting frequency compensation of the classical CMOS two-stage operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) that has been in high-volume production since 1980 [2].
The New Design of Intelligent Power Module for Low Power Motor Drive Applications

A new SSMT (Sim Surface Mount Technology) IPM (Intelligent Power Module) is a fully optimized inverter module for electrically assisted bike’s motor drive applications. The size of the module is smaller than that of conventional TO type while keeping equivalent performance and reliability. It also reduces its power density and parasitic performance. A built-in driver and bootstrap diodes are highly integrated with power components in one module, which enables to create the layout simpler and easier and also improve the thermal issue. A new SSMT IPM with the full mold type substrate enhances the cost-effectiveness. Moreover, a DPC (Direct plating Copper) substrate will provide a technical advantage to further improve the performance in the future. This paper explains about electrical characteristics, circuit configurations, package technology, thermal performance, and power rating of the improved new SSMT IPM.
Time Compression in Virtual Reality

Virtual-reality (VR) users and developers have informally reported that time seems to pass more quickly while playing games in VR. We refer to this phenomenon as time compression: a longer real duration is compressed into a shorter perceived experience. To investigate this effect, we created two versions of a labyrinth-like game. The versions are identical in their content and mode of control but differ in their display type: one was designed to be played in VR, and the other on a conventional monitor (CM). Participants were asked to estimate time prospectively using an interval production method. Participants played each version of the game for a perceived five-minute interval, and the actual durations of the intervals they produced were compared between display conditions. We found that in the first block, participants in the VR condition played for an average of 72.6 more seconds than participants in the CM condition before feeling that five minutes had passed. This amounts to perceived five-minute intervals in VR containing 28.5% more actual time than perceived five-minute intervals in CM. However, the effect appeared to be reversed in the second block when participants switched display conditions, suggesting large novelty and anchoring effects, and demonstrating the importance of using between-subjects designs in interval production experiments. Overall, our results suggest that VR displays do produce a significant time compression effect. We discuss a VR-induced reduction in bodily awareness as a potential explanation for how this effect is mediated and outline some implications and suggestions for follow-up experiments.
On Hashin’s Hollow Cylinder and Sphere Assemblages in Anisotropic Nonlinear Elasticity

We generalize Hashin’s nonlinear isotropic hollow cylinder and sphere assemblages to nonlinear anisotropic solids. More specifically, we find the effective hydrostatic constitutive equation of nonlinear transversely isotropic hollow sphere assemblages with radial material preferred directions. We also derive the effective constitutive equations of finite and infinitely-long hollow cylinder assemblages made of incompressible orthotropic solids with axial, radial, and circumferential material preferred directions. In both sphere and cylinder assemblages the spherical and cylindrical shells can be radially inhomogeneous as long as Hashin’s definition of similar shells is properly generalized.
Exploiting the Equilibrium Matrix to Ensure the Geometric Stability of Planar Trusses

AbstractEquilibrium can be used to determine the geometric stability (kinematic determinacy) of a structure. For initial (conceptual) design, analyzing a structure’s equilibrium matrix first elimin...
Association of Pre-Operative Full-Body Surgical Preparation with Reduced Incidence of Surgical Site Infection at a Large, Urban Safety-Net Medical Center.

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) continue to represent a substantial source of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of implementing a protocol using home pre-operative surgical preparation on the SSI rate at a large, urban safety-net medical center. Patients and Methods: From July through December 2020, Nose-to-Toes® (N2T; Sage Products-Stryker Corporation, Cary, IL) full-body preparation was applied by patients at home on the morning of scheduled surgical procedures. This study was a single-institution, retrospective observational analysis to determine the rates of SSI ≤30 days after an operation. Patients having skin preparation during 2020 (post-N2T) were compared with patients having the same operation during 2019 without having skin preparation (pre-N2T). Results: For gynecology, 10 (7.4%) of 135 pre-N2T and three (2.2%) of 135 post-N2T patients had SSIs. For surgical and gynecologic oncology, 13 (15.1%) of 86 pre-N2T and four (4.7%) of 86 post-N2T patients had SSIs. For orthopedics, four (4.3%) of 94 pre-N2T and zerp of 94 post-N2T patients had SSIs. Overall, 27 (8.6%) of 315 pre-N2T and seven (2.2%) of 315 post-N2T patients had SSIs (p = 0.0004). Conclusions: The implementation of pre-operative full-body preparation was associated with a substantial reduction in the incidence of SSI.
Public Safety as a Public Good

Although it is rarely treated as such, public safety is an example for a non-tangible public commodity. As a consumption good, public safety can be measured by the expected damage (from any hazardous source) to any person residing or passing through the community. That is, the lower the expected damage the higher is the level of public safety consumed. Thus, for the following discussion, the public safety is considered and measured from its ex-ante point of view by the inverse value of the expected damage.1 Following the definition of public good (see Samuelson (1954)) public safety is a non-excludable and non-rivalrous commodity. As a non-excludable commodity non-paying consumers are not (and cannot be) excluded from consuming this product. That is, just by staying in a community (or a certain locality) you get to consume its public safety independent of how much you have contributed towards the provision of this good. Second, public safety is not a rivalrous commodity. That is, when one consumer enjoys the high level of public safety the amount of public safety enjoyed by other consumers of the community is not reduced.2
Cellular Immune Responses to Xenografts

This chapter centers on adaptive or antigen-specific cellular responses to xenografts. It emphasizes the nature of T-lymphocyte-dependent immunity to xenografts. Most of the concepts concerning T-cell responses to xenografts developed in the chapter are derived from rodent studies. When considering the T-lymphocyte response to non-self antigens, including xenografts, it is imperative to emphasize the two fundamental properties of T-cell reactions. Although transferred human cells can mediate the rejection of human allografts or porcine xenografts in these animals, they generally fail to initiate vigorous GVHD against the scid mouse host itself. This model of donor MHC-restricted (direct) and host MHC-restricted (indirect) pathways of graft antigen presentation has important implications for the nature of T-cell-dependent immune responses to both allografts and xenografts. Two differing pathways of graft antigen presentation can be envisioned that would fulfill the two-signal requirement for T-cell activation, each involving APC-dependent processes: (i) donor MHC-restricted responses, and (ii) host MHC-restricted responses. CD4-dependent xenograft rejection depends on host and not on donor MHC class II expression. We find that CD4 T cells trigger rapid rejection of rat islet xenografts established in immunodeficient recombinase-activating gene (rag)-deficient hosts. Immunodeficient scid and rag-deficient mice accept tissue and organ xenografts despite retaining innate immune reactivity, including NK-cell function. The precise molecular mechanisms of cellular xenograft rejection remain to be identified, especially regarding the role of particular Th1 and Th2 cytokines in triggering tissue injury.
Weakly Supervised Object Localization with Stable Segmentations

Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) provides a framework for training a discriminative classifier from data with ambiguous labels. This framework is well suited for the task of learning object classifiers from weakly labeled image data, where only the presence of an object in an image is known, but not its location. Some recent work has explored the application of MIL algorithms to the tasks of image categorization and natural scene classification. In this paper we extend these ideas in a framework that uses MIL to recognize and localizeobjects in images. To achieve this we employ state of the art image descriptors and multiple stable segmentations. These components, combined with a powerful MIL algorithm, form our object recognition system called MILSS. We show highly competitive object categorization results on the Caltech dataset. To evaluate the performance of our algorithm further, we introduce the challenging Landmarks-18 dataset, a collection of photographs of famous landmarks from around the world. The results on this new dataset show the great potential of our proposed algorithm.
Maturation of channels and receptors: consequences for excitability.

Publisher Summary Clinical studies have documented that the behavioral features and pathophysiology of epilepsy in the young are not the same as in the adult. Seizure frequency is, especially high in the newborn, and an age-dependent predisposition to seizures may influence or determine the appearance of epileptic disorders later in life. Maturational changes in cortical circuits as well as in neurotransmitter receptor and ion channel function likely underlie these developmental differences and should be taken into consideration when trying to identify the cellular mechanisms of seizure initiation. These maturational changes must also be considered when designing or implementing antiepileptic therapies as therapeutic interventions may produce different effects at different ages. This chapter provides an overview of neocortical development and organization. The expression, maturation, activation, and function of ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors in developing neurons are considered. The chapter discusses the relationship of receptor and channel maturation to epileptogenesis and illustrates this with several examples of mutations in channel or receptor proteins that lead to epilepsy.
Biomolecular strategies to modulate the macrophage response to implanted materials

The material-induced foreign body response is a major challenge for implanted medical devices. This review highlights recent developments in biomimetic approaches to create biomaterials that mitigate the host response to biomaterials. Specifically, we will describe strategies in which biomaterials are decorated with endogenously expressed biomolecules that naturally modulate the function of immune cells. These include molecules that directly bind to and interact with immune cells, as well as molecules that control complement activation or thrombosis and indirectly modulate immune cell function. We provide perspective on how these approaches may impact the design of materials for medical devices and tissue engineering.
Rheological studies of polysaccharides for skin scaffolds.

Polysaccharide hydrogels are good candidates for skin scaffolds because of their inherent biocompatibility and water transport properties. In the current study, hydrogels were made from a mixture of four polysaccharides: xanthan gum, konjac gum, iota-carrageenan, and kappa-carrageenan. Gel formation, strength, and structure of these polysaccharides were studied using rheological and thermal techniques. All gel samples studied were strong gels at all times because of the gradual water loss. However, after 12 h of storage, elastic (G') and loss (G'') moduli of hydrogel mixture containing all the ingredients is of one to two orders of magnitude greater than that of mixtures not containing either xanthan gum or iota-carrageenan, which confirmed the varied levels of gel strength. This is mainly due to the rate of water loss in each of these mixtures, resulting in gels of varying structures and dynamic moduli over a period of time. Iota-carrageenan and xanthan gum differ in their effect on gel strength and stability in combination with konjac gum and kappa-carrageenan. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 1510–1517, 2014.
Rat intestinal microvillus membrane sucrase-isomaltase is a single high molecular weight protein and fully active enzyme in the absence of luminal factors

Sucrase-isomaltase immunoprecipitated from brush border of an intestinal transplant lacking pancreatic proteases was found to be a single, high molecular weight protein. Elastase digestion converted this protein into two subunits which co-migrated on electrophoresis with those normally found on the microvillus membrane. The high molecular weight form had full sucrase and isomaltase activities.
Kinetic lattice Monte Carlo model for oxygen vacancy diffusion in praseodymium doped ceria: Applications to materials design

Abstract Kinetic lattice Monte Carlo (KLMC) model is developed for investigating oxygen vacancy diffusion in praseodymium-doped ceria. The current approach uses a database of activation energies for oxygen vacancy migration, calculated using first-principles, for various migration pathways in praseodymium-doped ceria. Since the first-principles calculations revealed significant vacancy–vacancy repulsion, we investigate the importance of that effect by conducting simulations with and without a repulsive interaction. Initially, as dopant concentrations increase, vacancy concentration and thus conductivity increases. However, at higher concentrations, vacancies interfere and repel one another, and dopants trap vacancies, creating a “traffic jam” that decreases conductivity, which is consistent with the experimental findings. The modeled effective activation energy for vacancy migration slightly increased with increasing dopant concentration in qualitative agreement with the experiment. The current methodology comprising a blend of first-principle calculations and KLMC model provides a very powerful fundamental tool for predicting the optimal dopant concentration in ceria related materials.
'A virus and nothing else': the effect of ART on HIV-related stigma in rural South Africa.

While the World Health Organization acknowledges the potential of antiretroviral therapy to reduce HIV-related stigma, few studies examine the nature of this linkage. This article discusses the connection between ART and HIV-related stigma, using qualitative analysis of interviews with HIV-positive adults at a rural South African clinic. The data has two main implications for ART’s role in stigma reduction: it strengthens the plausibility that ART can reduce stigma through weakening HIV/AIDS’s link with disfigurement and death, and shows that ART enables the establishment of spaces for support, which reduce stigma through normalization of the disease.
High-altitude balloon flight of CdZnTe detectors for high-energy x-ray astronomy: II

Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) is a room temperature semiconductor detector well suited for high energy x-ray astronomy. We have developed a CZT detector with 500 micron crossed strip readout and an advanced electrode design that greatly improves energy resolution. We conducted two balloon flights from Fort Sumner, NM, to study the cross strip detector and a standard planar detector both sensitive in the energy range of 20-350 keV. The flights utilized a total of seven shielding schemes: 3 passive, 2 active and 2 hybrid passive-active. In the active shielding modes, the anti- coincidence shield pulse heights were telemetered for each CZT event, allowing us to study the effect of the shield's energy threshold on the spectral shape and magnitude of the background. We are also developing an energy-dependent background rejection technique based on the charge collection properties of the CZT detector. This technique employs the depth of interaction, as inferred by the ratio of cathode to anode pulse height, to reject events inconsistent with incident source x-rays. The long duration of the May flight enabled us to study activation effects. We present result of the effectiveness of each of the shielding schemes on both detectors, the rejection power of depth of interaction technique on the crossed strip detector, inferred aperture background flux and the level of activation after 22 hours as float.
Uncorrelated-pairs approximation for the equilibrium properties of solid argon

The uncorrelated-pairs approximation (UPA) is used to calculate the Helmholtz free energy of solid argon. The potential of Barker, Fisher, and Watts is used. The effects of three-body forces and quantum corrections were included only in the harmonic approximation. The internal energy, specific heat C V, bulk modulus B T, and volume coefficient of thermal expansion were calculated. The results were compared with published Monte Carlo (MC) results for the same model. Very good agreement was obtained between the UPA and MC results. The UPA results for C V were more accurate than those obtained with improved self-consistent phonon theory.
Trophoblast differentiation modulates the activity of caspases in primary cultures of term human trophoblasts

Cultured human cytotrophoblasts are more susceptible than syncytiotrophoblasts to hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Caspases are cysteine proteases that cleave cellular components to effect the apoptotic cascade. We hypothesized that cultured cytotrophoblasts exhibit a higher activity of caspases when compared with syncytiotrophoblasts. Using western analysis, we demonstrated that the pro-caspases 3, 6, 8, and 9 are expressed in cytotrophoblasts cultured for 24 h, and also, in trophoblasts cultured 72 h when syncytiotrophoblasts have formed. Importantly, we found significantly higher activity of all four caspases in trophoblasts cultured 24 h compared with cells cultured 72 h. Colchicine and DMSO, which hinder trophoblast differentiation, enhanced the activity of all four caspases in cells cultured 72 h. Conversely, caspase activity was reduced in trophoblasts cultured for 24 h in the presence of epidermal growth factor, which enhances differentiation. This effect was most pronounced on caspase 3 and was attenuated by addition of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478. We conclude that cytotrophoblasts exhibit a higher activity of caspases 3, 6, 8, and 9 when compared with the more differentiated syncytium. This may account for the higher susceptibility of cytotrophoblasts to hypoxia-induced apoptosis.
Poly(ethylene glycol) as a scaffold for high-affinity open-channel blockers of the mouse nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

High-affinity blockers for an ion channel often have complex molecular structures that are synthetically challenging and/or laborious. Here we show that high-affinity blockers for the mouse nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) can be prepared from a structurally simple material, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The PEG-based blockers (PQ1–5), comprised of a flexible octa(ethylene glycol) scaffold and two terminal quaternary ammonium groups, exert low- to sub-micromolar affinities for the open AChR pore (measured via single-channel analysis of AChRs expressed in human embryonic kidney cells). PQ1–5 are comparable in pore-binding affinity to the strongest AChR open-channel blockers previously reported, which have complex molecular structures. These results suggest a general approach for designing potent open-channel blockers from a structurally flexible polymer. This design strategy involves simple synthetic procedures and does not require detailed information about the structure of an ion-channel pore.
Transiting Social Worlds: Accounts of Formerly Married Lesbians

Abstract The research presented in this article focuses on understanding the lives of women who transit from heterosexual marriage to lesbian identity. The authors explore the social and interpersonal contexts in which lesbians enter, exist in, and exit heterosexual marital relationships. Substantive information for this study is derived from interviews conducted with women who identify as lesbian and have in the past been heterosexually married. The interviews focus on transitions in lifestyle and identity and the influence of (ex-)spouses, children, parents, friends, and lovers in various contexts and phases of transition. An important element of this research is the illumination of the ways in which women navigate and experience the straight and lesbian social worlds. The life histories of formerly married lesbians highlight the limits of current cultural definitions of social and sexual categories for these women. This research shows the need for greater awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the...
DESORPTION KINETICS OF METHANOL FROM AL2O3(0001) STUDIED USING TEMPERATURE-PROGRAMMED DESORPTION AND ISOTHERMAL DESORPTION

Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and isothermal desorption were used to investigate the desorption of methanol from Al2O3(0001) in ultrahigh vacuum. At low coverages, TPD traces for methanol displayed one broad peak that was attributed to monolayer desorption. A second, multilayer peak was observed at a lower temperature as the coverage was increased. The multilayer peak appeared at coverages well below the saturation coverage of the monolayer peak, implying that the multilayer was forming before the monolayer was completely full. Isothermal desorption studies were performed in the multilayer regime as a function of coverage and temperature. The coverage-dependent studies showed that multilayer desorption was of order n = 0.53 ± 0.12. The temperature-dependent studies showed that the multilayer activation barrier for desorption was 11.1 ± 0.5 kcal/mol with an n = 0.53 order preexponential of 3.1 × 1024 s-1. The approximately half-order desorption from the multilayer is interpreted in terms of a str...
Toward an Indigenous Model of Native American Ministry within the Assemblies of God

This article chronicles the historical missiological development of the Assemblies of God USA with regard to Native American ministry from its early roots characterized primarily by a missions-driven model toward the emergence of a more indigenous-driven model that first became evident in the late 1940s. Although the missions-driven model is far from being a fait accompli, the vision of far-sighted missionaries and indigenous leadership has brought enormous progress since the early twentieth century. This article examines the early development of indigenous ministry from 1950 to 1987 and then reviews developments from 1988 up to the present time. The final section of the article focuses specifically on ongoing challenges to developing indigenous ministry among Native Americans.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering by an Electroactive Polymer Obtained from the [FeIITPC]2+ Macrocyclic Complex on Dioxygen Electroreduction at a Silver Electrode

In this work, an electropolymerization of the [FeIITPC]2+ macrocyclic complex occurring upon the electroreduction of dioxygen in dry acetonitrile is reported, TPC = N,N‘,N‘‘-tri-2-picolyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane. It is shown that oxy radicals, such as superoxide (O2•-) and hydroxyl radical (OH•), were able to initiate the iron chelate polymerization at the surface of glassy carbon (GC) and silver electrode. Structural studies on the polymer morphology were performed using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on a silver electrode and the repetitive cyclic voltammetry at GC. The voltammetric studies revealed that bipicolyl units were involved in the polymer structure. On the other hand, the resonance Raman spectroscopic investigations exhibited frequency and intensity dispersions of the poly[FeIITPC]2+ Raman bands with the excitation wavelength. At λex = 647.1 nm, the new Raman bands were developed at ν = 1148, 1270, 1384, 1443, and 1511 cm-1 with respect to those recorded for the parent [FeIITPC]2+ mo...
David, Goliath, and reverend Bayes: Prior beliefs about defendants' status in personal injury cases

Two experiments were performed to ascertain the effect of the extra-legal factor of defendants' status on subjects' judgements in a simulated jury task. In support of the 'deep-pocket' hypothesis, high-status defendants were perceived as less sympathetic and were more likely to lose their case, even though the factual evidence was identical, than low-status defendants. There was a spillover effect, such that plaintiffs (Davids) suing high-status defendants (Goliaths) were themselves viewed as more sympathetic. The effect of defendants' status was mediated by the sentiments that it aroused toward both litigants; it was negligible with sympathy partialled out. Contrary to the deep-pocket hypothesis, high-status defendants did not have to pay more for the same injury; subjects are able to ignore status in awarding compensation when compensatory and punitive damages are clearly separated. In treating defendants differently depending on their status, subjects relied on relevant prior beliefs about the relationship of defendants' status to wealth, propensity to cause harm, and standards of accountability. The results are discussed in terms of the sometimes conflicting norms between an optimal decision-making model like Bayes' Theorem and legal guidelines for judgements of liability and compensation. Language: en
Medical complications of bulimia nervosa and their treatments

Purpose The purpose of this article is to thoroughly review the medical complications associated with bulimia nervosa and their evidenced-based or typical treatments.
High-resolution spectra of isotopic methanes near 1645 nm.

It is demonstrated that the coincidence between Er:YAG laser emission and CH4 absorption is associated with the R(8) multiplet of C-13H4 instead of the R(6) of C-12H4. The Er:YAG emission was characterized as a laser emission at 6079.4/cm with a bandwidh of 2.2/cm and overlapping CH4 emission at 6078.7/cm. The R(6) component of C-12H4 closest to 6078.7/cm is calculated to be 6077.06/cm, corresponding to an absorption coefficient (AC) of 1.12/cm per atm. The F2-prime component of R(8) of C-13H4 has an AC of 0.308/cm per atm, which corresponds well with a range of 1.2-30.30/cm per atm based on a partial pressure of 1.6/89 ppm. The Er:YAG laser is a candidate for use in spectroscopic studies of CH4 atmospheric pollutants, natural gas movement and storage and gas accumulation in coal mines.
Line Broadening in the ESR Absorption Spectra of Fe3+, Cr3+, and Gd3+ in the Oxide YAIG

The ESR absorption spectra of substitutional Fe3+, Cr3+, and Gd3+ ions, in flux grown singlecrystal yttrium aluminum garnet, are reinvestigated. An anisotropic line broadening is observed for Fe3+ in both octahedral and tetrahedral sites and for Cr3+ in octahedral sites. Various linebroadening mechanisms are considered including the mosaic effect, strain broadening, fluctuations in crystal field parameters and variations in the relative slopes of the Zeeman-split levels. A reasonable fit to the experimental data is possible using a hybrid model wherein the mosaic effect, strain broadening, and fluctuations in the crystal field parameters are assumed to be the dominant mechanisms. Die EPR-Absorptionsspektren von substituierten Fe3+-, Cr3+– und Gd3+-Ionen in aus der Schmelze gezogenen Yttrium-Aluminiumgrantaten werden erneut untersucht. Es wird eine Linienverbreiterung fur Fe3+ sowohl auf oktaedrischen Platzen als auch auf tetraedrischen Platzen und fur Cr3+ auf oktaedrischen Platzen beobachtet, Spannungsverbreiterung, Fluktuationen der Kristallfeldparameter und Anderungen in den relativen Verlaufen der aufgespalteten Zeemanniveaus. Eine befriedigende Anpassung an die experimentellen Werte ist moglich bei Benutzung eines Hybridmodells, indem der Mosaikeffekt, Spannungsverbreiterung und Fluktuationen der Kristallfeldparameter als dominierende Mechanismen angenommen werden.
Effects of prostaglandins on rat renal adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP systems.

Abstract The effects of prostaglandin (PG) E 1 , E 2 , A 1 , F 1α , F 2α or D 2 on the rat renal cortical, outer medullary and inner medullary adenylate cyclase-cyclic AM systems were examined. While high concentrations (8X10 −4 M) of each prostaglandin stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in each area of the kidney, PGE 1 was the only prostaglandin to stimulate at 10 −7 M. PGA's were the only prostaglandins tested besides PGE's which stimulated adenylate cyclase at less than 10 −4 M. This effect of PGA's was limited to the outer medulla. PGD 2 was the least stimulatory. Observations with renal slices yielded qualitatively results. The PGE's were the most potent in each area with PGA's only stimulatory in the outer medulla. O 2 deprivation (5% O 2 ) lowered the slice cyclic AMP content in each area of the kidney. In the cortex and outer medulla, prostaglandin mediated increases in cyclic AMP content were either lower or absent at 5% O 2 compared to 95% O 2 . However, in the inner medulla PGE stimulation was observed only at 5% O 2 and not 95% O 2 . No other prostaglandins were found to increase inner medullary cyclic AMP content at 95% or 5% O 2 . These results illustrate that the adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP system responds uniquely to prostaglandins in each area of the kidney. Consideration of these results along with correlative observations suggests that inner medullary produced PGE's may act as local modulators of inner medullary adenylate cyclase.
Evidence of an age-related decrease in intestinal responsiveness to vitamin D: relationship between serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and intestinal vitamin D receptor concentrations in normal women.

Although aged rats reportedly have reduced intestinal vitamin D receptor (VDR) concentrations, it is unclear whether an analogous age-related defect occurs in man. Thus, we assessed the interrelationship among serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3], calcium absorption and intestinal VDR in 44 healthy, ambulatory women, ages 20-87 yr. Fractional calcium absorption was measured after oral administration of 45Ca (20 mg CaCl2 as carrier); serum 1,25-(OH)2D3, by the calf thymus binding assay; and serum intact PTH, by a two-site immunochemiluminometric assay. Vitamin D receptor concentration was measured, by a new immunoradiometric assay, in biopsy specimens taken from the second part of the duodenum during gastroduodenoscopy in 35 of the women. Despite an age-related increase in serum PTH (r = 0.48; P less than 0.001) and in serum 1,25-(OH)2D3 concentration (r = 0.32; P less than 0.05), intestinal VDR concentration decreased with age (r = -0.38; P = 0.03) and fractional calcium absorption did not change...
Vulnerability to nicotine abstinence-related social anxiety-like behavior: molecular correlates in neuropeptide Y, Y2 receptor and corticotropin releasing factor.

An outbred rat model of the novelty-seeking phenotype is used to study nicotine vulnerability, where experimentally naive rats were phenotype screened as high or low responders (HRs or LRs, ranking in the upper or lower one-third of the population respectively) based on locomotor activity displayed in a novel environment. Following nicotine training and abstinence, HR animals pre-trained with nicotine showed expression of locomotor sensitization to nicotine challenge along with enhanced social anxiety-like behavior in the social interaction test compared to saline pre-trained controls. HR rats also showed a downregulation in neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA levels in the medial nucleus of amygdala and the CA1 field of the hippocampus, an upregulation in Y2 mRNA levels in the CA3 field of the hippocampus, and an upregulation in the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) mRNA levels in the central nucleus of the amygdala. These findings implicate dysregulations in the NPY-CRF systems in the HR hippocampus and amygdala associated with the emergence of social anxiety-like behavior, and a novel Y2R-mediated pathway in nicotine relapse.
Tuberculosis of the pancreas: report of two cases and review of the literature

Tuberculosis of the pancreas is a clinical entity rarely described in the literature. The pancreas is biologically protected from infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, probably because of the presence of pancreatic enzymes that interfere with the seeding of M tuberculosis. However, when pathogens are able to overcome the resistance, they can have diverse presentations, such as pancreatic masses that can mimic carcinoma, obstructive jaundice, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Herein we describe 2 cases of pancreatic tuberculosis that presented as multicystic masses, and we review the literature to describe the diverse clinical manifestations of this condition.
Developmental transitions in electrical activation patterns in chick embryonic heart

The specialized conduction tissue network mediates coordinated propagation of electrical activity through the adult vertebrate heart. Following activation of the atria, the activation wave is slowed down in the atrioventricular canal or node, then spreads rapidly into the left and right ventricles via the His-Purkinje system (HPS). This results in the ventricle being activated from the apex toward the base and is thought to represent HPS function. The development of mature HPS function in embryogenesis follows significant phases of cardiac morphogenesis. Initially, cardiac impulse propagates in a slow, linear, and isotropic fashion from the sinus venosus at the most caudal portion of the tubular heart. Although the speed of impulse propagation gradually increases, ventricular activation in the looped heart still follows the direction of blood flow. Eventually, the immature base-to-apex sequence of ventricular activation undergoes an apparent reversal, maturing to apex-to-base pattern. The embryonic chick heart has been studied intensively by both electrophysiological and morphological techniques, and the morphology of its conduction system (which is similar to mammals) is well characterized. One interesting but seldom studied feature is the anterior septal branch (ASB), which came sharply to focus (together with the rest of the ventricular conduction system) in our birthdating studies. Using an optical mapping approach, we show that ASB serves to activate ventricular surface between stages 16 and 25, predating the functionality of the His bundle/bundle branches. Heart morphogenesis and conduction system formation are thus linked, and studying the abnormal activation patterns could further our understanding of pathogenesis of congenital heart disease.