cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screen-printable sol-gel enzyme-containing carbon inks.

Enzymes usually cannot withstand the high-temperature curing associated with the thick-film fabrication process and require a separate immobilization step in connection with the production of single-use biosensors. We report on the development of sol−gel-derived enzyme-containing carbon inks that display compatibility with the screen-printing process. Such coupling of sol−gel and thick-film technologies offers a one-step fabrication of disposable enzyme electrodes, as it obviates the need for thermal curing. The enzyme-containing sol−gel carbon ink, prepared by dispersing the biocatalyst, along with the graphite powder and a binder, within the sol−gel precursors, is cured very rapidly (10 min) at low temperature (4 °C). The influence of the ink preparation conditions is explored, and the sensor performance is evaluated in connection with the incorporation of glucose oxidase or horseradish peroxidase. The resulting strips are stable for at least 3 months. Such sol−gel-derived carbon inks should serve as ho...
Artificial Life and Ethics

Reports of the successful creation of artificial life usually garner considerable interest from philosophers. This paper argues that the worries philosophers have about artificial life do not, for the most part, depend on the artificiality of a given organism. In particular advances in synthetic biology will make the distinction between artificial and natural life a difficult and fluid one. Philosophers should hence refrain from making their arguments depend on a distinction between artificial and natural life.
On the development of ice-templated silicon carbide scaffolds for nature-inspired structural materials

Abstract The processing of ceramic scaffolds using the ice-templating, or freeze casting, technique provides a relatively simple means to mimic the hierarchical design of natural materials such as nacre. In the present study, we investigated the architecture of silicon carbide (SiC) scaffolds produced by this technique over a range of cooling rates and suspension characteristics to demonstrate its versatility and effectiveness for fabricating unidirectional porous bodies with controlled lamella thickness, porosity fraction and morphology. An array of microstructures was generated specifically to examine the role of the suspension solid load and cooling rate on the pore morphology and final ceramic fraction. With respect to the morphology of the pores, a transition from lamellar to dendritic structure was found to be triggered by an increase in cooling rate or in suspension concentration. Similarly, the freezing condition and suspension characteristics were seen to influence the transition between particle rejection and entrapment by the ice. Based on this study, the specific processing parameters that result in distinct scaffold morphologies, namely lamellar, dendritic or isotropic morphology (the latter corresponding to particle entrapment), are identified and presented in the form of a “morphology map” to establish the regions of the different architectures of freeze-cast SiC scaffolds.
The distortion of the magnetotail equilibrium structure by a net cross-tail magnetic field

Explicit solutions are presented for quiet, quasi-static magnetotail configurations in the presence of a net cross-tail magnetic field component in addition to field components associated with tail flaring. The solutions are derived using the general three-dimensional equilibrium theory of Birn (1987). It is found that the net By(N) field varies only weakly along field lines and across the tail. The presence of the net By(N) in the neutral sheet implies that a part of the cross-tail current becomes field-aligned, flowing from the southern to the northern hemisphere for By(N) larger than zero and from north to south for By(n) less than zero. The deformations of magnetic flux surfaces suggest that there may be a class of field lines extending from the earth into the magnetosheath region through the low-latitude flanks of the tail. A topological connection is found of the low-latitude region near the magnetopause with the plasma sheet boundary layer, separating closed plasma sheet and open lobe field lines.
Selective neuronal vulnerability, protease-activated receptors (PARS) and thrombin signalling

In order to investigate the roles of thrombin and its signalling via PARs in defining selective neuronal vulnerability we compared two different murine clonal neuronal lines: NSC34 motor and HT22 hippocampal neurons. RT-PCR revealed mRNA expression all four PARS. Responses of both cell lines for thrombin effects on neurite outgrowth, cell survival and signalling changes through mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were evaluated. Ability of thrombin and PAR-specific active peptides (agonists): PAR1 (SFLLRN) and PAR4 (GYPGQV), were compared for these parameters and for the presence of aggregated microtubule-associated protein (MAP) tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Motor neuronal PAR1 or PAR4 activation induced rapid neurite retraction and neuronal apoptosis. This was accompanied by tau degradation. In contrast, hippocampal neuronal PAR1 or PAR4 activation resulted in mild effects on neurite outgrowth but rapid tau aggregation, which was dependent on phosphorylation and positive for NFT-specific antibody. Delayed reduction in cell viability occurred 24–48 h after tau aggregation. Evaluation of signalling pathways revealed p38 MAPK in NSC-34 and p44/42 MAPK activation in HT22 cells were closely related to observed differential neuronal morphology in response to thrombin. We conclude that different intracellular signalling pathways coupled to PARs in different neuronal sub-populations mediate selective thrombin vulnerability. Acknowledgements: Supported by the DVA, Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, Missouri Alzheimer's Res. Fund, ALS Association, Lied Endowment, KUMCRI and Midwest Biomedical Research Foundation.
Derivation of a nondifferentiating clone from multipotential PSA1 embryonal carcinoma cells.

The ability of PSA1 embryonal carcinoma cells to differentiate when grown as clones on a monolayer of feeder cells was assessed using morphological criteria. The first appearance of a differentiated phenotype within a clone occurred at different times for individual clones after 10 days of culture, this being apparently unrelated to clone size or cell density. Those clones which showed no morphological evidence of differentiation after several weeks (about 5% of the clones observed) were selected and recloned with the aim of finding variant lines which were stably deficient in their differentiating ability. Undifferentiated clones - identified and selected after about 3 weeks of growth - were of three different types after recloning: those similar to control cultures of PSA1, those having delayed and reduced differentiation frequency, and those having variable frequencies of differentiation in replicate reclonings. The isolation of a variant with a more complete differentiation deficiency was accomplished by selecting ten nondifferentiating clones growing isolated in individual culture wells after 5 weeks of culture. One of these, T2H9, proved to be a stable, differentiation-deficient variant subline with less than 3% of its clones showing any morphological evidence of differentiation in five repeated reclonings. It was also determined that the frequency of undifferentiated clones in embryonal carcinoma cultures increased from 0.3% to 54% after 11 months of in vitro aging, i.e., approximately 200 cell doublings. The isolation of clonal embryonal carcinoma cell derivatives which are stable, heritable differentiation variants provides resources for somatic-cell genetic analysis of stem-cell pluripotency.
A Robust SOI SRAM Architecture by using Advanced ABC technology for 32nm node and beyond LSTP devices

This paper presents that advanced actively body-bias controlled (Advanced ABC) technology contributes to enhancing operation margins of SRAMs. Significant enhancement of static noise margin (SNM) is successfully realized by using a body bias of load transistors while suppressing threshold-voltage variations for the first time. It is demonstrated that the write and read margins of 65nm-node SOI SRAMs are improved by the advanced ABC technology. Furthermore, it is found that the SNM is enhanced by 27% for 32nm and 49% for 22nm node. It is summarized that this technology is one of countermeasures for emerging generations.
Exclusive β-hydrosilylation of acrylates catalysed by copper-tetramethylethylenediamine

Abstract Trichlorosilane and methyldichlorosilane react with methyl and ethyl acrylate to give high yields of only the β adduct in the presence of copper salts and tetramethylethylenediamine.
Vancomycin Exposure in Patients With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections: How Much Is Enough?

Background Contemporary vancomycin dosing schemes are designed to achieve an area under the curve (AUC) to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ratio of ≥400. However, scant clinical data exist to support this target and available data relied on pharmacokinetic formulas based on daily vancomycin dose and estimated renal function (demographic pharmacokinetic model) to estimate AUCs. Methods A cohort study of hospitalized, adult, nondialysis patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections treated with vancomycin was performed to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between vancomycin exposure and outcomes. Bayesian techniques were used to estimate vancomycin exposure profile for day 1 and 2 of therapy for each patient based on their dosing schedule and collected concentrations. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis was used to identify day 1 and 2 exposure thresholds associated with an increased risk of failure. Failure was defined as 30-day mortality, bacteremia was ≥7 days, or recurrence. Results During the study period, 123 cases met criteria. Failure was uniformly less pronounced (approximately 20% less in absolute value) in patients who achieved the CART-derived day 1 and 2 thresholds for AUC/MIC by broth microdilution and AUC/MIC by Etest. In the multivariate analyses, all risk ratios were approximately 0.5 for all CART-derived AUC/MIC exposure thresholds, indicating that achievement of CART-derived AUC/MIC exposure thresholds was associated with a 2-fold decrease in failure. Conclusions These findings establish the critical importance of daily AUC/MIC ratios during the first 2 days of therapy. As with all observational studies, these findings should be interpreted cautiously and validated in a multicenter randomized trial before adoption into practice.
Higher Dimensional Tables

All of the general principles of testing and estimation presented for three-factor tables also apply when there are additional classification factors. The main difference in working with higher dimensional tables is that things become more complicated. First, there are many more ANOVA-type models to consider. For example, in a four-factor table, there are 113 ANOVA models that include all of the main effects. In five-factor tables, there are several thousand models to consider. Second, a great many of the models require iterative methods for obtaining maximum likelihood estimates. Finally, interpretation of higher dimensional models is more difficult.
Test Structure to Extract Circuit Models of Nanostructures Operating at High Frequencies

We describe a test structure optimized for studying high-frequency electrical transport in 1-D nanoscale systems. The test structure exhibits lower transmission than previously reported structures, enabling capacitances less than 1 fF to be detected in the frequency response of the nanoscale system. The scattering parameters (S-parameters) of the test structure are describable to within ±0.5dB and ±2° from 0.1 to 50 GHz using a simple lumped-element RC circuit model whose elements are all measured experimentally.
Money balances in the production function: Nonlinear tests of model stability and measurement issues – two sides of the same coin? ☆

Abstract Past empirical attempts to test the role of money in the production function following the Sinai and Stokes (1972) preliminary Cobb–Douglas model specification estimated in 1929–1967, using yearly data, have focused on estimating alternative production function models, such as CES and Translog, and experimenting with alternative specifications of the monetary variable. Most research in the United States on this topic has involved four basic datasets: annual data in the period 1929–1967, nonfinancial quarterly data in the period 1953:1 to 1977:3, annual data in the period 1930–1978 and annual data in the period 1959–1985. The current research uses MARS modeling, general additive modeling, flexible least squares and VAR methods to assess whether there is evidence of nonlinearity and/or model structural change that is impacted by whether a monetary variable has been added to the model specification or a different period is under study. VAR modeling is used with the nonfinancial quarterly dataset to assess whether shocks in the financial sector, as measured by log real M2, can impact the real sector. Since a significant impact is found on log capital, log labor and log real output, the implication is that the real sector is not isolated from the financial sector. One way to think of this is that shocks to the financial sector can have dynamic effects on the real sector.
ICE Raids, Children, Media, and Making Sense of Latino Newcomers in Flyover Country

Extant cultural models articulated in “Flyover Country” print media responses to ICE workplace raids showed a welcome of sorts of Latino newcomers. These models suggest a place for Latino students at school and more broadly for Latino children and parents in these communities. Thus, they index an unwillingness to see Latino newcomers in dehumanizing reductive terms, like “alien” or “illegal,” even as these more debilitating models may also be extant elsewhere in the public sphere. [cultural models, new Latino diaspora, media, flyover country, public sphere]
Determination of waveguide core and cladding refractive indices using single wavelength microring reflectors

We present a method for accurate determination of refractive indices of waveguide core and cladding layers using reflective microrings. The resonant mode azimuthal order ambiguity is resolved by introducing a grating on the microrings.
Identifying multiple causative genes at a single GWAS locus

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are useful for nominating candidate genes, but typically are unable to establish disease causality or differentiate between the effects of variants in linkage disequilibrium (LD). Additionally, some GWAS loci might contain multiple causative variants or genes that contribute to the overall disease susceptibility at a single locus. However, the majority of current GWAS lack the statistical power to test whether multiple causative genes underlie the same locus, prompting us to adopt an alternative approach to testing multiple GWAS genes empirically. We used gene targeting in a disease-susceptible rat model of genetic hypertension to test all six genes at the Agtrap-Plod1 locus (Agtrap, Mthfr, Clcn6, Nppa, Nppb, and Plod1) for blood pressure (BP) and renal phenotypes. This revealed that the majority of genes at this locus (five out of six) can impact hypertension by modifying BP and renal phenotypes. Mutations of Nppa, Plod1, and Mthfr increased disease susceptibility, whereas Agtrap and Clcn6 mutations decreased hypertension risk. Reanalysis of the human AGTRAP-PLOD1 locus also implied that disease-associated haplotype blocks with polygenic effects were not only possible, but rather were highly plausible. Combined, these data demonstrate for the first time that multiple modifiers of hypertension can cosegregate at a single GWAS locus.
Contribution to the Literature on Thermo‐regulation. With special reference to two infants with deformity of the brain.

SUMMARY A report is made on two infants with hydrocephalus in whom the temperature-regulating capacity was suspended. In one of them, gangrene in the tips of the toes developed after a warm foot-bath. When no external heat was supplied this infant assumed a temperature of 31° C. and at the same time increased noticeably in weight. In the other infant, which received a constant supply of extra warmth, the temperature ranged between 35° and 39° C. without any signs of infection appearing. In both instances postmortem examination revealed the presence of meningo-encephalitis embracing, among other parts, the midbrain.
Environmental interference: impact of acoustic noise on seismic communication and mating success

Sound is abundant in the environment, often creating "noise" that interferes with animal communication. Animals cope with acoustic interference in a variety of ways, including raising their signal volume (the Lombard effect), changing the pattern, frequency or duration of signals, or changing the time of day when signaling. Although many arthropods use substrate-borne vibration (seismic) signals, the effect of interference from (airborne) acoustic noise on their communication is not well studied. We tested the effects of 3 different types of airborne acoustic sounds on substrate-borne seismic communication and mating success of the ground-dwelling wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata. We used band-limited white noise (0–4 kHz), predatory bird calls (northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis), and a cicada chorus (mixed Magicicada spp.) as interference stimuli. Spider behavior and mating success were differentially affected by each type of environmental acoustic sound. Males took longer to initiate courtship with bird calls, although white noise and cicada calls did not affect male signaling. Females oriented toward males more often with white noise but showed no change in their orientation behavior with bird or cicada calls. Finally, female receptivity and mating success were reduced with white noise and bird calls, whereas cicada calls had no effect. Our data suggest that wolf spiders using seismic vibration in communication respond differently to various types of airborne sounds, transmitted as vibrations, in their environment. This work is among the first to highlight how airborne sounds create seismic interference differentially affecting the behaviors of arthropods living in the leaf litter.
Multifunctional layer-by-layer carbon nanotube-polyelectrolyte thin films for strain and corrosion sensing

Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes, researchers have been fascinated by their mechanical and electrical properties, as well as their versatility for a wide array of applications. In this study, a carbon nanotube–polyelectrolyte composite multilayer thin film fabricated by a layer-by-layer (LbL) method is proposed to develop a multifunctional material for measuring strain and corrosion processes. LbL fabrication of carbon nanotube composites yields mechanically strong thin films in which multiple sensing transduction mechanisms can be encoded. For example, judicious selection of carbon nanotube concentrations and polyelectrolyte matrices can yield thin films that exhibit changes in their electrical properties to strain and pH. In this study, experimental results suggest a consistent trend between carbon nanotube concentrations and strain sensor sensitivity. Furthermore, by simply altering the type of polyelectrolyte used, pH sensors of high sensitivity can be developed to potentially monitor environmental factors suggesting corrosion of metallic structural materials (e.g. steel, aluminum). (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Attitudes and beliefs regarding the role of interventional pain management at the end-of-life among caregivers: a 4-year perspective.

: Intrathecal and epidural opioid analgesia represents a major advance in the management of cancer pain, adding a new dimension to opioid therapy by allowing prolonged analgesia through the use of significantly lower doses than those required for systemic administration. However, myths, misconceptions, and apprehension continue to serve as major barriers to effective cancer pain management, and concerns regarding safety, efficacy, and relative ease of utilization still prevail. This, in turn, results in unnecessary suffering, depression, diminished cognitive function, sleep disturbance, functional disability, and compromised quality of life. We conducted a survey to systematically explore medical and paramedical attitudes prior to and 4 years after the introduction an interventional pain program and attempted to qualitatively analyze what appeared as main facilities or difficulties following end-of-life clinical experiences. In general we found that all caregivers were satisfied from using interventional pain relief techniques at the end-of-life; more so among caregivers directly involved in patient care. Although nearly half of the responders initially found “technical manipulations” moderately difficult to difficult, after a simple hands-on instruction all found these techniques to be “helpful, simple and feasible.”“When all went well,” caregivers found implantable devices as a useful tool to relieve pain, to increase the ability of patients to complete personal endeavors, notably mobilization, but also noted an increased patient anxiety at the end-of-life. “When all went wrong,” caregivers evoked the paradoxical attitude of patients to having a “high-tech” treatment at the end-of-life, causing them eventually to have “false hope,” as well as the phenomenon of “interdisciplinary hyperactivity,” creating what was referred to as therapeutic futility. In summary, this study suggests the importance on insisting to introduce novel techniques into practice despite initial apprehension, however, quality improvement by detecting and overcoming attitudinal barriers remain primordial and requires narrative research.
Development of Hammondia heydorni in cultured bovine and ovine cells.

Sporozoites were excysted from oocysts of Hammondia heydorni obtained from a naturally-infected dog and inoculated into monolayer cultures of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (CPA), Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells, bovine monocytes (M617), or ovine monocytes (WOMO). Sporozoites penetrated all four cell lines and underwent asexual reproduction by endodyogeny (as determined by electron microscopy) to form cyst-like structures at four to nine days after sporozoite inoculation (DAI). At 4–10 DAI, considerably more zoites were harvested from M617 cultures (80.1 times 106 zoites) than from CPA (17.4 times 106), MDBK. (47.3 times 106), and WOMO (53.5 times 106). Little or no parasite multiplication occurred at 10–16 DAI. Zoites harvested at 7 DAI and transferred to freshly prepared cultures did not penetrate cells nor develop further.
Power-efficient networking for balanced system designs: early experiences with PCIe

Recent proposals using low-power processors and Flash-based storage can dramatically improve the energy-efficiency of compute and storage subsystems in data-centric computing. However, in a balanced system design, these changes call for matching improvement in the network subsystem as well. Conventional Ethernet-based networks are a potential energy-efficiency bottleneck due to the limited performance of gigabit Ethernet and the high power overhead of 10-gigbit Ethernet. In this paper, we evaluate the benefits of using an alternative, high-bandwidth, low-power, interconnect---PCIe---for power-efficient networking. Our experiments using PCIe's Non-Transparent Bridging for data transfer demonstrate significant performance gains at lower power, leading to 60--124% better energy efficiency. Early experiences with PCIe clustering also point to several challenges of PCIe-based networks and new opportunities for low-latency power-efficient datacenter networking.
Performance Evaluation Engine

This paper specifically deals with patterns topology or pattern language for performance evaluation, a cognitive process involved in producing and understanding different concepts of patterns in this discipline. It also explains how this language can be used to obtain the relationship between certain stable patterns, exhibiting a rich set of behaviors capable of handling features that are reusable, adaptable, and maintainable with minimal modification. The main goal of this paper is to overcome the issues with "forgettable" systems. The proposed solution is not intended to replace existing systems; rather, the effort is to define and provide a new methodology for designing such systems, with a rich set of patterns for performance evaluation that can be used efficiently.
Obtaining language models of web collections using query-based sampling techniques

In the context of information retrieval, traditional collection selection algorithms have been widely studied. These algorithms utilize language models, a representation of the contents of each text collection over which selection is to be performed, but these language models cannot always be easily acquired. Query-based sampling is a technique by which these language models are discovered by interacting with a collection and observing the results. Previous work has shown query-based sampling to be a viable solution to the problem of discovering the contents of text collections when the information cannot be otherwise obtained. However, the characteristics of language models of WWW collections created using query-based sampling have not yet been studied. This work evaluates two query-based sampling techniques for building language models of three World Wide Web collections. Experimental results support the effectiveness of query-based sampling as a solution for building language models of web collections. This work also proposes a metric by which it may be possible to determine the point at which further sampling of a given web collection can cease. This metric is used along with other metrics used in previous work to determine the fidelity of these language models.
On the potential change in wind power over the US due to increases of atmospheric greenhouse gases

Abstract Wind power (WP) is a likely source of renewable energy to reduce fossil CO 2 atmospheric emissions. However, WP availability might be affected by climate changes induced by such emissions. In this study a refined regional climate model, appropriate for resolving near-surface flows, was used to generate WP climatologies for the US consistent with present and mid-21st century enhanced atmospheric CO 2 level. In both cases the regional climate simulation was forced by lateral boundary conditions based on simulations of the Hadley Centre general circulation model. Simulated present WP showed reasonable general agreement with patterns observed in most locations. In most of the US the enhanced CO 2 simulation showed a trend of decreased daily average WP availability in the range of 0–30%. However, in limited areas in the southern and northwestern US, an increase in WP, peaking at 30%, was simulated. Under the enhanced CO 2 climate scenario, the present relatively high WP availability in northern Texas and western Oklahoma, as well as in the northwest US, are almost unaffected. A decline in WP is simulated in the north–central US and the western mountainous region.
Perception of taste and smell in elderly persons

By the turn of the century, there will be considerable shifts in demographics, including a massive increase in our aging population. As we plan for better nutrition in the twenty-first century, the special sensory and nutritional needs of the elderly must be taken into account. Chemosensory losses, specifically decrements in the senses of taste and smell, can lead to inadequate intake, especially in the elderly sick. These losses result not only from anatomic changes that occur during normal aging but also from certain diseases, pharmacological and surgical interventions, radiation, and environmental pollutants. The design of foods for the elderly that could both compensate for these chemosensory losses and meet nutritional needs presents new challenges and opportunities for the food industry.
Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions. Management by premedication and cost implications in adult patients.

Abstract Context.—Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs) cause unwelcome interruptions during the course of blood product transfusions and necessitate measures to verify the nature of ...
Cellulose-hemicellulose interaction in wood secondary cell-wall

The wood cell wall features a tough and relatively rigid fiber reinforced composite structure. It acts as a pressure vessel, offering protection against mechanical stress. Cellulose microfibrils, hemicellulose and amorphous lignin are the three major components of wood. The structure of secondary cell wall could be imagined as the same as reinforced concrete, in which cellulose microfibrils acts as reinforcing steel bar and hemicellulose-lignin matrices act as the concrete. Therefore, the interface between cellulose and hemicellulose/lignin plays a significant role in determine the mechanical behavior of wood secondary cell wall. To this end, we present a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study attempting to quantify the strength of the interface between cellulose microfibrils and hemicellulose. Since hemicellulose binds with adjacent cellulose microfibrils in various patterns, the atomistic models of hemicellulose-cellulose composites with three typical binding modes, i.e. bridge, loop and random binding modes are constructed. The effect of the shape of hemicellulose chain on the strength of hemicellulose-cellulose composites under shear loadings is investigated. The contact area as well as hydrogen bonds between cellulose and hemicellulose, together with the covalent bonds in backbone of hemicellulose chain are found to be the controlling parameters which determine the strength of the interfaces in the composite system. For the bridge binding model, the effect of shear loading direction on the strength of the cellulose material is also studied. The obtained results suggest that the shear strength of wood-inspired engineering composites can be optimized through maximizing the formations of the contributing hydrogen bonds between cellulose and hemicellulose.
Ergodic Therory and the Automorphism Group of a G-Structure

A fundamental problem in geometry is to understand the automorphism group of a geometric structure. In this paper, we discuss the contribution that ergodic theory can make in this direction. We shall see that one can obtain new basic results, some quite definitive, that have not been obtained by purely geometric methods.
Bill Ritter (a)

A new supervisor in a managed health care facility created from a merger wrestles with taking charge and dealing with human resource problems for the first time. See also the B case (UVA-OB-0599).
Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats: Effect of Hemodilution with α-α Cross-Linked Hemoglobin on Brain Injury and Edema

The effect of hemodilution, with alpha-alpha cross-linked hemoglobin (DCLHb), on brain injury and edema was assessed after temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Injury was analyzed with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) stain and edema by microgravimety. Part A: DCLHb was given to maintain one of the following hematocrits (Hct) and normotension: 1) 45/Hct, 2) 30/Hct, 3) 16/Hct, or 4) 9/Hct. Brain injury (% of ischemic hemisphere, mean +/- SD) was less in the 30/Hct group (31 +/- 4) versus the 45/Hct group (42 +/- 5); and in the 16/Hct (20 +/- 3) and 9/Hct (19 +/- 4) groups versus the 45/Hct and 30/Hct groups. Edema was less in the hemodiluted groups versus the 45/Hct group. Part B: DCLHb was given to maintain one of the following hematocrits and hyper (HTN)-or normotension (Norm): 1) 45/Norm, 2) 30/Norm, 3) 30/HTN, 4) 16/Norm, or 5) 16/HTN. In hematocrit matched groups hypertension decreased brain injury (30/HTN-24 +/- 2 < 30/Norm-34 +/- 4; and 16/HTN-17 +/- 3 < 16/Norm-24 +/- 4). Edema was not effected by hypertension. These results suggest that hemodilution with DCLHb decreases focal ischemic injury, and is most effective when given in a manner that induces hypertension.
Criminal Careers: Discrete or Continuous?

Numerous empirical studies of criminal careers have made use of finite mixture modeling to analyze sequences of events such as crimes or arrests. This paper aims to demonstrate that the analysis of criminal careers can benefit from the use of alternative methods, including multilevel methods, and individual time series. We use multilevel nonlinear modeling and individual time series techniques to analyze artificial data as well as arrest histories for 3432 males released from the California Youth Authority in 1981 and 1986, and followed for several decades after release. Multilevel methods are capable of identifying discrete groups in longitudinal data. In the California Youth data set, we find little clear evidence of sharply discrete arrest trajectories. We recommend that researchers explore alternatives to finite mixture modeling when analyzing criminal career data.
Effect of posture on the single-breath oxygen test in normal subjects

The effect of posture on phase III (alveolar nitrogen plateau) and phase IV (closing capacity) of the single-breath oxygen test was examined in 10 normal people. In part 1 of the study, subjects inspired and expired in the standing, supine, prone, and right lateral decubitus positions; there was no effect of posture on phase IV but slopes of phase III were higher when subjects were in the supine and lateral positions. In part 2, subjects inspired in the standing position and expired in one of the recumbent positions. Phase IV occurred infrequently except in the prone position (6 of 10 subj); slopes of phase III in part 2 were not consistently altered by changing posture. It is difficult to explain the failure of posture to alter phase IV solely on a model requiring a linear gradient of pleural pressure. The slope of phase III appears to depend more on the emptying patterns of small regions with widely varying volume-to-ventilation ratios than on gravity-dependent sequences of emptying. Finally, the data suggest a considerable similarity between the upright and prone positions in terms of lung filling and emptying.
Active depth-guiding handheld micro-forceps for membranectomy based on CP-SSOCT

In this study, we demonstrate a handheld motion-compensated micro-forceps system using common-path swept source optical coherence tomography with highly accurate depth-targeting and depth-locking for Epiretinal Membrane Peeling. Two motors and a touch sensor were used to separate the two independent motions: motion compensation and tool-tip manipulation. A smart motion monitoring and guiding algorithm was devised for precise and intuitive freehand control. Ex-vivo bovine eye experiments were performed to evaluate accuracy in a bovine retina retinal membrane peeling model. The evaluation demonstrates system capabilities of 40 um accuracy when peeling the epithelial layer of bovine retina.
“To attend the sound of stone”: The sensibility of silence in obasan

In 1982, Japanese Canadians and Americans sought redress from their governments for internment during World War II; the anti-nuclear movement in Europe and North America accelerated; and a Japanese Canadian poet,1 Joy Kogawa, joined her voice to both campaigns through a stunning first novel called Obasan. The novel is narrated by the central character, Naomi Nakane, who has been raised by Uncle and Obasan ("aunt" or "woman" in Japanese) since the age of five, when her mother, having gone to Nagasaki on family business, is stranded there after Pearl Harbor, and when her father is sent to a labor camp prior to the removal of all Japanese from British Columbia into internment camps. Father dies before the war ends, his frail health undermined by camp conditions. Mother survives the war but dies several years later from her wounds. Obasan is instructed by Mother not to tell the children of her disfigurement in the Nagasaki atomic bombing. The Japanese phrase used is "kodomo no tame ni," "for the sake of the children." In what becomes a perversion of Obasan's trust, Naomi at age thirty-six still does not know of her mother's fate, though she questioned Obasan again and again in the beginning. Gradually she gives up, but her internal questioning persists and develops into a sense of betrayal, a lack of self esteem, a fear of the past, and a victim's acceptance of biological extinction, for Naomi is uncomfortable that both she and Aunt Emily are unmarried and that Obasan gave birth to two stillborn infants.
Fabrication of Lindenmayer System-Based Designed Engineered Scaffolds Using UV-Maskless Photolithography

In the field of tissue engineering, design and fabrication of precisely and spatially patterned, highly porous scaffolds/matrixes are required to guide overall shape of tissue growth and replacement. Although rapid prototyping fabrication techniques have been used to fabricate the scaffolds with desired design characteristics, controlling the interior architecture of the scaffolds has been a challenge due to Computer-aided Design (CAD) constrains. Moreover, thick engineered tissue scaffolds show inadequate success due to the limited diffusion of oxygen and nutrients to the interior part of the scaffolds. These limitations lead to improper tissue regeneration. In this work, in order to overcome these design and fabrication limitations, research has been expanded to generation of scaffolds which have inbuilt micro and nanoscale fluidic channels. Branching channels serve as material delivery paths to provide oxygen and nutrients for the cells. These channels are designed and controlled with Lindenmayer Systems (L-Systems) which is an influential way to create the complex branching networks by rewriting process. In this research, through the computational modeling process, to control the thickness, length, number and the position of the channels/branches, main attributes of L-Systems algorithms are characterized and effects of algorithm parameters are investigated. After the L-System based branching design is completed, 3D tissue scaffolds were fabricated by “UV-Maskless Photolithography”. In this fabrication technique, Polyethylene (glycol) Diacrylate (PEGDA), which is biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, was used as a fabrication material. Our results show that L-System parameters can be successfully controlled to design of 3D tissue engineered scaffolds. Our fabrication results also show that L-System based designed scaffolds with internal branch structures can be fabricated layer-by-layer fashion by Maskless Photolithography. This technology can be easily applied to engineering living systems.
Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B negatively regulates S100A9-mediated lung damage during respiratory syncytial virus exacerbations

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has anti-inflammatory potential but PTP1B responses are desensitized in the lung by prolonged cigarette smoke exposure. Here we investigate whether PTP1B expression affects lung disease severity during respiratory syncytial viral (RSV) exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Ptp1b(-/-) mice infected with RSV exhibit exaggerated immune cell infiltration, damaged epithelial cell barriers, cytokine production, and increased apoptosis. Elevated expression of S100A9, a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule, was observed in the lungs of Ptp1b(-/-) mice during RSV infection. Utilizing a neutralizing anti-S100A9 IgG antibody, it was determined that extracellular S100A9 signaling significantly affects lung damage during RSV infection. Preexposure to cigarette smoke desensitized PTP1B activity that coincided with enhanced S100A9 secretion and inflammation in wild-type animals during RSV infection. S100A9 levels in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid had an inverse relationship with lung function in healthy subjects, smokers, and COPD subjects. Fully differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells isolated from COPD donors cultured at the air liquid interface secreted more S100A9 than cells from healthy donors or smokers following RSV infection. Together, these findings show that reduced PTP1B responses contribute to disease symptoms in part by enhancing S100A9 expression during viral-associated COPD exacerbations.
Use of pharmacokinetic principles in drug therapy: a suggested topic outline and reading list.

A suggested topic outline on pharmacokinetic principles in drug therapy, complete with a bibliography of articles demonstrating important principles and applications, is provided for practitioners interested in implementing inservice continuing education programs. The outline follows that for a course required of all B.S. and Pharm.D. students in the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, Wayne State University. The bibliography of readings is current through 1975 but is not intended to be comprehensive.
Using Simulation-Based Training to Incorporate Thoracic Ultrasound into Physical Examination.

Background Thoracic ultrasound examination has become increasingly used as a valuable diagnostic tool for the bedside assessment of patients with respiratory distress. We implemented a thoracic ultrasonography curriculum for third year medical students with the goal of developing a model for teaching thoracic ultrasound skills to undergraduate medical students. Methods Seventy medical students completed a program comprised of a didactic and hands-on session in fundamental and thoracic ultrasonography. Knowledge assessment and students' questionnaire (on Likert scale 1-5) prior to and following the program were done to assess ultrasonography knowledge and perception of training effectiveness. An image acquisition skills assessment checklist was performed by the instructors after completing the program on all of the participants. Results The pre-intervention knowledge score was 52.05 percent. Post-intervention demonstrated significant improvement: 87.31 percent, p less than 0.001. There was a significant increase in comfort level, basic ultrasound knowledge, self-assurance, and motivation by students' self-assessments. The clinical relevance and course evaluation were rated high on Likert scale 4.41/5 and 4.47/5 respectively. Skills assessment checklist demonstrated students' ability to understand anatomic structures shown in ultrasonographic images and fundamental ultrasound skills. Conclusions The knowledge of 70 medical students regarding thoracic ultrasound improved significantly after a short dedicated course. The evaluation of the program affirmed the value and clinical relevance of the curriculum to undergraduate medical education.
A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living.”

In a predominantly favorable review of Mapping Christian Education: Approaches to Congregational Learning (1997), James Estep praised Dr. Jack Seymour's useful ethnographic description of possible ...
60 GHz radio design challenges

There exists a multitude of multimedia applications calling for wireless transmission over short distances for applications such as high-speed point-to-point data links or personal area networking. The required data rate for these applications may be hundreds of megabits per second. Existing wireless systems such as third-generation cellular systems, will not be able to cope with data rates in excess of 2 Mb/s and others such as WLAN 802.11g can provide only zip to 55 Mb/s. This demand for higher bit rates has promoted intense activity leading to the development of technologies and devices that are capable of operation in of the 60 GHz ISM band. In this paper we present the design challenges facing development of 60 GHz wireless system from technology and radio architecture to circuit design.
The plasma membrane metal-ion transporter ZIP14 contributes to nontransferrin-bound iron uptake by human β-cells

The relationship between iron and β-cell dysfunction has long been recognized as individuals with iron overload display an increased incidence of diabetes. This link is usually attributed to the accumulation of excess iron in β-cells leading to cellular damage and impaired function. Yet, the molecular mechanism(s) by which human β-cells take up iron has not been determined. In the present study, we assessed the contribution of the metal-ion transporters ZRT/IRT-like protein 14 and 8 (ZIP14 and ZIP8) and divalent metal-ion transporter-1 (DMT1) to iron uptake by human β-cells. Iron was provided to the cells as nontransferrin-bound iron (NTBI), which appears in the plasma during iron overload and is a major contributor to tissue iron loading. We found that overexpression of ZIP14 and ZIP8, but not DMT1, resulted in increased NTBI uptake by βlox5 cells, a human β-cell line. Conversely, siRNA-mediated knockdown of ZIP14, but not ZIP8, resulted in 50% lower NTBI uptake in βlox5 cells. In primary human islets, knockdown of ZIP14 also reduced NTBI uptake by 50%. Immunofluorescence analysis of islets from human pancreatic sections localized ZIP14 and DMT1 nearly exclusively to β-cells. Studies in primary human islets suggest that ZIP14 protein levels do not vary with iron status or treatment with IL-1β. Collectively, these observations identify ZIP14 as a major contributor to NTBI uptake by β-cells and suggest differential regulation of ZIP14 in primary human islets compared with other cell types such as hepatocytes.
On literary fiction and its effects on theory of mind

Storytelling is a hallmark human activity. We use stories to make sense of the world, to explain it to our children, to create communities, and to learn about others. This article focuses on fictional stories and their impact on complex sociocognitive abilities. Correlational and experimental evidence shows that exposure to fiction recruits and hones our ability to represent others' mental states, or theory of mind (ToM). Experimental studies suggest this effect is specific to literary fiction. Using a unique set of texts, we replicate the finding that literary fiction improves ToM performance. Consistent with the expectation of greater focus on characters in literary fiction, linguistic analysis of the texts revealed that the literary texts contain more markers of reflective function, a sophisticated manifestation of ToM. Further analysis showed the prevalence of markers of reflective function partially mediated the effect of literary fiction on ToM performance.
Public Libraries, Serious Mental Illness, and Homelessness: A Survey of Public Librarians

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this survey was to investigate the perceptions that public librarians have of their user populations with regard to serious mental illness and its relationship to homelessness. The results found that a large number of public librarians experience concerns about the impact of such users upon other users and about the potential violence in these populations. Public librarians who took the survey expressed an interest in learning more about serious mental illness and a wish to achieve greater awareness of serious mental illness that could help them in their interactions with users who are experiencing serious mental illness.
Cutaneous manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex and the paediatrician's role

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multisystem genetic disorder stemming from unregulated activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, resulting in the growth of hamartomas in multiple organs. TSC-related skin lesions often develop early in life and can be disfiguring, emotionally distressful and even painful at times. Recognition of TSC-associated skin features by paediatricians can be a catalyst for facilitating early implementation of treatment strategies and establishing appropriate follow-up care. The range of potential treatment options for symptomatic or disfiguring TSC-associated skin lesions includes non-pharmacological (surgical excision, laser therapy) and pharmacological (eg, topical or systemic mTOR inhibitors) alternatives. In this review, we discuss the relevance of TSC-associated skin findings, highlight available treatment options, review guideline recommendations and emphasise the role of the primary care physician in the management of this complex disease.