cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microscopic theory of tunneling: general theory and application to the static impurity

A microscopic theory of impurity-assisted tunneling is constructed in which the current-carrying (extended) eigenstates of the average one-electron potential in a tunnel junction are utilized as the basis functions which are mixed by the Hamiltonian associated with the presence of a static or dynamic impurity anywhere in the system. In such a system, the one-electron propagator and its concomitant current across the junction can be calculated at zero bias by standard techniques for manipulating temperature Green's functions. The presence of a finite bias across the junction is incorporated into the theory via the principle of rigid occupancy; i.e., the equilibrium occupation of the (current-carrying) many-body eigenstates of the system is taken to be unaffected by the presence of the bias. Therefore the rigid-occupancy hypothesis relates the nonequilibrium current flow to the equilibrium (zero-bias) properties of the junction system. Thus, we obtain a theory of nonequilibrium current flow which is not based on linear-response theory. This hypothesis is incorporated into the Matsubara perturbation theory by treating the chemical potentials of the left- and right-hand electrodes as separate Lagrangian mulitpliers determined after the completion of all Matsubara sums to be related by ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{R}={\ensuremath{\mu}}_{L}\ensuremath{-}eV$. Therefore, for purposes of constructing and solving Dyson's equations for the renormalized one-electron propagators, the theory reduces to the conventional equilibrium theory defined using distorted-wave (i.e., non-plane-wave) states. The perturbation theory is shown to yield the conventional one-electron-theory results for the case of a static impurity potential in the barrier. Resonant elastic tunneling through impurity states of energy ${E}_{r}$ near the zero-bias Fermi energy $\ensuremath{\zeta}$ causes conductance minima (maxima) for ${E}_{r}(0)g\ensuremath{\zeta}$ [${E}_{r}(0)l\ensuremath{\zeta}$]. The transfer-Hamiltonian results are recovered by expanding the transmission probability.
Intracranial aneurysms in sickle cell anemia: clinical and imaging findings

Background Cerebral aneurysm formation is one of the cerebrovascular complications of sickle cell disease. Objective To report the clinical and imaging findings of intracerebral aneurysms and their treatment in pediatric and adult patients with sickle cell disease. Methods Review of clinical data via chart abstraction and radiologic features at the University of Pennsylvania and Children9s Hospital of Philadelphia from 2000 to 2014 and review of the literature since 1942. Results Nineteen patients with aneurysms (2.7%) were found in 709 imaged patients, including 1.2% of imaged children and 10.8% of adults. A total of 44 aneurysms were detected (52.6% with multiple aneurysms, overall 2.3 per patient), 35 (79.5%) in the anterior circulation and 9 in the posterior circulation (20.4%). Thirty-eight unruptured aneurysms ranging in size from 2 to 6 mm and six ruptured aneurysms ranging in size from 3 to 9 mm in diameter were found. Of the patients with ruptured aneurysms, two were treated by stent-assisted coiling, two by clipping, and one patient with coiling. In the group without a rupture, one patient was treated by coil embolization and one patient with a peripheral middle cerebral artery aneurysm was treated by aneurysmectomy. Three pediatric patients with a previously normal MR angiogram demonstrated new aneurysm formation during the study. Conclusions Adult patients with sickle cell disease have a high prevalence of aneurysm formation. Both pediatric and adult patients with sickle cell disease tend to develop multiple aneurysms with frequent involvement of atypical locations, in both anterior and posterior circulations.
The measurement of choline kinase activity in rat brain: the problem of alternate pathways of ATP metabolism.

Abstract The accurate measurement of choline kinase (ATP: cholinephosphotransferase; EC 2.7.1.32) activity in rat brain homogenate preparations is inhibited by the products from alternate pathways of ATP metabolism. Brain ATPases and adenylate kinase activities are so high, relative to choline kinase activity, that inhibitory levels of ADP and AMP accumulate rapidly. This problem, within limits, can be overcome by including an enzymatic ATP regenerating system and an ATPase inhibitor in the incubation medium. With this assay procedure, values of choline kinase activity as high as 133 μmoles phosphorylcholine synthesized/g protein/hr were obtained for rat brain homogenate preparations.
Some approximate methods for electric propulsion mission analysis.

Approximate method for electric propulsion missions analysis, determining system components effects on performance
Graphene for CMOS and Beyond CMOS Applications

Owing in part to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) scaling issues, the semiconductor industry is placing an increased emphasis on emerging materials and devices that may provide a solution beyond the 22-nm node. Single and few layers of carbon sheets (graphene) have been fabricated by a variety of techniques including mechanical exfoliation and chemical vapor deposition, and field-effect devices have been demonstrated with room temperature field-effect mobilities close to 10 000 cm2/Vs. But since graphene is a gapless semiconductor, these transistors have high off-state leakage and nonsaturating drive currents. This is problematic for digital logic, but is acceptable for analog device applications such as low-noise amplifiers and radio-frequency (RF)/millimeter-wave field-effect transistors (FETs). The remarkable transport physics of graphene due to its linear bandstructure have led to novel beyond CMOS logic devices as well, such as “pseudospin” devices.
Dynamic compressive responses of intact and damaged ceramics from a single split Hopkinson pressure bar experiment

A novel dynamic compressive experimental technique has been developed based on a split Hopkinson pressure bar. This new method dynamically loads the ceramic specimen by two consecutive stress pulses. The first pulse determines the dynamic response of the intact ceramic materiaal and then crushes the specimen, and the second pulse determines the dynamic compressive constitutive behavior of the ceramic rubble. Precise pulse shaping ensures that the specimen deforms at nearly constant strain rates under dynamic stress equilibrium during the loading by both stress pulses. Pulse shaping also controls the amplitudes of loading pulses, the values of strain rates, the maximum strains in the rubble specimens, and the proper separation time between the two loading pulses. The feasibility of the new technique is demonstrated by the experimental results obtained on an AD995 alumina.
LHC detector upgrade

The LHC detectors are well into their construction phase. The LHC schedule shows first beam to ATLAS and CMS in 2007. Because the LHC accelerator has begun to plan for a ten fold increase in LHC design luminosity (the SLHC or super LHC) it is none too soon to begin to think about the upgrades which will be required of the present LHC detectors. In particular, the tracking systems of ATLAS and CMS will need to be completely rebuilt. Given the time needed to do the R & D, make prototypes, and construct the new detectors and given the accelerator schedule for the SLHC, work needs to begin rather soon.
Quantifying uncertainty due to random errors for moment analyses of breakthrough curves

The uncertainty in moments calculated from breakthrough curves (BTCs) is investigated as a function of random measurement errors in the data used to define the BTCs. The method presented assumes moments are calculated by numerical integration using the trapezoidal rule, and is theoretically applicable to moments of any order. Moreover, the method is applicable to either temporal or volumetric moments, and in the latter case, explicitly accounts for errors in volume measurements. The complexity of the calculations for the zeroth moment is comparable to that associated with the typical propagation-of-errors formula based on a Taylor series expansion. However, the formulae for higher moments are substantially more complex than the typical propagation-of-errors formula. For the zeroth and normalized first moments, moment uncertainties are more sensitive to random errors in concentration measurements compared to random errors in volume measurements. The robust nature of moment calculations is exemplified by the fact that relative uncertainty in moments is less than the relative error in volume and concentration measurements. Furthermore, moment uncertainty decreases as more data points are collected to define the BTC. For a BTC (based upon the solution to the one-dimensional advective-dispersion equation with a Peclet number of 10) with 100 data points, the zeroth moment and normalized first moment coefficient of variations are approximately 6 and 2%, respectively, for concentration coefficient of variation equal to 25% over a range of volume errors.
Follicular center cell lymphoma of the ampulla of vater presenting with ascending cholangitis

Case: A 51 year old male with a history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia and gallstones presented with fever, chills, and acute right upper quadrant pain radiating to the right chest and shoulder associated with elevated liver enzymes. His medications included losartan, atorvastatin, rabeprazole and multivitamins. His mother and two maternal uncles died from pancreatic cancer. Attempted ERCP at the referring institution showed an abnormal ampulla of Vater; cannulation was unsuccessful. Upon transfer, his temperature was 100.6° F and mild jaundice was evident. Physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. The hemoglobin was 12.4 g/dl, bilirubin 4.1 mg/dl, alkaline phosphatase 250 IU/L, AST 77 IU/L and ALT 246 IU/L. Repeat ERCP revealed tissue proliferation at the ampulla. Deep cannulation of the common bile duct (CBD) was successful following a needle-knife sphincterotomy revealing a dilated CBD to 8-mm; the pancreatic duct was normal. Numerous ampullary biopsies following sphincterotomy showed atypical lymphoid cells with a follicular pattern on microscopic examination. Molecular cytogenetics identified bcl-2 and immunohistochemistry was CD 20 positive. These findings supported a follicular center cell type, grade 1 lymphoma of the ampulla of Vater. A subsequent CT scan showed duodenal thickening at the ampulla but was otherwise normal. A bone marrow examination was normal. The patient is currently undergoing chemotherapy.
Gender Differences in Heterosexual Anal Sex Practices Among Women and Men in Substance Abuse Treatment

Heterosexual anal intercourse (HAI) is an understudied risk behavior among women and men in substance abuse treatment. Rates of HAI for women (n = 441) and men (n = 539) were identified for any, main and casual partners. More men (32.8 %) than women (27.1 %) reported engaging in HAI in the previous 90 days. These rates are higher than those reported for both men (6.0–15.9 %) and women (3.5–13.0 %) ages 25–59 in the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior. Men were significantly more likely to report HAI with their casual partners (34.1 %) than women (16.7 %). In a logistic regression model generated to identify associations between HAI and variables previously shown to be related to high risk sexual behavior, being younger, bisexual, and White were significantly associated with HAI. For men, having more sex partners was also a significant correlate. HAI is a logical target for increased focus in HIV prevention interventions.
A Study of Actuation Fatigue of Shape Memory Alloy

The use of shape memory alloy (SMA) components as actuators is an attractive option for some aerospace, automotive, and oil and gas exploration applications, especially when installation volume is limited. Fatigue failures constitute a major structural reliability issue confronting industrial entities looking to employ this technology. Knowing and understanding the failure mechanism and resulting fatigue life of SMAs is therefore necessary and useful for design and certification prior to commercial use. An in-house developed experimental set-up based on Joule heating was used to complete a comprehensive set of fatigue tests on SMA actuators composed of a nickel-rich Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) alloy subjected to cyclic thermomechanical loadings. A special forced convective cooling environment has been designed that utilizes compressed air and vortex tubes to maintain the test environment at a temperature well below the martensitic finish temperature. To thermally cycle the specimen, a time controlled scheme developed using LabVIEW was used. The system design allows full thermal cycling of large SMA specimens in approximately 80 seconds. Consequently, each test (comprised of thousands of cycles) takes weeks to be completed. Actuation fatigue life results of a complete test matrix for specimens undergoing full transformation at multiple stress levels are presented. Significant spread was observed in the number of cycles to failure for specimens under same isobaric loading across different choice of applied stress. Post-mortem microscopic observation of failed specimens suggested that failure is linked to cracks initiating within Ni3Ti precipitates. Observations reported further suggest that the failure of the specimen may not be due to plastic strain to failure.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Ability of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi to Infect Rodents and Three Species of Human-Biting Ticks (Blacklegged Tick, American Dog Tick, Lone Star Tick) (Acari: Ixodidae)

The infectivity of a diverse collection of Borrelia burgdorferi strains from North America for mice was determined as a prelude to vector competence experiments with the 3 primary human-biting tick species in the eastern United States [ Ixodes scapularis Say, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), Amblyomma americanum (L.)]. Of the 34 B. burgdorferi strains inoculated into mice, 29 were infectious; the exceptions were 5 isolates from Texas. Vector competence experiments were conducted with 2 strains from the southern United States (North Carolina and Georgia). Both strains were extremely infectious to I. scapularis larvae. Moreover, I. scapularis efficiently maintained these spirochetes transstadially and transmitted infection as nymphs. D. variabilis larvae were intermediate in susceptibility but generally did not maintain the infection transstadially. A. americanum larvae were completely refractory to infection with these 2 southern B. burgdorferi strains. Three isolates from Michigan D. variabilis were inoculated into mice, subsequently exposed to I. scapularis and D. variabilis larvae. Larval I. scapularis were 5-fold more susceptible to infection with these strains than were larval D. variabilis. Although nymphal I. scapularis efficiently transmitted a Michigan isolate, nymphal D. variabilis did not. In all these experiments, I. scapularis was the only species that proved to be vector competent for B. burgdorferi.
Sonar data fusion for 3D scene reconstruction

This paper describes a geometric approach to underwater 3-D scene reconstruction using sonar range sensing. Our goal is to recover explicit geometric surface descriptions for man-made objects, by focusing the geometric constraints of multiple sonar returns obtained from different sensing locations by a moving autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). We employ a simplified physical model of the sonar sensing process, based on the geometrical acoustics high-frequency approximation of acoustic scattering. Our current research effort is directed to support the task of locating and retrieving rigid objects from the deep ocean seafloor, using an untethered AUV. The key open problems concern the development of (1) robust methods for 3-D shape recovery, (2) an effective data association procedure, and (3) directed sensing strategies to control the data acquisition process.
Cosmetic dermatology training in residency: results of a survey from the residents' perspective.

Background Dermatologists are expected to be experts in the evaluation and treatment of their patient's cosmetic concerns. It has been reported that some dermatology residents do not feel adequately trained in this field. Objective To assess how dermatology residents are being trained in cosmetic dermatology. Methods A survey was e-mailed to 473 third-year dermatology residents. Results One hundred eighteen surveys were returned (24.9%), representing 45% of programs. Most residents have assigned reading (70.7%) and lectures (81.4%) in cosmetic dermatology. To learn technical skills, 79.7% participate in formal training sessions, and 73% have an apprenticeship model. Most residents have the opportunity to perform botulinum toxin injections, laser surgery, fillers, chemical peels, and sclerotherapy. More than 58% of programs have an encouraging or somewhat encouraging attitude toward teaching cosmetics, whereas 22% were somewhat discouraging or discouraging. Most residents (75.4%) plan to incorporate cosmetics into their practice. Residents do not feel less prepared (94.9%) or less interested (97.4%) in medical dermatology as a result of their cosmetic training. Conclusions Residents are being trained in cosmetic dermatology through a variety of methods. Residency programs should periodically assess and adapt their curricula to ensure adequate training in this field.
Differential rates of relapse in subgroups of male and female smokers

Abstract Subjects for this study were 265 participants of stop-smoking clinics (mean age = 42.6 years; average number of cigarettes smoked daily = 26.0) who were examined before and immediately after cessation and then followed for 1 year. The objective of this study was to identify subgroups of smokers with different rates of relapse using tree-structured survival analysis, a multivariate approach to classification. Five distinct subgroups that differed with respect to the rate of relapse were identified: (1) subjects (n = 15) with very low precessation cotinine levels (⩽ 129 ng/ml), who had an exceptionally low rate of relapse (mean abstinence time= 270 days); (II) women 32 years old and younger (n = 24), who had a very high rate of relapse (mean abstinence time = 30.5 days); (III) women over 32 years old (n = 121), with the next highest rate of relapse (mean abstinence time = 98.9 days); (IV) men 36 years old and younger (n = 31), who had a mean abstinence time of 196.7 days; and (V) men over 36 years old (n = 74), who abstained an average of 130.2 days before relapsing. Relapse curves for all groups (except III vs V) differed significantly from each other, p
Cosmological solutions with “ten into four” compactification

Abstract Cosmological solutions in the 10-dimensional N = 1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills-supergravity system with non-vanishing Yang-Mills and Kalb-Ramond field strengths are found. In all these solutions three space dimensions expand faster than the remaining ones. The interest in these solutions arises from the relation of this system to superstrings and from a “no-go” theorem which applies if one does not consider cosmological solutions and requires a maximally symmetric 4-space-time instead.
Perceptions of Instructors on Student Training in a Jet Aircraft: A Preliminary Qualitative Analysis:

A Midwestern university recently incorporated a very light jet aircraft into its training curriculum for the professional pilot degree. This model varies considerably from the traditional pilot training program in an academic setting. It also presented new challenges and human factors issues for the four instructors who completed training with these low time pilots. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to gather the perceptions, issues, and experiences of the instructor pilots working with the first cohort of 22 students to complete a 10-hour familiarization course in a very light jet. A longitudinal survey and a final face-to-face interview were used to gather instructor perceptions across the length of the program, provide recommendations, and summarize lessons learned that could be applied to future training environments. Preliminary findings indicate that instructors anticipated students would be most comfortable with operating procedures and use of the avionics. Instructors believe...
A data-driven appearance model for human fatigue

Humans become visibly tired during physical activity. After a set of squats, jumping jacks or walking up a flight of stairs, individuals start to pant, sweat, loose their balance, and flush. Simulating these physiological changes due to exertion and exhaustion on an animated character greatly enhances a motion's realism. These fatigue factors depend on the mechanical, physical, and biochemical function states of the human body. The difficulty of simulating fatigue for character animation is due in part to the complex anatomy of the human body. We present a multi-modal capturing technique for acquiring synchronized biosignal data and motion capture data to enhance character animation. The fatigue model utilizes an anatomically derived model of the human body that includes a torso, organs, face, and rigged body. This model is then driven by biosignal output. Our animations show the wide range of exhaustion behaviors synthesized from real biological data output. We demonstrate the fatigue model by augmenting standard motion capture with exhaustion effects to produce more realistic appearance changes during three exercise examples. We compare the fatigue model with both simple procedural methods and a dense marker set data capture of exercise motions.
Toward the perfect workplace

The experience of home-based systems developers is compared with their office-based counterparts in a UK computer firm. The analysis produced two major patterns: the home-based workers find intrinsic value in the job, whereas office-based employees view it more instrumentally and find it interferes with satisfaction on a personal level.
A Static and Dynamic Model for Three-Dimensional, Multi-Mesh Gear Systems

A static and dynamic model of a three-dimensional (3-D) helical gear pair is presented and extended to multi-mesh gear systems. The gear bodies are assumed to be rigid cylinders mounted on linear stiffnesses representing the bearings/housing. The mesh model is formulated by dividing each theoretical contact line into multiple contact segments. A deflection function that incorporates tooth modifications and six degree of freedom (DOF) gear motion is defined for each contact segment. This deflection function determines whether individual contact segments are in contact or not, and, if so, what mesh force exists at that segment. The net forces and moments of these contact segments provide a multi-dimensional mesh force vector that draws gear tilting into the six DOF vibration. These contact segments form a network of springs that eliminates the need to solve a detailed contact problem, albeit at the cost of some accuracy as compared to more complex 3-D gear models. Stiffness values of these springs are obtained from a commercial finite element (FE) program specifically designed for gears. Misalignments and lead/profile modifications can be modeled included in the analytical model without further reference to the FE software. This approach is expected to be more accurate than transmission error (TE) excited 3-D dynamic models that use the static load distribution and pre-specified variable mesh stiffness. The model is validated against FE software for static analysis of a helical gear pair. The model is used to compare the 3-D vibration modes of a helical and a spur idler gear system. The dynamic behavior near resonance and occurrence of nonlinear contact loss is investigated.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The effects of digitalis on intracellular calcium transients in mammalian working myocardium as detected with aequorin

The effects of positive inotropic agents on the amplitude and time course of the light signal and corresponding tension response were studied in cat and human working myocardium microinjected with the bioluminescent Ca2+ indicator aequorin. Distinctive patterns of light and tension responses were identified that are consistent with known actions of the various agents on the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores, rate of uptake of Ca2+ by the sarcoplasmic reticulum and sensitivity of the myofilaments to Ca2+. In common with most other inotropic drugs, the cardiotonic steroid, acetylstrophanthidin, in doses of 4×10−7 to 2×10−6 m increases the amount of Ca2+ available for excitation-contraction coupling in the heart. However, in contrast to most other agents, acetylstrophanthidin does not affect the time course of the calcium transient. In common with changes in [Ca2+]o, acetylstrophanthidin does not alter the relationship between the amplitude of the aequorin light signal and developed tension, which, in contrast to caffeine and isoproterenol, indicates that the increase in tension is fully accounted for by the increase in systolic free calcium. These findings suggest that the cardiotonic steroids increase loading of intracellular calcium stores without affecting the kinetics of subcellular handling of Ca2+. In doses of 8×10−7 to 2×10−6 m , acetylstrophanthidin produces a clacium-overload state characterized by ‘after-contractions’ and ‘after-glimmers’ that are associated with the development of automatic and triggerable dysrhythmias. These studies provide direct evidence that the inotropic and toxic effects of digitalis on animal and human working myocardium are produced by changes in intracellular Ca2+.
Professional advocacy: widening the scope of accountability

Abstract Advocacy has proven a slippery concept for nursing. Although the nursing profession has adopted the term ‘patient advocacy’ to denote an ideal of practice, the meaning, scope and implications of the concept have not yet been adequately defined. Poorly defined concepts lead to practice problems and these ultimately impact patient care. This article clarifies some basic underlying assumptions of the term ‘advocacy’ in the interest of facilitating the goals of nursing. The origins and meanings of the term are traced. It is noted that ‘advocacy’ as descriptive of verbal actions on behalf of others is an expression initially used in legal settings. Nursing's use of this term is explored and because the term is also discovered in the literature of other disciplines to denote either a standard (Law) or ideal (Medicine) of practice it proved helpful to compare the various perspectives. Additionally, the link between advocacy and notions of professional responsibility, obligation and accountability is investigated. Although advocacy for nurses is discovered to be a broad concept it has typically been seen as applying to individual situations and immediate contexts. However, actions taken with the purpose of advocating for a given patient (or group of patients) necessarily affect more than the person for the sake of whom the actions are taken. Thus, patient advocacy commits nurses to an examination both of the immediate practice environment and of the wider context in which nursing occurs. This is because nursing's purpose of furthering ‘health’ extends both to individuals and society. For these reasons it is suggested that the term ‘professional advocacy’ viewed as actions stemming from professional role objectives more accurately captures the scope of nursing responsibilities than does either ‘advocacy’ or ‘patient rights advocacy’.
On two critical flocculation concentrations of colloids in dilute systems

Abstract Reversible flocculation can occur between particles stabilized by electrical surface charges, hydration forces, or polymer adsorption (sterically) because of the presence of a minimum in the interaction potential between two particles which is neither too shallow nor too deep. The equilibrium size distribution of flocs formed under these conditions is calculated for a dilute system of colloidal particles and used to identify a critical flocculation concentration of particles at which an infinite size floc can coexist (as a separate phase) with a dispersed phase containing a monotone decreasing size spectrum of flocs. It is also suggested that a transition within the same phase may occur from a size distribution dominated by singlets to one in which relatively small flocs play an important part. The corresponding critical particle concentration is lower than the previous one and might be analogous to the well-known critical micelle concentration.
Fragility of glass-forming polymer liquids.

The fragility of polymeric glass-forming liquids is calculated as a function of molecular structural parameters from a generalized entropy theory of polymer glass-formation that combines the Adam−Gibbs (AG) model for the rate of structural relaxation with the lattice cluster theory (LCT) for polymer melt thermodynamics. Our generalized entropy theory predicts the existence of distinct high and low temperature regimes of glass-formation that are separated by a thermodynamically well-defined crossover temperature TI at which the product of the configurational entropy and the temperature has an inflection point. Since the predicted temperature dependence of the configurational entropy and structural relaxation time are quite different in these temperature regimes, we introduce separate definitions of fragility for each regime. Experimentally established trends in the fragility of polymer melts with respect to variations in polymer microstructure and pressure are interpreted within our theory in terms of the ...
Role of endogenous psychosine accumulation in oligodendrocyte differentiation and survival: Implication for Krabbe disease

Krabbe disease is a lethal, demyelinating condition caused by genetic deficiency of galactocerebrosidase (GALC) and resultant accumulation of its cytotoxic substrate, psychosine (galactosylsphingosine), primarily in oligodendrocytes (OLs). Psychosine is generated by galactosylation of sphingosine by UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGT), a galactosylceramide synthesizing enzyme which is primarily expressed in OLs. The expression of CGT and the synthesis of galactosyl-sphingolipids are associated with the terminal differentiation of OL, but little is known about the participation of endogenous psychosine accumulation in OL differentiation under GALC deficient conditions. In this study, we report that accumulation of endogenous psychosine under GALC deficient Krabbe conditions impedes OL differentiation process both by decreasing the expression of myelin lipids and protein and by inducing the cell death of maturating OLs. The psychosine pathology under GALC deficient conditions involves participation of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) activation and increase in its metabolites, as evidenced by attenuation of psychosine-induced pathology by treatment with pharmacological inhibitor of sPLA2 7,7-dimethyleicosadienoic acid (DEDA). These observations suggest for potential therapeutic efficacy of sPLA2 inhibitor in Krabbe disease.
A Rapid and Sensitive LC-MS/MS Method for Quantification of Four Anthocyanins and Its Application in a Clinical Pharmacology Study of a Bioadhesive Black Raspberry Gel

Abstract Cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3GLU), cyanidin 3-rutinoside (C3RUT), cyanidin 3-sambubioside (C3SAM) and cyanidin 3-(2G-xylosyl) rutinoside (C3XRUT) are the four constituent black raspberry anthocyanins that contribute significantly to the chemopreventive effects of freeze-dried black raspberries (FBR). A highly sensitive and specific LC–MS/MS assay was developed and validated to simultaneously quantify these four FBR anthocyanins in human saliva, plasma and oral tissue homogenates. In saliva, the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for these anthocyanins was 1.0 ng/mL. The within-run and between-run coefficients of variations (CVs) at the quality control concentrations (1.0, 5.0, 50 and 500 ng/mL) were all
Estrogen Receptor β as a Mitochondrial Vulnerability Factor

We recently demonstrated mitochondrial localization of estrogen receptor β (ERβ). We herein confirm the mitochondrial localization of ERβ by the loss of mitochondrial ERβ immunoreactivity in ERβ knockdown cells. A phenotype change characterized as an increase in resistance to oxidative stressors is associated with ERβ knockdown. ERβ knockdown results in a lower resting mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and increase in resistance to hydrogen peroxide-induced Δψm depolarization in both immortal hippocampal cells and primary hippocampal neurons. ERβ knockdown cells maintained ATP concentrations despite insults that compromise ATP production and produce less mitochondrial superoxide under oxidative stress. Furthermore, similar mitochondrial phenotype changes were identified in primary hippocampal neurons derived from ERβ knock-out mice. These data demonstrate that ERβ is expressed in mitochondria and function as a mitochondrial vulnerability factor involved in Δψm maintenance, potentially through a mitochondrial transcription dependent mechanism.
Extended supersymmetry invariants by dimensional reduction

Abstract Dimensional reduction is shown to be a powerful technique in obtaining higher order invariants of four-dimensional supersymmetric models. The method is illustrated by constructing an invariant in D = 6 for the O(1) vector multiplet which reduces to a (known) D = 4 O(2) invariant. The application to the possible existence of the three loop D = 4 O(8) invariant is indicated.
A comparative study on detection of influential observations in linear regression

A large number of statistics are used in the literature to detect outliers and influential observations in the linear regression model. In this paper comparison studies have been made for determining a statistic which performs better than the other. This includes: (i) a detailed simulation study, and (ii) analyses of several data sets studied by different authors. Different choices of the design matrix of regression model are considered. Design A studies the performance of the various statistics for detecting the scale shift type outliers, and designs B and C provide information on the performance of the statistics for identifying the influential observations. We have used cutoff points using the exact distributions and Bonferroni's inequality for each statistic. The results show that the studentized residual which is used for detection of mean shift outliers is appropriate for detection of scale shift outliers also, and the Welsch's statistic and the Cook's distance are appropriate for detection of influential observations.
Yeast infections of the lower urinary tract: Recommendations for diagnosis and treatment

Yeast infections of the lower urinary tract are common, with the vast majority due to Candida species. Though not life-threatening, candiduria may be a marker for overall severity of illness in hospitalized patients, as it appears to predict increased mortality, particularly in critically ill patients. Diagnosis is relatively simple through culture, but exact definitions of clinical disease are elusive. Management of asymptomatic patients is generally observation with reduction of predisposing factors, whereas symptomatic patients should be treated. Therapeutic options for these infections are limited and not well studied compared with therapies for systemic candidiasis. Further studies are needed to optimize management of these patients.
Characterization of the roles of RHOC and RHOA GTPases in invasion, motility, and matrix adhesion in inflammatory and aggressive breast cancers.

BACKGROUND: The 2 closely related small GTPases, RHOC and RHOA, are involved in mammary gland carcinogenesis; however, their specific roles in determining cancer cell adhesion and invasion have not been elucidated. METHODS: RHOA and RHOC are highly homologous, thereby posing a major challenge to study their individual functions in cancer cells. By selectively knocking down these proteins, we have been able to alternatively inhibit RHOC and RHOA, while preserving expression of the other rho protein. Quantitative analyses of the growth patterns and invasion in the aggressive estrogen receptor negative cell lines MDA-231 and SUM149 were carried out on collagen I and Matrigel substrates. RESULTS: RHOC, and not RHOA, modulates surface expression and colocalization of α2 and β1 integrins in MDA-MB-231 on collagen I. Neither RHOC or RHOA affected integrin expression in the inflammatory breast cancer cell line SUM149, further highlighting the different regulation of adhesion and motility in inflammatory breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This work shows that RHOC and RHOA play different roles in cell-matrix adhesion, motility, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and reaffirms the crucial role of RHOC-GTPase in inflammatory breast cancer cell invasion. Cancer 2010;116(11 suppl):2768–82. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Comparative study of removal torque of 3 different hydroxyapatite coated implants in the femur of rabbits

순수 티타늄 임플란트의 계면과 생체골조직과의 기능적, 구조적인 결합인 골유착의 개념이 Bra�nemark에 의해 처음 으로 소개되었다. 이후 이러한 골유착 임플란트를 이용한 구강 영역의 재건법은 임상적으로 유용한 술식으로 받아 들여져 왔으며, 장기간의 평가에서 좋은 임상결과를 보여 왔다. 그러나 가장 낮은 골밀도를 보이는 type 4의 골에 평활한 표면을 가진 Bra�nemark 임플란트를 식립한 경우에 55-85% 의 낮은 성공률을 보고하였다. 이러한 결과는 1차적으로 좋지 못한 골질에 의한 치조골과 임플란트와의 골접촉면 적 불량과 관련이 있다. 골유착에 있어서 임플란트의 표면 형태는 중요한 결정인자라고 보고하였다. 임플란트 표면 구조는 임플란트에서 초기 골유착에 중요한 역할을 한다. Predecki 등은 불규칙한 표면을 가진 임플란트에서 보다 빠른 골성장과 우수한 기계적 결합을 관찰할 수 있었다고 보고하였다. 특히, 골밀도가 낮은 골에서 임플란트 성공률 및 골-임플란트 접촉률은 평활한 표면을 가진 임플란트보 다 거친 표면을 가진 임플란트에서 더 높다고 하였다. 거 친 표면의 임플란트는 숙주의 골에 임플란트가 접촉되는 면적을 증가시키고 평활한 표면의 임플란트에 비해 1차 안 정성이 높다. 또한 임플란트 주위 골형성도 증가시키는 것 손 동 석 705-718 대구광역시남구대명4동 3056-6 대구가톨릭대학병원치과구강악안면외과학교실 Dong-Seok Sohn Division of Oral and Maxillofacial, Department of Dentistry, Daegu Catholic University Medical Center 3056-6 Daemyung 4-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu, 705-718, Korea TEL: +82-53-650-4291 FAX: +82-53-622-7067 E-mail: dssohn@cu.ac.kr 가토의 대퇴골에 식립한 3종류의 수산화인회석 코팅 임플란트에 대한
Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients with Aortic Stenosis: Effect on Cardiac Arrhythmias

Twenty-four hour ambulatory electrocardiography was performed on 28 patients with aortic stenosis without significant coronary artery disease or aortic regurgitation. Compared to a control group of subjects with normal hearts proven by noninvasive and invasive testing, patients with aortic stenosis had higher (p = 0.0001) frequency of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) (3144 +/- 1425 versus 17 +/- 46) per 24 hours and higher (p = 0.001) prevalence of PVC presence (27 of 28 patients versus 39 of 101 normal), and complexity (19 of 28 patients versus 4 of 101 normal). Weak correlations of complexity with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.30) and ejection fraction (r = -0.25) were noted. No correlation of ventricular ectopic activity with peak systolic gradient, aortic valve area, or peak left ventricular systolic pressure was noted. Repeat 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography performed on 13 patients three months after successful aortic valve replacement did not show significant effect of aortic valve replacement on PVC frequency or complexity.
Single-crystal infrared characterization of ternary sulfides

Abstract Infrared spectra in the 2.0–23.5 μm region have been obtained for single crystals of KInS2, CaY2S4, and SrY2S4. Diamond, ZnS, GaP, and CdS crystals served as reference samples. The observed frequencies of the first overtone (or two-phonon) bands were used to evaluate the practical optical cut-offs arising from the second overtone (or three-phonon) absorption bands that occur in the long-wavelength (8–12 μm) region. The resulting transparency limits of bulk ceramics of KInS2, CaY2S4, and SrY2S4 are predicted to occur near 9.7, 11.7, and 11.4 μm, respectively, and are discussed in relation to the observed crystal structures.
Effects of naloxone on oxygen consumption and ventilation in awake golden Syrian hamsters

Endogenous opioids are known to inhibit chemoreception and ventilatory control. The opioid antagonist naloxone stimulates ventilation by removing this inhibition. To study whether the effects of opiate receptor antagonism are mediated by a central or a peripheral mechanism, we administered equal doses of naloxone hydrochloride (NHCl, an agent that crosses the blood-brain barrier) and naloxone methiodide (NM, an agent that does not cross the blood-brain barrier) to awake golden Syrian hamsters. Both naloxone preparations significantly increased the oxygen consumption (46% for NHCl and 90% for NM) in these animals relative to saline. Naloxone hydrochloride, but not NM, stimulated ventilation (30%) and tidal volume (34%) when the animal was subjected to a hypercapnic challenge, predominantly sensed in the brain. In contrast, both naloxones stimulated ventilation by 52% compared to saline treatment when the hamsters were exposed to a hypoxic challenge, predominantly sensed peripherally. These results suggest that endogenous opioids modulate both central and peripheral chemoreception in the hamster.
Wave propagation analysis of difference schemes for hyperbolic equations: A review

There are spurious phenomena in the numerical approximation of the hyperbolic equations of fluid dynamics that may be investigated by invoking concepts which originate from wave propagation theory. Many of the significant results which have been obtained by pursuing this kind of analysis are reviewed in this paper by using as an illustration a family of implicit approximations of the simple linear advection equation. Included in this family of algorithms are the common six-point implicit finite difference scheme, the linear finite element/Galerkin scheme and the ‘box’ method. The phase and group velocities of sinusoidal solutions are brought into the analysis of the accuracy and of the spurious reflection or scattering phenomena which are created at computational boundaries and in non-uniform grids. General properties become apparent in this Fourier/wave propagation approach to the analysis. One of these is in the form of an analogy with quantum mechanics. Another shows that certain energy norms of the errors are independent of time discretization, i.e. depend on space discretization alone.
Long-Term Outcomes After Catheter Ablation of Cavo-Tricuspid Isthmus Dependent Atrial Flutter: A Meta-Analysis

Background— Despite the success of catheter ablation of cavotricuspid isthmus–dependent atrial flutter (AFL), important postablation outcomes are ill-defined. The purpose of our study was to analyze long-term outcomes after catheter ablation of cavotricuspid isthmus–dependent AFL. Methods and Results— A meta-analysis was performed of articles reporting clinical outcomes after catheter ablation of AFL published between January 1988 and July 2008. The analysis included 158 studies comprising 10 719 patients (79% men, 59.8±0.5 years old, 46% left atrial enlargement, 46% heart disease, 42% with history of atrial fibrillation, 14.3±0.4 months of follow-up). The overall acute success rate adjusted for reporting bias was 91.1% (95% CI, 89.5 to 92.4), 92.7% (95% CI, 90.0 to 94.8) for 8- to 10-mm tip/or irrigated radiofrequency catheters, and 87.9% (95% CI, 84.2 to 90.9) for 4- to 6-mm tip catheters ( P >0.05). Atrial flutter recurrence rates were significantly reduced by use of 8- to 10-mm tip or irrigated radiofrequency catheters (6.7% versus 13.8%, P <0.05) and by use of bidirectional cavotricuspid isthmus block as a procedural end point (9.3% versus 23.6%, P <0.05). The AFL recurrence rate did not increase over time. The overall occurrence rate of atrial fibrillation after AFL ablation was 33.6% (95% CI, 29.7 to 37.3) but was 52.7% (95% CI, 47.8 to 57.6) in patients with a history of atrial fibrillation before ablation and 23.1% (95% CI, 17.5 to 29.9) in those without atrial fibrillation before ablation ( P <0.05). The incidence of atrial fibrillation increased over time in both groups; however, 5 years after ablation, the incidence of atrial fibrillation was similar in those with and without atrial fibrillation before ablation. The acute complication rate was 2.6% (95% CI, 2 to 3). The mortality rate during follow-up was 3.3% (95% CI, 2.4 to 4.5). Antiarrhythmic drug use after ablation was 31.6% (95% CI, 25.6 to 37.8). The long-term use of coumadin was 65.9%, (95% CI, 43.8 to 82.8). Quality of life data were very limited. Conclusions— AFL ablation is safe and effective. Ablation technology and procedural end points have greater influences on AFL recurrences than on acute ablation success rates. Atrial fibrillation is common after AFL ablation. Almost one third of patients take antiarrhythmic drugs after AFL ablation. Atrial fibrillation before AFL ablation may indicate a more advanced state of electric disease. Received June 19, 2008; accepted April 16, 2009. # CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE {#article-title-2}
The Optimal Timing of Living-Donor Liver Transplantation

Living donors are a significant and increasing source of livers for transplantation, mainly because of the insufficient supply of cadaveric organs. We consider the problem of optimally timing a living-donor liver transplant to maximize the patient's total reward, such as quality-adjusted life expectancy. We formulate a Markov decision process (MDP) model in which the state of the process is described by patient health. We derive structural properties of the MDP model, including a set of intuitive conditions that ensure the existence of a control-limit optimal policy. We use clinical data in our computational experiments, which show that the optimal policy is typically of control-limit type.
Development and implementation of intranasal naloxone opioid overdose response protocol at a homeless health clinic

PURPOSE To describe the development, implementation, and preliminary evaluation of Opioid Overdose Response Protocol using intranasal (IN) naloxone in a homeless shelter. Data sources Opioid Overdose Response Protocol and training curriculum were developed using the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) flow chart, the American Heart Association (AHA) simplified adult basic life support algorithm, and resources through Harms Reduction Coalition. Conclusions Intranasal naloxone offers a safe and effective method for opioid reversal. To combat the rising incidence of opioid overdose, IN naloxone should be made available at homeless shelters and other facilities with high frequency of opioid overdose, including the training of appropriate staff. This project has demonstrated the effective training and implementation of an Opioid Overdose Response Protocol, based on feedback received from cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) trained nonhealthcare staff. Nurse practitioners (NPs), with our focus on patient care, prevention, and education, are well suited to the deployment of this life-saving protocol. Implications for practice NPs are in critical positions to integrate opioid overdose prevention education and provide naloxone rescue kits in clinical practices. Language: en
Employee Satisfaction with Sexual Harassment Policies: The Training Connection

This paper explores satisfaction with sexual harassment policies in public sector workplaces, using a survey of municipal employees to address the following policy questions:What types of sexual harassment policies do employees want?How would employees handle complaints of sexual harassment?How satisfied are employees with current workplace policies?What appears to enhance policy and process satisfaction?It concludes that public sector organizations should:Include confidentiality protections and sanctions in policies;Require that parties to a complaint be fully informed of the outcome;Increase awareness and knowledge of policies through employee training;Train supervisors in interpersonal skills and investigatory processes;Utilize teams to investigate allegations of sexual harassment; and,Understand that training and process implementation issues are more important to employee satisfaction than the policy itself.