cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Vivo Testing of a Miniature 2.4/4.8 GHz Implantable Antenna in Postmortem Human Subject

We present a novel miniaturized dual-band implantable antenna for microwave backscattering at 2.4/4.8 GHz. These bands are recently emerging as highly promising for batteryless implants, viz., implants that receive power from an exterior interrogator at 2.4 GHz and backscatter their sensed signals at 4.8 GHz. Compared to the smallest reported 2.4/4.8 GHz implantable antenna, the proposed design is miniaturized by 39%, and exhibits higher gain by 10.3 dB (at 2.4 GHz) and 2.6 dB (at 4.8 GHz). To validate the antenna performance under anatomically correct conditions, postmortem human subject (PMHS) testing is performed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that implantable antennas are tested in PMHS and further compared versus simulations in tissue-emulating models. Notably, good agreement exists between the two, with the proposed antenna exhibiting a reflection coefficient of <−4.5 dB at both 2.4 and 4.8 GHz for all six subcutaneous locations measured: left/right sides of thigh, hip, and abdomen.
The importance of pilot studies and understanding microhabitat requirements when reintroducing endemic plants during coastal dune restoration

In coastal California dune ecosystems protect coastal cities from damaging storms and provide habitat for native wildlife. Despite the economic and ecological importance of coastal dunes, habitat loss has continued and is predicted to accelerate with a changing climate. To combat the effects of climate change and ensure that coastal dunes will persist into the future, they need to be prioritized for conservation and restoration. However, for restoration to be successful, endemic plants, which are plant with specialized habitat requirements, need to be prioritized because they make up a significant portion of the biodiversity in California coastal dunes. Because endemic plants are rare and there is limited stock of plants available for transplant, we need to be more aggressive in using pilot studies. These can be used to evaluate the biotic and abiotic conditions that maximize growth and reproduction and to help guide effective reintroduction. To evaluate how exploratory pilot studies can enhance the restoration of rare and endemic plant species, we conducted a study restoring Lupinus nipomensis, a United States federally endangered species, on coastal dunes in San Luis Obispo County, California. We found that L. nipomensis had the highest seed production in plots that had a steep, north facing slope and were protected from herbivores. Our results suggest that restoration efforts should be focused on areas with these characteristics to maximize restoration success. Our pilot reintroduction of L. nipomensis highlights the importance of using pilot experiments to enhance reintroduction success and to quicken the recovery of coastal dune ecosystems.
Exploring the spatial relationship between primary road distance to antenatal clinics and HIV prevalence in pregnant females of Lilongwe, Malawi.

While urbanization in a sub-Saharan African (SSA) context can lead to greater independence in women, various sociological, biological, and geographical factors in urban areas may keep women at a hi...
Rapid Methods of Microbiological Analysis: An Update

Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology is a dynamic field dealing with all aspects in the isolation, enumeration,characterization and identification of microbes from water, food, clinical specimens, industrial and environmental samples. This communication highlights the recent developments in sample preparations, efficient methods for viable cell counts, instrumental methods for the estimation of microbial populations and biomass, miniaturized microbiological techniques, modern immunological procedures, and advanced genetic methods. The aim is to rapidly acquire microbiological information from target samples so that effective measures can be taking for consumer protection.
Finding “What Works”: Theory of Change, Contingent Universals, and Virtuous Failure in Global Mental Health

Global Mental Health has developed interventions that strive to work across great difference—variously conceptualized as cultural, socio-economic, geographic, or pertaining to the characteristics of health systems. This article discusses how the evaluation framework Theory of Change (ToC) facilitates the production of ‘global’ knowledge across such differences. Drawing on 14 months of multi-sited fieldwork among Global Mental Health actors in Europe, North America and South Africa, it traces the differential use of ToC in GMH interventions. While much critical scholarship of Global Health metrics holds that techniques of quantification rely on universals that necessarily betray the “real world”, ToC unsettles these critiques. It comes into view as an epistemic and relational device that produces ‘contingent universals’—concepts that are true and measurable until they stop working in the field, or until the parameters of ‘what works’ shift to a new iteration. As such, Theory of Change produces actionable—rather than true—knowledge attuned to open-ended change, both desirable (impact) and unforeseen (adaptation). Its effects, however, are ambiguous. ToC presents us with a horizoning technique that enables what I call “virtuous failure” within the evidence-based paradigm. It may equally harbor the potential to disrupt distinctions such as bricolage (tinkering) and design (planning) and their respective politics, as it may tie neatly into audit cultures, depending on its use. The article analyzes the novel stakes of reflexive evaluation techniques and calls on anthropology and critical Global Health for renewed empirical engagement.
Site-Selective Acylation of Natural Products with BINOL-Derived Phosphoric Acids

The site-selective acylation of a steroidal natural product 19-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone catalyzed by 1,1′-Bi(2-napthol)-derived (BINOL) chiral phosphoric acids (CPAs) is described. Systematic ...
Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Strategies for the Music Classroom:

The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report estimates that 1 in 59 children have autism spectrum disorder, and many of these children are receiving their education in their ne...
Detection of Aflatoxin B1 in secondary school students in Al-Diwanyia city

The purpose of this study is to investigate mycotoxin (Aflatoxin B1) in high school student blood samples. Thus, 350 blood samples were collected randomly from students in various schools in Al-diwanyia city, and then toxin was detected using ELIZA method. The results showed 287 ( 82% ) of student were had aflatoxin in their blood in a different concentration varying from 2.301 to 3.245 ng/ml and these concentrations were high (2.610 to 3.245) n/L in male rather than female (2.301 to 2.541) ng/L. Intrahepatic AFTs-B1 is activated by the enzymes p450 hemogenic protein, which is reborn into AFTs-B1-8, 9 epoxide, which is responsible for the effects of cancer within the secreted organ. Based on the fact that AFB1 recorded the most important effects of strong malignant tumor disease in both humans and animals, and thanks to the acute problems related to the contamination of AF More attention has been paid to food and feed and its negative impact on public and economic health compared to various fungal toxins. Because absolute safety is incredibly difficult to achieve, many developing countries have tried to reduce aflatoxin toxicity under the rules that management exposure prohibits the limits of such toxins in food and feed. This research was therefore designed to determine the levels of aflatoxin B1 in secondary school students ' blood samples.
The PCC ISNI Pilot: Exploring Identity Management on a Global, Collaborative Scale

The Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) conducted a multi-institution Pilot project to contribute metadata to the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) database. In addition to describ...
Attachments: My Journey Into Research and Why I Opted for a Different Road.

My hope was that through research I could improve earlier detection, prevention, and treatment. Perhaps I also hoped it would help me find an explanation for why my father suffered for so many years.
Learning to promote recovery after spinal cord injury.

Abstract The present review explores the concept of learning within the context of neurorehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI). The aim of physical therapy and neurorehabilitation is to bring about a lasting change in function—to encourage learning. Traditionally, it was assumed that the adult spinal cord is hardwired—immutable and incapable of learning. Research has shown that neurons within the lower (lumbosacral) spinal cord can support learning after communication with the brain has been disrupted by means of a thoracic transection. Noxious stimulation can sensitize nociceptive circuits within the spinal cord, engaging signal pathways analogous to those implicated in brain-dependent learning and memory. After a spinal contusion injury, pain input can fuel hemorrhage, increase the area of tissue loss (secondary injury), and undermine long-term recovery. Neurons within the spinal cord are sensitive to environmental relations. This learning has a metaplastic effect that counters neural over-excitation and promotes adaptive learning through an up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Exposure to rhythmic stimulation, treadmill training, and cycling also enhances the expression of BDNF and counters the development of nociceptive sensitization. SCI appears to enable plastic potential within the spinal cord by down-regulating the Cl− co-transporter KCC2, which reduces GABAergic inhibition. This enables learning, but also fuels over-excitation and nociceptive sensitization. Pairing epidural stimulation with activation of motor pathways also promotes recovery after SCI. Stimulating motoneurons in response to activity within the motor cortex, or a targeted muscle, has a similar effect. It is suggested that a neurofunctionalist approach can foster the discovery of processes that impact spinal function and how they may be harnessed to foster recovery after SCI.
RIFTA: A Robust Iterative Fourier Transform-based dwell time Algorithm for ultra-precision ion beam figuring of synchrotron mirrors

With the rapid evolution of synchrotron X-ray sources, the demand for high-precision X-ray mirrors has greatly increased. Single nanometer profile error is required to keep imaging capability at the diffraction limit. Ion Beam Figuring (IBF), as a highly deterministic surfacing technique, has been used for ultra-precision finishing of mirrors. One crucial step that guides the IBF process is dwell time calculation. A valid dwell time solution should be non-negative and duplicate the shape of the desired removal map. Another important aspect is to minimize the total dwell time. In this study, we propose a Robust Iterative Fourier Transform-based dwell time Algorithm (RIFTA) that automatically fulfills these requirements. First, the thresholded inverse filtering in Fourier transform-based deconvolution is stabilized and automated by optimizing the threshold value using the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm. Second, a novel two-level iterative scheme is proposed to guarantee the minimized total dwell time with its non-negativity at each dwell point. Third, a bicubic resampling is employed to flexibly adapt the calculated dwell time map to any IBF process intervals. The performance of RIFTA is first studied with simulation, followed by a comparison with the other state-of-the-art dwell time algorithms. We then demonstrate with an experiment that, using the dwell time calculated by the RIFTA, the total dwell time is shortened by a factor of two and the RMS in a 5 × 50 mm clear aperture was reduced from 3.4 nm to 1.1 nm after one IBF run, which proves the effectiveness and the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Securing autonomous system in multi-domain tactical environment

The U.S. Army envisions fighting and winning future wars in congested and contested environments and multi-domain battles where revolutionary capabilities for the network-centric warfare (NCW) are essentially needed. NCW is characterized by the ability of geographically dispersed forces to attain a high level of shared battle-space awareness that can be exploited to achieve strategic, operational, and tactical objectives by autonomously linking people, platforms, weapons, sensors, and decision aids into a single network. Future battlefield networks will generate a massive volume of data, which can go beyond quantities. In a multi-domain battle, novel technologies for real-time decision-making, which is based on a large amount of heterogeneous as well as sparse, noisy, and ill-defined data under extremely uncertain environment, are specifically required. Additionally, humans have sometimes become completely comfortable with the information brought in by our sensing technologies. As a result, the command architecture, built on a massive web of information sources, becomes more receptive to potential catastrophic machine-human decision-making conflicts as well as vulnerable to incoming cyber threats including adversaries’ deception, interruption, and obscuration, which can eventually introduce own sources of decision-making failure. In this paper, researchers present validation results of a conceptualized artificial intelligence-based visual analytics framework. The researchers’ ultimate goal is to integrate the mature technology into the situation awareness technology for local commands and global logistics centers to enable an effective logistic command and control of aviation platforms and autonomous systems while being operated in an expeditionary multi-domain environment.
Enabling AC electroluminescence in quasi-2D perovskites by uniformly arranging different-n-value nanoplates to allow bidirectional charge transport

Abstract Perovskite light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are normally operated under forward direct current (DC) to realize electron/hole injection at cathode/anode surfaces. Here, we demonstrate an alternating current (AC) driven LED enabled by bi-directionally allowed charge transport in quasi-2D perovskite (PEA2MAn−1PbnI3n+1) film. Essentially, the bi-directional charge transport is realized by uniformly arranging different-n-value 2D nanoplates together with symmetrically designed anode/cathode interfaces, which can allow injected electrons and holes to form light-emitting states under both forward and reverse biases, leading to an AC electroluminescence (EL) with the device architecture of ITO/PEI/PEDOT:PSS/PEA2MAn−1PbnI3n+1/P3HT/PEI/Ag. The high AC EL performance was achieved with the radiance = 24 W Sr−1 m−2 and 18.3 W Sr−1 m−2 and EQE = 12.5% and 3.7% under forward and reverse biases. The device-operational stability was largely improved with the half-intensity time of T50 = 11.0 h under AC bias (+2 V/−2 V, 50 Hz) as compared to T50 = 3.9 h under forward bias (+2 V/0 V, 50 Hz).
Deficiencies in the Curve Number Method

AbstractThis study investigates the relationship between the curve number and regional rainfall characteristics, and also determines the extent to which intrastorm application of the curve number m...
Faecal concentrations of ceftiofur metabolites in finisher pigs administered intramuscularly with ceftiofur.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary fibre level and source on faecal ceftiofur metabolites concentrations after intramuscular administration of therapeutic ceftiofur hydrochloride in finisher pigs. Pens of finisher pigs (n = 36), with an equal number of barrows and gilts, were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatment groups: basal diet composed of corn grain and soy bean meal with no supplement and formulated to contain 8.7% neutral detergent fibre (NDF), supplemented with 20% distillers dried grains with solubles (a byproduct of the ethanol production from corn grain) formulated to contain 13.6% NDF, primarily insoluble fibre or supplemented with 14.5% sugar beet pulp formulated to contain 13.6% NDF. Faecal samples were collected 6-8 hr after ceftiofur injection from treated and untreated pen-mate pigs on days 1 and 3 of the 3-day treatment regimen. Faecal concentrations of ceftiofur metabolites, including the major metabolite, desfuroylceftiofur, were analysed by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Overall, the faecal concentrations of ceftiofur metabolites did not differ significantly between the dietary treatments. The mean concentrations of metabolites tended to be lower (p = .1) on day 3 compared to day 1 of the 3-day treatment regimen. Faecal concentrations of metabolites were not affected by the gender of the finisher pigs. The concentrations of ceftiofur metabolites in the faeces are likely reflective of the microbial activity in the hindgut. Our data suggest that the fibre level and source used in the study did not affect the faecal concentrations of ceftiofur metabolites.
Design of a Pulsed-Power Magnetized Plasma Flow Experiment for the Study of Star Formation and Astrophysical Bow Shocks

We present the design of two laboratory -astrophysics experiments with the goal of translating research performed at a major (several kJ) laser facility into the pulsed-power laboratory at the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z- Pinch Experiments (MAIZE). The experiments are designed to explore the interactions of magnetized plasma flows in astrophysical bow shocks and accretion shocks found in star formation, with a focus in the structure and development of shock instabilities. To accomplish this, we will be generating magnetized plasma flows via pulsed-power in the Linear Transformer Drive (LTD) at the University of Michigan, by ablating aluminum wire arrays with currents of up to 1 Mega-Amp. We have designed two different array geometries: a cylindrical wire array that will be used to study bow shock interactions against a variety of magnetized targets (conducting wires, electromagnets and permanent magnets), and a conical array that will drive a plasma jet into a solid target for the study accretion shocks.
Team Approach to Sexual Counseling in Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries

The comprehensive management and medical rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord lesions is presently based on internationally defined and accepted guidelines. In recent years the quality of monitoring and nursing in the acute, post-traumatic stage and the techniques of functional rehabilitation have continuously improved. In spite of severe polytrauma, more than 90% of these patients survive and eventually return to their home, their families, and society at large. According to statistics compiled at our center in Geneva, there are in Switzerland approximately 26 new cases with spinal cord lesions per million inhabitants per year. The average age of these patients is the mid-twenties. Before becoming paralyzed they belonged to a highly active part of society. As there exist, at present, no ways and means of restoring neurological function in patients with complete spinal cord lesions, our therapeutic efforts aim at restoring the highest level possible of independence in daily life.
Elevated Rates of Mild Cognitive Impairment in HIV Disease

With the rising number of individuals in their 50s and 60s who are infected with HIV, concerns have emerged about possible increases in the rates of non-HIV-associated dementias. The current study examined the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older HIV-infected adults, since MCI is an intermediate state between typical cognitive aging and dementia that emerges in this age range. Participants included 75 adults with HIV disease aged 50 years and older who were on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and had undetectable plasma viral loads and 80 demographically similar HIV-seronegative comparison subjects. Participants completed a research neuropsychological evaluation that was used to classify MCI according to the comprehensive diagnostic scheme described by Bondi et al. (J Alzheimers Dis 42:275–289, 2014). HIV-infected persons were over seven times more likely to have an MCI designation (16 %) than their seronegative counterparts (2.5 %). Within the HIV+ cohort, MCI had minimal overlap with diagnoses of asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment and was significantly associated with older age, lower Karnofsky Scale of Performance Scores, and mild difficulties performing instrumental activities of daily living (iADLs). HIV infection in older adults is associated with a notably elevated concurrent risk of MCI, which may increase the likelihood of developing non-HIV-associated dementias as this population ages further.
Get up and Learn – Active Learning of Hemoglobin Function in the Biochemistry Classroom

Constructivist learning theory, as formalized by Piaget, suggests that learners construct new knowledge from their experiences and is best facilitated with pedagogic approaches that promote learnin...
Anatomic results and complications of stent-assisted coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms.

Thromboembolism and intra/postoperative aneurysm ruptures were the most common complications and the main causes of procedure-related morbidity and mortality. Patients with poor grade subarachnoid hemorrhage showed poor clinical outcomes. Since most complications were induced by stent manipulation and deployment, it is mandatory to utilize these devices selectively and cautiously. While the follow-up angiographic results are promising, further studies are essential to evaluate safety, efficacy, and durability of the Neuroform stent.
Estimating the spatial position of spectral components in audio

One way of separating sources from a single mixture recording is by extracting spectral components and then combining them to form estimates of the sources. The grouping process remains a difficult problem. We propose, for instances when multiple mixture signals are available, clustering the components based on their relative contribution to each mixture (i.e., their spatial position). We introduce novel factorizations of magnitude spectrograms from multiple recordings and derive update rules that extend independent subspace analysis and non-negative matrix factorization to concurrently estimate the spectral shape, time envelope and spatial position of each component. We show that estimated component positions are near the position of their corresponding source, and that multichannel non-negative matrix factorization can distinguish three pianos by their position in the mixture.
Digital Product Evolution - Models And Trends

This presentation is concerned with digital product evolution, particularly those asociated with consumer needs. We shall consider evolution as the implicit result of change needed for the improvement? and refinement, extension of its functions and performance. Our y-pose is tc study the ruies and concerns that reguiate product innovation and evolution. It is well known that consumer digital products have short life cycles and shelf lives. The market generally has a wide variety of products satisfying the same consumer needs. The pressure on the product designers and manufacturers is to shorten development time, reduce manufacturing costs are refined derivatives of earlier versions, we recognize the creation of product families, where members of a family exhibit the same core functionalities, compatibilities and interoperabilities. We provide several examples of such product families and their impact in the digital product area. The and trying to satisfy the motto, ‘Be first, be right and also be the best’. They naturally need to be paranoid to survive (Andrew Grove). The new products’ architect and the designer, now, have to explore flexible architectures for the whole family of products covering a long period of time, to fit the terrain of different technologies and needs. We shall distinguish the products from the product lines, product generations and the product families. We review models from other disciplines like biology, economics, statistics, physics etc., that have analogical overtones to digital consumer products to lend us insight into the nature of the evolutionary processes We discovered that the life-cycle models of biology lit well with those of products and their families. We show that their properties are self-similar (Mandelbrot). Since product evolution implies improvement we show that the life-cycle phases (transformations) include knowledge gathering, knowledge reuse, knowledge dissemination (transfer) and knowledge creation. We conclude by showing that these steps are implicitly included in the some of the real advanced product development organizations like Sony and Microsoft.
The relevance of molecular biomarkers in cervical cancer patients treated with radiotherapy

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) plays an integral role in the combined-modality management of cervical cancer. Various molecular mechanisms have been implicated in the adaptive cellular response to RT. Identification of these molecular processes may permit the prediction of treatment outcome and enhanced radiation-induced cancer cell killing through tailoring of the management approach, and/or the employment of selective inhibitors of these pathways. Methods: PubMed was searched for studies presenting biomarkers of cervical cancer radioresistance validated in patient studies or in laboratory experimentation. Results: Several biomarkers of cervical cancer radioresistance are validated by patient survival or recurrence data. These biomarkers fall into categories of biological function including hypoxia, cell proliferation, cell-cell adhesion, and evasion of apoptosis. Additional radioresistance biomarkers have been identified in exploratory experiments. Conclusions: Biomarkers of radioresistance in cervical cancer may allow molecular profiling of individual tumors, leading to tailored therapies and better prognostication and prediction of outcomes.
Bis(cyclopentadienyl)diphenyltitanium

[1273-09-2] C22H20Ti (MW 332.28) InChI = 1S/2C6H5.2C5H5.Ti/c2*1-2-4-6-5-3-1;2*1-2-4-5-3-1;/h2*1-5H;2*1-5H; InChIKey = RUDMETXSMVJPSS-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent for the preparation of aryl derivatives via thermolysis and trapping with electrophiles;2 catalyst for the hydrogenation of alkenes,3 the polymerization of alkenes,4, 5 the polymerization of silanes,6 the hydrosilylation of ketones,7 the silylation of alcohols8 and aldol condensation9) Alternate Name: diphenyltitanocene. Physical Data: mp 146–148 °C dec. Solubility: sol most aprotic organic solvents, e.g. Et2O, THF, CH2Cl2, toluene, hexanes. Form Supplied in: orange–yellow crystals; not available commercially. Preparative Method: 10, 11 a solution of Phenyllithium (2 equiv) in Et2O is added dropwise to a suspension of Dichlorobis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium in Et2O (3–5 mL mmol−1) stirred at rt under N2. After 1 h, the reaction mixture is cooled to −30 °C and quenched with methanol. Evaporation of the solvents upon warming to rt, addition of Et2O, filtration, evaporation, and recrystallization from CH2Cl2/pentane gives 95% of orange–yellow crystals of Cp2TiPh2. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: sensitive to oxygen and light but can be briefly exposed to air and water; not stable for more than a few days at rt, and decomposes more rapidly in solution; can be stored in the dark in a refrigerator.
Association Between Clinical Decision Support System Use and Rural Quality Disparities in the Treatment of Pneumonia

Purpose To determine whether there is an association between clinical decision support system (CDSS) use and quality disparities in pneumonia process indicators between rural and urban hospitals. Methods Data were used from the FY 2009 American Hospital Association electronic health record (EHR) adoption survey (3,616 responding hospitals) to identify hospitals that used CDSS for clinical guidelines and reminders. This was linked to the 2009 Hospital Compare data set from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (3,805 reporting hospitals). The merged data set contained 2,405 hospitals: 1,330 were noncritical in metropolitan ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), 692 were noncritical in rural ZCTAs, and there were 383 critical access hospitals (CAHs; 359 in rural ZCTAs, 24 in urban ZCTAs). The dependent variable was a pneumonia composite quality score, composed of 6 pneumonia process indicators calculated for each hospital. Adjusted analysis controlled for a hospital's propensity to use CDSS. Findings While quality was lower in rural institutions, unadjusted pneumonia quality scores varied modestly, from 90.08% in CAHs to 93.38% in urban hospitals. Hospitals that used CDSS had higher unadjusted pneumonia process composite scores than their non-CDSS counterparts. After controlling for CDSS use, the propensity for CDSS use, and hospital and community characteristics, hospitals in rural ZCTAs did not have significantly different process composite scores than their metropolitan counterparts. Conclusions CDSS was positively associated with quality of care for pneumonia. Adoption of EHRs with CDSS functionality in rural hospitals may serve to reduce quality gaps. Costs of EHR implementation may be a barrier to this process.
Genetic determinants of oxidative stress-mediated sensitization of drug-resistant cancer cells†

Drug resistance in cancer is an overwhelming problem, because drug-resistant cancer cells are harder to kill with the same drug. The mechanism of drug resistance differs for various cancers based on the type of drug being used for its treatment. Most current drugs are shown to increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) in respective cancer cells that induces apoptosis, but continuous treatment with the same drug may reduce cellular ROS levels and may convert drug sensitive cancer cells into drug resistant cells. In addition, exogenous elevation of ROS in conjunction with drug resensitizes drug-resistant cancer cells. Thus, constant maintenance of higher ROS level in cancer cells may be a prerequisite for drug efficacy in certain type of cancer cells. Thus, modulation of ROS-mediated genetic pathway genes could be an efficient alternative to maintain higher ROS level in cancer cells for "combinational chemotherapy" with the drug. In this review, I discuss whether ROS reduction in drug-resistant cancer cells could be a general mechanism of drug resistance for most cancers with its specific drug, and whether elevation of ROS levels with the drug could be a valuable strategy for increasing drug efficacy in most cancers.
Multiple [3H]-nemonapride binding sites in calf brain.

[3H]-Nemonapride has been the ligand of choice to label D4 dopamine receptors. Its specificity was questioned when it was discovered that sigma (σ) sites were also labeled by [3H]-nemonapride. To further characterize the binding of [3H]-nemonapride, three areas of calf brain (striatum, frontal cortex and cerebellum) were examined. In all three areas, [3H]-nemonapride labeled multiple sites. Dopaminergic and σ sites were the most prominent. The σ binding profile was σ-1 like with a Ki binding profile as follows (in order of decreasing potency): haloperidol, PPAP, pentazocine, DTG, U-50488, R(+)-3-PPP. Experiments using sulpiride and pentazocine to block striatal dopaminergic and σ sites, respectively, revealed additional, not previously characterized binding sites for [3H]-nemonapride. One component which was present in striatum but not in frontal cortex or cerebellum, had affinity for some neuroleptics and WB-4101, but not for typical serotonergic agents. Thus, [3H]-nemonapride has no selectivity for dopamine receptors unless stringent experimental conditions are met.
Geneticists' views on embryonic stem cells.

The media coverage of the controversy over embryonic stem cell research cites the arguments of many individuals or selected groups, but what opinions do specialists in human genetics research hold about the issue. Last year I conducted a survey of U.S. members of the American Society of Human Genetics ([1][1]). The survey questions covered many ethical issues in the field of human genetics, several of which dealt specifically with embryonic stem cell research. Of the more than 1200 respondents, 87% agreed with the 1999 ruling by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that exempted human embryonic stem cells from the Congressional ban on the use of federal funds for human embryo research. The ruling determined that the ban did not apply to human embryonic stem cells primarily because, by themselves, they do not have the capacity to develop into human beings. Most of these scientists (71%) favored discontinuance of the ban itself. But whether embryonic stem cell research was considered ethically acceptable depended on the source of the embryos. Significant majorities responded that it was acceptable to use embryos retrieved from aborted fetal tissue and embryos originally created for fertility treatment (77 and 59%, respectively); however, 73% of respondents viewed creation of human embryos for research purposes as ethically unacceptable. Thus, although the respondents are generally opposed to the creation of embryos for research, most appear to view the potential medical benefits as such that we should take advantage of the existence of unused embryos that would ultimately be discarded. 1. [↵][2]The survey was part of a study sponsored by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation. A 12-page survey was sent to 3632 U.S. members of the American Society of Human Genetics, and 1236 surveys were returned, 1229 of which met all eligibility criteria. A copy of the group of questions from the survey relevant to this discussion are available from June Goldner, research consultant for the survey, at goldner@bestweb.net. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text"
A Longitudinal Examination of Social Support, Agreeableness and Depressive Symptoms in Chronic Kidney Disease

Research examining the role of social support in patient adjustment to chronic illness has been inconsistent suggesting that patient individual differences play a moderating role. This study examined the hypothesis that the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms would differ as a function of individual differences in trait Agreeableness. Fifty-nine patients with chronic kidney disease were assessed using the Social Provisions Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and NEO-Five-Factor Inventory and were followed-up a year and a half later. After controlling for baseline depressive symptoms and clinical characteristics, regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between social support and Agreeableness predicting change in depressive symptoms. Greater social support among individuals high in Agreeableness was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms over time, while support had little effect on depression change for individuals low in Agreeableness. These findings underscore the importance of individual difference variables in understanding adjustment to chronic illness.
The Construct Lesson Plan: taking the inefficiency out of group/classroom instruction

The instructional design described in this article, the Construct Lesson Plan, is the result of five years of research, development, and evaluation. It is currently being used in two major courses offered by The American College and is planned for use in several other courses. The Construct Lesson Plan is a system for organising and implementing group/classroom instruction. With its own built‐in validation instruments, the primary intent is to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of group instruction. It accomplishes these ends by accounting for and following through on the preparatory study of students and as a result also enhances the completion of preparatory study itself. The essential components of the Construct Lesson Plan approach include a Diagnostic Pre‐Test, a set of Lesson Plan Cards, and a Content Outline.
Faculty Internships in Family Business

Faculty internships in family business offer potential benefits to faculty, students, and the community by blending academics with real world business. The purpose of the paper is to report how faculty internship experiences in family businesses enhance the goals of continuous improvement of curriculum and research output in a business school. The University of Toledo Center for Family Business embarked on a pilot faculty internship program during the summer of 1998. We detail the back ground for the Stranahan Faculty Program at the University of Toledo, discuss the program implementation, and report the final organizational level assessment.
Transient expression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 genome results in a nonproductive infection in human fetal dorsal root ganglia glial cells.

Abstract Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the etiologic agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), has been implicated in the generation of AIDS-associated neurologic dysfunction. We are currently examining the replicative processes involved in HIV-1 infection of selected human fetal neural cell populations in vitro . To determine whether infection of the human fetal dorsal root ganglia (DRG) glial cell population culminates in the production and release of infectious HIV-1, cocultivation and reverse transcriptase (RT) assays were performed. Direct assay of HIV-1 infected neural cell supernatants as well as exposure of permissive SupTi cells to these HIV-1-infected neural cell supernatants detected no RT activity in eitherthe HIV-1-infected DRG glial cell supernatants orthe SupTi cell supernatants. When SupTl cells were cocultivated with the HIV-1-infected neural cells for 24-hr intervals, RT activity was detected in the SupTi supernatants from cocultures initiated less than 2 days after infection (most likely resulting from infectious input virus) but not from cocultures initiated on 3, 5, 10, and 30 days after infection. Hybridization analysis demonstrated transient expression of HIV-1 cytoplasmic mRNA with accumulation reaching a maximum level by 2 to 3 days postinfection, declining thereafter with low, but detectable, levels at 16 days postinfection. In addition, polymerase chain reaction amplification in conjunction with DNA blot hybridization detected HIV-1-specific proviral DNA at 3 days postinfection. Cumulatively, these data suggest that HIV-1 infection of human fetal DRG glial cells culminates in a nonproductive infection with expression of at least a fraction of the virus genome but no detectable infectious virus production.
Dimensions and Validation of a Perceived Message Cognition Value Scale

The primary purpose of this study was to develop a perceived message cognition value (PMCV) scale and provide preliminary evidence concerning its reliability and validity. The manuscript presents PMCV as a theoretical construct consisting of three distinct dimensions: cognitive challenge, credibility, and clarity. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a significant three-factor solution, and SEM confirmed a significant second-order model that accounted for variations in the three dimensions. Composite scale and subscale reliabilities are presented, and composite scale/subscale stability across psychographic and message variables is demonstrated. The manuscript concludes with an argument that a reliable and valid PMCV scale can aid persuasion researchers in designing more effective health behavior change messages.
RNA polymerase I holoenzymes

In eukaryotes, holoenzymes are large preassembled complexes containing RNA polymerases and variable sets of general transcription initiation factors and cofactors that are important for the regulation of gene expression. Recent advances in purification and characterization of RNA polymerase I holoenzyme from plants provide experimental data suggesting that it plays a key role in transcriptional regulation. These findings have a significant implication on our understanding of the mechanisms of promoter recognition, assembly of transcription initiation complexes, RNA chain elongation and transcription termination.
Separation of neuronal sites of driver potential and impulse generation by ligaturing in the cardiac ganglion of the lobster,Homarus americanus

This study documents the ability of individual neurons of theHomarus americanus cardiac ganglion to produce driver potentials (regenerative, 20 mV, 200 ms depolarizing responses to depolarization).
Manufacture and Testing of a Functionality Graded Material

A novel technique is presented for the fabrication and fracture testing of large-scale polymeric based Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs). The technique generates a continuously inhomogeneous property variation by taking advantage of the susceptibility of a polyethylene carbon monoxide copolymer (ECO) to ultraviolet irradiation. The resulting FGMs exhibit a varying Young's modulus, usually in a linear fashion, from approximately 160 MPa to 250 MPa over 150 mm wide specimens. The fracture behavior of the FGM is experimentally investigated through the use of single edge notch fracture tests on both homogeneously irradiated and functionally graded ECO. Two approaches are used to evaluate fracture parameters: The first, a hybrid numerical-experimental method, is based on far field measurements only. The second uses digital image correlation to obtain near tip measurements. The energy release rates of uniformly irradiated ECO and ofseveral FGMs are measured and compared. It was seen that the FGM showed a built-in fracture resistance behavior implying that it requires increased driving force to sustain crack growth.
Assessment of symptom experience in patients undergoing hepatic resection or ablation

BACKGROUND. Quality of life (QOL) currently is considered both clinically meaningful and biologically important for patient outcome and is considered as important as disease-free and overall survival. Thus, the objective of the current study was to evaluate the QOL symptoms of patients who underwent major hepatic resection, minor hepatic resection, and ablation for primary or metastatic cancer to the liver. METHODS. From October 2002 to June 2004, 40 patients who underwent either hepatic ablation or resection were enrolled. Patients were assessed at 5 time points (the initial visit, the initial postoperative visit, and visits at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months) by questionnaires of the Functional Assessment in Cancer Therapy (FACT) core instrument with the Hepatobiliary subscale (FACT-Hep), the FACT Hepatobiliary Symptom Index (FHSI-8), the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QOL questionnaire (QLQ) for patients with pancreatic cancer (QLQ-PAN), and the general core EORTC QLQ. RESULTS. The patients enrolled included 20 men and 20 women with a median age of 62 years (range, 41–77 years), including 24 patients who underwent major hepatectomy, 8 patients who underwent minor hepatectomy, and 8 patients who underwent ablation. An evaluation of the FACT Physical, Social, Emotional, and Functional subscales demonstrated no differences at the initial or first postoperative visits. However, at 6 weeks, both the Physical (P = .0455) and Functional (P = .0372) scores were significantly worse for the major hepatectomy group. At 3 months, all QOL parameters were similar. Similar differences were observed at 6 weeks for the FHSI-8 (P = .02), POMS (P = .007), QLQ-PAN (P = .04), and EORTC (P = .003) with the resolution of this difference at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS. There was little difference in QOL between patients who underwent major hepatic resection, minor hepatic resection, and hepatic ablation. Patients who underwent major hepatectomy demonstrated a worse QOL at 6 weeks compared with patients who underwent minor hepatic resection and hepatic ablation, with the resolution of this difference and significant improvements observed in all 3 groups at 3 months. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Low-cost approaches to UAV design using advanced manufacturing techniques

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms are of major interest to Defense, Government, and commercial industries. The ability to remotely control an aerial vehicle capable of surveillance, offensive and defensive maneuvering, reconnaissance, or numerous other applications without the need to put a human life in jeopardy is a major attraction to their use. Furthermore, there exists opportunities to make these airborne vehicles largely autonomous, further reducing the need for even remote human operators. However, for all of the significant advantages of UAVs, there is a significant negative: the cost of manufacture, and the cost of design. Due in part to the substantial amount of complex electronic equipment on board, UAVs become not only a design of aeronautics, but an experiment in energy conservation through optimization. A limited range of UAV power becomes a limiting factor of UAV application. The challenge becomes to optimize the size, weight, and aerodynamics of the UAV based on the application. Along with a NASA faculty research grant, the project has been given seven college engineering students with the singular goal of investigating UAV design techniques using advanced manufacturing techniques and STEM principles. In this paper, it will be shown how a college manufacturing lab, paired with a team of student engineers, and guided by an engineering faculty member, will seek to provide tangible, industry-quality results.
The Need For A Quantitative Model Of Human Preattentive Vision

The goal of every computer vision system is to at least match human perceptual abilities at performing a desired task. Hence the need to have an interest in and be knowledgeable of human perceptual abilities is implicit to the discipline of computer vision. If one desires to create a general purpose computer vision system the best place to look to gain general insights into how to construct such a system would seemingly be to examine what is known about human perceptual mechanisms. With this in mind the general scene analysis and image analysis strategies of the human visual system will be reviewed. Based on an analysis of these strategies it will be argued that what is needed to create a general purpose vision system is a quantitative model of human preattentive vision. Further it will be argued that this quantitative model should be based on what has been classically called texture operators.
Connecting filament mechanics in the relaxed sarcomere.

By examining the mechanical properties of single unactivated myofibrils it has been shown that shortening and stretching of sarcomeres occurs in stepwise fashion, and that steps are seen also in the relaxed state (Yang et al. (1998) Biophys J 74: 1473–1483; Blyakhman et al. (2001) Biophys J 81: 1093–1100; Nagornyak et al. (2004) J. Muscle. Res. Cell Motil. 25: 37–43). The latter are inevitably associated with connecting filaments. Here, we carried out measurements on single myofibrils from rabbit psoas muscle to investigate steps in unactivated specimens in more detail. Myofibrils were stretched and released in ramp-like fashion. For the single sarcomere the time course of length change was consistently stepwise. We found that in the unactivated myofibrils, step size depended on initial sarcomere length, diminishing progressively with increase of initial sarcomere length, whereas in the case of activated sarcomeres, step size was consistently 2.7 nm.
Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Cattle Fed Ensiled Soybean Straw Treated with Various Alkalis

ABSTRACT A beef growing-finishing study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding ensiled chopped soybean straw (SBS) (35% dry matter) treated with various alkalis on performance carcass characteristics. Concentrations of alkalis used in the diets were either 0 (control) or 4% (w/w) of the straw dry matter. A fescue hay (FH) diet was used as a positive control. Thirty-five Angus and Hereford steer and heifer calves averaging 202 kg body weight were randomly assigned to 5 treatment groups. Treatments were: (1) water, (2) NaOH, (3) Ca(OH)2, (4) NH4OH, and (5) FH. The diets were fed 141 days including a 21-day adaptation period. Sodium hydroxide and Ca(OH)2 treatments decreased (P 0.05) differenc...