cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Nonaspirin Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents and Acetaminophen on Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review

ObjectiveTo perform a systematic review evaluating the association between sensorineural hearing loss and (1) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as a class, (2) NSAIDs available over the counter, (3) NSAIDs in short intravenous courses, (4) prescription NSAIDs utilized by patients without systemic inflammatory conditions, (5) prescription NSAIDs in patients with arthritides, and (6) acetaminophen with and without concomitant narcotic usage.Data SourcesComputerized searches of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were updated through May 2014, along with manual searches and inquiries to topic experts.Review MethodsThe systematic review was performed according to an a priori protocol. Data extraction was performed by 2 independent investigators, and it focused on relevant audiologic measurements, methodological elements related to risk of bias, and potential confounders.ResultsThe 23 criterion-meeting studies included a total of 92,532 participants, with mixed results. Sulindac was the only s...
Task Experience and Intertribal Value Differences on the Wind River Reservation

A study of the value orientations of the Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indians living on a reservation in Northwestern Wyoming suggests that the Shoshone, who stress individualistic and achievement orientations, hold values closer to the whites living on or near the reservation, than the Arapaho who stress collectivistic and nonachievement orientations. These tribal differences in value orientations can be explained by the different ways in which the two tribes perceive the white reference group. The Shoshone consider the white reference group as an audience group which rewards them for task performances sanctioned by achievement and individualistic values. The Arapaho, who consider the whites as a reference group which punishes but does not reward them for task performances based on white values, have tended to reject white values and to develop tribal solidarity vis-'a-vis the whites by rewarding collectivistic task solutions as well as giving positive sanction to lower aspiration levels through stress on "being," "present," and "subjugation-to-nature" orientations. A great deal of research has been done on the role which values and value systems play in promoting sociocultural integration as well as their influence on the nature and direction of culture change. However, there has been little research investigating the actual sociocultural processes that promote value persistence or variation. The term value has been defined in many ways but in this paper values will be considered to be conceptions ofthe desirable patterns, goals and norms. Values are moral standards which serve as criteria by which the worthwhileness of the modes, means and ends of action can be evaluated. Thus Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961:395) have defined a value as ".... a conception, explicit or implicit, distinctive of an individual or characteristic of a group, of the desirable which influences the selection from the available means, modes and ends of action.." Values or evaluative orientations must be distinguished from cathectic orientations which represent preferences for one kind of behavior, activity or relationship whether considered highly desirable or not and cognitive orientations which involve axioms, propositions, or empirical generalizations dealing with some feature of human experience but not involving a liking or disliking for objects or relationships (Locke and Breer, 1965:7). Values are objects, goals or relationships which are considered desirable not necessarily currently desired or preferred in every situation. They serve as criteria by which conduct is judged
Preparation of Metallic Films on Elastomeric Stamps and Their Application for Contact Processing and Contact Printing

The formation of permanent or reversible metallic patterns on a substrate has applications in microfabrication and analytical techniques. Here, we investigate how to metallize an elastomeric stamp, either for processing of a substrate mediated by the proximity between the metal on the stamp and an active layer on the substrate, or for contact printing of the metal from a stamp to a substrate. The stamps were made from poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and were modified before metallizing them with Au by adding to or removing from their bulk mobile silicone residues, by oxidizing their surface with an O2-plasma, by surface-fluorination via silanization, or by priming them with a Ti layer. The interplay between the adhesion of the different layers defines two categories of application: contact processing and contact printing. Contact processing corresponds to keeping the metal on the stamp after contacting a substrate; it is reversible and nondestructive, and useful to define transient electrical contacts or quench fluorescence on a surface, for example. Contact printing occurs when the metal on the stamp adheres to the printed surface. Contact printing can transfer a metal, layers of metals, or an oxide onto a substrate with submicrometer lateral resolution. The transfer can be total or localized to the regions of contact, depending on the morphology of the metal on the stamp and/or the surface chemistry of the substrate.
The evaluation of truthfulness in alleged sex offenders' self-reports: 16PF and MMPI validity scales.

The evaluation of response bias (i.e., minimization or exaggeration) is central to forensic psychological evaluations. Yet few studies have assessed forensic samples to investigate the ability of psychological tests to detect response bias. We studied the relationship between the Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire (16PF) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) validity scales for 65 alleged sex offenders and assessed the effects of different cutoff scores for the 16PF validity scales. Results indicate consistent significant correlations between the validity scales of the 16PF and the MMPI for measures of minimization and exaggeration. use of a priori cutoff scores resulted in the classification of our sample in proportions parallel to those found in previous research for the 16PF Fake-Good scale but not the Fake-Bad scale. Our results indicate that 16PF validity scales are useful, but interpretations must take into account different base rates of response bias between sex offenders and the general population.
Effects of culture conditions on the synthesis of human chorionic gonadotropin by placental organ cultures

Culture conditions for maintaining first trimester human placenta in organ culture, which enhance the secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), are described. Nutrient medium, oxygen tension and Gelfoam support matrix infuence the synthesis of hCG by these cultures. Placental tissue remained viable for the duration of experiments (12 days) as judged by the incorporation of tritiated thymidine into DNA and the lack of release of incorporated [125Iiododeoxyuridine. Optimal conditions for hCG synthesis in placental organ culture included an atmosphere of 95% air and 5% CO2 (approximately 20% O2), CMRL 1066 medium containing fetal human or bovine serum, insulin, hydrocortisone and retinal acetate. Multiple pieces of placenta could be cultured in the same dish with an additive effect on hCG secretion. The functional responsiveness of these placental cultures was demonstrated by modulation of hCG synthesis with theophylline and 3′5′ dibutyryl cyclic AMP.
Analytical and experimental studies of the surface flaw

This paper uses the Newman-Raju model, the Paris crack growth rate law, and a fixed R ratio to demonstrate the analytical considerations associated with predicting stress intensity distributions and fatigue crack growth of surface flaws under conditions of small-scale yielding. Problems which lie outside the realm of the model used in the analytical description are presented. It is concluded that, while the model employed provides remarkable predictive capability in a variety of surface flaw problems, many exceptional cases remain to be modeled.
Enhanced unscheduled DNA synthesis by secondary cultures of lung cells established from calorically restricted aged rats

Abstract Unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) induced by two exposure levels of ultraviolet light (UV) or two concentrations of methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) was evaluated in secondary cultures of lung fibroblasts established from weanling, 11-month-old and 31-month-old female Fischer 344 rats fed and libitum (AL) or calorically restricted (CR) diets. [3H]Thymidine incorporation as a function of UDS was highest for weanling-derived cells treated with either UV or MMS, declining consistently with increased age between cells from weanling, 11-month-old and 31-month-old animals. [3H]Thymidine incorporation as a function of UDS in cells from 11-month-old AL vs. CR rats differed only at the highest UV exposure level. In contrast, cells drived from 31-month-old CR rats exhibited UDS levels which were at leastt wice as high at each UV treatment level as UDS levels of cells drived from the same age AL rats. Cells from both old AL and old CR rats were shown to initiate DNA excision repair at about the same rate. Cells from CR rats, however, repaired DNA damage at an accelerated rate and completed excision repair while repair in cells from AL animals was slower and apparently did not proceed to completion. Data from this study indicate that cells from young and old AL and CR animals initiate excision repair, but demonstrate an age-related loss of UV- or MMS-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation in cells derived from AL animals. Cells derived from CR animals did not exhibit that age-related loss of UDS activity; rather, they showed an enhanced UDS response to DNA damage and appeared to complete ligation as the final step in excision repair. The data suggest that caloric restriction of a cell donor animal not only delays the age-associated decrease in in vitro DNA excision repair capacity in cells from that animal, but may actually enhance repair capacity.
Rates of attempted suicide and completed suicide in European community nations

St~mmary.-Estimates rates of attempted suicide were moderately associated with rates of completed suicide in 1976 across seven European nations. Diekstra (1989) provided estimates for the rates of attempted suicide (based on contacts with hospitals and general physicians) for seven nations in the European community in 1976 (Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and West Germany). Rates of completed suicide for these nations in 1976 were available from the World Health Stutistics Annual (WHO, annual). The Spearman rank correlations calculated between rates of attempted and completed suicide were 0.54 for men and 0.46 for women, positive although not statistically significant. The deviant nation in that year was the United Kingdom, with relatively high rates of attempted suicide and relatively low rates of completed suicide. The positive correlation suggests that rates of all kinds of suicidal behavior may be associated across nations, but its small size suggests that the nationally estimated rates of attempted suicide may still be somewhat unreliable.
Out-of-Plane Seismic Performance and Detailing of Brick Veneer Walls

The out-of-plane seismic performance of residential brick veneer walls built over wood-frame backup was evaluated as a function of construction detailing. Shake table tests were conducted on a full-scale brick veneer wall panel, with a window opening, representing the gable-end wall of a typical home structure; the structural performance of corrugated sheet metal veneer-to-wood tie connections was also characterized by separate laboratory testing. The wall panel test specimen was prepared following typical construction practice for brick veneer wall systems, in general conformance with current specified prescriptive design and construction requirements. The shake table tests captured the performance of the brick veneer wall system, including interaction and load-sharing between the brick veneer, corrugated sheet metal ties, and wood-frame backup. Detailed three-dimensional finite-element (FE) models were also developed representing the full-scale brick veneer wall panel specimen, including nonlinear inela...
[Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase isozymes: identity of molecular size].

Drosophila besitzt Alkoholdehydrogenase in mehreren elektrophoretisch trennbaren molekularen Formen. Durch Anwendung von Acrylamid-Elektrophorese bei 2 verschiedenen Gel-Konzentrationen haben wir nachgewiesen, dass diese verschiedenen Isozyme sich nicht in ihrer Molekulargrosse unterscheiden und deshalb nicht Aggregate darstellen.
Making public‐service telecommunications: past and present challenges for networked information infrastructures

Purpose – To lay out the basis for the special symposium on public service telecommunications.Design/methodology/approach – Conceptual outline of some key issues.Findings – The opportunity to revisit the subject of public service telecommunications is both timely and important.Originality/value – The subject of public service telecommunications has been unduly neglected; this symposium constitutes a fresh and well‐informed scholarly engagement.
The effect of acidosis and alkalosis on in vitro aldosterone production

There are conflicting data concerning the effect of hydrogen ion concentration (H+) on aldosterone production in vivo. This study examines the effect of changes in H+ on in vitro aldosterone production in isolated adrenal capsular cells of rats. The pH was adjusted to 7.1 or 6.8 using lactic acid and to 7.7 using sodium hydroxide. Potassium and other ions in the incubation medium were maintained at nearly constant levels. There was a significant decrease in aldosterone production when the pH was lowered from 7.4 to 7.1 or to 6.8 and also when the pH was increased to 7.7. This decrease was highly significant when measured in absolute terms or relative to ACTH-stimulated control samples included in each assay. Acidosis and alkalosis both decrease rather than stimulate aldosterone production in vitro and indicate that the observed in vivo stimulation of aldosterone by acidosis most likely is mediated by other aldosterone stimuli. These data also confirm that a marked alkalosis decreases aldosterone production and supports further study of changes in a more physiologic range.
Circulating interferon-γ–inducible Cys-X-Cys chemokine receptor 3 ligands are elevated in humans with aortic aneurysms and Cys-X-Cys chemokine receptor 3 is necessary for aneurysm formation in mice

Objective Inflammation is associated with the formation of aortic aneurysm. This study investigates the role of inducible Cys-X-Cys chemokine receptor 3 and its ligands in the pathogenesis of arterial aneurysms. Methods Plasma samples from patients with or without a diagnosis of thoracic aortic aneurysms were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the T-helper 1 cytokine interferon-γ and the interferon-γ–inducible chemokine receptor 3 ligands: interferon-inducible protein-10, interferon-inducible T-cell alpha chemoattractant, and monokine induced by interferon gamma. Patient charts were reviewed for demographics, initial aortic diameter, and growth rates. Aneurysm diameter and growth rates were correlated with plasma cytokine and chemokine levels using linear regression analysis. We used an animal model of aneurysm formation, where calcium chloride is applied topically to the carotid arteries of wild-type and Cys-X-Cys chemokine receptor 3 −/− mice. After 10 weeks, the arteries were harvested and analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry. Results Patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms had significant elevations in circulating interferon-γ, interferon-inducible protein-10, interferon-inducible T-cell alpha chemoattractant, and monokine induced by interferon gamma compared with referent patients ( P 001). Cytokine and chemokine plasma levels did not correlate with aneurysm size or growth rates. Cys-X-Cys chemokine receptor 3 −/− mice were protected from aneurysm formation and showed decreased vascular infiltration by CD45 + leukocytes. Conclusions Elevated plasma levels of interferon-γ and Cys-X-Cys chemokine receptor 3-binding chemokines are present in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms. The Cys-X-Cys chemokine receptor 3 receptor is necessary for vascular inflammation and the formation of arterial aneurysms in mice.
A survey of collaborative web search practices

Today's Web browsers provide limited support for rich information-seeking and information-sharing scenarios. A survey we conducted of 204 knowledge workers at a large technology company has revealed that a large proportion of users engage in searches that include collaborative activities. We present the results of the survey, and then review the implications of these findings for designing new Web search interfaces that provide tools for sharing.
Analytic regularity for an operator with Treves curves

We study a partial differential operator H with analytic coefficients, which is of the form “sum of squares”. H is hypoelliptic on any open subset of R3, yet possesses the following properties: (1) H is not analytic hypoelliptic on any open subset of R3 that contains 0. (2) If u is any distribution defined near 0∈R3 with the property that Hu is analytic near 0, then u must be analytic near 0. (3) The point 0 lies on the projection of an infinite number of Treves curves (bicharacteristics). These results are consistent with the Treves conjectures. However, it follows that the analog of Treves conjecture, in the sense of germs, is false. As far as we know, H is the first example of a “sum of squares” operator which is not analytic hypoelliptic in the usual sense, yet is analytic hypoelliptic in the sense of germs.
On the direct measurement of diffusion at temperatures less than 0.5 Tm

Abstract The important microsectioning techniques developed in the last decade for the direct measurement if diffusion at low temperatures ( T m ) are briefly reviewed and critically discussed. A powerful variant of these techniques is material removal by r.f. backscattering in an Ar glow discharge which enables tracer profiling to be carried out in steps of about 30 A or more directly and expeditiously and also independently of the nature of material. The relative merits of the various techniques described are discussed by examining the quality of the recently available low temperature diffusion data for Au.
Animated Indians: Critique and Contradiction in Commodified Children's Culture

This is an essay about forms of "playing Indian" characteristic of the mid1990s: forms encouraged, on the one hand, by Disney's Pocahontas (1995) and its omnipresent commercial tie-ins and, on the other hand, by the nearly simultaneously released The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) and its associated educational CD-ROM. My "situated knowledge" (Haraway 1991) of animated Indians draws upon not only my professional status as an anthropologist with a long-standing interest in the production and significance of imagined Indians in Anglo-American culture (Strong 1985, 1992a, 1992b, 1995) but also my childhood memories of "playing Indian" at school, at summer camp, and in Camp Fire Girls. Most importantly, perhaps, the subject position from which I write is that of a parent, for my responses to Pocahontas and The Indian in the Cupboard are greatly influenced by those of my daughters, eight-year-old Tina and ten-year-old Katie.
Mutual coupling between two arbitrarily oriented and positioned antennas in near- and far-field regions

A flexible and efficient computer program is developed to compute complex amplitude coupling between two arbitrarily oriented and positioned antennas in near- and far-field regions. The program only requires as input complex vector farfield patterns of the two antennas and geometry of the coupling scenario. While theoretical development is almost entirely based on previous work in the literature, the current work improves upon prior results in two aspects: (1) movement of one of the two antennas is not restricted to a plane, (2) antenna orientations are allowed to vary as a function of antenna locations in space. Furthermore, it is shown that asymptotic evaluation of the coupling integral yields Friis' transmission equation identically. Results from the current work show excellent agreement with those previously reported in the literature as well as coupling values obtained from a commercial 3-D moment method full-wave analysis software.
DIABETES AND OCULAR AND RENAL COMPLICATIONS

This study was designed to assess the relationship between diabetes control (monitored by yearly or more frequent HbA1 determinations) and the ocular and renal complications of type I diabetes. 149 patients (aged ≥ 14 years) with type I diabetes ≥ 5 years had microalbumin excretion rates (AER) determined in resting, peak exercise and overnight urine samples. They also had complete eye exams (including fluorescein photography and fluorophotometry). HbA1 levels were available (normal=6.3 to 8.2) for the previous 3 to 8 years for all subjects. 99 subjects had a normal AER on all 3 urine samples. An elevated AER (> 30 μg/min) was found with exercise in 26 and 24 had elevated levels in all 3 samples. The mean HbA1 for those with all normal AER was 11.5± 1.3 (± 1 S.D.) compared to 12.7 ± 1.5 for those with any elevated AER (t-test: p<0.0001). 60 cases had no eye changes and had a mean longitudinal HbA1 of 11.4 ± 1.6 compared to 89 subjects with ocular changes who had a mean HbA1 of 12.2 ± 1.3 (t-test: p<0.0008). Chi-square analysis showed a significant relationship (p<0.03) between the presence of elevated AER and of ocular changes. This study shows a relationship between longitudinal glucose control during childhood and the ocular and renal alterations of type 1 diabetes. Supported in part by NIH Clinical Research Center grant RR-69.
A collection of Los Alamos opacity tables for all temperatures

Abstract We present a collection of tables of Rosseland mean opacities for 22 astrophysical mixtures. The tables were calculated by use of the Los Alamos Astrophysical Opacity Library for temperatures above 1 eV (≈11,605 K), and by a consistent code that takes molecules into account for temperatures below this value down to a few thousand degrees. The purpose of this collection is to make opacities of the latest Los Alamos generation more widely available. The low-temperature tables had been calculated earlier on the request of individual researchers.
Intrahepatic gas formation without abscess after hepatic artery thrombosis in the setting of liver transplantation

We present a case in which intraparenchymal hepatic gas was observed in the absence of an abscess. This occurred following hepatic artery thrombosis in the setting of liver transplantation. An analogy is drawn to the postinfarction syndrome seen following therapeutic embolization and intrauterine fetal death. The unique features of the liver transplant and how they relate to the mechanisms of gas formation are discussed.
Apparent Activation Energies Associated with Protein Dynamics on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces

With the use of single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), the dynamics of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human fibrinogen (Fg) at low concentrations were observed at the solid-aqueous interface as a function of temperature on hydrophobic trimethylsilane (TMS) and hydrophilic fused silica (FS) surfaces. Multiple dynamic modes and populations were observed and characterized by their surface residence times and squared-displacement distributions (surface diffusion). Characteristic desorption and diffusion rates for each population/mode were generally found to increase with temperature, and apparent activation energies were determined from Arrhenius analyses. The apparent activation energies of desorption and diffusion were typically higher on FS than on TMS surfaces, suggesting that protein desorption and mobility were hindered on hydrophilic surfaces due to favorable protein-surface and solvent-surface interactions. The diffusion of BSA on TMS appeared to be activationless for several populations, whereas diffusion on FS always exhibited an apparent activation energy. All activation energies were small in absolute terms (generally only a few kBT), suggesting that most adsorbed protein molecules are weakly bound and move and desorb readily under ambient conditions.
A Classical, Nonlinear Thermodynamic Theory of Elastic Shells Based on a Single Constitutive Assumption

By integrating along a thickness-like coordinate, exact two-dimensional equations of motion and a Second Law of Thermodynamics (a Clausius-Duhem Inequality) are derived, without approximation, for a shell-like body. The theory derived is called classical because the only stress measures that appear are resultants and couples. Construction of a Virtual Power Identity automatically produces associated extensional and bending strains that are nonlinear in the deformed position \(\bar{\mathbf {y}}\) of a reference surface and a rotation tensor \(\hbox{\mathversion {bold}$\mathsf{Q}$}\). The only approximations come when the Virtual Power Identity is augmented by heating and an internal energy and the resulting expression taken as the First Law of Thermodynamics (Conservation of Energy) for the shell. A Legendre-Fenchel Transformation is introduced to remove possible ill-conditioning when certain approximations are introduced into the strain-energy density.
Quasi-TEM parameters of non-symmetrical coupled microstrip lines†

The distributed self and mutual capacitances per unit length of non–symmetrical coupled microstrip lines are evaluated numerically by applying the Green's function method. This, together with known results for the capacitances in free space, is then used to find the normal mode velocities, impedances and mode voltage ratios for non–symmetrical coupled microstrip lines. For the special case of identical coupled lines, the results obtained are the same as those of Bryant and Weiss (1968, 1971). The computed normal mode parameters for typical cases are presented. These, results, together with the normal mode analysis of non–symmetrical inhomogeneous coupled line structures formulated by Tripathi (1975, 1977), can be used to analyse the properties of non–symmetrical coupled microstrip circuits for applications as filters, transformers and other useful circuit elements.
Breast cancer-associated metastasis is significantly increased in a model of autoimmune arthritis

Sites of chronic inflammation are often associated with the establishment and growth of various malignancies including breast cancer. A common inflammatory condition in humans is autoimmune arthritis (AA) that causes inflammation and deformity of the joints. Other systemic effects associated with arthritis include increased cellular infiltration and inflammation of the lungs. Several studies have reported statistically significant risk ratios between AA and breast cancer. Despite this knowledge, available for a decade, it has never been questioned if the site of chronic inflammation linked to AA creates a milieu that attracts tumor cells to home and grow in the inflamed bones and lungs which are frequent sites of breast cancer metastasis. To determine if chronic inflammation induced by autoimmune arthritis contributes to increased breast cancer-associated metastasis, we generated mammary gland tumors in SKG mice that were genetically prone to develop AA. Two breast cancer cell lines, one highly metastatic (4T1) and the other non-metastatic (TUBO) were used to generate the tumors in the mammary fat pad. Lung and bone metastasis and the associated inflammatory milieu were evaluated in the arthritic versus the non-arthritic mice. We report a three-fold increase in lung metastasis and a significant increase in the incidence of bone metastasis in the pro-arthritic and arthritic mice compared to non-arthritic control mice. We also report that the metastatic breast cancer cells augment the severity of arthritis resulting in a vicious cycle that increases both bone destruction and metastasis. Enhanced neutrophilic and granulocytic infiltration in lungs and bone of the pro-arthritic and arthritic mice and subsequent increase in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) may contribute to the increased metastasis. Treatment with anti-IL17 + celecoxib, an anti-inflammatory drug completely abrogated the development of metastasis and significantly reduced the primary tumor burden. The data clearly has important clinical implications for patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, especially with regards to the prognosis and treatment options.
Raceway Curvature Effect Analysis and Optimum Design on Ball Bearing Life Performance

The effect of raceway curvature on ball bearing contact stress and fatigue life is analyzed with both Hertzian theory and FEM. A numerical program and a 3-D FEM model are developed to calculate the contact stress and deformation at the bearing ball and raceway. The simulation results of the contact stress and deformation are discussed. The accuracy is evaluated by contrasting finite element results with analytical solutions from Hertzian theory. The effect of bearing race curvature on the contact maximum stress and area between ball and races is discussed. The results show that the race curvature is very sensitive factor to affect the bearing contact stress. The raceway curvature effect on the bearing thrust load capability and bearing running temperature is analyzed and discussed as well. For the validation, A. B. Jones’ program has been used to calculate bearing life with different raceway curvatures.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A large scale Titanium Thermal Ground Plane

Abstract A thermal ground plane, flat heat pipe (30 cm × 7.6 cm × 4.5 mm thick) was developed as a passive heat spreading component for electronics cooling. The combination of multiscale titanium wick fabrication with laser welding results in an all-titanium device which is light (500 g) yet strong, hermetically sealed, and compatible with water. Numerical simulations were used to optimize the grooved wick design by minimizing viscous drag present in any large scale heat pipe, while maintaining sufficient capillary force. Nanoporous titania coats the grooved wick to further enhance wettability. The resulting heat pipe was tested on two different test configurations, and is capable of a maximum heat flow rate in vertical (reflux) orientation of 500 W for chip temperatures of 100 °C, and 1000 W for chip temperatures of 150 °C. This translates into a maximum effective thermal conductivity of ∼8000 W/m K. Such a high thermal conductivity indicates that the Titanium Thermal Ground Plane is an effective heat pipe, and when combined with a heat sink, useful for cooling an array of electronic components.
A System for Culturing Iris Pigment Epithelial Cells to Study Lens Regeneration in Newt

Salamanders like newt and axolotl possess the ability to regenerate many of its lost body parts such as limbs, the tail with spinal cord, eye, brain, heart, the jaw 1. Specifically, newts are unique for its lens regeneration capability. Upon lens removal, IPE cells of the dorsal iris transdifferentiate to lens cells and eventually form a new lens in about a month 2,3. This property of regeneration is never exhibited by the ventral iris cells. The regeneration potential of the iris cells can be studied by making transplants of the in vitro cultured IPE cells. For the culture, the dorsal and ventral iris cells are first isolated from the eye and cultured separately for a time period of 2 weeks (Figure 1). These cultured cells are reaggregated and implanted back to the newt eye. Past studies have shown that the dorsal reaggregate maintains its lens forming capacity whereas the ventral aggregate does not form a lens, recapitulating, thus the in vivo process (Figure 2) 4,5. This system of determining regeneration potential of dorsal and ventral iris cells is very useful in studying the role of genes and proteins involved in lens regeneration.
A multiplexed real-time PCR assay for rapid detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and identification of serovar L-2, the major cause of Lymphogranuloma venereum in New York

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is caused by a rare form of Chlamydia trachomatis that is difficult to diagnose, since culture is not readily available, and since other methods are not reliable or lack sensitivity. We report here a rapid, sensitive, and specific real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay capable of detecting C. trachomatis and identifying serovar L-2 in the same reaction, directly from rectal swabs. The analytical sensitivity of the assay was 25 genome copies for C. trachomatis, and 50 genome copies for L-2. The analytical specificity was 100%, as demonstrated with a diverse range of C. trachomatis serovars and other site-specific bacterial pathogens. With the use of a rapid DNA extraction method, a blinded validation of spiked rectal swabs correctly identified 30 samples containing C. trachomatis cells, L-2 DNA, or negative samples. The multiplexed PCR assay also identified serovar L-2 in 13 of 70 rectal swab samples taken from symptomatic patients. Twelve additional samples were positive for C. trachomatis only, and omp1 sequencing determined these samples as either serovar D, E, G, J, or K. This assay represents the first real-time PCR method capable of detecting C. trachomatis DNA, and of simultaneously identifying C. trachomatis infection as serovar L-2.
Effect of Tobacco Virus, Some Decomposition Products of Nucleoproteins, and Related Compounds on Acetylcholine Synthesis.

Summary and Conclusions1. The effect of tobacco virus, some of the decomposition products of nucleoproteins, and some related substances on the synthesis of acetylcholine was investigated. 2. Tobacco virus, methylxanthines, adenylic acid, and urea increased the synthesis of acetylcholine. 3. The synthesis was not modified by thiourea. 4. Piperidine increased the synthesis in lower concentrations and decreased it in higher ones. 5. Methylguanidine and uracil did not modify the synthesis in low concentrations and decreased it in higher ones. 6. The synthesis of acetylcholine was decreased in the presence of nucleic acid, inosinic acid, adenine, guanine, xanthine, adenosine, thiouracil, uric acid, pyridine, 2-methyl-5-ethoxymethyl-6-amino pyrimidine, 4-methyl-5-β-hydroxyethyl thiazole, pyrol, and alloxan.
Copper-Catalyzed Homodimerization of Nitronates and Enolates under an Oxygen Atmosphere

A method for copper-catalyzed oxidative dimerization of nitronates and enolates using oxygen as the terminal oxidant has been developed. Cyclization through oxidative intramolecular coupling is also feasible for both nitronates and enolates. The mild reaction conditions lead to good functional group tolerance.
Academic Synergy in the Age of Technology--A New Instructional Paradigm

In this article, the authors show how effective use of new technology can increase academic productivity and enhance educational quality in higher learning institutions. The authors sought to develop an instructional model that integrates information technology with faculty resources to enhance teaching and learning in the academic environment. They propose the establishment of an Internet-based, discipline-oriented new instructional paradigm. Unlike the traditional mode of teaching, in which faculty members essentially work as individuals, the new model creates significant academic synergy, allowing instructors to share and combine instructional resources and expertise. The model further helps coordinate faculty teaching and improves curriculum design.
Potentiation of pyridoxine by depressants and anticonvulsants in the treatment of acute isoniazid intoxication in dogs.

Abstract Treatments for acute isoniazid (INH) intoxication have included, singly and in various combinations, a great variety of drugs. As a consequence it is difficult to evaluate the efficacy of these antidotes, except for pyridoxine, the most commonly recommended one. In some cases of INH poisoning evaluation is further complicated because of concurrent alcohol ingestion. The objectives of this investigation were to determine whether ethanol enhances the toxic effects of acute INH overdose, as suggested by some clinical reports, and to evaluate the antidotal efficacy of phenobarbital, pentobarbital, phenytoin, ethanol, or diazepam when each is administered in combination with pyridoxine. Male dogs were either pretreated with iv ethanol and challenged 1 hr later with po INH, 50 or 75 mg/kg, or they were given INH, 75 mg/kg, and injected iv 30 min later with the test drugs, alone or in combination with pyridoxine. Ethanol pretreatment not only did not enhance the toxicity of INH but, in fact, it reduced the severity of convulsions, although it did not change the mortality rate. In the antidotal study, none of the five CNS depressants or anticonvulsants protected against clonic-tonic seizures or death. Pyridoxine, however, reduced the severity of the seizures and prevented death, although it did not completely block convulsions. The combination antidotal treatments (pyridoxine plus each of the CNS drugs) were the most effective; they prevented both convulsions and lethality. It is suggested that pyridoxine is the basic antidote for treatment of acute INH poisoning, and that the addition of an anticonvulsant or a CNS depressant to the therapy enhances effectiveness.
Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and contractile responses in ovine adult and fetal cerebral arteries.

In mature vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells the main contraction pathway is via Ca2+-calmodulin-mediated phosphorylation of myosin light chain (Khalil & Morgan, 1993). During the past decade, accumulating evidence suggests that in vascular smooth muscle cells, key components of the MAPK cascade (MAPK kinase (MEK), and its substrates, the extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1 and ERK2 (ERK1/2) of 44 kD (p44) and 42 kD (p42), respectively; Boulton & Cobb, 1991; Blenis, 1993) play a role in modulating contraction/relaxation, in addition to their role in signal transduction from plasma membrane receptors to nuclear transcriptional events (Cobb et al. 1991; Adam, 1996; Dessy et al. 1998). Although the relationship of ERK1/2 activation and cell proliferation and differentiation is well established (Childs et al. 1992; Sugden & Clerk, 1997), relatively less is known of the role of ERKs in VSM contraction and relaxation. Several agonists that produce VSM contraction simultaneously activate ERKs (Khalil & Morgan, 1993; Somlyo & Somlyo, 1994; Adam et al. 1995; Katoch & Moreland, 1995; Watts, 1996; Epstein et al. 1997; Dessy et al. 1998; Ratz, 2001). Thus, while the majority of evidence suggests an important function for ERKs in VSM contraction, others have denied such a role (Nixon et al. 1995; Gorenne et al. 1998). Cerebral arteries show significant vessel-specific and age-related developmental differences in agonist-induced contraction. For instance, these vessels display major differences in α-adrenergic receptor-mediated activity and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) responses (Longo et al. 1966), Ins(1,4,5)P3-receptor density (Zhou et al. 1997), calcium channel function (Long et al. 1999; Blood et al. 2002), potassium channel function (Long et al. 2000a), sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores (Long et al. 2000b), protein kinase C (PKC) function (Longo et al. 2000) and so forth. Given that ERKs appear to play a major role in the regulation of vascular tone, it seemed reasonable to consider their function in regulating cerebrovascular reactivity, and their temporal activation pattern in response to α-adrenergic agonists. Of interest to us was the idea that the ERKs would play a particularly prominent role in developing VSM, in which one would expect a ‘synthetic’, as opposed to the more mature ‘contractile’, phenotype in the adult (Owens, 1998). Thus, in the present studies we tested the hypotheses that in cerebral arteries, ERKs become activated (phosphorylated) upon α-adrenergic-stimulated contraction, and that the degree of agonist-induced ERK activation correlates with vascular tension and intracellular Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]i. We also tested the hypothesis that in developing fetal cerebral arteries, ERKs play an important role in regulating Ca2+ sensitivity, as compared with the adult.
A laser ablation ion source for gas cell studies

A high-power laser ablation ion source has been developed, characterized and implemented as part of the Low Energy Beam and Ion Trap (LEBIT) experiment at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. LEBIT was developed to make precision measurements of rare isotopes, including mass measurements with a Penning trap. A key component of LEBIT is a gas stopping station that thermalizes nuclear reaction products in a helium-filled cell, followed by ion extraction using electrostatic ion-manipulation and differential pumping. Atomic ions and clusters needed to test the LEBIT system and to further understand properties of the gas cell were created using a new laser ablation system under various conditions, including atmospheric pressure. Laser ablation studies of carbon performed in the gas cell with the second harmonic, 532 nm, from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser are reported here. The extraction time and the ion mobility for ions traveling through the gas cell were measured, and the chemical evolution of the molecular ions created during the ablation was observed.
Molecular and morphological variation of the red alga Spyridia filamentosa (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) in the Hawaiian Archipelago

Conklin K.Y. and Sherwood A.R. 2012. Molecular and morphological variation of the red alga Spyridia filamentosa (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Phycologia 51: 347–357. DOI: 10.2216/10-26.1 Genetic information is proving to be important in conservation and management efforts that involve cryptic species and their role in native ecosystem restoration. Previous molecular studies have demonstrated that the red alga Spyridia filamentosa consists of several cryptic species. Spyridia filamentosa is considered to be a native species in Hawai‘i and was recently used in preliminary seagrass meadow restoration efforts in Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu. It became necessary to understand the genetic diversity of this species in the Islands and determine if there are relationships between any molecular clades of S. filamentosa and anatomical characters that might be useful (e.g. sediment capture) in habitat remediation. Both molecular and morphological (determinate branch cell dimensions) analyses revealed t...
Physiological interactions of antiauxins with auxin in roots

The compound 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid (TFIBA) typically promotes root elongation but inhibits hypocotyl elongation and therefore can be described as antiauxin. We compared the mode of action of TFIBA with the classical antiauxin p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (PCIB). TFIBA, more than PCIB, promoted primary root elongation in young flax (Linum usitatissimum) roots on plain agar, but inhibited root growth in older seedlings in the presence of nutrients. The root content of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) after TFIBA and PCIB treatment increased almost two-fold. Abscisic acid was affected only by supraoptimal TFIBA, but increased after PCIB application. TFIBA inhibited acropetal auxin transport at concentrations higher than optimal for root elongation while PCIB had no effect. Basipetal auxin transport was promoted at less than 0.1mM but inhibited at 1mM TFIBA. In contrast, PCIB promoted basipetal auxin transport between 0.1 and 0.5mM; higher concentrations had no effect. Gravitropism was promoted by TFIBA at concentrations optimal for growth, but inhibited by higher concentrations. PCIB inhibited root gravitropism in a concentration dependent manner. The selective effect of TFIBA on IAA but not ABA and the interference with auxin transport and gravicurvature indicate that the mode of action of TFIBA is different from that of PCIB despite similar functions.
Protecting Children From Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals

A key 1990s breakthrough in exposure science was the first recognition by policy makers of the unique exposures and exquisite vulnerabilities of fetuses, infants, and children to pesticides and other toxic chemicals. The result was legislation and other actions that significantly improved protections for children against environmental hazards.
A statistical analysis of graduates' starting salary and employers' selection criteria

In this paper the relationship between employers' selection criteria such as GPA, internship and previous working experience, student activities, graduates' areas of concentration, and gender upon the graduates' starting salary is examined. A rating system is developed by which the graduates' internship and student activities experience are evaluated and determined. A series of simple, reduced, and full regression models are developed and tested. A procedure for model building and adequacy is developed to arrive at the optimal regression model. A sequential analysis and stepwise regression are utilized to corroborate the adequacy of the proposed regression model. The optimal regression model consists of GPA, computer science concentration, and the graduate's gender. A series of validity tests is performed to support and validate the assumptions made throughout the paper. In conclusion, additional perspectives and analyses are presented.
Two stage decision system

In many classification systems, features have different acquisition costs. It is often unnecessary to acquire every feature to classify a majority of examples. We study a two-stage system, where new features can be acquired at the second stage for an additional cost. We seek decision rules to reduce the average cost of classifying samples but with little performance degradation. We formulate a two-stage empirical risk minimization problem, wherein the first stage either classifies a sample or rejects it to the next stage to acquire a new attribute. We construct a global surrogate risk and develop iterative algorithm in the boosting framework. We test our work on synthetic, medical and explosives detection datasets. Our results demonstrate that substantial cost reduction without a significant sacrifice in accuracy is achievable.
Nutritional evaluation of low phytate and high protein corns

Abstract Three chick experiments and two cecectomized rooster experiments were conducted to determine P bioavailability and amino acid (AA) digestibility in two low phytate corns (LP), a high protein corn (HP), and a corn containing both low phytate and high protein content (HP/LP) compared with conventional corn (CONV). From 8 to 20 or 21 d of age, 1-wk-old New Hampshire x Columbian chicks were fed a cornstarch-dextrose-soybean meal (SBM) basal diet containing 0.10% available P or the basal diet supplemented with two concentrations of P (0.05 or 0.06% and 0.10 or 0.12%) from KH2PO4 or two concentrations of the corns (20 or 21% and 40 or 42%). Bioavailability of P based on tibia bone ash was much higher for LP than for CONV; values ranged from 21 to 40% for CONV and from 59 to 95% for LP. Digestibility of AA in cecectomized roosters indicated no significant differences (P > 0.05) between CONV and HP in the first rooster experiment. Digestibilities of eight AA, including lysine, methionine, and arginine, in LP and HP/LP were higher (P
Exclusive contracts: are constructively terminated incumbent physicians entitled to a fair hearing?

(1996). Exclusive contracts: Are constructively terminated incumbent physicians entitled to a fair hearing? Journal of Legal Medicine: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 143-168.
Bloch-polaritons in multiple-quantum-well photonic crystal structures

Here we report the observation of Bloch-polaritons in a GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well structure. We observe three polariton states formed by the coherent interaction between light- and heavy-hole excitonic-lattices, and Bloch waves of the background photonic crystal.