cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic Analysis of Adhesion Molecules in First‐Trimester Decidual Tissue From Chorion Villus Samples

Haynes MK, Wapner RL, Jackson LG, Smith JB. Phenotypic analysis of adhesion molecules in first-trimester decidual tissue from chorion villus samples. AJRI 1997; 38:423-430 © Munksgaard, Copenhagen PROBLEM: First-trimester decidua contain CD56 bright /CDl6 neg lymphocytes that phenotypically resemble a subset of peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells. Factors controlling their localization to decidua are unknown, but they may relate to trophoblast invasion, endometrial decidualization, and adhesion molecule expression. METHOD OF STUDY: Ninety-one chorion villous samples (CVS) were screened for the presence of decidua, and selected specimens were analyzed for the expression of adhesion molecule pairs using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Lymphoid cells in CVS-derived decidua expressed CD56, PECAM, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-I), and the integrins LFA-I, αEβ7, and α4β1, and co-receptors for these molecules were expressed by decidual stromal cells, invasive trophoblasts, and venule endothelium. Some endothelium expressed a cuboidal phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of complimentary pairs of adhesion molecules by maternal lymphoid cells and by either extravillous cytotrophoblast or decidual stromal cells supports the hypothesis that these cells interact within decidua. Also, both LFA-I and α4β1 may contribute to decidual localization of CD56 bright NK cells.
Single Molecule Analysis Tool (SMAT) for Multiplexed Label-Free Assessment of Rare Cell Populations

A nanowell sensor for single molecular proteomic analysis of lung cancer has been designed. The nanowell sensor is an electrochemical immunoassay and comprises of a heterogenous nanoporous arrays integrated on to a gold microelectronic platform. The sensor operates on the principle of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Our approach to classification of lung cancer is based on screening for levels of expression of specific proteomic biomarkers associated with lung cancer stem cells. Proteomic activity for two lung cancer cell lines for two specific markers (ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3) was quantified. Test samples prepared by synthetically spiking human pooled serum were tested and quantified for cancer stem cell marker activity. The lowest proteomic activity measured with (a) ALDH1A3 was 0.01 ng/mL and (b) ALDH1A1 was 1 ng/mL correlating to the detection of unit stem cell count.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Corrigendum to “The relationship between fibrogenic TGFβ1 signaling in the joint and cartilage degradation in post-injury osteoarthritis” [Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 19 (2011) 1081–1090]

y Department of Internal Medicine (Rheumatology), Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USAz Department of Biochemistry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USAx Department of Internal Medicine (Hematology/Cell Therapy), Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USAk Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
The Interaction of Sulfur with Ag/Pt(111) Surfaces: Silver-Promoted Sulfidation of Platinum

The coadsorption of sulfur and silver on Pt(111) has been examined using thermal desorption mass spectroscopy (TDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray excited Auger electron spectroscopy (XAES). The results of XPS and XAES indicate that at temperatures between 300 and 700 K, S2 gas reacts with Pt(111) producing a chemisorbed layer of sulfur without forming bulk-like platinum sulfides. The sulfidation of platinum occurs after vapor depositing Ag on S/Pt(111) surfaces, or after exposing Ag/Pt(111) surfaces to S2 gas. At temperatures from 400 to 700 K, the reaction of S2 gas with Ag/Pt(111) surfaces produces silver sulfides that catalyze the sulfidation of platinum by providing surface sites for the dissociation of S2, and by favoring the diffusion of S into the bulk of the Pt substrate. The silver and platinum sulfides in the S/Ag/Pt(111) systems decompose at temperatures between 750 and 850 K, with S2 and S evolving into gas phase and metallic Ag remaining on top of a Pt(111) substrate partially covered by chemisorbed S. At submonolayer coverages of Ag and S on Pt(111), θAg + θs < 1 ML, the presence of sulfur significantly weakens the strength of the Pt ↔ Ag interactions, and the desorption temperature of Ag is ∼90 K smaller than on clean Pt(111). The TDS results indicate that a S adatom reduces the ability for bimetallic bonding of several (3-4) platinum surface atoms.
Bank Mergers and Small Firm Finance: Evidence from Lender Liability

As a merger approaches, the value of repeat business for the target bank can drop sharply, so loan relationships between this bank and small businesses are often disrupted. Small firms sometimes experience serious value destruction as a consequence of this sudden lack of credit. This paper shows that lender liability may result from bank mergers and bankers involved in mergers often engage in aggressive, scorched-earth defense tactics to discourage further litigation. I summarize six lender liability cases to illustrate these points. Bank mergers have been shown to reduce credit availability in a number of studies. Since small firms depend on credit for their daily existence, owners of small firms do have a reason to fear a merger of their bank with a larger institution. Analyzing merger effects with survey data of firms obtained after a bank merger, an empirical strategy used in a number of studies, raises problems since the only firms considered are the ones that survived the bank merger. Suggesting that the problem will cure itself in the long run, an argument advanced in other studies, ignores small firms' daily dependence on credit. In the long run we are all dead. Bank examiners need to evaluate an institution's litigation experience and measure a bank's organizational architecture – its ethical climate. Banks which are repeatedly involved in lender liability lawsuits should be denied future mergers until there is a change in organizational architecture. To assist in evaluating organizational architecture, banks should be required to report their litigation expense on their call reports. Furthermore, regulators should seriously consider the recent suggestion of Carow, Kane and Narayanan (2006) that they take steps to ensure that participants in bank mergers preserve target bank relationships. Otherwise negative effects on small business lending and economic growth will continue as bank consolidation proceeds.
Syd/JIP3 and JNK Signaling Are Required for Myonuclear Positioning and Muscle Function

Highlighting the importance of proper intracellular organization, many muscle diseases are characterized by mispositioned myonuclei. Proper positioning of myonuclei is dependent upon the microtubule motor proteins, Kinesin-1 and cytoplasmic Dynein, and there are at least two distinct mechanisms by which Kinesin and Dynein move myonuclei. The motors exert forces both directly on the nuclear surface and from the cell cortex via microtubules. How these activities are spatially segregated yet coordinated to position myonuclei is unknown. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we identified that Sunday Driver (Syd), a homolog of mammalian JNK-interacting protein 3 (JIP3), specifically regulates Kinesin- and Dynein-dependent cortical pulling of myonuclei without affecting motor activity near the nucleus. Specifically, Syd mediates Kinesin-dependent localization of Dynein to the muscle ends, where cortically anchored Dynein then pulls microtubules and the attached myonuclei into place. Proper localization of Dynein also requires activation of the JNK signaling cascade. Furthermore, Syd functions downstream of JNK signaling because without Syd, JNK signaling is insufficient to promote Kinesin-dependent localization of Dynein to the muscle ends. The significance of Syd-dependent myonuclear positioning is illustrated by muscle-specific depletion of Syd, which impairs muscle function. Moreover, both myonuclear spacing and locomotive defects in syd mutants can be rescued by expression of mammalian JIP3 in Drosophila muscle tissue, indicating an evolutionarily conserved role for JIP3 in myonuclear movement and highlighting the utility of Drosophila as a model for studying mammalian development. Collectively, we implicate Syd/JIP3 as a novel regulator of myogenesis that is required for proper intracellular organization and tissue function.
Development of a practical Monte Carlo based fuel management system for the Penn State University Breazeale Research Reactor (PSBR)

Abstract A practical fuel management system for the he Pennsylvania State University Breazeale Research Reactor (PSBR) based on the advanced Monte Carlo methodology was developed from the existing fuel management tool in this research. Several modeling improvements were implemented to the old system. The improved fuel management system can now utilize the burnup dependent cross section libraries generated specifically for PSBR fuel and it is also able to update the cross sections of these libraries by the Monte Carlo calculation automatically. Considerations were given to balance the computation time and the accuracy of the cross section update. Thus, certain types of a limited number of isotopes, which are considered “important”, are calculated and updated by the scheme. Moreover, the depletion algorithm of the existing fuel management tool was replaced from the predictor only to the predictor-corrector depletion scheme to account for burnup spectrum changes during the burnup step more accurately. An intermediate verification of the fuel management system was performed to assess the correctness of the newly implemented schemes against HELIOS. It was found that the agreement of both codes is good when the same energy released per fission (Q values) is used. Furthermore, to be able to model the reactor at various temperatures, the fuel management tool is able to utilize automatically the continuous cross sections generated at different temperatures. Other additional useful capabilities were also added to the fuel management tool to make it easy to use and be practical. As part of the development, a hybrid nodal diffusion/Monte Carlo calculation was devised to speed up the Monte Carlo calculation by providing more converged initial source distribution for the Monte Carlo calculation from the nodal diffusion calculation. Finally, the fuel management system was validated against the measured data using several actual PSBR core loadings. The agreement of the predicted core excess reactivities and the measured values is found to be good considering the measurement uncertainties.
Geo-registering 3D point clouds to 2D maps with scan matching and the Hough Transform

3D point cloud registration is traditionally done by aligning to known information. This information can be extracted from semantically labeled and geo-registered 2D images, e.g. maps, satellite images, and labeled aerial photos. We propose an automated method to geo-register 3D point clouds to 2D maps by defining a normalized Hough similarity function and aligning planes (i.e., walls) in 3D point clouds to lines in 2D maps. The collective set of algorithms solves for seven degrees of freedom: three rotation parameters (including the up vector), a scale value, and three translation parameters. After transforming the 3D point cloud into a manageable 2D representation, we apply existing and novel scan-matching techniques to align both query and reference representations.
Evaluation of stable isotope-labeled probes in the study of solvent pharmacokinetics in human subjects

The relationship between biomarkers of exposure (such as concentrations of toxicants in blood or breath, or metabolites in urine) and toxicant dose for individuals is influenced by many person- and episode-specific factors which contribute to overall variability in biomarker level for a given dose. This variability results in imprecise biological marker-based estimates of dose for individuals. We hypothesize that pharmacokinetic data from stable-isotope (deuterated) analogs can be used with a pharmacokinetic model to account for individual-related sources of variation, leading to more precise methods of dose estimation for individuals. To establish the degree of similarity in the pharmacokinetics of unlabeled (d0-) and fully deuterated (d8-) toluene, 21 men (ages 20–45) inhaled an equal molar mixture for 2 h. Washout kinetics for both compounds were followed for 4 d in alveolar air and blood. Both compounds exhibited three-phase elimination kinetics in both fluids. The third phase was not always definable for d0- toluene because of concurrent uncontrolled environmental exposures. Considering data from only the first two phases, concentrations of d0- and d8-toluene in alveolar air and blood were well correlated for all subjects, even though pharmacokinetic parameters varied among individuals by 5–9 folds. Further experiments are needed to discern whether correlations between d0- and d8-toluene for the third phase are influenced by an isotope effect; present data support use of d8-toluene as a suitable probe for d0-kinetics.
Association of the degree of methylation of intercellular pectin with plant resistance to aphids and with induction of aphid biotypes

Increased methylation of middle lamellar pectin in plants hinders aphids in penetrating host-plant tissue. In sorghum, a new aphid biotype has overcome this host-plant barrier by having increased pectin methylesterase activity. Results suggest that resistance in crop-plants against sap-feeding insects may possibly be manipulated by altering middle lamellar chemistry either through breeding or use of certain plant-growth regulators.
The kinetics of photoinitiated polymerization of 1-vinyl-2-methylimidazole

The kinetics of isothermal, photoinitiated, solution polymerization of 1-vinyl-2-methylimidazole (MVI) was studied using the standard dilatometric technique. The photoinitiators used were aromatic carbonyl compounds. Most of the experiments were carried out using methanol as solvent, but other solvents were also used. The reaction follows the classical kinetic scheme for free radical polymerization. The activation energy for the polymerization is 3.9 kcal/mol. The polymerization is greatly accelerated by the presence of water in reaction medium. Among the three photoinitiators tried, 2,2′-diethoxyacetophenone (DEAP) has the highest quantum efficiency for the polymerization of MVI.
Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of Aspergillus γ-tubulin yields diverse and novel phenotypes

We have created 41 clustered charged-to-alanine scanning mutations of the mipA, g-tubulin, gene of Aspergillus nidulans and have created strains carrying these mutations by two-step gene replacement and by a new procedure, heterokaryon gene replacement. Most mutant alleles confer a wild-type phenotype, but others are lethal or conditionally lethal. The conditionally lethal alleles exhibit a variety of phenotypes under restrictive conditions. Most have robust but highly abnormal mitotic spindles and some have abnormal cytoplasmic microtubule arrays. Two alleles appear to have reduced amounts of g-tubulin at the spindle pole bodies and nucleation of spindle microtubule assembly may be partially inhibited. One allele inhibits germ tube formation. The cold sensitivity of two alleles is strongly suppressed by the antimicrotubule agents benomyl and nocodazole and a third allele is essentially dependent on these compounds for growth. Together our data indicate that g-tubulin probably carries out functions essential to mitosis and organization of cytoplasmic microtubules in addition to its well-documented role in microtubule nucleation. We have also placed our mutations on a model of the structure of g-tubulin and these data give a good initial indication of the functionally important regions of the molecule.
Reliability-based hybrid ARQ for partial-time jamming channels

In this paper, we consider the use of selective-retransmission ARQ protocols to improve communication performance on partial-time jamming channels. The schemes that we propose are based on reliability-based hybrid ARQ (RB-HARQ), in which the set of bits to be retransmitted is adaptively selected based on the estimated a posteriori probabilities at the output of a soft-input soft-output decoder. For channels with partial-time jamming, we can extend our measure of reliability to incorporate not only a posteriori probability information but also estimates of the probability that a bit was jammed. We compare the performance of the proposed scheme with that of a conventional approach in which a predetermined set of bits is retransmitted in response to a packet failure. The results show that RB-HARQ schemes can achieve better performance than the conventional approach.
Postgenomic Adventures with Rhodobacter sphaeroides

This review describes some of the recent highlights taken from the studies of Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1. The review is not intended to be comprehensive, but to reflect the bias of the authors as to how the availability of a sequenced and annotated genome, a gene-chip, and proteomic profile as well as comparative genomic analyses can direct the progress of future research in this system.
Binge eating disorder and the proposed DSM-IV criteria: Psychometric analysis of the questionnaire of eating and weight patterns

Proposed binge eating disorder (BED) diagnostic criteria were investigated to providenecessary psychometric characteristics and explore their utility in assessment. Onehundred four subjects (52 self-referred bingers, 52 comparison subjects) completed aninitial administration of the Questionnaire of Eating and Weight Patterns (QEWP). Theresults supported the ability of the two core BED criteria (i.e., episodic overeating, lossof control) to discriminate between clinical and nonclinical binge eaters. Thirty-nine ofthe self-referred and 40 of the comparison subjects completed a second QEWP admin-istration 3 weeks later. Results indicated that the BED diagnosis was moderately stableover the 3-week interval (kappa = .58, combined sample). Using self-monitoring datacompleted by the self-referred subjects, predictive efficiency analyses indicated thatthe QEWP was able to identify both high and low probability binge eaters. Implicationsof the findings for the definition, assessment, and utility of the BED diagnosis arediscussed. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Recent attention in the eating disorders literature has been directed towards the newdiagnostic category of binge eating disorder (BED; Spitzer et al., 1992, 1993). Interest inBED emanates primarily from clinical and research reports of binge eating in the obese(Stunkard, 1980; Loro & Orleans, 1981). Specifically, a subset of the obese describerecurrent periods of overeating in which they feel out of control and experience consid-
Differential Responses of Two Species of Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys) to Heavy Rains: A Humbling Reappraisal

Reanalysis of a recently published data set on the responses of 2 species of kangaroo rats to the 1997-1998 El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event revealed an error during data manipulation, and underscored the perils associated with electronic data storage, manipulation, and analyses. Renewed analyses revealed that Dipodomys simulans was not catastrophically impacted by the ENSO event. Both species were negatively impacted by 2 separate rainy periods, and both species appeared to recover rapidly. The rate of demographic recovery may be a function of habitat preferences. Dipodomys stephensi occurs in valley bottoms and recovered numerically only after cessation of rains, whereas D. simulans, which occurs on better-drained habitat in adjacent hill slopes, appeared to initiate demographic recovery half way through the rainy period associated with the 1998 ENSO. In contrast, however, D. simulans was not observed to recover for about 5 months after the rainy period in 2000.
Quantum Transport Simulation of Experimentally Fabricated Nano-FinFET

We have utilized the contact-block-reduction (CBR) method, which we extended to allow a charge self-consistent scheme, to simulate experimentally fabricated 10-nm-FinFET device. The self-consistent CBR simulator has been modified to simulate devices with channels along arbitrary crystallographic orientation. A series of fully quantum-mechanical transport simulations has been performed. First, the fin extension length and doping profile have been calibrated to match the experimental data. The process control window for the threshold voltage as a function of fin extension has been extracted for the considered device. Then, a set of transfer characteristics and gate leakage currents have been calculated for different drain voltages. The simulation results have been found to be in good agreement with the experimental data in the subthreshold regime. The device turn-off and turn-on behavior has been examined for different fin widths: 12 (experimental), 10, 8, and 6 nm. Finally, the subthreshold slope degradation at high temperatures has been studied
Procedural Justice and the Planning of Information Systems in Multinational Firms

Information systems planning research has not adequately considered the theory of procedural justice in understanding the effectiveness of planning in multinational firms. The theory suggests that when subsidiary managers feel that they are being treated more fairly by the parent company, they are more committed, exert more effort, and thus perform better. A postal survey of 131 chief information officers of U.S. subsidiaries of multinational firms collected data to test hypotheses based on the theory. Data analysis revealed that autonomy for IS planning significantly predicted feelings of procedural justice. Higher feelings of procedural justice predicted greater subsidiary commitment to IS planning which in turn predicted more effective planning. These findings thus lend support to the theory, and suggest that parent managers consider delegating greater autonomy to the managers of their foreign subsidiaries.
Analysis of Linezolid-Associated Hematologic Toxicities in a Large Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Study objectives To characterize linezolid-associated hematologic toxicities in a large clinical practice setting and to examine the variables associated with development of hematologic toxicities; a secondary objective was to characterize other linezolid-associated toxicities in this population. Design Retrospective medical record review. Setting Academic Veterans Affairs medical center. Patients Four hundred forty-four patients (mean age 63.7 yrs) who received 544 courses of linezolid from 2004-2007. Measurements and main results Pertinent laboratory data were collected at baseline, periodically throughout each linezolid course, and up to 31 days after discontinuation. The frequencies of grade 1-2 and grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia were 7.6% and 5.2%, respectively. Grade 3-4 anemia developed in 18.8% of courses; each of the patients had baseline grade 1-2 anemia. Linezolid was discontinued because of toxicity in 35 (6.4%) of the 544 courses. Independent variables associated with grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia included a baseline hemoglobin level of less than 10.5 g/dl, presence of immunosuppression, and a baseline platelet count of 50-99.9 x 10(3)/mm(3). Independent variables associated with development of grade 3-4 anemia included presence of a cardiovascular condition, urologic condition, immunosuppression, and a baseline platelet count of 50-99.9 x 10(3)/mm(3). Other toxicities reported with linezolid included diarrhea (6.6% of courses), followed by nausea (4.4%) and vomiting (4.0%). Conclusion The overall rates of thrombocytopenia and anemia for patients receiving linezolid were found to be higher than those in phase III clinical trials. This may be attributable in part to the inclusion of patients with comorbidities that were exclusion criteria in the phase III clinical trials. Clinicians should be aware of variables associated with the development of severe thrombocytopenia and anemia in patients receiving linezolid so that they may predict which patients are likely to develop these toxicities and consider potential alternative therapies in those patients.
A Study of Wideband Pulse Interactions on a Large System using the Modular Junction Topological Approach

Summary form only given. We report on the simulation and experimental study of the effects of wideband high power pulses on mission critical electrical components of communication and control systems. An electromagnetic topology (EMT) simulation code, which is based on a volume decomposition technique and designed specifically for large electrical systems, was employed in the study'. The application of the EMT simulation code to analyze the effects on electrical components involves many complex numerical steps'. Here, we propose a numerical scheme based on the modular scattering junction concept that combines several EMT computational steps into a single EMT simulation step. Based on this scheme, computational volumes can be modified through analytical and computational techniques, such as transmission-line matrix compaction, the finite-difference time-domain, and reciprocity. It also allows for sub-structural modifications without having to repeat calculations for the entire system. In our calculations, we applied the EMT simulation to a complex electrical system, incorporating a number of structural volumes and cables. This configuration could represent an aircraft with complex internal cabling, irradiated by an external wideband pulse where the interaction path is through an aperture, i.e., opening or crack, of the external aircraft surface. The numerical results generated by this proposed scheme have been validated through experimental results. The EMT-based calculations and the measured currents on the cable behind the slot aperture showed good agreement with each other, revealing the consistency in our proposed scheme. The proposed scheme is modular in nature. It offers an advantage of adding more modules later in the simulation cycle without having to repeat the whole simulation calculation each time the network configuration changes slightly.
Synthesis and characterization of N-isopropyl, N-methacryloxyethyl methacrylamide as a possible dental resin.

Abstract In this study, N -isopropyl, N- methacryloxyethyl methacrylamide (NIMM) is proposed as a possible reactive diluent in place of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) for dental resin mixtures. Real-time infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor the double-bond conversion as a function of irradiation time, and mixtures of 50/50 wt% bis-GMA/NIMM were found to reach final conversions (95%) that were 1.5 times greater than bis-GMA/TEGDMA (65%) under visible light irradiation. In addition, samples cured to these conversions were tested with dynamic mechanical analysis. The bis-GMA/NIMM mixture (100% converted) was found to have a higher glass transition temperature and modulus at body temperature than a comparable bis-GMA/TEGDMA mixture (60% converted). Finally, the water sorption and solubility of bis-GMA/NIMM were determined to be higher than the bis-GMA/TEGDMA comparison, but the values were still within the range of the ISO 9000s standard. These results suggest that bis-GMA/NIMM mixtures are a viable alternative to conventional dental resins since a greater degree of monomer conversion is obtainable without sacrificing physical and mechanical properties.
Photoemission Measurements Of Photocathode Materials In The 115–400 Å Range

With the intent of finding a sensitive photocathode material in the 130 A (100eV) X-ray range for use in a high resolution soft X-ray Conversion Microscope, photoelectron yields of several materials (mostly alkali halides), were measured at the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility II (SURF II). These measurements were made as a function of wavelength in the spectral range 115 A-400 A. The measured values are comparable to previous measurements of the photoelectron yields of these and similar materials, and to an existing model of photoemission [1-3]. We also determined the effects of prolonged exposure to X-ray light on performance. Moreover, because of the hygroscopic nature of Alkali Iodides, measurements of the photoelectron yield versus wavelength were repeated for samples of CsI that were kept in storage for periods of time to determine the effects of storage time and water absorption on the photoelectron yield.
Continuously adjusting CRT therapy: clinical impact of adaptive cardiac resynchronization therapy

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a well-established therapy to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with moderate and severe symptomatic congestive heart failure. Left ventricular (LV) pacing that fuses with intrinsic right ventricular (RV) conduction results in similar or even better cardiac performance compared to biventricular (Biv) pacing. Optimal programming of the atrio-ventricular (AV) and inter-ventricular (VV) delays is crucial to improve LV performance since suboptimal programming of AV and VV delays affect LV filling as well as cardiac output. CRT optimization using echocardiogram is resource-dependent and time consuming. Adaptive CRT (aCRT) algorithm provides a dynamic, automatic, ambulatory adjustment of CRT pacing configuration (Biv or LV pacing) and optimization of AV and VV delays. aCRT algorithm is safe and efficacious for CRT-indicated patients without permanent atrial fibrillation. It has been shown to improve CRT response and reduce morbidity and mortality for patients with normal AV conduction.
Hydrophobic Dielectrics of Fluoropolymer / BaTiO3 Nanocomposites for Low-Voltage and Charge Storing Electrowetting Devices

A hydrophobic fluoropolymer:BaTiO3 nanocomposite is presented for achieving lower-voltage electrowetting operation. The composite fluoropolymer film exhibits as much as a 10X increase in measured dielectric constant. Increased surface roughness with BaTiO3 content increased the sessile drop contact angle from θ∼104° to 121° with compositions ranging from 0 to 97 vol. % of BaTiO3 in the fluoropolymer. A larger change in electrowetted contact angle is observed for the 50 vol. % of BaTiO3 nanocomposite (delta theta∼60°) compared to a standard fluoropolymer film of 1 um thickness (delta theta∼30°). Furthermore, required operating voltage for electrowetting decreases by ∼30V for films with high BaTiO3 content. Strong charge storage in the nanocomposite was observed via a new bistable electrowetting effect. For samples with strong charge storage, the droplet remains wetted (>2 minutes) even after removing the applied voltage. Rapid (< 1s) droplet de-wetting could be achieved by briefly applying a reverse polarity voltage to remove the stored charge in the nanocomposite.
Single-dose daptomycin pharmacokinetics in chronic haemodialysis patients

Background. Daptomycin has concentration-dependent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Its use is increasing in haemodialysis units. The manufacturer recommends a 4–6-mg/kg dose administered every 48 hrs for patients receiving haemodialysis. However, there are no published data about daptomycin pharmacokinetics and clearance during haemodialysis. The recommended dosing regimen would conflict with asymmetric thrice-weekly haemodialysis, which yields two ~44-hr and one ~68-hr interdialytic periods. This is the first study to evaluate daptomycin pharmacokinetics in haemodialysis patients, assess the extent of daptomycin dialytic removal and model serum concentrations at 44 and 68 hrs. Methods. Six otherwise healthy subjects on chronic haemodialysis (55.3 ± 16.1 years old, three females, 66.2 ± 14.2 kg) received a single 6-mg/kg dose of daptomycin post-haemodialysis infused over 30 minutes. Serial blood samples were collected for ~44 hrs (pre-next haemodialysis) and throughout the subsequent haemodialysis session with a high permeability haemodialyser. Individual pharmacokinetic parameters determined by compartmental analysis were used to model trough serum concentrations at 44 and 68 hrs with 6-, 8- and 10-mg/kg post-haemodialysis doses. Results. The haemodialysis session in this trial yielded mean urea and daptomycin reduction ratios of 79.6 ± 5.8% and 57.6 ± 9.2%, respectively. Daptomycin half-life was 19.4 ± 6.5 and 3.8 ± 1.1 hrs ‘off’ and ‘on haemodialysis’, respectively, with minimal rebound 1 hr post-haemodialysis. All modelled trough concentrations at 44 and 68 hrs at all doses exceed typical minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) values for Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. Conclusions. Daptomycin serum concentrations declined by ~50% after a 4-hr haemodialysis session with a high permeability haemodialyser. A 6-mg/kg i.v. post-haemodialysis thrice-weekly dose should result in sufficient pre-haemodialysis daptomycin serum concentrations even after a 68-hr interdialytic period.
Predicting End Bearing Capacity of Post-Grouted Drilled Shaft in Cohesionless Soils

Although pressure grouting beneath the tips of drilled shafts had been used successfully worldwide for close to 4 decades, it has remained relatively unused in the United States in part due to the absence of a rational design procedure. Previous international usage relied predominantly upon experience and unpublished proprietary approaches. More recently, research aimed at quantifying the improvement that could be derived from postgrouting drilled shaft tips has resulted in a design methodology. This paper briefly discusses the postgrouting process and outlines the full scale test programs used to identify parameters affecting postgrouting performance. Correlations developed between applied grout pressure and end bearing improvement are presented along with a numerical example illustrating the design procedure.
Usability Evaluation of a Research Repository and Collaboration Web Site

This article reports results from an empirical usability evaluation of Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative Central as part of the effort to develop an open access research repository and collaboration platform for human-animal bond researchers. By repurposing and altering key features of the original HUBzero system, Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative Central hosts previously published materials from related disciplines and an extensive bibliography, in addition to traditional hub materials such as tools and datasets. Seven graduate students in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University participated in the usability evaluation. Tasks included exploring the system, finding an article in the repository, submitting an article to the repository, adding bibliographic information of an article to the repository, and using interaction features such as user groups. Participants also answered open questions regarding their overall experience and rated Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative Central'...
23 years of toxicology testing fatally injured pilots: Implications for aviation and other modes of transportation

Abstract Use of over-the-counter, prescription, and illicit drugs is increasing in the United States (US). Many of these drugs are psychoactive and can affect the user’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. However, data about drug use by vehicle operators is typically limited to a small proportion of operators and a short list of drugs. For instance, required testing for commercial vehicle operators following most accidents is limited to a urine test for 11 drugs. By comparison, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), routinely tests fatally injured pilots’ blood and tissues for hundreds of compounds. This study used the results from these tests to assess drug use in aviation. Methods Using matched data from the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute toxicology database and the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB’s) aviation accident database, this study examined trends in the prevalence of over-the-counter, prescription, and illicit drugs identified in toxicology tests of fatally injured pilots between 1990 and 2012. Cases that failed to match or where toxicology testing had not been performed were excluded. Pilots identified by the NTSB investigation as being the “flying pilot” at the time of the accident and results from blood or tissues were included. Toxicology results for ethanol and other alcohols were not included. Positive test results were categorized by drug type and potential for causing impairment. Analysis used SPSS Version 19.1 to perform linear by linear chi-squared statistics. Results The study included 6677 pilots or 87% of the eligible subjects. The large majority were male (98%) and flying general aviation operations (96%) at the time of their fatal accident. There were increasing trends in pilots’ use of all drugs, potentially impairing drugs, drugs used to treat potentially impairing conditions, drugs designated as controlled substances, and illicit drugs. The most common potentially impairing drug pilots had used was diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine that is an active ingredient in many over-the-counter allergy formulations, cold medicines, and sleep aids in the US. Although evidence of illicit drug use was found only in a small number of cases, the percentage of pilots testing positive for marijuana use increased during the study period, mostly in the last 10 years.
Designing Mechanisms to Make Welfare-Improving Strategies Focal

Many institutions use matching algorithms to make assignments. Examples include the allocation of doctors, students and military cadets to hospitals, schools and branches, respectively. Most of the market design literature either imposes strong incentive constraints (such as strategy proofness) or builds mechanisms that, while more efficient than strongly incentive compatible alternatives, require agents to play potentially complex equilibria for the efficiency gains to be realized in practice. Understanding that the effectiveness of welfare-improving strategies relies on the ease with which real-world participants can find them, we carefully design an algorithm that we hypothesize will make such strategies focal.Using a lab experiment, we show that agents do indeed play the intended focal strategies, and doing so yields higher overall welfare than a common alternative mechanism that gives agents dominant strategies of stating their preferences truthfully. Furthermore, we test a mechanism from the field that, while similar in spirit to ours, has different focal strategies that may harm individual agents who play them. We find that while both mechanisms yield comparable levels of average welfare, our algorithm performs significantly better on an individual level. Thus, we show that, if done carefully, this type of behavioral market design is a worthy endeavor that can most promisingly be pursued by a collaboration between institutions, matching theorists, and behavioral and experimental economists.
Ratings of the auditory and visual similarity of consonants: Implications for research

A set of rating data was collected which compared the visual similarity of consonants to the auditory similarity of the same letters. Analysis of the rating patterns raises important questions about the use of similarity data in drawing conclusions about mode of memory coding in a variety of situations.
POLLEN DISPERSAL DYNAMICS IN AN ALPINE WILDFLOWER, POLEMONIUM VISCOSUM.

The alpine wildflower, Polemonium viscosum, depends on insect visitors for effective pollination. Here, I examine experimentally the effects of pollinator visitation on pollen removal, pollen dispersal success, paternity, and gene flow. Bumble bee pollinators visited donor individuals homozygous for marker alleles at an isozyme (GOT-2) encoding locus and then were presented with arrays of recipient plants lacking the marker alleles. Four aspects of male fitness were estimated for each donor: the number of pollen grains dispersed to flowers of the first recipient visited, the number of offspring sired on that recipient, the proportion of offspring sired in the full array, and the proportion of mates in the array bearing seeds of the donor. Pollen removal was strongly influenced by the number of bee visits to donor flowers. The amount of pollen removed in turn significantly affected the number of pollen grains reaching flowers of the first recipient. However, because seed production decelerates with stigma pollen load, the relationship between pollen export and paternal success at this proximate scale showed diminishing returns. The probability of reaching mates within the array also increased with pollen export. These findings show that floral characters enhancing pollinator visitation rate in P. viscosum have positive effects on paternity and gene flow.
Grape Seed Procyanidins and Cholestyramine Differentially Alter Bile Acid and Cholesterol Homeostatic Gene Expression in Mouse Intestine and Liver

Bile acid (BA) sequestrants, lipid-lowering agents, may be prescribed as a monotherapy or combination therapy to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Over 33% of adults in the United States use complementary and alternative medicine strategies, and we recently reported that grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) reduces enterohepatic BA recirculation as a means to reduce serum triglyceride (TG) levels. The current study was therefore designed to assess the effects on BA, cholesterol and TG homeostatic gene expression following co-administration with GSPE and the BA sequestrant, cholestyramine (CHY). Eight-week old male C57BL/6 mice were treated for 4 weeks with either a control or 2% CHY-supplemented diet, after which, they were administered vehicle or GSPE for 14 hours. Liver and intestines were harvested and gene expression was analyzed. BA, cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acid and TG levels were also analyzed in serum and feces. Results reveal that GSPE treatment alone, and co-administration with CHY, regulates BA, cholesterol and TG metabolism differently than CHY administration alone. Notably, GSPE decreased intestinal apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (Asbt) gene expression, while CHY significantly induced expression. Administration with GSPE or CHY robustly induced hepatic BA biosynthetic gene expression, especially cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (Cyp7a1), compared to control, while co-administration further enhanced expression. Treatment with CHY induced both intestinal and hepatic cholesterologenic gene expression, while co-administration with GSPE attenuated the CHY-induced increase in the liver but not intestine. CHY also induced hepatic lipogenic gene expression, which was attenuated by co-administration with GSPE. Consequently, a 25% decrease in serum TG levels was observed in the CHY+GSPE group, compared to the CHY group. Collectively, this study presents novel evidence demonstrating that GSPE provides additive and complementary efficacy as a lipid-lowering combination therapy in conjunction with CHY by attenuating hepatic cholesterol synthesis, enhancing BA biosynthesis and decreasing lipogenesis, which warrants further investigation.
A Survey of Mobile VPN Technologies

Virtual private network (VPN) is the traditional approach for an end-to-end secure connection between two endpoints. Most existing VPN solutions are intended for wired networks with high-speed, highly reliable connections. In a mobile environment, these network connections are less reliable. This affects traditional VPN performance resulting in frequent application failure, data loss, and reduced productivity. Mobile VPN bridges the gap between what users and applications expect from a wired network and the realities of mobile computing. In this survey, we provide a taxonomy of VPN designs, present a study of existing mobile VPN solutions, and highlight the advantages and disadvantages and applications of these methods.
MDCT for Cardiovascular Evaluation: Are There 2 "One-Stop Shops"?

Since its introduction in 2005, multi–detector row computed tomography (MDCT) has emerged as a useful tool for the evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Through an array of prospective multicenter studies, MDCT for CAD evaluation has been established as an imaging
Molecular genetic variation in tarpon (Megalops atlanticus Valenciennes) in the northern Atlantic Ocean

The tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) is a highly valued game fish and occasional food fish in the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Tarpon have a high capacity for dispersal, but some regional biological differences have been reported. In this study we used two molecular genetic techniques—protein electrophoresis of nuclear DNA loci, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)—to assess this species’ population genetic structure in the eastern (coastal waters off Gabon and Sierra Leone, Africa) and western (coastal waters off Florida, Caribbean Sea) Atlantic Ocean north of the equator. Genetic differentiation was observed between tarpon from Africa and tarpon from the western Atlantic Ocean. A unique allele and haplotype, significant differences in allozyme allele and mtDNA haplotype frequencies between the African and western Atlantic samples, and significant FST analyses suggest that levels of gene flow between tarpon from these two regions is low. Among the western Atlantic Ocean collections, genetic diversity values and allele and haplotype frequencies were similar. AMOVA analyses also showed a degree of genetic relatedness among most of the western Atlantic Ocean collections: however, some significant population structuring was detected in the allozyme data. A regional jackknifed FST analysis indicated the distinction of the Costa Rica population from the other western Atlantic populations and, in pairwise analyses, FST values tended to be higher (i.e., genetic relatedness was lower) when the Costa Rican sample was paired with any of the other western Atlantic samples. These data suggest that Costa Rican tarpon could be partially isolated from other western Atlantic tarpon populations. Ultimately, international cooperation will be essential in the management of this species in both the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean.
“They Rose and Fell Together”: African American Educators and Community Leadership, 1795-1954:

The prominence of politicians as the leading spokespersons for the African American community in the United States is a relatively recent historical occurrence. Before the civil rights campaigns of the 1950s and 1960s, which brought voting rights to previously disenfranchised Americans, the number of African Americans in elective office was negligible. Indeed, from the 18th century through the 1950s, other African American professionals, especially ministers, journalists, lawyers, and educators, served as the leading spokespersons for the social, political, and economic interests of African Americans in the United States. Together this group of educated professional elites served as an intelligentsia for the African American population. They provided cultural meanings, values, ideals, and objectives drawn both from their extensive training and from the social experiences of the masses and elites of African descent in this society (Cavanaugh, 1983; Franklin, 1984; Marable, 1985; Wilson, 1980). While average Blacks, north and south, were actively involved in the creation of cultural values, goals, and practices based on their African background and their experiences in American society, the educated professionals articulated these values and objectives in speeches, sermons, essays, editorials, magazines, and books that were distributed to the public at large. These cultural spokespersons or "intellectuals" not only presented their opinions about the most pressing issues facing the African American population, but they also debated these issues in public forums. Often they organized and led social and political movements to obtain specific cultural objectives. From abolitionism to the recent civil rights movement, African American ministers, journalists, lawyers, business owners, educators, and other professionals provided the leadership for African American communities at the local and national levels.1