cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fabrication and Characterization of a Balloon Actuator Array for Haptic Feedback in Robotic Surgery

Robot-assisted surgery is characterized by a total loss of haptic feedback, requiring surgeons to rely solely on visual cues. A pneumatically-driven balloon actuator array, suitable for mounting on robotic surgical master controls, has been developed to provide haptic feedback to surgeons. The actuator arrays consist of a molded polydimethylsiloxane substrate with cylindrical channels and a spin-coated silicone film that forms the array of balloons. Preliminary human perceptual studies have demonstrated that balloon diameters greater than 1.0mm may provide effective haptic feedback to the index finger. Before conducting further human perceptual tests, refinements of the fabrication process and performance data of the actuator are required. Balloons with diameters ranging between 1.5mm and 4.0mm were fabricated with film thicknesses of 200μm and 300μm. Inflation pressure versus balloon deflection tests and cyclic actuation tests were performed to characterize each balloon type. The results demonstrated a high linearity between inflation pressure and balloon deflection (R2>0.93) and negligible hysteresis effects between inflation and deflation over 100,000cycles. The studies indicated that 300μm films are optimal for 3.0mm and 4.0mm diameter balloons, and 200μm films are optimal for 1.5mm, 2.0mm, and 2.5mm diameter balloons. Due to its compact size and high performance, the described pneumatic actuator can provide sensory input that is otherwise unavailable during robotic surgery.
Effect of gemcitabine on immune cells in subjects with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

Effects of gemcitabine (Gemzar) on immune cells were examined in pancreas cancer patients to determine whether it was immunosuppressive, or potentially could be combined with vaccines or other immunotherapy to enhance patient’s responses to their tumors. Blood was obtained at five time-points, before therapy, 3–4 days after initial gemcitabine infusion and immediately preceding three additional weekly infusions. Effects on T-cell subsets, B-cells, myeloid dendritic cell precursors, antigen presenting cells (APC), activated/memory, and naive cells were examined. Functional activity was measured by intracellular staining for cytokines before and after T-cell activation, and by interferon γ production in EliSpot responses to tumor presentation. Although absolute lymphocyte counts decreased with the initial treatment with gemcitabine infusion, the counts stabilized during subsequent treatments, then returned within normal ranges seven days after the fourth treatment so that the absolute lymphocyte count no longer differed significantly from that prior to treatment. These effects on absolute lymphocyte counts were mirrored by statistically significant decreases in absolute numbers of CD3 and CD20 lymphocytes during these time periods. The proportions of T and B-cells, however did not change significantly with therapy, although significance changes were observed in some specialized subsets. A decrease in the proportions of the major BDCA-1+, CD1b myeloid dendritic cell subset and a reciprocal increase in the minor BDCA-3+ dendritic cell subsets resulted at 3–4 days, then their levels returned to normal. No significant changes in percentages of CD86 and CD80 APCs or CD4+, CD25+T-cells were documented. Increased percentages of CD3+, CD45RO+ memory lymphocytes reached significance at day 7, then declined to statistically significant decrease at days 14 and 21 after the second and third infusions, respectively. Immune T-cells were functional in pancreas cancer patients treated with gemcitabine. The data suggest that gemcitabine therapy may decrease memory T-cells and promote naive T-cell activation. We conclude that gemcitabine therapy (1) is not immunosuppressive and (2) may enhance responses to specific vaccines or immunotherapy administered to activate or support immune responses directed toward driving effector immunity to cancer cells.
Adsorption and catalytic reaction of hydrogen on chromia at low temperatures

Abstract Some of the H 2 adsorbed on chromia (microcrystalline α-chromia, amorphous chromia, and Cr 2 O 3 /SiO 2 ) at temperatures below −130°C is not removed by flowing helium at the temperature of adsorption, T . Such adsorbed hydrogen, H ur ( T ), increases monotonically as T is lowered from −130 to −205°C. H irr (−196), CO irr (−78), and activity for H 2 + D 2 = 2HD at −130°C increase in parallel as the temperature of activation in helium of chromia hydrogel is increased from 300 to 500°C. The hydrogel was pretreated with H 2 at 300°C. CO irr (−78) completely poisons H irr (−196). Pulses of D 2 in −196°C completely and rapidly displace H 2 (g) from H irr (−196) without formation of HD. At −163°C substantial HD is formed. The weak chemisorption of H 2 at lower temperatures appears to be a molecular polarization adsorption at Cr 3+ ( cus ) O 2− ( cus ) ion pairs. Displacement by D 2 may involve adsorption to form H 2 ∗ D 2 followed by preferential release of H 2 . An isotope effect of about 50 favors adsorption of D 2 vs H 2 at −196°C. the isotopic exchange at temperatures somewhat above −196°C appears to involve rearrangement of H 2 ∗ D 2 to HD∗HD perhaps via H − ∗(HD 2 ) + .
Multiple-species candidemia in patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND Candidemia is a common cause of bloodstream infections in patients with cancer, with the majority of these infections being caused by a single Candida species. Studies of multiple-species candidemia (MSC) have rarely been reported. METHODS The authors identified 33 patients with cancer who had candidemia (diagnosed between 1993 and 2000) caused by more than 1 Candida species. This group of 33 patients was compared with a control group of 66 patients with cancer who had C. albicans candidemia that arose soon before or soon after each case of MSC that was investigated in the current study. RESULTS Patients with MSC, compared with control patients, were more likely to have leukemia (33% vs. 8%; P = 0.001), to have had prolonged neutropenia before the onset of their infection (mean ± standard deviation, 10 ± 17 days vs. 3 ± 6 days; P = 0.02), and to have received chemotherapy within 1 month before their infection (42% vs. 18%; P = 0.01). Patients with MSC also had higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores at the onset of infection (score ≥ 16, 45% vs. 26%; P = 0.05) and were more likely to have received previous antifungal prophylaxis compared with patients who had candidemia caused by C. albicans (33% vs. 11%; P = 0.006). The response of C. albicans candidemia to single-agent antifungal therapy was significantly better than that of MSC (69% vs. 35% P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS In patients with cancer, MSC was more likely to occur as breakthrough candidemia, predominantly in those with leukemia and prolonged neutropenia, and was associated with suboptimal responses to single-agent antifungal therapy. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Uncertainty Visualization in the VisIt Visualization Environment

Visualization and analysis of very large datasets remains a significant challenge to the visualization community. Scientists have tried various techniques to deal with large data. Multiresolution data models reduce the size of the data using techniques such as mesh decimation, wavelet transformation, or data compression. The low resolution representation raises issues concerning the authenticity of the data at its resolution level. We address this issue by presenting our extensions to the VisIt visualization environment that enable the scientist to visualize both multiresolution data and the uncertainty information associated with the lower resolution representations of the data.
Ethics and the Human/Animal Distinction: A Posthumanist Critique of Laurence Gonzales' Lucy

As our closest genetic relatives, the nonhuman great apes are subject to particular scrutiny in Western society; so close to the “human,” and yet fully “animal,” apes raise troublesome questions concerning the separation of the human from the animal. The prospect of a nonhuman/human ape hybrid compels a difficult and potentially deconstructive examination of just what it is that makes human beings worthy of moral consideration above and beyond all other forms of life. The eponymous protagonist of Laurence Gonzales' novel Lucy (2010) is a human-bonobo hybrid; her fraught reception in the U.S., and her ultimately unsuccessful struggle to attain human status, demonstrate the intense anxieties around human identity in an age of biotechnology. In this essay I examine Gonzales' negotiation of the human/animal divide through the hybrid character Lucy. Ultimately, I argue, Gonzales relies upon the very categories he calls into question, and the very processes that maintain them, in order to resolve his fictional ...
Treatment of renal transplant ureterovesical anastomotic strictures using antegrade balloon dilation with or without holmium:YAG laser endoureterotomy.

Abstract Objectives To report our results after antegrade endoscopic treatment of ureteral stenosis with balloon dilation with or without holmium laser endoureterotomy. Ureteral stenosis is the most common long-term urologic complication of renal transplantation. Methods From July 2000 to October 2002, 9 renal transplant patients with ureteral obstruction diagnosed by an increase in serum creatinine and radiologic evidence presented for endoscopic treatment. All patients were treated with nephrostomy tube drainage followed by antegrade flexible nephroureteroscopy and balloon dilation of the stricture. Three patients required holmium laser endoureterotomy during the same procedure because of fluoroscopic and endoscopic evidence of persistent stricture. All patients were treated with ureteral stents and nephrostomy tubes postoperatively. The median follow-up was 24 months (range 6 to 32). Results The site of stenosis was at the ureterovesical anastomosis in all patients, and the mean stricture length was 0.28 cm. Two patients had previously undergone ureteroneocystostomy for prior ureteral stenosis. Six patients (66%) required only balloon dilation, and 3 patients (33%) also required holmium laser endoureterotomy. The median ureteral stent and nephrostomy tube duration was 40 and 62 days, respectively. The mean serum creatinine level was 2.3 mg/dL at presentation and 1.7 mg/dL at the last follow-up visit. After a median follow-up of 24 months, the ureteral patency and graft function rates were both 100%. No perioperative complications occurred. Conclusions Balloon dilation with or without holmium laser endoureterotomy was successful and safe in this group of renal transplant patients with short ureterovesical anastomotic strictures.
Reirradiation for rectal cancer and surgical resection after ultra high doses

Abstract Purpose: Local recurrence of rectal cancer following high-dose pelvic radiation presents a difficult management challenge. Conventional wisdom suggests that reirradiation should be avoided and radical pelvic surgery is hazardous after ultra high-dose radiation. Methods and Materials: In a unique Phase I/II pilot study, 32 patients with recurrent rectal cancers following previous pelvic radiation underwent planned reirradiation to the pelvis. Initial radiation doses had ranged from 30–64.87 Gy (median dose 45 Gy). Seventeen patients underwent reirradiation followed by radical resection. Fifteen patients were reirradiated for palliative relief of symptoms. Treatment techniques consisted of two lateral fields (7 × 7 to 12 × 10 cm) encompassing the tumor with 2 cm margins. Reirradiation doses ranged from 19.80–47.66 Gy, (median 34.2 Gy). Patients also received concurrent low-dose continuous infusion chemotherapy, (5-FU 200–300 mg/day). Total cumulative radiation doses ranged from 70.6 to 111.6 Gy. Results: Treatment was well tolerated. Four patients had radiation interrupted/discontinued for diarrhea or leukopenia. Follow-up ranges from 6 months to 36 months. No late sequelae of radiation have been observed to date. Seventeen patients underwent surgical exploration 6–8 weeks following reirradiation. Two patients had extensive disease and were not resected. Fifteen patients underwent radical resection of residual tumor (4 posterior exenterations, 6 APR, 3 transanal abdominal transanal proctocolectomy with coloanal anastomosis (TAATA), and 2 LAR). No patients died postoperatively. No excessive edema, hemorrhage, or adhesions were observed. Two patients developed pelvic abscess and one developed a coloanal stricture. Eleven of 15 resected patients are alive from 6 to 36 months with a 2-year survival of 66%. Of the patients treated palliatively, symptomatic relief was observed in 1315 patients. No objective complete response was observed, but 615 patients had measurable partial response. Median survival in this group was 14 months. Conclusion: Based on this experience, we believe that in selected patients radical surgical resection after cumulative ultra high doses (70–90 Gy) of radiation can be performed safely. A viable anastomosis is also possible in spite of these high doses. Planned reirradiation for palliative relief of symptoms can be effective without unusual risks of complication. Long-term effects of such ultra high dose radiation and surgery continue to be monitored.
SEPARATING EQUILIBRIUM AND PERSISTENT INEFFICIENCY

In context of the traditional Spence signaling model, the realization of a separating equilibrium ensures that each worker is allocated to the sector of the economy where they are most productive. Traditional analysis assumes, however, that the incremental returns to labor employment are constant across workers of any given type. This paper demonstrates that the efficiency properties of separating equilibria can be profoundly altered by the presence of nonlinear returns. In particular, we show that separating equilibria fail productive efficiency whenever production satisfies a weak form of diminishing returns. This separating equilibrium efficiency failure persists whether or not equilibrium wages are assumed to depend solely on distributions of worker productivity.
Windows ® based general PBPK/PD modeling software

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model and program (called PostNatal) was developed which focuses on postnatal growth. Algorithms defining organ/tissue growth curves from birth through adulthood for male and female humans, dogs, rats, and mice are utilized to calculate the appropriate weight and blood flow for the internal organs/tissues. This Windows^(R) based program is actually four linked PBPK models with each PBPK model acting independently or totally integrated with the others through metabolism by first order or Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Data fitting is accomplished by a weighted least square regression algorithm. The model includes linkages for the simulation of pharmacodynamic (PD) effects.
Sr- and Mn-doped LaAlO3-δ for solar thermochemical H2 and CO production

The increasing global appetite for energy within the transportation sector will inevitably result in the combustion of more fossil fuel. A renewable-derived approach to carbon-neutral synthetic fuels is therefore needed to offset the negative impacts of this trend, which include climate change. In this communication we report the use of nonstoichiometric perovskite oxides in two-step, solar-thermochemical water or carbon dioxide splitting cycles. We find that LaAlO3 doped with Mn and Sr will efficiently split both gases. Moreover the H2 yields are 9× greater, and the CO yields 6× greater, than those produced by the current state-of-the-art material, ceria, when reduced at 1350 °C and re-oxidized at 1000 °C. The temperature at which O2 begins to evolve from the perovskite is fully 300 °C below that of ceria. The materials are also very robust, maintaining their redox activity over at least 80 CO2 splitting cycles. This discovery has profound implications for the development of concentrated solar fuel technologies.
Phonon drag and the low temperature electrical resistivity of the alkalis

Abstract We derive an equation for the low temperature ideal electrical resistivity of an alkali metal. Our approach, unlike recent variational calculations, incorporates phonon drag in a consistent fashion and thus reveals the sensitivity of this effect to the details of the electron-phonon coupling. Although the magnitude of the resultant resistivity cannot be determined without detailed numerical calculations, an exponential temperature dependence at very low temperatures is very easily demonstrated.
COMPOSITION OF WASHED MECHANICALLY SEPARATED AND HAND BONED BEEF

Washed mechanically separated (MS) beef and washed hand boned (HB) beef samples were prepared with an emulsifier or silent cutter. Higher yields of washed beef were obtained with the silent cutter, but differences in composition were small. Bone particle size in MS beef was reduced with the emulsifier and the silent cutter. Washed MS beef contained more iron, fat and cholesterol than washed HB beef. Collagen content of washed MS beef was about twice as high (P < 0.05) as that of washed HB beef. The major proteins in all washed beef lots were myosin and actin. Minor differences in amino acids and fatty acids between MS beef and HP beef existed. Binding properties of washed beef and fish surimi in restructured beef steaks were similar. Overall, washed MS and HB beef are low in fat and high in protein quality and have the potential to replace much of the salt in restructured beef products.
Cadmium exposure inhibits the prolactin secretory response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) in vitro.

Abstract In vitro dose response (0.1–100 μM) and time course studies were performed on anterior pituitary cells isolated from female Sprague-Dawley rats in the diestrous stage of the estrous cycle. All doses of TRH produced a significant increase in prolactin release by 5 min which was sustained for 30 min. Pretreatment with 25 or 50 μM Cd for 2 or 4 h produced a significant decrease in prolactin secretion during Cd exposure and in the prolactin secretory response to 1 μM TRH. These results suggest that Cd pretreatment alters the subsequent ability of the lactotrophs to respond to the physiological secretagogue TRH. This alteration does not appear to be due to a rebound phenomenon since basal prolactin release was the same in Cd-pretreated and control cells once the metal was removed. These results suggest that Cd pretreatment produces a significant decrease in prolactin release from the anterior pituitary lactotrophs in response to subsequent TRH stimulation in vitro.
Structural Stigma and Cigarette Smoking in a Prospective Cohort Study of Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Youth

Background Sexual minority youth are more likely to smoke cigarettes than heterosexuals, but research into the determinants of these disparities is lacking.
A Solidarist Social Economy: The Bruyn Perspective

(1994). A Solidarist Social Economy: The Bruyn Perspective. Review of Social Economy: Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 108-121.
A Current-Density Centric Logical Effort Delay and Power Model for High-Speed CML Gates

This paper presents a logical effort delay and power model for high-speed current-mode logic (CML) circuits. Current density centric and voltage swing dependent logical effort parameters are defined in terms of the characteristic current density for peak transistor cutoff frequency, which remains relatively constant across different technology nodes. Based on this model, constant and non-constant current density biasing schemes in data-paths of CML circuits are investigated and optimized for delay, power, and energy-delay metrics. The proposed model is simple yet sufficiently accurate for technology nodes in the constant-field scaling regime.
Target thickness determinations from a study of contaminant hydrogen distributions

Abstract From the observation that hydrogen is a common, stable contaminant of many materials, it follows that the thickness of targets used in many nuclear experiments can be inferred from the distribution of hydrogen throughout the depth of the target. The resonant nuclear reaction 1 H ( 19 F ,αγ) 16 O , a sensitive probe for hydrogen, provides a very suitable method for determining target thickness greater than about 15 μg/cm2.
Heterogeneous REE patterns in oldhamite from aubrites: Their nature and origin

Abstract A comprehensive study of the REEs in oldhamite from three aubrites confirms that heterogeneous REE patterns are a general feature of CaS in these meteorites. Ten distinct patterns have been observed in 109 grains analyzed. Four patterns are directly comparable to REE patterns seen in oldhamite from the unequilibrated (E3-4) enstatite chondrites, and many of these exhibit positive Eu and/or Yb anomalies that are best understood in terms of condensation from the solar nebula. Other REE patterns, however, show evidence of igneous fractionation. More than one process is thus required to explain the variety of REE patterns seen in oldhamite from the aubrites. It is proposed that oldhamite was close to the liquidus under the conditions of aubrite formation and that some grains melted while others did not. Thus, some oldhamites have REE patterns that reflect the fractionations of igneous processing, while others have retained REE characteristics established during formation in the solar nebula. In contrast to oldhamite from the aubrites and E3-4 chondrites, CaS from two equilibrated (EL6) enstatite chondrites shows high and uniform REE abundances that result from equilibration of the REEs with neighboring phases during a prolonged metamorphic episode.
Effects of insulin and norepinephrine added in vitro on the metabolism of brown adipose tissue in the absence of added glucose.

Rat interscapular brown adipose tissue slices incubated with succinate as substrate can be stimulated by norepinephrine to exhibit a rate of oxygen consumption that appears to exceed by a wide margin that reported for any other rat tissue under any conditions in vitro. This further supports the concept of brown adipose tissue as a specialized site of heat production. Brown adipose tissue slices under maximal stimulation by norepinephrine and incubated in the absence of added substrate consume oxygen linearly and at a high rate for at least 14 hr. This is taken as further evidence that stored lipid can act as the major fuel to support the vigorous oxidative metabolism of which this tissue is capable. This unusually stable preparation appears to be attractive as a system for the study of relatively long-term effects of hormones in vitro. Brown resembles white adipose tissue in that insulin exerts an antilipolytic effect on both types of tissue in Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer in the absence of added glucose. On the other hand, insulin stimulates the oxygen consumption of brown but not white adipose tissue under these conditions. A procedure is described for the rapid and nearly quantitative removal of the interscapular brown adipose tissue from a rat, virtually free of contamination by muscle or white adipose tissue.
The transfer pricing concerns of developed and developing countries

Abstract Are concerns about transfer pricing, income shifting, and inequitable tax allocations exaggerated in recent accounting and tax literature? A survey of 47 countries provides evidence that transfer pricing issues are of genuine and increasing concern to the governments of both developed and developing countries. One recommendation to curtail transfer pricing manipulations is to develop standardized transfer pricing policy and procedures to be implemented globally. A second suggestion is to mandate increased disclosures about the magnitude and effects of transfer pricing on subsidiary income and tax liabilities in the financial reports of transnational corporations engaging in cross-border transactions. However, as long as some countries continue to operate as tax havens, income shifting by TNCs is tacitly encouraged and will continue unabated. Concurrent with globally acceptable standards must be the gradual elimination of tax rate differentials that contribute to income shifting and the inevitable misallocation of tax revenues.
The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction: A lethal mechanism involving anhydrite target rocks

The Chicxulub Crater, Yucatan, Mexico, is a leading contender as the site for the impact event that caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) extinctions. A considerable thickness of anhydrite (CaSO4) forms part of the target rock. High temperatures resulting from impact would drive SO2 off from the anhydrite. Hundreds of billions of tonnes of sulfuric acid aerosol would thus enter the stratosphere and cause considerable cooling of the Earth's surface, decrease photosynthesis by orders of magnitude, deplete the ozone layer, and permit increased UV radiation to reach the Earth's surface. Finally, the aerosol would fall back to Earth as acid rain and devastate land and some lacustrine biota and near-surface marine creatures. The presence of anhydrite in the Chicxulub target rock may thus help explain the many extinctions observed at the K-T boundary.
Photoconductivity of irradiated LiF

Abstract Photoconductivity was observed in irradiated LiF. The peak position shifted to longer wavelengths with increasing dose and appears to be due to an impurity defect center.
Beetle assemblages in ponds: effects of habitat and site age

Summary 1 Water beetle assemblages were sampled in each of 18 freshwater ponds, including 11 recently constructed sites designed to provide mitigation for wetlands destruction elsewhere, and seven older reference sites. There were three objectives: (a) to relate taxon richness and biomass of the beetles to the same properties of the wider aquatic invertebrate community, (b) to evaluate changes in beetle assemblage structure over time, and (c) to determine habitat effects on taxonomic composition, mean body size and trophic guild structure of the beetle assemblage. 2 Forty-seven beetle genera were identified, representing 77 species. The beetles represented an average of 21.5% of total generic richness, but only 3.7% of total wet biomass of the wider invertebrate community. 3 Of all variables evaluated using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), site age had the greatest influence on the beetle assemblage. Predatory dytiscids were early colonists at younger sites, while herbivorous curculionids and chrysomelids associated with particular types of vegetation typically occurred in older ponds. Mitigation ponds and reference ponds supported similar numbers of species. Reference sites, however, harboured substantially more unique species found at only a single site within the study area. 4 The presence of fish was also strongly related to beetle assemblage structure. Ponds with few or no fish contained about 3-fold higher biomass and 3-fold greater mean wet weight per individual compared to ponds with substantial fish assemblages. 5 Beetle assemblage composition varied among sites and sampling years, but beetle biomass, richness and species composition may be useful tools in evaluating the success of wetland mitigation efforts.
Tricritical behavior at the isotropic-nematic transition☆

Abstract It is argued on the basis of a reexamination of the Landau-de Gennes theory and with reference to experimental data that the isotropic-nematic transition exhibits pretransitional fluctuations characteristics of a tricritical point.
A constitutive model of saturated soils for frost heave simulations

Abstract It is argued that the volume increase of frost-susceptible soils due to ice growth during freezing can be described by a phenomenological model without resorting to the micromechanical processes causing the ice growth. Judging from solid mechanics' experience, such model may prove to be more accurate in predictions of frost heave than models based on micromechanical processes (single ice lens formation). A particular model based on a porosity rate function is described. This approach, suggested earlier by Blanchard and Fremond (1985), is extended to include more factors affecting ice growth during freezing of frost susceptible soils. Results of simulations of a one-dimensional freezing process are shown to illustrate the main features of the model and its potential applicability. Although a quantitative verification of the model was not possible, as sufficient data from lab tests were not available to calibrate it, the numerical results indicate a very realistic response of samples to simulated freezing processes.
Rat plasma levels of amino acids and related compounds during stress.

Abstract Forty-one amino acids and related compounds were measured (using an HPLC physiological amino acid analysis procedure fully validated for plasma studies) in rat plasma obtained through an indwelling jugular catheter before, during and following a 30 min period of immobilization. Taurine, phosphoethanolamine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine, cystine, tyrosine, β-alanine and ethonolamine were increased during the period of stress; whereas, valine, tryptophan and arginine were decreased. Most of these alterations were restored toward normal during the 30 min of rest following the stress period. However, cystine, ethanolamine and β-alanine remained significantly elevated, and valine, tryptophan and arginine remained significantly reduced. Serine, isoleucine, leucine and glutamine were not significantly altered during the stress period, but became significantly reduced during the 30 min following the stress period. While the patterns of amino acid alterations were generally consistent from animal to animal, the magnitude of the responses were variable with some rats demonstrating much larger responses than others. These results may implicate amino acids as important markers for stress related pathologies. The individual differences noticed may explain why some individuals show more stress effects than others.
The role of antioxidants in the era of cardio-oncology

Although most chemotherapeutic drugs have the potential to exert cardiotoxicity, these drugs have been chosen for use in cancer treatment because survival and curability benefits outweigh the risk of these complications. Anthracyclines, for example, are a powerful class of chemotherapeutic agents; however, their use is restricted by dose-related cardiotoxicity. Experimental evidence strongly supports the role of reactive oxygen species in this process, suggesting that antioxidants may be effective in protecting the heart from toxicity. Clinical use of antioxidants to protect the heart during anthracycline chemotherapy has been controversial due to the potential for reduced cytotoxic efficacy toward cancer cells. Results from randomized clinical trials addressing whether antioxidants either reduce the incidence of clinical heart failure among patients undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy or reduce the response rates to anthracycline-based chemotherapy have been unclear. While anthracyclines are by far the most well-studied antitumor agents with cardiotoxic properties, evidence now shows that reactive oxygen species may play roles in cardiotoxicity induced by other chemotherapeutic agents such as cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and trastuzumab. Thus, in the new era of combination therapy and long-term survival of cancer patients, the use of antioxidants to support cancer therapy should be revisited.
Method to perform IV injections on mice using the facial vein.

A novel technique for gaining IV access in a mouse model is presented. Using a cut-down approach, the facial vein is identified through an incision from anterior to the external auditory meatus to posterior to the lateral ispilateral canthus. A small gage needle (30 gauge) may be inserted to inject medications. A high success rate (93%) as determined by direct visualization is achieved. The technique would prove especially useful for animals slated for kinematic testing as the incision does not interfere with the animal's ventral surface.
The Effects of Early Chest Tube Placement on Empyema Resolution

Study objectives The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the timing of chest tube insertion on outcome for the treatment of empyema, using a new animal model of empyema. Design A prospective, controlled randomized, blinded design was used. Setting The study was conducted in an animal research laboratory. Patients or participants Sixty-six 2- to 3-kg rabbits were used in this study. Interventions After induction of empyema, the rabbits were divided into four groups. Fourteen rabbits had chest tubes placed at 24 h after empyema induction. Seventeen rabbits had chest tubes placed at 48 h and 14 rabbits had chest tubes placed at 72 h after empyema induction. Twenty-one rabbits served as control rabbits and had no chest tubes placed. Measurements and results Ten days after induction of empyema, the rabbits were killed. The pleural spaces of each rabbit were examined and a gross score, pleural peel score, and a microscopic score were calculated for each rabbit. The median gross score, mean pleural peel score, and median microscopic scores were significantly higher in the rabbits that underwent late chest tube placement (72 h) relative to those that underwent early chest tube placement (24 or 48 h). Conclusions This study supports previous expert opinion statements and conclusions from retrospective analyses that early chest tube placement (relative to delayed chest tube placement) is beneficial for the treatment of empyema.
In vitro degradation and stabilization of the glucocorticoid binding component from mouse fibroblasts.

Abstract The stability characteristics of both the triamcinolone acetonide-bound and unbound forms of the gincocorticoid binding component (receptor) found in mouse fibroblasts was examined in vitro . Degradation is markedly temperature-dependent, and the bound form is more stable than the unbound form. No evidence could be obtained suggesting enzyme degradation occurs, and we believe it is a physical process. High concentrations of glycerol or glucose (more than 10%) stabilize the bound form of the receptor, but have no effect on the thermal stability of the unbound form. Low concentrations (1 mM) of certain glucose metabolites (glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-1,6-diphosphate, and ribose-5-phosphate) stabilize fresh preparations of the unbound receptor, but have no effect on the bound form. Evidence has been obtained showing that the unbound receptor changes with time in its thermal stability properties when kept in vitro at 0°, even though it retains much of its ability to bind steroids. The bound form of the receptor, kept in vitro at 0°, does not undergo any change in its thermal stability properties.
Dosimetric comparison of three photon radiosurgery techniques for an elongated ellipsoid target

Abstract Purpose: To examine the dosimetric differences among three radiosurgery techniques: gamma knife, linac multiple arcs, and conformally-shaped static fields. Methods and Materials: A simulated target was taken to be a prolate ellipsoid, 25 mm in diameter, 35 mm in length, centrally located in a three-dimensional (3D) model of a patient head taken from MR images. Single isocenter linac treatment plans were developed, 9 portals for the static shaped field technique, and a 7-arc plan for the multiple arc method. A total of 13 isocenters with 3 different collimators were used in the gamma knife plan. Results: At dose levels from 25% to 50% of the reference dose, multiple arc and shaped-field plans treated a greater volume than the gamma knife plan. The linac plans, however, delivered the dose more homogeneously across the target volume as compared to the gamma knife plan. For the dose levels between 50–100%, the shaped fields and gamma knife plan have a similar dose distribution, and treated slightly less volume than the multiple arc plan. Conclusion: For a target of limited volume and essentially any shape, one can obtain closely conformal dosimetry with the gamma knife. For a regular-shaped target, the single isocenter multiple arc technique gives a more homogenous dose distribution within the target. Static shaped fields offer an alternative radiosurgery technique, with dosimetry similar to the multiple arc method, applicable to targets of any shape.
Mass spectra of bicyclic terpenoid ketones

Examination of fragmentation patterns of five bicyclic ketones containing cyclopropane rings and their deuterated analogs indicates that similarity in structure gives minimal similarity in fragmentation. No generalizations can be made concerning either the loss of similar fragments or their deuterium content.
Phosphine-nitrile ligands: the molecular structure of cis-2-diphenylphosphino-1-cyanocyclopentane and studies of the donor/acceptor properties of this and related ligands

Abstract The cis and trans isomers of the previously reported 2-diphenylphosphino-1-cyanocyclo-pentane and -cyclohexane have been separated, and three of the four isomers have been obtained (both isomers of the former and one of the latter) as pure samples. An X-ray study of the Ph2PC 5H8CN isomer with the more-shielded 31P chemical shift proved it to be the cis isomer. A prominent feature observed for the structure is that the CN group is directed toward the phosphorus lone pair. Van der Waals and molecular mechanics calculations have suggested that the corresponding trans isomer has a structure in which the CN group is in general directed away from the phosphorus lone pair. Cone angle calculations based on the X-ray structure and calculated geometries of both cis and trans Ph2C5H8CN as well as the analogous Ph2C5H8(R) (R = H, CH3) have provided values between 150° and 173° with the cis isomers having larger angles than the trans. Nonaqueous titrations have been used to determine pKa values for the three cycloalkane-nitrile phosphines, and values between 2.44 and 2.52 have been obtained. IR and NMR studies of the Ni(CO)3L complexes of these three ligands have been completed, and the results indicate that these ligands are similar in effect to PhP(OR)2. Both PdII and PtII complexes (all trans geometries) of these ligands have been obtained, and the P-N chelates (Pd) of the corresponding methyl imino ethers (from trans Ph2C5H8CN and Ph2PC6H10CN) have also been isolated.
Achieving Large Uniform Tensile Ductility in Nanocrystalline Metals

Synchrotron x-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy revealed the origin of different strain hardening behaviors (and dissimilar tensile ductility) in nanocrystalline Ni and nanocrystalline Co. Planar defect accumulations and texture evolution were observed in Co but not in Ni, suggesting that interfacial defects are an effective passage to promote strain hardening in truly nanograins. Twinning becomes less significant in Co when grain sizes reduce to below ~15 nm. This study offers insights into achieving excellent mechanical properties in nanocrystalline materials.
Relationship between schizophrenic thinking and MMPI for process and reactive patients

This study examined the relationship between Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) and MMPI performance in 25 male Process and Reactive schizophrenic inpatients. The results demonstrated a correlation between the WIST index and the Sc scale of the MMPI (r = .54, p less than .05) for Process patients only. Other MMPI scales highly correlated with each other also correlated with WIST index for the Process group. The lack of association between WIST and MMPI scales for Reactive patients was interpreted as suggesting a high degree of behavioral disorganization in these patients. Other results, i.e., lack of correlation between time and error scores on the WIST and high variability of time scores on the WIST, suggest that part of this disorganization for the Reactive patients may be understood in terms of disrupted pacing of behavior with respect to time, a process that may be related to the intrusion of irrelevant event processing.
Adventitious Effect of Air in Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization: Air-Induced (Reverse) Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Methacrylates in the Absence of an Added Initiator

The effect of air on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of phenethyl methacrylate (PEMA) was investigated. The results indicated that air alone induced polymerization in the absence of an added initiator with the ATRP catalyst complexes NiBr2(Pn-Bu3)2 and Cu(n)Xn/ligand (n = 1, 2; X = Cl, Br; ligand = dipyridyl (dpy) or pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA)) at high temperatures. Molecular weights of the polymers were not predictable, but the polydispersities were low. Polymers with very low polydispersities (1.08) and high molecular weights (704 000) were obtained with CuCl2/PMDETA catalyst complex. The results indicate that a reverse ATRP mechanism is probably involved in the air-induced polymerization. The extension of the air-induced polymerization to n-butyl methacrylate shows that the air-induced polymerization should be generic for methacrylates.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2β,3α-(substituted phenyl)nortropanes as potential norepinephrine transporter imaging agents

Abstract A series of 2β,3α-(substituted phenyl)nortropanes was synthesized and evaluated in vitro for human monoamine transporters. All compounds studied in this series exhibited nanomolar potency for the norepinephrine transporter (NET). Radiolabeling and nonhuman primate microPET brain imaging studies were performed with the most promising compound, [11C]1, to determine its utility as a NET imaging agent. Despite high in vitro affinity for the human NET, the high uptake of [11C]1 in the caudate and putamen excludes its use as an in vivo PET imaging agent for the NET.
Use of Grooved Microchannels to Improve the Performance of Membrane-Less Fuel Cells

In this work, the fluid dynamics within a membrane-less microchannel fuel cell is analyzed computationally. The membrane-less design is a result of the laminar nature of the fluid flow at small Reynolds numbers, restricting the fuel and oxidant to the vicinity of the corresponding electrodes, without the need of a proton exchange membrane (PEM). However, the performance of such cells is limited by the slow diffusive mass transport near the electrodes, with a large fraction of the reactants leaving the channel without coming in contact with the catalytic surfaces, and thus not being used. We mitigate this problem through the introduction of channel surface modification consisting of angled grooves designed to create convective flows that direct the reactants toward the active surfaces. The grooved structures are optimized for maximum fuel utilization. Operation of this type of cells at Peclet numbers close to 2,500 leads to a performance doubling compared with unmodified cells. Moreover, this increase in efficiency is accompanied by a more uniform distribution of the current across the electrodes, reducing the possibility of hot spots being developed.
Magnetic and transport properties of Nd-Ce-Cu-M-O (M=Fe, Ni, Zn) in the normal state

Abstract Magnetization, resistivity and magnetoresistivity measurements were performed on the bulk samples of Nd 2− x Ce x Cu 1− y M y O 4 , where M is Fe, Ni, or Zn. The normal state magnetic susceptibility of Ce doped samples is analyzed by taking into account the crystal field effects on Nd 3+ ions as well as the contribution from Cu 2+ ions. The magnetic susceptibility of Nd 1.85 Ce 0.15 Cu 1− y M y O 4 samples followed the Curie-Weiss law between 50 K and 300 K. For Fe and Ni substitutions the magnitude of the effective moments obtained are 2.2μ B and 2μ B respectively. While the former indicates that Fe is in low-spin trivalent state, the latter is found to agree well with the high-spin Ni 2+ in the tetrahedral crystal field as well as low-spin Ni 3+ in the square planar crystal field. For Zn substituted samples the effective magnetic moment remained almost constant about 0.8μ B . This value is associated with the magnetic moment of the Cu 2+ ions. This assignment is consistent with the value of Cu magnetic moment obtained from Fe and Ni substituted samples. The resistivity of all samples in the normal state varied logarithmically with temperature. The observed quadratic dependence of the magnetoresistivity with the applied field signifies the dominance of electron-electron interactions between the conduction electrons.
Electrospinning of l-tyrosine polyurethanes for potential biomedical applications

Abstract Biodegradable segmented l -tyrosine polyurethanes (LTUs) have been developed using a tyrosine based chain extender desaminotyrosine-tyrosyl-hexyl ester (DTH). Two such biodegradable LTUs, polycaprolactone diol-hexamethylene diisocyanate-desaminotyrosine-tyrosyl-hexyl-ester (PCL- L -DTH) and polycaprolactone diol-4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate)-desaminotyrosine-tyrosyl-hexyl-ester (PCL- C -DTH), have been electrospun, and the effect of solution concentration on the membrane properties has been examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that fiber diameter and structural morphology of the electrospun LTU membranes are a function of the polymer solution concentration. It has been observed all concentrations of PCL- L -DTH lead to the formation of beaded nanofibers; whereas, PCL- C -DTH polyurethane leads to the formation of non-beaded fibers with diameters in the micrometer range. Furthermore, the average fiber diameter enlarges with an increase in the polymer solution concentration. Hydrolytic degradation studies show similar mass loss profiles for both PCL- L -DTH and PCL- C -DTH polyurethane membranes over a period of 28 days. However, the loss of structure and morphology is more readily observed in the case of PCL- L -DTH membranes. Based on the results obtained from this investigation, the electrospun non-woven LTU membranes show excellent potential for biomedical applications such as formulation of drug/gene delivery devices and tissue engineering scaffolds.
Enhanced sediment delivery in a changing climate in semi-arid mountain basins: Implications for water resource management and aquatic habitat in the northern Rocky Mountains

The delivery and transport of sediment through mountain rivers affects aquatic habitat and water resource infrastructure. While climate change is widely expected to produce significant changes in hydrology and stream temperature, the effects of climate change on sediment yield have received less attention. In the northern Rocky Mountains, we expect climate change to increase sediment yield primarily through changes in temperature and hydrology that promote vegetation disturbances (i.e., wildfire, insect/pathogen outbreak, drought-related die off). Here, we synthesize existing data from central Idaho to explore (1) how sediment yields are likely to respond to climate change in semi-arid basins influenced by wildfire, (2) the potential consequences for aquatic habitat and water resource infrastructure, and (3) prospects for mitigating sediment yields in forest basins. Recent climate-driven increases in the severity and extent of wildfire suggest that basin-scale sediment yields within the next few years to decades could be greater than the long-term average rate of 146 T km-2 year-1 observed for central Idaho. These elevated sediment yields will likely impact downstream reservoirs, which were designed under conditions of historically lower sediment yield. Episodic erosional events (massive debris flows) that dominate post-fire sediment yields are impractical to mitigate, leaving road restoration as the most viable management opportunity for offsetting climate-related increases in sediment yield. However, short-term sediment yields from experimental basins with roads are three orders of magnitude smaller than those from individual fire-related events (on the order of 101 T km-2 year-1 compared to 104 T km-2 year-1, respectively, for similar contributing areas), suggesting that road restoration would provide a relatively minor reduction in sediment loads at the basin-scale. Nevertheless, the ecologically damaging effects of fine sediment (material