cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TEM study of Locations of Cu in CdTe Solar Cells

Using scanning transmission electron microscopy and nanoprobe X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy, we studied the locations of Cu in CdTe solar cells and test interfaces with intentionally introduced Cu sources. We found three primary locations of Cu: 1) back-contact region, 2) CdTe layer, and 3) CdTe/CdS junction areas. In the back-contact region, Cu diffused from back-contact can convert the Te-rich layer into Cu-Te compounds. In the CdTe layer, a higher concentration of Cu is found to distribute along grain boundaries, but not in twin boundaries and stacking faults. In the CdTe/CdS junction area, Cu is found uniformly in the CdS layer. However, significant segregation of Cu into CdS/TCO interfaces is also found.
Visualization of conformational changes of linear short-chain polyethylenes under shear and elongational flows.

Abstract We have performed nonequilibrium molecular dynamic simulations of the linear short-chain polyethylene liquids C 24 H 50 , C 50 H 102 , C 78 H 158 , and C 128 H 258 under homogenous shear and elongational flows. We present visualizations of the molecular structure of each of the four liquids under shear and elongation, and compare them with their equilibrium static structures. These graphics provide a structural understanding of the various statistical measures that have been used in the literature to characterize the change in chain conformation as a function of strain rate and chain length. Moreover, these graphics allow a visualization of the inherent chain dynamics and orientation induced by shear and elongational flows. We discuss the molecular-level mechanisms apparent in the graphics.
Stereoscopic augmented reality for laparoscopic surgery

Background Conventional laparoscopes provide a flat representation of the three-dimensional (3D) operating field and are incapable of visualizing internal structures located beneath visible organ surfaces. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) images are difficult to fuse in real time with laparoscopic views due to the deformable nature of soft-tissue organs. Utilizing emerging camera technology, we have developed a real-time stereoscopic augmented-reality (AR) system for laparoscopic surgery by merging live laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) with stereoscopic video. The system creates two new visual cues: (1) perception of true depth with improved understanding of 3D spatial relationships among anatomical structures, and (2) visualization of critical internal structures along with a more comprehensive visualization of the operating field.
CRELD2: Gene mapping, alternate splicing, and comparative genomic identification of the promoter region

CRELD2 is the second member of the CRELD family of proteins. The only other CRELD family member, encoded by CRELD1, is also known as the AVSD2 gene as mutations in CRELD1 are associated with cardiac atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD). Like CRELD1, CRELD2 is ubiquitously expressed during development and by mature tissues. Recently, a specific CRELD2 isoform (CRELD2beta) was implicated as a regulator of alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression, suggesting that the CRELD family has widely diverse biological roles in both developmental events and subsequent cell function. Here we report additional characterization of CRELD2, which was undertaken to further our understanding of this important family. Mapping of CRELD2 by FISH shows that it maps to 22q13 rather than the GenBank reported locus of 22p13. Comparative genomic analysis of upstream sequences shows a discrete region that is highly conserved among diverse species with hallmark features indicative of a promoter region. Functional analysis demonstrates that this region has promoter activity. Consistent with widespread expression of CRELD2, this region is GC-rich and lacks a TATA box. Overall, the highest levels of CRELD2 expression occur in adult endocrine tissues. However, alternative splicing of CRELD2 is extensive with positive identification of several splice variants expressed by most normal fetal and adult tissues. Confirmed splice variants encode 5 different CRELD2 isoforms that differ significantly in composition indicating that CRELD2 function is varied and as yet poorly understood.
Sequential effects of chronic human PTH (1-84) treatment of estrogen-deficiency osteopenia in the rat.

Although daily injections of parathyroid hormone (PTH) can rapidly reverse estrogen-deficiency bone loss in rats, PTH treatment of osteoporotic humans has to date produced more modest increases in bone mass. To explore the reasons for this important difference, we evaluated the dose- and time-dependence of human PTH 1-84 treatment effects on bone mass and biochemical markers of bone metabolism in rats with estrogen-deficiency bone loss. The highest doses of PTH increased spinal, femoral, and total skeletal mass to supra-normal levels and stimulated cortical endosteal bone formation. Spine and whole skeleton mass and density increased rapidly at first, but then increased more slowly ; the rate of change decreased significantly (p < 0.01) during continued treatment with the highest doses of PTH. The effects of PTH treatment on biochemical markers also were both dose-dependent and time-dependent. Serum osteocalcin, a marker of osteoblast function, increased with the highest doses of PTH (p < 0.001), but reached an early plateau and later returned toward baseline. Urinary excretion of pyridinolines, a marker of osteoclast function, increased in a time-dependent fashion throughout treatment (p < 0.001). Serum 1,25(OH) 2 vitamin D levels increased in a dose-related fashion, but then decreased toward control levels despite continued treatment. We demonstrate that both osteoblast and osteoclast function are increased during daily PTH therapy in the rat. The pattern of response depends on both the dose of PTH and the duration of therapy. These dose- and time-related effects should be taken into account when designing experimental PTH treatments for osteoporosis, and they deserve intensive study.
Inhibition of leukocyte adherence by anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody attenuates reperfusion injury in the rabbit ear

Abstract Tissue injury resulting from ischemia and reperfusion forms the basis of several important disorders including myocardial infarction, stroke, and circulatory shock. To examine the role of neutrophils in this process and to determine the extent to which injury is a consequence of reperfusion, we utilized the monoclonal antibody 60.3, directed to CD18, the human leukocyte adherence glycoprotein, to block intravascular neutrophil aggregation and neutrophil adherence to endothelium in a rabbit model of tissue ischemia and reperfusion. Antibody treatment either before ischemia or after ischemia, but prior to reperfusion, resulted in the same degree of significant protection against endothelial, microvascular, and tissue injury. We conclude that neutrophils and increased neutrophil adhesiveness are important in the development of microvascular and tissue injury after ischemia and reperfusion and that under these circumstances, injury is primarily a consequence of reperfusion.
Effect of alkalinization of lidocaine on median nerve block.

Median nerve blocks were performed in 10 volunteers in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study to compare the effects of 1% plain lidocaine with 1% lidocaine in sodium bicarbonate 0.1 mmol litre-1. Sensations of hot, cold, pinprick and light touch, compound motor and sensory nerve action potentials, and skin temperature were assessed at 2-min intervals. pH was 6.4 +/- 0.1 for plain lidocaine and 7.7 +/- 0.2 for alkalinized lidocaine (P
Signal processing for robust speech recognition

This paper describes a series of cepstral-based compensation procedures that render the SPHINX-II system more robust with respect to acoustical environment. The first algorithm, phone-dependent cepstral compensation, is similar in concept to the previously-described MFCDCN method, except that cepstral compensation vectors are selected according to the current phonetic hypothesis, rather than on the basis of SNR or VQ codeword identity. We also describe two procedures to accomplish adaptation of the VQ codebook for new environments, as well as the use of reduced-bandwidth frequency analysis to process telephone-bandwidth speech. Use of the various compensation algorithms in consort produces a reduction of error rates for SPHINX-II by as much as 40 percent relative to the rate achieved with cepstral mean normalization alone, in both development test sets and in the context of the 1993 ARPA CSR evaluations.
The separation of nucleotides and their derivatives by continuous free-flow electrophoresis

Abstract A semimicro preparative electrophoretic method for the isolation of nucleotides and their derivatives is described. The instrument used is a continuous-flow electrophoretic separator (model FF, Brinkmann). The method is applicable to separation of ( 1 ) mono-, di-, and triphosphates of a nucleoside, ( 2 ) individual mononucleotides from their mixtures, ( 3 ) various digestion products of deoxyadenylic pentanucleotide, and ( 4 ) pairs of some dinucleotides and their dephosphorylation products.
NL Assistant: A Toolkit for Developing Natural Language: Applications

We will be demonstrating a toolkit for developing natural language-based applications and two applications. The goals of this toolkit are to reduce development time and cost for natural language based applications by reducing the amount of linguistic and programming work needed. Linguistic work has been reduced by integrating large-scale linguistics resources--Comlex (Grishman, et. al., 1993) and WordNet (Miller, 1990). Programming work is reduced by automating some of the programming tasks. The toolkit is designed for both speechand textbased interface applications. It runs in a Windows NT environment. Applications can run in either Windows NT or Unix.
Identification And Control Of Flexible-Limb Robots With Unknown Loads

This paper addresses the problem of controlling a flexible limb robot with an unknown load. The robot considered contains a single link. A lumped-parameter model is developed and a scheme is presented for rapid identification of these parameters (including load). Algorithms are then presented for updating the state estimator and the controller as the load changes. A complete adaptive closed-loop system is proposed.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Policy, Politics, and the Local Internet

Today, those who hope to transform society have a wide range of technologies at their disposal, not least the Internet. Yet some time ago, Thomas More set out to transform society using only an egg incubator. In the book that provided the genre of utopianism with its name, More’s 16th century Latin best seller Utopia (1516/ 1965), technology appears only glancingly. The perfectly happy Utopians thought that the only implication of the egg incubator was eggs: More’s imaginary future was made possible not through technology but through social organization. Five hundred years later, it seems that the implications of technology are more than eggs, and technology is thought to produce transformative social change. Each of the articles in this volume considers change and the Internet: specifically, how those in different societies have tried to define it, predict it, use it, and control how it can be used. Each of these articles also addresses utopianism, and tries to find the cultural locations where our visions of Internet technology make their home. This research puzzles over the interpenetration of technology and social organization. Taken together, these three stories tell us how the Internet in St. Petersburg is a different Internet than the one in Washington, D.C. or Singapore. Even if the wires and computers are identical, each culture uses the Internet and public policy to pursue a private utopia. In these accounts, while everyone cares about progress, one nation dreams of a new capitalism, another of a streamlined public opinion. Thomas More’s Utopians dreamed of many things, but eggs and technology were merely footnotes. “Technological utopianism” has become a commonly unexamined catchphrase in the scholarly study of technology, and the practice of this utopianism is a mundane part of public policy. A utopian narrative presents an ideal future, and as such it is social criticism of the present. Stories of perfect future societies suggest
The distribution of inflation forecast errors

Abstract This paper investigates the cross-sectional distribution of inflation forecasts errors over the period 1984–2007. Our working hypothesis is that the Fed's movement toward greater transparency starting in the mid-1990s likely affected both the distribution of forecast errors and the location of the Fed's staff forecasts within that distribution. This paper builds on earlier work which compared Fed forecasts to the mean or median of private sector forecasts by examining the entire distribution of forecasts. By examining the entire distribution we are able to compare the forecasting record of particular forecasters against a record comprised of randomly assigned forecasts from the Survey of Professional Forecasters. Since the Fed's move toward greater transparency beginning in 1994, its forecasting record is no longer significantly better than the forecasting record comprised of randomly assigned forecasts.
Development and preliminary application of a homologous radioimmunoassay for bullfrog prolactin.

Abstract A homologous radioimmunoassay (RIA) with high sensitivity was developed for bullfrog prolactin (fPRL). The fPRL used for immunization, iodination, and reference preparation was obtained by disc gel electrophoresis of frog anterior pituitaries. Bullfrog growth hormone (fGH) showed minimal cross-reactivity, and plasma from hypophysectomized frogs had no detectable immunoreactive PRL. The antiserum to fPRL inactivated biologically active PRL in tadpoles and caused accelerated metamorphosis [Clemons, G. K., and Nicoll, C. S. (1977). Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 31, 495–497.]. The levels of immunoreactive fPRL were determined in individual whole pituitaries and in pooled plasma samples from Rana catesbeiana tadpoles through metamorphic climax (Taylor-Kollros stages XXI–XXV). Pituitary PRL rose slowly from the emergence of the forelegs through stage XXIII and then increased markedly in stage XXIV. Circulating levels paralleled pituitary content, except that the rise during stage XXIV was less pronounced.
Strength and Elastic Modulus of a Randomly-Distributed Short Fiber Composite:

Experimental results for tests of strength and elastic modulus of a randomly-distributed short fiber composite are reported in this paper. Three different tests were employed: tension, 3-point flexure, and 4-point flexure. A statistical approach based on Weibull distribution was applied to account for the difference between tensile and flexural test results. Mate rial variation, as exhibited in the experimental scatter for elastic modulus, and its effect on strength were shown not to be negligible. Test results also showed wider experimental scatter than observed with continuous fiber composites. Consequently considerable penalty had to be paid by reducing the design strength in order to assure the same level of confidence and reliability.
Discoveries in oxygenic photosynthesis (1727-2003): a perspective.

We present historic discoveries and important observations, related to oxygenic photosynthesis, from 1727 to 2003. The decision to include certain discoveries while omitting others has been difficult. We are aware that ours is an incomplete timeline. In part, this is because the function of this list is to complement, not duplicate, the listing of discoveries in the other papers in these history issues of Photosynthesis Research. In addition, no one can know everything that is in the extensive literature in the field. Furthermore, any judgement about significance presupposes a point of view. This history begins with the observation of the English clergyman Stephen Hales (1677–1761) that plants derive nourishment from the air; it includes the definitive experiments in the 1960–1965 period establishing the two-photosystem and two-light reaction scheme of oxygenic photosynthesis; and includes the near-atomic resolution of the structures of the reaction centers of these two Photosystems, I and II, obtained in 2001–2002 by a team in Berlin, Germany, coordinated by Horst Witt and Wolfgang Saenger. Readers are directed to historical papers in Govindjee and Gest [(2002a) Photosynth Res 73: 1–308], in Govindjee, J. Thomas Beatty and Howard Gest [(2003a) Photosynth Res 76: 1–462], and to other papers in this volume for a more complete picture. Several photographs are provided here. Their selection is based partly on their availability to the authors (see Figures 1-15). Readers may view other photographs in Part 1 (Volume 73, Photosynth Res, 2002), Part 2 (Volume 76, Photosynth Res, 2003) and Part 3 (Volume 80, Photosynth Res, 2004) of the history issues of Photosynthesis Research. Photographs of most of the Nobel-laureates are included in Govindjee, Thomas Beatty and John Allen, this volume. For a complementary time line of anoxygenic photosynthesis, see H. Gest and R. Blankenship (this volume).
Effect of local oxygen activity on Ni-BaTiO3 interfacial reactions

Abstract This investigation discovers a discrete metallic alloy layer containing Ni, Ti, and Ba between Ni and BaTiO 3 co-fired in reducing atmospheres at ∼1300 °C along with an oxygen-depleted zone in BaTiO 3 adjacent to the metallic layer. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy, detailed structural and chemical analyses of the metallic layer are carried out. With complementary thermodynamic approximations, these observations render an assessment of the local effective oxygen partial pressure, which is considerably lower than the external, ambient processing environment. Through a set of model experiments on Ni–BaTiO 3 –carbon composites, we illustrate that the presence of carbon is sufficient to reduce locally BaTiO 3 and form the observed metallic layer at ∼1300 °C. A phase stability analysis indicates that the formation of the Ba and Ni–Ti liquid phases provides a kinetic path for the interfacial reaction.
Suppression of essential tremor by propranolol: correlation of effect with drug plasma levels and intensity of beta-adrenergic blockade.

Propranolol was given intravenously to 6 adult patients with essential tremor, using a bolus-infusion regimen for rapid production and maintenance of predicted drug plasma levels. Tremor in the outstretched hand was quantitated by integration of the waveform signal recorded from a miniature accelerometer. Propranolol had no effect on tremor frequency (6 to 8 cps), but it suppressed tremor amplitude in all patients in direct proportion to the drug's plasma concentration and to the intensity of beta-adrenergic blockade produced. Among this group of patients the maximal tremor decrease occurred at plasma levels of about 100 ng per milliliter and varied widely between individuals (18 to 85%), implying that the efficacy of propranolol therapy in essential tremor depends on both the plasma drug level and the innate sensitivity of the disorder in the individual patient.
Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the risk of febrile UTI in children with asymptomatic antenatal hydronephrosis with either ureteral dilation, high-grade vesicoureteral reflux, or ureterovesical junction obstruction.

Abstract Background The efficacy and utility of continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP) in children with congenital antenatal hydronephrosis (ANH) is uncertain. The literature has both supportive and contradictory evidence. The growing trend not to place children with ANH on CAP has created varied clinical practice based on anecdotal individual case characteristics. Our goal was to compare individual infant characteristics between those children who were maintained on CAP to those that were not to try to determine predisposing risk factors to febrile. Methods All electronic medical records (EMRs) of children referred to our institution for congenital ANH over a period from 2001 to 2011 were examined. We excluded those referred for urinary tract infection (UTI) who had a history of congenital ANH. We also excluded those with incomplete records, or follow-up less than 2 years. Children were divided into two groups: those maintained on CAP (YCAP) and those not maintained on CAP (NCAP). Our primary endpoint was febrile UTI. Follow-up was at least 24 months. Demographic, perinatal and postnatal clinical data were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA Version 11.1. Results Of the 405 children fitting inclusion criteria, 278 (68.6%) children were maintained on CAP and 127 (31.4%) were not on CAP. The incidence of prematurity, oligohydramnios, perinatal respiratory complications, use of perinatal antibiotics, circumcision status, renal anomalies, associated medical diagnoses, and low birth weight did not differ between the two groups. Overall the incidence of febrile UTI during the follow-up period was 22.2%. The incidence of febrile UTI between the YCAP and NCAP groups was significant (YCAP = 7.9% and NCAP 18.7%, p = 0.021). Multivariate logistic regression using CAP as the dichotomous dependent variable revealed that ureteral dilation, high-grade vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), and ureterovesical junction (UVJ) obstruction were independent risk factors for febrile UTI. More specifically, children with ureteral dilation >11 mm NOT maintained on CAP had a 5.54 (OR = 5.54; CI = 3.15–7.42, p = 0.001) fold increased risk of febrile UTI compared to those maintained on CAP. Conclusions The presence of ureteral dilation, high grade VUR, and UVJ obstruction were independent risk factors for development of UTI in children with congenital ANH. Therefore CAP may have a significant role in reducing the risk of febrile UTI in children with ANH with those identifiable risk factors, but otherwise seems unnecessary.
Origins of origins of motor control

Examination of infant spontaneous and goal-directed arm movements supports Feldman and Levin's hypothesis of a functional hierarchy. Early infant movements are dominated by biomechanical and dynamic factors without external frames of reference. Development involves not only learning to generate these frames of reference, but also protecting the higher-level goal of the movement from internal and external perturbations.
Effects of integrative memorial and cognitive processes on the correspondence of eyewitness accuracy and confidence

Reported correlations between accuracy and certainty of eyewitness identifications are sometimes positive, but equally often nil. Examination of theory and research in eyewitness, cognitive, and social psychology suggests that these discrepancies are due to differential instigation of integrative memorial and cognitive processes across eyewitness situations. These processes occur unconsciously and therefore may alter either memory or confidence independently of each other. As a result, accuracy-confidence correspondence should be inversely related to the extensiveness of reconstructive memory processes (which change memory but not confidence) and/or suggestive social influences (which change confidence but not memory). Noncorrespondence is expected when memory is altered by inconsistent information, a criminal stereotype, or a descriptive label of the suspect; or when confidence is altered by factors that promote commitment to testimony or trust in facial memory. It is suggested that police and lawyers avoid behaviors that facilitate these effects and that, along with jurors and possibly even witnesses, they be informed that confidence is often a poor index of accuracy.
An evaluation of cardiorespiratory effects of posture in the dental outpatient.

T he problems of posture relative to maintenance of a natural relationship between the head and body during dental operations were emphasized as long ago as 189&l The upright sitting posture was accepted until 195’7, when it was suggested that the common fainting attack could occur unrecognized under outpatient anesthesia and result in permanent brain damage or, indeed, death.2 Studies of the problems relative to cardiorespiratory effects of posture are inconc1usive.3-6 Therefore, we attempted to determine and establish control measurements of cardiorespiratory and peripheral blood flow responses exhibited by (1) the unpremeditated, unanesthetized patient positioned in the five postures shown in Fig. 1 and (2) two comparable groups of six persons, each selected at random, stressed with sleep doses of intravenous methohexital in the 45 degree upright sitting position (Position 4) and in the Trendelenburg position (Position 5). If dental operations are performed on patients in the supine position, then to ensure maintenance of a patent airway and prevention of laryngeal soiling by stomach contents, endotracheal intubation becomes mandatory. The assumption in clinical practice is that Positions 4 and 5 avoid these problems (Appendix).
Sphingolipid degradation in Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis.

Background: Human leishmaniasis is caused by more than 20 Leishmania species and has a wide range of symptoms. Our recent studies have demonstrated the essential role of sphingolipid degradation in the virulence of Leishmania (Leishmania) major, a species responsible for localized cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World. In this study, we investigated the function of sphingolipid degradation in Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, an etiological agent of localized and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in South America. Methodology/Principal Findings: First, we identified the enzyme LaISCL which is responsible for sphingolipid degradation in L. amazonensis. Primarily localized in the mitochondrion, LaISCL shows increased expression as promastigotes progress from replicative log phase to non-replicative stationary phase. To study its function, null mutants of LaISCL (Laiscl 2 ) were generated by targeted gene deletion and complemented through episomal gene add-back. In culture, loss of LaISCL leads to hypersensitivity to acidic pH and poor survival in murine macrophages. In animals, Laiscl 2 mutants exhibit severely attenuated virulence towards C57BL6 mice but are fully infective towards BALB/c mice. This is drastically different from wild type L. amazonensis which cause severe pathology in both BALB/c and C57BL 6 mice. Conclusions/Significance: A single enzyme LaISCL is responsible for the turnover of sphingolipids in L. amazonensis. LaISCL exhibits similar expression profile and biochemical property as its ortholog in L. major. Deletion of LaISCL reduces the virulence of L. amazonensis and the outcome of Laiscl 2 -infection is highly dependent on the host’s genetic background. Therefore, compared to L. major, the role of sphingolipid degradation in virulence is substantially different in L. amazonensis. Future studies may reveal whether sphingolipid degradation is required for L. amazonensis to cause diffuse cutaneous infections in humans.
Identification of novel protein/DNA interactions within the promoter of the bone‐related transcription factor Runx2/Cbfa1

The runt homology transcription factor Runx2/Cbfa1 is essential for bone development and osteoblast differentiation. Regulatory mechanisms that govern Runx2 transcription in osteoblasts define the osteogenic pathways that control skeletal development. In this study, we systematically examined transcription factor binding within the upstream Runx2 P1 promoter, which regulates expression of the bone-related Runx2 factor. We identified two novel protein/DNA interactions that are mediated by sequence specific factors, based on cross-competition experiments, point mutations, and gel-shift immunoassays. One complex recognizes a non-canonical Runx2 site, whereas the other factor binds to a palindromic sequence. Site-directed mutagenesis of the novel Runx2 motif (5'TCCCAC3') within the 0.6 kb rat Runx2 promoter reduces transcription by 2-fold, indicating that this site supports enhancement of Runx2 promoter activity. Mutation of the palindromic motif (5'AGTACT3') results in a 2-3-fold activation of the Runx2 promoter, demonstrating that the wild type sequence contributes to transcriptional repression. These studies, together with our previous findings of auto-suppression of the Runx2 promoter and negative regulation by 1,25(OH)(2) Vitamin D3, suggest that physiological control of Runx2 gene expression is mediated by a series of intricate regulatory mechanisms.
Measurement Tools Used in the Study of Eccentric Contraction-Induced Injury

The objective of this review is to evaluate the measurement tools currently used in the study of eccentric contraction-induced muscle injury, with emphasis on their usefulness for quantifying the magnitude and duration of the injury and as indicators of muscle functional deficits. In studies in humans, it was concluded that measurements of maximal voluntary contraction torque and range of motion provide the best methods for quantifying muscle injury. Similarly, in animal studies, the in vitro measurement of electrically elicited force under isometric conditions was considered to be the best of the measurement tools currently in use. For future studies, more effort should be put into measuring other contractile parameters (e.g. force/torque-velocity and force/torque-length relationships maximal shortening velocity and fatigue susceptibility) that may reflect injury-induced functional impairments. The use of histology, ratings of soreness and the measurement of blood or bath levels of myofibre proteins should be discouraged for purposes of quantifying muscle injury and/or functional impairment.
Maximal care considerations when treating patients with end-stage heart failure: ethical and procedural quandaries in management of the very sick.

Deciding who should receive maximal technological treatment options and who should not represents an ethical, moral, psychological and medico-legal challenge for health care providers. Especially in patients with chronic heart failure, the ethical and medico-legal issues associated with providing maximal possible care or withholding the same are coming to the forefront. Procedures, such as cardiac transplantation, have strict criteria for adequate candidacy. These criteria for subsequent listing are based on clinical outcome data but also reflect the reality of organ shortage. Lack of compliance and non-adherence to lifestyle changes represent relative contraindications to heart transplant candidacy. Mechanical circulatory support therapy using ventricular assist devices is becoming a more prominent therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart failure who are not candidates for transplantation, which also requires strict criteria to enable beneficial outcome for the patient. Physicians need to critically reflect that in many cases, the patient’s best interest might not always mean pursuing maximal technological options available. This article reflects on the multitude of critical issues that health care providers have to face while caring for patients with end-stage heart failure.
Vitamin A/Retinol and Maintenance of Pluripotency of Stem Cells

Retinol, the alcohol form of vitamin A is a key dietary component that plays a critical role in vertebrate development, cell differentiation, reproduction, vision and immune system. Natural and synthetic analogs of retinol, called retinoids, have generally been associated with the cell differentiation via retinoic acid which is the most potent metabolite of retinol. However, a direct function of retinol has not been fully investigated. New evidence has now emerged that retinol supports the self-renewal of stem cells including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), germ line stem cells (GSCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) by activating the endogenous machinery for self-renewal by a retinoic acid independent mechanism. The studies have also revealed that stem cells do not contain enzymes that are responsible for metabolizing retinol into retinoic acid. This new function of retinol may have important implications for stem cell biology which can be exploited for quantitative production of pure population of pluripotent stem cells for regenerative medicine as well as clinical applications for cancer therapeutics.
Scanning surface potential microscopy of spore adhesion on surfaces

The adhesion of spores of Bacillus anthracis - the cause of anthrax and a likely biological threat - to solid surfaces is an important consideration in cleanup after an accidental or deliberate release. However, because of safety concerns, directly studying B. anthracis spores with advanced instrumentation is problematic. As a first step, we are examining the electrostatic potential of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which is a closely related species that is often used as a simulant to study B. anthracis. Scanning surface potential microscopy (SSPM), also known as Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), was used to investigate the influence of relative humidity (RH) on the surface electrostatic potential of Bt that had adhered to silica, mica, or gold substrates. AFM/SSPM side-by-side images were obtained separately in air, at various values of RH, after an aqueous droplet with spores was applied on each surface and allowed to dry before measurements. In the SSPM images, a negative potential on the surface of the spores was observed compared with that of the substrates. The surface potential decreased as the humidity increased. Spores were unable to adhere to a surface with an extremely negative potential, such as mica.
Panel discussion: analysis of chromium: methodologies and detection levels and behavior of chromium in environmental media.

In response to a variety of questions on alternative preparation and analytical methodologies, the Panel remarked on current analytical schemes and their detection levels. M. Gochfeld (UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School) noted that the difficulty of distinguishing Cr"I versus CrVI remains and that the same environmental soil sample may be reported by different laboratories as nearly all CrVI or nearly all CrIII. The methods discussed included atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AA), inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometry (ICP), ICP followed by mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Questions were raised regarding new techniques such as photoelectron spectroscopy for detecting chromium (III) and (VI). S. Shupack (Villanova University) and S. Katz (Rutgers University) considered that X-ray diffraction can also distinguish the two forms, but that the limits of detection vary with specific methods and media.
Sirolimus attenuates disease progression in an orthologous mouse model of human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

In autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), abnormal proliferation of tubular cells drives cyst development and growth. Sirolimus, an inhibitor of the protein kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and a potent anti-proliferative agent, decreases cyst growth in several genetically distinct rodent models of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). We determined here the effect of sirolimus on renal cyst growth in Pkd2WS25/− mice; an ortholog of human ADPKD involving mutation of the Pkd2 gene. In Pkd2WS25/− mice treated with sirolimus, both the two kidney/total body weight (2K/TBW) ratio and the cyst volume density (CVD) were significantly decreased by over half compared with untreated mice suffering with PKD. However, there was no effect on the increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels as an index of kidney function. There are two distinct complexes containing mTOR depending on its binding partners: mTORC1 and mTORC2. Western blot analysis of whole kidney lysates and immunohistochemistry of the cysts found that phospho-S6 ribosomal protein, a marker of mTORC1 activity, was increased in Pkd2WS25/− mice and its phosphorylation was decreased by sirolimus treatment. Phospho-Akt at serine 473, a marker associated with mTORC2 activity, was not different between Pkd2WS25/− mice and normal littermate controls. Hence, our study found that inhibition of mTORC1 by sirolimus correlated with decreased renal cyst growth in this model of human ADPKD but had no effect on the decline in renal function.
Atrial natriuretic factor in human autonomic failure

To investigate whether excessive circulating levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) are responsible for orthostatic hypotension and nocturnal polyuria in patients with autonomic failure, we determined the circadian variation in the plasma concentration of ANF as well as the response of this peptide to changes in posture and extracellular fluid volume in patients with autonomic failure. We found that the plasma concentration of ANF was significantly lower in patients with autonomie failure than in controls. Patients with autonomic failure had a significantly higher urinary sodium excretion during the night (8 pm to 8 am) than during the day (8 am to 8 pm), and the plasma concentration of ANF significantly decreased during the night in these patients, indicating that high circulating levels of ANF were not the cause of the nocturnal natriuresis. Furthermore, circulating levels of ANF responded appropriately to reductions in right atrial pressure induced by head-up tilt and extracellular fluid volume changes induced by mineralocorticoid administration. These results indicate that exaggerated circulating levels of ANF are not responsible for the orthostatic hypotension or nocturnal natriuresis in patients with autonomic failure, and that appropriate regulation of ANF occurs in patients with autonomic failure.
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A PLANARIZED, TRIMETHYLENEMETHANE-TYPE BIS(SEMIQUINONE) BIRADICAL

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of a biradical in which two semiquinone rings are held rigidly co-planar and are attached in a geminal fashion to a carbon-carbon double bond is described. The results of cyclic voltammetry and variable-temperature EPR studies are interpreted in terms of the interaction of the two semiquinones through the carbon-carbon double bond coupling unit.
The Federal Role in Vocational Education: A Case Study of South Carolina.

Abstract This article provides a brief description of vocational education in South Carolina, stressing the role of the federal government in enhancing the delivery of vocational education to students, especially to special populations, such as disadvantaged and handicapped students. The study relies on some statewide data as well as on data collected in four school districts. A comparison of the four districts offers insights about commonalities as well as differences among the districts. A research agenda is proposed, its purpose being to seek generalizations for some of the observations noted in the case studies.
Evaluation of a rapid inoculum standardization system for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates from the bovine mammary gland.

Abstract A commercially available rapid inoculum standardization system (RISS) was compared to the broth inoculum standardization method (BIS) for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates from the bovine mammary gland. Overall agreement between RISS and the BIS method was 95.9%. RISS bypasses the 2–8 h incubation period required by BIS, thus providing antimicrobial susceptibility test data in a more timely manner. RISS was determined to be an acceptable alternative method to the BIS method for preparation of standardized inoculum for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bovine mammary gland isolates.
Assessment of O2 uptake dynamics in isolated single skeletal myocytes

The purpose of this research was to develop a technique for rapid measurement of O2 uptake (V˙o 2) kinetics in single isolated skeletal muscle cells. Previous attempts to measure single cellV˙o 2 h...
An object-oriented methodology for the design of control software for flexible manufacturing systems

We describe here a systematic method for the design and modeling of flexible manufacturing systems, using object-oriented concepts and Petri nets. We first define the system components in terms of an object model consisting of hierarchical sets of classes and associations. Then, we model the dynamic aspects of the system using statecharts, including exceptions and abnormal behavior. As a third step, we derive Petri nets from those statecharts to realize the concurrency present in the system. Finally we develop a hierarchy of controllers, corresponding to the layers of the object model, for the independent components of the system based on the Petri nets obtained in the previous step. The approach is systematic and relatively easy to apply. It is illustrated through a realistic example. >
Downscaling of Seasonal Precipitation for Crop Simulation

A nonhomogeneous hidden Markov model (NHMM) is used to make stochastic simulations of March– August daily rainfall at 10 stations over the southeastern United States, 1923–98. Station-averaged observed daily rainfall amount is prescribed as an input to the NHMM, which is then used to disaggregate the rainfall in space. These rainfall simulations are then used as inputs to a Crop Estimation through Resource and Environment Synthesis (CERES) crop model for maize. Regionally averaged yields derived from the NHMM rainfall simulations are found to correlate very highly (r 0.93) with those generated by the crop model using observed rainfall; stationwise correlations range between 0.44 and 0.74. Rainfall and crop simulations are then constructed under increasing degrees of temporal smoothing applied to the regional rainfall input to the NHMM, designed to exclude the submonthly weather details that would be unpredictable in seasonal climate forecasts. Regional yields are found to be remarkably insensitive to this temporal smoothing; even with 90-day low-pass-filtered inputs to the NHMM, resulting yields are still correlated at 0.85 with the baseline simulation, whereas stationwise correlations range between 0.18 and 0.68. From these findings, it is expected that regional maize yields over the southeastern United States will be largely insensitive to year-to-year details of subseasonal rainfall variability; they should be downscalable, in principle, using an NHMM from climate forecasts archived at daily resolution, with the important caveat that the latter need to be skillful enough at the 90-day time scale. As a by-product of the analysis, subseasonalto-interdecadal summer rainfall variability over the southeastern United States is interpretable in terms of six discrete weather states indicative of a monsoonlike climate regime. Low-simulated-yield years are found to be associated with delayed summer rainfall onset.
Concurrent doxorubicin plus docetaxel is not more effective than concurrent doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide in operable breast cancer with 0 to 3 positive axillary nodes: North American breast cancer intergroup trial E 2197

Purpose The combination of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) is a standard adjuvant regimen. Doxorubicin and docetaxel (AT) is one of the most active cytotoxic regimens for metastatic breast cancer. The purpose of this trial was to determine whether adjuvant AT improved disease-free survival compared with AC in operable breast cancer. Patients and Methods Women with invasive breast cancer were eligible if there were one to three positive lymph nodes or if the node-negative tumor was greater than 1 cm. Patients were randomly assigned after surgery to receive doxorubicin (60 mg/m2) plus either cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2; AC) or docetaxel (60 mg/m2; AT) given every 3 weeks for four cycles, followed by hormone therapy for patients with estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR)–positive tumors. Results There were 2,882 eligible patients enrolled. After a median follow-up of 79.5 months, there was no significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS; 85% in both arms) or overall survival ...
Agroforestry adoption in Mexico: using Keynes to better understand farmer decision-making

The objective of this paper is to empirically test the hypothesis that reducing uncertainty for farmers through investment in human capital increases the likelihood of participation in an agroforestry development program. A model based on Keynes's notion of profit expectations and "weight" is developed in order to gain some insight into agroforestry adoption behavior. Data was col- lected near the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in the state of Campeche in south- eastern Mexico. One hundred seventy-five farmers were interviewed from January through March of 1998. Results support the hypothesis that human capital investment improves the likelihood of participation in an agroforestry development program.
Protection against amyloid beta-peptide (1-42)-induced loss of phospholipid asymmetry in synaptosomal membranes by tricyclodecan-9-xanthogenate (D609) and ferulic acid ethyl ester: implications for Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Amyloid-beta (1–42) [Aβ (1–42)] deposition in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and has been shown to induce apoptosis and disrupt cellular ion homeostasis. Aβ (1–42) induces membrane lipid peroxidation, and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and 2-propenal (acrolein) are the two reactive products of lipid peroxidation, which structurally modify proteins by covalent interaction and inhibit enzyme function. Phosphatidylserine (PS), an aminophospholipid, is sequestered in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane in nonstimulated cells. An early signal of synaptosomal apoptosis is the loss of phospholipid asymmetry and the appearance of phosphatidylserine in the outer leaflet of the membrane. The ATP-requiring enzyme, flippase, maintains phospholipid asymmetry of PS. Here, we have investigated the inactivation of the transmembrane enzyme aminophospholipid-translocase (or flippase) by Aβ (1–42). Flippase activity depends on a critical cysteine residue, a putative site of covalent modification by the Aβ (1–42)-induced lipid peroxidation products, HNE or acrolein. The present study is aimed to investigate the protective effects of tricyclodecan-9-xanthogenate (D609) and ferulic acid ethyl ester (FAEE) on Aβ (1–42) induced modulation in phospholipid asymmetry in the synaptosomal membranes. Pretreatment of synaptosomes with D609 and FAEE significantly protected Aβ (1–42)-induced loss of phospholipid asymmetry in synaptosomal membranes. Our results suggest that D609 and FAEE exert protective effects against Aβ (1–42) induced apoptosis. The increase in intracellular Ca2+ might not be the sole cause for the loss of flippase activity. Rather, other mechanisms that could modulate the function of flippase might be important in the modulation of phospholipid asymmetry. The results of this study are discussed with relevance to neuronal loss in the AD brain.
Commentary on "integrating interpersonal neurobiology with group psychotherapy": reflections on mind, brain, and relationships in group psychotherapy.

(2010). Commentary on “Integrating Interpersonal Neurobiology with Group Psychotherapy”: Reflections on Mind, Brain, and Relationships in Group Psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 60, Neurobiology and Building Interpersonal Systems: Groups, Couples, and Beyond, pp. 483-485.
Recursive deadbeat predictive control

Presents a recursive algorithm for a deadbeat predictive controller design. The method combines together the concepts of system identification and deadbeat controller designs. It starts with the multi-step output prediction equation and derives the control force in terms of past input and output time histories. The formulation thus derived satisfies simultaneously system identification and deadbeat controller design requirements. As soon as the coefficient matrices are identified satisfying the output prediction equation, no further work is required to compute the deadbeat control gain matrices. The method can be implemented recursively just as any typical recursive system identification techniques.