cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential labeling of the alpha and beta 1 subunits of the sodium channel by photoreactive derivatives of scorpion toxin

The separation of two photoreactive derivatives of the alpha-scorpion toxin from Leiurus quinquestriatus is described. When the two photoreactive derivatives were photolyzed separately in the presence of brain membranes containing voltage-sensitive sodium channels, one labeled the alpha subunit preferentially while the other labeled beta 1 more intensely than alpha. Batrachotoxin enhanced the efficiency of covalent labeling by the photoreactive derivatives of scorpion toxin. In all the labeling experiments, the specific incorporation of radioactive scorpion toxin was eliminated by an excess of nonradioactive scorpion toxin. The alpha polypeptide labeled in synaptosomes by photoreactive scorpion toxin was demonstrated by immunological techniques to be the same large polypeptide identified in sodium channels purified by their saxitoxin binding activity. The alpha and beta 1 subunits were detected by rapid photoaffinity labeling of a freshly prepared brain homogenate in the presence of a mixture of nine protease inhibitors, indicating that they are components of the sodium channel in intact brain tissue. The association of the covalently labeled polypeptides with the membrane was investigated by treatment of labeled synaptosomes with various agents known to remove proteins only indirectly attached to the lipid bilayer via a membrane-bound protein. In all cases, both the alpha and the beta 1 polypeptides remained in the membrane fraction following extraction. This confirms earlier proposals that the alpha polypeptide has a portion of its mass embedded within the lipid bilayer and suggests that the beta 1 polypeptide does as well.
Modelling venture capital investments

Abstract This paper develops decision models for investment in new ventures. A preliminary survey of venture capitalists yielded six variables considered by them to be useful predictors. Next, a mail survey of venture capital firms provided complete data on 68 venture capital investments. Linear models have been developed based on (i) the judgment of the venture capitalist represented by expected outcomes for investments and (ii) the actual outcomes of the investments. Model performance is compared against the performance of the venture capitalist.
Successful Treatment of Von Zumbusch Pustular Psoriasis with Infliximab

Background Von Zumbusch pustular psoriasis is a severe, generalized form of psoriasis. Patients may also suffer from systemic complications, such as fever, arthropathy, congestive heart failure, and infections, which can ultimately prove fatal. Generalized pustular psoriasis can often be recalcitrant, making treatment difficult.
Rotary resonance recoupling for half-integer quadrupolar nuclei in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Investigations were made of rotary resonance recouplings (R3) of chemical shift anisotropy (CSA), heteronuclear dipolar (HTD), and homonuclear dipolar (HMD) couplings involving half-integer quadrupolar nuclei under magic-angle sample spinning condition. Under rotary resonance conditions provided by a low amplitude rf field and a high spinning speed, the spectrum of the central transition coherence of half-integer quadrupolar nuclei shows recouplings of CSA, HTD, and HMD interactions that depend on the ratio of the rf field to the spinning speed. These new properties can be used to extract electronic and structural information about the sample that are otherwise difficult to extract in the presence of a dominant quadrupolar interaction. An average Hamiltonian theory is used to explain the recoupling properties of various interactions. Experimental implementations of the R3 are demonstrated on model compounds with spin-3/2 systems.
Heat transfer in porous media heated from above with evaporation, condensation, and capillary effects

Heat and mass transfer characteristics of a sand-water-stream system heated at the top and cooled at the bottom were studied. It was found that at steady-state conditions, the system segregated into 3 regions. The top region was conduction-dominated with the voids containing a stationary superheated steam. The middle region was convection-dominated, nearly isothermal, and exhibited an upward flow of the liquid by capillary forces and a downward flow of steam due to a slight pressure gradient. The bottom portion contained a stationary compressed liquid and was conduction dominated also. The length of the 2-phase convection zone was evaluated through the application of Darcy's equations for 2-phase flow and correlations of relative permeabilities and capillary pressure data. A stability analysis demonstrated that the superheated liquid can exist in an unconditionally stable state under conditions typical of porous systems. 17 references.
Radiative decay and energy transfer in molecular aggregates: The role of intermolecular dephasing.

A microscopic theory for radiative lifetimes and energy transfer rates in molecular aggregates is developed. Using an effective Hamiltonian, we show that the radiative decay rate of isolated small aggregates with N molecules is N\ensuremath{\gamma}, where \ensuremath{\gamma} is the radiative rate of a single molecule. This linear dependence on N saturates when the aggregate size becomes comparable with the wavelength of light associated with the optical transition, and for large N the rate attains a limiting value independent of N. Intermolecular dephasing processes are incorporated by introducing a thermal bath and solving for the time evolution of the density matrix with use of an effective Liouville operator. Intermolecular dephasing destroys the coherent interaction of the aggregate with the radiation field and the rate changes from N\ensuremath{\gamma} to \ensuremath{\gamma} as the dephasing rate increases. A coherence length which depends on the strength of intermolecular interactions and on the dephasing rate is defined and calculated.
A simple transport model for the Io plasma torus “ribbon”

A model for the generation of the Io plasma torus “ribbon” density feature is proposed. In this model a self-regulation mechanism for plasma pressure is hypothesized, operating through ring current inhibition of flux-tube interchange transport. Torus plasma outflow drives hot plasma from the middle magnetosphere inwards, raising its confining pressure and impeding further outflow of torus plasma. As the hot plasma cools by collisions with torus ribbon electrons its pressure diminishes, allowing more torus outflow. This negative feedback modulates torus ion flux-tube content NL² in such a way as to hold it relatively constant. In order to simulate this process, we have constructed numerical models which approximate plasma transport by a non-linear diffusion process, with the feedback mechanisms built into the diffusivity. For certain reasonable parameter values, these models produce a density enhancement near L = 5.6 to 5.8 which somewhat resembles the “ribbon” feature that is actually observed near that position.
Cold acclimation induced accumulation of phenolic compounds and freezing tolerance in Ammopiptanthus mongolicus

Ammopiptanthus mongolicus, the only freezing tolerant evergreen broad-leaved shrub, local species of the Alashan desert, northwest sand area of China, can survive −30°C or even lower temperature in winter. In the present study, the secondary products phenolics in A. mongolicus cotyledons were determined to study the effects of phenolics on cold tolerance. Cytochemical localization of phenolics in cotyledon cells was observed by electron microscopy and the content of phenolic compounds was assayed by spectrophotometric measurement. The results showed that the freezing tolerance of A. mongolicus seedlings increased after acclimation at 2–6°C for 14 days, which accompanied the increase of the content of phenolic compounds in cotyledons. Cytochemical observation showed that phenolic deposits were mainly localized in vacuoles and in close proximity to tonoplast, and also in the cytoplasm. The amount and the size of phenolics droplets increased obviously in cytoplasm and vacuoles after cold acclimation, predominantly aggregated along membranes of vacuoles and tonoplast. No phenolic deposits were found in cell walls. As hydrogen-or electron-donating agents, phenolics may protect plant cells against reactive oxygen species formed during chilling or freezing stress and improve the freezing tolerance of cold-acclimated A. mongolicus seedlings.
Task difficulty, heart rate reactivity, and cardiovascular responses to an appetitive reaction time task.

Cardiovascular responses of 72 young men were assessed during an appetitive reaction time task where winning money incentives was either easy, difficult, or impossible. The impossible condition led to reduced responses (e.g., longer pre-ejection period (PEP) and pulse transit time (PTT) and greater falls in systolic and diastolic pressures) as well as reports of trying less hard than the easy or the difficult condition. Regardless of task difficulty, subjects showing greater heart rate (HR) increases at task onset maintained higher HR levels than low HR reactors throughout the task. Overall, these high HR reactors also showed higher SBP and shorter PEP, PTT and left ventricular ejection time than low HR reactors, although these differences were less pronounced by the end of the task. Based on their responses to various standardized inventories, high and low HR reactors did not differ in behavioral traits such as Type A, suppressed hostility, or active coping as the preferred coping style. However, a subsample of subjects with extreme scores indicating suppressed hostility (N = 12) did show elevated HR and systolic pressure during both relaxation and the appetitive task.
Teaching Social Welfare History and Social Welfare Policy From a Conflict Perspective

In schools of social work, policy courses are frequently taught assuming debates occur along a liberal–conservative ideological continuum in which liberals favor equitable distribution of societal benefits and burdens, whereas conservatives emphasize individual political and property rights and personal responsibility. This dichotomous approach often results in conflict being situated primarily outside the classroom and profession while ignoring contentious debates that have occurred within social work. The authors argue for reconceptualizing policy courses to provide an historical conflict-based approach and include specific suggestions for course design. This approach will better train students with critical skills and prepare them for future practice.
Academic and Social Integration and Persistence of International Students at U.S. Two-Year Institutions

As a growing number of international students discover two-year institutions as the possible gateway to U.S. higher education, it is important to have a better understanding of who these students are, what attracts them to two-year colleges, and how they engage with the campus community. To address these questions, the study used the data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/06) survey to examine the profile of international students attending two-year versus four-year institutions in the United States. More specifically, the study explored to what extent international students engaged academically and socially on two-year college campuses in their first-year of study in the U.S. It also examined how students' integration related to their likelihood of persistence through the second year. The results of this study revealed that location, cost, and coursework were among the primary considerations for international students enrolling at two-year institutions in the U.S. The s...
Jamming in a model glass: interplay of dynamics and thermodynamics

Abstract The relationship between extended structures, glassy dynamics and the presence of an underlying thermodynamic transition is explored in the context of lattice models of loops. We review the physical picture which emerges from numerical studies of loop models. It shows dynamical barriers and critical fluctuations combining to produce exponentially slow relaxations close to the critical point. The picture is further sharpened by comparing two loop models with equal dynamical barriers but different equilibrium fluctuations.
Intellectual history and cultural history: the inside and the outside

What is the relationship between intellectual and cultural history? An answer to this question may be found in the area between the two poles of inquiry commonly known as internalist and externalis...
Weighted inversion numbers, restricted growth functions, and standard young tableaux

Abstract We give a family of weighted inversion numbers with the same generating function which interpolate between the inversion number and MacMahon's major index. Foata's bijection is obtained in a natural way from a simple involution. An alternative proof uses q-difference equations which yield some new results. We obtain a new generating function for restricted growth functions and two q-analogs of a formula for the number of standard Young tableaux of a given shape. While the first really goes back to MacMahon, the second uses one of our weighted inversion numbers and appears to be new.
Cadmium-induced potentiation of hexobarbital sleep time in rats.

Nachweis, dass Cadmium bei Ratten die Hexobarbital-Schlafdauer erhoht. Eine wirksame Reaktion war bereits bei einer Cadmium-Dosis von 840 μg/kg beobachtet, und die Schlafdauer wurde bereits nach einer einzigen Dosis vom 1. bis zum 10. Tage erhoht, wobei zwischen dem 2. und 5. Tage die Maximalwirkung beobachtet wurde.
Alternative splicing for members of human mosaic domain superfamilies. I. The CH and LIM domains containing group of proteins

In this paper we examine (restricted to homo sapiens) the products resulting from gene duplication and the subsequent alternative splicing for the members of a multidomain group of proteins which possess the evolutionary conserved calponin homology CH domain, i.e. an "actin binding domain", as a singlet and which, in addition, contain the conserved cysteine rich double Zn finger possessing Lim domain, also as a singlet. Seven genes, resulting from gene duplications, were identified that code for seven group members for which pre-mRNAs appear to have undergone multiple alternative splicing: Mical 1, 2 and 3 are located on chromosomes 6q21, 11p15 and 22q11, respectively. The LMO7 gene is present on chromosome 13q22 and the LIMCH1 gene on chromosome 4p13. Micall1 is mapped to chromosome 22q13 and Micall2 to chromosome 7p22. Translated Gen/Bank ESTs suggest the existence of multiple products alternatively spliced from the pre-mRNAs encoded by these genes. Characteristic indicators of such splicing among the proteins derived from one gene must include containment of some common extensive 100% identical regions. In some instances only one exon might be partly or completely eliminated. Sometimes alternative splicing is also associated with an increased frequency of creation of an exon or part of an exon from an intron. Not only coding regions for the body of the protein but also for its N- or -C ends could be affected by the splicing. If created forms are merely beginning at different starting points but remain identical in sequence thereafter, their existence as products of alternate splicing must be questioned. In the splicings, described in this paper, multiple isoforms rather than a single isoform appear as products during the gene expression.
HOST RESISTANCE TO HYMENOLEPIS NANA. II. SPECIFICITY OF RESISTANCE TO REINFECTION IN THE DIRECT CYCLE.

The effect of prior infection with various helminths upon a challenge infection with eggs of Hymenolepis nana was studied in laboratory rodents. The nematodes, Capillaria hepatica, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Trichinella spiralis, were either without effect or produced transient changes in host reactivity to challenge with H. nana. In contrast, prior infection with the cestode species, Hydatigera taeniaeformis, Taenia crassiceps, Hymenolepis microstoma, and H. citelli enhanced resistance to H. nana to a variable degree. A single experiment with H. diminuta was inconclusive. The effects upon H. nana were persistent and appeared to be independent of survival of the primary cestodes. While cross-protection was marked in some experiments, the degree of host resistance elicited was not comparable to that evoked by light primary infections with eggs of H. nana, suggesting that a species-specific factor is important in acquired immunity to this parasite.
Heterodyne detection using spectral line pairing for spectral phase encoding optical code division multiple access and dynamic dispersion compensation

A novel coherent optical code-division multiple access (OCDMA) scheme is proposed that uses spectral line pairing to generate signals suitable for heterodyne decoding. Both signal and local reference are transmitted via a single optical fiber and a simple balanced receiver performs sourceless heterodyne detection, canceling speckle noise and multiple-access interference (MAI). To validate the idea, a 16 user fully loaded phase encoded system is simulated. Effects of fiber dispersion on system performance are studied as well. Both second and third order dispersion management is achieved by using a spectral phase encoder to adjust phase shifts of spectral components at the optical network unit (ONU).
Putting Habitus in its Place: Rejoinder to the Symposium

In this response to my critics, I amplify the conceptual clarification and methodological stipulation of habitus begun in ‘Homines in extremis’ to help us move from a sociology of the body as socia...
Rehabilitating Damaged Ecosystems

Restoration Ecology: Protecting Our National and Global Life Support Systems, J. Cairns, Jr. Decision Analysis: An Integrated Approach to Ecosystem Exploitation and Rehabilitation Decisions, L.A. Maguire Making Watershed Restoration Happen: What Does Economics Offer?, L.A. Shabman Principles and Guidelines for Restoration of River/Floodplain Ecosystems - Kissimmee River, Florida, L.A. Toth Salt Marsh Restoration: Lessons from California, J.B. Zedler Mitigation Banks: A Strategy for Sustainable Ecosystem Function, D.E. Willard and J. Klarquist Restoration and Management of Ecosystems for Nature Conservation in Germany, D. Bruns and S. Gilcher Alternative Endpoints for Reclamation, A.D. Bradshaw Improving Coal Surface Mine Reclamation in the Central Appalachian Region, W.L. Daniels and C.E. Zipper Nuclear Winter: Is Rehabilitation Possible?, A.H. Ehrlich River and Stream Restoration, J.A. Gore, F.L. Bryant, and D.J. Crawford Political and Social Factors in the Patuxent River Cleanup Agreement, P.N. Klose, E.L. Rich, and P. Schneider Re-Creation of Ecosystems at Mount St. Helens: Contrasts in Artificial and Natural Approaches, J.F. Franklin, P.M. Frenzen, and F.J. Swanson Insect Pests and Plant Stress as Considerations for Revegetation of Disturbed Ecosystems, S.M. Louda Variation in Undisturbed Plant and Animal Populations and Its Implications for Studies of Recovering Ecosystems, D.W. Inouye Restoration Ecology: A Synthetic Approach to Ecological Research, W.R. Jordan III Abandoned Mines in Illinois and North Dakota: Toward an Understanding of Revegetation Problems, C. Grunwald, L.R. Iverson, and D.B. Szafoni Index
Black Women's Health: The Effect of Perceived Racism and Intimate Partner Violence

This study provides preliminary evidence of the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and intimate partner violence (IPV) and how these exposures interact to affect the mental and physical health of Black women. The exposures of lifetime perceived racial discrimination and IPV were found to be highly associated. Furthermore, women who reported both exposures showed a notably higher prevalence of anxiety and nonspecific physical health symptoms compared with women who reported either or neither exposure. To appropriately respond to the health needs of Black women, it is essential that women's many stressors be considered simultaneously.
A Maximum Expected Utility Framework for Binary Sequence Labeling

We consider the problem of predictive inference for probabilistic binary sequence labeling models under F-score as utility. For a simple class of models, we show that the number of hypotheses whose expected Fscore needs to be evaluated is linear in the sequence length and present a framework for efficiently evaluating the expectation of many common loss/utility functions, including the F-score. This framework includes both exact and faster inexact calculation methods.
Effects of dietary selenium on sperm motility in healthy men

A deficiency of dietary selenium leads to immotile, deformed sperm and infertility in rats, whereas supplementation of the diet with selenium compounds has been associated with both beneficial and deleterious effects on sperm function, depending on the chemical form of selenium. We conducted a randomized, controlled, and blinded intervention study on the effects of selenium in food on semen quality. Eleven healthy men were fed a controlled diet of foods naturally high or low in selenium for 120 days while confined in a metabolic research unit. Dietary selenium was 47 microg/d for the first 21 days, then either 13 microg/d or 297 microg/d for 99 days, resulting in significant changes in selenium concentrations in blood and semen. Seminal plasma selenium concentration increased 50% with high selenium and decreased 40% with low selenium. The fraction of motile sperm in the high-selenium group decreased by 32% by week 13 and ended 18% lower than baseline. Selenium concentrations changed in seminal plasma but not in sperm, and serum androgen concentrations were unchanged in both groups, indicating this effect was neither androgen dependent nor caused by a change in the selenium supply to the testes. Serum triiodothyronine decreased and thyroid-stimulating hormone increased in the high-selenium group, suggesting that altered thyroid hormone metabolism may have affected sperm motility. Although this decrease in sperm motility does not necessarily predict decreased fertility, the increasing frequency of selenium supplementation in the healthy population suggests the need for larger studies to more fully assess this potential side effect.
Low helium flux from the mantle inferred from simulations of oceanic helium isotope data

Abstract The high 3 He/ 4 He isotopic ratio of oceanic helium relative to the atmosphere has long been recognized as the signature of mantle 3 He outgassing from the Earth's interior. The outgassing flux of helium is frequently used to normalize estimates of chemical fluxes of elements from the solid Earth, and provides a strong constraint to models of mantle degassing. Here we use a suite of ocean general circulation models and helium isotope data obtained by the World Ocean Circulation Experiment to constrain the flux of helium from the mantle to the oceans. Our results suggest that the currently accepted flux is overestimated by a factor of 2. We show that a flux of 527 ± 102 mol year − 1 is required for ocean general circulation models that produce distributions of ocean ventilation tracers such as radiocarbon and chlorofluorocarbons that match observations. This new estimate calls for a reevaluation of the degassing fluxes of elements that are currently tied to the helium fluxes, including noble gases and carbon dioxide.
Friction enhancement in concertina locomotion of snakes

Narrow crevices are challenging terrain for most organisms and biomimetic robots. Snakes move through crevices using sequential folding and unfolding of their bodies in the manner of an accordion or concertina. In this combined experimental and theoretical investigation, we elucidate this effective means of moving through channels. We measure the frictional properties of corn snakes, their body kinematics and the transverse forces they apply to channels of varying width and inclination. To climb channels inclined at 608, we find snakes use a combination of ingenious friction-enhancing techniques, including digging their ventral scales to double their frictional coefficient and pushing channel walls transversely with up to nine times body weight. Theoretical modelling of a one-dimensional n-linked crawler is used to calculate the transverse force factor of safety: we find snakes push up to four times more than required to prevent sliding backwards, presumably trading metabolic energy for an assurance of wall stability.
Computer Aided Engineering of Cluster Computers

There are many scientific and engineering applications that require the resources of a dedicated supercomputer: drug design, weather prediction, simulating vehicle crashes, fluid dynamics simulations of aircraft or even consumer products. Cluster supercomputers can leverage commodity parts with standard interfaces that allow them to be used interchangeably to build supercomputers customized for these and other applications. However, the best design for one application is not necessarily the best design for other applications. Supercomputer design is challenging, but this problem is harder due to the huge range of possible configurations, volatile component availability and pricing, and constraints on available power, cooling, and floor space. Cluster design rules (CDR) is a computer-aided engineering tool that uses resource constraints and application performance models to identify the few best designs among the trillions of designs that could be constructed using parts from a given database. It uses a branch-and-bound strategy based on cluster design principles that can eliminate many inferior designs from the search without evaluating them. For the millions of designs that remain, CDR measures fitness by one of several user-specified application performance models. New application performance models can be added by means of a programming interface. This paper details the concepts and mechanisms inside CDR and shows how it facilitates model-based engineering of custom clusters.
Clustered multithreaded architectures - pursuing both IPC and cycle time

Summary form only given. Clustering is an architectural technique that allows the design of wide superscalar processors without sacrificing cycle time, but at the cost of longer communication latencies. Simultaneous multithreading architectures effectively tolerate instruction latency, but put even more pressure on timing-critical processor resources. We show that the synergistic combination of the two techniques minimizes the IPC impact of the clustered architecture, and even permits more aggressive clustering of the processor than is possible with a single-threaded processor. Additionally, we show that multithreading enables effective instruction steering policies unavailable to a single-threaded clustered architecture. We explore the impact of aggressively clustering four complex processor structures, (1) instruction window wakeup and functional unit bypass logic, (2) register renaming logic, (3) the fetch unit, and (4) the integer register file, on a simultaneous multithreading processor.
The Amino Acid Content of Fresh and Stored Shell Eggs. III. Methionine, Cystine, and Lysine Contents of Eggs From Hens Fed Diets Differing in Percentage of these Amino Acids

Abstract THE extent to which differences in the amino acid content of the hen’s diet will be reflected in the amino acid content of the eggs produced is not clear. Csonka and Titus (1942) and Csonka, Denton, and Ringel (1947) have presented evidence that eggs from hens fed high protein diets with casein as the source of supplemental protein contain more methionine, cystine, arginine, and tyrosine than eggs from hens fed low protein diets or high protein diets with soybean oil meal as the source of supplemental protein. No higher methionine content resulted from supplementing the diet with DL-methionine. Differences in the amount of an amino acid in whole eggs might result from differences in (1) the amount of protein per egg, (2) the proportions of the constituent amino acids in the egg proteins, or (3) the relative amounts of the different proteins in the egg. Csonka et al. (1947) observed . . .
Examining connections between screening for breast, cervical and prostate cancer and colorectal cancer screening.

SUMMARY Aim: To compare participation in breast, cervical and prostate cancer screening with colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Materials & methods: This random digit-dialed survey includes participants (aged 50–75 years) from South Carolina (USA). Past participation information in fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, mammography, clinical breast examination, Pap test, prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal examination was obtained.Adjusted odds ratios are reported. Results: Among European–American women, any cervical or breast cancer screening was associated with adherence to any CRC screening. Among African–American women, mammography was associated with adherence to any CRC screening. Digital rectal examination and prostate-specific antigen tests were associated with adherence to any CRC screening test among all men. Conclusion: Future research should explore approaches inclusive of cancer screening recommendations for multiple cancer types for reduction of cancer screeni...
TAMAL: an integrated approach to choosing SNPs for genetic studies of human complex traits

Summary: Investigators conducting studies of the molecular genetics of complex traits in humans often need rationally to select a set of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the hundreds or thousands available for a candidate gene. Accomplishing this requires integration of genomic data from distributed databases and is both time-consuming and error-prone. We developed the TAMAL (Technology And Money Are Limiting) web site to help identify promising SNPs for further investigation. For a given list of genes, TAMAL identifies SNPs that meet user-specified criteria (e.g. haplotype tagging SNPs or SNP predicted to lead to amino acid changes) from current versions of online resources (i.e. HapMap, Perlegen, Affymetrix, dbSNP and the UCSC genome browser). Availability: TAMAL is a platform independent web-based application available free of charge at http://neoref.ils.unc.edu/tamal Contact: pfsulliv@med.unc.edu Supplementary information: http://neoref.ils.unc.edu/tamal/
Predicted Effects of Pinhole and Surface Roughness in Magnetoresistive Read Head

Magnetoresistive read heads based on giant magnetoresistance spin-valves or magnetic tunnel junctions have been widely used in magnetic recording. In the fabrication of these nano structures, the surface roughness is crucial to the performance of the devices, both electrically and magnetically. In this work, we theoretically study the effect of roughness and pinholes in magnetic tunnel junctions and nanowire systems. Results are compared to experiment.
A1cNow InView: a new simple method for office-based glycohemoglobin measurement.

Background: Glycohemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a universally accepted tool for glycemic control. Portable HbA1c devices for use in physicians’ offices are desirable because they provide immediate results that physicians can share with their patients. This has been shown to enhance self-management in patients with diabetes. We undertook this study to evaluate the accuracy and precision of a recently introduced device, the A1cNow ® InView™ capillary monitor. Method: Previously tested EDTA-preserved whole blood samples from our laboratory pool were preselected based on the results of HbA1c to cover a range from 4 to 13%. HbA1c was then measured using an A1cNow InView capillary monitor. Blinded aliquots of these samples were then sent to a National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP)-certified reference laboratory for comparison. One sample with a laboratory HbA1c result of 9.2% was measured with the InView device nine successive times to assess the device precision. The consistency between the measurement of HbA1c measured by the reference laboratory and the A1cNow InView device was analyzed via linear regression. Results: Thirty-five samples were tested. The correlation between HbA1c measured by the InView device and the reference laboratory, as well as our own laboratory, was 0.96. The coefficient of variation was 2.71%. Conclusions:
Lack of functional patency of the lamina terminalis after fenestration following clipping of anterior circulation aneurysms.

Object Fenestration of the lamina terminalis (FLT) during aneurysm surgery for subarachnoid hemorrhage can, in theory, improve CSF circulation from the lateral and third ventricles to the cortical subarachnoid space, which may, in turn, decrease the incidence of hydrocephalus and vasospasm. However, the actual effects of FLT on CSF circulation have been difficult to determine, due to confounding factors. In addition, it is unclear whether the lamina terminalis remains functionally patent when the brain resumes its normal position. The goal of this study was to assess the functional patency of the fenestrated lamina terminalis in patients who underwent surgery for ruptured aneurysms. Methods This prospective study included 15 patients who underwent surgical clipping of ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms, with FLT performed during surgery. On postoperative Day 1, the external ventricular drain of each patient was closed, and 1 ml of Omnipaque 300, an iodine based contrast agent, was injected intraventr...
Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Having Carbon Nanotube Anodes

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) films on flexible PET (polyethyleneterephthalate) substrates are used as transparent, flexible anodes for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). For polymer-based OLEDs having the structure: SWNT/PEDOT-PSS:MeOH/TFB (poly(9,9dioctylfluorene-co-N-(4-butylphenyl)diphenylamine)) + TPD-Si2 (4,4′-bis[(p-trichlorosilylpropylphenyl)phenylamino]biphenyl) /BT (poly(9,9dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole))/CsF/Al, a maximum light output of 3500 cd/m 2 and a current efficiency of 1.6 cd/A have been achieved. The device operational lifetime is comparable to that of devices with Sn-doped In 2O3 (ITO)/PET anodes. The advantages of this novel type of anode over conventional ITO are discussed.
Stem cell-based therapy for treating limbal stem cells deficiency: A review of different strategies.

The self renewal capability of limbal epithelial stem (LEST) cells is fundamental to the maintenance and healing of corneal epithelium. Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), due to dysfunction or loss of LEST cells, therefore presents as persistent epithelial defects, corneal vascularization, conjunctivalization etc. Stem cell-based therapy, in its simplest form – limbal autograft, has been used successfully for more than a decade. For bilateral LSCD, similar approaches with limbal allografts have been unsuccessful largely due to strong immune rejection. Therefore, as an alternate strategy for treating bilateral LSCD, ex vivo expansion of the remaining LEST cells or autologous stem cells sourced from other potential sites is being explored. Different culture systems (with and without xenobiotic supplements) using substrates like amniotic membrane or fibrin gels have been used successfully for ex vivo LEST cell maintenance and reproduction by imitating the stem cell niche. This paper is organized into sections reviewing the LEST cells, LSCD and various stem cell-based approaches for treating LSCD and discussing future direction and challenges.
Acute Pericardial Disease: Pericardiocentesis and Percutaneous Pericardiotomy

Pericardial diseases can present with a myriad of clinical manifestations including pericarditis, pericardial effusion, and tamponade. While pericarditis is often a self-limiting disorder that is responsive to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, pericardial tamponade is a lifethreatening condition requiring immediate therapy. Echocardiography and cardiac catheterization are important diagnostic tools and helpful in guiding therapies. Percutaneous catheter-based therapies, including pericardiocentesis and percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy, are safe and effective therapeutic modalities. Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy is a relatively novel catheter-based technique that is gradually replacing the more invasive surgical pericardial window procedures. Pericardiectomy, on the other hand, remains the definitive therapy for certain conditions such as constrictive pericardial disease. This chapter presents an overview of acute pericardial disorders, with an emphasis on catheter-based techniques for pericardial space decompression.
Is off-label use of BMP in pediatric spine surgery now a standard of care? Commentary on an article by Amit Jain, MD, et al.: "Factors associated with use of bone morphogenetic protein during pediatric spinal fusion surgery. an analysis of 4817 patients".

I was recently involved in a battle with an adult patient’s private insurance company over hospital payment for the off-label use of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) during a routine L5-S1 anterior lumbar interbody fusion procedure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indication for use of BMP at the L5-S1 level mandates utilization of a specific threaded titanium interbody cage; I had instead used a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage1. The insurance company insisted that any use of BMP outside of the strict FDA criteria was experimental and there would be no reimbursement. I argued that the widespread off-label use of BMP in adult spine fusion surgery, by definition, makes such use a standard of care in the U.S. One recent study, I pleaded, suggested that up to 85% of BMP use in 2009 was off-label2. The insurance company countered with recent studies that suggested high complication rates with the use of BMP in …
Psychological Factors in Predicting Product Choice

Although many research studies have identified different product images, very few have identified the consumer personalities attracted to different product images. The author of the present study a...
Formalizing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) using Formal Concept Analysis (FCA).

analysis (FCA) to support the formal description of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability,and Health (ICF). An ontology-based framework based on Protege platform was adopted for the formalization tasks. The ICF was represented as a local terminology which contains a family of lists of pre-coordinated phrases. The ICNP was used as a cross-thesaurus that provides a set of descriptors. A FCA-based plug-in was developed for automating the production and visualization of a knowledge base of dissections. A preliminary evaluation was performed to show the usefulness of the FCA-based approach
Laryngotracheal separation with and without diversion for the treatment of intractable aspiration

Chronic aspiration can be a life-threatening disorder of variable etiology. Often patients, both pediatric and adult, have suffered neurological devastation placing them at an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from laryngeal incompetence and the inability to protect their airways from soilage. Numerous surgical procedures have been described to tackle this problem; however, most definitive procedures cause damage to the intrinsic integrity of the larynx and are irreversible. Laryngotracheal separation with and without diversion is a definitive treatment option for intractable aspiration, that is, technically simple whereas still preserving the larynx for the possibility of future reversal. It is effective with a low complication profile. This article would address the indications, advantages, and surgical technique to laryngotracheal separation with or without diversion.
Exuberant inflammatory reaction to occlusion of topical 5-fluorouracil (FU) under a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask: A warning to dermatologists and patients.

Actinic keratoses (AKs) are precancerous cutaneous lesions with a prevalence of 11% to 25%.1 Fair skin (Fitzpatrick type I and II) with light eyes and hair along with increased age, male gender, excessive ultraviolet light exposure, and immunosuppression increase the risk of AKs. AKs are most commonly found in ultraviolet-exposed sites, such as the head, neck, and upper extremities.2 They present as erythematous gritty macules, patches, papules, or plaques. Induration, ulceration, hemorrhage, rapid growth, or pain may indicate malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma. This transformation can be attributed to ultraviolet-induced mutation of the p53 gene and subsequent clonal proliferation of squamous cells in the epidermis.3, 4 Mutations in p53 are seen in approximately 53% of AKs and 70% to 90% of squamous cell carcinomas, and the progression of AKs to squamous cell carcinomas is estimated at 0.1% to 10%.2, 4 Hence, the treatment of all AKs is recommended and considered an important step in preventative dermatology.1, 2 The treatments for AKs are myriad and depend on the extent of disease (ie, number, location, and depth). All therapeutic interventions have advantages and disadvantages, and it is paramount to balance them with the patient's preference. For few, well-defined AKs, lesion-directed therapy is often preferred and cryotherapy is the treatment of choice. Other options include electrodessication and curettage and laser surgery. For numerous, ill-defined AKs, field therapy is typically recommended as it treats both clinically apparent and subclinical lesions. Field-directed therapies include 5-fluorouracil (FU), diclofenac, imiquimod, ingenol mebutate, chemical peels, and photodynamic therapy.1 Topical 5-FU is an antineoplastic medication that has been used to treat AKs since the 1970s when it was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration for topical dermatologic use.3 It is a pyrimidine analog that irreversibly binds and inhibits thymidylate synthetase and leads to a reduction in DNA and RNA synthesis.3 It preferentially targets AKs over normal epidermis. Topical 5-FU can cause an erosive dermatitis, pain, pruritus, hypopigmentation, and hyperpigmentation, which can result in poor medication compliance. Occlusion and extensive exposure to sunlight can precipitate these reactions.3, 5 Patient education about expected reactions and precipitating factors should be considered standard of care.
Serious games for team training and knowledge retention for long-duration space missions

NASA's Johnson Space Center is working with Stottler Henke to improve teamwork skills for long-duration space missions. Numerous factors, however, make instilling teamwork skills into deep-space astronauts extremely challenging. First, due to communication difficulties and mission duration, teams must be trained in a wide variety of domains — from maintenance procedures throughout the ship, to extremely thorough medical training, to science evaluations. Second, there may be a significant delay between when such knowledge is acquired and when it is needed; for instance, several years may pass between an astronaut learning how to diagnose, and to treat, a collapsed lung. Third, training must anticipate a huge range of conditions; the sheer length of deep-space missions when compared to shuttle missions vastly increases the number, and scope, of possible situations that could arise, making it virtually impossible to train for every scenario. To face the myriad challenges of deep-space flight, inflight training must be readily available. Our solution is a low-fidelity simulation using game-based training that leverages our experience with intelligent tutoring system (ITS) technology. Game-based training is engaging — it provides an entertaining break from the more onerous aspects of deep-space flight. Moreover, it incentivizes practice of amorphous, but critical, teamwork skills, motivating crews to practice more frequently for either mission-related team training or generalizable team skills training. Finally, a game-based solution addresses the problem of finding the physical space in which to train when a small crew is constrained in a cramped environment for extended periods of time. This paper reviews the process of creating games based on firefighting on the International Space Station (ISS) and Medical Training. We review the process of analyzing the firefighting procedure to determine the teamwork skills involved; how those skills were mapped to game mechanics; what changes were made to try to make the experience more engaging; and finally, whether these changes were effective.
Acoustically propelled nanoshells

Herein we report a new design for acoustic nanoswimmers, making use of a nanoshell geometry that was synthesized using a sphere template process. Such shell-shaped nanomotors display highly efficient acoustic propulsion on the nanoscale by converting energy from the ambient acoustic field into motion. The propulsion mechanism of the nanoshell motors relies on acoustic streaming stress over the asymmetric surface to produce the driving force for motion. The shell-shaped nanomotors offer a high surface area to volume ratio, allow for efficient scalability and provide higher cargo towing capacity (in comparison to acoustically propelled nanowires). Furthermore, a detailed study of the parameters relevant to propulsion performance, including the material density, size and shape of the motors, reveals that the nanoshell motors exhibit a different propulsion behavior from that predicted by recent theoretical and experimental models for acoustically propelled nanomotors. Such findings indicate that further studies are needed to predict the behavior of acoustic nanomotors with different geometry designs. Practical applications of the new nanoshell motors, including “on-the-move” capture and the transport of multiple cargoes and internalization and movement inside live MCF-7 cancer cells, are demonstrated. These capabilities hold considerable promise for designing fuel-free nanoswimmers capable of performing complex tasks for diverse biomedical applications.
Rapid automated high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate : Synthesis in brain tissues

Abstract A rapid and sensitive automated system for measuring cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) synthesized from either radiolabelled adenine or adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) in intact and broken cell tissue preparations, respectively, is described. After incubation with radiolabelled precursor, tissue samples are deproteinized and then injected directly onto a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic column. The column effluent fraction which contains cAMP is collected into scintillation vials and assayed for tritium by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Since the high-performance liquid chromatographic and fraction collection procedures are automated, over fifty samples can be analyzed in duplicate in a single day. The utility of this assay is illustrated by investigations of the effects of β-adrenergic receptor stimulation on cAMP synthesis in tissue slices prepared from rat cerebral cortex and dopamine on cAMP synthesis in striatal membrane preparations.
Characterization of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Lynch syndrome (LS) patients with MSH6 or PMS2 mutations.

1555 Background: The majority of LS patients harbor germline mutations in the MLH1 or MSH2 genes. However, ~10% have MSH6 and ~<5% PMS2 mutations. An attenuated form of LS has been suggested in MSH...