cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase Behavior of Ammonium Sulfate with Organic Acid Solutions in Aqueous Aerosol Mimics Using Microfluidic Traps.

Water-soluble organic acids such as dicarboxylic acids are known to form a significant fraction of organic aerosol mass, yet the chemical composition and interactions between components in an organic acid–inorganic salt mixed particle remain unclear. In this study, phase behavior of different mixing ratios of the salt and organic acids, here 3-methyl glutaric acid and 3-methyl adipic acid, are investigated with respect to their water activity. A microfluidic pervaporation approach is used to study different phase transitions of internally mixed aqueous droplets. Single droplets of varied compositions are trapped and stored in microfluidic wells until dehydration, where both the water content and the solution volume of the droplet decrease slowly with time. The volume is calculated by imaging techniques and correlated with the initial known concentration of the solution to determine concentrations at each time interval. The phase transitions of the droplets with changing concentrations are also observed un...
Role Of Conservative Management In Emphysematous Gastritis.

Emphysematous gastritis (EG) is a rare disease of the stomach that is caused by gas-forming bacteria, and it can be lethal. There have been
Ausgewählte Kapitel aus der Hydraulik

Eine theoretische Behandlung der Stromung durch hydraulische Maschinen ist sehr schwierig, weil meistens die Schaufelkanale solcher Maschinen einen veranderlichen und unregelmasigen Querschnitt haben und der mittlere Stromfaden gekrummt ist. Ein Teil der Kanale befindet sich in drehender Bewegung, und es wird der Stromung entweder Energie zugefuhrt oder entzogen. Wendet man einfache Beziehungen, wie sie in der Hydraulik fur idealisierte Bedingungen aufgestellt worden sind, auf eine derartige Stromung an, so erhalt man unter Umstanden nicht nur quantitativ unrichtige Aussagen, sondern kann auch zu einer vollstandig verkehrten Vorstellung uber das Stromungsbild gelangen.
Perceptions of Interprofessional and Collaborative Practice in Collegiate Athletic Trainers.

Context: The ability to engage in interprofessional and collaborative practice (IPCP) has been identified as one of the Institute of Medicine's core competencies required of all health care profes...
On Control of Heterogeneous Multiagent Systems: A Dynamic Measurement Output Feedback Approach

Recent research by the authors focuses on distributed control of heterogeneous linear time-invariant multiagent systems, which are subject to unknown external disturbances and track a leader with unknown dynamics, when follower agents have full access to their own states. In this paper, we generalize our recent results to achieve the same objective when follower agents have partial access to their own states. Specifically, a detectability assumption is incorporated and local state observer is used for each follower agent to estimate their own states. We first state a global sufficient condition for uniform ultimate boundedness of the output tracking error between the output of each heterogeneous follower agent and the output of the leader. The conditions when this result reduces to asymptotic synchronization are also presented. Then, an agent-wise local sufficient condition is obtained building on the results of our recent work. Finally, we provide two illustrative numerical examples to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed distributed control architecture.
Impact of a Wireless System Upon Verbal Communication in a Simulated Robotic Operating Theater.

Abstract Objective To compare the efficacy of communication via the standard Da Vinci Si speaker system with a wireless, hands-free audio system in a prospective blinded study. Methods Nine hundred and sixty surgical phrases were spoken in a simulated robotic operating room (OR), including 480 phrases expressed via the Da Vinci Si speakers and 480 phrases expressed through a wireless, hands-free system. Using a dual console robotic system, communication was evaluated. Wireless headsets were given to the console and assistant robotic console surgeons, bedside assistant, anesthesiologist, and circulating nurse. An accurate response was defined as hearing the phrase correctly and transcribing it on a data sheet. The primary outcome was the number of correct phrases recorded during the study and secondary outcomes included subjective clarity and effectiveness of communication reported using a Likert scale. Results Overall, the wireless, hands-free system increased the accuracy of communication (390/480 [81.3%]) compared to the conventional robotic system (310/480 [64.4%]; P Conclusion Robotic operating systems have intrinsic barriers to effective communication between the surgeon and the rest of the operating room team. Improved communication could reduce surgical errors and improve patient safety.
Evaluation of Clinical Use and Cost-Effectiveness of a Flexible Cystoscope System with a Disposable Sheath: A Randomized Clinical Trial

AbstractIntroduction:Flexible cystoscopy is routinely performed as an outpatient procedure. The use of disposable sheaths can increase cystoscope life span and reduce staff costs. The primary end p...
Reference to kinds in L2 English

This study investigated the acquisition of kind referring noun phrase interpretation in L2 English by learners with Turkish, Arabic and Chinese L1 backgrounds. 37 advanced learners of English with Turkish (10), Arabic (10) and Chinese (10) L1 backgrounds, and 7 native English speakers were recruited. The tasks were a 48-item Fill in the gaps task and a 64-item Acceptability judgment task. The results indicated that: (a) native speakers, and L2 learners mostly produced bare plurals for count nouns and bare singulars for mass nouns for kind reference; (b) L2 learners of English transferred the morphosyntactic manifestation of kind reference from their L1s, substantiating the Full Transfer Full Access Hypothesis (Schwartz & Sprouse, 1996); and (c) the similarity between the participantsâ€™ L1s and L2 did not always lead them to produce correct noun forms and articles for kind reference, neither did such a similarity consistently help the learners in their acceptability judgments for kind reference.
Effect of Anesthesia on Cardiac Hemodynamics in patients undergoing durable LVAD Implantation: The EACH LVAD Study

Purpose Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is often unmasked or exacerbated during implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Prior to LVAD implantation, the effect of anesthesia induction on RV performance is unknown. We assessed for early hemodynamic changes in the RV after induction, prior to initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), in the presence or absence of preoperative temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS). Methods We prospectively collected hemodynamic measurements in patients undergoing LVAD implantation at a large academic institution between 9/2017 and 9/2018. Preoperative RV hemodynamics were compared to RV hemodynamics post-induction and intubation but prior to CPB, including central venous pressure (CVP), mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), and pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi). Serial hemodynamics and vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) were analyzed over time using random effects models, adjusting for induction agents and use of pre-operative tMCS. Results There were 41 patients included in this analysis, with 4 intubated prior to induction. There was a significant increase in CVP (3.6 mmHg, p intra-aortic balloon pumps were 14 of 17 tMCS cases and had similar reduction in PAPi at all time points (-2.5, p Conclusion RV hemodynamics acutely worsen after anesthesia induction prior to bypass initiation in LVAD recipients. Patients with preoperative tMCS have worse RV hemodynamics at each timepoint but less significant decline over time.
International responses to the 2015 APIC MegaSurvey

The prevention of health care-associated infections is an international concern. Infection preventionists across the world play a key role in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating infection control policies. In 2015, the APIC launched the MegaSurvey to establish the state of the infection preventionist workforce. This brief report will describe and compare responses from the United States, Canada, and "other" countries to establish a professional baseline and set an agenda for future international collaborations.
Review of failure trends in the US natural gas pipeline industry: An in-depth analysis of transmission and distribution system incidents

Abstract Natural gas (NG) transmission and distribution pipelines play an integral role in the United States (US) energy infrastructure. Various incidents over the past decades have caused growing concern as to the current condition of such pipelines in the US. Significant incidents were analyzed to understand the circumstances and causes to enable one to increase transmission and distribution line safety. Various data sets pertaining to significant US natural gas pipeline failures were analyzed in terms of transmission and distribution (main) pipelines. These categories were individually analyzed to develop an overall understanding of trends. While the report focuses on incidents over the ‘10 – ‘17 timeframe, additional analyses are included in the Appendix for two earlier time periods, ‘97 – ‘01 and ‘02 – ‘09. Only ‘significant’ incidents were included in the analysis, totaling 3000, and categorized in terms of: number of incidents, fatalities; pipe material; release type; ignition/explosion; location of loss; age of pipe; and cause of incident. Four significant incidents within the distribution sets and three significant incidents within the transmission sets were further analyzed as case studies, seven in all. The case studies were developed to provide an in-depth analysis of events leading to failures, providing additional information gathered by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA), and additional local utility commissions. Finally, recommendations are made for further work in this area, including comparison of the findings of this analysis with on-going steps by the NG pipeline industry to reduce failures.
Neuroendocrine Correlates of Sleep in Premenstrual, Pregnant, Postpartum and Menopausal Depression

To compare groups of normal control (NC) women with depressed patients (DP) diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) or major depressive episode (MDE) during pregnancy, postpartum, peri- or postmenopause, with respect to neuroendocrine correlates of sleep architecture. We hypothesized that NC and DP would differ in the pattern of relationships between neuroendocrine and sleep measures across reproductively related depressions
Inflammatory Stimuli Trigger Increased Androgen Production and Shifts in Gene Expression in Theca-Interstitial Cells

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disorder characterized by theca cell hyperplasia and excessive androgen production. An increasing body of evidence has pointed to a close association between PCOS and low-grade chronic systemic inflammation. However, the mechanistic basis for this linkage is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of the inflammatory agents lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and IL-1β on rat theca-interstitial cells (TICs). We found that incubation with either LPS or IL-1β elicited a dose-dependent increase in both TIC viability and androgen production. Using RNA sequencing analysis, we found that both of these inflammatory agents also triggered profound and widespread shifts in gene expression. Using a stringent statistical cutoff, LPS and IL-1β elicited differential expression of 5201 and 5953 genes, respectively. Among the genes upregulated by both LPS and IL-1β were key regulatory genes involved in the cholesterol and androgen biosynthesis pathways, including Cyp17a1, Cyp11a1, Hsd3b, and Hmgcr. This provides a molecular explanation for the mechanism of action of inflammatory agents leading to increased androgen production. Gene ontology and pathway analysis revealed that both LPS and IL-1β regulated genes highly enriched for many common functions, including the immune response and apoptosis. However, a large number of genes (n = 2222) were also uniquely regulated by LPS and IL-1β, indicating that these inflammatory mediators have substantial differences in their mechanism of action. Together, these findings highlight the potential molecular mechanisms through which chronic low-grade inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of androgen excess in PCOS.
Correlating results from high resolution EBSD with TEM- and ECCI-based dislocation microscopy: Approaching single dislocation sensitivity via noise reduction.

Abstract High resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HREBSD), an SEM-based diffraction technique, may be used to measure the lattice distortion of a crystalline material and to infer the geometrically necessary dislocation content. Uncertainty in the image correlation process used to compare diffraction patterns leads to an uneven distribution of measurement noise in terms of the lattice distortion, which results in erroneous identification of dislocation type and density. This work presents a method of reducing noise in HREBSD dislocation measurements by removing the effect of the most problematic components of the measured distortion. The method is then validated by comparing with TEM analysis of dislocation pile-ups near a twin boundary in austenitic stainless steel and with ECCI analysis near a nano-indentation on a tantalum oligocrystal. The HREBSD dislocation microscopy technique is able to resolve individual dislocations visible in TEM and ECCI and correctly identify their Burgers vectors.
Trauma on the high seas: an overview of recreational water use injuries

Recreational water use (RWU) injuries span from superficial lacerations to even death. Given the global popularity of RWU, radiologists should be aware of the common mechanisms and key imaging findings related to injuries in this setting. The goal of this article is to depict common RWU injuries and their emergent radiographic findings, which may have both important surgical and management implications. We present a broad review with case illustrations of these injuries seen at our level 1 trauma center showing the breadth of injury that can occur, general mechanisms and sample imaging findings.
Framing a Needed Discourse on Health Disparities and Social Inequities: Drawing Lessons from a Pandemic.

COVID-19 provides numerous opportunities for policymakers to consider matters of social equity in relation to the field of public health. Specifically, by reflecting on health disparities in relation to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority and historically underserved populations, we can leverage a needed discourse on health outcomes for many communities. Grounded in the social determinants of health conceptual framework, this article explores the application of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations and communities of color for a discussion on strategies for minimizing health disparities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Composition and lability of riverine dissolved organic matter: Insights from thermal slicing ramped pyrolysis GC–MS, amino acid, and stable isotope analyses

Abstract Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the key carbon substrates transported by rivers from land to sea, yet only a small fraction of it has been characterized at the molecular level. Here we characterize high molecular weight DOM (HMW-DOM, >1 kDa) isolated by ultrafiltration from nine North American rivers using thermal slicing ramped pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TSRP-GC–MS), carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, elemental composition and total hydrolyzable amino acids (THAA). Samples from the more anthropogenically altered watersheds carried more enriched δ15N-HMW-DOM signatures than observed in samples from the more pristine watersheds. The TSRP-GC–MS results, coupled with THAA data, constrained DOM degradation process. Specifically, the diversity of pyrolyzates of HMW-DOM samples correlated well with the degradation index derived from the THAA data, with more degraded samples being more thermally stable and less molecularly diverse. The relationship between degradation index and pyrolyzate diversity observed in the HMW-DOM samples from across such a broad spatial scale suggests that degradative processes reduce riverine DOM complexity through the loss of more reactive moieties. Overall, TSRP-GC–MS, in combination with specific compound or isotope analyses, illuminates processes controlling DOM composition in different North American river systems with varying degrees of bio-lability and anthropogenic influence.
Spiral defect chaos in Rayleigh-Bénard convection: Asymptotic and numerical studies of azimuthal flows induced by rotating spirals

Spiral defect chaos appears near the onset of Rayleigh-B\'enard convection for a low Prandtl number fluid. In this state, rotating spirals are continuously nucleated and eliminated, yielding a persistent dynamics. Here we derive an equation for the azimuthal flow induced by an effective body force originating from rotating spirals. This result is verified numerically using a two-dimensional generalized Swift-Hohenberg model and the three-dimensional Boussinesq equations. We identify a correlation between the appearance of spiral defect chaos and the balance between mean-flow advection and diffusive dynamics related to roll unwinding.
Medieval cities through the lens of urban economics

Abstract We draw on theories and empirical findings from urban economics to explore and explain patterns of city growth in the Middle Ages (c. 800–1500 CE). We discuss how agricultural development and physical geography determined the location and size of cities during the medieval period. We also consider the relative importance of economies of scale, agglomeration, and human capital spillovers in medieval cities and discuss how their growth was limited by disamenities and constraints on mobility. We discuss how medieval cities responded to shocks such as the Black Death and describe how institutions became increasingly important in determining their trajectories. Avenues for future research are also laid out.
Sperm ion channels and transporters in male fertility and infertility.

Mammalian sperm cells must respond to cues originating from along the female reproductive tract and from the layers of the egg in order to complete their fertilization journey. Dynamic regulation of ion signalling is, therefore, essential for sperm cells to adapt to their constantly changing environment. Over the past 15 years, direct electrophysiological recordings together with genetically modified mouse models and human genetics have confirmed the importance of ion channels, including the principal Ca2+-selective plasma membrane ion channel CatSper, for sperm activity. Sperm ion channels and membrane receptors are attractive targets for both the development of contraceptives and infertility treatment drugs. Furthermore, in this era of assisted reproductive technologies, understanding the signalling processes implicated in defective sperm function, particularly those arising from genetic abnormalities, is of the utmost importance not only for the development of infertility treatments but also to assess the overall health of a patient and his children. Future studies to improve reproductive health care and overall health care as a function of the ability to reproduce should include identification and analyses of gene variants that underlie human infertility and research into fertility-related molecules. Mammalian sperm must respond to a variety of cues, and dynamic regulation of ion signalling is, therefore, essential for sperm cells to adapt to their environment. In this Review, the authors describe the ion channels and membrane receptors controlling sperm activity, in particular the principal Ca2+-selective plasma membrane ion channel CatSper, and consider how sperm ion channels and membrane receptors are attractive targets for therapeutics and how these signalling processes might have implications for assisted reproductive technologies.
Mutations in KIF7 implicated in idiopathic scoliosis in humans and axial curvatures in zebrafish

Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a spinal disorder affecting up to 3% of otherwise healthy children. IS has a strong familial genetic component and is believed to be genetically complex due to significant variability in phenotype and heritability. Previous studies identified putative loci and variants possibly contributing to IS susceptibility, including within ECM, cilia and actin networks, but the genetic architecture and underlying mechanisms remains unresolved. Here, we used whole exome sequencing from three affected individuals in a multigenerational family with IS and identified 19 uncommon variants (MAF C, rs142032413) within the ciliary gene KIF7, a regulator within the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Resequencing of a second cohort of unrelated IS individuals and controls identified several severe mutations in KIF7 in affected individuals only. Subsequently, we generated a mutant zebrafish model of kif7 using CRISPR-Cas9. kif7co63/co63 zebrafish displayed severe scoliosis, presenting in juveniles and progressing through adulthood. We observed no deformities in the brain, Reissner fiber, or central canal cilia in kif7co63/co63 embryos, although alterations were seen in Hh pathway gene expression. This research suggests defects in KIF7-dependent Hh signaling may drive pathogenesis in a subset of individuals with IS. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Zinc oxide nanocolumns grown on self-assembled silica nanosphere monolayer templates

This paper presents a concept of a two-step growth process that first lays down a nano template by self-assembly to define the spatial distribution of the nanostructures, followed by a highly directional physical vapor deposition method to selectively grow material in a columnar configuration. Langmuir–Blodgett technique was used to construct self-assembled monolayers of silica nanospheres (SNSs) with five different radii, 1.9 μm, 590 nm, 425 nm, 250 nm, and 125 nm. Z-axis oriented ZnO crystalline nanostructures grown on top of the spheres by the Glancing Angle PLD formed columnar arrays that were observed to form a hcp structure. Columnar aspect ratios as well as the density per unit area were found to be dependent on underlying sphere size. In addition to the experimental demonstration of the technique, a nucleation model is presented to understand the mechanism of growth in this novel approach.
Geomechanical Evaluation of CO 2 Storage in a Coal Seam with a Secondary Barrier

Geomechanical evaluation of CO2 underground disposal is complex and can be even more challenging in coal reservoirs due to natural fractures and combined effects of multi-component transport. The objective of the research work presented in this paper is to investigate the geomechanical response of the geologic system due to large-scale CO2 injection in a targeted coal reservoir. Field-scale geomechanical models were constructed to capture overall geologic response at an active site due to injection, and the results were compared with long-term field monitoring work. Coupled multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical models developed for the project site are capable to understand the CO2 transport behavior within the targeted reservoir and geologic layers above the targeted reservoir. Additionally, modeling efforts were carried out to investigate CO2 transport behavior and geomechanical response, if CO2 were to break through the seal layer into overburden formations. The combined results of geomechanical modeling and tiltmeter monitoring provide useful information on the migration of CO2. Modeling results show that a secondary coal seam above the targeted coal reservoir could potentially acts as a barrier in the presence of a CO2 leakage.
Entertainment-Education as Social Justice Activism in the United States: Narrative Strategy in the Participatory Media Era

Narrative strategy is a cultural and communication practice by which social justice practitioners collaborate with entertainment industry executives, writers, and producers to shape positive portrayals of marginalized communities and social issues in entertainment narratives, critique negative portrayals, and produce and disseminate their own entertainment content. This chapter introduces the motivations and practices of an expanding cadre of leading post-millennial social justice organizations that leverage entertainment as social justice activism in the participatory media age. These civil society groups have developed distinct norms, values, and practices, grounded within a multi-platform media system that has changed dramatically since Miguel Sabido pioneered his entertainment-education (EE) model. Against a cultural backdrop of media transition and social upheaval, they also are creating their own entertainment media, empowered by contemporary participatory production tools and distribution platforms. The chapter explicates the theoretical underpinnings that connect with, and deviate from, the EE framework, pointing toward new exploration and research.
Fire blanket and intumescent coating materials for failure resistance

There is major fire safety concern about failure propagation of thermal runaway in multicell lithium-ion batteries. This article overviews the passive fire-protection approach based on thermal insulation by intumescent coating materials and fire blankets for viable failure resistance. The intumescent coating will expand (up to 100× on heating) to form a thick, porous char layer and act as a thermal barrier to insulate the substrate. It is also used to seal around openings in a wall or floor to impede the spread of fire and smoke. High-temperature fire blankets are made of noncombustible or flame-resistant fabric materials (e.g., aramids, fiberglass, amorphous silica, preoxidized carbon, and mineral fibers). Both working intumescent coating and fire blankets can block a significant portion (typically 60 to 90%) of the incident heat. Impact-resistant high-strength fabrics, in either soft or rigid forms, can also be used as parts of multilayer protection assembly. Thus, multilayer assemblies can be used for various commercial products, including passive and active fire-protection blankets, battery-cell partitions, confinement bags and containers, packaging materials, and personal protective equipment.
Rethinking Authority Reconciliation Process

Entity identity management and name reconciliation are intrinsic to both Linked Open Data (LOD) and traditional library authority control. Does this mean that LOD sources can facilitate authority c...
Haunts or helps from the past: Understanding the effect of recall on current self-control

Abstract Conventional wisdom suggests that remembering our past successes or failures can help us make better decisions in the present. But how successful is this practice in the domain of self-control? Our work examines how the content of consumers' recollections (past self-control successes versus failures) and the subjective difficulty with which this content comes to mind (easily or with difficulty) jointly shape consumers' self-control decisions. When successes are easy to recall, people display more self-control than when they have difficulty recalling successes. However, recalling failures prompts indulgence regardless of its difficulty. We suggest that these differences in behavior may exist because recalling failures has substantially different affective and cognitive consequences than does recalling successes. Consistent with this theory, we demonstrate that external cues toward high or low self-certainty moderate the effects of recall on self-control. Taken together, this work enhances our understanding of self-control, self-perceptions, and metacognition.
A Compilation of Web Resources for Educators

In this assemblage of Web resources for educators, we identify specific sites that provide high quality, free services of interest to teaching professionals. These resources will be of particular interest to schools whose budgets are strained or whose faculty or students are working with limited funds. While there is a wealth of resources available on the Web, faculty have had little guidance in terms of weeding through the contenders to identify those no-charge resources that are of ample quality. In this manuscript, we identify blog hosts, wiki hosts, social networking site hosts, and website hosts that we have found suitable for educational use. We also identify excellent sources for free website templates and HTML/CSS editor software. In the process of describing these resources, we simultaneously identify key criteria to consider when making a selection in each of the categories we discuss. We do not duplicate the rich existing literature on the educational use of these resources, but rather add information on specific effective software and services available without charge.
A Pragmatic Framework of Values and Principles: The Beginning

In order to make moral judgments about death and dying issues in bioethics—or on any moral issue—it is necessary to have a value theory and a set of normative principles that allow us to identify which things have value, what that value is, and to what degree the objects have it, and then to act on that information. Perhaps the most plausible theory is one based on a form of pragmatism that builds its foundation on how we individually and as a community actually perceive morality. The result will not be simple, but it will provide reason to use it and respect other’s use of it because it is built on what we already think is true.
Structural Characterization of Supported Planar Bilayers by Using Infrared Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy

Model membrane bilayers have been investigated by using a combination of infrared spectroscopy (IR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Oriented single planar bilayer membranes were prepared by direct fusion of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) vesicles onto an alkane-derivatized substrate. These substrates consisted of either a self-assembled monolayer of 1-octadecanethiol (ODT) on a vapor-deposited Au-on-mica substrate, or a Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer of perdeuterated stearic acid (d-SA) transferred onto a Ge ATR element. ATR-IR spectroscopy of the DPCC/d-SA bilayer system showed that both membrane components exist in an ordered conformational state with acyl chains oriented nearly perpendicular to the bilayer plane. The absence of a crystal-field splitting in the CH2 scissoring mode indicates a hexagonal type packing of the phospholipid monolayer. AFM images of the DPPC/ODT model system also reveal molecularly resolved phospholipid head-groups; the unit cell areas obtained from these images correspond to molecular areas which are commensurate with those obtained by X-ray diffraction from analogous phospholipid single crystals. Our results demonstrate that the combination of IR spectroscopy and scanning probe imaging is a powerful tool for structural investigation of phospholipid-supported planar bilayers.
Wavelets and other bases for fast numerical linear algebra

Abstract . The fundamental ideas of wavelets are introduced within the context of mathematical physics. We present essential background notions of mathematical bases, and discuss Fourier, polynomial, and wavelets bases in this light. We construct several types of wavelets and wavelet-like bases and illustrate their use in algorithms for the solution of a variety of integral and differential equations.
15-/spl mu/m 128/spl times/128 GaAs/Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As quantum well infrared photodetector focal plane array camera

In this paper, we discuss the development of very sensitive, very long wavelength infrared GaAs/Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) based on bound-to-quasi-bound intersubband transition, fabrication of random reflectors for efficient light coupling, and the demonstration of a 15-/spl mu/m cutoff 128/spl times/128 focal plane array imaging camera. Excellent imagery, with a noise equivalent differential temperature (NE/spl Delta/T) of 30 mK has been achieved.
Electron microscopy of calf thymus nucleoprotein. I. Effect of hydrochloric acid and desoxyribonuclease.

Abstract 1. 1. Procedures for the electron microscope study of the effects of HCl and DNase ono DNP have been described. DNP is precipitated from a i M NaCl solution directly upon the electron microscope grid by the addition of a drop of distilled water. Excess salt is removed by transferring the grid into a dish of distilled water. Acid or enzyme treatment of the DNP is accomplished after the washing by transfer of the DNP-containing grid into the acid or enzyme solutions. 2. 2. Untreated DNP resulted in an ill-defined tree-like network of material. DNase treatment produced a mass of irregularly-shaped particles without any network or connections. After the HCl treatment a very pronounced network of fibers with round masses at the intersections was observed. When HCl treatment followed the enzyme action, only small round globules were observed. When the enzyme treatment followed the acid treatment the only noticeable difference was a change in the height of the round masses at the intersections of the fibers.
Optimal allocation in a queueing system with shared resources

In this paper, we study the problem of dynamic allocation of heterogeneous processors to parallel heterogeneous job traffic flows. Each traffic flow is a stationary ergodic random marked point process, with a parameter (traffic intensity rate) that depends on the job class. The service rates of the various job flows depend on both the job class and the processor class. This model captures the essential features of several practical systems, including flexible manufacturing ones, packet switches, distribution systems, etc. We first specify precisely the necessary and sufficient condition for stability of the system. We then identify a family of policies that achieves maximum throughput; i.e. they stabilize the system under the maximum possible input rates. The approach taken introduces the concept of virtual queueing, which proves powerful in establishing strong probabilistic results (convergence in distribution to a finite stationary regime) for queueing systems with complex dynamics due to sharing resources, under a very general stationary ergodic probabilistic structure.
Abstract T P93: Blood Pharmacokinetics Of Dodecafluoropentane Following Administration Of Dodecafluoropentane Emulsion To Rabbits

Objective: Intravenous injection of Dodecafluoropentane emulsion (DDFPe) increases oxygen transportation and reduces brain infarct volume in rabbit stroke models. Many potential applications in stroke, blood loss, ischemic states, and high risk angiography are yet undefined. Previous studies suggested a blood elimination half-life of 90 min after injection. In this report, we show a two-phase DDFP pharmacokinetic profile with rapid distribution and longer elimination half-life. Methods: New Zealand White rabbits (N=6) were administered an I.V. bolus of DDFPe (12 mg DDFP/kg). Blood samples were taken at pre-dose and then every 3-min for 40 min following the dose. Samples were transferred to headspace vials and stored at -20 0C until analyzed by headspace sampling coupled to GC-MS analysis. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using compartmental analysis with exponential terms calculated using the curve-stripping method (PK Solutions 2.0). Results: A 2-compartment model was the best fit to the DDFP blood concentration-time profiles in each of the animals tested. A rapid distribution phase followed by a longer elimination phase was observed. The distribution phase half-life was 1.15 ± 0.6 min, while the elimination half-life was 13.5 ± 11 min (N=4). Conclusions: A traditional serum pharmacokinetic approach toward development of proper dosing regimens for DDFPe stroke therapy is not feasible given the short half-life relative to the known pharmacodynamic model that shows efficacy for 90-min following a dose of DDFPe. Organ specific pharmacokinetics of DDFP in tissues such as the brain will likely lead to more effective pharmacokinetic models of DDFP following administration of DDFPe.
HBM failures induced by ESD cell turn-off and circuit interaction with ESD protection

Limited ESD simulations are often combined with topology checks to avoid ESD weaknesses arising from transient circuit interaction with ESD protection. In this work, we focus on a product designed using such a methodology exhibiting HBM failures. The failures were narrowed down to circuit interaction at ESD cell turn-on and turn-off.
Regulation of zinc metallothionein II mRNA level in rat brain.

Metallothionein isoforms I and II (MTI and MTII) have been identified in the rat brain, monkey brain, bovine retina, pineal gland and hippocampus, and in the neuroblastoma IMR 32. Since intraperitoneally administered zinc passes across the blood-brain barrier slowly, the rat brain metallothionein can be induced in a time- and dose-dependent fashion only following intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) administered zinc sulfate at a rate of 0.20 ?mol/?l/h for 24 h using an Alzet minipump. The zinc-induced proteins, incorporate large quantities of [(35)S]cysteine, bind (65)Zn and produce two isoforms which contain 17 and 18 cysteine residues, respectively, but lack aromatic amino acids or histidine. In this communication, we report that i.c.v.-administered zinc in a bolus of 0.1 and 0.5 ?mol increased the synthesis of poly A(+) RNA from 6.6 to 8.0 and 9.6 ?g/g brain tissue, respectively. Furthermore, we probed the poly A(+) RNA with (32)P-labeled 180 base pair BamH1/PvuII restriction fragment containing the cDNA for human MTII from the phMT-II(3) plasmid. Slot blot analysis of poly A(+) RNA revealed a dose-dependent increase in brain MTII hybridizable mRNA. Northern blot analysis of poly A(+) RNA extracted from the rat liver and brain using (32)P-labeled cDNA exhibited a major band of hybridization at 700 bases in both tissues. These data provide evidence that the zinc-induced MT synthesis in the brain is associated with an accumulation of mRNA which is analogous to the zinc-induced synthesis of hepatic MT mRNA. However, other evidence indicates that the factors regulating the synthesis of the brain and the hepatic metallothioneins are not identical.
Food and Drug Administration's Guidelines for Clinical Testing of Drugs in the Elderly

In September 1983, a preliminary paper on the testing of drugs in the elderly was produced by the Food and Drug Administration. Since that time, workshops and individual scientists have commented on its contents. The deliberations about the content of the paper are discussed as well as the plan for its incorporation into clinical guidelines.
Speech intelligibility enhancement using hearing-aid array processing

Microphone arrays can improve speech recognition in the noise for hearing-impaired listeners by suppressing interference coming from other than desired signal direction. In a previous paper [J. M. Kates and M. R. Weiss, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 99, 3138-3148 (1996)], several array-processing techniques were evaluated in two rooms using the AI-weighted array gain as the performance metric. The array consisted of five omnidirectional microphones having uniform 2.5-cm spacing, oriented in the endfire direction. In this paper, the speech intelligibility for two of the array processing techniques, delay-and-sum beamforming and superdirective processing, is evaluated for a group of hearing-impaired subjects. Speech intelligibility was measured using the speech reception threshold (SRT) for spondees and speech intelligibility rating (SIR) for sentence materials. The array performance is compared with that for a single omnidirectional microphone and a single directional microphone having a cardioid response pattern. The SRT and SIR results show that the superdirective array processing was the most effective, followed by the cardioid microphone, the array using delay-and-sum beamforming, and the single omnidirectional microphone. The relative processing ratings do not appear to be strongly affected by the size of the room, and the SRT values determined using isolated spondees are similar to the SIR values produced from continuous discourse.
Mesothelial cell–associated hyaluronic acid promotes adhesion of endometrial cells to mesothelium

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the role of hyaluronic acid in the attachment of endometrial cells to mesothelium. Design: In vitro study of adhesion of endometrial stromal and epithelial cells to mesothelial cells. Setting: University medical center. Patient(s): Reproductive-age women without endometriosis undergoing surgery for benign conditions. Intervention(s): None. Main outcome measure(s): The effect of hyaluronidase treatment of mesothelial cells or endometrial cells on adhesion of 51 Cr labeled endometrial stromal and epithelial cells to monolayers of mesothelium was evaluated. The expression of CD44, the hyaluronate receptor, was evaluated by western blot. Result(s): Hyaluronidase pretreatment of mesothelial cells decreased the binding of endometrial stromal and epithelial cells to mesothelium by 39% ( P P Conclusions: This study demonstrates that mesothelial cell–associated hyaluronic acid is involved in attachment of endometrial stromal and endometrial epithelial cells to the mesothelium. We hypothesize that binding of hyaluronic acid by endometrial cells is involved in the pathogenesis of the early endometriotic lesion.
Structure and function of the genomically encoded fosfomycin resistance enzyme, FosB, from Staphylococcus aureus.

The Gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Like many multi-drug-resistant organisms, S. aureus contains antibiotic-modifying enzymes that facilitate resistance to a multitude of antimicrobial compounds. FosB is a Mn2+-dependent fosfomycin-inactivating enzyme found in S. aureus that catalyzes nucleophilic addition of either l-cysteine (l-Cys) or bacillithiol (BSH) to the antibiotic, resulting in a modified compound with no bactericidal properties. The three-dimensional X-ray crystal structure of FosB from S. aureus (FosBSa) has been determined to a resolution of 1.15 A. Cocrystallization of FosBSa with either l-Cys or BSH results in a disulfide bond between the exogenous thiol and the active site Cys9 of the enzyme. An analysis of the structures suggests that a highly conserved loop region of the FosB enzymes must change conformation to bind fosfomycin. While two crystals of FosBSa contain Zn2+ in the active site, kinetic analyses of FosBSa indica...
Control of methylation spreading in synthetic DNA sequences by the murine DNA methyltransferase.

Abstract Methylation spreading, which involves a propensity for the mammalian DNA-(cytosine-5)-methyltransferase to de novo methylate cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpGs) near pre-existing 5-methylcytosine bases, has been implicated in the control of numerous biological processes. We have assessed methylation spreading by the murine DNA methyltransferase in vitro using synthetic copolymers and oligonucleotides which differ only in their methylation state. Double-stranded oligonucleotides were found to undergo higher levels of de novo methylation overall than otherwise identical single-stranded oligonucleotides. This difference reflects the greater number of de novo methylatable cytosine bases in double-stranded than single-stranded sequences. All tested oligonucleotides containing pre-existing 5-methylcytosine(s) were de novo methylated at several fold the rates of non-methylated controls. No mammalian proteins besides the DNA methyltransferase were required for this observed enhancement of de novo methylation. Studies using oligonucleotides differing in patterns of pre-methylation showed that methylation spreading can be initiated by hemimethylated or duplex methylated CpGs indicating that recognition of 5-methylcytosine by the enzyme is sufficient to stimulate methylation spreading. Double and single-stranded oligonucleotides with several bases between CpGs underwent considerably more de novo methylation per CpG than sequences containing sequential uninterrupted methylatable sites. Spacing preferences by the DNA methyltransferase were also observed in hemimethylated oligonucleotides, suggesting that this is a general property of the enzyme. Although methylation spreading outside of CpG dinucleotides was relatively rare, single-stranded DNA incurred higher levels of de novo methylation at sites other than CpG as compared to double-stranded DNA. This indicates less specificity of methylation spreading in single-stranded sequences. Finally, enhanced de novo methylation in the presence of fully methylated CpG sites in double-stranded oligonucleotides was not as high as the rates of methylation of hemimethylated CpGs in otherwise identical oligonucleotides. These studies provide further elucidation of the mechanisms and regulation of the methylation spreading process and its potential role in the biological processes it influences.
Lethal sectoring is not the basis for EMS-induced pure mutant clones in Chinese hamster cells.

Abstract Treatment of G1-synchronized mammalian cells with mutagenic agents which act on one strand of the DNA at a given site would be expected to produce colonies containing both mutant and wild-type cells (mosaic). We have observed that in addition to mosaic colonies, G1-synchronized Chinese hamster ovary cells which had been treated with the single-strand mutagen ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), produced colonies in which all the cells lacked glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. These completely mutant (pure) colonies could be derived from a potentially mosaic colony by the “death” of the wild-type cell after the first cell division, leaving only the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient cell to grow into a colony (lethal sectoring). Using time-lapse photography to analyze cell lineages after EMS treatment, we find that cell lysis, cell release, cell migration, or proliferative failure of one lineage at the 2-cell stage accounts for only 20–25% of the pure mutant colonies observed. This result suggests that in the Chinese hamster cell there exists a mutational mechanism which fixes the mutation in both strands of the DNA before the next replication cycle following EMS treatment.
Characterization of liquid crystal polymer from 110 GHz to 170 GHz

Liquid crystal polymer is a promising substrate for mm-wave packaging. In this work, we present the characterization of liquid crystal polymer from 110 GHz to 170 GHz. The microstrip ring resonator method is used for the relative permittivity and loss tangent extraction at mm-wave frequencies. The effect of radiation loss in the extraction of loss tangent is analyzed through full electromagnetic 3D models to verify that radiation loss can be neglected for the particular geometry under study. The Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis is used to analyze the uncertainty of the method taking into account the uncertainty of each measurement involved in the characterization. Using a frequency dispersive model for the effective permittivity for the microstrip, the relative permittivity of LCP is extracted to be 3.17 and the loss tangent varies from 0.0055 to 0.009. This work is the first to characterize the liquid crystal polymer in D-band.
Proof of structure and synthesis of α-D-glucopyranosyl (dihydrogen phosphate)

The reaction of 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-trichloroacetyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl chloride with silver (dibenzyl phosphate) yielded 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-(trichloroacetyl)-α-d-glucopyranosyl (dibenzyl phosphate) (2a). Hydrolysis of the trichloroacetyl group of 2a, followed by acetylation, afforded 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranose 2-(dibenzyl phosphate). However, when 2a was subjected to debenzylation followed by deacetylation, it furnished α-D-glucopyranosyl (dihydrogen phosphate), which was isolated as the crystalline brucine salt having physical constants identical with those reported in the literature.