cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical demulsification of seawater in residual oil emulsions

Abstract Oil slick emulsions were modeled using residual type oils such as Navy Special Fuel Oil and No. 6 Fuel Oil. Chemical demulsification of these emulsions was demonstrated using Aerosol GPG (practical grade of Aerosol OT) and a combined two part demulsifier composed of Aerosol OT and polyethylene oxide. The time required to break the emulsions was a function of oil type, water content, temperature and demulsifier concentration. Aerosol GPG shows promise as a chemical demulsifier of collected oil slick emulsions provided ambient temperatures are not severe. The two part demulsifier seems capable of high speed demulsification of seawater-in-oil emulsions especially when used close to optimum concentration and temperature conditions. Because of the sensitivity of the two part demulsifier to small excesses in polyethylene oxide content this demulsifier system seems more suited to the oily waste treatment plant where greater control and technical assistance are available.
Development of a 1024 x 1024 InSb detector array for astronomy: a status report

As part of our instrument development work for the U.S. Air Force Advanced Electron Optical System (AEOS) telescope to be built on Haleakala, Maui, the Institute for Astronomy is contracting with the Santa Barbara Research Center (SBRC) for the development of a 1024 X 1024 InSb detector array with 30 micrometers pixels optimized for groundbased astronomical applications. The device design is based on the successful 256 X 256 InSb devices currently produced by SBRC.
Development of a Composite Measure of Product Adherence, Protocol Compliance, and Semen Exposure Using DNA and Protein Biomarkers for Topical HIV Prevention Studies

Background Poor and inconsistent use of study products has hindered clinical HIV prevention studies. It is important to be able to monitor product adherence and protocol compliance in order to determine microbicide efficacy and safety more accurately. Current methods for monitoring adherence are subjective, non-specific, or invasive. Herein, we present a composite, objective measure of product adherence and protocol compliance to assess vaginal insertion, semen exposure and drug expulsion utilizing DNA, protein, and drug isolated directly from returned, vaginally used gel applicators.
Brain calcifications induce neurological dysfunction that can be reversed by a bone drug

Perivascular calcifications within the brain form in response to a variety of insults. While considered by many to be benign, these calcium phosphate deposits or "brain stones" can become large and are associated with neurological symptoms that range from seizures to parkinsonian symptoms. Here we hypothesize that the high concentrations of calcium in these deposits produce reversible, toxic effects on neurons that can be overcome with "bone" drugs that chelate solid phase calcium phosphates. We present preliminary findings that suggest a direct association between progressive neurological symptoms and brain calcification and the symptomatic improvement of seizures, headaches, and parkinsonian symptoms in patients treated with the bisphosphonate drug disodium etidronate, normally used to treat bone diseases. Future, longitudinal epidemiological studies and randomized trials will be needed to determine the true relationship between brain stones and neurological disorders as well as the utility of bisphosphonates in their prevention and treatment.
A biphasic pattern of gene expression during mouse retina development

Background Between embryonic day 12 and postnatal day 21, six major neuronal and one glia cell type are generated from multipotential progenitors in a characteristic sequence during mouse retina development. We investigated expression patterns of retina transcripts during the major embryonic and postnatal developmental stages to provide a systematic view of normal mouse retina development,
Efficient linear phase filters based on switching and time reversal

A class of linear-phase digital filters is introduced. The switching and resetting approach is combined with that of time reversal to produce an inherently stable infinite-impulse-response-like FIR (finite-impulse response) filter with exact linear phase. The frequency response error due to FIR approximation is discussed for both parallel and cascade architectures. Design examples are provided to illustrate the computational complexity and the group delay of these filters. The method's major drawback is the higher group delay involved in the time-reversal scheme. >
Grasping polyhedral objects with slip

A force strategy developed by R.S. Fearing (1986) for automatically grasping two-dimensional polygon objects by a dextrous hand with point contact with friction is shown to be applicable to three-dimensional polyhedral objects. The algorithm essentially consists of position control of one finger and force control of the other along the internal force directions. Basic geometric constraints on the object are obtained for feasible grasping with two fingers. It is observed that, when an object is rotated about the line passing through soft finger contacts, the fingers slip on the object in a simple predictable trajectory. >
Digestive modulation in a seasonal frugivore, the American robin (Turdus migratorius)

American robins (Turdus migratorius) switch from eating fruits in the fall to insects in the spring. Our objective was to determine the physiological and morphological changes associated with such a switch. Three nonexclusive hypotheses addressed possible mechanisms operating on different levels. First, we hypothesized that birds on the two diets would differ in intestinal absorption rates of sugars and amino acids. We predicted that individuals on a high-protein low-carbohydrate insect diet would exhibit higher proline and lower glucose absorption than individuals on a low-protein high-carbohydrate fruit-based diet. Uptake rates of glucose and proline were measured in vitro, using an everted sleeve technique. We found no significant differences in uptake between the two groups and so rejected the hypothesis. The second hypothesis, that retention time of digesta in the gut changes with diet, was tested using an inert marker (polyethylene glycol) injected into insects or fruit and fed to birds. We predicted and found that the marker was excreted significantly faster in birds eating fruit rather than insects. Thus this hypothesis is supported. The third hypothesis focused on changes in gut morphology as a basis for shifts in digestive processing. We found no differences in gut length, nominal surface area, or volume and so rejected this hypothesis. Note that hypotheses two and three are closely related, because retention time is proportional to gut volume/digesta flow. Because gut volume did not differ between the two groups, the difference in retention time must have been due to a change in flow. Taken together, these results suggest that short retention times are likely an important adaptation to frugivory.
Idiopathic arm pain.

Background: Arm pain with little or no objective abnormality (referred to herein as idiopathic arm pain) is a common and frustrating problem for both patients and physicians. We investigated the relative effect of idiopathic arm pain and arm pain due to a discrete diagnosis on upper-extremity-specific health status. Methods: The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire was completed by 3888 patients seen over a twelve-month period. Scores for the entire sample, for 496 patients diagnosed with idiopathic arm pain, and for 1379 patients diagnosed with one of twenty-one discrete conditions were compared. Results: Patients with idiopathic pain reported substantial and highly variable upper-limb-specific dysfunction (average DASH score [and standard deviation], 36 ± 24 points). Patients with discrete diagnoses also exhibited substantial variation (average standard deviation, 25; range, 6 to 27) as well as long right tails indicating floor effects, particularly for less severe conditions (Pearson correlation of r = –0.87 between the mean DASH score and skewness). Analysis of variance confirmed the ability of the DASH instrument to discriminate among groups of diagnoses of varying severity, but post hoc Tukey analysis identified ten subgroups with substantial overlap of the DASH scores. Conclusions: Patients with idiopathic arm pain report substantial and highly variable upper-extremity dysfunction. The wide variations observed in the DASH scores of the patients with idiopathic pain and those with discrete diagnoses are greater than would be expected on the basis of the variations in the objective pathological conditions and may reflect the strong influence of psychological and sociological factors on health status measures.
Acoustic assessment of pneumatic and electric jackleg drills used in the mining industry.

Hearing loss is the most prevalent disease among miners. A study of U.S. western hard‐rock mines revealed that 96% of machine operators were overexposed to noise, with jackleg drill operators having the most rapid noise dose accumulation. Traditionally, jackleg drills have been driven by pneumatic power. However, there are currently available rotary hammer drills powered by electricity. This paper presents an acoustic assessment of pneumatic and electric jackleg drills that involved noise source identification (NSID), penetration rate and operator’s cumulative noise dose measurements, and determination of sound power levels. NSID using microphone phased array technology revealed two dominant noise sources for the electric drill, one located at the drill and one located at the drill steel‐rock interaction place. In contrast, NSID for the pneumatic drill showed only one dominant noise source located at the drill. Penetration rate and noise dose measurements were combined to estimate the accumulated dose and time required to drill a reference depth hole. Sound power level measurements yielded overall 115 and 125 dB(A) for the electric and pneumatic drills, respectively. The results show that the acoustic performance of the electric drill, despite its slower penetration rates, overcomes the benefits of traditional pneumatic drills.
Abrogation of the Chk1-Pds1 checkpoint leads to tolerance of persistent single-strand breaks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In budding yeast, Apn1, Apn2, Tpp1, and Rad1/Rad10 are important enzymes in the removal of spontaneous DNA lesions. apn1 apn2 rad1 yeast are inviable due to accumulation of abasic sites and strand breaks with 3′ blocking lesions. We found that tpp1 apn1 rad1 yeast exhibited slow growth but frequently gave rise to spontaneous slow growth suppressors that segregated as single-gene mutations. Using a candidate gene approach, we identified several tpp1 apn1 rad1 suppressors. Deleting uracil glycosylase suppressed both tpp1 apn1 rad1 and apn1 apn2 rad1 growth defects by reducing the abasic site burden. Mutants affecting the Chk1-Pds1 metaphase-anaphase checkpoint only suppressed tpp1 apn1 rad1 slow growth. In contrast, most S-phase checkpoint mutants were synthetically lethal in a tpp1 apn1 rad1 background. Epistasis analyses showed an additive effect between chk1 and ung1, indicating different mechanisms of suppression. Loss of Chk1 partially restored cell-growth parameters in tpp1 apn1 rad1 yeast, but at the same time exacerbated chromosome instability. We propose a model in which recombinational repair during S phase coupled with failure of the metaphase-anaphase checkpoint allows for tolerance of persistent single-strand breaks at the expense of genome stability.
On measuring the change in size of pulmonary nodules

The pulmonary nodule is the most common manifestation of lung cancer, the most deadly of all cancers. Most small pulmonary nodules are benign, however, and currently the growth rate of the nodule provides for one of the most accurate noninvasive methods of determining malignancy. In this paper, we present methods for measuring the change in nodule size from two computed tomography image scans recorded at different times; from this size change the growth rate may be established. The impact of partial voxels for small nodules is evaluated and isotropic resampling is shown to improve measurement accuracy. Methods for nodule location and sizing, pleural segmentation, adaptive thresholding, image registration, and knowledge-based shape matching are presented. The latter three techniques provide for a significant improvement in volume change measurement accuracy by considering both image scans simultaneously. Improvements in segmentation are evaluated by measuring volume changes in benign or slow growing nodules. In the analysis of 50 nodules, the variance in percent volume change was reduced from 11.54% to 9.35% (p=0.03) through the use of registration, adaptive thresholding, and knowledge-based shape matching.
Monolithic waveguide filters using printed photonic-bandgap materials

A system of N dielectric layers imprinted with a transverse lattice of planar metallic scatterers and stacked monolithically along the longitudinal direction of a rectangular waveguide is examined in this paper. This monolithically constructed photonic crystal exhibits valuable filtering properties. The resulting optimized filters are inexpensive to fabricate because the building block (printed layer) is ideal for mass production. The complete filter contains no air gaps (monolithic) and can be modularly built up, or reconfigured, by simple stacking requiring no adhesives (modular). The filter response is designed using our analytical expressions and fast software, as well as using commercial software such as HFSS. A comparison of the two design methods shows that our approach is five orders of magnitude faster than HFSS and significantly reduces the memory requirements. Prototype measurements in the Ka-band show excellent agreement with predictions of our design method. Optimized designs displaying reduced size, extremely flat passbands (0.25 dB), and great isolation (-100 dB) are also presented.
CONTEXT-FREENESS AND THE COMPUTER PROCESSING OF HUMAN LANGUAGES

Context-free grammars, far from having insufficient expressive power for the description of human languages, may be overly powerful, along three dimensions; (i) weak generative capacity: there exists an interesting proper subset of the CFL's, the profligate CFL's, within which no human language appears to fall; (2) strong generative capacity: human languages can be appropriately described in terms of a proper subset of the CF-PSG's, namely those with the ECPO property; (3) time complexity: the recent controversy about the importance of a low deterministic polynomial time bound on the recognition problem for human languages is misdirected, since an appropriately restrictive theory would guarantee even more, namely a linear bound.
Nonenzymatic simulation of nitrogenase reactions and the mechanism of biological nitrogen fixation.

The development of biologically relevant model systems of nitrogenase permitted the simulation of virtually all known reactions of the nitrogen reducing enzymes under nonenzymatic conditions. On the basis of these experiments, a mechanism of biological nitrogen fixation is formulated which is in accord with the available enzymological evidence. The key reactions of the substrates of nitrogenase occur at a molybdenum active site. The non-heme iron, which is bound to sulfur and protein-S⊝ groups, mediates the transport of electrons to the molybdenum active site but does not participate directly in the reduction of the substrates. ATP is required for the acceleration of the reduction and activation of the molybdenum site and is hydrolyzed to ADP and inorganic phosphate. Diimine and hydrazine were detected as intermediates in the reduction of molecular nitrogen under nonenzymatic conditions.
CHANGES IN SOIL CARBON FOLLOWING AFFORESTATION IN HAWAII

Afforestation in the tropics may sequester soil C and has been proposed as a management tool to aid in controlling rising levels of atmospheric CO2. We measured changes in soil C following afforestation of sugarcane fields with fast-growing Eucalyptus saligna (Sm.) plantations in Hawaii. Using stable C isotopes, we estimated the contributions to changes in total soil C that were due to the loss of C from the prior cane cultivation, and to the gain of C from the new Eucalyptus plantations. Total soil C 10–13 yr after afforestation was 114 and 113 Mg/ha, respectively, in the Eucalyptus and cane plantation. Eucalyptus increased total soil C in the 0–10 cm layer by 11.5 Mg/ha, but that was offset by a loss of 10.1 Mg/ha of cane-derived C from the 10–55 cm layer. The net effect on soil C of afforestation of cultivated lands depends not only on new C gained, but also on C lost from the previous management.
The Role of Research in Public Relations

IN order to create lasting respect and underpartment of the Association of Casualty and standing, whether with internal, external, or Surety Companies, and recipient of the first trade publics, public relations policy should doctoral degree (from Columbia University) be based on effective and thorough research. ever to be granted for a dissertation on public In this article, the author discusses the range relations. This dissertation will be published of research procedures which are available to soon under the title: "The Application of Pubpublic relations management. lic Relations Management to Big Business-A The author is manager of the Research DePublic Relations Program for Insurance."
High-speed ECC based Kerberos authentication protocol for wireless applications

We improved Kerberos authentication protocol for wireless communication using elliptic curve cryptographic operations. Proposed protocol offers the strength of public key cryptography and costs only 68.7 ms extra load to standard Kerberos without using pre-computation tables for 160-bit curve and scalable architecture, whereas with customized curve library it costs 57.3 ms extra load for the same key length. Using pre-computation tables reduces these timings to 55.8 ms and 51.6 ms respectively. Proposed protocol requires less bandwidth than other public key cryptography enabled Kerberos solutions. Results were obtained using 32-bit StrongARMl processor runs 206 MHz. Due to its bandwidth efficiency and fast execution performance ECC supported Kerberos protocol can be an important option among other user authentication protocols for wireless networks.
The cyanase operon and cyanate metabolism

Cyanase is an inducible enzyme in E. coli that catalyzes bicarbonate-dependent decomposition of cyanate. It is encoded as part of an operon we have named the cyn operon, which includes three genes in the following order: cynT (cyanate permease), cynS (cyanase), and cynX (protein of unknown function). The direction of transcription is opposite to that of the lac operon, and the 3′-end of the cyn operon overlaps the 3′-end of the lac operon by 98 nucleotides. The gene cynR (regulatory protein) is located upstream from the cyn operon, and its transcription is opposite that of the cyn operon. The genes of the cyn operon and the cynR gene have been cloned, sequenced and over-expressed. Cyanate at concentrations of about 1 mM is toxic to strains of E. coli lacking the cyanase gene, but strains in which the inducible gene for cyanase is present can grow on cyanate as the sole source of nitrogen at concentrations as high as 20 mM. The presence of cyanase itself is not sufficient to overcome cyanate toxicity — the permease must also be present. Strains lacking the cyanase gene, but having a functional permease gene, are extremely sensitive to cyanate. Uptake of cyanate involves the product of the permease gene in an energy-dependent process. It appears that the cyn operon has evolved to function in detoxification/decomposition of cyanate arising from both intra- and extracellular sources.
Expression of rRNA and tRNA genes in Escherichia coli: Evidence for feedback regulation by products of rRNA operons

We have tested a model for global ribosome biosynthesis by examining the effects of increased gene dosage on the synthesis of rRNA. Increasing gene dosage does not lead to a significant increase in total rRNA transcription; i.e., rRNA synthesis from individual rRNA operons is reduced to keep total rRNA production unchanged. In contrast, when the plasmid-encoded rRNA operons used to increase gene dosage contain deletions within the rRNA coding region, rRNA transcription is gene-dosage-dependent; i.e., rRNA regulation is relieved. We find that the syntheses of most, if not all, tRNAs are also subject to the same controls as rRNA transcription. We conclude that the production of functional rRNA is monitored by the regulatory system that controls rRNA and tRNA transcription. We propose that rRNA and tRNA are negatively controlled by products of rRNA operons and discuss evidence suggesting that ribosomes are the key element involved in the postulated feedback regulation.
PPAR-γ activation fails to provide myocardial protection in ischemia and reperfusion in pigs

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ modulates substrate metabolism and inflammatory responses. In experimental rats subjected to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), thiazolidined...
A hierarchical exception handler binding mechanism

A mechanism is proposed for binding exception handlers to exceptions. Hierarchical exception classes can be defined and changed during program execution. In addition, the action taken when an exception of a particular class is raised depends upon the type of the current exception handler for that class. The mechanism can be implemented in programming languages that allow runtime determination of an identifier's binding; most dynamically scoped programming languages meet this criterion.
Sensitivity and integration in a visual pathway for circadian entrainment in the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

1. Light-induced phase shifts of the circadian rhythm of wheel-running activity were used to measure the photic sensitivity of a circadian pacemaker and the visual pathway that conveys light information to it in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). The sensitivity to stimulus irradiance and duration was assessed by measuring the magnitude of phase-shift responses to photic stimuli of different irradiance and duration. The visual sensitivity was also measured at three different phases of the circadian rhythm. 2. The stimulus-response curves measured at different circadian phases suggest that the maximum phase-shift is the only aspect of visual responsivity to change as a function of the circadian day. The half-saturation constants (sigma) for the stimulus-response curves are not significantly different over the three circadian phases tested. The photic sensitivity to irradiance (1/sigma) appears to remain constant over the circadian day. 3. The hamster circadian pacemaker and the photoreceptive system that subserves it are more sensitive to the irradiance of longer-duration stimuli than to irradiance of briefer stimuli. The system is maximally sensitive to the irradiance of stimuli of 300 s and longer in duration. A quantitative model is presented to explain the changes that occur in the stimulus-response curves as a function of photic stimulus duration. 4. The threshold for photic stimulation of the hamster circadian pacemaker is also quite high. The threshold irradiance (the minimum irradiance necessary to induce statistically significant responses) is approximately 10(11) photons cm-2 s-1 for optimal stimulus durations. This threshold is equivalent to a luminance at the cornea of 0.1 cd m-2. 5. We also measured the sensitivity of this visual pathway to the total number of photons in a stimulus. This system is maximally sensitive to photons in stimuli between 30 and 3600 s in duration. The maximum quantum efficiency of photic integration occurs in 300 s stimuli. 6. These results suggest that the visual pathways that convey light information to the mammalian circadian pacemaker possess several unique characteristics. These pathways are relatively insensitive to light irradiance and also integrate light inputs over relatively long durations. This visual system, therefore, possesses an optimal sensitivity of 'tuning' to total photons delivered in stimuli of several minutes in duration. Together these characteristics may make this visual system unresponsive to environmental 'noise' that would interfere with the entrainment of circadian rhythms to light-dark cycles.
Windsurfing injuries: results of a paper- and Internet-based survey.

Objective To describe the frequency, pattern, and mechanism of windsurfing injuries. Methods A 24-question multiple-choice paper-based survey was distributed to windsurfers at beaches in the United States and the Dominican Republic, and an identical survey was placed on the Internet. Results Two hundred ninety-four surveys in all were completed describing 339 acute and 150 chronic injuries. The foot, knee, chest wall, and ankle were the most commonly injured body parts. Sprains (26.3%) were most common, followed by lacerations (21.2%), contusions (16.2%), and fractures (14.2%). Direct injury from the windsurfing apparatus resulted in 64.5% of the acute injuries, and 12% were caused by contact with the ocean floor. The maneuvers most likely to result in injury were jumping, high-speed falls, and catapult falls. There was no statistically significant difference between the Internet- and paper-based surveys regarding anatomic distribution of injuries or type of injury. The incidence of injuries requiring medical care in study participants was estimated to be one injury per 1000 days sailed. Conclusions Sprains, lacerations, and contusions to the lower extremity are the most common windsurfing injuries. Equipment modifications are suggested that may decrease the risk of injury.
ANNUAL SURVIVORSHIP OF THE SEDENTARY RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW (AIMOPHILA RUFICEPS): NO DETECTABLE EFFECTS OF EDGE OR RAINFALL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Abstract The Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) is a nonmigratory passerine that displays an area-sensitive distribution pattern of abundance in fragmented coastal sagescrub habitat of southern California. To determine if habitat fragmentation negatively affected adult survival, we used Cormack-Jolly-Seber models to compare annual survival probabilities of adult sparrows breeding in habitat adjacent to urban-developed edges to those of birds breeding in the interior of large habitat expanses in San Diego County, 1997–2000. During that period, an El Nino event brought heavy rainfall to the study area, and a La Nina event brought drought. Annual survival probabilities were relatively high for a small passerine (females: 0.69 ± 0.05 SE; males: 0.74 ± 0.04 SE) but, given our data, did not differ between habitat types or with rainfall. Annual resighting probabilities for the birds were strongly associated with variation in rainfall, being high in the wet year and low in the dry year. Mate- and site-fi...
Animal Behavior Models in the Analysis and Understanding of Anxiolytic Drugs Acting at Serotonin Receptors

Behavioral models have been used extensively in the development and evaluation of anxiolytic drugs. The introduction of clinically-effective anxiolytic drugs that appear to function through mechanisms other than those related to benzodiazepine (BZ) compounds has resulted in a critical re-evaluation of traditional models and concepts of anxiety, as well as the introduction of new animal models. This chapter provides an overview and evaluation of current animal behavior models used in the analysis of anxiolytic drugs with a focus on novel anxiolytics acting through serotonin (5-HT) receptor systems.
Technology, Anthropology of

In French anthropology, technology has been accepted as a valid topic for anthropological inquiry since the 1930s, and a considerable body of advanced scholarship has arisen that is, regrettably, almost unknown outside France. In striking contrast, British and American anthropologists have developed perspectives inimical to the anthropological study of technology, and are only now beginning to study the subject. One of the more important debates in the anthropology of technology is the formalist vs. substantivist argument concerning the relevance of the concept of technology to nonmodern societies. The author explores various aspects of this controversy, as well as questions concerning long-term technological change in prehistory.
Cytosolic free calcium and the cytoskeleton in the control of leukocyte chemotaxis.

Pettit, Elizabeth J., and Frederic S. Fay. Cytosolic Free Calcium and the Cytoskeleton in the Control of Leukocyte Chemotaxis. Physiol. Rev. 78: 949–967, 1998. — In response to a chemotactic gradie...
A Statistical Study of the Form and Growth of the Cholera VibrioThree Plates

plate 1, are presented photomicrographs collected from various papers, which illustrate well the extreme variations in form which may be manifested by this organism. It is apparent from the literature that not only may a single strain assume different forms in different mediums, but that different strains which are culturally and serologically identical will exhibit different morphologic characters in the same medium. These observations have been made so frequently that the question of purity of culture can no longer enter into the discussion. The variants from the typical vibrio form have been looked on by some authors as involution forms, that is, cells which have suffered an injury or are dead; by others, as unusual reproductive types; by still others simply as the result of the action of physical or chemical forces, particularly osmotic pressure, on the cells, implying neither necessarily an injury nor a change in the mode of reproduction. References to the various papers dealing with these views may be found in the article by Kolle and Schurmann in Kolle-Wassermann's Handbuch and in L6hnis' monograph on "Life Cycles in Bacteria." A criticism which may be applied to almost all of the work on the pleomorphism of bacteria is that the various workers have not made continuous observation of the transformations from one type to another. Until this is done, it seems futile to speak of life cycles. It is not necessary to apply the eye to the microscope from the moment a culture starts growing until it is dead. Samples removed at regular intervals from a growing culture furnish material from which a picture of the entire cycle may be reconstructed. If this is done, however, it is almost essential to use quantitative methods; otherwise we may be led into
Contamination of Perfused Donor Kidneys by Starch from Surgical Gloves

Starch induces a variety of inflammatory reactions in humans and may contaminate surgical procedures from surgical gloves. Using polarized microscopy and electron microscopy, the authors observed starch particles in renal perfusate and in glomeruli of perfused donor kidneys. Group 1 consisted of 10 unusable kidneys handled with standard concern of glove sterility. Eight other kidneys (Group 2) were perfused with particular attention toward avoidance of starch contamination. The gloves were rinsed five times, and the cuffs were not dipped into the perfusate. Two kidneys (Group 3), deemed unsuitable for transplantation, were perfused for 24 hours with perfusate swished with unwashed sterile gloves. Group 4 consisted of five transplant biopsies performed within one week after transplantation. Perfusates alone were also circulated through the Waters Perfusion Machine continuously for 24, 72, and 188 hours with and without the use of gloves. The number of birefringent crosses were counted in each of 25 glomeruli per specimen. Group 1 displayed a mean of 1.8 birefringent crosses per glomerulus; Group 2, 0; Group 3, 5.3; and Group 4, 4.4. Groups 1 and 3 also exhibited birefringent crosses in peripheral renal vessels. Perfusate alone, handled without gloves, showed no birefringent crosses; by contrast, perfusate handled with gloves showed numerous birefringent crosses. The authors conclude that starch from surgical gloves can enter the perfusate and lodge in glomeruli and other sites of donor kidneys. Rinsing gloves five times and avoiding contact of the perfusate with the glove cuff effectively eliminates the contamination.
Rapid growth of bulk GaN crystal using GaN powder as source material

Using a novel gallium (Ga) vapor transport technique, thick gallium nitride (GaN) layers have been grown using GaN powder as the source material. In this technique, GaN powder decomposes at 1100oC into gallium and nitrogen vapors. The Ga vapors are transported to the seed substrate and reacted with ammonia to form a crystalline GaN layer. The seed was composed of a sapphire substrate with a 2 μm Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) GaN layer on it. The growth temperature was set at 1180oC. Using this technique, growth rates as high as 500 μm/hr were achieved. The grown GaN layers were single crystal and were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.
Metabolic Testing for Adults in a State Medicaid Program Receiving Antipsychotics: Remaining Barriers to Achieving Population Health Prevention Goals

Importance Medicaid quality indicators track diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease screening in adults receiving antipsychotics and/or those with serious mental illness. Objective To inform performance improvement interventions by evaluating the relative importance of patient, prescriber, and practice factors affecting metabolic testing. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort study was conducted using Missouri Medicaid administrative claims data (January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2012) linked with prescriber market data. The analysis included 9316 adults (age, 18-64 years) who were starting antipsychotic medication. Secondary analysis included the subset of adults (n = 1813) for whom prescriber knowledge, attitudes, and behavior survey data were available. Generalized estimating equations were performed to identify factors associated with failure to receive annual testing during antipsychotic treatment (adjusted odds ratio [OR], Exposure Oral second-generation antipsychotics. Main Outcomes and Measures A medical claim for glucose or lipid testing occurring within 180 days before and after the antipsychotic prescription claim. Results The 9317 patients (mean [SD] age, 37.6 [12.0] years) initiated antipsychotic medication in a variety of prescriber specialty-settings: 24.3%, community mental health center (CMHC); 27.6%, non-CMHC behavioral health; 24.3%, primary care practitioners; and 23.8%, other/unknown. Annual testing rates were 79.6% for glucose and 41.2% for lipids. Failure to test glucose and lipids was most strongly associated with patient factors and health care utilization. To illustrate by using findings from glucose modeling (reported as adjusted OR [95% CI]), lower failure to receive testing was associated with older age (40-49 vs 18-29 years; 0.64 [0.55-0.74]), diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (0.55 [0.44-0.67]), cardiometabolic comorbidity (dyslipidemia, 0.28 [0.22-0.37]), hypertension (0.59 [0.50-0.69]), and greater outpatient utilization (>6 encounters vs none; 0.33 [0.28-0.39]). Analysis incorporating prescriber practice information found lower failure to receive glucose testing if the patient received care at a CMHC (0.74 [0.64-0.85]) or if the initiating prescriber was a primary care practitioner (0.81 [0.66-1.00]). However, the initiating prescriber specialty-setting was not associated with lipid testing. Conclusions and Relevance Compared with prior reports, progress has been made to improve diabetes screening, but lipid screening remains particularly underutilized. Medicaid performance improvement initiatives should target all prescriber settings and not just behavioral health.
The early kinetics of the neutralizing antibody response after booster immunizations with human diploid cell rabies vaccine.

Abstract Persons immunized in developing countries were recently shown to have low titers after pre-exposure immunization with human diploid cell rabies vaccine (HDCV). An investigation into the response to HDCV boosters was conducted to determine if immunologic sensitization had occurred and if there was a response difference in persons immunized in and outside of the United States. Intramuscular (im) booster doses of vaccine were administered to 113 persons previously immunized outside the United States and 47 persons immunized in the United States. The post-exposure booster regimen of a single 1.0-ml im booster, as recommended by the World Health Organization for all but the most severe bites, produced a one-dilution (5-fold) rise in antibody titer in 14 (11%) of 123 persons tested 5 days after booster and in 56 (89%) of 63 persons studied 7 days after booster. Persons immunized in the United States and those immunized outside the United States had similar responses. Persons with low pre-booster titers were more likely to exhibit a 5-fold rise in antibody titer 5 days after booster (P = 0.03) than persons with higher pre-booster titers. The post-exposure booster regimen of 2 1.0-ml im doses (one each on days 0 and 3), recommended in the United States, produced a more rapid response than the single booster regimen in only some persons; a 5-fold response occurred in 6 (50%) of 12 persons 5 days after booster. A 7-day delay between booster administration and the development of an acceptable antibody response in many persons brings into question part of the rationale of pre-exposure immunization and underscores the importance of prompt post-exposure therapy for all persons exposed to rabies.
A Primer on Quantitative Modeling

Caenorhabditis elegans is particularly suitable for obtaining quantitative data about behavior, neuronal activity, gene expression, ecological interactions, quantitative traits, and much more. To exploit the full potential of these data one seeks to interpret them within quantitative models. Using two examples from the C. elegans literature we briefly explore several types of modeling approaches relevant to worm biology, and show how they might be used to interpret data, formulate testable hypotheses, and suggest new experiments. We emphasize that the choice of modeling approach is strongly dependent on the questions of interest and the type of available knowledge.
Hybrid beamforming design for millimeter-wave multi-user massive MIMO downlink

In this paper, we consider the design of two-stage beamformers for the downlink of multi-user frequency-division-duplexing (FDD) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. We consider the case that both link ends are equipped with hybrid analog/digital (HDA) beamforming structures. With analog beamforming and user grouping based on the second-order channel statistics, the user equipment (UE) only needs to feed back its intra-group effective channel. We first show that the strongest eigenbeams of the receive correlation matrix form the optimal analog combiner under the Kronecker channel model assumption. Then, with limited instantaneous channel state information, we jointly optimize the digital precoder and combiner for conditional average net sum-rate maximization by maximizing its lower bound. To initialize our algorithm efficiently, we present a digital precoder design to maximize the conditional average signal-to-leakage-plus-noise ratio (SLNR). Simulation results show significant performance improvements compared to state-of-the-art algorithms.
Loss of Anti-HER-3 CD4+ T-Helper Type 1 Immunity Occurs in Breast Tumorigenesis and is Negatively Associated with Outcomes.

We previously demonstrated a progressive loss of the anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) CD4+ T-helper type 1 (Th1) response during HER2pos breast tumorigenesis. This loss is associated with residual disease following neoadjuvant therapy and increased risk of recurrence. In this study, we assessed the fate of anti-HER3 Th1 immunity during breast tumorigenesis. Peripheral blood from 131 subjects, including healthy donors (HDs), patients with benign breast disease (BD), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive breast cancer (IBC), was collected. Interferon (IFN)-γpos immune responses to four HER3-derived major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II promiscuous peptides were tested via enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISPOT) assays, and three immune response parameters were compared: anti-HER3 (i) responsivity, or proportion of subjects responding to at least one peptide; (ii) repertoire, or number of responding peptides; and (iii) cumulative response, or summed peptide response. A significant decline in anti-HER3 Th1 response was observed going from HDs to IBC patients; patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) demonstrated the lowest responses. HDs had significantly higher Th1 responses versus estrogen receptor (ER)pos IBC and TNBC patients across all three immune parameters; HER2pos IBC patients displayed responses similar to HDs and BDs. Patients with recurrent breast cancer and residual disease following neoadjuvant therapy demonstrated significantly lower anti-HER3 Th1 immunity compared with patients without recurrence or with a pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant therapy. Anti-HER3 CD4+ Th1 responses decline during breast tumorigenesis, particularly in TNBC. Attempts to immunologically restore depressed responses in vulnerable subgroups may help mitigate recurrence.
In-situ X-ray absorption study of ceria-supported Pd-Cu nanoparticles for oxygen-enhanced water gas shift

Abstract The detailed structures of bimetallic Pd-Cu on various CeO 2 and Al 2 O 3 supports were investigated by X-ray absorption technique in-situ in hydrogen and WGS conditions. No indication of the neighboring Pd atoms in both Pd- K edge and Cu- K edge EXAFS fittings showed that Pd is highly dispersed in the lattice of metallic Cu. The Cu-Cu bond distance was markedly shortened by alloying with Pd and correlated to decrease of coordination number, which reflects particle size. A higher coordination number for Pd-Cu than that for Cu-Cu on Al 2 O 3 support suggested that Pd is in the interior of the nanoparticles on Al 2 O 3 while these coordination numbers were close on CeO 2 support indicating a uniform distribution of Pd and Cu atoms. The CO shift activity was not simply correlated to the Cu-Cu bond distance or particle size, but the high activity of Pd-Cu/CeO 2 was attributed to surface Pd interacting with Cu on CeO 2 surface.
High Dose, Prolonged Epsilon Aminocaproic Acid Infusion, and Recombinant Factor VII for Massive Postoperative Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage following Splenectomy.

The antifibrinolytic agent e-aminocaproic acid is used to decrease procedural blood loss in a variety of high risk surgeries. The utility of recombinant factor VII administration in massive hemorrhage has also been reported in a variety of settings, though the impact in a surgical context remains unclear. We describe the case of a patient who underwent massive open splenectomy and developed diffuse retroperitoneal bleeding on postoperative day one. Massive transfusion was initiated, but attempts to control hemorrhage with surgical and interventional radiology approaches were unsuccessful, as was recombinant factor VII administration. Commencement of a high dose aminocaproic acid infusion was followed by a prominent rise in fibrinogen levels and stabilization of the hemorrhage. Indications, dosages, and adverse effects of e-aminocaproic acid as described in the literature are reviewed.
Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase isoforms differ in preferences for eicosanoid species and long-chain fatty acids.

Abstract Because the signaling eicosanoids, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and HETEs, are esterified to membrane phospholipids, we asked which long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (ACSL) isoforms would activate these molecules and whether the apparent FA substrate preferences of each ACSL isoform might differ depending on whether it was assayed in mammalian cell membranes or as a purified bacterial recombinant protein. We found that all five ACSL isoforms were able to use EETs and HETEs as substrates and showed by LC-MS/MS that ACSLs produce EET-CoAs. We found differences in substrate preference between ACS assays performed in COS7 cell membranes and recombinant purified proteins. Similarly, preferences and Michaelis-Menten kinetics for long-chain FAs were distinctive. Substrate preferences identified for the purified ACSLs did not correspond to those observed in ACSL-deficient mouse models. Taken together, these data support the concept that each ACSL isoform exhibits a distinct substrate preference, but apparent substrate specificities depend upon multiple factors including membrane character, coactivators, inhibitors, protein interactions, and posttranslational modification.
Experiments in Additive Clay Depositions

The Standard definitions and models of additive manufacturing, such as those outlined by ASTM (2012), often assume a layer-by-layer deposition of a material onto a flat surface. The research presented looks to explore what alternative formal opportunities that may arise when challenging these assumptions concerning additive manufacturing. Beginning with the robotic clay coil extrusion process, the research uses a bottom–up approach that asks what types of forms and scales can be generated with this process. Prototypes incorporate techniques such as weaving as a means of fabricating panels that celebrate the inherent nature of the coil itself. The woven patterns are designed to incorporate both assembly logics and performance qualities such as light permeability across a facade component. Through a series of full-scale prototypes focusing on a specific building application, this research works to resolve the seemingly conflicting nature between the inherent mutability of the clay material and the high level of control granted by robotic fabrication processes.
Complete Excision of Sacrocolpopexy Mesh With Autologous Fascia Sacrocolpopexy.

Objective To evaluate the safety and short-term efficacy of complete sacrocolpopexy mesh excision with concomitant autologous fascia sacrocolpopexy. Methods A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing complete sacrocolpopexy mesh excision and concomitant autologous fascia sacrocolpopexy from March 2013 to September 2016 was conducted. The primary objective was assessment of perioperative outcomes including complications within 60 days of surgery. The secondary outcome measure was surgical success defined as no need for retreatment by either surgery for apical prolapse or pessary. Results Nineteen patients were identified. Median patient age was 56 years old (range 35-78). Median time from mesh placement to surgical excision was 4.5 years (0-13). Indications for mesh excision included refractory pelvic pain in 18 patients (95%), symptomatic mesh exposure in 8 patients (42%), and bilateral ureteral obstruction with ureterovaginal fistula in 1 patient (5%). Median operative time, estimated blood loss, and length of hospital stay were 228 minutes (133-362), 200 mL (50-1000), and 5 days (2-9), respectively. The rate of minor and major complications within 60 days was 36.8% and 5.3%, respectively. There were no cases of bladder or bowel injury. At a median follow-up of 9.9 months (2.4-39) no patient required secondary surgery for apical vaginal prolapse or retreatment with pessary. Conclusion Complete sacrocolpopexy mesh excision with concomitant autologous fascia sacrocolpopexy can be accomplished safely with a low rate of major complications. These are short-term findings and longer follow-up of anatomic and functional outcomes is needed.
Otologic and Audiology Concerns of Microtia Repair

Microtia is a congenital auricular deformity that commonly presents with associated congenital aural atresia. The most acute concern in these patients is concomitant hearing loss at birth. A team-based approach by plastic surgeons and otologists is necessary to address both the otologic and audiologic concerns of microtia and atresia. Hearing rehabilitation is imperative; yet it should not compromise the aesthetic components of reconstruction and vice versa. Here, the authors propose a framework to evaluate and manage patients with microtia and atresia with the goal of optimizing functional and cosmetic outcomes.