cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of varenicline on lumbar spinal fusion in a rat model.

Abstract BACKGROUND CONTEXT Smoking is detrimental to obtaining a solid spinal fusion mass with previous studies demonstrating its association with pseudoarthrosis in patients undergoing spinal fusion. Varenicline is a pharmacologic adjunct used in smoking cessation which acts as a partial agonist of the same nicotinic receptors activated during tobacco use. However, no clinical or basic science studies to date have characterized if varenicline has negative effects on spinal fusion and bone healing by itself. PURPOSE Our study’s aim was to elucidate whether varenicline affects the frequency or quality of posterolateral spinal fusion in a rodent model at an endpoint of 12 weeks. STUDY DESIGN Randomized control trial. PATIENT SAMPLE Fourteen male Lewis rats randomly separated into two experimental groups. OUTCOME MEASURES Manual palpation of fusion segment, radiography, μCT imaging, and four-point bend. METHODS Fourteen male Lewis rats were randomly separated into two experimental groups undergoing L4–L5 posterior spinal fusion procedure followed by daily subcutaneous injections of human dose varenicline or saline (control) for 12 weeks postsurgery. Spine samples were explanted, and fusion was determined via manual palpation of segments by two independent observers. High-resolution radiographs were obtained to evaluate bridging fusion mass. μCT imaging was performed to characterize fusion mass and consolidation. Lumbar spinal fusion units were tested in four-point bending to evaluate stiffness and peak load. Study funding sources include $5000 OREF Grant. There were no applicable financial relationships or conflicts of interest. RESULTS At 3 months postsurgery, 12 out of 14 rats demonstrated lumbar spine fusion (86% fused) with no difference in fusion frequency between the varenicline and control groups as detected by manual palpation. High-resolution radiography revealed six out of seven rats (86%) having complete fusion in both groups. μCT showed no significant difference in bone mineral density or bone fraction volume between groups in the region of interest. Biomechanical testing demonstrated no significant different in the average stiffness or peak loads at the fusion site of the varenicline and control groups. CONCLUSION Based on the results of our rat study, there is no indication that varenicline itself has a detrimental effect on the frequency and quality of spinal fusion.
Brachial plexus nerve injury and repair in a rabbit model part II: Does middle trunk injury result in loss of biceps function while repair results in recovery of biceps function.

INTRODUCTION There is conflicting anatomic and innervation data regarding the rabbit brachial plexus injury model. This study aims to validate a rabbit brachial plexus injury model. We hypothesize the middle trunk (C6, C7) is the primary innervation of the biceps, and when cut and unrepaired, would demonstrate lack of recovery and when repaired would demonstrate evidence of recovery. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty two male New Zealand white rabbits (3-4 kg) underwent unilateral surgical division of the middle trunk. Five rabbits were randomly assigned to the "no-repair" group while the remaining 17 rabbits underwent direct coaptation ("repair" group). Rabbits were followed for 12 weeks, with ultrasound measurement of biceps cross-sectional area performed preoperatively, and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively. At a euthanasia procedure, bilateral compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and isometric tetanic force (ITF) were measured. Bilateral biceps muscles were harvested and wet muscle weight was recorded. The operative side was expressed as a percentage of the non-operated side, and differences between the no repair and repair rabbits were statistically compared. RESULTS The repair group demonstrated significantly higher CMA (23.3 vs. 0%, p < .05), ITF (25.6 vs. 0%, p < .05), and wet muscle weight (65.8 vs. 52.0%, p < .05) as compared to the unrepaired group. At 4 weeks postoperatively, ultrasound-measured cross-sectional area of the biceps demonstrated atrophy in both groups. At 12 weeks, the repair group had a significantly larger cross-sectional area as compared to the no-repair group (89.1 vs. 59.3%, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS This injury model demonstrated recovery with repair and lack of function without repair. Longer survival time is recommended for future investigations.
Validity Of The Self-Reported Domains Of Subjective Extent Of Nonadherence (DOSE-Nonadherence) Scale In Comparison With Electronically Monitored Adherence To Cardiovascular Medications.

Background Self-report measures are important tools for assessing adherence to medication. Many of these scales, however, combine the extent of and reasons for nonadherence in one instrument, and have limited reliability and validity. The present study was the first to assess the convergent validity of the self-reported Domains of Subjective Extent of Nonadherence (DOSE-Nonadherence) scale with electronically measured adherence to a single cardiovascular medication. Methods English- and Spanish-speaking patients evaluated for acute coronary syndrome (N=165; n=68 and n= 97, respectively) were recruited from an urban academic emergency department. Post-hospital discharge, participants were mailed a medication bottle with an electronic cap (eCAP) that recorded bottle openings. At 1 month, participants completed the 3-item DOSE-Nonadherence scale, which assessed the extent to which patients missed, skipped, or did not take the eCAP-monitored medication over the past 7 days. Correlations, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated using eCAP-monitored correct dosing adherence over the same 7-day time period as the reference standard. Results The most commonly assessed medication was aspirin (70.91%). Correlations between self-reported and electronically monitored adherence were low-to-moderate: English-speaking participants (n=68), r=0.24, p=0.046; Spanish-speaking participants (n=97), r=0.18, p=0.071. Sensitivity was low (0.47 English, 0.28 Spanish) and specificity was moderate (0.77 English, 0.88 Spanish). Conclusions The DOSE-Nonadherence scale was associated with electronically monitored adherence to a single daily cardiovascular medication in English-speaking participants, but had weak diagnostic properties when using electronic adherence as the reference standard.
Communities of Things

Discusses next generation connectivity that will entail communinities of connected devices. We are now ready to take the next step and enable peer connectivity among communities of devices. For programmers, just naming the other device means you are effectively connected. No futzing with sockets and firewalls etc. This is even more true for users—their devices justwork anywhere without any setup. The issue of communities and naming is fundamental even in something so simple as which light bulbs (light sources) are part of the living room (a physical place) or the Halloween scene (a logical grouping). The ability to think in terms of communities rather than complexing wiring and networking issues is exciting and enables new classes of applications that have an even great impact on society than the web. The uses in healthcare alone can save many lives. As we move into a world of connected devices the consumer industry can no longer accept the pain of onboarding and move to create great experiences for users.
Age of Information Minimization for Wireless Ad Hoc Networks: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach

Age of information (AoI) has been recently considered as a performance metric to measure the freshness of information for time-critical wireless communications application. In this paper, we consider AoI minimization in a wireless ad hoc network, where nodes exchange status updates with one another over shared spectrum. The network needs to be formed in a dynamic fashion in the sense that each node either broadcasts or receives updates in a slot and attempts to keep the updates in both directions fresh. We aim to minimize the average AoI of each node by a joint broadcast scheduling and power control policy. Each node decides its transmitting/receiving mode and the transmission power based on its local observation of the system state. We formulate a Markov game and develop a multi-agent deep reinforcement learning algorithm based on deep recurrent Q-network. The simulation results show that the proposed approach outperforms the baselines significantly.
Hyperkinesia Delineation of Two Patterns

The literature on hyperkinesis contains considerable disagreement regarding the disorder's terminology, etiology, behavioral correlates, and treatment techniques. This paper explores the possibility that two distinct patterns of hyperkinesis exist and that the failure to delineate these has resulted in the conflicting reports evidenced throughout the literature.
Investigation of Psychiatric and Neuropsychological Correlates of Default Mode Network and Dorsal Attention Network Anticorrelation in Children.

The default mode network (DMN) and dorsal attention network (DAN) demonstrate an intrinsic "anticorrelation" in healthy adults, which is thought to represent the functional segregation between internally and externally directed thought. Reduced segregation of these networks has been proposed as a mechanism for cognitive deficits that occurs in many psychiatric disorders, but this association has rarely been tested in pre-adolescent children. The current analysis used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study to examine the relationship between the strength of DMN/DAN anticorrelation and psychiatric symptoms in the largest sample to date of 9- to 10-year-old children (N = 6543). The relationship of DMN/DAN anticorrelation to a battery of neuropsychological tests was also assessed. DMN/DAN anticorrelation was robustly linked to attention problems, as well as age, sex, and socioeconomic factors. Other psychiatric correlates identified in prior reports were not robustly linked to DMN/DAN anticorrelation after controlling for demographic covariates. Among neuropsychological measures, the clearest correlates of DMN/DAN anticorrelation were the Card Sort task of executive function and cognitive flexibility and the NIH Toolbox Total Cognitive Score, although these did not survive correction for socioeconomic factors. These findings indicate a complicated relationship between DMN/DAN anticorrelation and demographics, neuropsychological function, and psychiatric problems.
Antibiotic-Associated Adverse Events in Hospitalized Children.

Background Antibiotic-associated adverse events (AEs) in hospitalized children have not been comprehensively characterized. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study of children hospitalized at The Johns Hopkins Hospital receiving ≥24 hours of systemic antibiotics. Consensus regarding antibiotic-associated AE definitions was established by 5 infectious diseases specialists prior to data collection. Two physicians reviewed potential AEs and determined whether they were more likely than not related to antibiotics after comprehensive manual chart review. Inpatient and post-discharge AEs were identified using the Epic Care Everywhere network. AEs evaluated from the initiation of antibiotics until 30 days after antibiotic completion included gastrointestinal, hematologic, hepatobiliary, renal, neurologic, dermatologic, cardiac, myositis, vascular access device-related events, and systemic reactions. Ninety-day AEs included Clostridioides difficile infections, multidrug-resistant organism infections, and clinically significant candidal infections. The impact of AEs was categorized as necessitating additional diagnostic testing, changes in medications, unplanned medical encounters, prolonged or new hospitalizations, or death. Results Among 400 antibiotic courses, 21% were complicated by at least one AE and 30% occurred post-discharge. Each additional day of antibiotics was associated with a 7% increased odds of an AE. Of courses complicated by an AE, 66% required further intervention. Hematologic, gastrointestinal, and renal AEs were the most common, accounting for 31%, 15%, and 11% of AEs, respectively. AEs complicated 35%, 35%, 19%, and 18% of courses of piperacillin-tazobactam, tobramycin, ceftazidime, and vancomycin, respectively. Conclusions More than 1 in 5 courses of antibiotics administered to hospitalized children are complicated by AEs. Clinicians should weigh the risk of harm against expected benefit when prescribing antibiotics.
Reconsidering the Derivational Prefix of the Biblical Hebrew t-Stems through Feature Geometry

A recent publication (Hutton 2011) provided evidence and phonological rationale for Baden’s assertion (2010) that the derivational prefix of the Biblical Hebrew hitpaʿʿēl stem could assimilate not only to the normally recognized ‘dentals’ (t, d, and ṭ), but also, in certain ad hoc circumstances, to the affricates (s, z, and ṣ) and, eventually, to other classes of segments. This paper analyzes the process from the theoretical standpoint of feature geometry. An analysis informed by theoretical phonology suggests that the underlying derivational phoneme *t was unspecified with respect to voice and some other features. When this underspecified phoneme *t was placed in immediate contact with a segment exhibiting the same place of articulation and manner specifications, it was occasionally linked to the pharyngeal node of the following segment on an ad hoc basis. Along with commonly operational default rules, this linkage helps to explain cases wherein derivational *t assimilated to members of the set of coronal stops and affricates {d, ṭ [t ʕ ], s [ts], z [dz], and ṣ [ts ʕ ]}. Moreover, in a narrow set of instances, the segment *t was linked to the nasal articulator node of the following coronal /n/, or to the root node of a few other coronal phonemes (s [s], and possibly ś [ɬ] and l). Over time, these linkages proceeded up the feature tree as the feature spreading was increasingly generalized. This finding is basically consistent with the proposals laid out in Baden 2010 and Hutton 2011, but augments them slightly, providing a more unified, economical, and principled explanation.
Unsteady pressure loads generated by swept-shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions

An experimental research program providing basic knowledge and establishing a database on the fluctuating pressure loads produced on aerodynamic surfaces beneath three-dimensional shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions is described. A turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate is subjected to interactions with swept planar shock waves generated by sharp fins at angle of attack. Fin angles from 10 to 20 deg at freestream Mach numbers of 3 and 4 produce a variety of interaction strengths from weak to very strong. Miniature pressure transducers flush mounted in the flat plate are used to measure interaction-induced wall pressure fluctuations. The distributions of properties of the pressure fluctuations, such as their rms levels and power spectra, are determined. These are combined with and explained in light of the previously known features of the interaction flowfield. In particular, physical mechanisms responsible for the generation of high levels of surface pressure fluctuations are proposed based on the present results. Attention has been focused for the first time on the aft regions of these interactions, revealing fluctuating pressure levels as high as 155 dB. These fluctuations are dominated by low-frequency components and are caused by a previously unrecognized random motion of the primary attachment line. The maximum rms levels in the interactions show an increasing trend with increasing interaction strength. On the other hand, the maximum rms levels in the forward portion of the interactions decrease linearly with increasing interaction sweepback. Nomenclature A = attachment / = frequency G(/) = power spectral density ^shock = length of region of intermittent separation shock translation M = Mach number P = pressure
Non-rigid shape comparison of implicitly-defined curves

We present a novel variational model to find shape-based correspondences between two sets of level curves. While the usual correspondence techniques work with parametrized curves, we use a level-set formulation that enables us to handle curves with arbitrary topology. Given the functions $\Phi_{1}: (\Omega_{1} \subseteq IR^{2}) \longrightarrow IR$ and $\Phi_{2}: (\Omega_{2} \subseteq IR^{2}) \longrightarrow IR$ whose 0-level curves we want to match, we search for a diffeomorphism that minimizes the rate of change of the difference in tangential orientation of the zero-level sets. To make the formulation symmetric and to simplify computations, we map the domains of the level-set functions Φi to a common domain Ω by initial diffeomorphisms that are chosen arbitrarily. We then search for diffeomorphisms from Ω to itself, generating them by flows of certain vector fields on Ω. The resulting correspondences are scale- and rotation-invariant with respect to the curves. We show how this model can be used as a basis to compare curves of different topology. The model was tested on synthetic and MRI cardiac data,with good results.
Robotic devices for physical rehabilitation of stroke patients: fundamental requirements, target therapeutic techniques, and preliminary designs

Stroke survivors commonly undergo intensive evaluation of and treatment for impaired movement control for several months after stroke onset. We believe a significant potential exists for robotic devices (or 'rehabilitators') that can accurately measure post-stroke movement impairment, and augment or substitute for some manual therapeutic components of traditional physical and occupational therapy techniques. The purpose of this paper is to justify this claim, and to provide a starting framework for engineering and health care professionals interested in the development of rehabilitators. The fundamentals of stroke movement impairment and neurotherapeutic techniques are reviewed with respect to requirements for rehabilitators, and preliminary engineering designs for rehabilitators are discussed.
Histological confirmation and biological significance of cartilage canals demonstrated using high field MRI in swine at predilection sites of osteochondrosis

Cartilage canal vessels in epiphyseal cartilage have a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of osteochondrosis/osteochondritis dissecans. The present study aimed to validate high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods to visualize these vessels in young pigs. Osteochondral samples from the distal femur and distal humerus (predilection sites of osteochondrosis) of piglets were imaged post-mortem: (1) using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in an MRI scanner, followed by histological evaluation; and (2) after barium perfusion using µCT, followed by clearing techniques. In addition, both stifle joints of a 25-day-old piglet were imaged in vivo using SWI and gadolinium enhanced T1-weighted MRI, after which distal femoral samples were harvested and evaluated using µCT and histology. Histological sections were compared to corresponding MRI slices, and three-dimensional visualizations of vessels identified using MRI were compared to those obtained using µCT and to the cleared specimens. Vessels contained in cartilage canals were identified using MRI, both ex vivo and in vivo; their locations matched those observed in the histological sections, µCT images, and cleared specimens of barium-perfused tissues. The ability to visualize cartilage canal blood vessels by MRI, without using a contrast agent, will allow future longitudinal studies to evaluate their role in developmental orthopedic disease. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31:2006–2012, 2013
The Invariance Principle and Brownian Motion

In this chapter, we bring together several of the key ideas of previous chapters to construct one of the most important objects in all of probability theory, namely ‘Brownian motion’. In order to apply the theory developed in Chapter 18, we will first take the point of view that Brownian motion is a random variable that takes values in the Polish space C[0,1] and later switch to the Polish space C[0, ∞). We will find that when a random walk on ℝ with finite variance is converted to a C[0, 1]-valued random variable in a natural way, then it can be centered and scaled so that its distribution approximates that of Brownian motion. As a consequence, much can be learned about the asymptotic properties of random walks by looking at the properties of Brownian motion. We rely frequently on the material concerning Polish spaces in Chapter 18. The Classical Central Limit Theorem (Chapter 15) and the Arzela-Ascoli Theorem (Theorem 5 of Appendix B) also play important roles.
Tissue elastic properties of eight Hawaiian Dubautia species that differ in habitat and diploid chromosome number.

Eight Hawaiian Dubautia species grow in habitats as varied as exposed lava, dry scrub, mesic forest, wet forest, and bog. These species also differ in diploid chromosome number, with four species having 13 pairs of chromosomes and four species having 14 pairs. This ecological and chromosomal variation is paralleled by significant interspecific variation in tissue elastic properties. The four 13-paired species from dry habitats exhibit significantly lower tissue elastic moduli near full hydration (E i) than the four 14-paired species from mesic to wet habitats. Values of E i range from 2 to 4 MPa among the former species and from 9 to 18 MPa among the latter species. The turgor dependence of the elastic modulus also differs markedly between the two groups of species. As a result of these differences in tissue elastic properties, the capacity for maintaining high turgor pressures as tissue water content decreases is much greater in the 13-paired species from dry habitats than in the 14-paired species from mesic to wet habitats. These results indicate that the evolutionary diversification of the Dubautia species has been accompanied by a significant degree of change at the physiological level.
Information technology and financial services consolidation

Abstract This paper examines the interaction of information technology and the current consolidation in the financial services industry. It suggests that an important reason for financial service firms to consolidate and not outsource their information technology may be to retain the strategic option to be more diversified firms that offer both financial and information services in the future.
A proficient enzyme

Orotic acid is decarboxylated with a half-time (t1/2) of 78 million years in neutral aqueous solution at room temperature, as indicated by reactions in quartz tubes at elevated temperatures. Spontaneous hydrolysis of phosphodiester bonds, such as those present in the backbone of DNA, proceeds even more slowly at high temperatures, but the heat of activation is less positive, so that dimethyl phosphate is hydrolyzed with a t1/2 of 130,000 years in neutral solution at room temperature. These values extend the known range of spontaneous rate constants for reactions that are also susceptible to catalysis by enzymes to more than 14 orders of magnitude. Values of the second-order rate constant kcat/Km for the corresponding enzyme reactions are confined to a range of only 600-fold, in contrast. Orotidine 59-phosphate decarboxylase, an extremely proficient enzyme, enhances the rate of reaction by a factor of 10(17) and is estimated to bind the altered substrate in the transition state with a dissociation constant of less than 5 x 10(-24) M.
Vocal Fold Phase Asymmetries in Patients With Voice Disorders: A Study Across Visualization Techniques

Purpose To examine differences in vocal fold vibratory phase asymmetry judged from stroboscopy, high-speed videoendoscopy (HSV), and the HSV-derived playbacks of mucosal wave kymography, digital ky...
Molecular Mobility in Trehalose Loaded Mammalian Cells: Time-Resolved Fluorescence Anisotropy Measurements

Many preservation methods have utilized sugars such as trehalose as protectants against injury during cell preservation processing, especially during drying (1–5). As mammalian cells do not synthesize trehalose, research in the mammalian cell desiccation field has focused on the development of strategies to enable trehalose delivery into the intracellular milieu. Numerous techniques have been explored ranging from microinjection (2) to the creation or utilization of membrane pores (1,3). Fluid phase endocytosis has shown great promise as an effective strategy for non-invasively delivering water-soluble materials into the intracellular space (4, 5). In this technique trehalose is transported across the cell membrane in membrane-bound cellular compartments called endosomes. Cells incubated in cell culture medium containing trehalose have been shown to take up considerable amounts of trehalose by this technique (4, 5). How much of this trehalose actually become available for protection of biomolecules during the dehydration process has yet to be determined.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Servir le prince par la philologie: André Dacier (1651–1722), un érudit dans l’orbite du pouvoir royal

Dans la lignee des travaux d’Anthony Grafton, l’histoire de la philologie s’est surtout focalisee, dans les dernieres decennies, sur le developpement des savoir faire erudits et sur la constitution des communautes savantes. Cet article propose de deplacer le regard de l’analyse des logiques propres de la pratique philologique vers l’etude des conditions sociales et politiques dans lesquelles se sont peu a peu etablies ces competences. Au travers de l’examen de la carriere et des publications d’Andre Dacier, on s’interroge en particulier ici sur la maniere dont la recherche et l’obtention du patronage royal a pu inflechir les manieres de faire des savants de l’epoque moderne. L’etude examine d’abord comment Dacier s’est efforce de creer une philologie a l’usage du monde, avant d’envisager dans un second temps comment sa maniere de traduire, de commenter et de publier les textes anciens s’est modifiee, dans la derniere partie de sa carriere, lorsqu’il œuvrait dans la protection royale.
Gain Enhancement in Microstrip Patch Antennas Using Hybrid Substrates

A substrate design that uses a ferrite ring to enhance the gain of a microstrip patch antenna without compromising the bandwidth is proposed. This design forces constructive interference between the incident and reflected fields inside the substrate. The interference is created by introducing a ferrite ring at a distance d1 from the circumference of the patch with a ring width d2. Initial values of d1 and d2 of one-quarter of the free-space wavelength ( d1 = d2 = λ0/4) are selected. An unbiased ferrite, with relative permeability of μr2 = 14, relative permittivity of er2 = 10, dielectric loss tangent tan δe = 0.0017, and magnetic loss tangent tan δm = 0.0391, is used. Using HFSS, the results of the patch antenna above a conventional substrate (i.e., no ferrite ring) and above the hybrid substrate (which includes the ferrite ring) are compared. Enhancements of about 4 dB in gain and nearly 1% in impedance bandwidth are obtained by using the hybrid substrate instead of the conventional one.
Noise mechanisms of high temperature superconductors as infrared detectors

Abstract Different noise mechanisms associated with the transport properties of high temperature superconductors are discussed. A theoretical model to predict the 1 f noise characteristics of high temperature superconductors to infrared excitations is proposed. Noise mechanisms are attributed to the effects of temperature variations on the quasiparticle fluctuations and kinetic characteristics of the superconductor. In the transition region the thermodynamic fluctuations modulate the conductivity of the sample causing voltage variations in the presnece of a bias current contributing to the 1 f noise spectral power. The predictions of the model are compared to recent experimental measurements on YBaCuO epitaxial and single crystal thin films. The theoretical predictions in both cases are in general smaller than the measured values. We attribute the descrapency to the effects of noise sources associated with the flux hopping process and thermally activated flux creep in the lattice structure which are not addressed in the current theory.
Propulsion Options for the LISA Mission

The LISA mission is a constellation of three spacecraft operating at 1 AU from the Sun in a position trailing the Earth. After launch, a propulsion module provides the AV necessary to reach this operational orbit, and separates from the spacecraft. A second propulsion system integrated with the spacecraft maintains the operational orbit and reduces nongravitational disturbances on the instruments. Both chemical and electrical propulsion systems were considered for the propulsion module, and this trade is presented to show the possible benefits of an EP system. Several options for the orbit maintenance and disturbance reduction system are also briefly discussed, along with several important requirements that suggest the use of a FEEP thruster system.
Transcription efficiency along the tissue-plasminogen-activator cDNA gene in Escherichia coli

Abstract Transcription along the human tissue-plasminogen activator gene (tpa) cloned in Escherichia coli was studied by inserting the 4.5S RNA gene at various locations within tpa, and measuring the accumulation of 4.5S RNA. A six-fold decrease in transcription of 4.5S RNA was observed as the distance from the Ptrc promoter to the 4.5 S RNA gene increased. Independent measurements indicated that the quantity of initiations from the Ptrc promoter could not account for the differences observed. Because the 4.5S RNA is stable, the decrease in transcription was assumed to be due to premature transcription-termination within the tpa gene. This polar effect could contribute to poor expression of tpa in E. coli.
Lysophosphatidic acid induces integrin activation in vascular smooth muscle and alters arteriolar myogenic vasoconstriction.

In vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) increased integrin adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, as well as the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are strongly stimulated by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). We hypothesized that LPA-induced generation of ROS increases integrin adhesion to the ECM. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) we determined the effects of LPA on integrin adhesion to fibronectin (FN) in VSMC isolated from rat (Sprague–Dawley) skeletal muscle arterioles. In VSMC, exposure to LPA (2µM) doubled integrin-FN adhesion compared to control cells (P<0.05). LPA-induced integrin-FN adhesion was reduced by pre-incubation with antibodies against β1 and β3 integrins (50µg/ml) by 66% (P<0.05). Inhibition of LPA signaling via blockade of the LPA G-protein coupled receptors LPAR1 and LPAR3 with Ki16425 (10µM) reduced the LPA-enhanced adhesion of VSCM to FN by 40% (P<0.05). Suppression of ROS with tempol (250µM) or apocynin (300µM) also reduced the LPA-induced FN adhesion by 47% (P<0.05) and 59% (P<0.05), respectively. Using confocal microscopy, we observed that blockade of LPA signaling, with Ki16425, reduced ROS by 45% (P<0.05), to levels similar to control VSMC unexposed to LPA. In intact isolated arterioles, LPA (2µM) exposure augmented the myogenic constriction response to step increases in intraluminal pressure (between 40-100mm Hg) by 71% (P<0.05). The blockade of LPA signaling, with Ki16425, decreased the LPA-enhanced myogenic constriction by 58% (P<0.05). Similarly, blockade of LPA-induced ROS release with tempol or gp91 ds-tat decreased the LPA-enhanced myogenic constriction by 56% (P<0.05) and 55% (P<0.05), respectively. These results indicate that, in VSMC, LPA-induced integrin activation involves the G-protein coupled receptors LPAR1 and LPAR3, and the production of ROS, and that LPA may play an important role in the control of myogenic behavior in resistance vessels through ROS modulation of integrin activity.
Calcium-dependent sensory-motor response of a marine dinoflagellate to CO 2

EXTERNAL calcium levels have been shown to have an important role in the regulation of sensory responses of freshwater protozoa1,2. Such responses in many species seem to be associated with transient changes in calcium permeability of the cell membrane, which lead to action potentials that in turn seem to modify swimming behaviour. In view of the many intriguing similarities of such phenomena to events observed in neurones, it is of interest to establish whether marine protozoa, living in a high sodium environment, exhibit sodium- or calcium-dependent behaviour. We report here calcium-dependent sensory-motor behaviour in the marine dinoflagellate, Crypthecodinium cohnii.
Toughening and strengthening of ceramics reinforced by dilatant transformations and ductile particles

Abstract This theoretical study considers the toughening and strengthening of brittle ceramic matrices reinforced by both dilatant phase-transforming particles and ductile crack-bridging particles. Nondimensional toughnesses are calculated as a function of the growth of “long”, dominant precut cracks, and nondimensional strengths are calculated as a function of the growth of pre-existing finite cracks. The presence of the dilatant transformations results in peak toughnesses and peak strengths for finite amounts of crack growth. For certain parametric combinations of reinforcements, synergistic interactions may result in peak toughness and strength ratios that exceed substantially the corresponding levels due to the “uncoupled” (i.e. isolated) mechanisms.
A semi‐empirical derivation of thin‐film sensitivities for EDXRF spectrometers

A semi-empirical calibration method for single-layer thin films is described which is based on measured standards and cross-sections generated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology database XGAM. A Fortran program, XRFCAL, fits the ratio of measured sensitivity to the relative excitation and detection efficiency to a second-order polynomial in atomic number. The approach is intended not only to provide sensitivities for elements that have no reliable standards but also to improve on the calibration for elements that do. It is applicable only to K-line radiation and silicon detector energy-dispersive XRF spectrometers with secondary or monochromatic excitation.
Transcritical carbon dioxide heat pump systems: A review

Abstract Carbon dioxide is a safe, economic and environmentally sustainable refrigerant which can be used in heat pump and refrigeration systems. Research into the performance and benefits of a transcritical heat pump cycle using carbon dioxide began in the early 1990s. Theoretical and experimental research, as well as commercial system development, has improved transcritical system performance to a level similar to that of conventional heat pump systems. This paper presents an overview of transcritical carbon dioxide heat pump systems. The paper begins with a summary of carbon dioxide's use as a refrigerant and the distinctions of the transcritical cycle, followed by a numerical analysis of transcritical cycle performance. The study will then present a review of research on transcritical carbon dioxide heat pump systems, which covers system components, configurations and modifications and how these factors affect overall system performance.
Free amino acid concentrations in plasma of larval and adult hydropsychidae (Trichoptera)

Abstract Free amino acid concentrations in plasma of larval and adult Hydropsyche betteni and Cheumatopsyche pettiti were determined. Free amino acids in whole-body homogenates of these two species were also investigated. Larval haemoplasm of both species contained high concentrations of serine, proline, alanine, lysine, valine, threonine and arginine. Total free amino acid concentrations were consistently higher in C. pettiti larvae (33.1 mM) than in H. betteni larvae (24.6 mM). Haemoplasm from adult specimens of H. betteni contained high concentrations of serine and proline, followed by alanine, valine, lysine and histidine. Serine was found in very high concentrations in plasma from C. pettiti adults, followed by proline, glytamic acid, histidine and arginine. The mean total concentration of free amino acids was higher in C. pettiti adults (18.6 mM) than in H. betteni adults (13.3 mM). Comparison of free amino acids from haemoplasm and whole-body homogenates suggests that concentrations of free amino acids in body tissues differ from those present in plasma for these two insects.
Tamm-Horsfall glycoproteinuria: An early index of human renal allograft rejection

Urinary glycoprotein of Tamm and Horsfall (T & H) is a renal substance found in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle and the distal convoluted tubule. Excretion can be measured by 0.58 M NaCl precipitation. Normal excretion = (1.7–2.1 mg/hr/1.73 sq. m. body surface area). Increased excretion occurs with dichromate-induced renal tubular damage in rats. This observation suggested that monitoring T & H excretion might provide an early index of kidney damage in human allograft rejection. Eight patients (4 males, 4 females. Age 9–49 years) were studied during the first 37–120 days post-transplantation. Seven rejection episodes in 5 patients were diagnosed clinically. In each instance T & H excretion exceeded 25 mg/24 hours (½ upper limit of normal adult excretion = normal excretion of one kidney) prior to the onset of clinical rejection. The interval between onset of increased excretion and clinical rejection was between 4 and 14 days (mean = 9 days). Peak excretion rates up to 110 mg/24 hours occurred. High excretion rates in chronic rejection (1 patient) and in glomerulonephritis of the transplanted kidney (1 patient) were also observed. In these instances T & H was primarily in the form of insoluble urinary casts. Since anti-rejection measures are likely to be more effective when the diagnosis of a rejection episode is early, T & H measurement has a practical clinical value.
Intergenerational Transmission of Familial Boundary Dissolution: Observations and Psychosocial Outcomes in Adolescence

This study investigated the transmission of boundary dissolution (BD) in parent-child relationships from parental behaviors observed in early childhood to adolescent behaviors observed at age 13 and relations to adolescent psychosocial adaptation. The goals of the study are (a) to examine the developmental relation of early childhood BD to several measures of adolescent BD observed in 13-year-olds' behavior, (b) to compare two types of BD in adolescence and their associations with early childhood BD and subsequent psychosocial outcomes, and (c) to test the mediating role of adolescent BD between early childhood BD and later adolescent functioning. Participants were drawn from a study of 196 children followed since birth. Two forms of adolescent BD, role equalization and sexualized behavior, were observed during parent-adolescent structured interactions. Early BD childhood predicted observations of adolescent BD. Role equalization mediated relations to self-worth and externalizing problems. Implications regarding multiple types of adolescent BD are discussed.
The Counting of Nuclei in Magnetic Resonance Experiments

A method is proposed for determination of the number of nuclei contributing to a particular line in a resonance spectrum. The method exploits the maximum signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of which the system is capable and is based on an examination of the saturation properties of the absorption line. This provides an advantage over methods which measure simply the integrated intensities and which are correct only at low rf power levels, where the S/N ratio is correspondingly low. The procedure is successfully applied to some pure metal spectra.
Seasonal variations in diurnal concentrations of trace elements in atmospheric aerosols in Chicago

Abstract Atmospheric aerosols are solid or liquid particles dissolved in air, which can change their chemical composition frequently depending on various parameters such as wind speed and direction. In this study, diurnal atmospheric aerosol filter samples, taken at Loyola University Chicago’s Air Monitoring Station, are discussed with respect to variations in trace elemental composition at different seasons. The samples collected, were digested in a microwave oven and analyzed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry. To aid interpretation of the samples, meteorological parameters were recorded and back trajectory analysis was employed. Four days, based on average meteorological conditions, were selected for each season as example to obtain preliminary insight into trace elemental variations. The results indicate that elemental concentrations vary during seasons and depend on major wind patterns (speed and direction). The differences were most pronounced in summer, where most elemental concentrations were found to be lowest of all seasons due to onshore (east) wind from Lake Michigan, depriving the air parcel of larger particles by deposition into the lake. In spring and fall the elemental concentrations determined were much higher, which can be attributed to the prevailing and often stronger westerly winds and associated higher particle freight. In winter the situation can be described as intermediate between summer and spring/fall with moderate elemental concentrations due to weaker winds and less stable wind directions.
Domestic Violence and Immigrant Communities in the United States: A Review of women's Unique Needs and Recommendations for Social Work Practice and Research

Domestic violence is a serious and neglected issue in immigrant communities, just as it is throughout the United States. The following literature review across disciplines from the last five years reveals that a significant subset of domestic violence literature centers on issues related to domestic violence and immigrant communities in the United States. Such literature is particularly valuable to the social work field, as one goal of social work is to strive to provide empirically based, multi-cultural interventions for clients of differing backgrounds and nationalities. A review of this literature is provided, with suggestions for cultural competent practice with women living in immigrant communities who are experiencing domestic violence. Comprehensive interventions at the macro and micros levels to reduce domestic violence in immigrant communities are provided, as well as suggestions for future research directions.
Endocrine disrupters and female reproductive health

There is growing evidence of the impact of estrogenic contaminants in the environment. Studies have shown that male fish in detergent-contaminated water express female characteristics, turtles are sex-reversed by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), male frogs exposed to a common herbicide form multiple ovaries, pseudohermaphroditic offspring are produced by polar bears, and seals in contaminated water have an excess of uterine fibroids. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (those found in the external environment that can mimic or inhibit endogenous hormones) mostly exhibit estrogenic effects, but a few are anti-estrogenic or anti-androgenic. Many of these compounds are industrial contaminants, such as pesticides and plasticizers, and others are natural phytoestrogens found in plants such as soy and in herbal supplements. Recent work shows that human development can also be feminized by exposure to estrogenic chemicals. Estrogen is the key hormone in the initiation (puberty) and the end (menopause) of reproductive life in women and thus of considerable importance in women's health. The same chemicals that affect wildlife may affect breast growth and lactation, and could have a role in uterine diseases such as fibroids and endometriosis. New studies provide a mechanism of action for estrogenic chemicals and other endocrine disrupters at the molecular level (called epigenetics) that may help explain the long-term effects of endocrine disruption.
Three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging of the breast: pulse sequence with fat suppression and magnetization transfer contrast. Work in progress.

A pulse sequence with magnetization transfer contrast and fat suppression was used in three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of the breast. Two healthy volunteers, one person with silicone implants, and 12 patients with clinical and/or mammographic findings suspicious for malignancy were evaluated prior to and following infusion of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Imaging time was approximately 7 minutes for each set of data (128 sections). Final voxel dimensions ranged from 1.4 x 0.8 x 0.8 mm to 1.6 x 0.9 x 0.9 mm. All carcinomas, including ductal and lobular types, were enhanced before and after infusion of contrast medium. Multifocal carcinoma and inflammatory carcinoma could be clearly visualized. Enhancement was not evident in patients with fat necrosis (n = 1) or scar (n = 1). Fibrocystic changes in one patient were visible as areas of increased signal intensity on preinfusion images. Resolution and contrast of MR images obtained with this pulse sequence appeared to be improved over that achieved wi...
Preoperative evaluation for bariatric surgery using transesophageal dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Background: Bariatric surgery is an effective option for weight control in morbid obesity. The goal of this study was to assess cardiac risk prior to bariatric surgery using transesophageal-dobutamine stress echocardiography (TE-DSE). Methods: 7 morbidly obese patients (mean BMI 67.7 ± 15.6) were prospectively evaluated by TE-DSE prior to bariatric surgery. Results: All patients underwent TE-DSE without complications. 6 of 7 patients had no evidence of ischemia on TE-DSE. One patient had abnormal TE-DSE showing inferior ischemia and was treated with beta-blockers and nitrates prior to surgery and had no complications. All patients underwent surgery without cardiac complications. 1 patient died at 18 days of sepsis. Over a mean follow-up period of 11 months, the 6 surviving patients have not experienced any cardiac events. Their average weight loss is 58.2 kg. Conclusion: TE-DSE is a valuable noninvasive technique for predicting cardiac risk in morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Of Shirking, Outliers, and Statistical Artifacts: Lame-Duck Legislators and Support for Impeachment

It has been previously argued that there is substantial evidence that lame-duck Republican members of Congress were less supportive of the impeachment of Bill Clinton than their colleagues who retu...
PERMUTATION ROUTING AND SORTING ON THE RECONFIGURABLE MESH

In this paper we demonstrate the power of reconfiguration by presenting efficient randomized algorithms for both packet routing and sorting on a reconfigurable mesh connected computer. The run times of these algorithms are better than the best achievable time bounds on a conventional mesh. Many variations of the reconfigurable mesh can be found in the literature. We define yet another variation which we call as Mr. We also make use of the standard PARBUS model. We show that permutation routing problem can be solved on a linear array Mr of size n in steps, whereas n-1 is the best possible run time without reconfiguration. A trivial lower bound for routing on Mr will be . On the PARBUS linear array, n is a lower bound and hence any standard n-step routing algorithm will be optimal. We also show that permutation routing on an n×n reconfigurable mesh Mr can be done in time n+o(n) using a randomized algorithm or in time 1.25n+o(n) deterministically. In contrast, 2n-2 is the diameter of a conventional mesh and hence routing and sorting will need at least 2n-2 steps on a conventional mesh. A lower bound of is in effect for routing on the 2D mesh Mr as well. On the other hand, n is a lower bound for routing on the PARBUS and our algorithms have the same time bounds on the PARBUS as well. Thus our randomized routing algorithm is optimal upto a lower order term. In addition we show that the problem of sorting can be solved in randomized time n+o(n) on Mr as well as on PARBUS. Clearly, this sorting algorithm will be optimal on the PARBUS model. The time bounds of our randomized algorithms hold with high probability.