cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short-and long-term neural biocompatibility of heparin coated sapphire implants

Abstract Sapphire is one of the most promising materials for the development of implantable biomedical devices due to its exceptional chemical, mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties. Silicon has also been widely used to manufacture neuroprosthetic devices in the past. However, both of these materials have been found to cause the most severe tissue reactions while implanted in vivo in the rat brain, compared with other biomaterials. In order to enhance the biocompatibility of sapphire and silicon, their surfaces were modified by depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), followed by the photo-immobilization of heparin. To comprehensively evaluate the short- and long-term neural biocompatibility, sapphire and silicon wafers (2.5 mm dia × 0.25 mm thick) with and without heparin coating were implanted on the surface of adult rat's cortex for 10, 28 and 90 days. Specific evaluations of the cell types that contribute to an inflammatory response were performed. The histological results indicate that the biocompatibility of sapphire is dramatically improved by heparin immobilization, while this dramatic improvement is not observed on heparin coated silicon. The failure to improve the biocompatibility of silicon by heparin immobilization can be attributed to the corrosion of the silicon surface in vivo, which was confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Meanwhile, no corrosion was observed on heparin coated sapphire surfaces and a very thin layer of proteins or extracellular matrix was deposited on the surfaces.
Calcium-ouabain interaction in a “microsomal” membrane fraction containing Na+, K+-ATPase activity and calcium binding activity

Abstract Calcium and ouabain specifically affected a membrane preparation containing ATP-dependent calcium binding activity, Na + , K + -ATPase and high endogenous calcium. (a) Ouabain stimulated calcium exchange, but not calcium binding. (b) Calcium in micromolar amounts stimulated specific ouabain binding at a pH of 6.8 (optimal calcium binding pH), but not at 7.4 (optimal Na + , K + -ATPase activity). The presence of Na + , K + -ATPase appeared to be associated with the ouabain-induced effect on calcium exchange; in its absence, no such effect occurred and no binding of ouabain to the preparation occurred.
Mechanics of slitting and cutting webs

The quality of edges formed during cutting and slitting of thin polymer webs is important for many industrial applications. To control the edge quality of the separated material, it is necessary to understand cutting. A model is proposed, and the mechanics of cutting are described. Experiments were conducted on polyethylene terephthalate. Photoelastic micrographs were used for qualitative and quantitative observations of the two-dimensional stress distributions. The results of this analysis supported the model for cutting of thin polymer webs. An apparatus was constructed to instrument, monitor and control the web-slitting process. The slitting speed, tension in the web and angle of cut were varied during tests. This allowed a quantitative understanding of the cutting mechanisms to be established. The results of the experiments showed that the in-plane cutting forces were minimally affected by changes in rate or web tension. The angle of cut had a pronounced effect on the in-plane cutting forces and the stability of the cut. The results are a beginning of a mechanistic understanding of deformation taking place during slitting and cutting. The experimentation emphasized an instability in slitting. An understanding of this instability will allow quality web edges with minimal deformation and straight stable cuts to be achieved.
Pharmacokinetic optimisation of vancomycin therapy.

Renewed interest in vancomycin over the past decade has led to an abundance of data concerning the pharmacokinetics of vancomycin, and its dosage selection and concentration-response relationships.
Sterilization Mode Effect on the Hydration Rate of Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate

Plaster bandages have been found to support bacteria. The sterilization of plaster (calcium sulfate hemihydrate) for use as an implant biomaterial is, therefore, a primary concern. Heat sterilization can significantly alter material properties and the kinetics of plaster hydration. A study has been done of the effects of sterilization by gamma radiation and by ethylene oxide on the hydration rate of plaster. Three hemihydrate bases with differing water requirements and hydration rates were sterilized by each method. Adiabatic temperature rise was used to follow hydration. Five outcomes were measured and analyzed. These outcomes include the induction period, maximum rate of temperature rise (MRR), time to MRR, total temperature rise, and time to maximum temperature. Neither sterilization mode was found to significantly alter the hydration process of any of the plaster bases. From a material property standpoint, either gamma radiation or ethylene oxide treatment is preferred to heat sterization of calcium sulfate hemihydrate.
Effects of domain structure on electrically excitable mechanical resonances in ferroelectric ceramics

Abstract Recently, I have announced the existence of electrically excitable mechanical resonances in piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials which are not accompanied by any detectable electrical disturbance. These observations are, of course, contrary to conventional understanding, and they are valid for X-cut quartz, Z-cut LiNbO3, slim loop ferroelectrics, PZT65/35, PLZT7/65/35,BaTiO3 ceramic, Clevite PZT8 and Channel 5500 ceramic, including virgin and thermally depoled specimens of ferroelectric ceramics. In this paper, the effects of domain structure on the existence of the mechanical resonances in the ferroelectric ceramic PZT65/35 are examined. It is shown that domain structure affects not only the number of these resonances but also their amplitudes. These observations are suggestive of the notion that the existence of these mechanical resonances may be due in part to the coupling of the driving electric field to the unit cell dipoles of the domains.
P300 and time of day: circadian rhythms, food intake, and body temperature.

The P300 or P3 component of the event-related brain potential (ERP) was obtained from five groups of 24 young adult subjects, with each group measured at a different time of day (8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m.). An activity-preference questionnaire was used to ensure that an equitable number of morning- and evening-preferring subjects were obtained for each testing time. P3 measures, physiological (body temperature, heart rate, subjective alertness), and cognitive performance (digit span, prose memory, digit symbol) variables were assessed. P3 amplitude and latency were not affected directly by the time of day. However, P3 amplitude was smaller in subjects who had not eaten within 6 hours of testing relative to subjects who had a recent meal, and P3 latency was correlated negatively with body temperature. The findings suggest that although the P3 ERP is not influenced by circadian rhythms, it is related to recency of food intake and physiological factors which change with time of day.
Isolation and characterization of a cell line from the epithelial cells of the human fetal pancreas

Pancreatic cell lines are useful for basic studies of pancreatic biology and for possible application to cell transplantation therapies for diabetes. A retroviral vector expressing simian virus 40 (SV40) T antigen and H-rasval12 was used to infect a monolayer culture of epithelial cells from an 18-wk human fetal pancreas. Infected cells gave rise to a clonal epithelial cell line, designated TRM-1. This cell line expresses epithelial markers as well as gult2 and small amounts of insulin and glucagon. TRM-1 is the first cell line to be generated from the human fetal pancreas and also the first cell line derived directly from the fetal pancreas of any species. The approach that we have used to develop TRM-1 should be applicable to isolating cell lines from other stages of human pancreatic development.
Foreign bodies of the ear and nose in children and its correlation with right or left handed children.

Summary Objective Foreign bodies (FB) of the ear and nose are common findings in the pediatric population. The objective of this project is to present our experience of cases presented to our department and to correlate the insertion of the FB in relation to the child’s handedness. Methods This project was carried out at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital (Athens, Greece), between December 2007 and August 2008. Data collected includes age and sex of the child, time elapsed between the insertion of the FB and its removal, type of FB, site of insertion, description of the child’s handedness, conditions of removal and complications. Results 46 FB were removed from the nasal cavities. On the right nasal cavity, 29/31 (93.55%) children were right handed and 2/31 (6.45%) were left handed. On the left nasal cavity, 11/14 (78.57%) were right handed and 3/14 (21.43%) children were left handed. One right handed child had a FB in both nasal cavities. 44 FB were removed from the ear (external auditory canal: EAC), 30 (68.18%) from the right EAC and 14 (31.82%) from the left. On the right EAC, 28/30 (93.33%) children were right handed and 2/30 (6.67%) were left handed. Children with FB of the left EAC were 9/14 (64.29%) right handed and 5/14 (35.71%) left handed. Conclusions Children insert FB into their nasal cavities randomly ( P = 0.308). As a result, there is no correlation with the child’s handedness and right/left nasal cavities FB insertion. On the other hand, children do insert FB into their right/left EAC according whether they are right/left handed ( P = 0.014). Consequently, right handed children insert FB into their right EAC and left handed children into their left EAC.
STK11/LKB1 Peutz-Jeghers Gene Inactivation in Intraductal Papillary-Mucinous Neoplasms of the Pancreas

Despite the growing awareness of intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas among clinicians, the molecular features of IPMNs have not been well characterized. Previous reports suggest that inactivation of the STK11/LKB1, a tumor-suppressor gene responsible for Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), plays a role in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal hamartomas as well as several cancers, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Using polymerase chain reaction amplification of five microsatellite markers from the 19p13.3 region harboring the STK11/LKB1 gene, we analyzed DNA from 22 IPMNs for loss of heterozygosity (LOH). LOH at 19p13.3 was identified in 2 of 2 (100%) IPMNs from patients with PJS and 5 of 20 (25%) from patients lacking features of PJS (7 of 22, 32% overall). Sequencing analysis of the STK11/LKB1 gene in these IPMNs with LOH revealed a germline mutation in one IPMN that arose in a patient with PJS and a somatic mutation in 1 of the 20 sporadic IPMNs. None of the 22 IPMNs showed hypermethylation of the STK11/LKB1 gene. These results suggest that the STK11/LKB1 gene is involved in the pathogenesis of some IPMNs.
Effect of 6-mercaptopurine on inosinic acid dehydrogenase in cultured human fibroblasts

Abstract 6-Mercaptopurine, but not other purine analogs, produced an increase in IMP dehydrogenase specific activity in cultured human skin fibroblasts. The conversion of 6-mercaptopurine to its ribonucleotide form, 6-thioinosine 5′-monophosphate, was required for this effect, as evidenced by the lack of an effect of 6-mercaptopurine in cells deficient in hypocanthin-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity. This effect of 6-mercaptopurine on IMP dehydrogenase was blocked by inhibition of RNA or protein synthesis. Furthermore, stabilization of IMP dehydrogenase activity by 6-mercaptopurine or its metabolic products to heat or trypsin inactivation could not be demonstrated in vitro . These results suggest that 6-thioinosine 5′-monophosphate or one of its nucleotide derivatives leads to an increase in the synthesis of IMP dehydrogenase at the transcriptional level.
Time-temperature superposition and relaxational behavior in polymeric glasses

It is shown that a free-volume treatment of the relaxational behavior of a polymer can be extended into the glassy region. A modified form of the WLF equation is derived in which the temperature is...
Maximization of evolutionary trends for placental viviparity in the spadenose shark, Scoliodon laticaudus

Placental viviparity has evolved inScoliodon taticaudus to a degree that rivals some eutherian mammals. Its eggs are the smallest known of any shark. They have a diameter of 1 mm, a dry weight of 0.0654 ± 0.0100 mg and are nearly yolk-free. Implantation takes place at an early (3 mm) stage of development, and gestation is short (5–6 months). Comparison of the dry weight of the egg (0.065 mg) with the estimated dry weights of a mid-late term 90 mm embryo (910 mg) and a 152 mm neonate (3815.4 mg) reveals weight changes of 14219 × and 58338 ×, respectively. Its normalized brood weight, a measure of maternal nutrient investment, is 49.5 g · kg−1 female body weight for a six-month gestation. Comparisons with other species of placental and nonplacental sharks show thatS. laticaudus has a highly advanced form of matrotrophy. Maternal nutrients appear to be acquired by placental transport and by imbibition of uterine fluid. Hemotrophic placental nutrient transfer occurs across a unique uterine implantation site, termed the trophonematous cup, in which maternal blood appears to bathe the outer epithelium of the embryonic yolksac placenta. The latter is solid and filled with a three-dimensional network of capillaries and many free interstitial cells. The umbilical stalk contains the vitelline vessels but lacks a yolk duct. Its surface is amplified by many long, villous appendiculae, which consist of a vascular core that ramifies into a massive surface capillary network invested by a simple squamous epithelium. The appendiculae ofS. laticaudus most likely are sites of gas exchange and possibly the uptake of small molecules. They are unlike the appendiculae described in any other placental shark and exhibit design principles similar to those of the uterine trophonemata of matrotrophic rays.
Differential serotonergic innervation of individual hypothalamic nuclei and other forebrain regions by the dorsal and median midbrain raphe nuclei

Abstract Lesions in the midbrain median but not in the dorsal raphe nucleus significantly decreased the serotonin (5-HT) content of the hippocampus (61%), medial preoptic area (49%), suprachiasmatic nucleus (70%) and anterior hypothalamic area (60%). Electrolytic lesions restricted to either the median or dorsal raphe nucleus produced significant reductions in the 5-HT concentration of the caudate-putamen, anterolateral hypothalamic area (45%) and arcuate nucleus (48–58%). The fall in caudate-putamen 5-HT level was significantly greater after the dorsal (66%) than after the median (24%) raphe lesion. Neither lesion significantly affected the 5-HT content of the posterolateral hypothalamic area, the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus or the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus. Thus, like their differential projections to the caudate-putamen and hippocampus, the mesencephalic dorsal and median raphe nuclei appear to innervate different preoptico-hypothalamic nuclei and areas. Whereas the median raphe nucleus seems to be the primary source of 5-HT fibers to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, anterior hypothalamic area and medial preoptic area, the 5-HT inputs to the anterolateral hypothalamic area and arcuate nucleus appear to derive from both the dorsal and median raphe nuclei.
“Mama Told Me...”: Exploring Childhood Lessons That Laid a Foundation for My “Endarkened” Epistemology

The author explores the verbal and nonverbal communication practices that she used as a scholar of color conducting race-related research for her dissertation, which addressed professor credibility. Many scholars of color have argued that their research is conducted from standpoints that acknowledge their senses of “self” and cultures of origin. This essay illustrates how five childhood lessons influenced the author’s worldview and, ultimately, her approach to research as a Black scholar operating within a predominantly White academic environment.
High dose salbutamol in chronic airflow obstruction: comparison of nebulizer with Rotacaps.

Patients with severe chronic airways obstruction often respond poorly to inhaled salbutamol in conventional dosage from a pressurized aerosol. We have investigated the response to high dose salbutamol in 18 patients with chronic airways obstruction (mean age 64·4 years, mean FEV 1 40·2% predicted, 1 , FVC and PEF). The frequency of tremor, palpitations and arrhythmias was noted. Area under the curve for change from baseline values for FEV 1 , FVC and PEF showed that larger doses of salbutamol (nebulized or Rotacaps) result in larger areas from all three variables. Analysis of peak response, for FEV 1 , FVC and PEF showed no significant difference for the six treatments used except that the peak response for 2 mg Rotacaps for FEV 1 was significantly larger than that for 1 mg Rotacaps ( P The results of this study show that in severe chronic airflow obstruction 1, 2 and 5 mg of salbutamol inhaled via a rotahaler device are just as effective as 1, 2 and 5 mg salbutamol inhaled from a nebulizer in producing bronchodilation. High dose salbutamol is well tolerated and side effects are minimal. Rotacaps have the advantage of being more portable than a wet nebulizer.
X‐ray contrast media. Glutaric and iminodiacetic acids as carriers of iodinated phenyl ring

Iodinated derivatives of 3-phenyl-glutaric acid and N-benzyl-iminodiacetic acid were prepared. The free acids and their dimethyl esters were screened as potential intravenous and oral cholangiographic agents in cats and compared with presently available agents. The oral agents were present mostly in the intestines showing good X-ray intensity, with little or no visualization of the gall bladder and bile ducts. The X-ray intensity of the intravenous agents was not comparable to that obtained with sodium iodipamide. Attempted triiodination of 2-(3′-aminophenyl)-trimethyl-enedinitrilo-tetraacetic acid failed, probably due to steric factors.
PSYCHO-STATS 80: A basic statistical package for the TRS-80

Gilbert's (1979) PSYCHOSTATS computer programs of statistical procedures were designed for an 8K minicomputer. PSYCHO-STATS 80 represents a translation of most of Gilbert's programs to TRS-80 BASIC. In addition, several new programs have been added. The programs translated from Gilbert's include (1) Student's t tests: single, independent, and dependent samples; (2) one-way ANOVAs: simple and with repeated measures; (3) two-way ANOVAs: simple, with repeated measures on one factor and with repeated measures on two factors; (4) three-way ANOVAs: simple and with one or two repeated measures; (5) multiple and pairwise comparisons: one-, two-, and three-way; (6) simple main effects: twoand three-way; (7) Latin squares: simple and with repeated measures on one or two factors; (8) analyses of covariance: one-way, one-way with repeated measures, and two-way; (9) correlation with missing values as well as simple linear regressian; (10) nonparametric: Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, Spearman, Kendall, Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman, and Cochran; and (11) chi square: single and double classification. Although the logic of the programs is essentially the same as in PSYCHOSTATS, overlays have been eliminated, comments and prompts have been expanded greatly, and, at least for some programs, the option of input from data stored on a TRS-80 diskette file has been provided. Three new programs have been added to the package. The first provides descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, variance, etc.) for a single variable. A correlation program has been added that prints a scatter diagram on a line printer. The third new program builds a disk file of raw data that can then be read by one or more of the data analysis programs. As with the original package, the programs are all interactive and provide for the recovery of errors in raw data input. Language and Computer. The programs are written in TRS-80 BASIC for a 32K Model I machine. A printer and one or two disk drives are required. Availability_ Copies of the program are available on three 5Y4-in. diskettes for $20 (to cover costs of the diskettes) from the author. Make checks payable to the Department of Psychology, Allegheny College.
POSTMORTEM PROTEOLYSIS AND TENDERIZATION OF TOP LOIN STEAKS FROM BRANGUS CATTLE

Variations in calpastatin activity (CA) and postmortem (PM) degradation of myofibrillar protein are hypothesized to be related to variations in PM tenderization of beef. The objective of this study was to define the relationships between CA, calpastatin specific activity (CSPA), PM degradation of myofibrillar protein, and Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force values in steaks aged 2, 7, and 14 days PM. Brangus bulls (n=43) and steers (n=51) were utilized to define these relationships. Steaks from bulls had higher WBS, and CA, in samples aged 2 and 7 days PM, but not after aging 14 days PM, as compared to steaks from steers. CSPA was correlated with WBS after 7 (r=0.570) and 14 (r=0.424) days PM. Degradation of troponin-T after aging 2 days PM was a consistent indicator of proteolysis and tenderization. WBS, CA, CSPA, and PM degradation of myofibrillar protein after aging 2 days PM may be reliable predictors of rate of tenderization during the aging process.
Dolphin research: educating the public.

I feel compelled to respond to the News Focus story “Are dolphins too smart for captivity?” (D. Grimm, 29 April, p. 526). I conducted the study showing mirror self-recognition in dolphins, and Lori Marino and I coauthored the paper that appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2001 ([ 1 ][1]). The News Focus story misleadingly suggests that scientists such as myself support keeping dolphins in captivity for the purely selfish purpose of research. Nothing could be further from the truth. Along with other researchers in this field, I am opposed to dolphins being taken from the wild, and I have insisted that any facility keeping dolphins do so with the utmost concern for their wellbeing. Marino and I differ on whether it is possible to treat dolphins humanely in captivity, and we differ on our priorities for improving dolphin welfare: I believe that the more we learn about them and the more people can get to know them in their rich complexity, the greater the chance to rally world opinion to stop the drive-hunt slaughter that continues every year. I also believe that we must do everything possible to stop the drive hunts, including the humane educational practices of high-quality aquariums. I applaud Science for providing the data required to turn science into policy that protects these animals from pain and suffering. 1. [↵][2] 1. D. Reiss, 2. L. Marino , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98, 5937 (2001). [OpenUrl][3][Abstract/FREE Full Text][4] [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [3]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DProc.%2BNatl.%2BAcad.%2BSci.%2BU.S.A.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1073%252Fpnas.101086398%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F11331768%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [4]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NDoicG5hcyI7czo1OiJyZXNpZCI7czoxMDoiOTgvMTAvNTkzNyI7czo0OiJhdG9tIjtzOjI1OiIvc2NpLzMzMi82MDM3LzE1MDEuMi5hdG9tIjt9czo4OiJmcmFnbWVudCI7czowOiIiO30=
Resident Self-Assessment and Self-Reflection: University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Five-Year Study

BACKGROUND Chart review represents a critical cornerstone for practice-based learning and improvement in our internal medicine residency program.
Spatial patterns, species richness and cover in weed communities of organic and conventional no-tillage spring wheat systems

Summary Heterogeneous field conditions are ubiquitous throughout agricultural systems and have given rise to the practice of site-specific management, in an effort to increase sustainability and/or homogenise growing conditions and thereby increase crop yields. The spatial pattern of weeds in conventional systems is widely accepted to be aggregated, but there have been no scientific studies regarding the spatial pattern of weed distribution in organic systems. Using a combination of aggregation measures and quadrat variance techniques, this study compared the spatial pattern of weed distribution in conventionally managed no-tillage spring wheat fields to those of organically managed spring wheat fields. Per cent weed cover data (by species) were collected in the summers of 2005 and 2006 from transects located in conventional no-tillage and organic spring wheat fields. Weed cover was aggregated in both the conventional and the organic systems, but the patterns of aggregation were different for the two systems. Conventional no-tillage systems showed a patch/gap pattern, while organic systems showed multiple scales of patchiness with few gaps. These results suggest that processes causing aggregation in the two systems may be different and that site-specific management may be applicable to organic systems as well as conventional spring wheat systems.
Dynamics of a virus-host model with an intrinsic quota

In this work we develop and analyze a mathematical model describing the dynamics of infection by a virus of a host population in a freshwater environment. Our model, which consists of a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, includes an intrinsic quota, that is, we use a nutrient (e.g., phosphorus) as a limiting element for the host and potentially for the virus. Motivation for such a model arises from studies that raise the possibility that on the one hand, viruses may be limited by phosphorus (Bratbak et al. [17]), and on the other, that they may have a role in stimulating the host to acquire the nutrient (Wilson [18]). We perform an in-depth mathematical analysis of the system including the existence and uniqueness of solutions, equilibria, asymptotic, and persistence analysis. We compare the model with experimental data, and find that biologically meaningful parameter values provide a good fit. We conclude that the mathematical model supports the hypothesized role of stored nutrient regulating the dynamics, and that the coexistence of virus and host is the natural state of the system.
Cloud Albedo, Greenhouse Effects, Atmospheric Chemistry, and Climate Change

Changes in global atmospheric chemistry and climate are taking place as a result of observed trends in long-lived species such as CO2, CH4, N2O, and the CFCs. The continuation of these trends is expected to eventually lead to a major atmospheric warming that might profoundly affect the society we live in. Trends in short-lived species such as NOx and SOx are also suspected. These trends are not as well established, because the shorter-lived species vary spatially and temporally. Trends in NOx would be expected to lead to increases in tropospheric ozone that would add to the warming created by the other greenhouse gases. Trends in NOx could also alter tropospheric OH concentrations that could lead to changes in CH4 and some of the CFCs. On the other hand, increases in sulfur emissions may alter cloud optical properties. The changes in cloud optical properties could possibly offset the warming expected from increases in greenhouse gases, depending on the role of natural oceanic sulfur emissions. This paper ...
In silico modeling of airway mechanics

Modeling of airway wall mechanics has recently led to major new insights about the complex behavior of airways during asthma attacks. These advances transformed the concept of airway interdependence from local static relationships to parallel and serial dynamic interactions that describe the behavior of airways embedded in the bronchial tree. A recent study demonstrated that several paradoxical experimental results could be explained with an advanced model that allows the exploration of promising new therapeutic approaches.
The intonation-syntax interface in the speech of individuals with parkinson's disease

Purpose This study examined the effect of Parkinson’s disease (PD) on the intonational marking of final and nonfinal syntactic boundaries and investigated whether the effect of PD on intonation was...
Insights into amyloid-β-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer disease

Amyloid-beta has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. The focus was initially on the extracellular fibrillar deposits of amyloid-beta but more recently has shifted to intracellular oligomeric forms of amyloid-beta. Unfortunately, the mechanism(s) by which either extracellular or intracellular amyloid-beta induces neuronal toxicity remains unclear. That said, a number of recent studies indicate that mitochondria might be an important target of amyloid-beta. Neurons rely heavily on mitochondria for energy and it is well established that mitochondrial dysfunction might be an important target of amyloid-beta. Mechanistically, amyloid-beta aggregates in mitochondria to impair function, leading to energy hypometabolism and elevated reactive oxygen species production. Additionally, amyloid-beta affects the balance of mitochondrial fission/fusion and mitochondrial transport, negatively impacting a host of cellular functions of neurons. Here, we review the role that amyloid-beta plays in mitochondrial structure and function of neurons and the importance of this in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease.
Hip and thigh anatomy of the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) with comparisons to the domestic cat (Felis catus).

The clouded leopard (N. nebulosa) is an endangered felid native to Southeast Asia. It is considered to be the largest and most acrobatic of the arboreal cats. To date, published studies have focused on cranial morphology, particularly osteology and dentition. This study describes the hip and thigh morphology of N. nebulosa and compares it to the domestic cat (F. catus). A number of statistically significant differences were observed between N. nebulosa and F. catus that were primarily associated with muscle attachment surface areas rather than differences in overall morphology. F. catus had proportionally larger attachment areas for Mm. gluteus profundus, tensor fasciae latae, and biceps femoris, while N. nebulosa had larger attachment areas for Mm. gluteus medius, rectus femoris, and semitendinosus. By comparison, surface area analysis of nonfelid species (C. latrans and V. vulpes) showed more differences when compared to felids demonstrating that this analytical technique is useful for differentiating closely-related species from more distant ones. These results suggest that muscle map area analysis may be useful for comparing phylogenetic relationships between and within groups of different species and may also suggest variations in locomotor habits. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An infrared localized vibrational mode technique for measuring segregation coefficients

Abstract An optical technique is described for measuring segregation coefficients of some impurities in elemental and compound semiconductors. Information about the local crystal environment of the impurity and impurity site distribution as well as segregation coefficients is obtained. Horizontal Bridgman grown GaAs and InSb crystals were doped with phosphorus and aluminum. The segregation coefficients of these isoelectronic impurities were measured as 4 and 6 for GaAs:P and InSb:P, respectively. In GaAs:Al crystals, silicon was observed as a contaminant with [Si] roughly proportional to [Al], and hence no simple k for Al in GaAs could be given. The segregation coefficient for Al in InSb was found to be near 5.
Active deskew in injection-locked clocking

This paper presents an injection-locked clock (ILC) distribution system with a new active deskew mechanism based on the built-in phase tuning of injection-locked oscillators (ILO). The proposed technique removes the required deskew delay lines and associated power dissipation, clock latency and jitter accumulation in conventional active deskew schemes. A test chip was fabricated in a standard 0.18 mum digital CMOS process to demonstrate this new technique. Working at 3.5 GHz clock frequency, the ILOs in the ILC achieved 40 ps deskew range with a step size of 1.25 ps. The deskew loop successfully achieved a skew reduction from the preset value of 16 ps to 2 ps. The cycle-to-cycle jitter degradation from clock input to clock output is measured only 0.04 ps.
Compensating the STI to predict intelligibility for amplitude-compressed speech

The speech transmission index (STI) has not been able to quantify speech intelligibility for amplitude-compressed speech even though it is widely accepted as a successful physical metric to predict speech intelligibility for normal hearing listeners in additive noise and reverberation conditions. This paper presents a modification to a speech-based STI such that it can be used to predict the intelligibility for hearing impaired listeners using amplitude-compression hearing aids. By analyzing the effect of slow-acting wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) on sinusoidally modulated envelopes, a transformation that relates the compression ratio to the expected modulation reduction is determined. Based on this transformation, a modification to the STI is proposed that provides consistent STI values for both amplitude-compressed and linearly amplified hearing-aid processed conditions when they have the same intelligibility. We then propose a model based on the linear regression technique. We show that, with such a model, the speech intelligibility for sensorineural hearing-impaired listeners can be predicted using the modified speech-based STI
Normal Fault Structures and Others

This paper emphasizes the importance of shearing as a kind of deformation which is often confused with folding. It presents a type of normal faulting as a mountain-making effect due to uplift against gravity. The structure of the Colorado plateaus is taken as the type. Basin-range faulting is regarded as closely similar. The mechanism of normal faulting is analyzed and it is shown that one result is lateral expansion, which produces compression where tension is usually assumed. Normal-fault provinces are briefly described. The description is extended to the structures of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming and to the rift structures of California.
Undetected species losses, food webs, and ecological baselines: a cautionary tale from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA

Large protected areas are often considered natural yet outside pressures may compromise ecolog- ical integrity. This paper points to a problem in assessing ecological baselines: what if species' extirpations go undetected? I present a data set spanning 130 years that demonstrates the loss of white-tailed jack rabbits Lepus townsendii from two National Parks in the well studied 60,000 km 2 Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. While these extirpations have been unnoticed until now, an ecological consequence may be elevated predation on juvenile ungulates. A critical challenge we face is how to apply better the concept of shifting baselines to the restoration of functional relationships when species' losses are undetected.
Lake Michigan Bythotrephes Prey Consumption Estimates for 1994–2003 using a Temperature and Size Corrected Bioenergetic Model

ABSTRACT Bythotrephes were collected on a regular basis at a 110 m deep reference station in Lake Michigan over a 10-year period 1994–2003. The measured population structure in conjunction with an updated bioenergetic model was used to estimate daily predation demands by Bythotrephes on the Zooplankton community. The bioenergetic model incorporated the effect of temperature on growth and respiration and used a scalable size structure to adjust for a dynamic range in size across the season. A general linear model was developed to apply the bioenergetic results to routinely collected field data for estimating predation needs. Daily population consumption needs were estimated to be approximately equal to Bythotrephes standing biomass but varied as a function of water temperature and percent instar composition. At a temperature of 18 °C the predation needs of the population were equal to the population biomass. At warmer temperatures (22– 24 °C) the daily needs were up to 35% above the population biomass. Wit...
Sources of Real Exchange Rate Fluctuations in Transition Economies: The Case of Poland and Hungary

This paper examines Brada's (1998) conjecture about the path of real exchange rates in two successful transition economies, Hungary and Poland. He argues that, as a result of the very diverse fiscal and monetary policies to be found among these economies, real exchange rates in some economies should follow a path that mirrors mainly the effect of real shocks and others a path reflecting the monetary shocks. To test this hypothesis, we use a popular structural VAR model and, assuming long-run neutrality of nominal shocks, we decompose the real exchange rate and price movements into those attributable to real and nominal shocks. Using monthly data from 1990 to 1999 for Hungary and Poland, we find that nominal shocks had a major influence in explaining real exchange rate movements in Poland, while real shocks had a larger influence on real exchange rate movements in Hungary. Key words: real exchange rate, inflation, transition economies, structural VARs, exchange rate regimes, and exchange rate modeling.
Development and study of insulation systems for Nb/sub 3/Sn accelerator magnets

Fermilab is involved in the development of high field superconducting accelerator magnets for different applications based on Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor. Accelerator magnets have to withstand thousands of thermal and excitation cycles, significant mechanical stresses, and high voltages developed during quench while providing reliable operation for extended period of time. Insulation system is one of the most important elements of magnet design, which determines (and in some cases even limits) the electrical, mechanical, and thermal performance. Different elements of the magnet insulation system such as cable insulation, interlayer insulation, quench heater insulation, and ground insulation have been developed and studied. In this paper we will describe the insulation system used in the Fermilab shell-type dipole models followed by the high voltage test results.
An enhanced‐physics‐based scheme for the NS‐α turbulence model

We study a new enhanced-physics-based numerical scheme for the NS-alpha turbulence model that conserves both energy and helicity. Although most turbulence models (in the continuous case) conserve only energy, NS-alpha is one of only a very few that also conserve helicity. This is one reason why it is becoming accepted as the most physically accurate turbulence model. However, no numerical scheme for NS-alpha, until now, conserved both energy and helicity, and thus the advantage gained in physical accuracy by modeling with NS-alpha could be lost in a computation. This report presents a finite element numerical scheme, and gives a rigorous analysis of its conservation properties, stability, solution existence, and convergence. A key feature of the analysis is the identification of the discrete energy and energy dissipation norms, and proofs that these norms are equivalent (provided a careful choice of filtering radius) in the discrete space to the usual energy and energy dissipation norms. Numerical experiments are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the scheme over usual (helicity-ignoring) schemes. A generalization of this scheme to a family of high-order NS-alpha-deconvolution models, which combine the attractive physical properties of NS-alpha with the high accuracy gained by combining α-filtering with van Cittert approximate deconvolution. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2010
Flexion Contractures: Getting It Straight

The importance of correcting soft tissue imbalance at the time of total knee arthroplasty is well recognized. Fixed knee flexion contractures are common preoperatively and can make balancing more challenging for the surgeon. In addition, restoration of full passive knee extension is required at the time of total knee arthroplasty to achieve optimal function. The objective of this article is to give the reader a stepwise approach, based on the degree of flexion contracture, to effectively attain full extension in the operating room.
Fabrication of compact polymer waveguide devices using air-trench bends and splitters

A fabrication process for PFCB waveguide air-trench bends and splitters with scanning electron microscope (SEM)-based electron beam lithography (EBL) with alignment accuracy better than 40 nm has been developed. High efficiency air-trench bends (97.2% for TE polarization and 96.2% for TM polarization) have been demonstrated. The fabrication of air-trench splitters is challenging because of the small trench width (800 nm) and deep and anisotropic trench etch (14.5 mum). We have successfully developed a high aspect ratio (18:1) anisotropic PFCB etch using a CO/O2 etch chemistry in an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etcher (ICP RIE) for PFCB waveguide air-trench splitter fabrication. Using air-trench bends, an ultracompact PFCB arrayed waveguide grating (A WG) 8 x 8 wavelength demultiplexer for Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) application had been designed and fabricated. Compared to a conventional AWG in the same material system, the air- trench bend A WG reduces the area required by a factor of 20.
Pharmacokinetics of a single, large dose of cholecalciferol

BACKGROUND There is much interest in dosing vitamin D intermittently for patient convenience and long-term adherence. OBJECTIVE The objective was to characterize the time course and response of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (calcidiol) to a large oral dose of cholecalciferol. DESIGN One group (30 subjects) was supplemented with a single oral dose of 100,000 IU cholecalciferol. A second group (10 subjects) served as a control group to assess the seasonal change of calcidiol. Serum calcidiol concentrations were followed for 4 mo. The subjects were healthy with limited sun exposure (<10 h/wk) and milk consumption (<0.47 L daily). We excluded subjects with granulomatous conditions, liver disease, kidney disease, or diabetes and subjects taking anticonvulsants, barbiturates, or steroids. RESULTS Serum calcidiol rose promptly after cholecalciferol dosing from a mean (+/-SD) baseline of 27.1 +/- 7.7 ng/mL to a concentration maximum of 42.0 +/- 9.1 ng/mL. Seven percent of the supplemented cohort failed to achieve 32.1 ng/mL at any time point. The highest achieved concentration in any subject was 64.2 ng/mL. The control group had a nonsignificant change from baseline of -0.72 +/- 0.80 ng/mL during 4 mo. CONCLUSIONS Cholecalciferol (100,000 IU) is a safe, effective, and simple way to increase calcidiol concentrations. The dosing interval should be < or =2 mo to ensure continuous serum calcidiol concentrations above baseline. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00473239.
A scalable parallel force-directed graph layout algorithm

Understanding the structure, dynamics, and evolution of large graphs is becoming increasingly important in a variety of fields. The demand for visual tools to aid in this process is rising accordingly. Yet, many algorithms that create good representations of small and medium-sized graphs do not scale to larger graph sizes. The exploitation of the massive computational power provided by parallel and distributed computing is a natural progression for handling important problems such as large graph layout. In this paper, we present a scalable parallel graph layout algorithm based on the force-directed model. Our algorithm requires minimal pre-processing and achieves scalability by conducting the layout computation in stages - a portion of the graph at a time, and decreasing the amount of inter-processor communication as the layout computation progresses. We provide the implementation details of our algorithm, evaluate its performance and scalability, and compare the visual quality of the resulting drawings against some of the classic and the fastest algorithms for the layout of general graphs.
Early Stages of the Secretory Pathway, but Not Endosomes, Are Required for Cvt Vesicle and Autophagosome Assembly in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Cvt pathway is a biosynthetic transport route for a distinct subset of resident yeast vacuolar hydrolases, whereas macroautophagy is a nonspecific degradative mechanism that allows cell survival during starvation. Yet, these two vacuolar trafficking pathways share a number of identical molecular components and are morphologically very similar. For example, one of the hallmarks of both pathways is the formation of double-membrane cytosolic vesicles that sequester cargo before vacuolar delivery. The origin of the vesicle membrane has been controversial and various lines of evidence have implicated essentially all compartments of the endomembrane system. Despite the analogies between the Cvt pathway and autophagy, earlier work has suggested that the origin of the engulfing vesicle membranes is different; the endoplasmic reticulum is proposed to be required only for autophagy. In contrast, in this study we demonstrate that the endoplasmic reticulum and/or Golgi complex, but not endosomal compartments, play an important role for both yeast transport routes. Along these lines, we demonstrate that Berkeley bodies, a structure generated from the Golgi complex in sec7 cells, are immunolabeled with Atg8, a structural component of autophagosomes. Finally, we also show that none of the yeast t-SNAREs are located at the preautophagosomal structure, the presumed site of double-membrane vesicle formation. Based on our results, we propose two models for Cvt vesicle biogenesis.
Factors relevant to a short lifetime of an aromatic molecule: empirical data*

Abstract Certain of the presently known aromatic molecules, for example, p-terphenyl and PBD, have relatively fast fluorescence rise and decay times. However, to keep pace with recent developments in fast electronic circuitry and in photomultiplier tubes, scintillators are needed with even faster decay times. Some factors relevant to a short lifetime will be discussed—mainly from an empirical viewpoint.
MSL heatshield development: From failure to success

Mars Science Laboratory is a scientific mission that places a 900 kg rover with 10 science instruments on the surface of Mars. 12A key component for landing on the surface of Mars is the aeroshell, which decelerates the entry vehicle to just 1% of its initial kinetic energy at atmospheric entry. The forward portion of the aeroshell is the heatshield which must be designed to withstand the pressure, heating, and shear stresses it experiences during the atmospheric deceleration process. The original exterior material chosen for the heatshield, SLA-561V, was the material used on all previous Mars aeroshells but required new qualification testing. Unfortunately, the material failed the more extreme environment 3 months after the aeroshell and project Critical Design Reviews. A rapid decision was required to switch to another material under test by the Orion program call Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA). With 18 months left to design, fabricate, test, and deliver this new heatshield for the MSL 2009 launch opportunity, the PICA heatshield team had to rapidly respond to the challenge and work in a manner that ensured success. This paper discusses the lessons learned from the original SLA-561V design implementation and the process used to ensure the success of the PICA design implementation.