cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dielectric confinement effect on excitons in PbI4-based layered semiconductors.

By varying the dielectric environment in new ${\mathrm{PbI}}_{4}$-based layer-type perovskite compounds, we have demonstrated directly the contribution by dielectric confinement to the exciton binding energy in three such ``natural-quantum-well'' semiconductors. With different dielectric environment, exciton binding energies of 320, 220, and 170 meV have been observed, dominated by the dielectric confinement. In terms of the conventional size-related electronic confinement, two of the materials represent monolayer ${\mathrm{PbI}}_{4}$ quantum wells while the third corresponds to a bilayer case, with a corresponding reduction in the electronic confinement. From theory, including the dielectric confinement effect, the effective mass of the exciton in a ${\mathrm{PbI}}_{4}$-based dielectric quantum well has been determined to be 0.09${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{e}}$; the corresponding quasi-two-dimensional exciton Bohr radii were 15.5, 17.0, and 20.5 \AA{} for the three cases, respectively.
Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Inhibition Improves Proliferation and Engraftment of Myogenic Cells in Dystrophic Muscle of mdx Mice

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) caused by loss of cytoskeletal protein dystrophin is a devastating disorder of skeletal muscle. Primary deficiency of dystrophin leads to several secondary pathological changes including fiber degeneration and regeneration, extracellular matrix breakdown, inflammation, and fibrosis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of extracellular proteases that are involved in tissue remodeling, inflammation, and development of interstitial fibrosis in many disease states. We have recently reported that the inhibition of MMP-9 improves myopathy and augments myofiber regeneration in mdx mice (a mouse model of DMD). However, the mechanisms by which MMP-9 regulates disease progression in mdx mice remain less understood. In this report, we demonstrate that the inhibition of MMP-9 augments the proliferation of satellite cells in dystrophic muscle. MMP-9 inhibition also causes significant reduction in percentage of M1 macrophages with concomitant increase in the proportion of promyogenic M2 macrophages in mdx mice. Moreover, inhibition of MMP-9 increases the expression of Notch ligands and receptors, and Notch target genes in skeletal muscle of mdx mice. Furthermore, our results show that while MMP-9 inhibition augments the expression of components of canonical Wnt signaling, it reduces the expression of genes whose products are involved in activation of non-canonical Wnt signaling in mdx mice. Finally, the inhibition of MMP-9 was found to dramatically improve the engraftment of transplanted myoblasts in skeletal muscle of mdx mice. Collectively, our study suggests that the inhibition of MMP-9 is a promising approach to stimulate myofiber regeneration and improving engraftment of muscle progenitor cells in dystrophic muscle.
A simple technique for osmicating and flat embedding large tissue sections for light and electron microscopy.

Many investigators now use thin hand-sliced, tissue chopper, or Vibratome sections of fresh tissue in various procedures. In our experience brain and nerve sections varying in thickness from less than 40 to more than 300 μm, with or without prior embedding in agar, have a tendency to roll up or curl during aldehyde fixation and buffer washes. Once osmicated, such curled sections cannot be flattened. When the entire cut face of such thin slices is to be studied, sufficiently flat embedding so that some regions are not completely sectioned before others are even sampled is critical. This report describes fixation and flat embedding procedures, developed for light and electron microscopic autoradiographic studies of plastic embedded brain slices about 200 μm thick (Schwartz 1981), which can be applied to any comparable thin slice of nervous tissue (or potentially of many other tissues) to achieve maximally flat tissue faces. Since osmicated tissue slices are usually too thick to be transilluminated for direc...
Discussion: 'Adherence to hormonal contraception among women veterans,' by Borrero et al.

In the roundtable that follows clinicians discuss a study published in this issue of the Journal in light of its methodology relevance to practice and implications for future research. Article discussed: Borrero S Zhao X Mor MK et al. Adherence to hormonal contraception among women veterans: differences by race/ethnicity and contraceptive supply. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2013;209:103.e1-11. Copyright (c) 2013. Published by Mosby Inc.
Lessons Learned in Clinical Research: Using the MMSE With Older Mexican American Nursing Home Residents.

This authors examined the utility of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in a pilot study to measure cognitive function in older Mexican American nursing home residents. Many of the lessons le...
Recommended Practice Regarding Selection of Sensitivity Analysis Methods Applied to Microbial Food Safety Process Risk Models

ABSTRACT A guideline is presented for selection of sensitivity analysis methods applied to microbial food safety process risk (MFSPR) models. The guideline provides useful boundaries and principles for selecting sensitivity analysis methods for MSFPR models. Although the guideline is predicated on a specific branch of risk assessment models related to food-borne diseases, the principles and recommendations provided are typically generally applicable to other types of risk models. Applicable situations include: prioritizing potential critical control points; identifying key sources of variability and uncertainty; and refinement, verification, and validation of a model. Based on the objective of the analysis, characteristics of the model under study, amount of detail expected from sensitivity analysis, and characteristics of the sensitivity analysis method, recommendations for selection of sensitivity analysis methods are provided. A decision framework for method selection is introduced. The decision framew...
In Memoriam – University of Michigan Transplant Flight Team, June 4, 2007

It started as an ordinary Monday in June at the University of Michigan (UM) Transplant Center in Ann Arbor. Organs from a donor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had been offered for a patient on our waiting list. A team of two surgeons and two transplant donation specialists left from Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan, 8 miles east of Ann Arbor, under the able command of two veteran pilots, to fly to Milwaukee in a Cessna Citation 550 jet. The 40-min flight across the state and Lake Michigan was uneventful. The organ procurement was successfully completed and the team prepared to return to Ann Arbor.
Synthesis and Characterization of High-Affinity, Low-Molecular-Mass Displacers for Anion-Exchange Chromatography

In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of various low-molecular-mass anion-exchange displacers is described. A homologous series of displacers based on either triazine or phloroglucinol were synthesized. The displacer molecules were then characterized using the steric mass action (SMA) isotherm model and dynamic affinity lines resulting from this model. In addition to the dynamic affinity analysis, log P descriptors were calculated as well as several other molecular descriptors to characterize these molecules. The displacers were used to screen for their behavior on agarose-based Q Sepharose HP, hydrophilized poly(styrene−divinylbenzene)- (PS−DVB-) based Source 15Q, and poly(methyl methacrylate)-based ToyoPearl Super Q-650S stationary-phase materials. This work demonstrates that aromaticity/hydrophobicity is very important in increasing the affinity of displacers for anion-exchange resins regardless of their backbone chemistry. The results also indicate that a benzene ring is superior to a tria...
A useful solution for short cylindrical shells and other applications

Abstract The general solution to the basic differential equation d 4 w dy 4 +4w = −4f(y) is transformed from the primary form treated in most texts to an alternate form in which each integration constant corresponds to one edge condition at y = 0. The relationships between the integration constants of the two forms are derived and the values for the transformed functions are tabulated. The particular solution is derived in general and given in unique form for various functional forms of f(y). Matrix notation is used throughout the derivations; however, a knowledge of matrix theory is not needed for application of the results.
Identifying Hospitals That May Be At Most Financial Risk From Medicaid Disproportionate-Share Hospital Payment Cuts

Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital (DSH) payments are expected to decline by $35.1 billion between fiscal years 2017 and 2024, a reduction brought about by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and recent congressional action. DSH payments have long been a feature of the Medicaid program, intended to partially offset uncompensated care costs incurred by hospitals that treat uninsured and Medicaid populations. The DSH payment cuts were predicated on the expectation that the ACA’s expansion of health insurance to millions of Americans would bring about a decline in many hospitals’ uncompensated care costs. However, the decision of twenty-five states not to expand their Medicaid programs, combined with residual coverage gaps, may leave as many as thirty million people uninsured, and hospitals will bear the burden of their uncompensated care costs. We sought to identify the hospitals that may be the most financially vulnerable to reductions in Medicaid DSH payments. We found that of the 529 acute care hospitals...
Measurements of the Frequency Spectrum of Transition Radiation

We report a measurement of the frequency spectrum of X-ray transition radiation. X rays were generated by electrons of 5 and 9 GeV in radiators of multiple polypropylene foils, and detected in the range 4 to 30 keV with a calibrated single-crystal Bragg spectrometer. The experimental results closely reproduce the features of the theoretically predicted spectrum. In particular, the pronounced interference pattern of multifoil radiators and the expected hardening of the radiation with increasing foil thickness are clearly observed. The overall intensity of the radiation is somewhat lower than predicted by calculations.
COMPARISON OF CEFEPIME PHARMACOKINETICS IN NEONATAL FOALS AND ADULT DOGS

The pharmacokinetics of cefepime, a new fourth generation cephalosporin with enhanced antibacterial activity, was examined in neonatal foals and adult dogs. Cefepime was administered intravenously (i.v.) at a dose of 14 mg/kg to five neonatal foals and six adult dogs. Blood samples were collected in both groups of animals and plasma cefepime concentrations measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cefepime concentrations in both groups of animals were described by a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with elimination half-lives of 1.65 and 1.09 h for the foal and dog, respectively. We tested whether or not pharmacokinetic parameters for cefepime could be scaled across species using principles of allometry. The parameters of elimination half-life (t(1/2)beta), apparent volume of distribution (VDarea), and systemic clearance (CL) were scaled linearly to body weight on a double logarithmic plot with allometric exponents for body weight of 0.26, 1.08 and 0.72, respectively. This study further determined doses for cefepime, a potentially useful antibiotic for neonatal foals and dogs, from the pharmacokinetic values. An i.v. dose of cefepime estimated from this study for treating sensitive bacteria was 11 mg/kg every 8 h for neonatal foals and 40 mg/kg every 6 h for dogs.
The configuration of Sindbis virus envelope proteins is stabilized by the nucleocapsid protein.

Abstract We have previously provided evidence that a strong and precise interaction of the Sindbis virus nucleocapsid with the cytoplasmic tail of E2 is critical for the function of the mature virion and that changes in this association may affect infectivity (21). In this study, we examined the effects of temperature-sensitive defects in capsid protein on virus infectivity and glycoprotein function. The two Sindbis virus mutants chosen were ts2 and Ser180/Gly183, which contain amino acid substitutions in their capsid proteins. Heating these mutants to 60°C results in a loss of infectivity significantly greater than the loss observed in wild type viruses. Viral glycoprotein-mediated fusion from without using heat-treated virions occurs normally with wild type viruses but is lost in the mutants. These results suggest that defects in the capsid protein can induce a loss of infectivity through secondary conformational changes in the virus envelope glycoproteins and that the function of the virus envelope is dependent upon specific capsid-E2 interactions.
The utility of oblique rib radiographs

A retrospective study of 620 consecutive rib series examinations was conducted to determine their usefulness. A total of 546 examinations were performed for rib trauma or rib pain or tenderness. There was no difference in treatment between patients with radiographically confirmed fractures and those with focal rib pain/tenderness secondary to trauma but without confirmed rib fracture. The additional expense of obtaining radiographic confirmation of rib fractures is not justified. Only complications of rib fractures influence management and these are best seen on routine chest films. Rib radiographs are useful if patients have a malignancy and associated rib pain or an abnormal bone scan.
IC-P3-172: Brain morphology in elderly African-Americans, Caribbean Hispanics, and Caucasians from northern Manhattan

taking into account the design effect, non-response on the community phase, and the positive and negative predictive values was 12.9%. Higher dementia rates were associated with older age, low schooling, stroke, head trauma and diabetes. Lower dementia rates were associated with present work activity, tumor (cancer), and reading books. Conclusions: Prevalence estimate of dementia was higher than previously reported in Brazil and association with factors that can be modified, stress the importance of preventive measures. The potential protective role of tumor (cancer) should be addressed in longitudinal studies.
Numerical simulation of current crowding phenomena and their effects on electromigration in very large scale integration interconnects

Two types of current crowding structures were simulated in this work. In each structure, both the pattern of current crowding and the magnitude of the associated current density gradient were examined. Factors like line width, curvature, and conductivity, which affect the crowding behavior, were analyzed. The numerical magnitude of the gradient, which changes to a driving force when a potential in the gradient is defined, was found to be high enough to affect the atomic rearrangement during electromigration. It induces void formation in the low current density region of an interconnect, and it causes precipitates to link together rather than to ripen in a two-phase alloy. Also, we found that as the line width scales down, the effects of current crowding become more and more significant.
Measurement of β-galactosyltransferase activity in cell extracts with an ELISA-based assay

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based glycosyltransferase assay has been used to measure UDP-Gal:N-acetylglucosamine beta-1,4-galactosyl-transferase (EC 2.4.1.38) activity in detergent extracts of chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. LEC11 cells (a mutant of the CHO cell line, Pro -5), which are known to express a complex array of carbohydrate structures, were used to develop the assay for use with whole cell extracts. A detergent-solubilized preparation of the enzyme from whole cells was used to convert the substrate, lactotriglycosylceramide, to the product, neolactotetraglycosylceramide. The monoclonal antibody, 1B2, which specifically binds to the Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc epitope, was used in an ELISA to identify and quantify the product. The enzyme activity in the preparations was found to be similar to that obtained by conventional radioactive assay methods. The beta-galactosyltransferase found in LEC11 cell detergent extracts exhibited an absolute requirement for the nucleotide sugar and MnCl2. The activity of the enzyme was also strictly dependent on the presence of exogenous glycolipid acceptor. When Triton X-114 was used to solubilize the LEC11 beta-galactosyltransferase, activity was found in both the hydrophilic and the hydrophobic phases, suggesting the presence of two forms of the enzyme. The ELISA-based assay was used to compare beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase activity in detergent extracts of four CHO cell lines: Pro-5, Lec1, LEC11, and LEC12 and in detergent-solubilized microsomes from human leukemia cells. The results from this study demonstrate the utility of the ELISA-based assay for measuring glycosyltransferase activity in detergent-solubilized whole cells and microsome preparations.
Subjects of Heritage in Urban Southern India

In this paper I deal with a recent effort, conducted jointly by corporate and voluntary bodies, to create a themed cultural environment in Chennai (formerly Madras), the capital city of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This project, not yet completed, fuses craft center with architectural reconstruction, and is the work of upper-caste, globally connected elites. The site, Dakshina Chitra, envisions southern Indian culture and history in ways that are tied to consumerism and to elite perceptions of regional and national heritage. This effort departs from and poses a critique of the versions of culture, history, and identity that have been inscribed by the state in urban public space during the second half of the 20th century—the statues, monuments, and memorials that celebrate Tamil ethnicity as promulgated in the Dravidianist sociopolitical movement. This movement, which originated in the late 19th century, provided a platform for anticolonial and subaltern social movements. It continues in the ha...
Remark on the isotope effect at higher critical temperatures.

Behavior of the isotope effect when the superconducting [ital T][sub [ital c]] becomes large on account of an attractive, short-range interaction is reviewed. We explain the difference between results obtained using the two-square-well model and those found by using McMillan's equation.
On the Accuracy of Vortex Methods at Large Times

Vortex methods simulate incompressible flow, without viscosity or at high Reynolds number, by a collection of computational elements of vorticity which are transported along computed particle paths. The velocity field can be computed from the vorticity in order to move the elements forward in time. Here we will survey the formulation and convergence theory of such methods, primarily for inviscid flow without boundaries in two or three dimensions. We also discuss a modification of the basic method intended to improve accuracy at later times and illustrate its performance with a simple test problem. It is found that the error is significantly reduced in this case. This modified method can be shown to converge, and details of the proof will be given elsewhere. Very similar ideas have been experimented with by Chris Anderson, and it is a pleasure to thank him for his helpful comments and suggestions.
Dependent types and explicit substitutions: a meta-theoretical development

We present a dependent-type system for a λ-calculus with explicit substitutions. In this system, meta-variables, as well as substitutions, are first-class objects. We show that the system enjoys properties like type uniqueness, subject reduction, soundness, confluence, and weak normalization.
Superconducting 8 cm corrector magnets for the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)

RHIC will require 420 80 mm corrector magnets. The magnets are made up of coils wound on a computer controlled wiring machine using ultrasonic power to bond the wire into an epoxy coated flat substrate. The coils are wrapped onto support tubes and concentrically assembled inside an iron yoke. These magnets are being built at Brookhaven National Laboratory with more than 280 constructed by May, 1 1995. Design, construction and test results are presented.
Temperature cycle-induced die metal shearing in surface mount devices after infra red/vapour phase reflow

Moisture-induced "popcorn" effect in surface mount devices during infra red or vapour phase reflow manifests itself as visible cracks originating from the edges of the die or the leadframe mount pad. More robust packages often give rise to only microcracks after reflow which subsequently require further thermal stresses to induce device or package failure. This paper analyses the secondary effect of die metal shearing in SOJ packages subjected to temperature cycling after an infra red reflow. This phenomenon has significant bearing on the current practice of preconditioning packages using infra red or vapour phase reflow before subjecting them to reliability tests like temperature cycling. A model is developed to explain the relationship between package microcracks after reflow and subsequent metal shearing when subjected to temperature cycling. The metal shear lines are characterised using failure analysis techniques to validate the model. Various methods of improving the SOJ package resistance to microcracking during reflow are discussed.
Neuromuscular Coordination of Squat Lifting, II: Individual Differences

Background and Purpose. This article reports individual differences in the coordination (ie, the relative timing of joint movements and muscle activity) of squat lifting identified by extended analysis of data reported in the authors' companion article in this issue. Subjects. Two post hoc groups of 6 subjects each were identified from the original sample of 15 subjects based on qualitative differences in knee-lumbar spine relative motion plots during load acceleration. Methods. Subjects lifted a crate containing 15% to 75% of their maximum lifting capacity using a symmetrical squat-lift technique. Movement kinematic data were obtained with videography, and the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus lateralis and erector spinae muscles was recorded with surface EMG. Measurements of coordination derived both kinematically and via EMG and the kinematic data were examined for group differences. Results. Subjects in group 2 limited lumbar spine motion during load acceleration for all loads lifted, whereas those in group 1 limited lumbar spine motion more when lifting the heaviest loads. These differences were obvious both qualitatively, via knee-lumbar spine relative motion plots, and quantitatively, via measures of the relative timing of joint motions early in the lift. The effect of load on the coordination of these joints was the same for both post hoc groups after initial load acceleration. Significant differences in other kinematic measurements were also found between these groups. Conclusion and Discussion. Despite specific instructions about how to lift the load, individual subjects coordinated their joints differently during the initial, accelerative phase of squat lifting. Individual differences in coordination in response to load increases could be categorized into two patterns, although the data of 2 subjects were difficult to categorize and thus not included in these analyses. Whether the two dominant patterns have consequences for stress to the joints during lifting remains to be determined. [ ARTICLE][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/75/119?iss=2
The role of salesperson motivation in sales control systems — Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation revisited

Although the sales control literature acknowledges the importance of salesperson's intrinsic and extrinsic (I/E) motivation due to their correlations with sales control and sales performance, the global nature of salesperson's I/E motivation inhibits a thorough understanding of motivation in the sales control context. This study expands the literature of salesperson motivation by incorporating the cognitive and affective components of I/E motivation in the sales control context. Empirical results from a survey of salespeople support the hypotheses that the cognitive and affective components of I/E motivation have distinct antecedents and consequences that would not otherwise have been captured by the global motivation constructs. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Computational Modeling Analysis of Radar Scattering by Metallic Body-Worn Explosive Devices Covered with Wrinkled Clothing

In this study, we address the problem of detecting body-worn improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from a safe distance using of radar. We have used a finite difference frequency domain (FDFD) model to simulate the radar signature of a typical scenario for body-worn IEDs, and have analyzed wrinkled clothing as a possible source of clutter. Our analysis shows distinct characteristics of the IED backscattered farfield signal, with no significant clutter added when the metallic IED is covered with wrinkled clothing.
Interactive animations in computer science

It is shown how interactive computer graphics is used in introductory computer science courses and laboratories at Northeastern University. The authors examine the advantages and shortcomings of this approach and outline their plans for future research and curriculum development. Three major threads form the backbone of the curriculum discussed here. The first is the use of interactive animation and experimentation programs to introduce and illustrate dynamic processes, e.g., algorithm behavior or changes in data structures over a period of time. The second thread is the use of graphics in student programs, not only as motivation, but also as a visual feedback and debugging tool. The third, unifying, thread is the extensive use of model programs, shell drivers, toolkits, and procedures that encapsulate abstractions. These programming tools support the apprentice style learning and illustrate good software design and practice throughout the curriculum. >
Integrated-optic dispersion compensator that uses chirped gratings

An integrated-optic dispersion compensator that uses chirped waveguide gratings is designed and fabricated. The 7-mm-long chirped grating is realized by a recently proposed method of curving a waveguide through a uniform grating. At 800 nm, the fabricated device exhibits a reflection bandwidth in excess of 0.5 nm and a nearly quadratic phase response corresponding to a fiber dispersion–length product of 58 ps/nm. The phase response reported is measured interferometrically with a narrow-band, tunable Ti:sapphire laser. Extending this technology to 5-cm-long gratings should permit dispersion compensation of 50-km-long fiber lengths at 1.55 μm.
Multiple routes to memory: Distinct medial temporal lobe processes build item and source memories

A central function of memory is to permit an organism to distinguish between stimuli that have been previously encountered and those that are novel. Although the medial temporal lobe (which includes the hippocampus and surrounding perirhinal, parahippocampal, and entorhinal cortices) is known to be crucial for recognition memory, controversy remains regarding how the specific subregions within the medial temporal lobe contribute to recognition. We used event-related functional MRI to examine the relation between activation in distinct medial temporal lobe subregions during memory formation and the ability (i) to later recognize an item as previously encountered (item recognition) and (ii) to later recollect specific contextual details about the prior encounter (source recollection). Encoding activation in hippocampus and in posterior parahippocampal cortex predicted later source recollection, but was uncorrelated with item recognition. In contrast, encoding activation in perirhinal cortex predicted later item recognition, but not subsequent source recollection. These outcomes suggest that the subregions within the medial temporal lobe subserve distinct, but complementary, learning mechanisms.
Prion diseases in humans: an update

The year 2006 marks 20 years from the first identified bovine spongiform encephalitis in cows and 10 years from the first description of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. The threatened epidemic in humans now appears unlikely, but psychiatrists need to be aware of recent developments in prion diseases.
BEM for general anisotropic 2D elasticity using particular integrals

In the context of the direct boundary-element method (DBEM) for most general two-dimensional elastostatics, new particular integrals are presented in this paper to account for inertial and centrifugal body forces, as well as for those cases of three-dimensional behaviour where the assumption of plane strain (or stress) may remain approximately valid despite the presence of non-zero strain (or stress) in the out-ofplane direction. These integrals have been implemented in a general-purpose multi-region boundary-element code (namely, GPBEST) and tested via examples.
Edge Detection Performance in Super-Resolution Image Reconstruction from Camera Arrays

Previous work has shown that for super-resolution image reconstruction from low resolution images, image acquisition with a diverse optical system improves reconstructed image quality as measured by the expected and actual mean squared error. However, other measures of image fidelity should also be considered. An alternative performance measure might be based on edge errors, since edges are often the first step in more complex image analysis for both image processing systems and biological systems. This paper explores the behavior of edge errors and intensity errors for super-resolution image reconstruction applications in which ill-posed inversions may cause the actual mean squared error to be highly dependent of image content and thus poorly predicted by the expected mean squared error.
Regulation of growth region cartilage proliferation and differentiation by perichondrium

Endochondral bone formation in vertebrates requires precise coordination between proliferation and differentiation of the participating chondrocytes. We examined the role of perichondrium in this process using an organ culture system of chicken embryonic tibiotarsi. A monoclonal antibody against chicken collagen type X, specifically expressed by hypertrophic chondrocytes, was utilized to monitor the terminal differentiation of chondrocytes. Proliferation of chondrocytes was examined by a BrdU-labeling procedure. The absence of perichondrium is correlated with an extended zone of cartilage expressing collagen type X, suggesting that the perichondrium regulates chondrocyte hypertrophy in a negative manner. Removal of perichondrium, in addition, resulted in an extended zone of chondrocytes incorporating BrdU, indicating that the perichondrium also negatively regulates the proliferation of chondrocytes. Partial removal of perichondrium from one side of the tibiotarsus led to expansion of both the collagen type X-positive domain and the BrdU-positive zone at the site of removal but not where the perichondrium remained intact. This suggests that both types of regulation by the perichondrium are local effects. Furthermore, addition of bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH) to perichondrium-free cultures reversed the expansion of the collagen type X-positive domain but not that of the proliferative zone. This suggests that the regulation of differentiation is dependent upon the PTH/PTHrP receptor and that the regulation of proliferation is likely independent of it. Taken together, these results are consistent with a model where perichondrium regulates both the exit of chondrocytes from the cell cycle, and their subsequent differentiation.
Apigenin inhibits pancreatic stellate cell proliferation, stimulates apoptosis and inhibits fibrosis associated with chronic pancreatitis

s / Pancreatology 13 (2013) e1–e94 e84 and 37,418, respectively). Higher islet yield correlated with a greater diabetes free rate and a lesser insulin requirement at the following intervals: pre-operative, post-operative and 6 months after IAT. Conclusion: Prior surgery is strongly correlated with the extent of pancreatic fibrosis, islet yield and insulin requirements in CP patients undergoing TP-IAT. The history of prior pancreatic resection and drainage procedures may be used to predict post-operative islet function and help to determine the optimal timing for TP-IAT in CP patients.
New Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Organic Crystals

The design of molecular crystals with specific optical properties, which are thought to arise from constituent molecules’ polarizability properties, is a desirable but currently unachievable goal. One can partially achieve this goal by choosing compounds with specific molecular attributes and empirically determining the manner in which these are translated into crystal properties. Besides the fact that there are no certain rules for prediction of crystal packing arrangements, there is also a problem in specifying molecular properties from what are today incomplete polarizability structure-property relationships. We have, realizing these limitations, identified new molecular crystals by a nonlinear optical (powder-SHG) scouting-screening program from lists of compounds chosen because of desirable molecular properties. Examination of successful materials has revealed interesting, new alignment motifs. Some of these materials, a set of halogen and cyano derivatives of aromatic compounds, are described relating properties and structures of molecules and crystals. In particular, the orientation directing influence of intermolecular halogen-cyano interactions and the use of heterocyclic compounds to improve transparency in the near infrared and in the blue and near ultraviolet spectral regions are demonstrated.
Improved detection of Cryptococcus neoformans in the BACTEC NR 660 blood culture system.

To determine the impact of continuous agitation versus 24 hours agitation on the growth of Cryptococcus neoformans in the BACTEC NR 660 blood culture system, the authors compared recovery and detection time for 50 clinical isolates in Peds Plus, 26 Plus, and Fungal Medium bottles in paired simulated blood cultures. After 144 hours of continuous agitation, the Peds Plus bottle detected 96% of the isolates in an average of 82.5 hours, the 26 Plus bottle detected 96% in 79.5 hours, and the Fungal Medium detected 98% in 81.8 hours. For the bottles that were agitated only for the first 24 hours and incubated motionless for 120 hours (as recommended by the manufacturer), the Fungal Medium detected 82% of the isolates in 100.7 hours. However, the Peds Plus and 26 Plus bottles each detected only 38% of the isolates in an average of 112.4 hours and 109.9 hours, respectively. These results indicate that continuous agitation of BACTEC blood culture bottles for the full incubation time significantly improves (P < or = .0001) the detection and recovery of C neoformans.
Solvation Effects in the Hydrodeoxygenation of Propanoic Acid over a Model Pd(211) Catalyst

The effects of liquid water and 1,4-dioxane on the hydrodeoxygenation of propionic acid over Pd(211) model surfaces have been studied from first principles. A microkinetic model with parameters obtained from density functional theory and implicit solvation models was developed to study the effects of these solvents on the reaction mechanism and kinetic parameters. In the presence of water, dehydrogenated derivatives of propionic acid and propionate are stabilized, and a new decarboxylation mechanism involving CH3CCOOH surface species is facilitated, leading to a higher decarboxylation rate. However, stronger adsorption of CO in the presence of liquid water resulted in fewer free sites and an overall lower turnover frequency. By contrast, in the presence of 1,4-dioxane, the most dominant decarboxylation pathway does not involve a dehydrogenated propionate species, but propionate goes through decarboxylation to form CO2 and C2 fragments very similar to the mechanism in the gas phase. Again, in the presence ...
Administrators’ and Faculty’s Perceived Online Education Barriers and The Role of Transformational Leadership at a U.S. University in Lebanon

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the perceived barriers obstructing the implementation of online education by administrators and faculty at the School of Arts and Sciences of a U.S. university located in Lebanon. The aim of this study was to offer a solution to the most important perceived barriers to online education that informs administrative decisions concerning the appropriate modalities of online instruction that may be implemented at the university. The exploratory factor analysis identified 8 factors out of 35 possible perceived barriers to online education. Faculty and administrators perceived the structural barriers and the pedagogical barriers as very important. Faculty also perceived technical barriers as very important. As a first step toward offering online instruction, the university leadership could offer blended traditional and online education instruction for suitable courses in the School of Arts and Sciences with the goal of assessing feasibility and acceptance. The implementation of this solution may be smoother if facilitated using various leadership styles. In this article, the transformational leadership style is used for implementing the solution to the problem. The findings of this research may be beneficial for other universities in Lebanon and other nations that may be considering the implementation of online education.
A Strategy‐Proofness Characterization of Plurality Rule

Assuming at least four individuals and at least four alternatives, a social choice function on the domain of profiles at which there is an alternative ranked first by more individuals than any other alternative is nondictatorial, strategy-proof, and has full range if and only if it is plurality rule.
Upgraded divertor Thomson scattering system on DIII-D

A design to extend the unique divertor Thomson scattering system on DIII-D to allow measurements of electron temperature and density in high triangularity plasmas is presented. Access to this region is selectable on a shot-by-shot basis by redirecting the laser beam of the existing divertor Thomson system inboard - beneath the lower floor using a moveable, high-damage threshold, in-vacuum mirror - and then redirecting again vertically. The currently measured divertor region remains available with this mirror retracted. Scattered light is collected from viewchords near the divertor floor using in-vacuum, high temperature optical elements and relayed through the port window, before being coupled into optical fiber bundles. At higher elevations from the floor, measurements are made by dynamically re-focusing the existing divertor system collection optics. Nd:YAG laser timing, analysis of the scattered light spectrum via polychromators, data acquisition, and calibration are all handled by existing systems or methods of the current multi-pulse Thomson scattering system. Existing filtered polychromators with 7 spectral channels are employed to provide maximum measurement breadth (Te in the range of 0.5 eV-2 keV, ne in the range of 5 × 1018-1 × 1021 m3) for both low Te in detachment and high Te measurement up beyond the separatrix.
Sustainability in Energy Technologies

Energy demand continues to grow worldwide while extraction of fossil fuels becomes more difficult and expensive. The ways we produce, convert, store, and use energy are changing earth’s climate and affecting environment and hence the ways of human life as well as the next generation’s future.
Evaluation of the relationship between depression and fibromyalgia syndrome: why aren't all patients depressed?

Objective. To examine the relationship between fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) and depression by determining the set of factors that differentiate FM patients with and without depressive disorders. Methods. A sample of 69 patients with FM underwent a standardized tender point examination and a semistructured psychological interview and completed a set of self-report inventories. Results. Of the sample, 39 met criteria for depressive disorder and 30 did not. Depressed patients with FM were significantly more likely to live alone, report elevated functional limitations, and display maladaptive thoughts than nondepressed patients. Nondepressed patients were significantly more likely to have received prior physical therapy than depressed patients. Pain severity, numbers of positive tender points, and pain intensity of tender points and control points did not differentiate the depressed and nondepressed patients. Discriminant analysis revealed that living status, the perception of functional limitations, maladaptive thoughts, and physical therapy treatment together identified diagnoses of depressive disorders for 78% of the patients. Conclusion. Concurrent depressive disorders are prevalent in FM and may be independent of the cardinal features of FM, namely, pain severity and hypersensitivity to pressure pain, but are related to the cognitive appraisals of the effects of symptoms on daily life and functional activities.
Philadelphia National Bank , Globalization, and the Public Interest

This Article examines the use of public interest factors in merger analysis. We begin with a review of the use of such factors in jurisdictions around the world and then focus on the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of public interest factors in the Philadelphia National Bank case and on South Africa’s thoughtful consideration of public interest factors in its analysis of Wal-Mart’s acquisition of Massmart, a South African retailer. Although we do not advocate a ready embrace of public interest considerations, we do think that the Wal-Mart/Massmart decision provides insight into how jurisdictions that consider public interest factors might usefully do so. Based on the lessons learned from these two cases, we conclude with a discussion of the appropriate norms that jurisdictions should follow when taking account of public interest in merger enforcement, with particular emphasis on clear articulation of public interest goals, transparency of process, and quantification of costs and benefits.
Detection of Murine TRPA1 Transcripts in Keratinocytes

Background: Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is expressed by nociceptive neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and trigeminal ganglia, but its expression in other cell types is largely unexplored. TRPA1 contributes to chemical, mechanical and cold nociception and expression of TRPA1 in keratinocytes may extend the detection of chemical and physical stimuli from the nerve endings to the surface of the skin. Results: Comparison of TRPA1 genes from multiple inbred mouse lines revealed a large number of genetic variations in the TRPA1 locus. These genetic variations may affect annealing of primers to detect TRPA1 transcript when using nucleic acid-based methods. To consistently detect TRPA1 in genetically diverse mouse strains and in different tissue types, an optimized qPCR protocol for TRPA1 detection was created. Conclusions: TRPA1 transcripts are consistently detected in murine keratinocytes.
Maps, Mapping and the Visual Arts

Maps, mapping and the visual arts have long been related disciplines, each offering distinct means and methods of recognizing and depicting space while sharing an implicit assumption of the importance of doing so. During the first half of the last century, these distinctions were paramount, and visual art became ever more abstract and distant from representation in any form. But since the 1970s those distinctions—like boundaries of many types—have become porous and blured as artists sought to re-engage visual representation. This is the time period in which artists revived their historic efforts to describe place, space and our experiences within it but needed to find new visual strategies that acknowledged the power of abstraction while clearly referencing the real. This search led many artists to embrace the abstractions of cartography, and the communicative power of mapping strategies, finding in maps and mapping not only a means of representating the real but also tools with which to expand the boundaries of where and when visual art could be experienced. This chapter, written by a practicing artist , focuses on two and three-dimensional visual art in order to provide a concise introduction to this change. It provides an overview of the key exhibitions, curators, writers and artists who pioneered this shift in visual art thinking and practice in the latter part of the last century—often noted as the shift from Modernism to Post-modernism . Three contemporary artists whose work represents distinct approaches to this newly charted interdisciplinary waters are discussed and future directions in this arena are charted via suggested readings.
Exploring the Diversity of Bacillus whole genome sequencing projects using Peasant, the Prokaryotic Assembly and Annotation Tool

The persistent decrease in cost and difficulty of whole genome sequencing of microbial organisms has led to a dramatic increase in the number of species and strains characterized from a wide variety of environments. Microbial genome sequencing can now be conducted by small laboratories and as part of undergraduate curriculum. While sequencing is routine in microbiology, assembly, annotation and downstream analyses still require computational resources and expertise, often necessitating familiarity with programming languages. To address this problem, we have created a light-weight, user-friendly tool for the assembly and annotation of microbial sequencing projects. The Prokaryotic Assembly and Annotation Tool, Peasant, automates the processes of read quality control, genome assembly, and annotation for microbial sequencing projects. High-quality assemblies and annotations can be generated by Peasant without the need of programming expertise or high-performance computing resources. Furthermore, statistics are calculated so that users can evaluate their sequencing project. To illustrate the computational speed and accuracy of Peasant, the SRA records of 322 Illumina platform whole genome sequencing assays for Bacillus species were retrieved from NCBI, assembled and annotated on a single desktop computer. From the assemblies and annotations produced, a comprehensive analysis of the diversity of over 200 high-quality samples was conducted, looking at both the 16S rRNA phylogenetic marker as well as the Bacillus core genome. Peasant provides an intuitive solution for high-quality whole genome sequence assembly and annotation for users with limited programing experience and/or computational resources. The analysis of the Bacillus whole genome sequencing projects exemplifies the utility of this tool. Furthermore, the study conducted here provides insight into the diversity of the species, the largest such comparison conducted to date.
Detecting CO2 leakage around the wellbore by monitoring temperature profiles: A scoping analysis

Abstract Leakage through abandoned wells represents one of the greatest risks to secure storage of CO 2 in geologic formations. In this work, we evaluate the feasibility of using temperature as an indicator for detecting leakage in and around wellbores. Numerical simulation tools are used to simulate temperature propagation both along and around the wellbore when leakage occurs. Typical overall heat transfer coefficient of formation rock is applied to quantify heat dissipation from the fluids leaked in well. We have tested the cases of CO 2 phase only and the mixture of CO 2 and brine. Thermodynamic phase change of CO 2 throughout the wellbore depth is accounted by an equation-of-state. Both vertical and slant (off-shore) wells are examined. Our results indicate that strong temperature variation is observed within 100 m from borehole and then virtual hot layers circulating the fluid column within 3 m radius are formed. However, differences from the ambient temperatures are not significant. The hot CO 2 column loses heat in 70 m of well depth from reservoir compared to 50 m height in the case of CO 2 /brine mixture.