cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomarkers and focused ultrasound: the future of liquid biopsy for brain tumor patients.

Despite advances in modern medicine, brain tumor patients are still monitored purely by clinical evaluation and imaging. Traditionally, invasive strategies such as open or stereotactic biopsies have been used to confirm the etiology of clinical and imaging changes. Liquid biopsies can enable physicians to noninvasively analyze the evolution of a tumor and a patient’s response to specific treatments. However, as a consequence of biology and the current limitations in detection methods, no blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) brain tumor-derived biomarkers are used in routine clinical practice. Enhancing the presence of tumor biomarkers in blood and CSF via brain-blood barrier (BBB) disruption with MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a very compelling strategy for future management of brain tumor patients. A literature review on MRgFUS-enabled brain tumor liquid biopsy was performed using Medline/Pubmed databases and clinical trial registries. The therapeutic applications of MRgFUS to target brain tumors have been under intense investigation. At high-intensity, MRgFUS can ablate brain tumors and target tissues, which needs to be balanced with the increased risk for damage to surrounding normal structures. At lower-intensity and pulsed-frequency, MRgFUS may be able to disrupt the BBB transiently. Thus, while facilitating intratumoral or parenchymal access to standard or novel therapeutics, BBB disruption with MRgFUS has opened the possibility of enhanced detection of brain tumor-derived biomarkers. In this review, we describe the concept of MRgFUS-enabled brain tumor liquid biopsy and present the available preclinical evidence, ongoing clinical trials, limitations, and future directions of this application.
Congenital absence of the spleen; syndrome with atrioventricularis and situs inversus; case reports and review of the literature.

Four cases of congenital absence of the spleen are presented with a review of the literature. It is noted that this anomaly usually occurs as a syndrome with persistent atrioventricularis communis, partial situs inversus of the abdominal viscera, and accessory lobes of the lung.
XMAX: X-tolerant architecture for MAXimal test compression

XMAX is a novel test data compression architecture capable of achieving almost exponential reduction in scan test data volume and test time while allowing use of commercial automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) tools. It tolerates presence of sources of unknown logic values (also referred to as X's) without compromising test quality and diagnosis capability for most practical purposes. The XMAX architecture has been implemented in several industrial designs.
Free and Forced Vibration Models

This article provides an overview of vibrations-based structural health monitoring (SHM). The framework of vibrations-based SHM is discussed by using Newton's Law to interpret the various aspects, including data types and classes of techniques available. The process of SHM is illustrated by discussing experimental and numerical examples of loads and damage identification drawn from the literature and the use of this SHM information in the development of empirical damage prognosis models. Keywords: vibrations; accelerometers; loads identification; Newton's Law
Evolutionary search in inductive equational logic programming

Concept learning is the induction of a description from a set of examples. Inductive logic programming can be considered a special case of the general notion of concept learning specifically referring to the induction of first-order theories. Both concept learning and inductive logic programming can be seen as a search over all possible sentences in some representation language for sentences that correctly explain the examples and also generalize to other sentences that are part of that concept. We explore inductive logic programming with equational logic as the representation language. We present a high-level overview of the implementation of inductive equational logic using genetic programming and discuss encouraging results based on experiments that are intended to emulate real world scenarios.
Sales Taxation of Business Purchases: ATax Policy Distortion

Actual state and local sales taxes diverge dramatically from the popular and textbook vision of the tax. One major flaw is the exclusion of a wide range of consumer services from taxation, which renders the consumer tax base much narrower than the textbook description suggests. The other crucial flaw, which is the focus of this article, is the imposition of tax on a wide range of business purchases; taxes on those purchases account for roughly 40 percent of nationwide sales tax revenue. The taxation of business purchases impedes economic efficiency and hides the true tax burden from the public.
Influence of indigenous microbiota on activities of alkaline phosphatase, phosphodiesterase I, and thymidine kinase in mouse enterocytes.

An indigenous microflora introduced into the gastrointestinal tracts of animals in a population of germfree mice affected in different ways three enzymes in small bowel enterocytes. Cells were obtained by techniques designed for sequentially removing enterocytes from the tip of the villus to the crypts of Lieberkuhn. The specific activity of alkaline phosphatase, a component of the enterocyte microvillous membrane, did not differ in cells isolated from germfree mice and from those associated with a microflora, while that of phosphodiesterase I, also a part of the microvillous membrane, was approximately 1.5-fold greater in the suspensions from all levels of the villi in germfree mice than in those from the associated animals. By contrast, the specific activity of thymidine kinase, a cytosol enzyme, in suspensions in which the cells were isolated from the lower portion of the villi and crypts was about one-half as great in cells from germfree mice as in those from the same regions of animals with a microbiota. These results support the hypothesis that activities of certain enzymes involved in metabolism, uptake, and incorporation by enterocytes of components of dietary nuclei acids are influenced by a microflora.
Imaging Circumstellar Debris Disks

I briefly review recent developments in the study of circumstellar debris disks, particularly at infrared and sub-millimeter wavelengths, and discuss possible avenues of research for the near future.
[42] Erythropoietic protoporphyria: Treatment with antioxidants and potential cure with gene therapy

Publisher Summary Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is a rare genetic disease in which singlet oxygen is involved in the production of its clinical manifestations and singlet oxygen quenchers are utilized in its treatment. In EPP, the enzyme ferrochelatase, which inserts iron into protoporphyrin to form heme, is defective. This defect allows protoporphyrin to accumulate in the blood, from which it makes its way to the skin, as well as to other organs. Protoporphyrin is known to be a powerful photosensitizer, which in the presence of light and oxygen will form free radicals and singlet oxygen. These excited species will attack cellular components, which will eventually lead, via a series of reactions that are unelucidated at this time, to the symptoms of pain, burning, or itching of the light-exposed skin experienced by patients suffering from EPP. This chapter describes a method that can be used to determine the involvement of singlet oxygen in photosensitized skin and also discuss the present treatment for EPP and the possibilities for curing this disease by means of gene therapy.
Fluoroscopically Guided Lumbar Puncture.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this article is to detail the indications, techniques, risks, and benefits of fluoroscopically guided lumbar puncture (LP). CONCLUSION. Familiarity with the details of f...
Bypass replication in vitro of UV-induced photoproducts blocking leading or lagging strand synthesis.

In vitro replication assays were used to determine the capacity of HeLa extracts to replicate past one of the two major photoproducts produced by ultraviolet radiation at adjacent thymines in duplex DNA, namely, the cis,syn cyclobutane dimer ([c,s]TT) and the 6-4 pyrimidine-pyrimidone adduct ([6-4]TT). The site-specific photoproduct was placed on the template either to the leading strand or to the lagging strand of nascent DNA with respect to the first fork encountering the lesion during bidirectional replication of closed circular duplex molecules carrying the SV40 origin. Replication products from time-course reactions were fractionated by gel electrophoresis in the presence of ethidium bromide. Recognition and quantification of true translesion synthesis products, i.e., newly synthesized closed circular molecules carrying the photoproduct, were aided by specific substrate modifications (a T:T mismatch in a unique PstI site nearby the photoproduct) and improved assay conditions (internal standard to control for completion of PstI digestion). Extracts from HeLa cells, which express DNA polymerase eta, were competent to replicate past the [c,s]TT on either strand. The efficiency of bypass replication of the [c,s]TT on the template to the leading or the lagging strand was 71% and 67%, respectively. The same extracts demonstrated very low efficiency of translesion synthesis (at most 8-10%) of the [6-4]TT on either template position. Replication-competent cell-free extracts from other human cells were also deficient in the bypass of the [6-4]TT in vitro.
The glucose dependence of Akt-transformed cells can be reversed by pharmacologic activation of fatty acid β -oxidation

Activation of the oncogenic kinase Akt stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism in cancer cells and renders these cells susceptible to death in response to glucose withdrawal. Here we show that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) reverses the sensitivity of Akt-expressing glioblastoma cells to glucose deprivation. AICAR's protection depends on the activation of AMPK, as expression of a dominant-negative form of AMPK abolished this effect. AMPK is a cellular energy sensor whose activation can both block anabolic pathways such as protein synthesis and activate catabolic reactions such as fatty acid oxidation to maintain cellular bioenergetics. While rapamycin treatment mimicked the effect of AICAR on inhibiting markers of cap-dependent translation, it failed to protect Akt-expressing cells from death upon glucose withdrawal. Compared to control cells, Akt-expressing cells were impaired in the ability to induce fatty acid oxidation in response to glucose deprivation unless stimulated with AICAR. Stimulation of fatty acid oxidation was sufficient to maintain cell survival as activation of fatty acid oxidation with bezafibrate also protected Akt-expressing cells from glucose withdrawal-induced death. Conversely, treatment with a CPT-1 inhibitor to block fatty acid import into mitochondria prevented AICAR from stimulating fatty acid oxidation and promoting cell survival in the absence of glucose. Finally, cell survival did not require reversal of Akt's effects on either protein translation or lipid synthesis as the addition of the cell penetrant oxidizable substrate methyl-pyruvate was sufficient to maintain survival of Akt-expressing cells deprived of glucose. Together, these data suggest that activation of Akt blocks the ability of cancer cells to metabolize nonglycolytic bioenergetic substrates, leading to glucose addiction.
Rejection of prospective blood donors due to systematic errors in hematocrit measurement

: Following a change from earstick to fingerstick hemoglobin estimations, donor deferrals increased from 8.8% to 13.6%. Coincident with the change to fingersticks, hematocrit measurement with miniature centrifuges was begun as the reference method to verify donor rejection by the copper sulfate test. A study of 525 donors deferred for fingerstick hematocrits showed that 46.7% were deferred inappropriately as determined by venous hematocrit measurements. The difference between fingerstick and venous hematocrits persisted even after an intensive staff inservice on technique. In further studies, no significant difference was found between venous and fingerstick hematocrits measured on the same centrifuge, but there was a significant difference between measurements on the miniature centrifuges versus a standard laboratory microhematocrit centrifuge. This small error resulted in the loss of 3.8% of presenting donors during the study period. Hematocrit measurements have now been replaced by a fingerstick cyanmethemoglobin method.
Ventricular standstill: An uncommon electrophysiological abnormality caused by profound vagal tone

Context : Ventricular standstill (VS) is an uncommon electrophysiological phenomenon and usually manifests as syncope. Rarely has a case been reported where the patient has been totally asymptomatic, and it has resolved spontaneously. Case Report : We report a case of complete VS and high-degree atrioventricular (AV) block in a 50-year-old female, who was admitted for nausea, vomiting, and chest pain. The patient never had a syncopal episode, even though she was in VS for more than 10 s. Conclusion : Such degree of conduction abnormality without any syncope has not been reported so far. Her electrophysiological abnormality was attributed to profound vagotonic effect and was treated with a permanent pacemaker.
Blindness and glaucoma: a comparison of patients progressing to blindness from glaucoma with patients maintaining vision.

Abstract PURPOSE: To compare patients becoming legally blind from glaucoma with those who did not go blind. DESIGN: Retrospective, cohort, and case-control study. METHODS: A retrospective community-based longitudinal study of residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, who were newly diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma between 1965 and 1980 and followed through 1998. A case-control study was performed comparing patients progressing to legal blindness from glaucoma with aged-matched and visual field-matched patients not progressing to blindness. RESULTS: Fifty-six of 290 patients progressed to legal blindness in at least one eye over the 34-year period of the study. Most who progressed to blindness had moderate to advanced visual field loss at the time of diagnosis of glaucoma. Those becoming legally blind had mean intraocular pressures (IOP) on therapy lower than or similar to patients who did not go blind, although the variability of IOP was higher in the blind group. Different susceptibilities to IOP were apparent, as some eyes with initially normal disks and visual fields became blind at an IOP of 20 mm, while others did not worsen. Changes in medical therapy after progression of visual field damage were less effective in lowering IOP in the group becoming blind than in the nonblind group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients at greatest risk of blindness had visual field loss at the time of diagnosis of glaucoma. Different susceptibilities to IOP were apparent, with some patients becoming blind at pressures that others tolerated without significant progression. This suggests that continued monitoring of visual fields and reassessment of target IOP levels when field damage occurs are fundamental in the management of glaucoma.
A Model of Integrating Emergency Orthopedics to Anatomy Curriculum for Medical School Students: Hip Joint as an Example of Lower Extremity Course

Anatomy courses are in a relatively unique position to provide foundational knowledge in the preclinical, undergraduate medical education curriculum that can be applied immediately, and also built upon throughout a clinician’s career. Efficient anatomy integration in the current systembased curriculum without losing some learning quality is inevitable. The current formats of integrating anatomy seem inadequate, as they do not pay enough attention to subject priority and development of hands-on experience in specific areas, such as critical or urgent care, that may require development of early experience. Probably, a favorable way to understand anatomy is to not only integrate clinically relevant and surgical topics, but also select appropriate subjects for simulated hands-on practice in early years’ medical education.1,2 To this end, many appropriate topics in emergency medicine and surgery, trauma, and emergency orthopedic may be a good fit. Emergency orthopedics in particular could be a rich source for simple topics that ideally could be taught in conjunction with anatomy early in the medical education to familiarize medical students with such urgent problems that need appreciation and immediate care.
Dynamics of a finite harmonic oscillator chain with a surface impurity

Abstract A method is presented for constructing the normal modes and spectrum of a finite harmonic oscillator chain to which a polyatomic surface impurity is attached. This scheme is a generalization of an earlier theory due to Puszkarski. Special attention is devoted to localized surface modes and to the identification of the circumstances which cause them to occur. Diagnostic calculations have been performed in order to learn how an adsorbed diatomic molecule alters the normal modes and eigenfrequencies of the lattice. Examples are provided of cases where these effects are slight and of others where the perturbation generates localized optical and/or acoustic surface modes.
Reconfigurable Switching Technologies in Optical Networks: From Core to Submarine to Data Centers

In this paper, various reconfigurable optical switching technologies and hardware are reviewed. The applications of reconfigurable optical switching in terrestrial core networks, submarine networks, and data center networks are analyzed and compared.
The COOH-terminal Tyrosine Phosphorylation Sites on IRS-1 Bind SHP-2 and Negatively Regulate Insulin Signaling

Activation of tyrosine kinases by numerous growth factor and cytokine receptors leads to tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-proteins. Tyrosine-phosphorylated motifs on the IRS proteins bind to the SH2 domains in proteins that mediate downstream signals, including phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase, GRB-2, and SHP-2. We investigated the function of the two SHP-2 binding COOH-terminal tyrosines of IRS-1 by replacing them with phenylalanine (IRS-1FCT). IRS-1FCT failed to bind SHP-2 or mediate its tyrosine phosphorylation during insulin stimulation. Although several reports suggest a critical role for SHP-2 in insulin stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and cell proliferation, IRS-1FCT mediated these effects normally in 32D cells. Indeed, IRS-1FCT exhibited increased tyrosine phosphorylation, phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase binding and activation of protein synthesis in response to insulin. These results suggest that SHP-2 attentuates the phosphorylation and downstream signal transmission of IRS-1 and that the interaction of IRS-1 and SHP-2 is an important regulatory event which attenuates insulin metabolic responses.
Experiments on the enhancement of compressible mixing via streamwise vorticity. I - Optical measurements

The present study was initiated in an attempt to increase the compressible mixing rate of a supersonic jet injected into a co-flowing supersonic stream by adding streamwise vorticity to the injected flow. This flowfield was imaged using the planar laser scattering technique, and mixing rates were derived entirely from captured images. The results of this image analysis indicate that increases in mixing rate of up to 60 percent are possible through the addition of streamwise vorticity. Furthermore, the degree of mixing enhancement appears to be dependent on the amount of swirl added. Analysis of the instantaneous turbulent structure suggests that this increase in mixing is due to a modification of the largest turbulent structures in the mixing layer.
Oscillations and hot carrier effects in the photoconductivity of n - type InSb

Abstract Oscillation of the intrinsic photoconductivity with wavelength was observed in n-type InSb. Interpretation is given taking into account carrier trapping. Additional hot carrier effects were found in the dependence of photoconductivity on the applied electric field.
Scholarly Productivity in Non-Ph.D. Departments.

Political scientists hail from large, research-intensive universities like the Ohio State University, regional comprehensive schools like Western Kentucky University, and small teaching-intensive institutions like Mars Hill College. Despite this diversity, most studies of the political science discipline overlook the contributions of individuals from non-Ph.D. departments. To address this oversight, we compare the publishing rates of scholars with four types of affiliations: non-Ph.D. departments, Ph.D. departments, non- U.S. departments, and nonacademic institutions. We focus particularly on whether faculty from non-Ph.D. departments publish in different types of journals than faculty from other departments, and whether the institutional affiliations of editorial board members corre- sponds to the institutional affiliations of published authors. We find that people from non-Ph.D. departments represent 16% of the authors in our sample of political science journals, and their contributions are particularly noteworthy in certain types of journals. We also demonstrate that the institutions represented on editorial boards generally do not reflect the institutional affiliations of the authors who publish in these journals.
Structure and Raman spectrum of clavulanic acid in aqueous solution.

The calculation of the vibrational Raman spectrum of enzyme-bound β-lactamase inhibitors may be of help to understand the mechanisms responsible for bacterial drug resistance. Here, we present a study of the solvation structure and the vibrational properties of clavulanate, an imporant β-lactamase inhibitor, in aqueous solution as obtained from full quantum and hybrid empirical/quantum molecular dynamics simulations at ambient conditions. The analysis of the vibrational density of states indicates that hybrid empirical/quantum mechanical simulations are able to properly describe the vibrational levels of clavulanate in solution. In addition, we propose a computationally efficient protocol to calculate the vibrational Raman effect for large solute molecules in water, which is able to faithfully reproduce the experimentally recorded clavulanate Raman spectrum and discloses the possibility to employ hybrid simulations to assign the experimental Raman spectra of inhibitors bound to β-lactamases.
Quantitation of the response of human tumor spheroids to daily radiation exposures

Two human tumor lines, NB-100 neuroblastoma and C-32 melanoma, were grown as multicellular tumor spheroids (MTS) and exposed to daily doses of gamma rays, 5 days per week. It required daily doses of 200 rad to arrest the growth of the NB-100 MTS, while 350 rad per day was required to arrest the growth of the C-32 MTS. Calculation of the delay in time to grow 200 um beyond the original size yielded similar differences in radiation resistance. When the volume of the treated MTS was expressed as a fraction of their potential volume and plotted as a function of cumulative dose, there appeared to be little fraction size dependence over the range studied. This prediction was tested experimentally and confirmed: daily administration of two 100 rad doses separated by 4 hours to NB-100 MTS was only marginally less effective than a daily single dose of 200 rad. These data suggest that MTS may prove to be valuable tools in studying the response of human tumors to clinical exposure protocols, including hyperfractionation.
Nodal regression of the quadrantid meteor stream: An analytic approach

Abstract The mean orbit of the Quadrantid meteor stream has a high eccentricity and inclination with an aphelion close to the orbit of Jupiter. The nodal regression rate, a quantity which has been well determined from observations, cannot be calculated with sufficient accuracy using standard low-order expansions of the disturbing function. By using a high-order expansion of the disturbing function we show how the behavior of the longitude of ascending node of the Quadrantid stream is a result of both secular and resonant effects. Our analysis illustrates how the proximity of the stream's orbit to the 2: 1 commensurability with Jupiter dominates the short-term variations in orbital elements.
The Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Evolution on Perovskites

Measurements of the oxygen evolution reaction have been made on eighteen substituted perovskites containing first‐row transition metal ions. Rates are reported at equilibrium and at an overpotential of 0.3V. Electrode kinetic parameters are given, including roughness factors. The rate does not depend on semiconductor‐type properties. It increases as the pH of zero charge, at which the occupancy of OH− and H+ at the interface becomes equal, moves in an alkaline direction, with decrease of magnetic moment, with decrease of stability of the perovskite lattice, with decrease of the enthalpy of formation of the transition metal hydroxides, and with increase in the number of d‐electrons in the transition metal ion. The accuracy of the roughness factor measurements are affected by weakness in knowledge of true double layer capacities. The value assumed here, 60 μF cm−2, may be accurate to only ± 100%. Models are given which suggest that the pores are active throughout. The correlations between the rate and electronic properties are consistent with rate‐determining steps which involve desorption of OH radicals, e.g., . An MO discussion suggests that the electrocatalysis increases with increased occupancy of the antibonding orbitals of MZ‒OH. Earlier interpretations include the concept that an increase of the rate occurs because of increasing overlap between the orbitals of the transition metal ion and the spσorbital of O. However, this theory is based on only three different materials, in which rate‐determining step changes. An interpretation based upon nonstoichiometry is shown to be consistent with observed trends, but insufficient to explain their magnitude. The electrical and chemical contributions to the rate are analyzed. The value of agr; is related via bond strength considerations to the MZ‒OH bond strengths. The relative electrocatalysis discussed is limited to an overpotential which corresponds to a practical range of rates on the faster catalysts. A volcano relation for oxygen evolution on perovskites seems likely. Future electrocatalysts are predicted.
Using GRD to set E-O sensor design budgets

Ground resolvable distance (GRD) provides the system designer with an end-to-end system performance measure to allocate electro-optical sensor design budgets to the engineering disciplines. Laboratory performance for sensor design parameters is defined in terms of modulation transfer function and noise equivalent differential radiance. Linking GRD to sensor design parameters provides management and engineering with the tool to assess the influence of a single system component to total system performance. Although ultimately sensor imaging performance for reconnaissance is measured by the National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (NIIRS), engineering prefers GRD since it can be predicted by analysis, measured in the field, and traced to laboratory measurements of system components. The general image quality equation can be used to estimate the expected average NIIRS rating from the same system analysis parameters used to calculate GRD.
A 350 mV, 5 GHz Class-D Enhanced Swing Quadrature VCO in 65 nm CMOS with 198.3 dBc/Hz FoM

A new enhanced swing class-D quadrature VCO which operates from a supply voltage as low as 350 mV is pre- sented. The prototype 5 GHz VCO was fabricated in a 65 nm RF CMOS process. The measured phase noise performance is -137.1 dBc/Hz at 3 MHz offset with a power dissipation of 2.1 mW from a 0.35 V supply. The resulting figure-of-merit (FoM) is 198.3 dBc/Hz. Compared to prior CMOS LC VCO designs, the pro- posed enhanced swing quadrature VCO achieves the best FoM to date at the lowest supply voltage.
Cloud immersion building shielding factors for US residential structures

This paper presents validated building shielding factors designed for contemporary US housing-stock under an idealized, yet realistic, exposure scenario within a semi-infinite cloud of radioactive material. The building shielding factors are intended for use in emergency planning and level three probabilistic risk assessments for a variety of postulated radiological events in which a realistic assessment is necessary to better understand the potential risks for accident mitigation and emergency response planning. Factors are calculated from detailed computational housing-units models using the general-purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle computational code, MCNP5, and are benchmarked from a series of narrow- and broad-beam measurements analyzing the shielding effectiveness of ten common general-purpose construction materials and ten shielding models representing the primary weather barriers (walls and roofs) of likely US housing-stock. Each model was designed to scale based on common residential construction practices and include, to the extent practical, all structurally significant components important for shielding against ionizing radiation. Calculations were performed for floor-specific locations as well as for computing a weighted-average representative building shielding factor for single- and multi-story detached homes, both with and without basement, as well for single-wide manufactured housing-units.
Radiative transfer between a mirror and its focal point

Abstract An analytical expression is developed for calculating the irradiance at the focal point of a concave mirror due to radiation emitted by the mirror surface. The mirror is assumed to be a Lambertian emitter. Asymptotic expressions are developed for the case of large f-number systems. These are shown to be in error by less than 10% for systems with f-numbers larger than unity.
Translating Research to Practice: Lessons learned, areas for improvement, and future directions

Diabetes and its care have captured the attention of clinicians, managed care, regulatory agencies, and the media. Several successful trials over the past decade have brought the issue of translating evidence-based findings on diabetes care into practice to the forefront of health care discussions (1–3). Despite these promising advances, it is well documented that there is a large gap between what is known about diabetes care and what is commonly practiced (4–6). Studies of the level of diabetes care provided in the real world, and especially in primary care practices where the vast majority of patients are seen, consistently show that performance levels fall short of what is recommended (4–7). Even relatively simple actions, such as ordering a blood sample for analysis or regularly checking HbA1c, are performed far less frequently than recommended (5,6). Adherence to behaviorally oriented aspects of good diabetes and preventive care are performed even less often (with the possible exception of smoking cessation advice) (4,7). Diabetes Care has devoted a series of articles to the discussion of translation issues and different perspectives on this topic (8–10). This article contributes to the discussion by 1 ) discussing changes needed in the conduct of research studies if we are to reduce the gap between research and practice, and 2 ) identifying specific areas for future translation research. There have been two positive examples of the adoption of research-based innovations. First, there has been a paradigm shift in the approach to self-management education and behavior change, both within diabetes education and the broader behavioral science community. This shift has been from provider-centered “compliance” approaches to more patient-centered “empowerment” methods (11–13). The second change that has become widely adopted, at least within leading …
Hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde over graphite nanofiber supported nickel

In the current investigation we have used the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde as a probe reaction in an attempt to follow the changes in catalytic behavior induced by supporting nickel on different types of graphite nanofiber support materials. The hydrogenation of the α,β-unsaturated aldehyde to the desired product, crotyl alcohol, is a particularly difficult task since there is a strong tendency to hydrogenate both the CC and CO bonds in the reactant molecule. This study is designed to compare the catalytic behavior of the metal particles when dispersed on two types of nanofibers, where the orientation of the graphite platelets within the structures is significantly different in each case. The metal crystallites are located in such a manner that the majority of particles are in direct contact with graphite edge regions. For comparison purposes, the same set of hydrogenation reactions were carried out under similar conditions over γ-Al2O3 supported nickel particles. The results demonstrate that when graphite nanofibers are used as a support media for nickel particles, these unusual carbonaceous materials exert a tremendous impact on the performance of the metal for the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde to crotyl alcohol. Possible reasons for this unexpected pattern of behavior are presented.
Src tyrosine kinase activity in rat thecal-interstitial cells and mouse TM3 Leydig cells is positively associated with cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase activity.

Abstract Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) play a critical role in the regulation of intracellular cyclic nucleotide concentration and, consequently, regulate the state of cellular differentiation. We have reported that the Src-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin A, potentiates luteinizing hormone (LH)-stimulated cAMP accumulation in culture media by ovarian thecal–interstitial cells (TIC; see Taylor, C. and Terranova, P.F. (1995) Lipopolysaccharide inhibits rat ovarian thecal–interstitial cell steroid secretion in vitro. Endocrinology 136, 5527–5532). The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of herbimycin, and changes in Src tyrosine kinase activity, on PDE activity in rat TIC and in the mouse TM3 Leydig cell line. Treatment of TIC with herbimycin (1 μ M) for 24 h inhibited basal and LH-stimulated PDE activity (≈50 and 70%, respectively) and was associated with an increase in cAMP and progesterone accumulation in culture media. Treatment of TM3 cells with herbimycin inhibited PDE activity and increased cAMP accumulation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. TM3 cell cultures challenged with herbimycin had lower Src tyrosine kinase activity than controls (≈50%); however, protein kinase A activity was unaffected. TM3 cells stably transfected with a dominant negative Src tyrosine kinase (TM3 Srck − ) had lower PDE activity than cells transfected with a G418 resistance gene alone (TM3 pSV2neo ) which served as control cells. Conversely, TM3 cells expressing a temperature-sensitive Src kinase had significantly greater PDE activity at the Src active temperature (35°C; the temperature at which the enzyme is active) than TM3 pSV2neo control cells grown at the same temperature. TM3 cell lysates hydrolyzed minimal amounts of cGMP, indicating a cAMP-specific PDE. Phosphodiesterase activity in both TM3 and rat TIC was sensitive to the PDE4-selective inhibitor RO20-1724, indicating the predominant active enzyme is probably a member of the cAMP-specific PDE4 family. From the present data, we conclude that a tyrosine kinase of the Src family may play an important role in regulating phosphodiesterase activity in thecal and Leydig cells, and thus regulate intracellular cAMP and the state of cellular differentiation.
Lessons From German Fee Revision

We encourage responses to papers appearing in Health Affairs . Please keep responses brief (two typed pages) and sharply focused. Health Affairs reserves the right to edit all letters for clarity and length.
Cardiovascular, hematologic, and biochemical effects of acute ventral exposure of conscious rats to 2450‐MHz (CW) microwave radiation

In this study the influence of acute (6 hr) exposure to 2450 MHz (CW) microwave radiation on certain cardiovascular, biochemical, and hematologic indices was examined in unanesthetized rats. Under methoxyflurane anesthesia, a catheter was inserted into the right femoral artery, which was used for monitoring blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sampling. Colonic temperature was monitored via a VITEK thermistor probe inserted rectally to a depth of 5 cm. The rat was subsequently placed into a ventilated restraining cage which was located inside an anechoic chamber. The temperature and humidity in the chamber were maintained at 22 +/- 0.5 degrees C and 60 +/- 5% (means +/- S.E.), respectively, during the experimental period. Rats (60) were exposed to either 0 (sham) or 10 mW/cm2 (exposed) for 6 hr. During exposure rats were oriented perpendicular to the E-field, and the measured specific absorption rate (SAR) was 3.7 mW/g. In the sham and exposed rats, the preexposure (time 0) mean +/- S.E. arterial blood pressure (MABP), heart rate, and colonic temperature were approximately 120 +/- 5 mmHg, 450 +/- 10 beats/min, and 37.0 +/- 0.2 degrees C, respectively. In the sham-exposed rats these values remained stable throughout the 6-hr exposure period. In the exposed rats, no effects were noted on MABP or colonic temperature; however after 1 hr of exposure, a significant reduction in heart rate was noted (450 versus 400 beats/min). This decrease in heart rate persisted throughout the remainder of the exposure period. None of the hematologic or biochemical parameters examined were affected by the microwave exposure. Although other mechanisms may be responsible, this decrease in heart rate may have been due to subtle cardiovascular adjustments because of microwave-induced heating with a resultant reduction in resting metabolic rate.
Hall Coefficient in Tin-Bismuth Alloys

The Hall coefficient in a series of tin-bismuth alloys has been measured at 75\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K as a function of composition. The results are compared with previous results on the band structure in these alloys. They indicate that hole conduction is present though not always dominant throughout the range of alloys studied.
Transoral Robotic Surgery: Simulation-Based Standardized Training

Importance Simulation-based standardized training is important for the clinical training of physicians practicing robotic surgery. Objective To train robotic surgery–naive student volunteers using the da Vinci Skills Simulator (dVSS) for transoral robotic surgery (TORS). Design Prospective inception cohort in 2012. Setting Academic referral center. Participants Sixteen medical student volunteers lacking experience in robotic surgery. Interventions Participants trained with the dVSS in 12 exercises until competent, defined as an overall score of at least 91%. After a 1-, 3-, 5-, or 7-week postinitial training hiatus (n = 4 per group), participants reachieved competence on follow-up. Main Outcomes and Measures Total training time (TTT) to achieve competency, total follow-up time (TFT) to reachieve competency, and performance metrics. Results All participants became competent. The TTT distribution was normal based on the Anderson-Darling normality test ( P > .50), but our sample was divided into a short training time (STT) group (n = 10 [63%]) and long training time (LTT) group (n = 6 [37%]). The mean (SD) TTT was 2.4 (0.6) hours for the STT group and 4.7 (0.5) hours for the LTT group. All participants reachieved competence with a mean TFT that was significantly shorter than TTT. There was no significant difference between STT and LTT in mean TFT at 1 and 3 weeks ( P = .79), but the LTT group had a longer TFT at 5 and 7 weeks ( P = .04) but with no difference in final follow-up scores ( P = .12). Conclusions and Relevance Physicians in training can acquire robotic surgery competency. Participants who acquire skills faster regain robotic skills faster after a training hiatus, but, on retraining, all participants can regain equivalent competence. This information provides a benchmark for a simulator training program.
40 x 30 cm flat-panel imager for angiography, R&F, and cone-beam CT applications

Preliminary results are presented from the PaxScan 4030A; a 40x30cm, 2048 x 1536 landscape, flat panel imager, with 194um pixel pitch. This imager builds on our experience with the PaxScan 2520, a 127um real-time flat panel detector capable of both high-resolution radiography and low dose fluoroscopy. While the PS2520 has been applied in C-arms, neuroangiography, cardiac imaging and small area radiographic units, the larger active area of the PaxScan 4030A addresses the broader applications of angiography, general RF however, a number of innovations have been incorporated into the 4030A to increase its versatility. The most obvious change is that the data interface between the receptor and command processor has been reduced to one very flexible and thin fiber-optic cable. A second new feature for the 4030A is the use of split datalines. Split datalines facilitate scanning the two halves of the array in parallel, cutting the readout time in half and increasing the time window for pulsed x-ray delivery to 15ms at 30fps. In addition, split datalines result in lower noise, which, coupled with the larger signal of the 194um pixels, enables high quality imaging at lower fluoroscopy doses rates.
Extrinsic Silicon Focal-Plane Technology

Both monolithic and hybrid silicon focal planes are presently considered for future IR system applications. Significant progress has been made in the development of two-dimensional arrays because the IR detection properties of extrinsic silicon are well developed and the state of the art of manufacturing CCD devices is within the commercial industrial domain. Monolithic focal planes (MFP) combine the function of signal radiation conversion and electronic signal readout and processing in one device, whereas in a hybrid focal plane (HFP), the detection function is physically separated from the charge injection and transfer function; both devices are mechanically interconnected via a metallic bump matrix. The monolithic approaches benefit from the utilization of only one device. The hybrid approaches, on the other hand, benefit from the, ability to optimize and select independently the sensing and processing elements.
Simple method for determination of terbutaline plasma concentration by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method is described in which low nanomolar concentrations of terbutaline in plasma can be quantitated by use of a standard isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography system with electrochemical detection. Samples were prepared for injection by solid-phase extraction and preserved from degradation by addition of glutathione. Terbutaline and internal standard metaproterenol were resolved from plasma constituents on a single C(18) column by ion-pairing chromatography. The method is precise and accurate for measurement of freebase concentrations as low as 4.4 nmol/l (1 ng/ml).
Real-time dynamics of ammonia clusters excited through the Ã state: formation of the protonated cluster ions

Abstract Femtosecond pump-probe techniques combined with a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer are employed to study the dynamics of ammonia clusters excited to the A state. In this paper we present data on the formation of protonated ammonia cluster ions and consider a reaction scheme for their formation through the dissociation of (NH 3 ) n (A 1 A″ 2 ). We propose that the formation of the radical (NH 3 ) n -,NH, species is due to a reaction involving the dissociation of (NH3)n (A 1 A″ 2 ) to NH, (A 2A,). A competing process in the dissociation of (NH3)n (A 1 A″ 2 ) to NH, (X 2B,), yields fragments that are too translationally “hot” to react to form the (NH 3 ) n − 2 NH 4 species. We also quantitatively model these reactions and report the lifetimes associated with the dissociation processes of (NH 3 ) n , and concomitant formation of (NH 3 ) n − 2 NH 4 . Lifetimes of 250–900 fs are observed for the dissociation of (NH3)3_23 excited to the A state.
Modern approaches to the investigation of vitamin B12 deficiency.

The classic workup of a patient for possible PA is revisited in light of the vanishing Schilling test. The vagaries of testing for B12 and blocking antibodies are reexamined. The advantages and disadvantages of newer tests such as MMA and serum gastrin levels are catalogued. At this juncture in the evolution of new test strategies, there is a considerable controversy regarding the significance of high MMA levels in the face of normal B12 levels, particularly in the elderly. Hopefully, this controversy will soon be resolved and the newer crop of tests will be proven and accepted in the workplace. Still, the words of Alexander Pope spring to mind: "Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside."
Effects of Differential Feedback upon the Oral Reading Fluency of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities.

The effects of different types of feedback upon the oral reading fluency (number of words read per minute) of three secondary students with learning disabilities were analyzed to determine whether feedback affected the reading rate of the students. Feedback types included verbal feedback only, visual feedback in the form of performance graphs, and feedback regarding miscue analysis in conjunction with performance graphs. Results indicated that the visual feedback only condition yielded the greatest increase in overall reading rate. However, miscue feedback in conjunction with graphic feedback led to a greater increase in accuracy of words read per minute in timed readings.
Composition in the Dromosphere

Abstract Speed is one way to distinguish how we approach rhetorical situations within and outside of the academy. Texts and arguments move quickly in any rhetorical situation, and rhetoric and composition has begun to theorize ways to make sense of these speedy situations. Drawing on Paul Virilio's discussion of the dromosphere , our contemporary environment of speed, this essay continues that work by examining the work of two DJs: DJ Spooky and Girl Talk. The compositional methods of DJs have received a great deal of attention in computers and composition scholarship, and much of that work has focused on how DJs can help us rethink intellectual property. This essay examines DJs for a different purpose, in order to examine two approaches to the difficulties of speed: schole and dromos . I discuss DJ Spooky's remix of the film The Birth of a Nation , and I apply Girl Talk's methods to provide my own mashup of that same film. This essay argues that the mashup, in all of its various forms, is a particularly useful example of dromological writing, writing that is attuned to the problem of speed.
On fully self-preserving solutions in homogeneous turbulence

Mathematical attributes of full self-preserving solutions (‘full’ meaning self-similar at all scales with non-zero viscosity) for isotropic decay as well as for homogeneous shear flow turbulence are examined from a fundamental theoretical standpoint. Fully self-preserving solutions are those wherein the two-point double and triple velocity correlations are self-similar at all scales. It is shown that the full self-preserving solutions for isotropic decay corresponds to a t −1 asymptotic power law decay, consistent with earlier studies. Fully self-preserving solutions for homogeneous shear flow correspond to a production-equals-dissipation equilibrium, with bounded turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation. It is then shown that the fully self-preserving solutions of isotropic decay and of homogeneous shear flow both require severe constraints on the behavior of the low-wavenumber energy spectra. These constraints render the full self-preserving solutions as mathematical consistent but having no physical re...