cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fibroblasts modulate expression of Thy-1 on the surface of skeletal myoblasts☆

Thy-1 antigen is a well-characterized cell-surface glycoprotein known to be variably expressed in many different tissues, including lymphocytes, brain, and muscle. Its function remains unknown. In skeletal muscle, both in vivo and in vitro, the antigen has been reported on immature but not on adult tissue, and its disappearance corresponds roughly to the time of myoblast fusion. Using monoclonal H36 antibody to identify myoblasts unambiguously, we demonstrate here that Thy-1 is expressed only on a small (less than 1%) fraction of rat skeletal muscle myoblasts in heterogeneous primary cultures, but the number of myoblasts that express Thy-1 rises to a steady level of about 70% when fibroblasts are removed from secondary cultures. Restitution of fibroblasts or growth of purified myoblasts in medium conditioned by fibroblasts greatly suppresses this increase in myoblast Thy-1 expression. Thus an interaction between fibroblasts and myoblasts, mediated by a soluble nondialyzable molecule, modulates expression of Thy-1 on the myoblast outer membrane.
Acute complications of artificial airways.

Though there has been a dramatic reduction in the acute complications of artificial airways in the last hundred years, it remains crucial for the intensivist/anesthesiologist to have an implicit understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the process of endotracheal intubation (ETI). As new techniques, such as percutaneous dilational tracheotomy, are introduced, we must investigate their utility compared with the current standard of care in the most rigorous fashion. Additionally, as many of the complications of ETI can lead to increases in morbidity and mortality, prompt diagnosis and management are essential.
IDENTIFICATION OF MATHEMATICAL TALENT AND PROGRAMMATIC EFFORTS TO FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF TALENT

The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) identifies students who reason well mathematically and/or verbally and offers summer and academic year programs of rigorous academic course work. Gender differences in test performance, even though not as large as previously reported, are noticeable, particularly among the highest test scores. The majority of students benefit from summer program participation, and have increased access to more advanced course work. No differences were found between 1982 and 1991 male and female populations in class ranking, liking of mathematics, or perception of support from peers, family members, and teachers. However, the lack of support from the peer group underscores the academic isolation of this group of students.
Risk stratification of 4344 patients with gastroschisis into simple and complex categories

Abstract Background Gastroschisis is a congenital full-thickness abdominal wall defect characterized by the protrusion of intraabdominal organs outside the abdominal domain that requires surgical management in the early neonatal period. The goal of this study was to validate a previous risk stratification classification of infants born with this defect. Methods A retrospective analysis of a nonoverlapping combination of the databases National Inpatient Sample and Kids' Inpatient Database (1988-2003) was performed. These combined databases contain information from nearly 93 million discharges in the United States. Infants with gastroschisis were identified by an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision procedure code of 54.71 (repair of gastroschisis) and an age at admission of less than 8 days. Infants were divided into simple and complex categories based on the absence or presence of intestinal atresia, stenosis, perforation, necrosis, or volvulus. Variables of sex, race, geographic region, coexisting diagnoses, hospital type and charges adjusted to 2005 dollars, length of stay, inpatient mortality, and complications were collected. Comparison between the 2 groups was performed using Pearson χ 2 for categorical outcomes and the Kruskal-Wallis test for non-normally distributed continuous variables. Results A total of 4344 infants with gastroschisis were identified and divided into simple and complex categories. Simple gastroschisis represented 89.1% (n = 3870) of the group, whereas 10.9% (n = 474) had complex disease. Simple and complex patients differed in coexisting cardiac disease (8.3% vs 11.8%, P = .01), hospital type (78.7% vs 84.1% treated at urban teaching centers, P P P P P P = .01), and infectious disease complications (24.3% vs 45.4%, P Conclusions These data use the largest data set to date to validate the risk stratification of infants with gastroschisis. This analysis improves the characterization and understanding of clinical subsets of infants in whom this congenital condition is diagnosed.
Hearsay Ethnography: Conversational Journals as a Method for Studying Culture in Action.

Abstract Social scientists have long struggled to develop methods adequate to their theoretical understanding of meaning as collective and dynamic. While culture is widely understood as an emergent property of collectivities, the methods we use keep pulling us back towards interview-situated accounts and an image of culture as located in individual experience. Scholars who seek to access supra-individual semiotic structures by studying public rituals and other collectively produced texts then have difficulty capturing the dynamic processes through which such meanings are created and changed in situ. To try to capture more effectively the way meaning is produced and re-produced in everyday life, we focus here on conversational interactions—the voices and actions that constitute the relational space among actors. Conversational journals provide us with a method: the analysis of texts produced by cultural insiders who keep journals of who-said-what-to-whom in conversations they overhear or events they participate in during the course of their daily lives. We describe the method, distinguishing it from other approaches and noting its drawbacks. We then illustrate the methodological advantages of conversational journals with examples from our texts. We end with a discussion of the method's potential in our setting as well as in other places and times.
Comparison of the Power and Accuracy of Biallelic and Microsatellite Markers in Population-Based Gene-Mapping Methods

Summary Because of their great abundance and amenability to fully automated genotyping, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and simple insertion/deletion are emerging as a new generation of markers for positional cloning. Although the efficiency and cost associated with the markers are important in the mapping of human disease genes, the power to detect the linkage between the marker and the disease locus, as well as the accuracy of the estimation of the map location of the disease gene, dictate the selection of the markers. Both the power and the accuracy depend not only on the type of the markers but also on other factors, such as the age of the disease mutation, the magnitude of the genetic effect, the marker-allele distribution in the population, mutation rates of marker loci, the frequency of the disease allele, the recombination fraction, and the methods for mapping the human disease genes. In this article, we develop a mathematical framework and the analytical formulas for calculation of the power and the accuracy and investigate the impact that the aforementioned factors have on the power and the accuracy, by using two population-based gene-mapping methods—likelihood-based linkage-disequilibrium mapping and the transmission/disequilibrium test, for both biallelic SNPs and microsatellites. These studies provide not only guidance in selection of the markers and in the design of the sample scheme for positional cloning but also insight into the biological bases of the mapping of human disease genes.
Facilities for quasi-axisymmetric stellarator research

The quasi-axisymmetric (QA) stellarator, a three-dimensional magnetic configuration with close connections to tokamaks, offers solutions for a steady-state, disruption-free fusion system. A new experimental facility, QUASAR, provides a rapid approach to the next step in QA development, an integrated experimental test of its physics properties, taking advantage of the designs, fabricated components, and detailed assembly plans developed for the NCSX project. A scenario is presented for constructing the QUASAR facility for physics research operations starting in 2019. A facility for the step beyond QUASAR, performance extension to high temperature, high pressure sustained plasmas is described. Operating in DD, such a facility would investigate the scale-up in size and pulse length from QUASAR, while a suitably equipped version operating in DT could address fusion nuclear missions, with operation starting in 2027.
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Although it is only used to treat a minority of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, stem cell transplantation (SCT) is the only proven curative treatment for this condition. Because MDS occurs in a population of older adults with significant comorbidities, reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens have been particularly important in extending safe SCT to the large MDS population over the age of 60 years. Extension of the unrelated donor pool together with the introduction of umbilical cord blood transplants in adults has extended the number of patients with suitable donors. Nevertheless overall mortality from SCT is greater than 50% because of relapse and non-relapse mortality (NRM). New developments to improve outcome include the tailoring of the transplant approach to the individual based on age and comorbidity, and the use of pretransplant chemotherapy to reduce disease bulk prior to transplant, as well as the introduction of post-transplant immunotherapy (pre-emptive donor lymphocyte infusions) and chemotherapy to prevent relapse. Further improvements in transplant outcome await better ways to reconstitute immunity and amplify the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect without causing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), as well as further extension of the donor pool and exploration of risk-adapted regimens for the population of MDS in their seventh to eighth decade.
Measurement of the optical density of packable composites: comparison between direct and indirect digital systems

O objetivo deste estudo foi mensurar a densidade optica de quatro resinas compostas compactaveis nas espessuras de 1, 2, 3 e 4 mm utilizando os sistemas de digitalizacao de imagens Digora® (direto) e DentScan DentView® (indireto) e compara-los entre si. Foram utilizadas 20 placas de acrilico nas espessuras propostas, cada uma contendo uma amostra de cada resina. Cada placa acrilica foi radiografada tres vezes, sob tecnica padronizada, usando, para o sistema Digora® uma placa optica sob cada amostra de resina, e para o sistema DentScan DentView®, filmes oclusais, totalizando 60 exposicoes para cada sistema. Apos, as placas opticas e os filmes foram escaneados, e fez-se tres leituras opticas consecutivas de cada imagem, totalizando 1.440 leituras. Os resultados submetidos a analise estatistica, permitiram concluir que, foi sempre crescente a media de densidade optica das quatro resinas com o aumento da espessura. Quanto a comparacao entre as resinas compostas, nas duas analises a de maior densidade optica foi a Surefila, seguida em ordem decrescente, pelas resinas Prodigya Condensable, Alerta e Solitaire®. As correlacoes entre os resultados do Digora® e DentScan DentView® foram significativas para as diferentes espessuras e materiais. A tendencia observada e que a medida que os valores do Digora® aumentam, os valores do DentScan DentView® tambem aumentam. Com o aumento das espessuras, os valores das medias de densidade optica das analises efetuadas com o Digora® e com o DentScan DentView® tenderam a se aproximar. O sistema Digora® apresentou, comparado com o DentScan DentView®, uma menor amplitude entre os valores das espessuras proximas.
The behavior of induced discontinuities behind curved shocks in isotropic linear elastic materials

In this paper we examine the behavior of the induced discontinuities behind curved longitudinal and transverse shock waves in isotropic linear elastic materials. It is shown that in either case the governing differential equation of the induced discontinuity differs from that of the shock amplitude. The latter depends linearly on the second fundamental form of the shock surface and exhibits purely geometrical effects. The former, however, depends non-linearly on the second fundamental form of the shock surface, and on the shock amplitude. These terms are dominant for a strong shock and their effects diminish as the shock weakens. In particular, the governing differential equation for an acceleration wave is obtained in the limit as the shock amplitude vanishes. The results obtained are quite unexpected, and they demonstrate the complex evolutionary behavior of mechanical waves due to geometrical considerations alone.
Are tidal volume measurements in neonatal pressure-controlled ventilation accurate?

Bedside pulmonary mechanics monitors (PMM) have become useful in ventilatory management in neonates. These monitors are used more frequently due to recent improvements in data-processing capabilities. PMM devices are often part of the ventilator or are separate units. The accuracy and reliability of these systems have not been carefully evaluated. We compared a single ventilatory parameter, tidal volume (Vt), as measured by several systems. We looked at two freestanding PMMs: the Ventrak Respiratory Monitoring System (Novametrix, Wallingford, CT) and the Bicore CP-100 Neonatal Pulmonary Monitor (Allied Health Care Products, Riverside, CA), and three ventilators with built-in PMM: the VIP Bird Ventilator (Bird Products Corp., Palm Springs, CA), Siemens Servo 300A (Siemens-Elema AB, Solna, Sweden), and Drager Babylog 8000 (Drager, Inc., Chantilly, VA). A calibrated syringe (Hans Rudolph, Inc., Kansas City, MO) was used to deliver tidal volumes of 4, 10, and 20 mL to each ventilator system coupled with a freestanding PMM. After achieving steady state, six consecutive Vt readings were taken simultaneously from the freestanding PMM and each ventilator. In a second portion of the bench study, we used pressure-control ventilation and measured exhaled tidal volume (Vte) while ventilating a Bear Test Lung with the same three ventilators. We adjusted peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) under controlled conditions to achieve the three different targeted tidal volumes on the paired freestanding PMM. Again, six Vte measurements were recorded for each tidal volume. Means and standard deviations were calculated. The percentage difference in measurement of Vt delivered by calibrated syringe varied greatly, with the greatest discrepancy seen in the smallest tidal volumes, by up to 28%. In pressure control mode, Vte as measured by the Siemens was significantly overestimated by 20–95%, with the biggest discrepancy at the smallest Vte, particularly when paired with the Bicore PMM. Vte, as measured by the VIP Bird and Drager paired with the Ventrak PMM, had a tendency to underestimate Vt by up to 25% at the smallest Vte. However, when paired with the Bicore PMM, these same two ventilators read over target by up to 18%. Under controlled laboratory conditions, we demonstrated that true delivered Vte, as measured by the three ventilators and two freestanding PMM, differed markedly. In general, decreasing dynamic compliance of the tubing was not associated with greater inaccuracy in Vte measurements. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002; 34:196–202. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Unexploded ordnance detection experiments at extensive fully ground-truthed test sites at Yuma Proving Ground and Eglin AFB

The US Army Research Laboratory (ARL), under the sponsorship of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, is conducting experiments to establish and enhance the ability of low-frequency, ultra-wideband synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to detect and discriminate unexploded ordnance (UXO). Preliminary investigations using ARL's BoomSAR - a UWB radar mounted atop a mobile boom lift platform - concluded that the radar image texture and frequency-dependent scattering from mines and mine-like targets could be exploited in the development of automatic target detection algorithms. To support further investigations, ARL established extensive UXO test sites at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, and Eglin AFB, Florida. The soils at both test sties have been characterized in terms of physical, chemical and electromagnetic properties. Precise location, depth, and orientation information was recorded for each of the approximately 500 inert ordnance test targets at each site. This information helps researchers to better understand the phenomenology associated with UXO target scattering and to more accurately evaluate and modify data processing programs. The ultimate goal is to develop innovative automatic target detection algorithms that provide a high probability of detection with an acceptable false-alarm rate under varying environmental conditions and operational scenarios. This paper present details on the design and characterization of the two test sites and some initial results from BoomSAR data collections.
Holography in museums

This paper discusses some aspects of holographic display techniques pertinent for museum applications. In particular, it revises the features and requirements for three-dimensional (3D) holographic displays, examines the practical use of holographic interferometry as an effective tool for non-destructive inspection of museum items, discusses holographic methods for high-density data storage and outlines how 3D images can be integrated into a large coverage area.
Insurance medicine and cholesterol

Abstract Follow-up studies of men in the United States reveal that the risk of coronary attack is not the same for all and that the predisease cholesterol level is a useful and quantitative predictor of relative risk. An insurance medical approach to this information is developed in which a crude classification of mortality risk is made according to serum cholesterol level. This is devised as a temporary aid to those interested in risk appraisal of men in apparent good health and will be replaced within a few years by quantitative data obtained from follow-up studies of insured persons in the United States and Britain. At present, serum cholesterol level, as an isolated factor, is not widely used as a risk variable by insurance underwriters. On the basis of average figures from published follow-up studies, and with a number of assumptions, a practical “standard” risk category is assigned to men in the United States with serum cholesterol values between 200 and 274 mg.%, “better than standard” risk below 200 mg.%, and “excess” risk rising exponentially from 50 per cent extra (150% of standard) between 275 and 300 mg.%, to twice standard at 300 to 349 mg.%, triple standard at 350 to 399 mg.%, and four times standard risk (400%) at cholesterol levels of 400 mg.% and beyond. The effect of variability of cholesterol values on misclassification is considered, and it is recommended that an average value be obtained from several determinations when serum cholesterol is to be used as a factor in risk classification. Evidence is reviewed which indicates that at this stage of knowledge there is no single technic superior to measurement of blood cholesterol during health for the prediction of subsequent risk of coronary attack, and there is none more reproducible, available, or adaptable to the purposes of both insurance and preventive medicine.
Presynaptic excitatory action of glutamate applied to crab nerve-muscle preparations

Abstract 1. 1. The contraction of crab muscle resulting from perfusion with low concentrations of glutamate is accompanied by a high frequency of miniature potentials. 2. 2. The effect decreases with increasing Ca concentration and disappears at Ca levels higher than twice that found in normal crab blood. 3. 3. Tetrodotoxin abolishes, replacement of K by Cs greatly enhances nerve induced excitatory junction potentials and contraction. Neither of these agents affects the glutamate induced miniature potentials and contractions. 4. 4. It is concluded that glutamate enhances the “spontaneous” quantal release of transmitter from motor nerve terminals and that this action adds significantly to the direct effect of glutamate on the muscle fibers. In the intact animal the Ca and glutamate levels of the blood must be important in the control of neuromuscular transmission.
Dimorphic lanthanum orthovanadate

Abstract LaVO4 has been found to be dimorphic, the crystalline form depending upon the mode of preparation. Precipitation from solution yields a tetragonal form, isomorphous to the other rare earth vanadates with a0 = 7·441 and c0 = 6·503. Heating the lanthanum precipitate above approximately 300°C converts tetragonal LaVO4 to its well known monoclinic form. The other rare earth vanadates have also been prepared by the precipitation method and their tetragonal lattice parameters are about the same as those obtained by firing. Comparison of the dimorphic forms of the rare earth series of chromates, arsenates, phosphates and vanadates yields a linear correlation between the cationic radius and the pentavalent ionic radius of the tetrahedral oxyanion rather than with the bond length or the tetrahedral volume of the oxyanion. On the basis of this correlation it is predicted that PmAsO4 exhibits dimorphism.
Improved photoluminescence characteristics of order-disorder AlGaInP quantum wells at room and elevated temperatures

A set of nominally undoped CuPt-B type ordered (AlxGa1−x)0.5In0.5P quantum-wells with disordered (Al0.7Ga0.3)0.5In0.5P barriers were grown and characterized using transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Such structures are potentially beneficial for light emitting devices due to the possibility of greater carrier confinement, reduced scattering into the indirect valleys, and band-offset adjustment beyond what is possible with strain and composition. Furthermore, the possibility of independently tuning the composition and the order-parameter of the quantum-well allows for the decoupling of the carrier confinement and the aluminum content and aids in the identification of carrier loss mechanisms. In this study, sharp order-disorder interfaces were achieved via the control of growth temperature between 650 °C and 750 °C using growth pauses. Improved high-temperature (400 K) photoluminescence intensity was obtained from quantum-wells with ordered Ga0.5In0.5P as compared to disordered Ga0.5In0.5P due to greater confinement. Additionally, in the ordered samples with a higher Al/Ga ratio to counter the band-gap reduction, the photoluminescence intensity at high temperature was as bright as that from conventional disordered heterostructures and had slightly improved wavelength stability. Room-temperature time-resolved luminescence measurements indicated a longer radiative lifetime in the ordered quantum-well with reduced scattering into the barrier. These results show that in samples of good material quality, the property controlling the luminescence intensity is the carrier confinement and not the presence of ordering or the aluminum content.
Understanding Real Interest Rates: Discussion

Mishkin provides us with a stimulating paper, one characterized by the same sort of careful econometric work found in his previous papers on the real rate. I recommend both the current paper and his others and, in particular, the paper by Huizinga and Mishkin. Mishkin summarizes what is known from this literature and proposes an empirical variant of the real rate more relevant to agriculture. This definition of the agricultural real rate is
Modulating guest binding in sulfonylcalixarene-based metal–organic supercontainers

Metal–organic supercontainers (MOSCs) represent a new family of synthetic receptors derived from container precursors and featuring both endo and exo cavities. A neutral MOSC has been functionalized into an anionic container by incorporating sulfo groups. The anionic MOSC exhibits cavity-specific binding properties in both solid state and solution.
Farewell my concubine and its Nativist critics

(1997). Farewell my concubine and its Nativist critics. Quarterly Review of Film and Video: Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 155-170.
On the generalized degrees of freedom region of the MIMO interference channel with no CSIT

The generalized degrees of freedom region (GDoF) of the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) interference channel (IC) is studied under the “no CSIT” assumption under which there is perfect channel state information (CSI) at the receivers and no CSI at the transmitters (CSIT). In the very weak interference regime, where the ratio of channel gains (in dB) of the interfering and direct links, α, is ≤ 0.5, the GDoF regions are characterized for the two classes of the MIMO ICs defined by (a) M 1 = N 1 > M 2 ≥ N 2 and (b) M 1 = N 1 > N 2 > M 2 (where M i is the number of antennas at transmitter i and N i is the number of antennas at receiver i, i ∈ {1, 2}). In particular, inner-bounds are obtained by developing CSI-independent coding schemes using which it is shown that for each of the two classes a significant portion of the perfect-CSIT GDoF region can be achieved even without CSIT. Furthermore, tight outer-bounds to the no-CSIT GDoF regions are obtained that simultaneously account for the interference encountered by both the receivers. These bounds are thus fundamentally different from those derived in earlier works which deal with the case of α = 1, i.e., the degrees of freedom (DoF) regions. Interestingly, it is found that the loss of DoFs due to lack of CSIT is much less pronounced for the α ≤ 1 over 2 than it is for α = 1.
Language development in African American English child speech

Abstract Much of the current understanding about African American English (AAE) has come from the 1960s and 1970s research of sociolinguists such as Labov (1969, 1972a, 1972b) and Wolfram (1969). The majority of those studies, however, focused on the language behavior of adolescent and adult AAE speakers with little attention to that of younger speakers. The use of these adolescent/adult-based norms has obvious implications for educators and speech-language clinicians involved with the language instruction, assessment, and intervention of young AAE child speakers. Specifically, these norms can lead to inappropriate language expectations for children in public school settings. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of current research on grammatical, phonological, semantic, and pragmatic development in AAE child speech and to discuss the implications of these findings for professionals involved with second-dialect instruction, speech-language assessment and/or intervention programs. Methodological issues associated with the investigation of African American child language concerns are also addressed.
Partial Pathologic Response and Nodal Status as Most Significant Prognostic Factors for Advanced Rectal Cancer Treated With Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy

This study evaluated the impact of tumor regression grading (TRG) and other pathologic variates in a cohort of rectal carcinoma patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The value of a grading less than pCR for predicting survival is unknown. Tumor budding has not been systematically studied in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. Pathologic risk factors for survival were evaluated on surgical specimens of 237 patients with stages I, II, and III rectal cancer treated between 1996 and 2006. All patients underwent preoperative CRT followed by surgical resection 6–8 weeks later. TRG, tumor grade, budding, venous invasion, radial margin, and nodal status were evaluated. The prognostic value of TRG categories was calculated with Cox regression models and validated with resampling methods. TRG of <25% occurred in 61 (25.7%) and a complete response in 39 (16.4%) of the resected specimens. TRG of <25% was shown to be a statistically significant predictor for cancer-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared to TRG ≥25% (P = 0.013). Tumor budding was present in 24 (10.1%) of the patients and was negatively associated with CSS (P = 0.013). Lymph node involvement was observed in 83 (35.0%) patients. TRG and nodal status (P < 0.001) were the most significant predictors associated with outcome. Partial pathologic response ≥25% was a superior predictor compared to pCR for improved survival after preoperative CRT. CSS and RFS were adversely affected by the presence of lymph node metastases.
A programmatic framework for the Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX)

Significant advances have been made in the confinement of reactor-grade plasmas, so that we are now preparing for experiments at the “power breakeven” level in the JET and TFTR experiments. In ITER we will extend the performance of tokamaks into the burning plasma regime, develop the technology of fusion reactors, and produce over a gigawatt of fusion power. Besides taking these crucial steps toward the technical feasibility of fusion, we must also take steps to ensure its economic acceptability. The broad requirements for economically attractive tokamak reactors based on physics advancements have been set forth in a number of studies. An advanced physics data base is emerging from a physics program of concept improvement using existing tokamaks around the world. This concept improvements program is emerging as the primary focus of the U.S. domestic tokamak program, and a key element of that program is the proposed Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX). With TPX we can develop the scientific data base for compact, continuously-operating fusion reactors, using advanced steady-state control techniques to improve plasma performance. We can develop operating techniques needed to ensure the success of ITER and provide first-time experience with several key fusion reactor technologies. This paper explains the relationships of TPX to the current U.S. fusion physics program, to the ITER program, and to the development of an attractive tokamak demonstration plant for this next stage in the fusion program.
Transdermal permeation of WIN 55,212-2 and CP 55,940 in human skin in vitro

Synthetic cannabinoids have a promising future as treatments for nausea, appetite modulation, pain, and many neurological disorders. Transdermal delivery is a convenient and desirable dosage form for these drugs and health conditions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro transdermal permeation of two synthetic cannabinoids, WIN 55,212-2 and CP 55,940. Transdermal flux, drug content in the skin, and lag times were measured in split-thickness human abdominal skin in flow-through diffusion cells with receiver solutions of 4% bovine serum albumin (BSA) or 0.5% Brij 98. Differential thermal analysis (DSC) was performed in order to determine heats of fusion, melting points, and relative thermodynamic activities. The in vitro diffusion studies in 0.5% Brij 98 indicated that WIN 55,212-2 diffuses across human skin faster than CP 55,940. The WIN 55,212-2 skin disposition concentration levels were also significantly higher than that of CP 55,940. Correspondingly, CP 55,940 was significantly metabolized in the skin. WIN 55,212-2 flux and skin disposition were significantly lower into 4% BSA than into 0.5% Brij 98 receiver solutions. There was no significant difference in the flux, lag time, and drug content in the skin of CP 55,940 in 4% BSA versus 0.5% Brij 98 receiver solutions. The DSC studies showed that CP 55,940 had a significantly lower melting point, smaller heat of fusion, and corresponding higher calculated thermodynamic activity than the more crystalline WIN 55,212-2 mesylate salt. The permeation results indicated that WIN 55,212-2 mesylate, CP 55,940, and other potent synthetic cannabinoids with these physicochemical properties could be ideal candidates for the development of a transdermal therapeutic system.
Effects of zeolite structure and composition on the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate by oxidative carbonylation of methanol on Cu-exchanged Y, ZSM-5, and Mordenite

The aim of this work was to establish the effects of zeolite structure/chemical composition on the activity and selectivity of Cu-exchanged Y (Si/Al = 2.5), ZSM-5 (Si/Al = 12), and Mordenite (Si/Al = 10) for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol to DMC. Catalysts were prepared by solid-state ion-exchange of the H-form of each zeolite with CuCl and were then characterized by FTIR and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The XANES portion of the XAS data showed that all of the copper was present as Cu{sup +} cations, and analysis of the EXAFS portion of the data shows the Cu{sup +} cations had a CuO coordination number of 2.1 on Cu-Y and 2.7 on Cu-ZSM-5 and Cu-MOR. Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was observed as the primary product when a mixture of CH{sub 3}OH/CO/O{sub 2} was passed over Cu-Y, whereas dimethoxy methane was the primary product over Cu-ZSM-5 and Cu-MOR. The higher activity and selectivity of Cu-Y for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol can be attributed to the weaker adsorption of CO on the Cu{sup +} cations exchanged into Y zeolite. In situ IR observations revealed that under reaction conditions, adsorbed CO was displaced by methoxide groups bound to the Cu{sup +} cations. Themore » kinetics of DMC synthesis suggests that the rate-limiting step in the formation of this product was the insertion of CO into CuOCH{sub 3} bonds. The yield of DMC decreased with methanol conversion, likely due to the hydrolysis of DMC to methanol and carbon dioxide.« less
Control on sediment and organic carbon delivery to the Arctic Ocean revealed with space-borne synthetic aperture radar: Ob' River, Siberia

An important control on river biogeochemistry and sediment load is the process of water exchange between primary channels and the flood plain, particularly in low-r elief areas containing lakes, ephemeral channels, and other aquatic ecosystems. Flood-plain exchange may be a dominant process on the lowland rivers of Arctic Russia, which are among the world’s largest in water discharge yet are strikingly deficient in their delivery of sediment to the Arctic shelf. Temporal synthetic aperture radar (SAR) amplitude and interferometric images of the Ob’ River, Siberia, reveal a time-varying limnological network controlling water, sediment, and nutrient exchange between flood-plain wetlands and the main channel. The amount of hydrologic exchange decreases by one order of magnitude from June to September, enhancing sedimentation over as much as 90% of the flood plain and enriching channel waters with colloidal organic carbon. This observation, combined with Russian field measurements of water discharge and sediment load, indicates that a major sediment sink on the lower Ob’ flood plain may be responsible for the low amount of sediment delivery by the Ob’ River to its estuary and the Kara Sea.
Energy-Dependent Losses in Pulsed-Feedback Preamplifiers

Energy dependent counting losses occur in most pulsed-feedback preamplifiers due to the loss of those pulses which activate the recharge system. We describe a pulsed-feedback system that overcomes this inefficiency. The paper also discusses pulsed-light feedback as used with germanium gamma-ray spectrometers used at high energies and high rates where those losses become significant. Experimental results are presented.
Machine dedication and process flexibility in a group technology environment

Abstract This study investigates changes in inventory and customer service performance of a job-shop that desires to adopt a Group Technology (GT) philosophy in its shop floor operations. Simulation methodology is pursued to explore tradeoffs in shop performance between the routing flexibility of non-dedicated machines in a functional job-shop and the setup efficiency of dedicated machines in shops that have machine cell layouts. Further, traditional and GT-based scheduling procedures are investigated in these different shops to determine the conditions under which a GT philosophy may be profitably employed only in layout decisions, only in scheduling decisions, or in both layout and scheduling decisions. Results from this study show that shop layout choice is not a simple decision that can capitalize either on the high routing flexibility of the functional job-shop or on the setup efficiency advantages of a cell shop. The tradeoffs between routing flexibility and setup efficiency must be made carefully. The impact of demand variability on performance is also dependent on the type of layout. In general, product volume variability more adversely affects the performance of functional job-shops, while product mix variability has greater impact on the performance of cell shops. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed to show that maintaining balance between the utilization of machines is a major determinant of performance, and consequently the best layout.
SHOCK WAVE LITHOTRIPSY OF STONES IMPLANTED IN THE PROXIMAL URETER OF THE PIG

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Ureteral stones can be difficult to treat with shock wave (SW) lithotripsy. A strategy for lithotripsy of proximal ureteral stones is to push them back into the renal pelvis prior to administering SWs. However, push-back is invasive and not always possible. Since there are few clues to suggest how best to treat ureteral stones with SWs in situ, we developed an animal model for research on lithotripsy for ureteral stones.Materials and Methods:: Gypsum model stones were implanted bilaterally in the proximal ureter and renal calix of the pig via percutaneous access. Lithotripsy was performed using a HM3 lithotripter (Dornier Medical Systems, Marietta, Georgia) and stones at each location were treated with the same dose (400 SWs, 20 kV and 30 SWs per minute). Fragments were collected and the percent increase in projected surface area of the particles was determined.Results:: The breakage (mean percent area increase) of stones implanted in the proximal ureter was significantly less than that ...
Fine-needle aspiration of adrenal cortical carcinoma: cytologic spectrum and diagnostic challenges.

We reviewed the cytologic features of 20 adrenal cortical carcinomas (ACCs; 9 primary and 11 metastatic) from 19 patients and highlighted diagnostic pitfalls. The mean size of primary ACCs was 11.9 cm, and that of metastatic ACCs was 3.0 cm. The metastatic sites were liver, lung, lymph node, soft tissue, and bone. Primary and metastatic ACCs were cytologically similar and showed a wide range of features varying from well-differentiated tumor resembling a benign cortical lesion or low-grade neuroendocrine tumor to poorly differentiated pleomorphic tumor mimicking poorly differentiated carcinoma, melanoma, or high-grade sarcoma. The common cytologic features were hypercellularity (70% of cases), necrotic debris in the background (70%), moderate to marked nuclear pleomorphism (80%), mitotic figures (90%), and prominent nucleoli (60%). Twenty percent of cases exhibited all 5 features, 40% exhibited 4 features, and 40% exhibited 3 features. Necrosis and/or mitosis were found in all cases, even in tumors with bland cytologic features. Cytologic, immunophenotypic, and ultrastructural findings should be correlated with clinical and radiologic information for achieving a proper cytologic diagnosis.
The Fundamental Infrared Spectrum of the Ammonium Ion in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract The infrared absorptions of NH4 + of aqueous solutions of NH4 + salt solutions were recently considered in some detail and, based on changes in the contour of the water band, the effect of anions of the water absorption were discussed.1 We find, however, that differences of the contours of absorptions of pure water and of aqueous solutions can easily produce an artifact.
Three-dimensional morphological analysis of isolated metopic synostosis

Morphological differences were quantified in three-dimensions among individuals with untreated isolated metopic synostosis and between those individuals and similar aged-matched normal dry skulls to test two hypotheses: first, that the dysmorphology is a self-correcting condition; and second, that a lack of vertical growth of the skull produces this dysmorphology. Three-dimensional (3D) coordinates were recorded for 22 craniofacial landmarks from CT scans of 15 metopic patients, ranging from 5- to 32-months-old, and of four normal dry skulls, ranging in age from 6- to 36-months-old. The patient population was diagnosed with isolated metopic synostosis at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland or Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Comparisons between the metopic age groups indicate that the trigonocephalic phenotype worsens through time. Between 5 and 14 months, the neurocranium displays an increase in vertical growth. This was followed by a lack of vertical growth between 14 and 32 months. The face displays a lack of vertical growth from 5 to 14 months and an increase in vertical growth after 14 months. Comparisons between the metopic age groups and the normal skulls indicate that the trigonocephalic head is taller superoinferiorly and longer anteroposteriorly. Relative to the normal phenotype, the inferior temporal region in the metopic phenotype is narrow. These findings enabled the rejection of both hypotheses and localized form differences between normal and metopic phenotypes. Based on these results, we suggest that the trigonocephalic phenotype worsens with age and the amount of vertical growth that produces the trigonocephalic phenotype varies throughout growth with respect to location within the skull and age. Anat Rec 256:177‐188, 1999. r 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Refinement of the modified-relative-dose-response test as a method for assessing vitamin A status in a field setting: experience with Indonesian children.

The modified-relative-dose-response (MRDR) test, which has been used extensively throughout the world for assessing vitamin A status, has been simplified. The major meth- odologic change resulting from the current studies in Indonesia is the use of graded standard doses of 3,4-didehydroretinyl acetate (DRA) based on the age range of the population of interest. Instead of a dose of 0.35 �molIkg body wt, standard doses of 5.3 �mol for children younger than 6 y, 7.0 j.�mol for children between 6 and 12 y of age, and 8.8 j.�mol for adults and children > I 2 y of age are suggested for field use. The acceptable time between administering the oral dose and obtaining a blood sample was validated as being 4-7 h in a group of children (n = 84) by taking two blood samples per child between 3 and 7 h after dosing with DRA. Furthermore, DRA in vitamin E-containing corn oil, with or without the addi- tion of 4.6 mmol a//-rac-a-tocopheryl acetatefL, was found to be stable for � 18 mo at 2 #{176}C and at -20 #{176}C, but not at 22 #{176}C or at 37 #{176}C. When DRA was stored in amber glass vials, stability was affected more by temperature than by exposure to room light. In keeping with earlier studies in adults, the ratio of 3,4-didehydro- retinol to retinol tends to be independent of body weight. Indeed, slower growing children (ie, those with a lower weight-for-age) may have a somewhat better vitamin A status than their heavier counterparts. Am J C/in Nutr l996;64:966-7l.
Data mining for prediction of wind farm power ramp rates

In this paper, multivariate time series models are built to predict the power ramp rate of a wind farm. The power changes are predicted at ten-minute intervals. Multivariate time series models are built with data-mining algorithms. Five different data-mining algorithms are tested using data collected at a wind farm. The support vector machine regression algorithm performed best of the five algorithms studied in this research. It provided predictions of the power ramp rate for a time horizon of 10 to 60 minutes. The boosting tree algorithm selected predictors enhancing the prediction accuracy. The data used in this research originated at a wind farm of over 100 turbines. The test results of various models are presented in the paper. Suggestions for future research are provided.
Terminator Disparity Contributes to Stereo Matching for Eye Movements and Perception

In the context of motion detection, the endings (or terminators) of 1-D features can be detected as 2-D features, affecting the perceived direction of motion of the 1-D features (the barber-pole illusion) and the direction of tracking eye movements. In the realm of binocular disparity processing, an equivalent role for the disparity of terminators has not been established. Here we explore the stereo analogy of the barber-pole stimulus, applying disparity to a 1-D noise stimulus seen through an elongated, zero-disparity, aperture. We found that, in human subjects, these stimuli induce robust short-latency reflexive vergence eye movements, initially in the direction orthogonal to the 1-D features, but shortly thereafter in the direction predicted by the disparity of the terminators. In addition, these same stimuli induce vivid depth percepts, which can only be attributed to the disparity of line terminators. When the 1-D noise patterns are given opposite contrast in the two eyes (anticorrelation), both components of the vergence response reverse sign. Finally, terminators drive vergence even when the aperture is defined by a texture (as opposed to a contrast) boundary. These findings prove that terminators contribute to stereo matching, and constrain the type of neuronal mechanisms that might be responsible for the detection of terminator disparity.
Main chain 1,1′‐ferrocene‐containing polyelectrolytes exhibiting thermotropic liquid‐crystalline and fluorescent properties

A series of 1,1′-ferrocene-containing polyelectrolytes (3, 4) were prepared when 1,1′-bis(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocene (1a) or 1, 1′-bis{[1-(2-methyl)imidazol-1-yl]methyl}ferrocene (1b) was quaternized with 1,4-dibromobutane or α, α′-dibromo-p-xylene. The counterion was bromide or bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-amide formed after metathesis with the lithium salt. Their chemical structures were determined by IR and NMR spectra. Molecular weights in the range of ∼5400 (4a)– ∼14,700 (4c) for number-average molecular weights (Mn) over narrow molecular weight distributions were determined for polymers 4 by gel permeation chromatography. Thermal properties of these materials were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis that showed the polymers had thermal stabilities ranging between 172 and 330 °C. Liquid-crystalline behavior was investigated on a hot stage polarizing optical microscope. Polymers 3a, 4b, and 4d formed either a high-order or a low-order smectic phase above their melting or fusion temperatures, and exhibited smectic-to-isotropic transitions. The ranges of the liquid-crystalline phases for these materials were 22, 46, and >55 °C. Compounds 3b, 4a, and 4c are crystalline before melting or decomposing. All of the polymers exhibited absorption bands at ∼430 nm. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 974–983, 2005