cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to Sedation and Analgesia

While the history of analgesia and sedation is relatively short in years, it has been rife with changes and discoveries. The history of critical care practice arose from the realm of anesthesiology with significant advances occurring during the polio pandemic, whereas neonatal tetanus spurred much of pediatric and neonatal critical care development. Initial descriptions of critical care practice held little description of sedation and analgesia practices. In more recent years, the importance of this has been increasingly appreciated. We have a better understanding of the sources of pain and anxiety and adverse effects of undertreated pain in children, dispelled myths surrounding pain management in pediatric and neonatal patients, and increased our incorporation of the impact of disease or comorbid states on the pharmacokinetic properties of sedative and analgesic agents in the critically ill. Consequently, appropriate sedation and analgesia should be a priority in the management of any critically ill child.
Gut Microbiota Composition Modulates the Magnitude and Quality of Germinal Centers during Plasmodium Infections.

Gut microbiota composition is associated with human and rodent Plasmodium infections, yet the mechanism by which gut microbiota affects the severity of malaria remains unknown. Humoral immunity is critical in mediating the clearance of Plasmodium blood stage infections, prompting the hypothesis that mice with gut microbiota-dependent decreases in parasite burden exhibit better germinal center (GC) responses. In support of this hypothesis, mice with a low parasite burden exhibit increases in GC B cell numbers and parasite-specific antibody titers, as well as better maintenance of GC structures and a more targeted, qualitatively different antibody response. This enhanced humoral immunity affects memory, as mice with a low parasite burden exhibit robust protection against challenge with a heterologous, lethal Plasmodium species. These results demonstrate that gut microbiota composition influences the biology of spleen GCs as well as the titer and repertoire of parasite-specific antibodies, identifying potential approaches to develop optimal treatments for malaria.
Individual maize extraction from UAS imagery-based point clouds by 3D deep learning

Automated and cost-effective phenotyping pipelines are needed to efficiently characterize new lines and hybrids developed in plant breeding programs. In this study, we employ deep neural networks (DNNs) to model individual maize plants using 3D point cloud data derived from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) imagery by PointNet network. The experimental setup was performed at the Indiana Corn and Soybean Innovation Center at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE) in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. On June 17th, 2020 a flight was carried out over maize trials using a custom designed UAS platform with a Sony Alpha ILCE-7R photogrammetric sensor. RGB images were processed by a standard photogrammetric pipeline by Structure from Motion (SfM) to reconstruct the study field into a final scaled 3D point cloud. 50 individual maize plants were manually segmented from the point cloud to train the DNN and subsequently individual plants were extracted over a test trial with more than 5,000 plants. Moreover, to reduce overfitting in the fully-connected layers, we employed data augmentation not only in translation, but also in color intensity. Results show a successful rate for the extraction of the individual plants of 72.4%. Our test trial demonstrates the possibility of using deep learning to overcome the individual maize extraction challenge on the basis of UAS data.
Abstract 2046: Binding of FANCD2 to SRSF1 splicing factor prevents genomic instability through R-loop regulation

BACKGROUND. Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare disease characterized by congenital abnormalities, bone marrow failure and cancer susceptibility. The pivotal role of the FA pathway is DNA interstrand crosslink (ICL) repair, where FANCD2-FANCI complex monoubiquitination is the key regulatory step. Recent studies have linked defects in the FA pathway to R-loop metabolism and implicated R-loops as an endogenous source of genomic instability that contributes to the FA phenotype, although the mechanism remains elusive. Splicing factors, such as SRSF1 (ASF/SF2), have also been linked to R-loops, cancer, and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), so we hypothesized a link between SRSF1 and FA. METHODS. Cells: FA-D2 mutant (PD20) and corrected (D2), HeLa. siRNA transfections were used to reduce SRSF1 and FANCD2 protein levels. Survival assays were performed to determine cell sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. In vitro immunoprecipitation was performed using SRSF1 purified from bacteria and FANCD2-FANCI purified from insect cells. R-loops were studied using the Damage At RNA Transcription (DART) assay and S9.6 immunofluorescence. RNA FISH was used to measure mRNA export. RESULTS. In order to study the involvement of splicing factors in the FA pathway, we knocked down SRSF1 by using siRNA. SRSF1 knockdown leads to impaired FANCD2 monoubiquitination after DNA damage as well as diminished cell survival, thus creating a FA-like phenotype. In addition, immunoprecipitation in cells and in vitro showed direct interaction between FANCD2 and SRSF1. We found that FANCD2 and SRSF1 knockdown leads to increased R-loops visualized by S9.6 immunofluorescence. Besides, DART assay revealed colocalization of SRSF1 and FANCD2 with R-loops in highly transcribed genomic sites, known to be R-loop hotspots. Additionally, we found that SRSF1 interacts with the mRNA export factor NXF1 in a FANCD2-dependent fashion and through RNA. Interestingly, SRSF1-NXF1 interaction is enhanced upon DNA damage. Finally, we found that FANCD2-deficient cells present defects in mRNA export, suggesting that SRSF1 and FANCD2 could cooperate in the prevention of R-loop formation by exporting accumulated RNA in the nucleus. CONCLUSION. Our findings suggest a novel non-canonical mechanism of FANCD2 via regulation of SRSF1 in R-loop prevention via facilitation of mRNA export, thus preventing genomic instability. Citation Format: Anne Olazabal-Herrero, Allison M. Green, Xiaoyong Chen, Patrick Sung, Pillai M. Manoj, Gary M. Kupfer. Binding of FANCD2 to SRSF1 splicing factor prevents genomic instability through R-loop regulation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2046.
Wanting, Willing, Trying and Kane's Theory of Free Will

Robert Kane's event-causal libertarian theory of free will has been subjected to a variety of criticisms. In response to the luck objection, he has provided an ambiguous answer which results in additional criticisms that are avoidable. I explain Kane's theory, the luck objection and Kane's reply to the problem of luck. I note that in some places he suggests that the dual wantings of agents engaged in self-forming actions (SFAs) provides the key to answering the luck objection, whereas in other places he suggests that the dual willings or tryings of agents is the key. Various philosophers criticize Kane's view by focusing on his concept of the dual willings/tryings involved in SFAs. I argue that despite Kane's efforts to answer these criticisms, they still hold; but I also go on to argue that Kane can avoid these criticisms and also answer the luck objection by just focusing on the important role of the dual wantings in SFAs.
Inhibition of the Transport of Several Hexoses in Mammalian Cells by Cytochalasin B

Abstract Cytochalasin B inhibited the transport of several hexoses in HeLa, 3T3, HTC rat hepatoma, and chick embryo heart cells. Fifty per cent inhibition of [3H]glucose, [3H]glucosamine, and 2-deoxy[3H]glucose transport occurred with 8 x 10-8 m cytochalasin B. Inhibition of hexose transport was immediate and was immediately and completely reversible when cytochalasin B was removed from the medium after 1 hour of incubation. Cytochalasin B did not prevent the uptake of thymidine, uridine, α-aminoisobutyric acid, or calcium. Hexokinase activity of a HeLa cell sonicate was also unaffected by cytochalasin B. Inhibition of glucose transport appeared to be noncompetitive.
Uncertainty Assessment for Towing Tank Tests With Example for Surface Combatant DTMB Model 5415

Uncertainty assessment methodology, procedures, and results are presented for most typical towing tank tests using a 3.048 m geosym of naval combatant DTMB model 5415, which is an established benchmark for computational fluid dynamics validation. The tests include resistance, sinkage and trim, wave profile, wave elevations, and nominal wake. The procedures are summarized and follow International Towing Tank Conference Quality Manual Procedures. The facility and measurement systems are briefly described, and detailed uncertainty assessment examples for each test are provided with descriptions of bias and precision limits and total uncertainties.
Evaluation of cofired platinum /alumina high density feedthrough for implantable neurostimulator applications

This work evaluated materials and process interactions in the development of a high density platinum / alumina feedthrough. Effect of Pt particle size, firing rates, firing temperature on the sintering, densification and secondary reactions are evaluated, as well as the effect of alumina additive to minimize the difference in expansion coefficient during cooling.
International Business: The New Realities

Part 1: Foundation Concepts Chapter 1. Introduction: What Is International Business? Chapter 2. Globalization of Markets and the Internationalization of the Firm Chapter 3. Organizational Participants that Make International Business Happen Part 2: The Environment of International Business Chapter 4. The Cultural Environment of International Business Chapter 5. Ethics and International Business Chapter 6. Theories of International Trade and Investment Chapter 7. Political and Legal Systems in National Environments Chapter 8. Government Intervention in International Business Chapter 9. Regional Economic Integration Chapter 10. Emerging Markets, Developing Economies, and Advanced Economies Chapter 11. The International Monetary and Financial Environment Part 3: Strategy and Opportunity Assessment Chapter 12. Strategy and Organization in the International Firm Chapter 13. Global Market Opportunity Assessment Part 4: Entering and Operating in International Markets Chapter 14. Exporting and Countertrade Chapter 15. Foreign Direct Investment and Collaborative Ventures Chapter 16. Licensing, Franchising, and Other Contractual Strategies Chapter 17. Global Sourcing Part 5: Functional Area Excellence Chapter 18. Marketing in the Global Firm Chapter 19. Human Resource Management in the Global Firm Chapter 20. Financial Management and Accounting in the Global Firm
Volume assessment accuracy in computed tomography: a phantom study

There is a broad push in the cancer imaging community to eventually replace linear tumor measurements with three-dimensional evaluation of tumor volume. To evaluate the potential accuracy of volume measurement in tumors by CT, a gelatin phantom consisting of 55 polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spheres spanning diameters from 1.6 mm to 25.4 mm was fabricated and scanned using thin slice (0.625 mm) CT (GE LightSpeed 16). Nine different reconstruction combinations of field of view dimension (FOV = 20, 30, 40 cm) and CT kernel (standard, lung, bone) were analyzed. Contiguous thin-slice images were averaged to produce CT images with greater thicknesses (1.25, 2.50, 5.0 mm). Simple grayscale thresholding techniques were used to segment the PMMA spheres from the gelatin background, where a total of 1800 spherical volumes were evaluated across the permutations studied. The geometric simplicity of the phantom established upper limits on measurement accuracy. In general, smaller slice thickness and larger sphere diameters produced more accurate volume assessment than larger slice thickness and smaller sphere diameter. The measured volumes were smaller than the actual volumes by a common factor depending on slice thickness; overall, 0.625 mm slices produced on average 18%, 1.25 mm slices produced 22%, 2.5 mm CT slices produced 29%, and 5.0 mm slices produced 39% underestimates of volume (mm3). Field of view did not have a significant effect on volume accuracy. Reconstruction algorithm significantly affected volume accuracy (p < 0.0001), with the lung kernel having the smallest error, followed by the bone and standard kernels. The results of this investigation provide guidance for CT protocol development and may guide the development of more advanced techniques to promote quantitatively accurate CT volumetric analysis of tumors.
Transformation-associated cytokine 9E3/CEF4 is chemotactic for chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Abstract 9E3/CEF4, which is released from transformed chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF), is a member of the platelet factor 4 family of inflammatory proteins and may be the avian homolog of interleukin-8. Since the function of 9E3/CEF4 is unknown, we examined the effect of the protein on mitogenicity and chemotaxis, as well as its expression, in fibroblasts and peripheral blood cells. 9E3/CEF4 mRNA was expressed in chicken peripheral blood monocytes, and its expression was stimulated by incubation of the monocytes with lipopolysaccharide or phorbol myristic acetate. Boyden double-membrane analysis of chemotaxis showed that 9E3/CEF4 was chemotactic for chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as well as for heterophils. Untransformed CEF and CEF transformed with Rous sarcoma virus also migrated to 9E3/CEF4 protein, as measured by Boyden single-membrane analysis. 9E3/CEF4 was slightly mitogenic for CEF, causing a doubling of [3H]thymidine uptake when added to serum-starved CEF.9E3/CEF4 was found associated not only with the cell and in the culture medium of Rous sarcoma virus-transformed CEF but also with the extracellular matrix. The in vivo role of 9E3/CEF4 may be involved with chemotaxis and metastasis, rather than with direct stimulation of mitogenicity.
Stability of discrete time recurrent neural networks and nonlinear optimization problems

We consider the method of Reduction of Dissipativity Domain to prove global Lyapunov stability of Discrete Time Recurrent Neural Networks. The standard and advanced criteria for Absolute Stability of these essentially nonlinear systems produce rather weak results. The method mentioned above is proved to be more powerful. It involves a multi-step procedure with maximization of special nonconvex functions over polytopes on every step. We derive conditions which guarantee an existence of at most one point of local maximum for such functions over every hyperplane. This nontrivial result is valid for wide range of neuron transfer functions.
JOINT DETERMINATION OF COLLEGE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EFFORT: IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLEGE TEACHING

In this paper, a four-equation simultaneous equations model is developed with college student effort and achievement being jointly determined. The model is then tested using a sample of students from one comprehensive university. The empirical results provide evidence that student efforts with respect to faculty interaction, but not with respect to library usage or course effort, significantly affect achievement. You know, teachers sometimes think they are all that happen in class. But I have to take what a teacher is trying to teach me and translate it into something I learn, and that has little to do with the teacher. The learning is what I do.
Progenitor proliferation in the adult hippocampus and substantia nigra induced by glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor

Abstract Neurogenesis is an ongoing process in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb of adult mammals, regulated in part by trophic factors. While glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is being directly delivered into the nigrostriatal system of the brain for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in clinical trials, little is known about its effects on cell genesis in the brain. Here, we investigated the effects of GDNF on progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in two GDNF-responsive areas, the hippocampus and substantia nigra. GDNF (18 μg/day) was infused in the striatum of 2-month-old Sprague–Dawley rats for 28 days. New cells were identified by the nuclear incorporation of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and analyzed by light and electron microscopic immunostaining and quantitative morphometric techniques. GDNF significantly increased cell proliferation in the hippocampus by 78% and in the substantia nigra by 52%. There was no evidence of neurogenesis in the substantia nigra, with new cells displaying glial features and none of the 1549 BrdU-positive cells co-labeled for the dopamine neuronal marker tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Rather, GDNF upregulated TH in existing neurons, consistent with the restorative actions of this tropic factor. The hippocampus is a site that supports adult neurogenesis and new cells generated here were closely associated with granule cells in the dentate gyrus. Some were double labeled for the neuronal marker NeuN; others had features of astrocytes, the principal source of new adult neurons in the hippocampus. The effects of GDNF on the hippocampus are potentially important in memory and learning processes.
Effects of Zirconium Oxide on the Reaction Bonding of Aluminum Oxide

In the reaction-bonded aluminum oxide (RBAO) process, attrition-milled Al/Al2O3 powder compacts are reacted in air to form Al2O3-based ceramics. Typically, ZrO2 powder is added to control the final microstructure and properties, resulting in fine-grained, high-strength materials. In this study, the effects of ZrO2 on the reactivity of RBAO samples were examined using thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffractometry, and other techniques. Previously, it was shown that a self-propagating reaction could occur during firing of RBAO in air. This reaction was attributed solely to the fast and highly exothermic oxidation of the aluminum on the surface of the sample, but the results of the current study show that it is related to a reaction between aluminum and ZrO2, forming Al2O3 and Al3Zr. As a consequence, a new reaction sequence for RBAO consistent with these observations has been proposed.
The photo-neutrino process in astrophysical systems

Explicit expressions for the differential and total rates and emissivities of neutrino pairs from the photoneutrino process ${e}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}+\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}{e}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}+\ensuremath{\nu}+\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ in hot and dense matter are derived. Full information about the emitted neutrinos is retained by evaluating the squared matrix elements for this process which was hitherto bypassed through the use of Lenard's identity in obtaining the total neutrino emissivities. Accurate numerical results are presented for widely varying conditions of temperature and density. Analytical results helpful in understanding the qualitative behaviors of the rates and emissivities in limiting situations are derived. The corresponding production and absorption kernels in the source term of the Boltzmann equation for neutrino transport are developed. The appropriate Legendre coefficients of these kernels, in forms suitable for multigroup flux-limited diffusion schemes, are also provided.
Rescuing the Baby from the Bathwater: Continuing the Conversation on Gender, Risk, and Religiosity

In this short response, we selectively address some of the key issues and criticisms raised by our esteemed commenters. First, we clarify our standpoint vis ` a vis “biological” arguments, underscoring that our article is not to be read as hostile to all forms of explanations that incorporate biology into the explanation of religious behavior and belief, but only against those explanations that attempt to imply that socialization plays no role (“the it’s all biology” argument). Second, we defend the explanatory scope of our proposal by showing that our argument is not vulnerable to the “simpler” counterexplanation proposed by Hoffmann. Finally, we contextualize where our contributions fit in terms of more encompassing arguments regarding the operation of gender and gendering processes as multicausal, multilevel phenomena, as well as explicitly stating our perspective on the role that “risk” should play in the explanation of religious behavior and belief.
Dynamic (Kinesthetic) Touch Perception in Preschool Children

The preschool years are an important time during which children gain proficiency using the hands for both performatory and perceptual functions that involve dynamic (kinesthetic) touch. We evaluated dynamic touch perception of object extent and found that preschool children are able to discriminate length by dynamic touch early, but perception is not very fine-tuned and perceptual attunement to inertial characteristics increased with age. An analysis comparing the performatory and perceptual functions of the hands showed links between performance and perception in dynamic touch tasks that did not require haptic–visual correspondence. We concluded that whereas dynamic touch is functional early in the preschool years, perceptual acuity is not very precise and haptic–visual correspondence remains immature. In addition, reliance on inertial properties as information to make judgments of length emerges between 3 and 5 years and attunement to inertial properties likely continues to develop throughout childhood ...
Delivering regenerative cues to the heart: cardiac drug delivery by microspheres and peptide nanofibers.

Our understanding of signaling pathways and cues vital for cardiac regeneration is being refined by laboratories worldwide. As various mechanisms enabling cardiac regeneration are becoming elucidated, delivery vehicles suited for these potential therapeutics must also be developed. This review focuses on advances in two technologies, novel degradable microspheres for controlled release systems and self-assembling peptide nanofibers for cell and factor delivery. Polyketals, a new class of resorbable polymers, are well suited for treating inflammatory diseases due to biocompatible degradation products. Polyketals have been used to deliver small molecule inhibitors and antioxidant proteins to rat models of myocardial infarction with notable improvements in cardiac function. Self-assembling peptide nanofibers are a class of hydrogels that are well-defined scaffolds made up of 99% water and amenable to incorporation of a variety of bioactive cues. Work done by our laboratory and others have demonstrated functional improvements using these hydrogels as both a drug delivery vehicle for proteins as well as a defined microenvironment for transplanted cells. Combining non-inflammatory polymer microspheres for sustained release of drugs with self-assembling nanofibers yields multifunctional scaffolds that may soon drive the body’s healing response following myocardial infarction towards cardiac regeneration.
Epitaxial Multilayers of (Sr,Ba)Nb2O6 and Conducting Films on (001) Mgo Substrates

Highly p-doped ZnTe films have been grown on semi-insulating GaAs (001) substrates by pulsed-laser ablation (PLA) of a stoichiometric ZnTe target in a high-purity N2 ambient without the use of any assisting (DC or aC) plasma source. Free hole concentrations in the mid-1019 cm-3 to 1020 cm-3 range were obtained for a range of nitrogen pressures the maximum hole concentration equals the highest hole doping reported to date for any wide band gap II-VI compound. the highest hole mobilities were attained for nitrogen pressures of 50–100 mTorr (~6.5–13 Pa). Unlike recent experiments in which atomic nitrogen beams, extracted from RF and DC plasma sources, were used to produce p-type doping during molecular beam epitaxy deposition, spectroscopic measurements carried out during PLA of ZnTe in N2 do not reveal the presence of atomic nitrogen. This suggests that the high hole concentrations in laser ablated ZnTe are produced by a new and different mechanism, possibly energetic beam-induced reactions with excited molecular nitrogen adsorbed on the growing film surface, or transient formation of Zn-N complexes in the energetic ablation plume. This appears to be the first time that any wide band gap (Eg 2 eV) II-VI compound (or other) semiconductor has been impurity-doped from the gas phase by laser ablation. In combination with the recent discovery that epitaxial ZnSe1-xSx films and heterostructures with continuously variable composition can be grown by ablation from a single target of fixed composition, these results appear to open the way to explore PLA growth and doping of compound semiconductors as a possible alternative to molecular beam epitaxy.
Lack of effect of supplemental dietary selenium on time to development of radiation-induced cutaneous tumors in rats

Abstract Sprague-Dawley 8-week-old male rats received a single dose of 1425 cGy to the skin of the back using a 6 meV electron beam. Three days later they were randomized into three groups receiving supplemental dietary selenium as sodium selenite at levels of 0 ppm, 1 ppm, and 2 ppm selenium. Cutaneous tumors first appeared 33 weeks after irradiation and the experiment was terminated at 63 weeks. A wide variety of epithelial and connective tissue tumors developed. There was no significnt difference in the time to development of epithelial or connective tissue tumors between the three groups. Thus, under the conditions of this experiment an inhibitory effect of dietary selenium on radiation-induced skin tumors was not evident.
β-Lactamases, β-lactamase inhibitors, and skin and skin-structure infections

β -Lactamases have been known since the early 1940s when they were recognized as a major mechanism of resistance in Staphylococcus aureus . The synthesis of semisynthetic penicillins provided agents that overcame the resistance of staphylococci, but as gram-negative bacteria became increasingly important as the cause of infections, plasmid-mediated β -lactamases were recognized in the Entervbacteriaceae, Haemophilus , and chromosomally mediated β -lactamases in Klebsiella , and Bacteroides were found to be the mechanism of resistance of these species to ampicillin and related penicillins. Two approaches to the problem have been developed. One is to make stable compounds. This has been possible in the cephalosporin family. The other method has been to find inhibitors of β -lactamases. Qavulanate is a β -lactamase inhibitor that, in combination with amoxicillin, allows the combination to inhibit many of the organisms that are resistant to amoxicillin. Similarly, clavulanate has been combined with ticarcillin to provide a parenteral agent to inhibit β -lactamase-producing bacteria and retain activity against Pseudomonas . Sulbactam has been combined with ampicillin. The combination of suicide inhibitors with other β -lactams has provided agents that inhibit many of the bacteria present in mixed cutaneous infections. Clinical studies have established the efficacy of the clavulanate-amoxicillin and clavulanate-ticarcillin combinations in skin and skin-structure infections. These agents offer an alternative to other drugs when treating cutaneous infections.
Examination of two-stream instability for high power broadband RF amplifiers

Exploiting the two-stream instability to amplify radio frequency signals is an attractive concept because the interaction is extremely broadband and co-propagating beams of different energies make the instability convective instead of absolute, thus enabling operation as an amplifier. This holds out the possibility of bandwidth performance that rivals that of helical traveling wave tubes (helix TWT's) at much higher powers. Previous attempts1 at two-stream amplifiers were abandoned due to poor efficiency compared to helix TWTs. More recent work2 3 has indicated that the use of relativistic beams can increase the efficiency, perhaps as high as 50%.
Uses of Clinical Databases

Clinical databases consist of observational data collected on patients who meet specific criteria. The uses of these databases depend on whether the observations are drawn from a single institution, multiple clinical centers, or are population-based. Single institution databases frequently are used to profile patient accrual. In cases of rare diseases or unusual procedures, multicenter databases are required to amass sufficient information for study. Multicenter databases can be used to address issues related to intercenter variation and to develop statistical models to predict outcome based on prognostic factors. Population-based databases are required to assess incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of disease. Although the inferences that can be drawn from observational data are limited by selection bias, clinical databases are valuable tools in planning clinical research. Clearly, however, resources are required to develop and maintain clinical databases. In an era when much research funding is directed at hypothesis-driven research, the importance of these clinical databases in developing clinical research hypotheses should not be overlooked.
Evaluation of microfluidic blood gas sensors that combine microdialysis and optical monitoring

It is shown that microdialysis-based blood gas (pH, pCO2 and pO2) optical sensors are stable for durations of several hours in blood. This performance is uncommon with many types of membrane sensor. Microdialysis techniques can be designed to ensure that the sweep microflow samples are in biochemical equilibrium with the bulk media, even after hours of exposure to the complex composition of blood. The rate of diffusion through the membrane is not the determining factor in sensor reading, as it is with other sensor techniques that consume the analyte. The sweep fluid 95% equilibration times for microdialysis fibres were approximately double in blood compared with buffer, reflecting slower diffusion of ions. This is in contrast to the equilibration of gases through silicone hollow-fibre membranes in blood, which showed unchanged equilibration times between blood and buffer. Sensor measurements correlate well with a blood gas analyser for up to 9 h in blood, with correlation coefficients of 0.973 for the pO2 sensor 0.974 for the pCO2 sensor and 0.947 for the pH sensor. In blood, the sensors have precisions of 1.7 mmHg, 3.7 mmHg and 0.019 pH units and bias levels of -0.7 mmHg, 1.2 mmHg and 0.002 pH units, for pO2, pCO2 and pH, respectively.
A finite element formulation for thermal stress analysis. Part I: Variational formulation

Abstract This paper deals with the development of a variational principle which can be used for solving problems related to the thermoelastic behavior of solids and is the first of the two part series. The formulation is based on the introduction of a new quantity defined as heat displacement and related to temperature in the same manner as the mechanical displacement is related to strain. The introduction of such a quantity allows the heat conduction equations to be written in a form equivalent to the equation of motion, and the equations of coupled thermoelasticity to be written in a unified form. The obtained equations are used to write a variational formulation which, together with the concept of generalized coordinates, yield a set of differential equations with the time as the independent variable. These equations can be used to formulate a finite element solution for thermoelastic problems. This is done in the second part.
Establishment and characterization of a subclone (U-937-AG) from a permanent human monocyte cell line.

The human cell line U-937 has many features suggestive of the monocyte. It may be stimulated in vitro to develop attributes of an activated macrophage with increased phagocytosis and enhanced Fc receptor expression. We describe the establishment of a subclone designated U-937 AG through the use of a mutagenic agent. The features of this subclone include increased tumoricidal cytotoxicity, increased Fc receptor expression for IgG and enhanced phagocytosis of antibody coated erythrocytes, while retaining the usual light microscopic features. The mutant cell line is also capable of producing an erythroid potentiating factor while temporary production of a granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor was noted. The availability of a “resting” parent and a more “activated” subclone of this human monocyte cell line should assist in the study of human monocyte activation.
Combining two proven mechanical tenderness measurements in one steak

This research was performed to determine the true efficacy of measuring both Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and slice shear force (SSF) in the same steak. The objectives were to compare cooking methods commonly used in preparing steaks for WBSF and SSF procedures and compare them at different cooling times. United States Department of Agriculture select strip loins (n = 240) were aged for either 7 or 14 d to increase the variation in tenderness. Each strip loin was then frozen and cut into 2.54-cm steaks. Steaks were then cooked to an internal temperature of 71°C using a convection conveyor oven (conveyor), a convection oven, clamshell grill, or an open hearth grill. Steaks were allotted to 4 different cooling times to create the combinations of: WBSF 4 h/SSF 0 h, WBSF 4 h/SSF 4 h, WBSF 24 h/SSF 0 h, WBSF 24 h/SSF 24 h. Five 1.25-cm cores were used for WBSF and one 1- by 5-cm slice for SSF. The WBSF from steaks cooked with conveyor were tougher than convection oven cooked steaks [51.9 Newtons (N) vs. 46.1 N; P < 0.05]. However, SSF were tougher when cooked in oven compared with those cooked in conveyor (267.5 N vs. 237.2 N; P < 0.05). Correlations for WBSF and SSF performed in the same steak ranged from 0.51 to 0.88 (P < 0.0001). The WBSF 24 h/SSF 0 h and WBSF 4 h/SSF 4 h had the strongest relationships (0.88 and 0.82, respectively; P < 0.05) between WBSF and SSF when using clamshell method. Performing WBSF and SSF in the same steak was successful based on moderate to high correlation values but the magnitude of the relationship is dependent on the combination of cooking method and cooling time.
Abbreviated measures of sex role egalitarian attitudes

Alternate 25-item short forms of the Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale (SRES) were developed and examined for psychometric quality using data from a sample of 608 students. Internal consistency coefficients were .94 and .92 for the two forms, stability coefficients with a three-week test-retest in terval were .88 for each, and the coefficient of equivalence or alternate forms reliability was .87. As expected, females scored significantly more egalitarian than males on both short forms, and results of factor analyses pointed to unidimensional measurement of a single construct for males, females, and the total sample. Additional support for reliability and validity is overviewed. The abbreviated SRES forms appear to provide a psychometrically sound and time-efficient means for assessing egalitarian attitudes.
Creating and preserving locality of java applications at allocation and garbage collection times

The growing gap between processor and memory speeds is motivating the need for optimization strategies that improve data locality. A major challenge is to devise techniques suitable for pointer-intensive applications. This paper presents two techniques aimed at improving the memory behavior of pointer-intensive applications with dynamic memory allocation, such as those written in Java. First, we present an allocation time object placement technique based on the recently introduced notion of prolific (frequently instantiated) types. We attempt to co-locate, at allocation time, objects of prolific types that are connected via object references. Then, we present a novel locality based graph traversal technique. The benefits of this technique, when applied to garbage collection (GC), are twofold: (i) it improves the performance of GC due to better locality during a heap traversal and (ii) it restructures surviving objects in a way that enhances locality. On multiprocessors, this technique can further reduce overhead due to synchronization and false sharing. The experimental results, on a well-known suite of Java benchmarks (SPECjvm98 [26], SPECjbb2000 [27], and jOlden [4]), from an implementation of these techniques in the Jikes RVM [1], are very encouraging. The object co-allocation technique improves application performance by up to 21% (10% on average) in the Jikes RVM configured with a non-copying mark-and-sweep collector. The locality-based traversal technique reduces GC times by up to 20% (10% on average) and improves the performance of applications by up to 14% (6% on average) in the Jikes RVM configured with a copying semi-space collector. Both techniques combined can improve application performance by up to 22% (10% on average) in the Jikes RVM configured with a non-copying mark-and-sweep collector.
Gas-phase ion/ion reactions of rubrene cations and multiply charged DNA and RNA anions

Abstract Gas-phase ion/ion reactions between multiply deprotonated DNA and RNA anions and rubrene radical cations have been investigated in this research. Ion/ion reactions of DNA 6-mer (dT6, dC6, dA6 and dG6) anions with rubrene radical cations led to negative electron transfer dissociation (nETD), complex formation, and negative electron transfer without dissociation (nET no D). The amount of nET, no D product (G > A > C > T) is inversely related to nucleobase ionization potential (G /z -ions, but were only observed when highly deprotonated precursor ions were reacted. Similar trends were observed when reacting RNA 8-mer (rU8, rC8, rA8 and rG8) anions with rubrene radical cations (i.e., the yields of nET, no D products (G > A > C > U) and complex formation (G /z -ions, as with the DNA anions, and were only observed at relatively high precursor ion charge states. Furthermore, extensive fragmentation from the w/d- and a /z -ion channels can be obtained from simultaneous activation of the first generation nET, no D survivor radical anions (nET-CID). In comparison to the conventional collisional activation methods, the dissociation of DNA and RNA anions via either nETD or nET-CID is less affected by the structural differences on the 2′-hydroxyl group of the sugar ring.
Global and Local Wave Vibration Characteristics of Materially Coupled Composite Beam Structures

A unique feature of fiber-reinforced composite materials is that it allows structural tailoring for favorable dynamic performance, due to the directional nature of composite materials. The directional nature causes material coupling, which results in coupled vibrational modes and complicates dynamic analysis. Most of the up-to-date composite structure related dynamic studies focus on free vibration analysis. In this paper, the local wave transmission and reflection characteristics at various discontinuities are studied first. Such discontinuities include general point supports, boundaries and change in sections. The matrix relations between the injected waves and externally applied forces and moments are also derived. By assembling these matrices, both free and forced vibration responses of materially coupled composite Euler–Bernoulli beams are obtained. The wave-based vibration analysis approach is found concise and systematic. Numerical examples are given.
The Transcription Factor Ultrabithorax Forms Extensible, Hierarchically Ordered Assemblies that are Readily Functionalized by Gene Fusion

Proteins that naturally self-assemble to form materials are often challenging to produce as recombinant proteins, and require harsh conditions to instigate assembly in vitro, limiting their ability to be engineered for specific applications. Surprisingly, the Drosophila melanogaster Hox protein Ultrabithorax (Ubx) readily self-assembles in vitro in mild buffers, even though this protein does not form large aggregates as part of its native function. Ubx hierarchically associates to form materials that are ordered on the nanoscale to macroscale. The mechanical properties of Ubx fibers are tunable, and fibers can be constructed with a similar breaking stress and strain as natural elastin. Because Ubx self-assembles within hours in a mild buffer, other proteins can be incorporated into Ubx materials via gene fusion without compromising the ability of Ubx to assemble, or the functionality of the appended protein. A variety of proteins have successfully been incorporated into Ubx materials, ranging in structure, size, and charge. These functions can be easily patterned within the materials. This strategy has been used to control the behavior of cells in culture.
A Review of “Henri IV of France: His Reign and Age”: Pitts, Vincent J., Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press 477 pp., $45.00, ISBN 978-0-8018-9027-7 Publication Date: December 2008

Given the importance of his reign (1589–1610), King Henry IV of France has attracted relatively few biographers of distinction and purpose. To be sure, Jean-Pierre Babelon's massive Henri IV, publi...
A five-year comparison of the continuation rates between women using loop D and oral contraceptives

Abstract Data gathered from the Buffalo Planned Parenthood Center for the years 1962–1968, on the use of the pill by 2,000 women and the use of loop D by 1,400 women, permitted a five-year comparison of continuation rates between the groups of women. Since women on oral contraceptives are generally of lower parity and younger age than women with loops, continuation rates were compiled for age and parity specific groups. Accidental pregnancies were higher among loop users than among pill users in each age and parity group except among women with five or more children. Continuation rates were significantly higher among loop users 25 years of age or older or with a parity of three or greater. Women 15–19 years of age and women with a parity of one or less experienced higher continuation rates with the pill than with the loop. The differences in the rates of continuation between oral and loop users suggests that there are fundamental differences between these methods of contraception.
Nonheritable cellular variability accelerates the evolutionary processes of cancer

Recent cancer studies emphasize that genetic and heritable epigenetic changes drive the evolutionary rate of cancer progression and drug resistance. We discuss the ways in which nonheritable aspects of cellular variability may significantly increase evolutionary rate. Nonheritable variability arises by stochastic fluctuations in cells and by physiological responses of cells to the environment. New approaches to drug design may be required to control nonheritable variability and the evolution of resistance to chemotherapy.
Pregnancy failure in laboratory mice after multiple short-term exposure to strange males.

An olfactorily induced pregnancy failure in recently inseminated laboratory mice has been shown to result from enforced cohabitation with a strange or alien male, following which the female would return to oestrus1. The females were exposed for a period of 12, 24, 48, or 72 h, with maximum pregnancy failure (approximately 80 per cent) occurring at the two longer periods, and about half as many failures with 12 h exposure2,3. In the aforementioned experiments, the female was continually subjected to the presence of the strange male. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if multiple, short-term exposures of the newly inseminated female to strange males would reduce the pregnancy rate.
Clinical experience with penicillin skin testing in a large inner-city STD clinic

Objective. —To establish (1) the prevalence of positive penicillin skin tests among outpatients with well-defined but variable history of penicillin allergy and (2) the reproducibility, safety, and negative predictive value of skin testing with benzylpenicilloyl polylysine (PPL) and a minor-determinant mixture (MDM). Design. —Serial consenting outpatients with current indications for penicillin therapy were skin-tested in duplicate with PPL and MDM. Subjects with negative skin tests (93% of those positive by history and 95% of those negative by history) received therapeutic courses of benzylpenicillin (81%) or ampicillin (19%). Negative predictive value of skin testing was established by 72-hour follow-up for adverse reactions to drug. Setting/Patients. —A total of 5063 consecutive, qualifying outpatients in a Baltimore, Md, sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic. The study group was young (73% between 20 and 40 years old), 66% male, and 90% black; 25% had history of atopy. Follow-up was 94% complete. Results. —Positive skin tests were observed in 7.1% of 776 individuals with previous history of penicillin allergy and in 1.7% of 4287 subjects negative by history (P Conclusions. —Skin testing with both major and minor penicillin determinants is safe using current recommendations, and both reagents are necessary for maximizing the identification of sensitized subjects. Routine penicillin skin testing can facilitate the safe use of penicillin in 90% of individuals with a previous history of penicillin allergy. (JAMA. 1993;270:2456-2463)
Can we cause regression of coronary atherosclerosis

With the advent of effective antiatherosclerotic therapies, especially lipid lowering agents, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates associated with coronary atherosclerosis can be reduced. A growing body of evidence suggests such therapies can retard the progression of coronary atherosclerosis and with aggressive treatment regimens can cause regression. Antiatherosclerotic, and especially lipid lowering therapies, have the potential to become an alternative to invasive interventions. This report examines clinical studies that have addressed the regression of human coronary atherosclerosis by medical therapy.
Measuring Strategies Used by Mental Health Providers to Encourage Medication Adherence

Mental health clinicians rely on a range of legal mandates and interpersonal strategies of encouragement and pressure to address nonadherence to treatment. This paper describes the development and testing of a scale to assess formal and informal strategies used by clinicians to encourage adherence to medication. The 16-item measure was administered to 271 clinicians and analyzed using Rasch measurement modeling. Subsequently, items were revised and readministered to a second sample of 44 clinicians in an urban mental health clinic. Rasch analysis of the items yielded a coherent and internally consistent unidimensional measure of strategies used to promote adherence that vary on a continuum of pressure or social control. Criterion-related validity was assessed by observing the association of the measure with clinician ratings of client adherence. The resulting measure may be employed in future studies to examine the ways in which clinician behavior relates to medication adherence and to consumer perceptions of treatment alliance, quality of care, and perceived coercion.
Decreased Plasma Fibronectin Leads to Delayed Thrombus Growth in Injured Arterioles

Objective— Plasma fibronectin (FN) is decreased in several clinical conditions. We were interested to study the thrombotic and hemostatic consequences of the decrease in plasma FN (pFN), the role of FN splice variants in thrombosis, and to examine whether pFN incorporates into thrombi in vivo. Methods and Results— We compared the thrombotic response to a vessel injury in FN heterozygous ( FN +/−) mice and corresponding FN +/+ mice. Although normal thrombosis in venules was observed, a decrease to half in the pFN concentration in FN +/− mice caused a delay in the appearance of thrombi in arterioles and consequently a delay in their occlusion. We were able to rescue the thrombotic defect in the FN +/− mice by infusion of rat pFN. Additionally, we could show intense incorporation of fluorescent pFN-coated microspheres into the developing thrombi. Moreover, we found that mice expressing FN without the EIIIA or EIIIB domains specific to cellular FN including platelet FN had no thrombotic defect. Conclusions— Mice heterozygous for FN have a striking defect in thrombus initiation and growth in arterioles attributable to the decrease of pFN. Our study is an example of haploid insufficiency for FN, and it emphasizes the fundamental role of this plasma protein in thrombosis in the arterial system.