cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scaling up Health Informatics.

It took decades for the work of enlightened pioneers in biomedical informatics to reach the mainstream in hospitals and outpatient care. Initial successful projects, those that were able to demonstrate impact on quality and efficiency of care, relied on locally-developed systems, painstakingly tuned to the socio-technical specificities of their organizations. It took two additional decades to reach the industrial stage where systems could be purchased and deployed without having to be reinvented each time. The widespread – or looming failure of healthcare systems has increased the need for quality and timely information in order to better navigate in these troubled systems. Healthcare information technologies being considered by many to be a remedy, their providers are under pressure to deliver solutions, and implementers expected to make them work in challenging environments. Meanwhile, the democratization of the information society is bringing pervasive computing, connectivity and mobility, features and convenience that professionals and citizens are increasingly expecting to be able to use for healthcare and health management. These combined forces tend to generate excitement and creativity, but, as the regulation of healthcare information technology is still rather immature, they also lead to a flood of tools and systems, mostly independent from each other. At a time where coordination of care, economies of scale, and strengthening of health systems are needed, this is deleterious. In Uganda, for example [1], where dozens of eHealth and mHealth systems were being piloted or deployed without coordination, the government took the courageous decision to suspend the projects until they would be aligned to fit within the national eHealth strategy. This is, so far, a rather isolated example, but it illustrates the risks of “pilotitis” the multiplication of pilot projects, many of which are unable to scale up and sustain. In wealthier settings, regulators also struggle to steer towards coherent systems and their meaningful use. Indeed, key requirements are needed in order to deliver the promise of health informatics, as expressed in the IMIA vision:
Retrieving experience: Interactive instance-based learning methods for building robot companions

A robot companion should adapt to its user's needs by learning to perform new tasks. In this paper, we present a robot playmate that learns and adapts to tasks chosen by the child on a touchscreen tablet. We aim to solve the task learning problem using an experience-based learning framework that stores human demonstrations as task instances. These instances are retrieved when confronted with a similar task in which the system generates predictions of task behaviors based on prior actions. In order to automate the processes of instance encoding, acquisition, and retrieval, we have developed a framework that gathers task knowledge through interaction with human teachers. This approach, further referred to as interactive instance-based learning (IIBL), utilizes limited information available to the robot to generate similarity metrics for retrieving instances. In this paper, we focus on introducing and evaluating a new hybrid IIBL framework using sensitivity analysis with artificial neural networks and discuss its advantage over methods using k-NNs and linear regression in retrieving instances.
A new procedure to analyze free fatty acids: Application to 20-mg brain tissue samples

Fatty acids were analyzed by a new method which involved their isolation from hexane extracts of serum or brain tissue in aqueous potassium hydroxide (10 microliter) and methylation directly in this solution with methyl iodide. The resulting fatty acid methyl esters were partitioned into ethylene chloride (25 microliter) and were quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography. The procedure was documented by comparison with conventional methylation reactions on serum fatty acids. This method, which avoids thin-layer chromatography and which measures individual free fatty acid concentrations in 20-mg brain tissue samples, should be of particular value for examining regional free fatty acids in brain following ischemia and trauma.
Sex chromatin of trophoblastic tumors

Abstract The incidence of sex chromatin was determined in 48 trophoblastic tumors. Of 30 cases of hydatidiform mole and chorioadenoma destruens, 29 (97 per cent) were sex chromatin positive or female. Fourteen (78 per cent) of 18 choriocarcinomas were also sex chromatin positive. It is concluded that most benign trophoblastic tumors have an XX constitution, whereas true choriocarcinoma arises by chance. The literature is reviewed, and various immunologic and genetic theories which bear upon these findings are discussed.
The STTI Practice-Academe Innovative Collaboration Award: honoring innovation, partnership, and excellence.

Purpose: To describe the benefits and barriers associated with practice-academe partnerships and introduce Sigma Theta Tau International's (STTI's) Practice-Academe Innovative Collaboration Award and the 2009 award recipients. Design and Methods: In 2008, STTI created the CNO-Dean Advisory Council and charged it with reviewing the state of practice-academe collaborations and developing strategies for optimizing how chief nursing officers (CNOs) and deans work together to advance the profession and discipline of nursing. The Council, in turn, developed the Practice-Academe Innovative Collaboration Award to encourage collaboration across sectors, recognize innovative collaborative efforts, and spotlight best practices. A call for award submissions resulted in 24 applications from around the globe. Findings: An award winner and seven initiatives receiving honorable mentions were selected. The winning initiatives reflect innovative academe-service partnerships that advance evidence-based practice, nursing education, nursing research, and patient care. The proposals were distinguished by their collaborators’ shared vision and unity of purpose, ability to leverage strengths and resources, and willingness to recognize opportunities and take risks. Conclusions: By partnering with one another, nurses in academe and in service settings can directly impact nursing education and practice, often effecting changes and achieving outcomes that are more extensive and powerful than could be achieved by working alone. Clinical Relevance: The award-winning initiatives represent best practices for bridging the practice-academe divide and can serve as guides for nurse leaders in both settings.
Cinnamon and Its Metabolite Sodium Benzoate Attenuate the Activation of p21rac and Protect Memory and Learning in an Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

This study underlines the importance of cinnamon, a commonly used natural spice and flavoring material, and its metabolite sodium benzoate (NaB) in attenuating oxidative stress and protecting memory and learning in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). NaB, but not sodium formate, was found to inhibit LPS-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mouse microglial cells. Similarly, NaB also inhibited fibrillar amyloid beta (Aβ)- and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium(+)-induced microglial production of ROS. Although NaB reduced the level of cholesterol in vivo in mice, reversal of the inhibitory effect of NaB on ROS production by mevalonate, and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, but not cholesterol, suggests that depletion of intermediates, but not end products, of the mevalonate pathway is involved in the antioxidant effect of NaB. Furthermore, we demonstrate that an inhibitor of p21rac geranylgeranyl protein transferase suppressed the production of ROS and that NaB suppressed the activation of p21rac in microglia. As expected, marked activation of p21rac was observed in the hippocampus of subjects with AD and 5XFAD transgenic (Tg) mouse model of AD. However, oral feeding of cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) powder and NaB suppressed the activation of p21rac and attenuated oxidative stress in the hippocampus of Tg mice as evident by decreased dihydroethidium (DHE) and nitrotyrosine staining, reduced homocysteine level and increased level of reduced glutathione. This was accompanied by suppression of neuronal apoptosis, inhibition of glial activation, and reduction of Aβ burden in the hippocampus and protection of memory and learning in transgenic mice. Therefore, cinnamon powder may be a promising natural supplement in halting or delaying the progression of AD.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children and Adolescents

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease, are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract most often diagnosed in adolescence and young adulthood, with a rising incidence in pediatric populations. These disorders are common enough in children that most pediatricians and other pediatric clinicians will encounter children with IBD in their general practice. Inflammatory bowel disease is caused by a dysregulated mucosal immune response to the intestinal microflora in genetically predisposed hosts. Although children can present with the classic symptoms of weight loss, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea, many present with nonclassic symptoms of isolated poor growth, anemia, or other extraintestinal manifestations. Once IBD is diagnosed, the goals of therapy consist of eliminating symptoms, normalizing quality of life, restoring growth, and preventing complications while minimizing the adverse effects of medications. Unique considerations when treating children and adolescents with IBD include attention to the effects of the disease on growth and development, bone health, and psychosocial functioning. The purpose of this review is to provide a contemporary overview of the epidemiologic features, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of IBD in children and adolescents.
Finite sample effect in temperature gradient focusing

Temperature gradient focusing (TGF) is a new and promising equilibrium gradient focusing method which can provide high concentration factors for improved detection limits in combination with high-resolution separation. In this technique, temperature-dependent buffer chemistry is employed to generate a gradient in the analyte electrophoretic velocity. By the application of a convective counter-flow, a zero-velocity point is created within a microchannel, at which location the ionic analytes accumulate or focus. In general, the analyte concentration is small when compared with buffer ion concentrations, such that the focusing mechanism works in the ideal, linearized regime. However, this presumption may at times be violated due to significant sample concentration growth or the use of a low-concentration buffer. Under these situations the sample concentration becomes non-negligible and can induce strong nonlinear interactions with buffer ions, which eventually lead to peak shifting and distortion, and the loss of detectability and resolution. In this work we combine theory, simulation, and experimental data to present a detailed study on nonlinear sample-buffer interactions in TGF. One of the key results is the derivation of a generalized Kohlrausch regulating function (KRF) that is valid for systems in which the electrophoretic mobilities are not constant but vary spatially. This generalized KRF greatly facilitates analysis, allowing reduction of the problem to a single equation describing sample concentration evolution, and is applicable to other problems with heterogeneous electrophoretic mobilities. Using this sample evolution equation we have derived an understanding of the nonlinear peak deformation phenomenon observed experimentally in TGF. We have used numerical simulations to validate our theory and to quantitatively predict TGF. Our simulation results demonstrate excellent agreement with experimental data, and also indicate that the proper inclusion of Taylor dispersion is important for the accurate modeling of TGF. This work is an important first step towards the understanding and prediction of the more complex, nonlinear, and multi-species interactions which often occur in on-chip electrophoretic assays such as TGF.
New mechanism for hydrogen desorption from covalent surfaces: The monohydride phase on Si(100).

A new mechanism for the thermal desorption of molecular hydrogen from the monohydride phase on Si(100) has been identified. The unusual first-order desorption kinetics that are observed are due to the irreversible excitation of a hydrogen adatom into a delocalized, two-dimensional band state on the surface with an activation energy of 47 kcal/mol. The desorption reaction occurs between this excited hydrogen adatom and a second, localized hydrogen adatom.
Ethical Variations on a Theme by Rosmini-Serbati

If it seem unnecessary even yet to consider his theories, such doubts can be dispelled by saying that they are suggestive; and they are so not because of his brilliance or originality but because he was a pivotal figure. The first half of the nineteenth century was somewhat late for such a man. By the sixteenth century, tolerance and liberalism had already appeared in the persons of Bruno, Mauvissiere, Greville, Gentilis, Florio and Montaigne. By the seventeenth century the scientists and philosophical empiricists had arrived, and it was time for the pivotal figures — the thinkers who faced both ways in trying to move forward without deserting the best of the past. We need to mention only one such: Descartes, a very modern and independent speculator who wished to make advances while remaining faithful to the classical values which the scholasticism of the Middle Ages had preserved.
Exact transfer and stiffness matrices for a beam/column resting on a two-parameter foundation

Abstract The paper is concerned with the numerical analysis of prismatic beam/columns resting on a two-parameter subsoil. A mathematically rigorous technique is outlined which allows for the calculation of exact dynamic transfer and stiffness matrices for a broad range of practically important situations. The new stiffness matrices can easily be implemented in the libraries of any general or special-purpose finite element code.
The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity in pink shrimp(Penaeus duorarum) by methyl parathion and its oxon

The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, E.C.3.1.1.7, (AChE) activity in the ventral nerve cord of pink shrimp(Penaeus duorarum) by methyl parathion (MPT) and methyl paraoxon (MPO) was investigated. When the animals were exposed to these compounds in water(in vivo), AChE activity of the isolated nerve cord was significantly depressed by MPT only in moribund shrimp after exposure for six hr to 1.3μg/L (96 hr LC50=1.9μg/L). Methyl paraoxon (96 hr LC50=13.6μg/L) did not depress AChE activity in surviving animals after exposure for 74 hr to 0.98μg/L. Exposure of the excised ventral nerve cord directly(in vitro) resulted in inhibition of 100% after exposure for one hr to 60 mg/L MPT, 100% after exposure for one hr to 300μg/L MPO. Implications with regard to the use of AChE activity as a monitor of water pollution by inhibitors of this enzyme are discussed.
Ab initio studies of arginine and deaminoarginine

L-Arginine and Deaminoarginine were studied via quantum chemical ab initio calculations using the STO-3G basis set for arginine and the STO-3G and 3–21G basis sets for deaminoarginine. It was found that the most stable conformations are the ones featuring the carboxyl group slightly twisted versus the rest of the molecule, which adopts an extended conformation. It was also found that the cyclic zwitterion is less stable than the neutral cyclic conformation and that there is a barrier to the proton transfer from the carboxyl's oxygen to one of guanidine moiety's nitrogens.
A compilation and analysis of data for the stress dependence of the subgrain size

Abstract The stress dependence of the subgrain size is often found to vary according to the relation where ds is the subgrain diameter, b is the Burgers vector, σ is the applied stress, G is the shear modulus, and K and m are constants. In this paper the values of the constants K and m are considered. Data from a large number of experimental investigations are compiled, and it is found that there are large variations in the observed values of m and K. The mean value of m is 0.84, and K is found to be dependent on m through the relation log K = −3.0m + 4.37 It is shown that these observations can largely be explained in terms of random error in the experimental determination of subgrain size. As a consequence, a single set of constants can be used to describe the stress dependence of the subgrain size for many but not all materials. The values m = 1 and K = 23 appear to work as well as any. A number of models proposed to explain the above relation are evaluated and compared with the present results.
Implementing quality improvement strategies to reduce healthcare-associated infections: A systematic review

Background Comprehensive incidence estimates indicate that 1.7 million healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and 99,000 HAI-associated deaths occur in US hospitals. Preventing HAIs could save $25.0 to $31.5 billion. Identifying effective quality improvement (QI) strategies for promoting adherence to evidence-based preventive interventions could reduce infections. Methods We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE from 2006-2012 for English-language articles with ≥ 100 patients that described an implementation strategy to increase adherence with evidence-based preventive interventions and that met study design criteria. One reviewer abstracted and appraised study quality, with verification by a second. QI strategies included audit and feedback; financial incentives, regulation, and policy; organizational change; patient education; provider education; and provider reminder systems. Results We evaluated data on HAIs from 30 articles reporting adherence and infection rates that accounted for confounding or secular trends. Many of the measures improved significantly, especially adherence. Results varied by QI strategy(s). Conclusions Moderate strength of evidence supports improvement in adherence and infection rates when audit and feedback plus provider reminder systems or audit and feedback alone is added to organizational change and provider education. Strength of evidence is low when provider reminder systems alone are added to organizational change and provider education. There were no studies on HAIs in nonhospital settings that met the selection criteria.
Economic Evaluation of Controlled Environmental and Conventional Contract Broiler Housing Systems in Georgia

Abstract The primary objectives of this study were to determine physical and economic differences among contract broiler housing systems as presently operated in Georgia. Production records for 1800 flocks of broilers were obtained from 15 integrated broiler production companies. Financial and labor records of 100 contract growers were obtained by personal interview surveys. The production data and costs and returns analysis indicated that the automatic curtain house may offer the best compromise for the contractor and the contract producer of all systems studied for commercial broiler production in the Southeast. These conclusions are based on the following advantages of the automatic curtain house system: production results from the automatic curtain house showed the 1) lowest mortality rate (3.04%) of all systems and some improvement over the conventional curtain house in feed conversion (2.12 pounds), 2) best returns to land, labor, and management for the contract producers of all systems studied, 3) simplest of all systems to operate, 4) lowest risk from disaster losses due to electric power failure and sudden change in temperature, and 5) lowest cost for brooder fuel and electricity of all systems studied except the conventional curtain system.
Freeze concentration of skim milk

Freeze concentration is an excellent alternative to evaporation and reverse osmosis for concentration of many liquid foods. Product quality is generally high since low temperatures are used and no vapor-liquid interface occurs. However, current commercial freeze concentration technology is not economically competitive with the more established alternatives. Understanding the principles by which ice crystals grow in fluid foods would aid in furthering freeze concentration technology. In particular, if optimal heat balance conditions can be maintained throughout the freeze concentration process, large, easily separated crystals can be grown in short times. The parameters influencing heat balance conditions in a suspension crystallizer were studied to determine the conditions at which optimal crystal growth could be attained in skim milk. The refrigerant temperature, the agitation rate and the surface area of crystals in the crystallizer were studied for their effects on ice crystal growth rates in seeded, batch crystallization. Experiments were conducted at either constant refrigerant temperature, constant refrigeration subcooling (bulk temperature minus regrigerant temperature) or constant refrigerant subcooling with slurry removal from the crystallizer. The effects of seed addition level were also studied. At constant refrigerant temperature, ice crystal seeds initially grew rapidly; however, growth slowed considerably as time progressed and the system approached a thermal equilibrium. Initial growth rates were higher at lower refrigerant temperatures and lower seed addition levels. When the refrigerant subcooling was maintained constant by lowering the refrigerant temperature, crystal size increased more rapidly, with crystal size c. 20% higher than at constant refrigerant temperature. Again, lower seed addition levels resulted in larger crystal sizes. When crystal slurry was removed during crystallization, the mean crystal size increased significantly for longer periods of time since optimal heat balance conditions were maintained for longer times. Crystals c. 80% larger were obtained than for equivalent batch conditions. Spherical ice crystals of nearly 800 μm in diameter with smooth surfaces were grown in about 5 h under moderate heat balance conditions. However, when crystal growth rates were too high, irregularly shaped crystals, with many surface pockets were formed. These results suggest that large crystals can be grown in reasonably short times in batch crystallizers when the heat balance conditions are maintained at high levels. The most important parameters for maintaining optimal heat balance conditions were crystal surface area and refrigerant temperature. By controlling these parameters during ice crystallization, a competitive freeze concentration technology may be developed.
Fine structure of the osteocyte capsule and of the wall of the lacunae in bone

Bone tissue from femura of adult and old rats and from young mice, as well as from dogs, were fixed in osmium tetroxide, potassium permanganate, in an osmium tetroxide — potassium permanganate combination, and in glutaraldehyde followed by osmium tetroxyde — potassium permanganate. The results of the different fixatives were found to complement one another in such a way that existing controversies and uncertainties concerning the fine structure could be settled. This was especially true of the question whether or not the so-called capsule of the osteocyte contains collagen fibrils. Notwithstanding considerable variations in the structure of the capsule it was definitely shown that cross-banded fibrils are present in a mucopolysaccharide-containing ground substance. The material of the capsule corresponds, therefore, to the matrix of connective tissue in general, and its ground substance is, as in any connective tissue, the medium of transport between the blood and the tissue. In respect to the organic structures the “intralacunar” matrix is similar to the “interlacunar” mineralized matrix. In sections of demineralized bone, especially after osmium tetroxide fixation, the wall of the lacuna and canaliculi is marked by a dark line which is described as a special osmiophilic lamina. Since the same line, although thinner and less distinct, was found also in tissue fixed with agents other than osmic acid it was concluded that the osmiophilic lamina is a true structure which must be permeated by substances passing to and from the interlacunar matrix. The osmiophilic lamina belongs to a wider border zone which differs from the bulk of the mineralized matrix by its thinner and less tightly packed fibrils. Accordingly, the bone crystals were found to be less orderly arranged than those deeper inside the mineralized matrix. Bordering directly on the intralacunar pathway they were described as the coastal crystals and are believed to represent the labile bone minerals which are metabolically available without any change in the bone structure. The findings about the fine structure of the capsule of the osteocyte and of the wall of the lacunae were discussed in terms of the transport problems in bone. The osteocyte itself, by its fine structure and relationship to the intralacunar matrix seems to be engaged not only in the maintenance of the open pathways in bone but also in the transport mechanism itself.
Covariance Analyses of Satellite-Derived Mesoscale Wind Fields

Abstract Statistical structure functions have been computed independently for nine satellite-derived, mesoscale wind fields that were obtained on two different days. Small cumulus clouds were tracked at 5 min intervals, but since these clouds occurred primarily in the warm sectors of midlatitude cyclones the results cannot be considered representative of the circulations within cyclones in general. The field structure varied considerably with time and was especially affected if mesoseale features were observed. The wind fields on the 2 days studied were highly anisotropic with large gradients in structure occurring approximately normal to the mean flow. Structure function calculations for the combined set of satellite winds were used to estimate random error present in the fields. It is concluded for these data that the random error in vector winds derived from cumulus cloud tracking using high-frequency satellite data is less than 1.75 m s-1. Spatial correlation functions were also computed for the nine ...
Severity, type, and distribution of myotonic discharges are different in type 1 and type 2 myotonic dystrophy

To characterize and compare electrical myotonia in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2), 16 patients with genetically confirmed DM1 and 17 patients with DM2 underwent standardized concentric needle electromyography of deltoid, biceps, extensor digitorum communis, first dorsal interosseous, tensor fascia lata (TFL), vastus lateralis (VL), tibialis anterior, and thoracic paraspinal muscles. Eight needle insertions per muscle were made by electromyographers blinded to DM type who recorded the presence and type of myotonia (e.g., classic waxing-waning or less specific waning discharges). Manual muscle testing was performed by a physical therapist. Overall, myotonia was more elicitable in DM1 than DM2; only in VL and TFL was myotonia more elicitable in DM2 than DM1. The major type of myotonia was waxing-waning in DM1, and waning in DM2. Four DM2 (24%), but no DM1 patients had only waning myotonia. In the arms, myotonia was distally predominant in both DM1 and DM2. In the legs, it was distally predominant in DM1, but both proximal and distal in DM2. The severity of myotonia was positively correlated with muscle weakness and with the presence of waxing and waning discharges in DM1, but with neither in DM2. Thus, myotonia is qualitatively and quantitatively different in DM1 than DM2. Except for proximal leg muscles, myotonia is more evocable in DM1 than DM2. It tends to be waxing-waning in DM1 but waning in DM2, thus making electrodiagnosis of DM2 more challenging. Its severity correlates with muscle weakness and the presence of waxing-waning discharges in DM1 but not DM2.
A loss-of-alleles model for the evolution of distyly

Distyly is characterized by a diallelic incompatibility system. Crowe (1964) hypothesized that this has arisen by a loss of alleles from multiallelic systems. I have examined a mechanism for such a loss in a simulated population with sporophytic incompatibility and four alleles at the incompatibility locus. If a second locus is tightly linked to the incompatibility locus and a favoured new mutation spreads at this second locus, two of the four alleles at the incompatibility locus may be driven to extinction, leaving only the incompatibility allele originally linked to the favoured new mutation, and a second incompatibility allele that is dominant to the first. The two selection pressures responsible for this behaviour are the higher fitness of the new mutation at the second locus and the ever-acting selection for maximal cross-compatibility at the incompatibility locus. The implications of the model for the evolution of distyly are discussed.
Photoreceptor cell rescue in retinal degeneration (rd) mice by in vivo gene therapy

Mutations in the beta subunit of the cGMP phosphodiesterase gene (beta PDE) can cause a recessively inherited retinal degeneration in several species, including mice, dogs and humans. We tested the possibility of altering the course of retinal degeneration in the rd mouse through subretinal injection of a recombinant replication-defective adenovirus that contains the murine cDNA for wild-type (beta PDE, Ad.CMV beta PDE. Subretinal injection of Ad.CMV beta PDE results in beta PDE transcripts and increased PDE activity and delays photoreceptor cell death by six weeks. The findings demonstrate cell rescue by in vivo gene transfer, thus supporting the feasibility of treating an inherited retinal degeneration by somatic gene therapy.
Formation of Liquid Columns on Liquid–Liquid Interfaces under Applied Electric Fields

Abstract Formation of multiple liquid columns on an initially horizontal, stationary liquid–liquid interface has been studied with an apparatus that allowed for a large distance between the interface and the parallel electrodes used and a vertically applied, direct-current electric field. Interface instability led to the formation of columns in systems consisting of water, toluene, and isopropanol in various concentrations. The liquid columns were drawn from the aqueous phase by the electric force with their upper ends either free or anchored on the upper electrode, depending on the operating conditions and physical properties of the system. Under the action of the electric field, the columns moved and twisted irregularly on the interface, with rotation about the column axis, until they disintegrated into streams of droplets. The formation and morphology of the liquid columns were determined according to the strength of the electric field and the physical properties of the fluids. The total number of columns and their average height, diameter, and slenderness ratio were found to increase with an increase in applied voltage. Lowering the interfacial tension, reducing the density difference between the two phases, and increasing the permittivity of the conducting phase decreased the critical voltage for interface instability onset and the threshold voltage for column formation. A linear stability analysis was carried out based on a model developed by Melcher and Smith (25), extended for mechanical motions on the order of the viscous diffusive length of a small perturbation. The model includes viscosity, relative electric permittivity, electrical conductivity, and interfacial free charge. The results overestimated the critical voltage for instability onset but they shed light on the role played by interfacial free charge on the stability of the system. In particular, a nonzero interfacial free charge can have a stabilizing effect on a liquid–liquid interface formed by fluids whose electrical properties are not drastically different.
A convenient synthesis of 8‐ and 12‐carbon deuterium‐labelled aldehydic esters for use in the preparation of labelled fatty acids

Methyl 8-oxooctanoate-4,5-d2 and methyl 12-oxododecanoate-4,5,8,9-d4 were prepared for use as intermediates in the synthesis of a series of labelled fatty acid methyl esters. Synthesis of the two compounds began with monoozonization and sodium acetate cleavage of 1,4-cyclooctadiene and 1,5,9-cyclodedecatriene, respectively. The resultant unsaturated aldehydic acids were converted to the acetal esters. The acetal esters were deuterated with Wilkinson's catalyst and hydrolyzed to the deuterium-labelled aldehydic esters. Overall yields were 47% and 49% and isotopic purities 97% and 89%, respectively.
SU-C-134-06: Guidance for CT Departments Desiring to Optimize Protocols for: Multiple Scanner Architectures

Purpose: Clinical protocol development must consider a CT scanners architecture both in hardware and software. Differences in tube output, beam collimation, availability of iterative reconstruction, etc., may only allow some protocols to be properly performed on higher end scanners due to clinical constraints like breath hold duration and contrast dynamics. This study presents an overview of techniques for translating and optimizing a protocol from one scanner to another. Cases in which protocols are not compatible with a given scanner architecture are also discussed. Methods: At our institution, intensive protocol optimization is performed for each protocol using a single scanner architecture. Once a protocol is optimized in both technical and clinical parameters, the protocol can be translated to other scanner architectures (both older and newer). Essential restraints on the translation process include the maximum clinically allowable scan time and the maximum tube output of the scanner. Successful translation can be done if scan parameters can be modified within these essential constraints. If this is not possible then compromises have to be made that can affect clinical performance. Mathematical relationships related to tube output and clinical considerations will be discussed that guide the transformation and any needed compromises. Results: Several test cases are presented providing details of translating optimized protocols to an older and newer CT scanner architecture. Cases in which older scanners cannot provide the required performance are common for angiography exams that require high spatial resolution, thin reconstructed slice thickness, low noise, and fast scan times due to breath hold and contrast dynamic constraints. Conclusion: Understanding the limitations of older generation CT scanners and the benefits of newer CT architectures is critical for maintaining a uniquely optimized set of CT protocols across a wide range of CT architectures. Equipment grant from GE healthcare.
LJP 1082: a toleragen for Hughes syndrome

A hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related autoimmune diseases such as the antiphospholipid syndrome (APL or Hughes syndrome) is an apparent breakdown in tolerance, the process by which the body distinguishes self from nonself in order to maintain a versatile immune defense while protecting itself from self-annihilation. To some extent, loss of tolerance is a desirable feature of host immunity, and is known to occur in healthy individuals. Optimal tolerance then is probably not an all or nothing phenomenon. Autoimmunity should be seen as a breakdown in homeostasis rather than a completely aberrant kind of immunity. This leads to special considerations in the assessment of potentially toleragenic therapies, in which an attempt is made to re-educate the immune system. LJP 1082 is designed as a polyvalent antigenic structure aimed at crosslinking specific surface immunoglobulin and tolerizing B cells to beta2-glycoprotein I. Issues of antigenic selection and multiplex forces influencing tolerance and immunity may have impact on its optimal development and use in patients.
Detection and determination of polyelectrolyte in latex systems

Abstract An analytical technique for the detection, quantitative determination, and removal of watersoluble oligomers in a latex is presented. The method involves ultracentrifugation of the latex, followed by analysis of the supernatant by ultraviolet spectrometry. Radiotracer techniques are employed to compare the effectiveness of ultracentrifugation with other methods commonly used to remove impurities from a latex.
A novel tri-component scheme for classifying neuronal discharge patterns.

Abstract Background Neuronal discharge patterns can be described by three principle patterns, namely, regular, irregular, and bursty. New method Available discrimination metrics, including global ISI metrics (e.g., coefficient of variation (CV), asymmetric index), local variables (CV2, CV for a sequence of two ISIs; IR, difference of log of two adjacent ISIs; LVr, local variation with refractory period), Fano factor (FF) and Allan factor (AF), and three new burst metrics, ‘burst percentage’ (BP), ‘burst tendency’ (BT) and ‘burst entropy’ (BE), were extensively tested on representative simulated spike trains. Upon verifying that individual metrics could not by themselves reliably classify the diverse simulation patterns, a novel tri-component classification algorithm was developed. Inadequate metrics were rejected and the remaining selected metrics were grouped and weighted using multiple metric optimization to form three proxy metrics: ‘regularity’ (combining local variables), ‘burstiness’ (combining BP, BT and BE), and ‘corruption’ (combining FF and AF). Results The accuracy of the proxy metrics was verified on a large set of neuronal spike trains extracellularly recorded from multiple regions of the brain in unsedated normal and dystonic rats. Cross-validation of the tri-component classifier against meticulous subjective classification of these data demonstrated an agreement of 95.9%, with a high discriminatory power of 2.6. Comparison with existing methods The tri-component classifier was demonstrated to well outperform individual metrics on all aspects of pattern and corruption discrimination. Conclusions The tri-component classifier provides a novel, reliable algorithm to differentiate highly diverse neuronal discharge patterns and discriminate natural or erroneous corruption in the signal.
Nitric oxide and bioenergetic reserve capacity: Insights from alcohol induced hepatotoxicity

Oxidative and nitrative stress is associated with a broad range of pathologies which involve mitochondrial dysfunction including diabetes, ethanol toxicity and cardiac failure. However, the significance of mitochondrial damage to the underlying progression of disease has been difficult to assess because in the cell the bioenergetic demand on the cell is generally below the maximal capacity. The presence of this “reserve capacity” suggests that pathological effects will not emerge until this reserve is exceeded. The availability of a new technology, the extracellular flux analyzer, has allowed us to test this hypothesis in the context of the bioenergetic function induced by chronic alcohol consumption. This instrumentation allows the measurement of mitochondrial function in adherent cells, with sensitivity and high throughput. Using this approach we have determined how cellular mitochondrial function changes in hepatocytes isolated from an in vivo model with and without chronic alcohol consumption. We found that mitochondria in hepatocytes were highly coupled and possess a considerable bioenergetic reserve capacity which was depleted by chronic alcohol consumption. In alcohol-dependent hepatotoxicity cells are exposed to both reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and hypoxia. We found that the decreased bioenergetic reserve capacity resulted in the hepatocytes being more sensitive to nitrative and hypoxic stress. Taken together our data demonstrate that mitochondrial reserve capacity in cells is essential in the cellular response to oxidative stress and is uniquely sensitive to nitric oxide.
A polarimetric scanning LADAR: system development and performance analysis

In this paper, we discuss the development and operation of a scanning LADAR system. This system currently generates intensity and range images of a target with high spatial resolution located at a distance 5–10 m away from the sensor. The scanning LADAR system is designed with a purpose to generate polarization images of the target by integrating an in-line Stokes polarimeter in the receiver arm of the system. In this context, we have also discussed the basic design of the polarimeter using a liquid crystal retarder, and characterized the performance of the polarimeter for determining the polarization state of reflected light in the LADAR receiver.
CRYOGENIC DAMAGE TO PERIPHERAL NERVES AND BLOOD VESSELS IN THE RAT

The effects of cryogenic injury on femoral blood vessels and nerves were studied in 28 rats. The femoral neurovascular bundles were dissected out bilaterally and the vessels and nerves subjected to cryogenic injury. The rats were sacrificed at intervals of up to 2 weeks. Damage to the nerves and to a number of femoral vessels was severe and included necrosis and thrombus formation. The results indicate that significant vascular damage can occur during cryothcrapy, and the possible complications of this should be considered.
Contemporary Brief Experiential Psychotherapy

Contemporary experiential therapies are the focus of a revival involving new theory, practice, and research, all of which support their use as brief treatments. These humanistic therapies have evolved substantially since their origins in the 1950s and have emerged as an approach to working with clients that is process directive but not authoritarian, emotion focused yet systematic, and empowerment oriented while still research informed. In this article, I provide an overview of the main common elements of contemporary experiential therapy theory and practice, with special reference to its application as a brief therapy. I then review several types of meta-analytic outcome data, including randomized clinical trials, that support the effectiveness of brief, outpatient, individual experiential therapies. I conclude with a discussion of continuing developments.
Effects of Hypoxia on Isometric Force, Intracellular Ca2+, pH, and Energetics in Porcine Coronary Artery

Abstract —When exposed to hypoxic conditions, coronary arteries dilate, which is an important protective response. Although vessel sensitivity to oxygen is well documented, the mechanisms are not known with certainty. To further characterize the mechanisms of oxygen sensing in the coronary artery, we tested the major classes of hypotheses by measuring the effects of hypoxia on energetics, [Ca2+]i, K+ channel function, and pHi. Hypoxia relaxes porcine coronary arteries stimulated with either KCl or U46619. The extent of relaxation is dependent on both the degree and kind of stimulation. [Ca2+]i was measured in endothelium-denuded arteries using fura 2-AM and ratiometric fluorescent techniques. At lower stimulus levels, hypoxia decreased both force and [Ca2+]i. Inhibitor studies suggest that KCa and KATP channels are not involved in the hypoxic relaxation, whereas KV channels may play a minor role, if any. Despite the hypoxia-mediated decrease in force, [Ca2+]i was unchanged or increased at high levels of stimulation. Despite a marked increase in lactate content, pHi (measured with the ratiometric fluorescent dye BCECF) was also little affected by hypoxia. Measurement of the phosphagen and metabolite profile of freeze-clamped arteries with analytical isotachophoresis indicated that hypoxia increased lactate content by 4-fold and decreased phosphocreatine to 60% of control. However, neither ATP nor Pi was affected by hypoxia. Interestingly, additional stimulation under hypoxia increased force but not ATP utilization, as estimated from measurements of anaerobic lactate production. Thus, surprisingly, the economy of force maintenance is increased under hypoxia. In porcine coronary artery, both Ca2+-dependent and, importantly, Ca2+-independent mechanisms are involved in hypoxic vasodilatation. For the latter, mechanisms involving either ATP, [Ca2+]i, pHi, or Pi cannot be invoked. This novel oxygen sensing mechanism involves a decreased Ca2+ sensitivity.
Assessing the health behaviors of African American emerging adults.

The purpose of this article was to assess the overall health behaviors of African American emerging adults who live in a Midwestern city. Two hundred participants, ages 18–25, completed a 129-item survey. Results indicate that African American emerging adults are engaged in relatively healthy behaviors (i.e., physical activity, low substance use). The results also showed that within the emerging adult developmental period, there are differences in behavior for those who are in the younger (18–20) versus those that are older (21–25) in the developmental period. Limitations, future research, and implications for practice will also be discussed.
Abstract 3148: Translational control of lung cancer: eIF4E over-expression is not sufficient to confer tumorigenicity to human bronchial epithelial cells

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is the leading source of cancer mortality in North America. There is an incomplete understanding of lung cancer tumorigenesis and new therapeutic targets are clearly needed. The role of 5’ cap-mediated translation in the control of cell growth and proliferation has become increasingly evident over the last decade. Enhanced cap-mediated translation has been implicated in multiple human malignancies including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our group has shown that increased levels of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) have been demonstrated in NSCLC and in vitro studies have shown that ectopic expression of eIF4E primary mammary epithelial cells enables clonal expansion and anchorage independent growth. Thus, our goal was to determine if over-expression of eIF4E would confer tumorgenicity to both normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE), hTERT/Cdk4-immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs), and SV40-transformed HBECs. METHODS: Over-expression of eIF4E was stably induced by lentiviral transduction in NHBE, HBECs, SV40-transformed HBECs, and HBECs expressing lung cancer relevant oncogenes. Western blot was used to confirm eIF4E expression. Enhanced cap-mediated translation was confirmed by a cap-binding assay and soft agar assays were performed to determine anchorage independent growth. The stably transfected cells were injected into nude mice and evaluated for tumor formation. RESULTS: Over-expression of eIF4E was accomplished by lentiviral transduction and shown to increase 5’ cap binding by cap-binding assay. Over-expression of eIF4E did not induce loss of cellular senescence in NHBEs. HBECs stably transformed with eIF4E did not exhibit anchorage independent growth. The over-expression of eIF4E in conjunction with p53 knockdown, K-RASV12, and c-myc did not confer in vitro evidence of tumorigenesis or lead to tumor formation in a xenograft model. Finally, the over-expression of eIF4E in SV40-transformed HBECs did not confer tumorigenesis in vitro or in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Over-expression of eIF4E in NHBEs, hTERT/Cdk-immortalized HBECs, and SV40-immortalized HBECs was not sufficient to induce tumorigenesis. Further, the addition of several key oncogenes did not drive transformation. Additional investigations are warranted to evaluate the important translational regulators in NSCLC tumorigenesis. The resistance to tumor formation seen in this study may provide important insight into the regulatory mechanisms present in bronchial epithelial cells routinely exposed to environmental carcinogens. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3148.
Adsorption on the Martian Regolith

Mars regolith carbon dioxide, water and Kr adsorption, explaining diurnal brightness phenomena