cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: Relationship to mitochondrial impairment.

Abstract Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is the first and rate-limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway that is essential to maintaining cellular redox balance. G6PD is especially plentiful in brain, and its deficiency has been linked to mood and psychotic disorders. We measured G6PD activity spectrophotometrically in four groups of 15 parietal somatosensory association cortex [Brodmann area (BA) 7] tissue samples (N = 60) from individuals with bipolar disorder (BPD); nonpsychotic unipolar major depression (UPD); schizophrenia (SCZ), and controls without psychiatric illness (CON). We report for the first time brain G6PD activity levels in these disorders. G6PD activity did not differ by brain group. In BPD and SCZ brains, however, it correlated significantly and inversely with percent of hexokinase 1 (HK1) in the tissue homogenate mitochondrial fraction as determined previously in another set of tissue samples obtained from the same brains and brain region. The correlation in SCZ brains lost statistical significance after controlling for brain pH. This finding indicates a positive relationship in BPD brains between G6PD activity and HK1 mitochondrial detachment, an indicator of mitochondrial impairment associated with increased mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species. We speculate that this relationship could be evidence that G6PD activity is proportionate to and may be a compensatory response to oxidative stress in the BA7 region of BPD brains. Future research should focus on clarifying the relationships among G6PD activity, markers of oxidative stress, brain pH, and evidence of mitochondrial impairment, particularly HK1 mitochondrial detachment, in brains of individuals with G6PD deficiency, BPD and SCZ.
Promoting Change within Special Education Teacher Preparation Program: A Collision of Needs

The United States is experiencing a systemic teacher shortage (Sutcher et al., 2016). This trend is not new to the field of special education, which has been experiencing teacher shortages for decades (Boe, 2006; McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008; U.S. Department of Education, 2020). To address these critical shortages of teachers in the field, states have created Alternative Routes to Licensure (ARL) options, which are commonly seen as non-traditional approaches to gaining teaching credentials. Although the disruptive practice of ARL is already in place, the evidence to support its effectiveness is not. This paper explores the experiences of junior faculty members working as agents of change by disrupting one special education department’s ARL program. Emphasis is given to the system supports in place to change the ARL and existing systemic barriers to these changes at the department, college and university levels. Additionally, structures which aided or hindered completing programmatic work from the perspective of the untenured faculty members are also discussed.
Computer Graphics for Scientists and Engineers

Computer graphics is a powerful tool for interpreting scientific data and the results of computer simulations. This paper provides introductory information about computer graphics for scientists and engineers. Computer graphics terminology is introduced, basic graphics capabilities are described and references to computer graphics literature are provided. Finally, examples demonstrating the appropriateness of supercomputers for certain graphics applications are presented.
Signaling Pathways Regulated by Silica Nanoparticles

Silica nanoparticles are a class of molecules commonly used in drug or gene delivery systems that either facilitate the delivery of therapeutics to specific drug targets or enable the efficient delivery of constructed gene products into biological systems. Some in vivo or in vitro studies have demonstrated the toxic effects of silica nanoparticles. Despite the availability of risk management tools in response to the growing use of synthetic silica in commercial products, the molecular mechanism of toxicity induced by silica nanoparticles is not well characterized. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of silica nanoparticle exposure in three types of cells including human aortic endothelial cells, mouse-derived macrophages, and A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells using toxicogenomic analysis. The results indicated that among all three cell types, the TNF and MAPK signaling pathways were the common pathways upregulated by silica nanoparticles. These findings may provide insight into the effects of silica nanoparticle exposure in the human body and the possible mechanism of toxicity.
Surface localized magnetism in transition metal doped alumina.

Alumina is a structural ceramic that finds many uses in a broad range of applications. It is widely employed in the aerospace and biomedical sectors due to its stability at high temperatures and in harsh chemical environments. Here, we show that magnetism can be induced at alumina surfaces by doping with 3d transition metals. We analyze the electronic structure, spin magnetic moments, and spin density of $$\alpha $$ -Al $$_{2}$$ O $$_{3}$$ as a function of both dopant species (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) and depth using first principles calculations. Our results show that all dopants, with the exception of Sc, produce magnetic moments that are concentrated to the surface of alumina with varying degrees of delocalization. It is seen that all of the dopants are at least meta-stable on the surface and must overcome an energy barrier of 0.19–1.14 eV in order to diffuse from the surface into the bulk. As a result of judiciously doping with select 3d transition metals the surface of alumina can be made magnetic. This could lead to novel applications in data storage, catalysis, and biomedical engineering through an added surface functionality.
Nonlinear relationship between nonresidential destinations and body mass index across a wide range of development.

Abstract Background Destination accessibility is an important measure of the built environment that is associated with active transport and body mass index (BMI). In higher density settings, an inverse association has been consistently found, but in lower density settings, findings are limited. We previously found a positive relationship between the density of nonresidential destinations (NRD) and BMI in a low-density state. We sought to test the generalizability of this unexpected finding using data from six other states that include a broader range of settlement densities. Methods We obtained the address, height, and weight of 16.9 million residents with a driver's license or state identification cards, as well as the location of 3.8 million NRDs in Washington, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, and Maine from Dun & Bradstreet. We tested the association between NRDs∙ha−1 within 1 km of the home address, and self-reported BMI (kg∙m−2). Visualization by locally-weighted smoothing curves (LOWESS) revealed an inverted U-shape. A multivariable piecewise regression with a random intercept for state was used to assess the relationship. Results After accounting for age, sex, year of issue, and census tract social and economic variables, BMI correlated positively with NRDs in the low-to-mid density stratum (β = +0.005 kg∙m−2/nonresidential building∙ha−1; 95% CI: +0.004,+0.006) and negatively in the mid-to-high density stratum (β = −0.002; 95% CI: −0.004,-0.0003); a significant difference in slopes (P Conclusions BMI peaked in the middle density, with lower values in both the low and high-density extremes. These results suggest that the mechanisms by which NRDs are associated with obesity may differ by density level.
Prognostic value of cribriform size, percentage, and intraductal carcinoma in Gleason Score 7 prostate cancer with Cribriform Gleason Pattern 4

Summary Cribriform Gleason pattern 4 (CGP4) is an indicator of poor prognosis in Gleason Score 7 prostate cancer; however, the significance of the size and percentage of this pattern and the presence of concomitant intraductal carcinoma (IDC) in these patients is unclear. To study the significance of these parameters in radical prostatectomy specimens, 165 cases with CGP4 were identified and reviewed (2017–2019). The size and percentage cribriform pattern and presence of IDC were noted and correlated with adverse pathological features and biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival. On review, 156 cases had CGP4 (Grade Group 2: 87 and Grade Group 3: 69). Large cribriform pattern and cribriform percentage of >20% showed significant association with extraprostatic extension, surgical margin positivity, and presence of IDC, whereas the presence of IDC was associated with all the analyzed adverse pathological features. BCR was seen in 22 of 111 (20%) patients after a median follow-up of 11 months, and of these, 21 had large cribriform pattern. On univariate analysis, all parameters had significant predictive values for BCR-free survival except for tertiary Gleason pattern 5. On multivariate analysis, while >20% cribriform pattern was trending to be an independent predictor, only lymphovascular invasion was statistically significant. Large cribriform pattern, >20% cribriform, and presence of IDC are additional pathologic parameters of potential value in identifying patients with high risk for early BCR.
FeatureCorr: An R package to study feature correlations aided with data transformation for sequencing and microarray data

Abstract FeatureCorr is an R package that aids in association and network analysis of data obtained from preliminary bioinformatic analysis of next-generation sequencing(NGS) or microarray experiments. These experiments are widely used for various applications like mutation and expression profiles, detection of epigenetic changes in the genomic DNA, etc. FeatureCorr enables users in cleaning and preprocessing data to minimize batch effects and for background noise removal. FeatureCorr can help in the analysis of feature correlation in different ways: Correlation of one Feature vs multiple Features, pairwise correlation of multiple features against multiple features, and in-depth correlation and distributions of two features.
Novel Agents and Modalities for the Treatment of Squamous Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Publisher Summary This chapter presents several promising novel therapies or targets for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The fundamental breakthroughs achieved in cancer research were made possible by the conversion of multiple disciplines, including structural biology, computational chemistry, structurally directed medicinal chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and a novel array of screening methodologies. This emerging body of information has provided a unique opportunity to identify novel targets for cancer therapy, zeroing in on those molecules necessary for tumor progression. The chapter discusses novel cytotoxics, such as taxanes, novel tubulin disruptors, novel antimetabolites, and novel derivatives of cisplatin. Then novel targets are discussed, focusing first on the strategies to modulate the epidermal growth-factor receptor-signaling pathways. Opportunities to modulate cell cycle control are followed by modulation of angiogenesis or hypoxia processes, and, finally, the chapter emphasizes the biological agents with therapeutic importance, such as gene therapy and immune modulation in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC).
Febrile Nonhemolytic Transfusion Reactions

Publisher Summary Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs) are suspected in recipients of blood components who experience an increase in temperature of 1°C or more in the absence of other identifiable causes of fever. The reaction may occur either during or 12 hours following the transfusion. Associated symptoms may include chills or rigors and rarely nausea and vomiting. The reaction is self-limited but may be extremely uncomfortable for the patient. The clinical importance of FNHTRs lies in distinguishing them from more serious, even life-threatening, transfusion reactions. Because fever is a nonspecific sign of various types of transfusion reactions, a diagnosis of FNHTR must not be made until other causes—including acute hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTRs) and transfusion of bacterially contaminated units—are excluded. In a hospital setting, differentiation of a FNHTR from other possible causes of transient temperature increases such as concurrent infection or drug reaction is often difficult. Because the clinical presentation of fever and chills may represent either a life-threatening HTR or a benign FNHTR, the first step in the management of adverse transfusion reactions is to discontinue the transfusion. The intravenous line should be kept open with normal saline. The patient's identification and component labels should be checked to ensure that the transfused component was intended for the recipient. The bag of blood and post-transfusion blood and urine samples from the patient should be sent to the blood bank for the tests and investigation.
Equilibrium Density Centrifugation of Thyroglobulin in RbCI: EFFECT OF IODINE

Abstract A method of evaluating the iodine distribution in thryroglobulin has been developed. It is based on the increase in density that occurs when iodine is incorporated into proteins. Resolution of iodinated species is obtained by equilibrium centrifugation in a 34.5% (w/w) RbCl density gradient (isopycnic centrifugation) in either the analytical or preparative ultracentrifuge. The equilibrium in 34.5% RbCl of a human thyroglobulin preparation which contained almost no iodine was studied. A molecular weight of 6.3 x 105 and a density of 1.314 ± 0.001 g per cm3 were determined for this preparation. The increase in density of iodinated thyroglobulin was proportional to the amount of iodine incorporated. A computer analysis has been developed to determine the iodine distribution. The theoretical curves fit the data with high precision. Preparative gradient equilibrium centrifugation of radiolabeled thyroglobulin in 34.5% RbCl was also evaluated. Radioiodine was incorporated into thyroglobulin which was less dense than the unlabeled molecules. The density of newly synthesized l-[U-14C]valine thyroglobulin was less dense than that of radioiodine-labeled protein. It appears that synthesis and iodination of thyroglobulin are controlled by different metabolic processes.
Gastric Proteolysis in Preterm Infants Fed Mother’s Milk or Formula

Gastric proteolysis is assumed to be low in the newborn (Britton & Koldovsky 1989). Postprandial pepsin output is significantly lower in preterm infants than adults, 589 vs. 3352U/kg, respectively (Armand et al. 1995, 1996). We now report on gastric proteolysis in preterm infants (gestation age, 29 weeks; postnatal age, 5-6 weeks) gavage-fed mother’s milk or preemie formula. The data show that a) the nonprotein component is higher in human milk than formula, b) net proteolysis amounts to 15% of protein, c) gastric proteolysis is lower than lipolysis and, contrary to the latter, is not enhanced by milk feeding (Armand et al. 1996). We suggest that stomach pH, enzyme output, and food structure are the reasons for differences in gastric digestion of protein and fat in infants.
Efficient Wordlength Reduction Techniques for DSP Applications

Intermediate results in digital signal processing (DSP) hardware frequently must be truncated or rounded to maintain reasonable wordlengths. Noise and bias are introduced into the signal due to these operations. For the addition operation, we investigate two methods which have reduced variance and bias and yet maintain the computational simplicity of truncation. Essentially, each method drives the least significant carry input of the adder string with a very simple boolean function. We demonstrate the utility of these approaches by calculating bias and variance reductions, and by using the methods in several simple but important DSP examples.
VBP and RelA Regulate Avian Leukosis Virus Long Terminal Repeat-Enhanced Transcription in B Cells

The avian leukosis virus (ALV) long terminal repeat (LTR) contains a compact transcription enhancer that is active in many cell types. A major feature of the enhancer is multiple CCAAT/enhancer element motifs that could be important for the strong transcriptional activity of this unit. The contributions of the three CCAAT/enhancer elements to LTR function were examined in B cells, as this cell type is targeted for ALV tumor induction following integration of LTR sequences next to the c-myc proto-oncogene. One CCAAT/enhancer element, termed a3, was found to be the most critical for LTR enhancement in transiently transfected B lymphoma cells, while in chicken embryo fibroblasts all three elements contributed equally to enhancement. Gel shift assays demonstrated that vitellogenin gene-binding protein (VBP), a member of the PAR subfamily of C/EBP factors, is a major component of the nuclear proteins binding to the a3 CCAAT/enhancer element. VBP activated transcription through the a3 CCAAT/enhancer element, supporting the idea that VBP is important for LTR enhancement in B cells. A member of the Rel family of proteins was also identified as a component of the a3 protein binding complex in B cells. Gel shift and immunoprecipitation assays indicated that this factor is RelA. Gel shift assays demonstrated that while RelA does not bind directly to the LTR CCAAT/enhancer elements, it does interact with VBP to potentiate VBP DNA binding activity. The synergistic interaction of VBP and RelA increased CCAAT/enhancer element-mediated transcription, indicating that both factors may be important for viral LTR regulation and also for expression of many cellular genes.
EVALUATION OF THE PROPOSED SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER SPECIFIER CHANGE FOR DSM-5 IN A TREATMENT-SEEKING SAMPLE OF ANXIOUS YOUTH

Background:The current proposal for the DSM-5 definition of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is to replace the DSM-IV generalized subtype specifier with one that specifies fears in performance situations only. Relevant evaluations to support this change in youth samples are sparse.Methods:The present s
An overview of developing TNF-α targeted therapy for the treatment of psoriasis.

Introduction: Three biologic drugs targeting TNF-α are approved to treat moderate-to-severe cutaneous psoriasis. These are adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab. These drugs are given by subcutaneous injection or intravenous infusion, and while generally safe and effective, they are expensive with potential for side effects. Thus, numerous new drug candidates are under development that also target TNF-α.Areas covered: In this review, the authors detail several drugs under development that target TNF-α, focusing on those drugs in preclinical, Phase I and II trials. The authors describe emerging biologic psoriasis therapies, including biosimilars and novel biologics, in addition to several synthetic and naturally derived small-molecule drug candidates.Expert opinion: The currently approved TNF-α antagonists benefit from over 10 years of safety and efficacy data. The expense and method of administration of these biologics, however, can be cumbersome, and less expensive alternatives have the potential to bene...
Probabilistic Assessment of Margins in Appendix G Methodology

The pressurized thermal shock (PTS) re-evaluation program has been developed at the US NRC with the interaction of the EPRI Materials Reliability Program to revisit the PTS issue using new technology developed over the last decade. The results are encouraging as more realistic assessments of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) integrity are now possible using the NRC probabilistic fracture mechanics code FAVOR. This technology is now being considered for application to the ASME Code Section XI Appendix G methodology for pressure-temperature limit curves. This paper is a first attempt to use a FAVOR-type code to evaluate the true safety margin of nuclear power plant operational pressure temperature limits, especially low temperature over pressurization events. Preliminary results indicate that there is ample room for relaxing these limits based on this probabilistic approach.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Measuring physician attitudes toward cost, uncertainty, malpractice, and utilization review

Objective: To develop a reliable measure of physician attitudes postulated to influence resource utilization. Design: Statements related to attitudes that may influence resource use were culled from the literature and informal discussions with physicians. Setting: Academic medical center. Participants: All faculty and housestaff in internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, and surgery at an academic medical center were surveyed. The response rate was 59% (n=428). Results: Exploratory factor analysis of all internal medicine surveys revealed four prominent domains. These closely corresponded with our a-priori hypothesized domains and were interpreted as cost-consciousness, discomfort with uncertainty, fear of malpractice, and annoyance with utilization review. A replication of the analysis using 25 survey items and conducted on the remainder of the data (surgeons, pediatricians, and family practitioners) revealed a similar four-factor solution. Scales were constructed for each of the four domains. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.66 to 0.88. Discomfort from uncertainty and fear of malpractice were moderately correlated (r=0.42); other scale-scale correlations were modest. Of the four attitude measures, only cost-consciousness was associated with lower self-estimates of resource use. Both annoyance with utilization review and fear of malpractice increased as the proportion of time spent in patient care increased. Conclusions: Although various physician attitudes and beliefs have been hypothesized to influence health services resource use, reliable and valid measures for most of these have not been developed. The authors developed a 19-item survey instrument designed to measure these attitudes reliably. The four scales developed in this study may help identify physician attitudes that are important determinants of physician decision making and help foster a better understanding of physicians’ reactions and acculturation to different practice environments.
Clinical cardiomyoplasty: Review of the ten-year United States experience

Background. Clinical trials of dynamic cardiomyoplasty were pioneered at Allegheny General Hospital beginning in September 1985. Data from 9 years of experience with the procedure at this institution and more recent data from newer cardiomyoplasty centers have been analyzed for outcome analysis and future trends. Methods. Each patient underwent a cardiomyoplasty procedure using the left or right latissimus dorsi muscle. Thirty-four patients were studied at Allegheny: 5 patients implanted with dual chamber pacemakers as single stimulus myostimulators, 11 patients composing the phase I Food and Drug Administration trial of the Medtronic burst myostimulatur, and 18 patients entered in the phase II Medtronic trial, Patients from seven additional centers entered the phase II trial in 1991. Fifty-seven patients completed follow-up studies to 1 year after operation in this trial. Results. Operative mortality was 5/57 (11%) in the American phase II group and 5/34 (15%) in the Allegheny group (1/18, 6% for Allegheny phase II). Nineteen patients (19/57, 33%) from the combined phase II population died in the first year, and 10/34 (29%) in the Allegheny study. The predominant cause of postdischarge death was arrhythmia (12/19, 63% American; 7/10, 70% Allegheny). In all groups significant improvement was seen in quality of life and functional class. Phase II patients demonstrated significant increases in ejection fraction and stroke work. Conclusions. Failure to sustain improvement and arrhythmia-related death are complex challenges for this procedure; however, realistic solutions have been proposed and are under investigation.
A randomized, controlled, double-blind trial of air insufflation versus carbon dioxide insufflation during ERCP

Background Visualization during GI endoscopy requires distention of the bowel lumen. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) insufflation decreases postprocedure abdominal discomfort and distension after colonoscopy, but there have been few published studies on its use in ERCP. Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of CO 2 insufflation during ERCP. Design Double-blind, controlled, randomized trial. Setting Tertiary-care referral center. Patients This study involved consecutive patients referred for ERCP, excluding those with known CO 2 retention or with chronic use of opiate medications. Intervention Insufflation of CO 2 versus insufflation of air. Main Outcome Measurements Primary outcomes were abdominal pain assessed on a visual analogue scale and abdominal distension. Secondary outcomes included transcutaneous CO 2 levels (pCO 2 ) and procedural complications. Results We analyzed 74 patients, 38 in the air group and 36 in the CO 2 group. Pain scores were similar in both groups 1-hour postprocedure (16 vs 11 mm in the CO 2 and air groups, respectively; P = .29) as well as over the subsequent 24 hours. There were also no significant differences between groups in abdominal distension or pCO 2 levels. There were 13 patients with complications in the air group and 5 in the CO 2 group ( P = .04; nominal significance removed by Bonferroni correction), although most complications were minor in nature. Limitations Single-center study. Conclusion The use of CO 2 for insufflation during ERCP was safe in a tertiary-care referral population. However, use of CO 2 during ERCP did not lead to decreased postprocedural pain or less abdominal distension, so its role in this procedure remains in question. NCT00685386
Circulation Policies for External Users: A Comparative Study of Public Urban Research Institutions

This article is a study of the policies that govern the use of the university library by external users at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and 12 peer institutions used by IUPUI for comparative purposes. A search of each institution's Web site was conducted as well as interviews with circulation librarians and managers. Although it was useful to learn of common practices, it was especially beneficial to learn about policies that differed substantially from those in place at comparable institutions. Creative solutions developed to address problems at other libraries can be used to influence policy development.
On the Crimes Subject to Prosecution in Military Commissions

The Military Commissions Act 2006 seems to have a much broader application than the 2003 Military Commission Instruction Number 2, or MCI2. None of the 28 specific crimes listed in § 950v(b) of the 2006 Act mentions a nexus with armed conflict. This Act raises a number of questions. In particular three issues are relevant: (i) Congress intended to act under its constitutional power ‘to define offenses against the law of nations.’ In so far as some of these offences are not violations of the law of nations, they fall outside the field of legislative competence; (ii) the Military Commissions are given excessive discretion in the field of sentencing. There are no terms of imprisonment provided. In many cases the death penalty is allowed. Otherwise the Commissions may impose any sentence they wish. This degree of discretion arguably violates the Eighth Amendment against ‘cruel and unusual punishment’; (iii) there might be a violation of the principle of equal protection: is it constitutional to impose a special regime on suspects simply because they are ‘aliens’?
Magnetic Properties of Ferrogels

This paper presents the magnetic properties of ferrogels subject to cyclic magnetic fields. Ferrogels are compliant materials composed of a nonmagnetic, flexible matrix with a micro- or nano-sized magnetic powder filler. In this paper a poly-vinyl-alcohol matrix is chemically cross-linked with sodium tetraborate and micro-sized particles of carbonyl iron are dispersed randomly in the sample. Ferrogels exhibit active behavior characterized by a deformation, a stiffness increase, and a change of other properties when subjected to a magnetic field making them promising future actuator materials. Furthermore, since the composition of ferrogels can be easily varied the active properties of these materials can be designed over a wide range of possibilities. In order for this to be possible however, a thorough understanding of the active behavior of these materials and its dependence on external factors is necessary. This paper focuses on the magnetic properties of PVA/carbonyl iron ferrogels and how they are dependent on internal and external factors. Magnetization of the ferrogel sample will be measured under a uniform, sinusoidal magnetic field for constrained and unconstrained samples with various iron concentrations and under a range of excitation frequencies. Uniform excitation fields of up to 500 G are created by passing current through a coil that is substantially larger than the sample size. Excitation frequencies of 0.1 Hz to 20 Hz and iron concentrations of 12 wt%, 20 wt% and 27 wt% are investigated. The magnetization is determined by measuring the voltage induced in a pickup coil that surrounds the ferrogel sample. The objective of these tests is to investigate the magnetic properties of a poly-vinylalcohol/carbonyl iron ferrogel to help in the future design of ferrogels for specific applications.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Flexural behavior of sandwich beams fabricated by vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding

The static and fatigue behavior of vacuum-assisted resin transfer molded sandwich panels has been experimentally investigated under flexural loading. Two core materials, D-100 balsa wood and H 250 PVC foam, were used to study the effect of core material on static failure in 3-point and 4-point bending. The face consisted of a quasi-isotropic E-glass non-woven fabric cured in Derakane 441-400 epoxy vinyl ester resin. The stresses in the face and core at failure were calculated from failure loads using the simple beam theory and compared with their respective strength values to identify underlying failure mechanisms. For short beams, core failure led to failure of the beam as a whole. In long beams, however, failure of the wood core could be contained until the face failed. Only D-100 end grain balsa wood was used as core for fatigue tests. A good similarity was seen between the static and fatigue failure modes for both short span and long span specimens.
Hypoxia imaging with [F-18] FMISO-PET in head and neck cancer: potential for guiding intensity modulated radiation therapy in overcoming hypoxia-induced treatment resistance.

Abstract Background and purpose Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with [F-18] fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) has been validated as a hypoxic tracer [1,2]. Head and neck cancer exhibits hypoxia, inducing aggressive biologic traits that impart resistance to treatment. Delivery of modestly higher radiation doses to tumors with stable areas of chronic hypoxia can improve tumor control [3]. Advanced radiation treatment planning (RTP) and delivery techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) can deliver higher doses to a small volume without increasing morbidity. We investigated the utility of co-registered FMISO-PET and CT images to develop clinically feasible RTPs with higher tumor control probabilities (TCP). Materials and methods FMISO-PET images were used to determine hypoxic sub-volumes for boost planning. Example plans were generated for 10 of the patients in the study who exhibited significant hypoxia. We created an IMRT plan for each patient with a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to the hypoxic sub-volumes. We also varied the boost for two patients. Result A significant (mean 17%, median 15%) improvement in TCP is predicted when the modest additional boost dose to the hypoxic sub-volume is included. Conclusion Combined FMISO-PET imaging and IMRT planning permit delivery of higher doses to hypoxic regions, increasing the predicted TCP (mean 17%) without increasing expected complications.
Stressful events and information processing dispositions moderate the relationship between positive and negative affect: Implications for pain patients

Relationships between positive affect, negative affect, and pain were analyzed as a prospective function of stressful events in a sample of rheumatoid arthritis patients and as a cross-sectional function of an information processing disposition in persons with fibromyalgia. Positive affect and negative affect were statistically separate factors overall in both samples. In addition, negative affect and pain were related across all conditions. However, positive affect and negative affect were more negatively correlated during stressful periods and more negatively correlated for patients who processed information in a more simplistic fashion. Also, positive affect predicted pain during stressful times and did so for patients who processed information more simplistically as well. These data suggest positive affect and negative affect are unique factors whose interrelation and external correlates are not static.
Stimulation of Sertoli cell inhibin secretion by the testicular paracrine factor PModS

Abstract The testicular paracrine factor PModS is produced by peritubular myoid cells under androgen control and modulates Sertoli cell function and differentiation. The observation that luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulates inhibin production in vivo, but has no effect on isolated Sertoli cells in vitro, suggested an indirect mode of LH action, potentially mediated by PModS. The effects of the testicular paracrine factor PModS and hormones on inhibin secretion by Sertoli cells were investigated to provide insight into the endocrine control of inhibin expression. An inhibin radioimmunoassay was utilized which showed essentially parallel displacement curves with purified bovine follicular fluid inhibin, Sertoli cell conditioned medium and concentrated Sertoli cell secreted proteins. An immunoblot analysis of Sertoli cell secreted proteins with the inhibin antisera consistently detected a 32 kDa protein which is the expected size of the mature of inhibin (αβ) and periodically detected a 57 kDa protein which is speculated to be an incomplete processed form of the inhibin precursor ( α 43 β ). Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was found to stimulate inhibin secretion initially between days 2 and 5 of Sertoli cell culture. Insulin and retinol alone had no significant effect on inhibin secretion; however, together they appeared to enhance the ability of FSH to stimulate inhibin secretion. Testosterone had no effect on inhibin production alone or in combination with other regulatory agents. PModS was found to stimulate inhibin secretion approximately 3-fold, but with a delayed time course of stimulation which did not occur until days 5–7 of Sertoli cell culture. Treatment with a combination of PModS and FSH resulted in an apparent maximal stimulation of inhibin secretion. Both forms of PModS, PModS (A) and PModS (B), were found to have equivalent biological activities in their ability to stimulate inhibin production with an apparent half-maximal effective concentration between 10 and 15 ng/ml. The current study provides evidence for the local testicular control of inhibin production and adds to the complexity of the endocrine control of inhibin expression. The cellular interaction is proposed in which LH acts on Leydig cells to stimulate androgen production which in turn acts on peritubular cells to regulate PModS production which subsequently can act on Sertoli cells to control inhibin production. Testicular control of inhibin production provides a potential short feedback loop for the local regulation of androgen production and an additional regulatory element for the pituitary-gonadal axis.
Asymptotic analysis of single pore gas-solid reactions

Abstract The single-pore model for gas-solid reactions proposed by Ramachandran and Smith[1] is used to develop exact, closed-form solutions for the concentrati pore radius and conversion profiles in a long, narrow pore for both cylindrical and slab geometries. For relatively large values of the Thiele modulus, the solutions portray the asymptotic behavior of the reaction scheme in a finite pore. The cases of incomplete conversion associated with pore closure low initial porosities and complete conversion associated with a moving reaction zone at high initial porosities are analyzed. It is shown that the asy results provide very accurate estimates of the overall conversion in applications involving large pore diffusional resistance or fast reactions. The se of the conversion to various physicochemical parameters is also examined. The asymptotic results show good agreement with experimental data for gas-sol
Discovery of agglutinated benthic foraminifera in Devonian black shales and their relevance for the redox state of ancient seas

Abstract Agglutinated foraminifera are benthic organisms that occur in marginal marine to bathyal environments. Though some taxa can live in oxygen deficient environments, they require at least some oxygen in order to persist at the seafloor. The discovery that they occur widely in Late Devonian black shales has a bearing on the boundary conditions required for episodes of extensive carbon sequestration in marine sediments and their connection to atmospheric composition and global climate. Devonian black shales of the eastern US have been studied extensively to determine the fundamental controls on carbon burial, and a range of mechanisms has been proposed. Finding agglutinated benthic foraminifera in these black shales refocuses the debate about their origin and points to limitations of earlier models.
Outcome of Imported Liver Allografts and Impact on Patient Access to Liver Transplantation

Liver allografts declined by local transplant centers are then offered regionally or nationally as imported grafts. Most of these grafts are declined because of poor donor quality. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent liver transplantation between January 2004 and December 2005. There were 102 liver transplants in 98 recipients. They were divided into two groups: imported graft recipients (n = 37) and locally procured grafts recipients (n = 61). Eighty-six percent (32 of 37) of imported grafts were obtained from extended criteria donors defined as subjects treated with high doses of ionotropes with elevated liver enzymes, donor age over 70 years, macrosteatosis above 25%, positive hepatitis C or hepatitis B core antibody serology, systemic disease, history of cancer, hypernatremia, or with infection. The remaining grafts were declined due to unavailability of suitable recipients or social history. Recipient age and etiology of liver disease were similar for both groups. The mean MELD score was 22.1 +/- .9 among the imported graft recipients and 26.1 +/- 1 for the locally procured graft recipients (P < .01). There was no difference in blood loss or postoperative complications. Postoperative mean peak total bilirubin was similar in both groups. However, imported graft recipients had significantly higher mean peak AST (2436 +/- 282 vs 1380 +/- 165 U/L, P < .001) and ALT (1098 +/- 114 vs 803 +/- 87 U/L, P < .05). Primary graft nonfunction as well as 30 day and 1-year patient and graft survivals were similar for both groups. In conclusion, imported grafts can be transplanted in selected patients with outcomes comparable to locally procured grafts.
Computational Hemodynamic Assessment of a Novel Modular Anastomotic Valve Device for Improving Hemodialysis Vascular Access Patency

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) occurs as a result of any renal injury that chronically decreases renal excretory and regulatory function. ESRD patients are most commonly treated with hemodialysis (HD) to manage their renal failure while awaiting kidney transplant. Current practices for maintenance of HD vascular access consist of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) or grafts (AVGs), which are both fraught with problems that compromise the patency and use of these surgically created shunts. The major cause of shunt failure is thrombosis caused by occlusion of the outflow venous anastomosis and draining vein. Intimal hyperplasia (IH), which consists of the thickening of the innermost layer of the vessel wall, is the initial pathological event leading to shunt stenosis/thrombosis and has been associated with the presence of flow disturbances and abnormal wall shear stress (WSS) at the graft-vein anastomosis. Therefore, the improvement of HD via the enhancement of vascular access patency requires the development of a novel vascular access technology preserving the normal hemodynamics of the native vein.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Information, Bodies, and Heidegger: Tracing Visions of the Posthuman

Discussion of the posthuman has emerged in a wide set of fields through a diverse set of thinkers including Donna Haraway, Ray Kurzweil, Nick Bostrom, N. Katherine Hayles, and Francis Fukuyama, just to name a few. Despite his extensive critique of technology, commentators have not explored the fruitfulness of Heidegger's work for deciphering the various strands of posthumanism recently formulated in response to contemporary technological developments. Here, I employ Heidegger's critique of technology to trace opposing visions of the posthuman, visions that are both tied intimately to new information technologies. For those seeking to extend humanist ideals, information technologies are employed to extend the vision of an ultra-humanist view of a ‘scientific posthuman’ that dangerously understands the body to be a forfeitable nuisance, rather than an inherent aspect of being human. Along Heideggerian lines, thinkers such as N. Katherine Hayles and Thomas Carlson have developed an alternative trajectory related to Dasein's Being-in-the-world. This trajectory posits the self as constituted by a lack or abyss, enabling the formulation of a ‘mystical posthuman,’ celebrating, rather than forfeiting, humanity's embodied existence.
Goffman, Positivism and the Self:

Discussion critique de la conception entierement sociologique du moi chez E. Goffman. Sa position sur ce point est en fait positiviste, en contradiction avec le reste de sa theorie. L'A. conclut en rapprochant cette conception du moi de celle de Hume, et en lui opposant les memes critiques que Kant
Fabrication and properties of optoelectronic SiGeSn alloys integrated on silicon substrates

Attempts to decouple band gap from strain-engineering in group IV materials motivated a significant effort to develop ternary SiGeSn alloys. These grow either directly on Si (100) or on GeSn- and Ge-buffered Si substrates, remain stable at temperatures beyond 800°C (depending on composition), and display intriguing electronic and transport properties. In particular, the complete decoupling of electronic structure and lattice constant was demonstrated in a specific family of SiGeSn alloys lattice-matched to Ge [1] and transport measurements in n- and p-type analogs reveal mobilities comparable to those in elemental Ge. Combined with novel CVD approaches to the growth of binary GeSn alloys [2] as well as superior quality Ge films on Si substrates [3], these materials represent an entire new class of IR semiconductors with the potential to revolutionize the field of group-IV materials. The purpose of this paper is to review the preparation and properties of SiGeSn alloys and discuss their potential for photonic applications. The two-dimensional compositional space of this system as well as the many possible lattice matched and un-matched combinations of ternary, binary, and elemental group-IV semiconductors provide unprecedented flexibility to further develop and optimize the basic properties of these materials for optoelectronic, thermoelectricity and potentially photovoltaics.
4,7-Diphenylisobenzofuran: A Useful Intermediate for the Construction of Phenyl-Substituted Acenes

The formation and subsequent reactivity of previously unknown 4,7-diphenylisobenzofuran, 5, is reported. The Diels-Alder reaction between 5 and p-benzoquinone in boiling glacial acetic acid yields an unprecedented exo,exo anti dual cycloaddition product, 16b, in excellent yield and with 100% diastereoselectivity. Differences between the reactivities of 5 and the more common 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran are highlighted. Reactive 5 is utilized to form new three-, four-, and five-ring acenes, and the latter compound is reacted with [60]fullerene to produce new [60]fullerene-acene adducts.
NORMAL-INCIDENCE INTERSUBBAND TRANSITIONS FOR INFRARED ELECTRO-OPTICAL MODULATION AND SECOND-HARMONIC GENERATION

We have developed a fundamental theory for electro-optical and nonlinear optical processes involving intersubband transitions in conduction valleys with arbitrary effective-mass anisotropy and orientation. New classes of amplitude and phase modulators, as well as frequency converters employing L-valley interactions in GaSb/AlSb-based quantum well systems are proposed. Key advantages of these devices include operation at normal incidence (enabled by the L-valley effective-mass anisotropy and tilted growth direction with respect to the L-valley constant energy ellipsoids) and adaptability to a wide range of infrared wavelengths (as short as 1.5 μm, made possible by the large band offsets). The electro-optic coefficients and second-order nonlinear susceptibilities derived from our modeling are larger than any measured or predicted to date for conventional Γ-valley processes.
Revisiting the entrepreneur gender–performance relationship: a firm perspective

Research shows that firms started by women underperform those started by men but the relationship may not be as straightforward as previously thought. Using a sample of 4,540 Korean ventures in 2002 we investigated the effects of three firm characteristics—resources, industry, and regional location—on firm performance. Results indicate that firms started by male entrepreneurs, compared to female, have greater firm assets, compete in high-technology manufacturing industries, and are more likely to locate in clustered regions. Further, these firm characteristics are positively associated with domestic and international firm performance. Findings suggest firm resource and context characteristics fully mediate the entrepreneur gender–firm performance relationship. Overall, gender is not a determinant of domestic or international firm performance.
How Disability Studies Scholars Interact with Subject Headings

Although several scholars of information organization have documented limitations in the way subject access standards represent marginalized topics, few have studied how users understand and address these limitations. This qualitative study investigates the information seeking behavior of nine scholars in the field of disability studies, focusing on how they interact with subject headings. The findings suggest that disability studies scholars often encounter and use non-preferred language when doing research and that they respond to this language in a variety of ways. The study also found that many participants prefer multidisciplinary search tools to subject-specific databases.