cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biocatalyic synthesis of unusually photoluminescent oligomers and electrically conducting polymers of 4-(3-pyrrolyl)butyric acid

Unusually photoluminescent undoped oligomers and doped electrically conducting polymers of 4-(3-Pyrrolyl)butyric acid have been enzymatically synthesized using the oxidoreductase soybean peroxidase as a catalyst. This biocatalytic approach provides a direct route to a fluorescent-undoped oligomer of pyrrole that requires no protection/deprotection chemistry. The synthesis is carried out in aqueous media that requires only monomer, enzyme, and hydrogen peroxide. The undoped oligomer exhibits stable emission properties and is highly sensitive to the presence of environmentally important metal ions, such as Co(II), Hg(II), and Cu(II) in solution. Electrically conducting polymers can also be obtained by adding a dopant to a buffered reaction solution prior to initiating the polymerization. Polymers doped with camphor-10-sulfonic acid exhibit conductivity values as high as 10−2 S/cm. Additionally, polymers synthesized in the presence of a biobased cationic template, N,N,N-trimethylchitosan chloride, exhibit conductivity values that are an order of magnitude greater than polymers synthesized with the anionic polymeric template, poly(styrene sulfonic acid)-sodium salt. The biobased synthetic strategy described here is the first report of directly obtaining an undoped, fluorescent conjugated oligomer of a pyrrole in aqueous solution. Unlike conventional chemical catalysts, the enzyme does not dope the oligomer and therefore provides the opportunity to directly obtain fluorescent conjugated species. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 41035.
A Preliminary Instrument to Evaluate Multicultural Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy Supervision

Abstract Marriage and family therapists have, in recent years, increased their awareness and interest in multicultural issues in clinical practice (Falicov, 1995; McGoldrick, 1998). The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) field has made great progress in this respect, but, in spite of the increased attention in books on multicultural family therapy, multicultural supervision has been a relatively neglected area in the literature. It follows that inadequate attention has been paid to the development of instruments to evaluate multicultural issues in supervision. Supervision, in itself, is a very complex process that requires a multi-faceted approach. When diversity is added, especially with issues of culture, education, gender, ethnic background, religion, and language, the field requires that more and more supervisors and trainers be prepared to understand and evaluate diverse personnel and clients. This paper describes an instrument that is called “Evaluating Multicultural Issues in Supervision.” It was de...
Stochastic modal interaction in linear and nonlinear aeroelastic structures

Abstract The linear and autoparametric modal interactions in a three defree-of-freedom structure under wide band random excitation are examined. For a structure with constant parameters the linear response is obtained in a closed form. When the structure stiffness matrix involves random fluctuations, the governing equations of motion, in terms of the normal coordinates, are found to be coupled through parametric terms. The structural response is mainly governed by the condition of mean square stability. The boundary of stable-unstable responses is obtained as a function of the internal detuning parameter. The results of the linear system with constant parameters are used as a reference to measure the deviation of the system response when the nonlinear inertia coupling is included. In the neighbourhood of combination internal resonance the system random response is determined by using the Fokker Planck equation approach together with the Gaussian closure scheme. This approach results in 27 coupled first order differential equations in the first and second response moments. These equations are solved numerically. The response is found to deviate significantly from the linear solution when the system internal detuning is close to the exact internal resonance. The autoparametric interaction is found to depend significantly on the system damping ratios and a nonlinear coupling parameter. In the vicinity of combination internal resonance, the second normal mode mean square exhibits an increase associated with a corresponding decrease in the first and third normal modes.
The effect of stress relaxation, self-desiccation, and water absorption on the alkali-silica reaction in low watercement ratio mortars

Abstract A device has been designed and tested for measuring the stress caused by the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in mortars. Specimens were placed in a frame equipped with a load cell, allowing us to approximately fix the strain at zero and measure the total stress generated over time. The specimens and the frame were immersed in a 1-N NaOH solution at 50 °C. Even without ASR, the specimens expanded due to water absorption that relieves the shrinkage caused by self-desiccation. In addition, applied stresses, as well as stresses that were set up in the sample by expansion caused by ASR and/or water absorption, were subject to stress relaxation. By using companion samples having nonreactive aggregates, we were able to distinguish the stress caused by ASR from that caused by water absorption-driven expansion. The effects of stress relaxation could not be removed without further experimentation and theoretical analysis.
Pre‐Activation‐Based One‐Pot Synthesis of an α‐(2,3)‐Sialylated Core‐Fucosylated Complex Type Bi‐Antennary N‐Glycan Dodecasaccharide

Synthesis of N-glycans is of high current interests due to their important biological properties. A highly efficient convergent strategy based on the pre-activation method for assembly of the complex type core fucosylated bi-antennary N-glycan dodecasaccharide has been developed. Retrosynthetically, this extremely challenging target is broken down to three modules: a sialyl disaccharide, a glucosamine building block and a hexasaccharide diol acceptor. The sialyl disaccharide was easily obtained by selective activation of a new 5-N-trichloroacetyl protected sialyl donor in the presence of a thiogalactoside acceptor. The hexasaccharide diol module was produced by double mannosylation of a fucosylated tetrasaccharide acceptor, which in turn was generated by glycosylation of a alpha-fucosylated disaccharide with a beta-mannose containing disaccharide donor. The union of the three modules was performed in one-pot giving the fully protected dodecasaccharide in high yield. This synthesis is characterized by minimum protective group and aglycon adjustment on oligosaccharide intermediates, thus greatly enhancing the overall synthetic efficiency. The modular feature of this strategy suggests that this method can be readily adapted to the synthesis of a wide variety of N-glycan structures.
Strategic opportunities at the intersection of globalization, technology and lifestyles

Purpose – In this article, we discuss four “hot” strategic opportunities for the next three‐five year time frame arising from globalization and technology trends and present frameworks that can help business executives leverage these opportunities.Design/methodology/approach – The methods used include review and synthesis of the academic and popular business literature to identify trends, opportunities and managerial problems, and conceptual analysis and inductive generalization of frameworks as useful tools for managers to deal with those opportunities.Findings – Companies across a wide spectrum of industries have to contemplate and position themselves with respect to the following four strategic opportunities. R&D outsourcing may seem attractive from a cost perspective but appropriate safeguards have to be negotiated so that a company’s intellectual property does not get appropriated. Digital convergence requires firms to think creatively about complementary products and services without straying too fa...
Shear viscosity of the binary liquid mixture 3-methylpentane + nitroethane near the consolute point

Shear viscosity measurements of a mixture of 3-methylpentane and nitroethane at the critical concentration are presented in the temperature range 0.005 K⩽T–Tc⩽13.93 K, where Tc is the consolute or critical temperature. The data agree with earlier measurements.
Effect of Wave Form on Let-Go Currents

This paper is a continuation of “Effect of Frequency on Let-Go Currents”2 and concludes studies made to determine let-go currents. This paper extends the analysis to cover various wave shapes and includes a method of determining reasonably safe currents for men, women, and children, for sine waves, direct current, and complex wave forms containing both a-c and d-c components. As in previous papers, conclusions regarding reasonably safe electric currents are based on the criterion that a safe current is the let-go current for 99 1/2 per cent of a large group of healthy subjects.
A phenomenological model of the thermal-hydraulics of convective boiling during the quenching of hot rod bundles Part II: Assessment of the model with steady-state and transient post-CHF data

Abstract After completion of the thermal-hydraulic model developed in a companion paper, we performed developmental assessment calculations of the model using steady-state and transient post-critical heat flux (CHF) data. This paper discusses the results of those calculations. The overall interfacial drag model predicted reasonable drag coefficients for both the nucleate boiling and the inverted annular flow (IAF) regimes. The predicted pressure drops agreed reasonably well with the measured data of two transient experiments, CCTF Run 14 and a Lehigh reflood test. The thermal-hydraulic model for post-CHF convective heat transfer predicted the rewetting velocities reasonably well for both experiments. The predicted average slope of the wall temperature traces for these tests showed reasonable agreement with the measured data, indicating that the transient-calculated precursory cooling rates agreed with measured data. The hot-patch model, in conjunction with the other thermal-hydraulic models, was capable of modeling the Winfrith post CHF hot-patch experiments. The hot-patch model kept the wall temperatures at the specified levels in the hot-patch regions and did not allow any quench-front propagation from either the bottom or the top of the test section. The interfacial heat-transfer model tended to slightly underpredict the vapor temperatures. The maximum difference between calculated and measured vapor temperatures was 20%, with a 10% difference for the remainder of the runs considered. The wall-to-fluid heat transfer was predicted reasonably well, and the predicted wall temperatures were in reasonable agreement with measured data with a maximum relative error of less than 13%.
Antipsychotics for aggressive behavior in patients with intellectual disability--an acceptable standard of care?

Antipsychotics for aggressive behavior in patients with intellectual disability—an acceptable standard of care?
Vortices in Bose-Einstein condensate dark matter

If dark matter in the galactic halo is composed of bosons that form a Bose-Einstein condensate, then it is likely that the rotation of the halo will lead to the nucleation of vortices. After a review of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, the Thomas-Fermi approximation and vortices in general, we consider vortices in detail. We find strong bounds for the boson mass, interaction strength, the shape and quantity of vortices in the halo, the critical rotational velocity for the nucleation of vortices and, in the Thomas-Fermi regime, an exact solution for the mass density of a single, axisymmetric vortex.
Numerical Analysis of Latent Thermal Energy Storage System With Embedded Thermosyphons

Latent thermal energy storage (LTES) system offers high energy storage density and nearly isothermal operation for concentrating solar power generation. However, the low thermal conductivity possessed by the phase change material (PCM) used in LTES system limits the heat transfer rates. Utilizing thermosyphons to charge or discharge a LTES system offers a promising engineering solution to compensate for the low thermal conductivity of the PCM. The present work numerically investigates the enhancement in the thermal performance of charging and discharging process of LTES system by embedding thermosyphons. A transient, computational analysis of the LTES system with embedded thermosyphons is performed for both charging and discharging cycles. The influence of the design configuration of the system and the arrangement of the thermosyphons on the charge and discharge performance of the LTES installed in a concentrating solar power plant (CSP) is analyzed to identify configurations that lead to improved effectiveness.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Molecular control of δ-opioid receptor signalling

Opioids represent widely prescribed and abused medications, although their signal transduction mechanisms are not well understood. Here we present the 1.8 A high-resolution crystal structure of the human δ-opioid receptor (δ-OR), revealing the presence and fundamental role of a sodium ion in mediating allosteric control of receptor functional selectivity and constitutive activity. The distinctive δ-OR sodium ion site architecture is centrally located in a polar interaction network in the seven-transmembrane bundle core, with the sodium ion stabilizing a reduced agonist affinity state, and thereby modulating signal transduction. Site-directed mutagenesis and functional studies reveal that changing the allosteric sodium site residue Asn 131 to an alanine or a valine augments constitutive β-arrestin-mediated signalling. Asp95Ala, Asn310Ala and Asn314Ala mutations transform classical δ-opioid antagonists such as naltrindole into potent β-arrestin-biased agonists. The data establish the molecular basis for allosteric sodium ion control in opioid signalling, revealing that sodium-coordinating residues act as ‘efficacy switches’ at a prototypic G-protein-coupled receptor. The 1.8 A high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of the human δ-opioid receptor is presented, with site-directed mutagenesis and functional studies revealing a crucial role for a sodium ion in mediating allosteric control in this receptor. Opioid receptors mediate the actions of endogenous and exogenous opioids for many physiological processes, including analgesia, consciousness, motor control and mood. This paper reports the X-ray crystal structure of the human δ-opioid receptor at 1.8 A resolution, revealing the presence of a sodium ion that seems to mediate allosteric control of this G-protein-coupled receptor. Site-directed mutagenesis and functional studies show that mutating key amino acids in the allosteric sodium site to alanine transforms the antagonist naltrindole into a potent β-arrestin-biased agonist. Also apparent is an allosteric sodium-binding pocket that could aid the development of subtype-selective δ-opioid receptor agonists and antagonists — the extension of orthosteric ligands into the pocket could generate 'bitopic' orthosteric/allosteric compounds with more favourable pharmacological properties.
MHC-I expression on donor allogeneic embryonic stem cells transplanted for myocardial repair correlates with indices of differentiation

Purpose: Ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury in lung transplantation is a major cause of acute graft dysfunction, and is characterized by the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 , and apoptosis of donor respiratory epithelium. We tested the hypothesis that intratracheal administration of adenovirus, overexpressing the human anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, will inhibit IR injury to donor lung allografts. Procedures: PVG (RT1c) rats underwent in-vivo intratracheal administration of 1.0x10pfu of either AdvBcl-2 in PBS (n 7), AdvNull in PBS (n 6) or PBS alone (n 8). The left lungs were procured after 24hrs of in-vivo incubation. After 1hr (Group I) or 24hrs (Group II, AdvBcl-2 in PBS vs. AdvNull in PBS) of cold ischemia, donor lungs were orthotopically transplanted into ACI (RT1a) recipients and reperfused for 2hrs. Peak inspiratory pressures (PIPs) were measured, and grafts were excised and analyzed by ELISA, activated caspase-3 assay and histology. Donor pulmonary vein paO2 was measured in Group II. Results: Human Bcl-2 protein was overexpressed in AdvBcl-2 treated lungs compared to AdvNull and PBS alone treated lungs at the time of transplantation (p 0.05), and localized in the alveolar epithelium. The Bcl-2 overexpression in AdvBcl-2 lungs were identical in Groups I and II . In Group I, AdvBcl-2 treated lungs demonstrated reduced PIPs compared to AdvNull and PBS alone treated controls (p 0.01), decreased intragraft IL-1 cytokine (p 0.05), cytochrome c (p 0.01), caspase-3 activity (p 0.05), and ISOL TUNNEL positive nuclei (1.7% 0.7% vs. 4.7% 1.1%, and 6.1% 0.4%, p 0.05). In Group II animals, AdvBcl-2 lungs maintained significant decreases in IL-1 production, caspase-3 activity, and ISOL TUNNEL positive nuclei (3.6% 0.8% vs.19.3% 3.6%) and higher donor pulmonary vein paO2 (p 0.05) compared to AdvNull lungs. Conclusions: Intratracheal adenoviral overexpression of human Bcl-2 limits ischemia/reperfusion injury, improves post-transplant lung function and may serve as a valuable gene therapy regimen in human lung transplantation.
Synthesis and Molecular Structure of a Novel Monocarbon Hydridorhodacarborane: closo-2,7-(PPh(3))(2)-2-H-2-Cl-1-(NMe(3))-2,1-RhCB(10)H(9).

Syntheses of novel 18- and 16-electron monocarbon closo-rhodacarboranes derived from nido-B10H12CNMe3 are reported. closo-2,7-(PPh3)2-2-H-2-Cl-1-(NMe3)-2,1-RhCB10H9 (3) and closo-2-(PPh3)-2-Cl-1-(N...
Compact source-to-fiber diamond optical coupler enhances absorbances from optical fiber evanescent wave IR spectroscopy using a simple design

We have shown that a direct-coupling approach can give a high throughput of light from a broadband IR source into a chalcogenide optical fiber. The high light levels in the fiber facilitate sensing based on evanescent-wave absorption. We place one end of a diamond rod in direct contact with an optical fiber of the same diameter, while the other directly contacts a hot IR source. This results in efficient coupling of a wide cone of optical modes into the fiber, including those propagating at nearly the cutoff angle (the critical angle for internal reflection from the fiber-liquid interface). These very high-order modes have a large penetration depth, a high interfacial evanescent wave intensity, and a large number of reflections per unit length. As a result, multimode spectra obtained by using them demonstrate high sensitivity, i.e. very large measured absorbances per unit length of fiber contact with sample. Using the diamond coupler with a 500-micrometers -dia. fiber, we observe an absorbance coefficient (alpha) e of 0.04 M-1 cm-1 for the 1030 cm-1 band of glucose in water. This sensitivity can be increased even farther (with little or no increase in the noise present in the absorbance spectrum) by tapering the portion of the fiber in contact with the sample. With a tapered fiber diameter of 200 micrometers , we observe an (alpha) e of nearly 0.2 M-1 cm-1 for the glucose absorption band cited above. With either tapered or untapered fiber, it is possible to measure glucose concentrations in the range 0 - 250 mM with a sensitivity of < 25 mM in 2.5 min. With a 7-mm-long, 200-micrometers - dia. taper on the fiber, curled into an approximately 2-mm-dia. loop, 25 mM glucose can be detected in sample volumes as small as 20 (mu) L.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Herbivore control of annual grassland composition in current and future environments

Selective consumption by herbivores influences the composition and structure of a range of plant communities. Anthropogenically driven global environmental changes, including increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)), warming, increased precipitation, and increased N deposition, directly alter plant physiological properties, which may in turn modify herbivore consumption patterns. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that responses of annual grassland composition to global changes can be predicted exclusively from environmentally induced changes in the consumption patterns of a group of widespread herbivores, the terrestrial gastropods. This was done by: (1) assessing gastropod impacts on grassland composition under ambient conditions; (2) quantifying environmentally induced changes in gastropod feeding behaviour; (3) predicting how grassland composition would respond to global-change manipulations if influenced only by herbivore consumption preferences; and (4) comparing these predictions to observed responses of grassland community composition to simulated global changes. Gastropod herbivores consume nearly half of aboveground production in this system. Global changes induced species-specific changes in plant leaf characteristics, leading gastropods to alter the relative amounts of different plant types consumed. These changes in gastropod feeding preferences consistently explained global-change-induced responses of functional group abundance in an intact annual grassland exposed to simulated future environments. For four of the five global change scenarios, gastropod impacts explained > 50% of the quantitative changes, indicating that herbivore preferences can be a major driver of plant community responses to global changes.
A potential mechanism for copper amplification of prostaglandin E2 action: Attenuation of prostaglandin E2-induced efflux of cyclic AMP from median eminance explants

It is known that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) stimulation of LHRH release from the median eminence-arcuate nucleus (MEA) is mediated by the cAMP pathway, and a short pretreatment with copper markedly amplifies this release process. Because stimulation of cAMP accumulation is accompanied by cAMP efflux in many tissues, we considered the possibility that attenuation of cAMP efflux is one mechanism by which copper can enhance PGE2 action. When rat MEA explants were incubated in vitro, PGE2 induced a rapid (<2.5 min) and sustained (15 min) increase in cAMP efflux, the degree of which was a function of [PGE2]: by 5 min exposure to 10 μM PGE2, efflux was 8-fold greater than the control (no PGE2) and it accounted for 12.4% of the total (tissue + medium) cAMP. Unlike the dramatic increase in cAMP efflux, PGE2 induced a moderate increase in cAMP content (49%) and in the incorporation of [3H] adenine into [3H] cAMP (78%); this increase was transient: it was evident after a 2.5 but not after a 5 min period of PGE2 exposure. Copper pretreatment did not alter this PGE2-induced increase in tissue cAMP content. In contrast, copper markedly inhibited (by 49%–66%) PGE2-induced cAMP efflux and this inhibition was noted regardless of the length of PGE2 exposure and PGE2 concentration. There was no evidence for hydrolysis of [3H]3′, 5′-cAMP included in the medium during the incubation with PGE2 with and without copper pretreatment. In summary, copper attenuated PGE2-induced cAMP efflux from MEA explants and this attenuation is not a consequence of a reduction in the availability of intracellular cAMP nor of hydrolysis of cAMP extracellularly,
Inferential selection bias in a study of racial bias: Revisiting ‘Working twice as hard to get half as far’

1. LJ Zigerell 1. Illinois State University, USA 1. LJ Zigerell, Illinois State University, Schroeder Hall 401, Normal, IL 61790-4540, USA. Email: ljzigerell{at}ilstu.edu This study revisits an important recent article about racial bias and finds that many of its inferences are weakened when we analyze the data more completely. DeSante in 2013 reported evidence from a survey experiment indicating that Americans reward Whites more than Blacks for hard work but penalize Blacks more than Whites for laziness. However, the present study demonstrates that these inferences were based on an unrepresentative selection of possible analyses: the original article does not include all possible equivalent or relevant analyses, and when results from these additional analyses are combined with the results reported in the original article, the strength of inferences is weakened. Moreover, newly-reported evidence reveals heterogeneity in racial bias: respondents given a direct choice between equivalent targets of different races favored the Black target over the White target. These results illustrate how the presence of researcher degrees of freedom can foster production of inferences that are not representative of all inferences that a set of data could produce. This study thus highlights the value of preregistering research design protocols and required public posting of data.
Abstract B43: Assessment of an educational video and brochure in four languages: Cantonese, Hmong, Vietnamese, and English for biospecimen contributions

Background: Racially specific biospecimens increase the likelihood of developing personalized treatment approaches for cancer patients in comparison to utilizing biospecimens that may have originated from individuals of a different race than the patient. Thus increasing the proportion of biospecimens from Asian Americans would increase the likelihood of having biospecimens that may be more applicable to cancer treatments for Asian American cancer patients. We have not found any reliable data on the proportion of biospecimens derived from Asian Americans in any database due to a variety of factors. However, we assume that the proportion is relatively low. Therefore to increase contributions among Asian Americans, particularly for English-limited patients, we are developing a video and accompanying brochure in Cantonese, Hmong, Vietnamese and English for Asian Americans that explain the need for biospecimens and recruit them to donate biospecimens for cancer research. Objectives: To test the feasibility of an in-language biospecimen education video and brochure intervention to increase biospecimen contributions among Asian Americans Methods: By mid-August, our educational video and brochure in Cantonese, Hmong, Vietnamese, and English will have been professionally produced. Our assumption is that respondents will use the language that they will be most comfortable in. Thus, respondents who view the video and ask for the brochure in one of the Asian language are presumed to be less acculturated than those who view the video and ask for the English language brochure. By mid-September, we shall have pilot-tested it with multiple Asian Americans both in a group and in individualized settings. In particular, Chinese, Hmong, and Vietnamese UC Davis Cancer Center patients undergoing cancer surgery will be given the educational video to view and the brochure to read prior to surgery and prior to receiving the biorespository consent form. Results: We anticipate presenting data by language and report responses on the basis of the extent to which respondents learned more about biospecimens and whether their new knowledge about biospecimen would now predispose them to more likely contribute biospecimens. We shall report on the extent to which the educational materials increased knowledge and willingness to contribute biospecimens for research. Conclusions: Increasing the proportion of Asian American biospecimens for cancer research will increase the likelihood of more personalized cancer therapies for Asian Americans. Our pilot study is among the first to empirically assess the potential of in-language video and brochures to increase biospecimen contributions by Asian Americans. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B43.
Nuclear Control of Respiratory Chain Expression by Nuclear Respiratory Factors and PGC-1-Related Coactivator

Expression of the respiratory apparatus depends on both nuclear and mitochondrial genes. Although these genes are sequestered in distinct cellular organelles, their transcription relies on nucleus-encoded factors. Certain of these factors are directed to the mitochondria, where they sponsor the bi-directional transcription of mitochondrial DNA. Others act on nuclear genes that encode the majority of the respiratory subunits and many other gene products required for the assembly and function of the respiratory chain. The nuclear respiratory factors, NRF-1 and NRF-2, contribute to the expression of respiratory subunits and mitochondrial transcription factors and thus have been implicated in nucleo-mitochondrial interactions. In addition, coactivators of the PGC-1 family serve as mediators between the environment and the transcriptional machinery governing mitochondrial biogenesis. One family member, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator PGC-1-related coactivator (PRC), is an immediate early gene product that is rapidly induced by mitogenic signals in the absence of de novo protein synthesis. Like other PGC-1 family members, PRC binds NRF-1 and activates NRF-1 target genes. In addition, PRC complexes with NRF-2 and HCF-1 (host cell factor-1) in the activation of NRF-2-dependent promoters. HCF-1 functions in cell-cycle progression and has been identified as an NRF-2 coactivator. The association of these factors with PRC is suggestive of a role for the complex in cell growth. Finally, shRNA-mediated knock down of PRC expression results in a complex phenotype that includes the inhibition of respiratory growth on galactose and the loss of respiratory complexes. Thus, PRC may help integrate the expression of the respiratory apparatus with the cell proliferative program.
Magnetic resonance imaging of intracranial injuries from child abuse

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CI) were compared in four children who had evidence of intracranial injury caused by shaking. All children had intracranial bleeding, neurologic impairment, and history or physical examination findings suggestive of child abuse. Three had bilateral retinal hemorrhages, and three had visual impairment. MRI revealed bilateral subdural hematomas in all four children, but CT showed this in only one. Skull fractures in one patient were visualized by CT alone. MRI alone demonstrated posterior fossa bleeding in one patient and intraparenchymal bleeding in another; an additional patient in whom CT showed relatively diffuse atrophy also had defined areas of focal atrophy apparent on MRI. Subarachnoid hemorrhages were equally well detected using CT or MRI. Overall, MRI was superior to CT for detection of intracranial injury caused by shaking, and may help to document milder instances of this form of child abuse.
Amino acid uptake and regulation in multicellular hepatoma spheroids.

Abstract Background. Cancer cells maintained in monolayer tissue culture are frequently used to study tumor biology and nutrient uptake, but there is a concern that this system may not fully reflect clinical tumor physiology. Because cells grown in a 3-D configuration more closely resemble an in vivo environment, a model was developed and characterized for the growth of SK-Hep human hepatoma cells in suspension as multicellular tumor spheroids (MTS). The measurement of nutrient uptake in such a system has never been established. Materials and methods. SK-Hep cultures were initiated as single cell suspensions and grown as MTS in siliconized spinner flasks. The transport of several individual amino acids (arginine, glutamate, leucine, α-(N-methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB), and glutamine (GLN)) was measured in SK-Hep single cell suspensions and MTS (0.50–0.60 mm diameter) by a radiotracer/rapid filtration technique, as was the regulation of glutamine uptake by phorbol esters. l -[3H]GLN uptake was also measured in larger spheroids (0.85–1.5 mm diameter). MTS cellularity was evaluated by histological examination, and single cell integrity after the transport assay was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results. SK-Hep MTS displayed gradients of cellular morphology and staining, with central necrosis visible at diameters >0.8 mm. Single cell suspensions endured the rapid filtration technique based on functional Na+-dependent uptake rates and SEM analysis. Of all amino acids tested, only GLN transport rates were visibly affected by growth format. In small MTS, Na+-dependent GLN uptake was diminished by 40%, but was 40–53% higher in MTS >1 mm displaying central necrosis, when compared to single cell suspensions. Likewise, slight parallel changes in glutamine transporter ATB0 mRNA levels were observed in Northern blot analysis. Finally, phorbol ester-dependent GLN transport down-regulation (by 40–50%), previously established in SK-Hep monolayers, remained operative in all cell formats tested. Conclusions. The data suggest that the tumor microenvironment differentially impacts the uptake of specific nutrients despite the conservation of key regulatory pathways. This MTS technique may prove useful for further studies on the role of nutrient transport in nascent tumor growth.
SU-E-T-403: Delivery Efficiency of StereoArc Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT).

Purpose: Traditional SBRT employs approximately 10 static beams with up to 20 Gy per fraction, requiring lengthy treatments which can be difficult for patients to tolerate, increasing the risk of movement, and causing discrepancies in the reproducibility of the breathing cycle. Commercial VMAT systems offer shorter treatment times with modulated beams; however, modulation is often not necessary or desired for small fields. Conformai arc therapy offers efficient beam delivery, but with only one aperture shape and constant beam weighting over all gantry angles. This study evaluates the efficiency of a new SBRTdeliveryMethod: a conformai arc with multiple aperture shapes and variable dose rate. Methods: Three clinical SBRT cases were chosen for this study. Each static field was converted into an arc segment to create a StereoArc plan. Gantry angle ranges were determined from the clinical monitor units, with the MU/degree chosen to maximize the dose rate. All segments were merged into a single arc with variable dose rate. Dose distributions from the StereoArc plans were compared to the clinical static field plans using Pinnacle. Delivery times were compared between the static SBRT plans, both with and without Beam Automation, and equivalent StereoArc plans. All plans were delivered on a Varian TrueBeam using a dose rate of 1000 MU/min. Results:Dose differences between StereoArc and static plans were minimal. Delivery times for the static plans were 5–8 minutes, while delivery time with StereoArc was less than 3 minutes for all cases, which was equivalent to delivering the static plans with Beam Automation. Conclusions:Delivery efficiency was improved up to 60%: from 8 minutes for static fields, to less than 3 minutes for StereoArc. StereoArc appears to be both an effective and efficient way of deliveringSBRT for centers not wishing to modulate SBRT and without access to Beam Automation. This study is partially supported by NIH grant 1R01CA133539‐01A2.
The effect of tool life and other process variables in NC path planning

Abstract An optimal tool path is often insignificant in the light of the damage suffered by the tool if it follows this path. Hence, it is imperative to create computer systems that allow for the simultaneous study of variables such as tool life and tool path for NC path planning. Literature indicates that the tool life depends on the entrance and exit conditions of the cutter with respect to the workpiece in face milling. In this research, the importance of process effects in face milling is pointed out with an in-depth study of the milling process. A software is developed to study the effect of entrance and exit conditions with reference to tool path. The tool path program incorporates a staircasing strategy for NC face milling flat convex polygonal objects. Further, a trochoidal path of the cutter is used rather than a circular path (as used in previous path planning studies) which allows for a better evaluation of cutter entrances and exits. Preliminary analysis is performed to compare the length of cut and the number of entrances and exits at different orientations of cuts for different parts. The analysis yielded interesting results reemphasizing the need for such computer tools.
Chitosan enhanced coagulation of algal turbid waters – Comparison between rapid mix and ultrasound coagulation methods

Abstract Presence of algae is considered as an undesirable water pollutant in drinking water sources such as reservoirs and at water and wastewater treatment plants causing odor, taste and other severe health issues. In this study, ultrasound-chitosan enhanced coagulation/flocculation process for treating algal turbid water was developed. The possibility of performing ultrasound mixing in lieu of conventional rapid mixing was evaluated. The effects of several process parameters such as chemical dosages, pH, ultrasound exposure time, concentration factors and flocculation and sedimentation times were studied. Two comparative studies, i.e., a comparison between ultrasound-alum and ultrasound-chitosan flocculation of algal turbid waters as well as a comparison with conventional rapid mix and direct flocculation were conducted. The results from this study reveal that ultrasound enhanced method can produce clear supernatant water with greater than 98% turbidity reduction. A power density of 0.1–0.25 W/mL was sufficient to provide adequate mixing for chemical distribution and pin-floc formation. The concentration factor for ultrasound-enhanced coagulation/flocculation was determined to be 30 with an optimum ultrasound exposure of 1 min followed by a 20 min flocculation process. This study confirms that ultrasound-chitosan enhanced flocculation process may provide additional benefits for algal cell harvesting compared to the conventional rapid mix method.
Optically injected logic circuits for remote-powered systems on a chip

This paper reviews the concept of optically injected logic circuits and investigates their implementation in nanometer CMOS technologies. Optically injected circuits are powered via an optical beam, i.e. they do not require a local power supply and distribution network. A complete set of digital cells has been designed and simulated, and key building blocks of the logic family have been fabricated and tested in a standard 180nm CMOS technology. The paper also discusses the design and implementation of optically injected circuits for clock distribution, input/output, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. All these circuits are immediately applicable in wireless biomedical implants or contactless smart cards. They can also be used in other systems-on-chip (SoC), in which very low power operation can be replaced by remote-powered operation.
Systematics of ground-state (t,p) cross sections in the 2s-1d shell

Abstract Ground-state (t,p) cross sections have been measured for seven sd-shell nuclei, using enriched gas targets in a rotating cell. Results have been compared with DWBA, using amplitudes from a recent shell-model calculation. Most of the observed features are reproduced by the calculations. Deviations at both ends of the shell can be understood in terms of out-of-shell configuration mixing.
WHITENESS, MISCEGENATION, AND ANTI-COLONIAL REBELLION IN RUDYARD KIPLING’S THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING

In 1827, Josiah Harlan , a Quaker from Chester County, Pennsylvania, set up camp just south of the border of the Punjab region of India. He rummaged up a ragtag army of Muslim, Hindu, Afghan, and Akali Sikh mercenaries, and with Old Glory flying above him, he and his army started their journey, along with a caravan of saddle horses, camels, carriage cattle, and a royal mace bearer to announce the coming of the would-be American king. With Alexander the Great's march through the same lands twenty-one centuries earlier very much on his mind (Macintyre 40), Harlan set out – under the auspices of restoring the exiled Afghan monarch Shah Shujah to the throne – determined to win power and fame for himself. Disguising himself as a Muslim holy man and at times using brute force, he crossed the Afghan border and ultimately became the Prince of Ghor under secret treaty (227). By 1839, loyal not to Shah Shujah but to his enemy, Dost Mohammed Khan, Harlan returned to his Kabul home to find that the British had seized his property “by right of conquest” (252). Harlan left Kabul, fully intending to return and reclaim his princely title. Once back in the United States, Harlan proposed various schemes to the U.S. government (for which he would be the emissary, of course), including an Afghanistan-U.S. camel trade and grape trade, neither of which succeeded. Harlan penned a memoir that the British lambasted – unsurprisingly, for it sharply criticized the British presence in Afghanistan. In 1862, at the age of sixty-two, with no formal rank or U.S. military experience, Harlan became the colonel of Harlan's Light Cavalry, fighting on the side of the Union in the Civil War (Macintyre 275). Too weak to perform his duties, he left the army the same year, wandered the U.S. aimlessly, and died in 1871, buried “after a funeral without mourners” (286).
Match day: online search trends reflect real-time interest in interventional radiology training

Purpose Internet search trends have been shown to parallel consumer interest in products and services in many industries. The purpose of this study is to characterize relationships between the growth in the interventional radiology (IR) applicant pool and related internet search queries. Materials and Methods From July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2011, the Google Trends tool was used to analyze search engine query data for “interventional radiology fellowship” and related terms to identify individuals seeking information regarding fellowship training. These terms returned a search volume index (SVI) representing the search frequency relative to the total search volume during the study interval and geographic region for the United States during each academic year. Results were compared with National Residency Match Panel Specialties Matching Services (NRMP-SMS) match data using a Pearson correlation analysis. Regression analysis and Kruskal-Wallis one way analysis of variance was employed to characterize annual search trends and peak search activity. Results Normalized mean annual search traffic for IR fellowship increased by 209% over the 60 month study period. There was an annual mean SVI increase of 35% (range 11%-68%; SD 28%), with a statistically significant linear increase in yearly SVI over time (R2=0.96, p= 0.0035). There was a similar increase in total IR fellowship applicants (146% increase) over the study time interval (R2=0.98, p= 0.0216). Annual SVI was highly predictive of the total number of applicants for that match year (R2=0.96, p=0.0085). Additionally, there were statistically significant differences in SVI by month (Kruskal-Wallis p= 0.004) with greatest increase in mean SVI observed in Dec (148% increase; range 74%-273%; SD 112%) and Jan (54% increase; range 18%-213%; SD 79%). Conclusion Significant increases in internet search traffic related to IR fellowship strongly correlates with increases in number of fellowship applicants. Reflected in this trend is an annual peak in search traffic in the winter months corresponding to the application cycle. Internet search queries mirror actual trends in trainee professional interests and may provide useful information to attract potential candidates.
26Al and 10Be in authigenic marine minerals

Abstract We have used accelerator mass spectrometry to measure 26 Al and 10 Be in an oriented ferromanganese nodule from the North Pacific and, in phillipsites from a 100 cm long gravity core from the South Pacific Ocean. The growth rates of the nodule determined by measurements of the concentrations of 26 Al and 10 Be, and the 26 Al/ 10 Be ratios are (3.4 ± 1.0), (4.4 ± 1.4) and (2.8 ± 1.4) mm Ma −1 , respectively. The extrapolated-to-surface atom ratio of 26 Al/ 10 Be in the nodule is (1.9 ± 1.0) × 10 −3 . The sedimentation rates for the core determined by measurements of the concentrations of 26 Al and 10 Be and the 26 Al/ 10 Be ratios in the phillipsites are (0.12 ± 0.03), (0.23 ± 0.04) and (0.07 ± 0.03) mm ka~1, respectively. The extrapolated-to-surface value of the 26 Al/ 10 Be atom ratio in the phillipsites is (38 ± 16) × 10 −3 . We conclude from the extrapolated-to-surface 26 Al/ 10 Be ratios, that 26 Al and 10 Be are not incorporated with equal efficiencies during the formation of these authigenic phases. However, the good agreement between the growth rates and sedimentation rates based on the separate measurements of 10 Be and 26 Al imply that the relative efficiencies of their incorporation have been constant through time in each phase.
Structure and properties of lanthanum–aluminum–phosphate glasses

Abstract Glass-forming characteristics, properties and structural features of glasses in the La 2 O 3 –Al 2 O 3 –P 2 O 5 system have been investigated. The glass-forming region is small compared to the Na 2 O–Al 2 O 3 –P 2 O 5 system. Glass transition temperature increases and thermal expansion coefficient, refractive index, and density all decrease as the alumina content of the glass is increased. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy indicates that the glass network is dominated by bridging P-tetrahedra with terminal tetrahedra present in glasses with O/P ratios >3. 27 Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy indicates that Al ions are incorporated in these glasses in 4-, 5-, and 6-coordinated sites. The average Al-coordination number (CN) increases with an increase in the Al/La ratio and decreases with an increase in the O/P ratio. Both trends can be explained by the avoidance of Al–O–Al bonds in the glass structure.
Utility of Histoscanning™ prior to prostate biopsy for the diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma

Abstract Objectives HistoScanning™ (HS) is a method of ecographic diagnosis of prostate cancer. We analyze the effectiveness of the HS realization prior to the biopsys for the prostate adenocarcinoma diagnosis. Materials and methods From August to October 2012 we have carried out a study with HS prior to the biopsys in 32 patients. In all cases sextants transrectalbiopsys have been realized (two cores in each sextant) in the periphery zone. In those sextants in which there were suspicious areas with HS, the biopsys were addressed to those areas. Transperinealbiopsys were added to those zones placed in the half-front or apical prostatic zone. The medium age was 63.7 years (range 40–82) with a medium PSA of 8.0 ng/ml (range 3.5–36.2) and a medium prostatic volume of 46.6 cc (range 18.2–103.2). In eight cases it was the first biopsy, in 14 cases they were repetition biopsys and 10 patients had a previous diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma (8 in a program of active surveillance and 2 T1a in RTU of previous prostate). Results In the 32 patients a medium of 7.5 zones were biopsed (range 6–9) with a total of 239 zones studied. There were identified a medium of 3.2 zones with suspictious areas (ZS) with HS (range 2–5) with a total of 103 ZS. In 72 zones of 25 patients it was found adenocarcinoma or PIN (2 PIN, 11 score Gleason 6, 7 score Gleason 7, 3 score Gleason 8 and 2 score Gleason 9). There were 35 positive falses zones in 20 patients (11 normal parenquima and 9 cronic inflammation). False negatives were produced in 5 zones in 5 patients (2 PIN, 2 score Gleason 6 and 1 score Gleason 7) although in all 5 cases adenocarcinoma was encountered (0 discovered) in other zones. The HS presented a sensibility of a 93.5% with a specificity of 79.5%. The positive predictive value was of the 67.35% with a negative predictive value of 96.5%. Conclusions In spite of being a selected series, with a high rate of patients with adenocarcinoma, the exploration with HS has presented a great sensibility and a high negative predictive value. These data, although they must be confirmed in less selected series, state that the prior exploration with HS can help both in the diagnosis in the biopsies and in the follow-up of programs of active surveillance.