cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Admittance Spectroscopy of Interface States in $ \hbox{ZnO/HfO}_{2}$ Thin-Film Electronics

The electronic properties of ZnO/HfO2 interface states are studied by dc current-voltage and ac admittance spectroscopy on thin-fllm transistors (TFTs) and metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor structures. Subthreshold behavior of the transistors indicates an interface state density (Nit) value of 7.2 × 1012 cm-2. Cole-Cole plots of ac admittance demonstrate Debye behavior and extracted energy-dependent inter face state density (Dit) with an approximate exponential decay of 3.0 × 1013 cm-2 · eV-1 near the conduction band to 1.2 × 1012 cm-2 · eV-1 at 0.9 eV below the conduction band. The integrated interface state density from these measurements is Nit = 7.9 × 1012 cm-2, which is consistent with the value obtained from subthreshold behavior of the TFTs.
Design and drafting document control procedures for CPRF/ZTH experiment

The control procedures for design approval, review, changes, and release of engineering documents are presented. Interface control for tasks so that possible design interference does not occur is also discussed. A document control procedure to insure that design criteria are met and technical specifications translate into workable drawings was instituted to support the Confinement Physics Research Facility (CPRF/ZTH) construction program. The goal of eliminating any conflicts that might arise between various tasks in developing the final designs required tight control and up-to-date design information. Detailed procedures for reviews were instituted, since circumventing the process of design and drafting anywhere might have proven disastrous to the CPRF/ZTH program. Design is a process of translating technical requirements, according to established standards, into drawings that are usable for fabrication and assembly. Both the designer and engineer are responsible for adhering to standards that have been established by the Mechanical Engineering Section for the CPRF/ZTH program. >
Changes in dihydrotestosterone metabolism associated with the development of canine benign prostatic hyperplasia

Canine benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is associated with, if not actually induced by, an increased prostatic ability for the net formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This conclusion is based upon the observation in this study that: 1) when spontaneous BPH develops in the beagle there is a concomitant increase in the potential capacity for prostatic tissue to metabolize steroids favoring the net formation of DHT; 2) there is a similar change in steroid metabolism in the prostate when BPH is experimentally induced in young beagles by the combined administration of exogenous androgens and estrogens; 3) various hormonal treatments of young intact or castrate dogs which did not increase the prostate tissue's ability to produce DHT also did not induce a high incidence of experimental BPH; and 4) a highly significant linear correlation (r = 0.95) was observed between the size of the prostate gland and an increased prostatic ability for the net formation of DHT, as estimated by relative prostatic index values which quantitatively reflect such increased metabolic activities. These overall alterations in prostatic steroid metabolism favor an increase in the net formation of DHT and may account for the well documented increase in DHT concentration associated with BPH in both dog and man. The enhancement of these events by estrogens could play a major role in the etiology of BPH. (Endocrinology 108: 445, 1981)
THE NEOLIBERAL DELUGE: HURRICANE KATRINA, LATE CAPITALISM AND THE REMAKING OF NEW ORLEANS

Cedric Johnson (ed.), THE NEOLIBERAL DELUGE: HURRICANE KATRINA, LATE CAPITALISM AND THE REMAKING OF NEW ORLEANS, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2011, xlx+406 pp., $24.00 (paper) Th...
Inducible antisense inhibition of erbB-2 expression reduces anchorage independent growth of ovarian carcinoma cells

We have investigated the effect of c-erbB-2 expression on the growth of ovarian carcinoma cell lines using antisense methodology. A 1.5 kb fragment of c-erbB-2 cDNA was cloned in an antisense and sense orientation into an IPTG inducible vector. These vectors were stably transfected into two ovarian carcinoma cell lines, one of which (NIH:OVCAR-8) grew well in soft agar. Inhibition of expression of endogenous c-erbB-2 protein was detected by immunoprecipitation and Western blot in both of the induced transfectants with the antisense construct. Although growth in monolayer culture was unaffected, NIH:OVCAR-8 cells transfected with the antisense construct and induced with IPTG lost their ability to form colonies in soft agar. Consequently, endogenous expression of c-erbB-2 modulates anchorage-independent growth of NIH:OVCAR-8.
Microscopically based energy density functionals for nuclei using the density matrix expansion: Implementation and pre-optimization

In a recent series of articles, Gebremariam, Bogner, and Duguet derived a microscopically based nuclear energy density functional by applying the density matrix expansion (DME) to the Hartree-Fock energy obtained from chiral effective field theory two- and three-nucleon interactions. Owing to the structure of the chiral interactions, each coupling in the DME functional is given as the sum of a coupling constant arising from zero-range contact interactions and a coupling function of the density arising from the finite-range pion exchanges. Because the contact contributions have essentially the same structure as those entering empirical Skyrme functionals, a microscopically guided Skyrme phenomenology has been suggested in which the contact terms in the DME functional are released for optimization to finite-density observables to capture short-range correlation energy contributions from beyond Hartree-Fock. The present article is the first attempt to assess the ability of the newly suggested DME functional, which has a much richer set of density dependencies than traditional Skyrme functionals, to generate sensible and stable results for nuclear applications. The results of the first proof-of-principle calculations are given, and numerous practical issues related to the implementation of the new functional in existing Skyrme codes are discussed. Using a restricted singular value decomposition optimization procedure, it is found that the new DME functional gives numerically stable results and exhibits a small but systematic reduction of our test ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{2}$ function compared to standard Skyrme functionals, thus justifying its suitability for future global optimizations and large-scale calculations.
Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy

Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is a lysosomal pathway of proteolysis that is responsible for the degradation of 30% of cytosolic proteins under conditions of prolonged nutrient deprivation. Molecular chaperones in the cytosol and in the lysosomal lumen stimulate this proteolytic pathway. The molecular chaperones in the cytosol unfold substrate proteins prior to their translocation across the lysosomal membrane, while the chaperone in the lysosomal lumen is probably required to pull the substrate protein across the lysosomal membrane. A critical component for CMA is a receptor in the lysosomal membrane, the lysosome-associated membrane protein (LAMP) type 2A. LAMP-2A levels in the lysosomal membrane can be increased by reduced degradation and/or redistribution from the lysosomal lumen to the lysosomal membrane. Recent results show that CMA is also activated by oxidative stress, and in this case LAMP-2A is increased due to transcriptional regulation. CMA can be reduced by inhibitors of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and of the heat shock protein of 90 kDa. Reduction of levels of LAMP-2A using RNAi strategies reduces CMA activity, but macroautophagy is activated as a result. The decrease in CMA causes cells to be more susceptibile to oxidative and other stresses. LAMP-2A in the lysosomal membrane can be sequestered into cholesterol-rich microdomains where it is inactive. When CMA is activated, LAMP-2A moves out of these domains. The reduced CMA in aging is due to reduced LAMP-2A in the lysosomal membrane. This reduction is caused by an age-related increased degradation of LAMP-2A and an age-related reduced ability of LAMP-2A to reinsert into the lysosomal membrane. These findings reveal a rich complexity of mechanisms to control CMA activity.
Fluorine‐Containing Ionic Liquids from N‐Alkylpyrrolidine and N‐Methylpiperidine and Fluorinated Acetylacetones: Low Melting Points and Low Viscosities

A family of new fluorine-containing ionic liquids (3–14) was synthesized in high yield by the reaction of N-alkylpyrrolidine, N-methylpiperidine and fluorinated 1,3-diketones: 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetone, 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione and 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione. Their properties, such as the phase-transition temperature, density, and viscosity, were determined. Most of them show relatively low melting points and low viscosities. The influence of fluorinated 1,3-diketonate anions and the structural variation in cyclic amine cations on the above physicochemical properties was examined. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis of compound 7 confirms the proton transfer from 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione to N-butylpyrrolidine. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Reactions of computer savvy users to information on the intranet

Providing a corporate Human Resources Web site to enable employee's access to their benefits and health benefits information is a sensible use of the Intranet and a worthy goal. However, the road to that destination is traveled by a wide variety of users and is filled with many obstacles. Even after you have arrived at your destination, there are still many surprises in store for you. As the designer/developer of the Web site, as well as an employee of the company, you may naively assume you know your audience very well. After all, you are a member of the same audience! This dual role of audience member and designer is both a strength and a weakness. You may be tempted to take your users for granted and assume that you know what's best for them. This paper emphasizes the importance of knowing your audience and the need for iterative design and usability testing; it also presents the reactions of your users to the design that you so carefully tested with them prior to implementation. No matter how carefully you plan and how well you think you know your users and have anticipated their needs, their responses to your well-crafted product will never cease to amaze you. Often, there is a problem in the interpretation of the requirements - maybe you didn't really implement exactly what the users had in mind or you provided them with what you assumed was an acceptable compromise. In these situations, you have to accept the responsibility and decide what to do next. However, the users of your product, in this case a Web site, also have some responsibilities. This paper discusses the responsibilities of both designers and users.
Flow cytometric assessment of platelet function in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Abstract This study compared new and traditional measures of platelet function in 16 patients with severe peripheral arterial occlusive disease and 15 age-matched controls. Circulating platelets were characterized by the use of fluorescence flow cytometry to assess platelet aggregate formation and expression of the secretion-dependent alpha granule membrane protein GMP-140, by measurement of plasma β-thromboglobulin (β-TG), and by performance of platelet-rich plasma aggregation studies. In addition, blood samples were treated with graded concentrations of adenosine diphosphate (ADP; 0 to 10 μmol/L) to characterize by fluorescence flow cytometry the secretory and aggregatory responses to mild stimulation. No differences were detected between the two groups with regard to platelet function in unstimulated circulating blood by use of these techniques. Values (mean ± SEM) observed were: GMP-140-positive platelets, 11% ± 3% versus 13% ± 2%; platelet aggregates in circulating whole blood, 4% ± 1% versus 9% ± 3%; plasma β-TG, 92 ± 12 versus 94 ± 22 ng/ml; and ED 50 (concentration of ADP required to produce half maximal aggregation), 3.8 ± 1.1 versus 3.1 ± 0.5 μmol/L in the patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease and controls, respectively. Treatment with ADP caused a dose-related increase in GMP-140 expression in both groups, without significant differences in this parameter between the groups at any given concentration. However, stimulation with ADP concentrations greater than 1 μmol/L resulted in more frequent aggregate formation in the control than in the peripheral arterial occlusive disease group (25% ± 4% versus 11% ± 2%, respectively at 5.0 μmol/L, p = 0.002). Further application of flow cytometry may improve our understanding of platelet function in arterial occlusive disease. (J VASC SURG 1991;14:747-56.)
An integrated multi-port driven radiating source

A multi-port driven (MPD) antenna allows for the removal of RF blocks for impedance matching, power combining, and power delivery by enabling efficient radiation at the fundamental frequency from several output stages driving the antenna. A radiating source utilizing an 8-phase ring oscillator and eight power amplifiers to drive the MPD antenna at 161.4 GHz with a total radiated power of -2 dBm and a single element EIRP of 4.6 dBm is demonstrated in silicon with single lobe radiation patterns closely matching simulation.
When specialized sites are important for synapsis and the distribution of crossovers

Summary In C. elegans and D. melanogaster, specialized sites have an important role in meiotic recombination. Recent evidence has shown that these sites in C. elegans have a role in synapsis. Here we compare the initiation of synapsis in organisms with specialized sites and those without. We propose that, early in prophase, synapsis requires an initiator to overcome inhibitory factors that function to prevent synaptonemal complex (SC) formation between nonhomologous sequences. These initiatorsofSCformationcanbestimulatedbycrossoversites, possibly other types of recombination sites and also specialized sites where recombination does not occur. BioEssays 29:217–226, 2007. 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Change We Can Believe In: The Hyper-Evolution of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Unprotected Left Main Disease With Drug-Eluting Stents

The initial adoption of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) obstruction was tempered by poor acute outcomes after balloon angioplasty and the potential lethality of restenosis in the left main trunk suggested by bare-metal stent registries.1 The marked antirestenotic efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) ushered in a new wave of enthusiasm for unprotected LMCA intervention. However, the accumulation of robust data to guide and support clinical practice has been challenged by the relatively low prevalence of this lesion subset combined with its historical characterization as a “forbidden zone” for PCI. The DES left main database has grown from initial, small, single-center experiences2–4 to larger multicenter registries,5 prospective, risk-adjusted comparisons with coronary artery bypass grafting,6 and most recently to small randomized clinical trials and prespecified subgroups of larger clinical trials.7,8 Catalyzed by an ethos in interventional cardiology that embraces (1) investigation, (2) dissemination of new information through journals, conferences, and a tradition of live-case demonstration; and (3) rapid adaptation of new techniques, there has been a marked evolution and improvement of the technical approach to unprotected LMCA intervention in a remarkably short period of time. The study reported by Palmerini et al9 in this issue of the Circulation Cardiovascular Intervention provides further pressure on interventional cardiologists to follow a straightforward maxim: simpler is usually better. Article see p 185 The interpretation of the studies of left main PCI with DES has been complicated by heterogeneity within study populations related to both the disease location (ostial, shaft, or distal bifurcation) and the technical approach used (single stent, dedicated 2-stent technique, or provisional stenting of the left main with “bail-out” stenting of the branch vessel). The early, single-center observational studies of DES for the unprotected LMCA demonstrated the dependence of clinical outcome …
Factors affecting fruit and vegetable school lunch waste in Wisconsin elementary schools participating in Farm to School programmes.

OBJECTIVE To examine characteristics potentially associated with school lunch fruit and vegetable waste, both overall and pre/post implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. DESIGN Multi-year (2010-2013) cross-sectional study using pre- and post-meal digital photographs of students' school lunch trays to estimate fruit and vegetable availability and consumption. Fruit and vegetable items were categorized for factors suspected to impact waste: prior farm to school years, placement (main menu, salad bar), procurement (local, conventional), preparation (cooked, raw) and meal component (entree, side, topping). Analyses to assess within-category differences in waste volume were performed using a Tobit model. SETTING Wisconsin elementary schools participating in farm to school programmes, USA. SUBJECTS Children in third to fifth grade. RESULTS Many within-factor differences were detected overall and/or across time. Cooked fruits were wasted less than raw, while cooked vegetables were wasted more than raw. Where identified, locally sourced items were wasted more than conventionally sourced (+0·1 cups, P<0·0001) and salad bar items more than main menu items (+0·01 cups, P<0·0001). Increasing prior farm to school years decreased waste (-0·02 cups, P<0·0001). Items previously tried were wasted at the same volume whether reported as liked or not. New school lunch meal pattern requirement implementation did not uniformly impact fruit and vegetable waste across all categories and there was no change in waste for seven of fifteen assessed categories. CONCLUSIONS Many factors impact elementary students' school lunch waste. These factors may be helpful for school food-service authorities to consider when planning school menus.
Potentiation of benzo[a]pyrene-induced pulmonary and forestomach tumorigenesis in mice by d,l-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine-mediated tissue glutathione depletion

Abstract In vitro studies have suggested that the glutathione (GSH) S-transferase (GST)-catalyzed GSH conjugation is an important mechanism for the detoxification of (+)-anti-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene [(+)-anti-BPDE], which is the activated form of the widespread environmental pollutant benzo[a]pyrene (BP). However, in vivo experimental evidence for the importance of GSH/GST system in defense against carcinogenic effects of BP is lacking. We hypothesized that if GSH/GST were to play an important role in the detoxification of (+)-anti-BPDE, the tumorigenic activity of BP would be increased by depleting the levels of GSH, which is the required nucleophilic substrate for GST-catalyzed conjugation reactions. In the present study, we have tested the above hypothesis by determining the effect of d , l -buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO)-mediated tissue GSH depletion on BP-induced tumorigenesis of the lung and forestomach in female A/J mice. Treatment of mice with three i.p. injections of 2.5 mmol BSO/kg (12 h apart) plus 20 mM BSO in drinking water, resulted in a statistically significant reduction in hepatic, pulmonary and forestomach GSH levels. At the same time, BSO-administration caused a statistically significant increase in BP-induced pulmonary and forestomach tumor multiplicity. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report that provides in vivo experimental evidence for the importance of GSH/GST system in cellular protection against carcinogenic effects of BP.
The assessment of the clinical significance of non-compliance with prescribed schedules of of irradiation

Abstract The clinical significance of non-compliance with a prescribed treatment regimen is assessed in terms of the change in the expected proportion of local control of disease produced by excursions from the prescribed regimen of the order of ±5% in dose and time. It is shown that the change in the expected proportion can be anticipated from local estimates of the location and shape of the response surface for the binary event, control/recurrence, in the vicinity of the prescribed treatment regimen. It is shown that changes from the prescribed regimen may result in more or less of a clinical fiasco, depending upon the disease, prognostic factors and the level of control initially achieved by the prescribed regimen. The methods are illustrated with clinical data for carcinoma of the oropharynx and for Hodgkin's disease.
Identification of the Molybdenum Cofactor of Dimethyl Sulfoxide Reductase fromRhodobacter sphaeroidesf. sp.denitrificansas Bis(molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide)molybdenum

Abstract Chemical analysis of dimethyl sulfoxide reductase fromRhodobacter sphaeroidesf. sp.denitrificanshas shown that its molybdenum center contains two molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide molecules and a single atom of molybdenum. The enzyme, which exists as a monomer of 86 kDa, was shown to contain 1 mol of molybdenum, 4 mol of organic phosphate, and 2 mol of guanine per mole of protein. In addition, the relative yield of Form A, a fluorescent derivative of molybdopterin, was twice that obtained from sulfite oxidase, a protein which contains a single molybdopterin per molybdenum. These findings correlate with the recent report of the presence of two molybdopterin ligands in the tungsten cofactor of aldehyde ferredoxin oxidoreductase fromPyrococcus furiosus,providing the first example of a bis(pterin)molybdenum cofactor and extending this structural motif to the molybdopterin dinucleotide enzymes.
Markdown Pricing with Unknown Fraction of Strategic Customers

A growing segment of the revenue management and pricing literature assumes “strategic” customers who are forward-looking in their pursuit of utility. Recognizing that such behavior may not be directly observable by a seller, we examine the implications of seller uncertainty over strategic customer behavior in a markdown pricing setting. We assume that some proportion of customers purchase impulsively in the first period if the price is below their willingness to pay, while other customers strategically wait for lower prices in the second period. We consider a two-period selling season in which the seller knows the aggregate demand curve but not the proportion of customers behaving strategically. We show that a robust pricing policy that requires no knowledge of the extent of strategic behavior performs remarkably well. We extend our model to a setting with stochastic demand, and show that the robust pricing policy continues to perform well, particularly as capacity is loosened or the problem is scaled up. Our results underscore the need to recognize strategic behavior, but also suggest that in many cases effective performance is possible without precise knowledge of strategic behavior.
What to Do When ICSI Fails

The refinement of gamete micromanipulation techniques has made conception possible for couples with male factor infertility who otherwise would remain childless. Moreover, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has ensured that such refractory cases can now generate offspring as successfully as in couples that merely require in vitro insemination. However, despite the now sterling record of ICSI it does not assure a successful outcome for every patient. This can be due, for instance, to the inability of the spermatozoon to activate the oocyte, and applies obviously in cases where spermatozoa are absent from the ejaculate or testicular biopsy. In the present paper we describe in detail the reasons for such failure and review the options that may help overcome it. In particular, we outline the treatment protocol for the situation in which spermatozoa are unable to induce oocyte activation. Further, we report on the clinical outcome achieved with spermatozoa retrieved from the testis, and in cases of extreme oligozoospermia we also explore the option of replicating a single spermatozoon while gaining information on its genomic content. For the most extreme situation in which men have no identifiable germ cells, we will discuss the current status of efforts to accomplish neo-gametogenesis through embryonic stem cell differentiation.
Progestin signaling through an olfactory G protein and membrane progestin receptor-α in Atlantic croaker sperm: potential role in induction of sperm hypermotility.

Progestin stimulation of sperm hypermotility remains poorly understood despite having been described in numerous vertebrate species. We show here that progestin stimulation of sperm hypermotility in a teleost, the Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) is associated with activation of an olfactory G protein (Golf). Furthermore, we provide evidence that this progestin action is mediated by membrane progestin receptor-alpha (mPRalpha). Golf was identified in croaker sperm membranes and was specifically activated after treatment with the progestin 17,20beta,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20beta-S). Treatment of sperm membranes with 20beta-S caused an increase in cAMP production, which was blocked by pretreatment with cholera toxin and two membrane adenylyl cyclase inhibitors: 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine and SQ22536. Moreover, preincubation of croaker sperm with 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine and SQ22536 resulted in a significant inhibition of 20beta-S-stimulated hypermotility. Binding of [3H]20beta-S to sperm membranes was decreased after pretreatment with GTPgammaS but not pertussis toxin, suggesting the receptor is coupled to a pertussis toxin-insensitive G protein. Golf and mPRalpha were coexpressed on the sperm midpiece and flagella and were coimmunoprecipitated from sperm membranes. Finally, expression of mPRalpha protein on sperm increased after in vivo treatment with LHRH and was associated with increased induction of sperm motility by 20beta-S. These results suggest that 20beta-S activates mPRalpha in croaker sperm, which in turn activates Golf and membrane adenylyl cyclase to stimulate sperm hypermotility. Taken together these findings provide a plausible mechanism by which progestins stimulate sperm hypermotility in croaker and provide the first evidence of hormonal activation of Golf in any species.
Information-theoretic lower bounds for distributed statistical estimation with communication constraints

We establish lower bounds on minimax risks for distributed statistical estimation under a communication budget. Such lower bounds reveal the minimum amount of communication required by any procedure to achieve the centralized minimax-optimal rates for statistical estimation. We study two classes of protocols: one in which machines send messages independently, and a second allowing for interactive communication. We establish lower bounds for several problems, including various types of location models, as well as for parameter estimation in regression models.
Recent Developments in the Northeast US Fishing Industry

With the passage of the Magnuson Act in 1976, US fishermen gained primary access to most of the fishery resources within 200 miles of the US coast. For New England and midAtlantic fishermen this meant exclusive access to groundfish, the most valuable fishery in these waters. Since demand was high for these species, fishermen responded by sharply increasing the number of otter trawl vessels from about 500 in 1976 to 800 in 1980 and increasing US landings from 75,000 metric tons (mt) to 139,000 mt over the same period. However, this sharp increase in effort reduced stocks, and landings began to decline. By 1987, groundfish landings were less than they had been before the extended fishery zone. Declining landings, in spite of increasing effort, lead to increased fishing for scallops, mackerel, herring, squid, and butterfish, increased imports of whole groundfish from Canada, and increased imports of fresh groundfish fillets from Canada and northern Europe.
Learning Latent Word Representations for Domain Adaptation using Supervised Word Clustering

Domain adaptation has been popularly studied on exploiting labeled information from a source domain to learn a prediction model in a target domain. In this paper, we develop a novel representation learning approach to address domain adaptation for text classification with automatically induced discriminative latent features, which are generalizable across domains while informative to the prediction task. Specifically, we propose a hierarchical multinomial Naive Bayes model with latent variables to conduct supervised word clustering on labeled documents from both source and target domains, and then use the produced cluster distribution of each word as its latent feature representation for domain adaptation. We train this latent graphical model using a simple expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. We empirically evaluate the proposed method with both cross-domain document categorization tasks on Reuters-21578 dataset and cross-domain sentiment classification tasks on Amazon product review dataset. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach achieves superior performance compared with alternative methods.
Metallaborane Reactivity. Complexities of Cobalt Carbonyl Fragment Addition to 1,2-{Cp*RuH}2B3H7, Cp* = η5-C5Me5, and Characterization of a Diruthenium Analogue of Pentaborane(11) 1,2-{Cp*Ru}2(CO)2B3H7

The reaction of 1,2-{Cp*RuH}2B3H7 (1), Cp* = η5-C5Me5, with Co2(CO)8 in hexane yields two major ruthenaborane products, nido-1,2-{Cp*RuH}2-3-Co(CO)4B3H4 (2) and arachno-{Cp*RuH}(CO)B3H7 (3), as well as two other ruthenaboranes in low yield. In toluene, benzene, and THF one of these minor ruthenaborane products is found with an enhanced yield intermediate between those of 2 and 3. This compound has been isolated and characterized in solution and the solid state as the 8 skeletal electron pair (sep) arachno 1,2-{Cp*Ru}2(CO)2B3H7 (4) and shown to convert into a second isomeric form of similar stability. One isomer constitutes a diruthenium analogue of 8-sep pentaborane(11), whereas the other mimics the geometry of a known metal cluster with 8 sep. The variation in product concentrations in benzene, including [Cp*Ru(CO)2]2, {Cp*Ru(CO)2}Co(CO)4, and HCo(CO)4, as a function of time and Co2(CO)8/1 ratio has been determined by 1H and 11B NMR spectroscopy and interpreted in terms of a reaction pathway featuring co...
Frequency Multiplexed in vivo Multiphoton Phosphorescence Lifetime Microscopy

Multiphoton Microscopy and Phosphorescence Lifetime Microscopy are combined to produce full-frame lifetime resolved 3D images in vivo. Parallel excitation and acquisition of two-photon emission is achieved via a frequency multiplexed multi-foci excitation beam.
Effects of Cattle Anterior Pituitary Extracts and KI on Liver Glycogen in Guinea Pigs.

Conclusions1. KI given per os previously to and simultaneously with intraperitoneal injections of anterior pituitary extracts of cattle fails to modify the effect of the extracts on the liver glycogen. 2. Oral administration of KI alone may cause a moderate reduction in liver glycogen.
Introduction to the Management of Fractures in Children

Conservative management is important in most children's fractures. Open surgical methods may be necessary in a few specific injuries such as fractures of the lateral humeral condyle, fractures of the radial neck with severe displacement, and some fractures of the medial epicondyle.Volkmann's ischemic contracture requires prompt surgical treatment if conservative measures fail. Other rare bone injuries in children, such as fracture of the femoral neck and osteochondral fracture within the knee joint, may require open operation.Nonetheless, except for these uncommon situations, nature is on the side of the judicious physician who aids rather than impedes it.
A dual-stage approach to contaminated, high-risk ventral hernia repairs.

Abstract Background The Modified Hernia Grading System (MHGS) was developed to risk stratify complex ventral hernia repairs (VHRs). MHGS grade 3 patients have mesh infections, dirty or contaminated fields, and/or violation of the alimentary tract. Reported surgical site infection (SSI) rates are over 40% after single-stage VHR in contaminated fields. In an attempt to decrease the SSI rate in MHGS grade 3 patients, we developed a dual-stage VHR (DSVHR) approach. Methods We reviewed adult general surgery patients undergoing DSVHR between January 2010 and June 2014. All patients were MHGS grade 3. Primary end point was 30-d superficial and deep SSI. Secondary end points included other surgical site occurrences, 6-mo recurrence, and mesh excision rates. Results Fifteen patients underwent DSVHR. Mean age was 56 y, and median body mass index was 38.3 kg/m2. Operative indication included enterocutaneous fistulas (ECF; n = 6), ECF with infected mesh (n = 2), infected mesh (n = 2), and VHR requiring bowel resection (n = 5). Thirty-one operative procedures were performed with median of 2.5 d between procedures. Fascial closure was re-established in 12 patients; five patients had underlay biologic mesh placement; seven underwent component separation with retrorectus mesh placement (synthetic [n = 2], biologic [n = 5]). The remaining patients underwent bridging repair with biologic mesh. One patient developed a recurrence after 6 mo, whereas a single patient had a recurrence of their ECF. Four (27%) patients developed a SSI, with an additional four (27%) experiencing a surgical site occurrence. There were no postoperative mesh infections. Conclusions DSVHR in MHGS grade 3 patients is associated with a lower SSI rate than previously reported for those undergoing single-stage repairs.
Determination of T-2,Zearalenone and Deoxynivalenol in Wheat Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric(LC-MS/MS)method was developed for the simultaneous determination of T-2,zearalenone(ZEN) and deoxynivalenol(DON) in wheat.The sample was extracted with acetonitrile-water(80 ∶ 20).The extract was purified with an Amino column(AccuBond AMINO,500 mg,6 mL).Three myctoxins were completely separated on a ZORBAX Extend-C18 column(150 mm×2.1 mm,1.8 μm)by gradient elution with methanol and 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate as mobile phase,and detected by positive ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI MS) under multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) mode.The results showed that the linearities of T-2,ZEN and DON were in the concentration ranges of 0.5-500,5-500,10-2 000 μg/L,respectively,with correlation coefficients of 0.998 9,0.999 7 and 0.999 1,respectively.The spiked recoveries of T-2,ZEN and DON at three spiked levels in wheat were in the ranges of 86%-94%,80%-101% and 81%-105%,with relative standard deviations(RSDs,n=5) of 2.6%-5.5%,3.6%-8.9% and 2.2%-8.1%,respectively.The limits of detection for T-2,ZEN and DON were 0.5,8.0,10.0 μg/kg,respectively.The method was low cost,sensitive and accurate,and was suitable for the simultaneous determination of T-2,ZEN and DON in wheat.
Antagonism of Calmodulin by Local Anesthetics: Inhibition of Calmodulin-Stimulated Calcium Transport of Erythrocyte Inside-Out Membrane Vesicles

Transport of calcium across the erythrocyte membrane is regulated by a Ca2+-activated, Mg2+-dependent ATPase which is stimulated by calmodulin. The regulation of Ca2+ transport by calmodulin was studied in inside-out membrane vesicles (IO vesicles) prepared from erythrocytes treated with protease inhibitors and lysed in media containing ethylene glycol bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N’,N’-tetraacetic acid and EDTA. Ca2+ uptake by IO vesicles was absolutely dependent on ATP, and the basal rate of uptake was 14.3 ± 1.1 nmoles/mg of IO vesicle protein per minute at a saturating concentration of free Ca2+ in the medium. Calmodulin stimulated Ca2+ uptake by an average of 3.5-fold to a Vmax of 49.4 ± 3.9 nmoles/mg of IO vesicle protein per minute. The K0.5 for calmodulin was 4.9 ± 0.9 nM and the maximal initial rate of Ca2+ uptake was attained at about 64 nM calmodulin. In a medium containing 80 mM Na+, calmodulin reduced the K0.5 for Ca2+ from 8.9 ± 1.8 µM (n = 3) to 5.0 ± 0.3 µM, but in a medium in which all Na+ was replaced by K+, calmodulin decreased K0.5 Ca2+ to 1.4 µM free Ca2+. Certain local anesthetics and drugs with local anesthetic-like properties (e.g., dibucaine, tetracaine, QX572, proadifen, mepacrine, quinine, propranolol, phenacaine, monocaine, and procaine), as well as trifluoperazine, inhibited calmodulin-stimulated Ca2+ uptake into IO vesicles. Calmodulin-stimulated (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity was inhibited to a degree equivalent to the effect on calcium uptake. Basal Ca2+ uptake (minus calmodulin) was only weakly inhibited; e.g., dibucaine at 1.0 mM inhibited stimulation by calmodulin 96.9%, but reduced basal Ca2+ uptake by only 11.4%. The local anesthetics increased the K0.5 for calmodulin and reduced Vmax for Ca2+ uptake. The reduction of Vmax by local anesthetics was dose-dependent: e.g., 35% reduction at 0.25 mM dibucaine and 65% reduction at 0.5 mM dibucaine. Vmax could not be restored to control levels by the addition of an excess of either calmodulin or Ca2+. The antagonism of calmodulin by local anesthetics appeared to have elements of both competitive and noncompetitive inhibition. The antagonism versus Ca2+ was uncompetitive. These results are in agreement with our previous findings that certain local anesthetics are antagonists of calmodulin-stimulated (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase and calmodulin-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. It is suggested that certain of the well-known inhibitory effects of local anesthetics on Ca2+-dependent cellular functions may be due to inhibition of the role played by calmodulin in facilitating these Ca2+-dependent processes.
Semiautomated segmentation of head and neck cancers in 18F-FDG PET scans: A just-enough-interaction approach

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to develop, validate, and compare a highly computer-aided method for the segmentation of hot lesions in head and neck 18F-FDG PET scans. Methods: A semiautomated segmentation method was developed, which transforms the segmentation problem into a graph-based optimization problem. For this purpose, a graph structure around a user-provided approximate lesion centerpoint is constructed and a suitable cost function is derived based on local image statistics. To handle frequently occurring situations that are ambiguous (e.g., lesions adjacent to each other versus lesion with inhomogeneous uptake), several segmentation modes are introduced that adapt the behavior of the base algorithm accordingly. In addition, the authors present approaches for the efficient interactive local and global refinement of initial segmentations that are based on the “just-enough-interaction” principle. For method validation, 60 PET/CT scans from 59 different subjects with 230 head and neck lesions were utilized. All patients had squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A detailed comparison with the current clinically relevant standard manual segmentation approach was performed based on 2760 segmentations produced by three experts. Results: Segmentation accuracy measured by the Dice coefficient of the proposed semiautomated and standard manual segmentation approach was 0.766 and 0.764, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.2145). However, the intra- and interoperator standard deviations were significantly lower for the semiautomated method. In addition, the proposed method was found to be significantly faster and resulted in significantly higher intra- and interoperator segmentation agreement when compared to the manual segmentation approach. Conclusions: Lack of consistency in tumor definition is a critical barrier for radiation treatment targeting as well as for response assessment in clinical trials and in clinical oncology decision-making. The properties of the authors approach make it well suited for applications in image-guided radiation oncology, response assessment, or treatment outcome prediction.
Abstract B103: Transparent tumor tomography (T3): Spatial 3D mapping of immune responses in a whole tumor after immunotherapy

This research seeks to develop an imaging technique for 3D mapping of immune contexts within a tumor. Capability to determine location, density, and functional orientation of the different immune cell populations within a whole tumor would be a powerful tool to examine crosstalk between a tumor microenvironment and immune system but also to advance development of effective cancer immunotherapy strategies. Although immunofluorescence staining has long been used in cancer immunology, the conventional immunofluorescence method is restricted to the localization of targeted antigens in limited two-dimensional (2D) tumor sections or small tumor volumes. Thus, 2D immunofluorescence cannot provide integrated spatial information about the immune cell distributions or other features of tumor tissue, leaving room to misinterpret the extent or significance of responses to therapy or downstream effects. To overcome these challenges, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) immunofluorescence tomography approach to map whole tumors at single cell resolution. Thus, we optimized optical clearing of tumor macroslices, increased penetration of antibodies to permit immunofluorescence staining, applied multicolor 3D microscopy imaging, enabled tomographic reconstruction of the images, and implemented automated image analysis. This approach allows us to spatially and quantitatively determine the distribution of tumor-infiltrating T cells (CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) T cells) in whole mouse mammary (TUBO) tumors. To demonstrate utility in evaluating immune responses, we performed intratumoral injection of the STING agonist DMXAA and evaluated anti-tumor immune responses in the whole tumor, including detecting damage to the microvasculature using the CD31 endothelial marker and increase in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Our results establish a new method, Transparent Tumor Tomography (T3), that provides integrated spatial information regarding immune contexts in whole tumors as a new tool for cancer immunotherapy research. Citation Format: Steve Seung-Young Lee, Vytas Bindokas, Stephen J. Kron. Transparent tumor tomography (T3): Spatial 3D mapping of immune responses in a whole tumor after immunotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B103.
Abstract A33: The association between breast cancer treatment decisions, fertility and emotional well-being among premenopausal women: An original data collection

Women in their reproductive years, ages 14 through 44, account for 15% of all breast cancer cases in the United States (Tomao et al, 2010). The 5-year survival rate for women diagnosed during these years is on average 85% (“Cancer Survival by Age”, 2014). Breast cancer treatment often leads to infertility (Tomao et al, 2010). Therefore, many survivors will become infertile without reaching their desired family size. Unfortunately, prior studies reveal low patient awareness of the infertility risks associated with cancer treatment until after they have completed treatment (Crawshaw et al, 2009). This suggests a potential decrease in quality of life once they enter remission. This paper outlines the process of developing a survey for original data collection among women in Pennsylvania who are registered as breast cancer survivors and who were diagnosed during their reproductive years. The central focus of the study is whether breast cancer treatment and remission is associated with a change in family size expectations among pre-menopausal women and if this is associated with the information a woman receives before she begins treatment. Additionally, we will be asking if the change in family size expectations pre and post-treatment are associated with feelings of regret, satisfaction or depression. Questions are taken largely from surveys focused on medical decision making. An original conceptual model is developed. Citation Format: Angela Gale Campbell, Marianne Hillemeier, Roger Anderson. The association between breast cancer treatment decisions, fertility and emotional well-being among premenopausal women: An original data collection. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A33.
A Method for Establishing Correspondences Between Hand-Drawn and Sensor-Generated Maps

Maps, and specifically floor plans, are useful for planning a variety of tasks from arranging furniture to designating conceptual or functional spaces (e.g., kitchen, walkway). However, maps generated directly from robot sensor data can be hard to interpret and use for this purpose, especially for individuals who are not used to them, because of sensor and odometry measurement errors and the probabilistic nature of the mapping algorithms themselves. In this paper, we present an algorithm for quickly laying a floor plan (or other conceptual map) onto a map generated from sensor data, creating a one-to-one mapping between the two This allows humans interacting with the robot to use a more readily-understandable representation of the world, while the robot itself uses the sensor-generated map.
Managing Challenging Behavior in an Inpatient Setting

This chapter offers helpful information regarding effective management of acute maladaptive behavioral sequelae of disabling injury and illness. We address behavioral aspects of and intervention strategies for focal and generalized cognitive impairment, emotional adjustment to disability in the presence or absence of pre-existing mental health history, and emotional reactions related to disability, as well as provide practical tips regarding clinical management of challenging behavior.
TICAGRELOR ADHERENCE AFTER DRUG ELUTING STENT PLACEMENT AT A LARGE ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER

Background: Dual anti-platelet therapy after placement of DES is indicated for one year to prevent stent thrombosis. The prevalence of premature ticagrelor discontinuation is not fully understood. Methods: All patients receiving DES from January 2012 – June 2016 at Parkland Hospital were included
Adopting the competing values framework as a taxonomy of organizational climates: A meta-analysis

Though facet-specific climate research has surged in recent decades, the predominant focus on relatively narrow content domains (e.g., safety, customer service) has made it increasingly difficult t...