cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Development of a Modular 3D Bioprinter for Research in Biomedical Device Fabrication

Biomanufacturing research involving solid freeform fabrication techniques has become fairly widespread in recent times. The layer-by-layer building concept provides an opportunity towards the development of a modular 3D printer to broaden the scope of biomanufacturing research. This research discusses the features of a Custom Multi-Modality 3D Bioprinter (CMMB) developed in the MARS lab at the University of Texas at Arlington (http://mars.uta.edu/). The CMMB currently includes a number of printing modules; two Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), one Photo Polymerization (PP), one Viscous Extrusion (VE) and one Inkjet (IJ). The development of the custom bioprinter and each module are discussed; focusing on the advantages of a modular design, and on the unique features present in each individual module. Select constructs fabricated using individual or a combination of modules are presented and discussed. Design of Experiments (DOE) principles employing statistical software were used to characterize the CMMB; interactions between fabrication process parameters and their effect on deposited strand characteristics were analyzed. These results were employed to improve the quality of subsequently fabricated constructs. Initial experiments and fabricated constructs demonstrate that the custom bioprinter is a novel CAD-CAM biomanufacturing platform for research in methodologies, materials and processes for the fabrication of biomedical devices.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Method for Measuring Viscosity of Metallic Glass-forming Liquid

A method,covering slag technology combining rotating cylinder method,was proposed for measuring the viscosity of metallic glass-forming liquid,and the viscosity of molten Zr50Cu50 alloy was measured.The results show that,between the temperature range from 1373 K to 1233 K,the viscosity of the molten alloy increases exponentially with the decrease of temperature,which accords with Arrhenius formula well.However,when the temperature is lower than 1233 K,the viscosity value sharply increases,and the viscosity value reaches 2.415 Pa·s at the liquidus temperature,which obviously does not accord with Arrhenius formula.The viscosity of Zr50Cu50 alloy melt is three orders of magnitude higher than that of some other alloys.The analysis indicates that the higher viscosity is beneficial for improving the glass forming ability.
Caring, Tact and Tone

Throughout my experiences as a learner and a teacher, I developed a philosophical orientation that took into account the importance of extraordinary teaching and learning and how that occurs. My sentiments in that regard were strong, but I kept them to myself.
Conflicting Claims and Monetary Policy Rules: A Theoretical View

As noted in Chapter 2, the argument for ‘non-activist’ monetary policy rules is in large part based on the proposition that there is no long-run tradeoff between inflation and unemployment (Friedman, 1968). Rational expectations have been further taken to imply that, in a classical model where markets are continuously cleared by price changes (that is, with no long-term contracts or coordination failures which cause agents to be quantity constrained), there will be no exploitable tradeoff even in the short run (Sargent and Wallace, 1975). Here, systematic policy is anticipated by economic agents and – with the help of the Walrasian auctioneer – effectively neutralized, leaving unemployment unchanged at the ‘natural rate’.
The role of incentives on preference revelations in auctions versus rankings

Abstract The literature carries an extensive account of discrepancies in preference parameter estimates across different value elicitation methods. This study provides a detailed analysis of the effect of incentive compatibility on discrepancies in reported preferences. Specifically, we construct several partial ranking models (for best and worst alternatives) and conduct various statistical tests to determine where, how, and why discrepancies occur between an incentive compatible auction and a non-incentive compatible ranking task. While most previous comparisons were done using consumer valuation, this study uses preference orderings to provide a more robust comparison. For this purpose, the bids reported under the auction exercise were recoded as implied ranks. Our results highlight the importance of different incentive structures on the way people report their preferences in the presence and absence of incentive compatibility. In general, individuals were following different behavioral rules to evaluate the alternatives under the two elicitation mechanisms. However, preference parameter estimates for the best and worst alternatives seem to be more immune, although for different reasons, to the effect of different incentive structures than for middle ranked alternatives. This suggests that incentive compatibility and incentive structure should not be ignored when the analysis of preferences over the middle ranked alternatives is desired.
A Taxonomy of Instructional Learning Opportunities in Teachers' Workgroup Conversations.

Many school-improvement efforts include time for teacher collaboration, with the assumption that teachers’ collective work supports instructional improvement. However, not all collaboration equally supports learning that would support improvement. As a part of a 5-year study in two urban school districts, we collected video records of more than 100 mathematics teacher workgroup meetings in 16 different middle schools, selected as “best cases” of teacher collaboration. Building off of earlier discursive analyses of teachers’ collegial learning, we developed a taxonomy to describe how conversational processes differentially support teachers’ professional learning. We used the taxonomy to code our corpus, with each category signaling different learning opportunities. In this article, we present the taxonomy, illustrate the categories, and report the overall dearth of meetings with rich learning opportunities, even in this purposively sampled data set. This taxonomy provides a coding scheme for other research...
Overpressure blast injury-induced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation response in rat frontal cortex and cerebellum

Abstract Background & aim Overpressure blast-wave induced brain injury (OBI) and its long-term neurological outcome pose significant concerns for military personnel. Our aim is to investigate the mechanism of injury due to OBI. Methods Rats were divided into 3 groups: (1) Control, (2) OBI (exposed 30 psi peak pressure, 2–2.5 ms), (3) Repeated OBI (r-OBI) (three exposures over one-week period). Lung and brain (cortex and cerebellum) tissues were collected at 24 h post injury. Results The neurological examination score was worse in OBI and r-OBI (4.2 ± 0.6 and 3.7 ± 0.5, respectively) versus controls (0.7 ± 0.2). A significant positive correlation between lung and brain edema was found. Malondialdehyde (index for lipid peroxidation), significantly increased in OBI and r-OBI groups in cortex (p Conclusion OBI triggers both inflammation and oxidative injury in the brain. This data in conjunction with our previous observations suggests that OBI triggers a cascade of events beginning with impaired cerebral vascular function leading to ischemia and chronic neurological consequences.
The Political Origins of Racial Inequality

Policy feedback theory argues that public policies shape mass political behavior by teaching citizens about their relationship to government. I reevaluate this argument by examining how criminal ju...
Room Temperature Sensing of Magnetic Fields Using Magnetoelectric Thin Films

We present the design, characterization, and fabrication of a sensing device for measuring low-frequency ac magnetic field variations using a single-phase magnetoelectric (ME) thin film. This ME device is fabricated using SrCo 2 Ti 2 Fe 8 O 19 and deposited on a 500-nm-thick Indium Tin Oxide layer. The ME film is then deposited on a silicon substrate using a pulsed laser deposition technique. The device size (volume) is 0.02 cm 3 , and its overall power consumption is 14 μW. We also show that this sensing device can be used to detect low ac and dc magnetic fields. In this experiment, we employ a modified Wheatstone bridge circuit as an alternative approach to detect the change in capacitance of the ME film when an external field H ext is applied. The circuit uses a combination of an ac input source and a variable capacitor to balance the bridge when the external field is zero. The experimental results demonstrate that the ME device can detect both ac and dc magnetic fields (up to 0.3 T) and is particularly sensitive for ac field sensing. Since the ME device employs a single-phase material, it is not only relatively simple to fabricate but also capable of operating at very low voltages and, therefore, suited for planar integration and compatibility with other integrated circuits.
Figure-ground organization in the visual cortex: does meaning matter?

A long-standing question is whether low-level sensory representations in cortex are influenced by cognitive “top-down” signals. We studied figure-ground organization in the visual cortex by compari...
Role of the SHP2 Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase in Cardiac Metabolism

The heart relies heavily on oxidation and requires an integrally responsive metabolic function to maintain cardiac homeostasis. There is increasing evidence that it is this loss of metabolic flexibility that ultimately leads to cardiac dysfunction in disease conditions such as diabetes, ischemic heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and heart failure.
Characterization and eschatological realism from Dante to Petrarch

This article considers the characterization of blessed souls in Dante’s Commedia (1307–21) and Petrarch’s Canzoniere (c. 1356–74) and Triumphi (c. 1352–74). It argues that eschatological realism – ...
Using Pinterest to Improve the Big Data User Experience - A Comparative Analysis in Healthcare

Technology has improved rapidly since cloud computing and Big Data was first designed. However, research has found the user experience in the information retrieval process to be lacking. To this end, we carried out a comparative study of a single portal design versus existing data search tools to determine if it could potentially increase knowledge gathered from Big Data using healthcare to illustrate our example. Comparisons of user experiences of search results against other Big Data sources such as Google, WebMD and the CDC showed that customizing Pinterest to provide a single portal for search results lead to improvements for the users’ knowledge and experience, concerning their healthcare issues.
Exchange and correlation in finite-temperature TDDFT

We discuss the finite-temperature generalization of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The theory is directly analogous to that at temperature T = 0. For example, the finite-T TDDFT exchange-correlation kernel fxc(T, n) in the local density approximation can again be expressed as a density derivative of the exchange correlation potential fxc(T, n) = [∂vxc(T, n)∕∂n]δ(r − r′), where n = N∕V is the electron number density. An approximation for the kernel fxc(T, n) is obtained from the finite-T generalization of the retarded cumulant expansion applied to the homogeneous electron gas. Results for fxc and the loss function are presented for a wide range of temperatures and densities including the warm dense matter regime, where T ≈ TF, the electron degeneracy temperature. The theory also permits a physical interpretation of the exchange and correlation contributions to the theory.
Due Date-Based Metrics for Activity Importance in Stochastic Activity Networks

A metric pair for assessing the importance of activities in stochastic activity networks based on completing a project on time (or reaching other project milestones) is presented. The metric pair is recommended as a supplement to other metrics of activity importance that have been suggested for use with Monte Carlo simulation. The differences in behavior of the various metrics are analyzed to help understand the additional types of insights that would be available by including the new metrics in simulation-based analyses.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mental Distress Following the 2004 and 2005 Florida Hurricanes

ObjectiveCommunity characteristics, such as perceived collective efficacy, a measure of community strength, can affect mental health outcomes following disasters. We examined the association of perceived collective efficacy with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and frequent mental distress (14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month) following exposure to the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.MethodsParticipants were 1486 Florida Department of Health workers who completed anonymous questionnaires that were distributed electronically 9 months after the 2005 hurricane season. Participant ages ranged from 20 to 79 years (mean, 48; SD, 10.7), and the majority were female (79%), white (75%), and currently married (64%). Fifty percent had a BA/BS degree or higher.ResultsIn 2 separate logistic regression models, each adjusted for individual sociodemographics, community socioeconomic characteristics, individual injury/damage, and community storm damage, lower perceived collective efficacy was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of having PTSD (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.96), and lower collective efficacy was significantly associated with frequent mental distress (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.96).ConclusionsPrograms enhancing community collective efficacy may be a significant part of prevention practices and possibly lead to a reduction in the rate of PTSD and persistent distress postdisaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:44–52).
An Update on Non-Ischemic Priapism.

Abstract Introduction Non-ischemic or high-flow priapism is derived from unregulated arterial inflow within the penis, which is significantly less common and, therefore, less well characterized than ischemic or low-flow priapism. Aim We collected the most recent available data and summarized the findings. Methods All literature related to non-ischemic priapism from 2000–2018 from several databases was reviewed, and 105 articles, including any relevant referenced articles, were ultimately included. Main Outcome Methods We evaluated modality success rates, need for repeat procedures, and effects on erectile function. Results 237 cases of non-ischemic priapism were evaluated. Approximately 27% of patients underwent observation or medical management as the first treatment modality, whereas 73% underwent intervention without observation or medical management beforehand. Angiographic embolization with temporary agents was the most common intervention and generally resulted in both moderate resolution of non-ischemic priapism and moderate preservation of baseline erectile function. Patients who underwent embolization with permanent agents experienced higher rates of resolution, as well as lower rates of erectile dysfunction (ED). Conclusion Most of the literature is in the form of case reports and small case series, thus limiting the quality and quantity of evidence available to draw decisive conclusions. However, from the available data, it is reasonable to presume that patients can undergo a trial of conservative management, then pursue embolization first with temporary agents. The analysis of the data demonstrated ED rates were higher with temporary agents than permanent agents. The literature quotes ED rates as low as 5% when using temporary agents and 39% with permanent agents. Our results were, in fact, the opposite, with higher ED rates when using temporary agents vs permanent (17–33% vs 8–17%). Further studies are required to better characterize the success and outcomes of angioembolization. Ingram AR, Stillings SA, Jenkins LC. An Update on Non-Ischemic Priapism. Sex Med Rev 2020;8:140–149.
Academic Roles: Inventor

Urologists must balance multiple roles as part of their work. In doing so, many will identify a need for new technology or areas of improvement for existing technology. In considering the ways to address the problem, the idea for a novel device may take shape. If the physician is interested, creation of a novel device or redesigning existing technology can be intellectually stimulating, collaborative and may aid the medical community at large. During development of any device, documenting project details and progress is critical to protect one’s ideas. Prototyping is now faster and less costly than in years prior as a result of new software and fabrication technologies. In this chapter, we detail the steps to inventorship and important considerations that must be undertaken along the way.
Intervening for tricuspid regurgitation: uncertainties in a heterogeneous syndrome

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is one of the most common valvular heart lesions encountered in clinical practice. It has now been unequivocally established that the presence of worsening TR is associated with poor outcomes.1 In the past, intervention for severe TR has been infrequently performed due to the lack of prospective data supporting an improvement in outcomes as well as a high reported operative mortality (up to 8%–20%).2 This has resulted in the current practice pattern where patients with severe TR are typically managed conservatively and often referred for surgery only after the onset of diuretic refractory right heart failure and end-organ damage with renal failure and hepatic cirrhosis. However, there is now a renewed interest in the management of patients with TR due to: (1) an increasing number of patients presenting with right heart failure from TR, (2) advanced surgical techniques resulting in a lower operative risk3 with documented improvement in symptoms4 5 and (3) the development of catheter-based therapies for this valve disease. In their Heart paper, Kadri et al 6 report on the surgical experience for severe TR from the Cleveland Clinic over a 1year period from 2011 to 2012 and provide a signal that there may be a mortality benefit of operation for severe TR. A total of 534 patients were identified with severe TR and heart failure. The predominant mechanism of TR was functional, and this was reflected in a high prevalence of risk factors for secondary TR including annular dilation and atrial fibrillation (74%), a low ejection fraction or left sided valve disease (75%), significant mitral disease (70%), pulmonary hypertension (80%) or Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction (77%). Only 55 (~10%) patients …
Spontaneous superior mesenteric artery dissection following upper gastrointestinal panendoscopy: A case report and literature review

Spontaneous superior mesenteric artery dissection following upper gastrointestinal panendoscopy: A case report and literature review
Impostorism in third-year medical students: an item analysis using the Clance impostor phenomenon scale.

Impostorism, feelings of distrust in one’s abilities and accomplishments despite evidence to the contrary, is frequent in medical students and negatively affects student wellness. The aspects of impostorism that were most prevalent in medical students during the transition from the preclinical to clinical phases of their training were assessed using an anonymous, voluntary 60-item survey that included the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) and a 2-item burnout assessment administered in October-November 2018. Ratings of individual CIPS items were compared between items for the entire sample and in subpopulations of students. The correlation of individual CIPS items with CIPS total score was also determined. A total of 127 of 215 (59%) surveyed students responded, with 112 completing the CIPS with mean score of 63.0 ± 14.6 (moderate-to-frequent impostor feelings). Ratings of individual CIPS items differed significantly between items. Responses also differed depending on gender and perceived burnout or depersonalization. Third-year medical students identified most strongly with items related to unfounded fear of failure, hesitance to share recognition before it is announced, remembering failures rather than successes, believing themselves less capable than others, and worrying about succeeding. In contrast, attribution of accomplishments to luck was not prominent for these students. Responses to certain items also differed depending on gender and perceived burnout or depersonalization, but not self-reported under-represented minority status. This observation may inform the development of interventions tailored to foster wellness as students negotiate the transition from the preclinical to clinical phases of their training.
MR-u: Material Characterization Using 3D Displacement-Encoded Magnetic Resonance and the Virtual Fields Method

Experimental, fully three-dimensional mechanical characterization of opaque materials with arbitrary geometries undergoing finite deformations is generally challenging. We present a promising experimental method and processing pipeline for acquiring and processing full-field displacements and using them toward inverse characterization using the Virtual Fields Method (VFM), a combination we term MR-u. Silicone of varying crosslinker concentrations and geometries is used as the sample platform. Samples are stretched cyclically to finite deformations inside a 7T MRI machine. Synchronously, a custom MRI pulse sequence encodes the local displacement in the phase of the MR image. Numerical differentiation of phase maps yields strains. We present a custom image processing scheme for this numerical differentiation of MRI phase-fields akin to convolution kernels, as well as considerations for gradient set calibration for data fidelity. The VFM is used to successfully determine hyperelastic material properties, and we establish best practice regarding virtual field selection via equalization.
The Effect of Parameter Uncertainty on Hydropower Asset Replacement Cost Models

AbstractHydropower asset managers use whole-life cost models to better manage risk costs and asset replacement strategies for their hydroelectric powertrain and balance of plant assets. Whole-life ...
Reliability Enhancement Measures for Design and Manufacturing

New product design for reliability has undergone significant changes in the recent past. The use of computer-based analysis for electrical and mechanical designs has increased, especially with the wide use of computer-aided design (CAD). Once the geometry of the part or its electrical connectivity and components are captured in the CAD system, computers can perform the analysis function automatically, using selected software analysis packages. Previously, the mechanical or electrical elements had to be described in tabular input form to the software, making the operation tedious and error prone.
A Tribute from Legal Studies to Eve Kosoksky Sedgwick: Introduction

This collection of essays is a tribute to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. It is a very specific offering, a collective moment of gratitude for Sedgwick's life and work from legal scholars and law teachers. All of them share a yearning to expand the scope of what you might (they might not) call queer legal studies. Sedgwick's work matters to all of them, though in various ways, as a way of thinking against the grain of legal scholarship, law reform, and/or law teaching. Rethinking gender as it has become normalized in civil and human rights law (Darren Rosenblum), rethinking the range of emotion taken into account by law (Clare Huntington), facing the dark side of dignity (Katherine Franke) and of consciousness (Susan Schmeiser), and re-engaging language as a medium not for the rational exposition of decently ordered ideas but as the very body of erotic love (Philomila Tsoukala) - these short essays mark pathways into queer thought for law. I think Eve would have pitied us for how short these pathways are in legal studies generally, and would have been thrilled to see the bold adventures undertaken here.
“Hoy escribiré una carta”: The news of siege warfare in Calderón’s El sitio de Bredá

Ambrogio Spinola’s victory at the Siege of Breda (1624–1625) marked a high point in the imperial policies of Philip IV and his royal favorite, the Count-Duke of Olivares. Contemporary newsletters c...
North American Clovis Point Form and Performance II: An Experimental Assessment of Point, Haft, and Shaft Durability

This study presents the results of an experimental assessment of Clovis projectile durability, or the ability of Clovis point forms and their hafts to withstand impact damage. This work is the seco...
Low affinity integrin states have faster ligand binding kinetics than the high affinity state.

Integrin conformational ensembles contain two low-affinity states, bent-closed and extended-closed, and an active, high-affinity, extended-open state. It is widely thought that integrins must be activated before they bind ligand; however, one model holds that activation follows ligand binding. As ligand-binding kinetics are not only rate limiting for cell adhesion but also have important implications for the mechanism of activation, we measure them here for integrins α4β1 and α5β1 and show that the low-affinity states bind substantially faster than the high-affinity state. On and off-rates are similar for integrins on cell surfaces and as ectodomain fragments. Although the extended-open conformation's on-rate is ~20-fold slower, its off-rate is ~25,000-fold slower, resulting in a large affinity increase. The tighter ligand-binding pocket in the open state may slow its on-rate. Low affinity integrin states not only bind ligand more rapidly, but are also more populous on the cell surface than high affinity states. Thus, our results suggest that integrin binding to ligand may precede, rather than follow, activation by 'inside-out signaling'.
Abstract 15491: Myocardial Infarction-Induced Mobilization of Bone Marrow-Endothelial Progenitor Cells is Modulated By IL-10 Signaling and is Influenced by SDF1-CXCR4 Signaling Axis

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) transplantation has been shown to enhance neovascularization and improve myocardial infarction (MI)-induced ventricular dysfunction. However, EPC mobilization, survival and function in the injured myocardium is adversely influenced by pro-inflammatory cytokine response, thereby compromising full benefits of EPC-mediated myocardial repair. We hypothesized that modulation of IL-10 signaling in EPCs influences their mobilization, survival and function in ischemic myocardium after MI. Myocardial infarction (MI)-induced mobilization of bone marrow EPC (Sca1+Flk1+ cells) into the circulation was higher in WT-mice as compared to IL-10 KO-mice (P
Between Text and Image: The Literary Portrait

(1995). Between Text and Image: The Literary Portrait. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 10, Terms of Identity: Essays on the Theoretical Terminology of Lifewriting, pp. 50-65.
Abstract 16538: Heads or Tails?

Objective: We present the case of a 61-year-old female who presented with cardiac arrest and was diagnosed with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and anomalous right coronary artery. Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and anomalous coronary arteries are rare conditions that are frequently asymptomatic but may produce highly variable symptoms including dyspnea, chest discomfort, syncope, and ventricular arrhythmias/sudden cardiac death. Case: A 61-year-old female health insurance worker, with a history of hypertension, asthma and obesity had a witnessed cardiac arrest at work and was resuscitated and defibrillated by a colleague. She sustained a cervical spine fracture and diaphragmatic paralysis as a result, without serious anoxic brain injury or multi-organ failure. She had a history of syncope, three weeks prior, with abnormal echocardiogram showing likely HCM (ejection fraction 65%, left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, mild systolic anterior motion ...
Interactive Instrument-Driven Image Display in Laparoscopic Surgery

Abstract Background: A significant limitation of minimally invasive surgery is dependence of the entire surgical team on a single endoscopic viewpoint. An individualized, instrument-driven image display system that allows all operators to simultaneously define their viewing frame of the surgical field may be the solution. We tested the efficacy of such a system using a modified Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery™ (Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, Los Angeles, CA) bead transfer task. Materials and Methods: A program was custom-written to allow zooming and centering of the image window on specific color signals, each attached near the tip of a different laparoscopic instrument. Two controls were used for the bead transfer task: (1) a static, wide-angle view and (2) a single moving camera allowing close-up and tracking of the bead as it was transferred. Time to task completion and number of bead drops were recorded. Results: Thirty-six sessions were performed by surgical reside...
CHAPTER 18. SELECTION NETWORKS: SIMULATION OF PLASTICITY THROUGH REINFORCEMENT LEARNING

ABSTRACT Evolution through natural selection has addressed the problem of modifying synapses throughout large networks of neurons by exploiting diffusely projecting neuromodulatory systems. When pre- and postsynaptic neurons are coactive, synaptic efficacies increase or decrease dependent upon whether the neuromodulator dopamine is simultaneously present or absent. Salient characteristics of this process can be simulated with selection networks, artificial neural networks whose architecture instantiates a processing system whose connection weights are modified by a scalar reinforcing signal. This arrangement resolves both the temporal paradox and the binding paradox, twin challenges to any attempt to interpret complex behavior by means of neural networks. Further, by exploiting an emergent property of selection networks—acquired reinforcement—critical aspects of imagining, thinking, and language acquisition can also be interpreted.
Plasmid DNA–Mediated Gene Therapy

Non-viral gene delivery has earned a special position in gene therapy because of its less immunogenic and less toxic effect than the viral counter part. One of the methods is direct injection of naked DNA to the organs of interest. Plasmid DNA (pDNA) that carry recombinant genes of interest are used for introducing genes to cells and organs. Various physical methods, e.g., gene gun and electroporation, increase the efficiency of the naked DNA incorporation. Lipid-based vectors have the advantage of protecting the DNA against degradation by endogenous DNAase in vivo and can be targeted to specific cellular site in some special cases. A variety of lipid-based systems have been designed, mostly containing cationic lipids of different structures. Second-generation vectors containing polymers are more stable and more targetable than the first-generation vectors. Although significant progress has been made, non-viral vectors are still limited by their efficiency and some cytotoxicity inherited in the bacterial pDNA. Understanding mechanisms and means to overcome the cellular barriers for the DNA delivery will undoubtly promote further development of pDNA mediated gene delivery. Keywords: plasmid DNA; gene therapy; lipoplex; polyplex; lipopolyplex
Violence Against Women and Reproductive Health: Toward Defining a Role for Reproductive Health Care Services

Since a large proportion of U.S. women receive reproductive health care services each year, reproductive health care settings offer an important opportunity to reach women who may be at risk of or experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Although screening women for IPV in clinical health care settings has been endorsed by national professional associations and organizations, scientific evidence suggests that opportunities for screening in reproductive health care settings are often missed. This commentary outlines what is known about screening and intervention for IPV in clinical health care settings, and points out areas that need greater attention. The ultimate goal of these recommendations is to increase the involvement of reproductive health care services in sensitive, appropriate, and effective care for women who may be at risk of or affected by IPV.
An exploratory study of blind software developers

As a research community, we currently know very little about the challenges faced by blind software developers. Without knowing what those challenges are, the community cannot effectively address these challenges. In this paper, we describe the first exploratory empirical study, where we conducted eight interviews with blind software developers to identify aspects of software development that are a challenge. Our results suggest that visually impaired software developers face challenges, for instance, when using screen readers to look up information when writing code. We discuss a variety of implications, including that blind software developers need additional support in discovering relevant software development tools.
Some equivalencies between closed queueing networks with blocking

Abstract We obtain equivalencies between closed queueing networks with blocking with respect to buffer capacities and the number of customers in the network. These results can be used in approximations, in the buffer allocation problem as well as to explain the behavior of closed queueing networks with finite buffers.
Intrauterine progestins, progesterone antagonists, and receptor modulators: a review of gynecologic applications

Intrauterine progestins, progesterone receptor modulators, and antagonists have many important current and potential gynecologic applications. This article will describe the evidence for use of intrauterine progestin for common gynecologic conditions beyond its important role in contraception. We will review the evidence for use of intrauterine progestin delivery for menorrhagia, endometriosis management, adenomyosis treatment, uterine fibroids, endometrial hyperplasia, and its concurrent use in women on hormone replacement therapy or tamoxifen.
Gene expression screening for specific genes associated with mouse mammary tumor development

The preneoplastic hyperplastic alveolar nodule is a frequent and well-characterized precursor to mammary tumors in the mouse. Although the biological characteristics of the preneoplastic state have been understood for many years, the molecular alterations associated with preneoplasia and tumorigenicity are unknown. We applied the technique of differential display of mRNA to two closely matched cell populations of mammary preneoplasias that differed only in their tumorigenic potential. Two mRNAs were isolated that were overexpressed only in tumorigenic preneoplasias and in tumors and not in normal pregnant mammary gland or in nontumorigenic preneoplasias. Partial nucleotide sequencing indicated that one of the mRNAs had not yet been described, whereas the second mRNA was highly homologous to a relatively uncharacteristic gene termed pT-2. These results illustrate the utility of the differential display method for isolating and identifying uniquely expressed genes from tissues maintained in the microenvironment where tumors arise naturally.
Rapid purification of D-ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase by vertical sedimentation in a reoriented gradient

Abstract Using a vertical rotor, ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase has been purified by a 2-h sedimentation of crude cell-free preparations of fresh spinach, crude commercial spinach enzyme or salt-fractionated fresh barley extracts into linear 0.2–0.8 M sucrose gradients. In some cases, the barley enzyme had been previously precipitated with (NH4)2SO4. The products which are pure by the criterion of electrophoresis in gels polymerized from several concentrations of acrylamide have high specific enzyme activities. The procedure is more effective than analogous centrifugation in a fixed-angle rotor and is far superior to that in a swinging bucket rotor.
Structural and dynamical properties of transition metal clusters

Results of molecular dynamics simulation studies of structural and dynamical properties of 12-, 13-, and 14-atom transition metal clusters are presented. The calculations are carried out using a Gupta-like potential expressed in reduced units. The transformation to absolute units involves two size-dependent parameters which effectively convert the potential into a size-dependent one. The minimum energy geometries of the clusters are obtained through the technique of simulated thermal quenching. A melting-like transition is observed as the energy of the clusters is increased. A novel element of the transition is that it may involve a premelting state.
Teacher and Parent Perspectives on Selected Social Aspects of Preschool Mainstreaming.

Abstract The purpose of this two‐phase study was to compare teacher and parent perspectives on some important issues concerning preschool mainstreaming or the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped children. A questionnaire was used to gather data from preschool teachers in two types of federally funded mainstreamed preschools and from a sample of parents whose children attended mainstreamed preschools. Analyses indicated that there were no significant differences among teacher responses based on type of mainstreaming setting. There were some significant differences, however, between teacher and parent responses to questions concerning the value of preschool mainstreaming, the social interaction of the preschoolers, and parent involvement activities. Explanations of these differences are discussed together with implications for future research.
Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia exacerbated by chyle leak.

Transient hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy is not uncommon and the risk increases with the extent of neck surgery. We report a case of severe and prolonged hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy complicated by thoracic duct injury. Hypoparathyroidism and thoracic duct injury are potential complications following total thyroidectomy with extensive lymph node dissection. This case suggested that having both conditions may complicate treatment of hypoparathyroid-induced hypocalcemia by way of losses of calcium and vitamin D in the chyle leak. Learning points This report highlights chyle leak as an uncommon cause of prolonged hypocalcemia in patients who have undergone extensive neck surgery. Chyle has an electrolyte concentration similar to that of plasma. Medical treatment options for a chyle leak include fat-free oral diet or parenteral nutrition without oral intake, pharmacological treatment (primarily octreotide).
Forest exploitation in Cameroon (1884–1994): an oxymoron of top‐down and bottom‐up forest management policy approaches

Forest exploitation in Cameroon goes back to the pre‐colonial period when early ethnic settlers used the ‘law of status’ system to manage land and forests in the territory. With the arrival of colonial powers, beginning with the Germans in 1884, the law of status system was replaced by top‐down state‐centred management system. This top‐down management system was inherited by post‐colonial authorities and enforced until 1994 when a new forestry law was launched, based on bottom‐up management system. This paper reviews all these three systems. Communities are not benefiting from an actual bottom‐up management system. The author argues that the forests sector in Cameroon needs a new management paradigm.
Monoclonal antibodies as therapeutics in human malignancies

ABSTRACT: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a proven effective therapeutic modality in human malignancy. Several mAbs are approved to targets critical in aberrant oncogenic signaling within tumors and their microenvironment. These targets include secreted ligands (e.g., VEGF and HGH), their receptors (e.g., HER2 and VEGFR2), cell surface counter receptors and their receptor-bound ligands (e.g., PD1 and PD1L, respectively). The ability to genetically engineer the structure and/or functions of mAbs has significantly improved their effectiveness. Furthermore, advances in gene expression profiling, proteomics, deep sequencing and deciphering of complex signaling networks have revealed novel therapeutic targets. We review target selection, approved indications and the rationale for mAb utilization in solid and hematologic malignancies. We also discuss novel mAbs in early- and late-phase clinical trials that are likely to change the natural history of disease and improve survival. The future challenge is to des...
Kinetics and products of the OH radical-initiated reaction of 3-methyl-2-butenal

Kinetics and products of the gas-phase reaction of OH radicals with 3-methyl-2-butenal [(CH3)2CCHCHO] have been investigated at room temperature and atmospheric pressure of air. Using a relative rate method with methacrolein as the reference compound, a rate constant for the reaction of OH radicals with 3-methyl-2-butenal of (6.21 ± 0.18) × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 296 ± 2 K was measured, where the indicated error does not include the uncertainty in the rate constant for the methacrolein reference compound. Products of this reaction were investigated using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers coated with O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine for on-fiber derivatization of carbonyl compounds, with subsequent thermal desorption and analysis by gas chromatography. The products observed and the molar formation yields were: glyoxal, 40 ± 3%; acetone, 74 ± 6%; 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanal, 4.6 ± 0.7%; CO2, 39% initially, decreasing to 30% at greater extents of reaction; peroxyacyl nitrate(s) [RC(O)OONO2], 5–8%, increasing with the extent of reaction and with the sum of the CO2 and RC(O)OONO2 yields being 38 ± 6%; and organic nitrates [RONO2], 8.5 ± 2.3%. The formation of these products is readily explained by a reaction mechanism based on those previously formulated for the corresponding reactions of the α,β-unsaturated aldehydes acrolein, crotonaldehyde and methacrolein. Based on the mechanism proposed, at room temperature H-atom abstraction from the CHO group accounts for 40 ± 6% of the overall reaction, and OH radical addition to the carbon atoms of the CC bond accounts for 53 ± 4% of the overall reaction. Hence 93 ± 8% of the reaction products and pathways are accounted for.
Acute effect of human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)on 17α-hydroxylase and C17,20-lyase activity in neonatal or prepubertal rat testis

Abstract In contrast to the situation in adults, densensitization of androgen production, secondary to loss of enzyme activity, was not found in testes of neonatal rats exposed to human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). In the present study attention was given to the acute effects of a single injection of hCG upon the activity of testicular 17α-hydroxylase, C 17,20 -lyase and the concentration of testosterone in the serum of 5, 10 or 28–30 day old rats was investigated. Tritiated H 2 O from 17α-[ 3 H]progesterone and 14 CH 3 COOH from 21-[ 14 C]progesterone were the products measured to evaluate hydroxylase and lyase activities respectively. Large increases in hCG in the serum were detected within 2 h of a subcutaneous injection. Testosterone, which was highest in 5 day animals, increased quickly in all animals given hCG. In 28–30-day old animals, the concentration of this steroid began to fall 24 h after injection ofhCG. 17α-Hydroxylase activity decreased in the testes of all animals given hCG, but only after a brief increase. Activity returned to the starting level, or above, within 24 h in 5 or 10-day old animals. In 28–30-day old rats the activity of both enzymes decreased dramatically to a nadir at 24 h, but increased thereafter. The results indicate that desensitization of testicular androgen synthesizing enzymes occurs in neonatal as well as older testes stimulated with hCG, but the desensitization was very brief in neonatal animals and no desensitization of lyase was found in 5-day old rat testes.
Cigarette smoke aggravates acid-induced duodenal mucosal injury in the rat. Role of mesenteric vasoconstriction.

Zhang XY, Leung FW. Cigarette smoke aggravates acid-induced duodenal mucosal injury in the rat. Role of mesenteric vasoconstriction. Scand J Gastroenterol 1994; 29: 214-218.In anesthetized rats we tested the hypothesis that cigarette smoke potentiates acid-induced duodenal mucosal injury by inducing mesenteric vasoconstriction. Rats inhaled room air or 6 or 12 ml/min cigarette smoke. Study 1: 0.1 N HCl-induced duodenal mucosal injury and H+ loss were assessed by histologic evaluation and titration, respectively. Study 2: Superior mesenteric artery blood flow was assessed by pulsed Doppler flowmetry before and during inhalation of cigarette smoke or room air. Twelve milliliter per minute of cigarette smoke aggravated 0.1 N HCl-induced duodenal mucosal injury by significantly increasing the number of villi with deep villous damage. The increased damage was associated with significantly greater loss of H+ from the duodenal lumen. Cigarette smoke produced a dose-related reduction in mesenteric blood flow. We ...
HAIR GROWTH INHIBITION BY HEPARIN IN MICE : A MODEL SYSTEM FOR STUDYING THE MODULATION OF EPITHELIAL CELL GROWTH BY GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS ?

Summary Although it is known that glycosaminoglycans (GAG) can affect hair growth, their role in follicular growth regulation is not yet understood. We have administered one such GAG. heparin, to anagen-induced mice to help to elucidate this role. using the C57 131-6 model for murine hair growth studies. Heparin was found to exert dose- and hair cycle-dependent, differential effects on skin epithelial cell functions. Intraperitoneal, but not topical application of heparin inhibited the development of anagen follicles in anagen-induced mice as assessed by morphometry. When the skin of heparin-treated mice was cultured in an organ culture assay. the epidermis showed a significant increase in the synthesis of arginine-rich proteins (ARP). while epithelial bulb. but not epidermal cell proliferation was reduced in comparison with control skin. In mouse-skin organ culture, the effects of direct administration of heparin to the medium on epithelial cell proliferation and ARP synthesis were dose-dependent and varied (inhibition or stimulation of either parameter). depending on the stage of the hair cycle. the cell population in question (epidermal vs. epithelial bulb keratinocytes), and the length of incubation. PAM cell and mouse dermal papilla cell proliferation in vitro was inhibited by heparin. We conclude that heparin may be a useful tool for characterizing the role of GAG in epithelial cell biology and epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in general, and in hair growth in particular.
Relationship of biological activities of poly I-poly C to homopolymer molecular weights.

RECENT studies indicate that the antiviral activity of the double strand polyribonucleotide poly I·poly C is sensitive to the size of the component homopolymers, poly I and poly C1. These studies have relied on various molecular weight approximations, for specific equations relating physical properties of poly I and poly C to molecular weight have not been available. In view of the widespread use of poly I·poly C as an experimental drug for investigation of various disease states, it seemed appropriate to develop relationships from which the molecular weights of poly I and poly C can be determined more precisely and to define the homopolymer molecular weight limits critical to the biological activity of poly I·poly C.
Optimal Throwing Motion Planning for a Biped Human Mechanism

An optimal motion planning formulation of throwing for a biped human mechanism is proposed as an extension of a previous study. The unique characteristics of the throwing task—highly redundant, highly nonlinear, and highly dynamic—are addressed in this presentation within the framework of multibody dynamics and optimization. To generate physically feasible throwing motions in a fully predictive method without input reference, rigorous dynamic models are associated with the constraints. Given the target location and the object mass, the algorithm outputs the motion, required actuator torques, release parameters, balance criterion, and ground reaction forces. Overarm and sidearm throwing motions are generated as optimal solutions, which demonstrate valid kinematic and kinetic cause-effect relations.© 2009 ASME