cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What's "left"? Hemispheric sensitivity to predictability and congruity during sentence reading by older adults.

Abstract A number of studies have found that older adults' sentence processing tends not to be characterized by the prediction-related effects attested for young adults. Here, we further probed older adults’ sensitivity to predictability and congruity by recording event-related brain potentials (ERPs) as adults over age 60 read pairs of sentences, which ended with either the expected word, an unexpected word from the same semantic category, or an unexpected word from a different category. Half of the contexts were highly constraining. Consistent with patterns attested when older adults listened to these same materials (Federmeier et al., 2002), N400s, on average, were smaller to expected than to unexpected words, but did not show constraint-related reductions for unexpected words that shared features with the most predictable completion (an effect well-attested in young adults). This pattern resembles that seen in young adults for right-hemisphere-biased processing. To assess whether older adults retain young-like hemispheric asymmetries but recruit right hemisphere mechanisms more, we examined responses to the target words using visual half-field presentation. Whereas young adults show an asymmetric pattern, with prediction-related N400 amplitude reductions for left- but not right-hemisphere-initiated processing (Federmeier and Kutas, 1999b), older adults showed no reliable processing asymmetries and no evidence for prediction with left hemisphere-initiated presentation. The results suggest that left hemisphere mechanisms important for prediction during language processing are less efficacious in older adulthood.
Optimal positioning of dynamic wireless charging infrastructure in a road network for battery electric vehicles

Abstract Dynamic wireless charging (DWC) offers a plausible solution to extending Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) driving range. DWC is costly to deploy and thus its locations need to be optimized. This raises a question often encountered in practice for infrastructure investment: how to determine the optimal locations of DWC facilities in a network. In this paper, we propose a sequential two-level planning approach considering the objectives of both the public infrastructure planning agency and the BEV users. Two different planners’ objectives namely, total system travel time and total system net energy consumption are considered. Besides these objectives, constraints such as agency budget, range reassurance, and equity in resource distribution are also addressed at the planner’s level. For each objective, BEV drivers respond by choosing their preferred route based on the location of DWC facilities implemented by the planner. An effective solution algorithm is utilized that has the capability of solving relatively large-scale real-world networks within a reasonable computational time. The numerical experiment and case study results provide useful insights on optimally positioning DWC infrastructure to minimize societal cost and energy.
Pearls for Preventing Litigation

With the outsize cost malpractice litigation exacts upon the US healthcare system, familiarity with several basic principles may go a long way in protecting both the physician and the patient. Evolving technologies and innovative training strategies have reshaped the field of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery over the past three decades. This changing environment virtually guarantees that issues which may have not been brought up in prior proceedings may be raised in the future, including issues related to electronic medical records and a failure to consider narcotic alternatives in perioperative analgesia. This chapter explores several “pearls” which may form a foundation for the individual otolaryngologist to (1) better understand their role in assuming medicolegal risks and (2) minimize adverse events. A multipronged approach to providing adequate informed consent is outlined here, as well as literature demonstrating the importance of a healthy patient-physician relationship in the decision of whether to pursue litigation following a complication. The significance of appropriate documentation in the age of electronic medical records as well as familiarity with medication-to-medication interactions is also detailed.
Demographic Disparities Using Ranked-Choice Voting? Ranking Difficulty, Under-Voting, and the 2020 Democratic Primary

Ranked choice voting (RCV) has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more jurisdictions in the US adopt the voting system for local, state, and federal elections. Though previous studies have found potential benefits of RCV, some evidence suggests ranking multiple candidates instead of choosing one most preferred candidate may be difficult, with potential demographic disparities linked to age, gender, or racial or ethnic identity. Further, these difficulties have been assumed to cause individuals to improperly fill out RCV ballots, such as ranking too many or not enough candidates. This study seeks to answer three interrelated questions: 1) Which demographic groups find it difficult to rank candidates in RCV elections? 2) Who is more likely to cast under-voted ballots (not ranking all candidates)? 3) Is there a relationship between finding RCV voting difficult and the likelihood of casting an under-voted ballot? Using unique national survey data of 2020 Democratic primary candidate preferences, the results indicate most respondents find ranking candidates easy, but older, less interested, and more ideologically conservative individuals find it more difficult. In a hypothetical ranking of primary candidates, 12% of respondents under-voted (did not rank all options). Despite their perceived increased difficulty, older individuals were less likely to under-vote their ballot. No other demographic groups consistently experienced systematic differences in ranking difficulty or under-voting across a series of model specifications. These findings support previous evidence of older voters having increased difficulty, but challenge research assuming difficulty leads to under-voting, and that racial and ethnic groups are disadvantaged by RCV.
Practice Patterns and Real-Life Outcomes for Patients with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia in the United States.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is associated with a favorable long-term prognosis if appropriate treatment is initiated promptly. Outcomes in clinical trials and population-based registries vary; potential explanations include a delay in treatment and lower adherence to guideline-recommended therapy in real-world practice. We used the Vizient Clinical Data Base (CDB) to describe demographics, baseline clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns in newly diagnosed APL patients during the study period of April 2017 - March 2020. Baseline white blood cell count (WBC) was used to assign risk status and assess treatment concordance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Logistic regression models examined adjusted associations between patient, hospital, disease characteristics, and adverse outcomes (in-hospital death or discharge to hospice). Among 1,464 APL patients, 205 (14.0%) experienced an adverse outcome. A substantial subset (20.6%) of patients did not receive guideline-concordant regimens. Odds of adverse outcomes increased with failure to receive guideline-concordant treatment (OR: 2.31 [95% CI: 1.43 - 3.75]; p=0.001), high-risk disease (OR: 2.48 [1.53 - 4.00]; p 200 AML patients/year; p=0.046). In conclusion, in this large database analysis, 14.0% of newly diagnosed APL patients died or were discharged to hospice. A substantial proportion of patients did not receive guideline-concordant therapy, potentially contributing to adverse outcomes.
Performance estimation of molecular crossbar architecture considering capacitive and inductive coupling between interconnects

Scaling silicon MOSFETs beyond the 10 nm regime has posed challenges to device and circuit engineers. Research has begun in the earnest to find possible replacements for silicon. Molecular devices are being extensively studied and their electrical characteristics are being measured. Crossbar architecture in such nanoscale devices has lately gained tremendous popularity. This paper examines the issue of interconnect parasitics in such molecular crossbar architectures.
Characterizing Kripke structures in temporal logic

Abstract : The question of whether branching-time temporal logic or linear-time temporal logic is best for reasoning about concurrent programs is one of the most controversial issues in logics of programs. Concurrent programs are usually modelled by labelled state-transition graphs in which some state is designated as the initial state. For historical reasons such graphs are called Kripke structures. In linear temporal logic operators are provided for describing events along a single time path (i.e., along a single path in a Kripke structure). In a branching-time logic the temporal operators quantify over the futures that are possible from a given state (i.e., over the possible paths that lead from a state). It is well known that the two types of temporal logic have different expressive powers. Linear temporal logic, for example, can express certain fairness properties that cannot be expressed in branching-time temporal logic. On the other hand, certain practical decision problems like model checking are easier for branching-time temporal logic than for linear temporal logic. This paper provides further insight on which type of logic is best. It is shown that if two finite Kripke structures can be distinguished by some formula that contains both branching-time and linear-time operators, then the structures can be distinguished by a formula that contains only branching time operators. Specifically, we show that if two finite Kripke structures can be distinguished by some formula of the logic CTL (i.e., if there is some CTL formula that is true in one but not in the other), then they can be distinguished by some formula of the logic CTL.
The Iowa communications network

Abstract The Iowa communications network is a statewide fiber backbone, designed primarily for distance education. The network also handles long-distance telephone traffic for state government, and administrative meetings are conducted using the network’s two-way full-motion video capabilities. State law prohibits the use by private parties, but some private users have been able to have access by partnering with educational institutions. Those institutions can reserve the use of the network without justifying the purpose or explaining the nature of the use. As one might expect, Iowa private telephone companies are extremely frustrated with the situation.
Developing cognitive models for social simulation from survey data

The representation of human behavior and cognition continues to challenge the modeling and simulation community. The use of survey and polling instruments to inform belief states, issue stances and action choice models provides a compelling means of developing models and simulations with empirical data. Using these types of data to population social simulations can greatly enhance the feasibility of validation efforts, the reusability of social and behavioral modeling frameworks, and the testable reliability of simulations. We provide a case study demonstrating these effects, document the use of survey data to develop cognitive models, and suggest future paths forward for social and behavioral modeling.
Temporal variation in viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus antibodies in freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) indicates cyclic transmission in Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is an emerging pathogen that causes mass mortality in multiple fish species. In 2007, the Great Lakes freshwater strain, type IVb, caused a large die-off of freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) in Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA. To evaluate the persistence and transmission of VHSV, freshwater drum from Lake Winnebago were tested for antibodies to the virus using recently developed virus neutralization (VN) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assays. Samples were also tested by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) to detect viral RNA. Of 548 serum samples tested, 44 (8.03%) were positive by VN (titers ranging from 1:16 to 1:1,024) and 45 (8.21%) were positive by ELISA, including 7 fish positive by both assays. Antibody prevalence increased with age and was higher in one northwestern area of Lake Winnebago than in other areas. Of 3,864 tissues sampled from 551 fish, 1 spleen and 1 kidney sample from a single adult female fish collected in the spring of 2012 tested positive for VHSV by rRT-PCR, and serum from the same fish tested positive by VN and ELISA. These results suggest that VHSV persists and viral transmission may be active in Lake Winnebago even in years following outbreaks and that wild fish may survive VHSV infection and maintain detectable antibody titers while harboring viral RNA. Influxes of immunologically naive juvenile fish through recruitment may reduce herd immunity, allow VHSV to persist, and drive superannual cycles of transmission that may sporadically manifest as fish kills.
Risk-Based Decision Support of Water Resource Management Alternatives

Enhancing public welfare through the deliberate management of water resources is vital for every society. Pollution, overuse, and consumption challenge a society's ability to develop and sustain water supplies for municipal, agricultural, industrial, and recreational use while protecting fisheries and wetlands. Water resource management decisions are complex and involve risk. This paper identifies a risk taxonomy to help managers identify where those risks are and their severity. It is presented in the context of the Susquehanna River Basin that spans three states in the United States, with management interests at the state, regional, and national levels.
Krawtchouk Polynomials and Krawtchouk Matrices

Krawtchouk matrices have as entries values of the Krawtchouk polynomials for nonnegative integer arguments. We show how they arise as condensed Sylvester-Hadamard matrices via a binary shuffling function. The underlying symmetric tensor algebra is then presented.
Supporting application-tailored grid file system sessions with WSRF-based services

This paper presents novel service-based grid data management middleware that leverages standards defined by WSRF specifications to create and manage dynamic grid file system sessions. A unique aspect of the service is that the sessions it creates can be customized to address application data transfer needs. Application-tailored configurations enable selection of both performance-related features (block-based partial file transfers and/or whole-file transfers, cache parameters and consistency models) and reliability features (file system copy-on-write checkpointing to aid recovery of client-side failures; replication, autonomous failure detection and data access redirection for server-side failures). These enhancements, in addition to cross-domain user identity mapping and encrypted communication, are implemented via user level proxies managed by the service, requiring no changes to existing kernels. Sessions established using the service is mounted as distributed file systems and can be used transparently by unmodified binary applications. The paper analyzes the use of the service to support virtual machine based grid systems and workflow execution, and also reports on the performance and reliability of service managed wide-area file system sessions with experiments based on scientific applications (NanoMOS/Matlab, CHID, GAUSS and SPECseis).
Issues in the treatment of compulsive hoarding

Compulsive hoarding is a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that has received very little attention in the research literature. This paper presents a brief review of existing research on this topic and an overview of a recently developed cognitive behavioral model of compulsive hoarding. Our attempts to develop a treatment program for compulsive hoarding are described, and issues of importance in the treatment of hoarding are discussed.
The effects of sex and neonatal androgenization on thymidine kinase activity and DNA content in the cerebellum of the rat

Abstract The effects of neonatally administered testosterone propionate (TP) were determined on the activity of thymidine kinase and on the content of DNA in the cerebellum of the rat during early postnatal development. Forty-eight hiours after birth, female and male pups were injected s.c. with either 1.5 mg TP or an equivalent volume of vehicle. Cerebellar thymidine kinase activity and DNA content were measured at 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18 and 21 days of age. A sexual dimorphism in thymidine kinase activity was found for control rats between 6 and 18 days of age, i.e. the activity of the enzyme was significantly higher in the cerebellum of the female controls. The activity of thymidine kinase in the cerebellum of TP-treated male rats was significantly greater than that of the male controls between 4 and 21 days of age. The activity of thymidine kinase in the cerebellum of TP-treated female pups was significantly lower than that of the female controls between 6 and 12 days of age. Enzyme activity at age 15 days was the same for TP-treated and control female rats. However, thymidine kinase activity in the cerebellum at TP-treated female ratswas significantly increased above that of the controls at 18 and 21 days of age. Thus, the response of the enzyme following the injection of TP 48 h after birth was sex-dependent between 4 and 15 days of age. Alterations in cerebellar DNA content in the TP-treated male and female rats closely paralleled the changes described for thymidine kinase. These data suggest sex-dependent transactions between the animal and the injection of TP as well as androgen-dependent relationships between thymidine kinase and DNA synthesis in the cerebellum. Significant changes in the Michaelis-Menten constant with increasing age also suggest that the developing cerebellum contains more than one form of the enzyme.
2-Keto-3-deoxy-octonate, a constituent of cell wall lipopolysaccharide preparations obtained from Escherichiacoli

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present evidence for the occurrence of a 2-keto-3-deoxy-onic acid (Compound I) as a glycosidically bound constituent in preparations of cell wall lipopolysaccharide (LPS) obtained from Escherichia coli 0111-B4 and from a mutant of this organism, E . coli J-5 ( Heath and Elbein, 1962 ). Based on results obtained by specific colorimetric techniques, chromatography, and chemical degradation studies, Compound I is indistinguishable from 2-keto-3-deoxy-octonate (KDO). Levin and Racker (1959) purified an enzyme (2-keto-3-deoxy-phospho-octonate synthetase) from extracts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa which catalyzed the following reaction: D-arabinose-5-P + PEP → KDO-8-P + Pi. Compound I appears to be identical to the dephosphorylated product of KDO-8-P obtained by Levin and Racker.
Microfabrication of Bubbular Cavities in PDMS for Cell Sorting and Microcell Culture Applications

We describe a novel technique, low surface energy Gas Expansion Molding (GEM), to fabricate microbubble arrays in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) which are incorporated into parallel plate flow chambers and tested in cell sorting and microcell culture applications. This architecture confers several operational advantages that distinguish this technology approach from currently used methods. Herein we describe the GEM process and the parameters that are used to control microbubble formation and a Vacuum-Assisted Coating (VAC) process developed to selectively and spatially alter the PDMS surface chemistry in the wells and on the microchannel surface. We describe results from microflow image visualization studies conducted to investigate fluid streams above and within microbubble wells and conclude with a discussion of cell culture studies in PDMS.
Geometrical Parameters in Composite Repair

This paper presents a systematic investigation of the geometrical effects on composite repair. Although fiber geometry, matrix property, adhesive bonding, and reinforcing patch are important parameters in composite repair, the bond line geometry is the primary concern in this study. Various bond line configurations are investigated. The experimental results can be used for optimizing the composite repair design.
Application of a conditional digital erosion operator in automated segmentation of the anatomy in MR images of the lower spine

In binary image processing digital erosion has been used successfully for the removal of small sporadic elements from images at the sacrifice of losing edge detail in objects of interest. Typically an erosion operation is followed by a dilation process generating the familiar opening operation. This step which attempts to restore the original edge information works well in many applications where the edge detail of the original object is unimportant. In this paper a conditional digital erosion operation designed specifically for the processing of inherently noisy magnetic resonance (MR) images of the lower spine is presented. This operation in essence preforms a test for the removal of entire objects prior to the erosion. The method was applied to edge enhanced images and resulted in the elimination of edges of insufficient span regardless of their thickness or absolute length. The developed method has proven useful for the removal of sporadic noise and the retention of small anatomic edge boundaries in edge enhanced MR images of the lower spine. The results of images processed with the operator favorably compare with those obtained from morphological (Minkowski) open and close operations.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A study of fairness among heterogeneous TCP variants over 10 Gbps high-speed optical networks

Several high-speed TCP variants are adopted by end users and therefore, heterogeneous congestion control has become the characteristic of newly emerging high-speed optical networks. In contrast to homogeneous TCP flows, fairness among heterogeneous TCP flows now depends on router parameters such as queue management scheme and buffer size. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of fairness performance among heterogeneous TCP variants over a 10 Gbps high-speed optical network environment. Our evaluation scenarios for heterogeneous TCP flows consist of TCP variants with substantial presence in current Internet; therefore, TCP-SACK, CUBIC TCP (CUBIC) and HighSpeed TCP (HSTCP) compete for bottleneck bandwidth. Experimental results for fairness are presented for different queue management schemes, such as Drop-tail, Random Early Detection (RED), CHOose and Keep for responsive flows CHOose and Kill for unresponsive flows (CHOKe), and Approximate Fair Dropping (AFD), with varying degree of buffer sizes. We observe heterogeneous TCP flows induce more unfairness than homogeneous ones. Active queue management (AQM) schemes, RED, CHOKe, and AFD, improve fairness for large buffer sizes as compared to Drop-tail, whereas AQM schemes lose the fairness advantage for small buffer sizes. This study provides preliminary results for fairness challenges to deploy all-optical routers with limited buffer size.
Estimating the amenity value of rainfall

The amenity value of two measures of rainfall are investigated in this study: long term average annual rainfall and the variation in rainfall within the year. Estimates of the economic value of rainfall and variation in rainfall are found using the hedonic property value technique. The results indicate that rainfall is an attribute for which the distribution as well as the average annual level is important. Home buyers prefer less annual rainfall, but, holding annual rainfall constant, buyers will also pay more for greater seasonal variation in rainfall.
A graph‐theoretic definition of a sociometric clique†

The intent of this paper is to provide a definition of a socioraetric clique in the language of graph theory. This problem is viewed from two perspectives: maintaining fidelity to the intuitive notion of a clique; and providing adequate computational mechanics for large bodies of data. Luce's (1950) concept of an n‐clique is used, but further qualifications are added. Two statistics or measures with associated probability distributions are defined for testing the adequacy of a subgraph which qualifies according to the definition.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in plasma increases after hip surgery.

Abstract Study objective To determine whether the plasma concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is elevated after a common surgical procedure, and if any increase is followed by a reduction in the amount of infused crystalloid fluid in the blood. Design Nonrandomized study. Experimental group age-matched to control group. Setting Operating room of a large medical research center. Patients 10 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients, aged 51 to 94 years, scheduled for hip surgery; and 10 ASA physical status I and II volunteers, aged 53 to 71 years, comprising a control group. Interventions Patients and control subjects were given an intravenous volume load of Ringer's acetate solution (12.5 mL/kg for 30 min). Measurements The plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-8 (inflammatory parameters used as biochemical evidence of trauma), and VEGF were measured in patients the morning after the day of the surgery. The area under the curve (AUC) for the plasma dilution was calculated in response to the intravenous fluid. Main results VEGF concentration was tripled in the hip group (100.7 ± 18.5 pg/L vs . 31.9 ± 7.2 pg/L; p versus controls (4.88 vs. 2.8; p = 0.025), suggesting persistence of the infused fluid to remain in the vasculature. AUC was not highly correlated with any of the inflammatory parameters regardless of group during or after infusion. Conclusions Intravascular persistence of infused crystalloid is increased after hip surgery despite elevated VEGF levels in plasma.
The photochemistry of cyclononatetraenide and bicyclo[4,3,0]nonatriene

Cyclononatetraenide ion experiences enhanced basicity on irradiation, and the structures of photo-products of bicyclo[4,3,0]nonatriene have been determined.
709-2 Primary Angioplasty for Acute Myocardial Infarction in Elderly Thrombolytic Candidates: Is It the Best Option?

Reperfusion therapy has been expanded to include elderly pts (EL), and primary angioplasty (PTCA) has been promoted as a preferable alternative to thrombolytic therapy (TT) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the elderly (EL). The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of EL and non-EL pts considered eligible to receive TI who received PTCA for AMI. Patients with cardiogenic shock, prior bypass, and reperfusion time g 12 hrs were considered ineligible for TT. Of 781 consecutively treated pts eligible for TT, 75 (9.6%) were ≥ 75 yrs, and 706 (90.4%) were l 75 yrs. EL were more likely to be women (50.7 vs 25.1%, P l 0.0001), have prior AMI (32 vs 18.1%, P l 0.01), and to have anterior infarction (64 vs 40.1%, P l 0.0001). Baseline ejection fraction and reperfusion time were similar in both groups. Outcomes are listed below. l75 years (n = 706) ≥75 years (n = 75) P Value Successful PTCA 664 (94.1%) 74 (98.1%) 0.16 Lab Death 8 (1.1%) 2 (2.7%) 0.24 Hospital Mortality 36 (5.1%) 16 (21.3%) 0.00001 Reinfarction 32 (4.6%) 7 (9.5%) 0.11 Recurrent Ischemia 19 (2.7%) 4 (5.3%) 0.40 Stroke 4 (0.6%) 4 (5.3%) 0.004 For pts l65 yrs (n = 522) compared to ≥ 65 yrs (n = 259), hospital mortality was 3.4% vs 13.1%, P l 0.0001. Conclusion Despite a high rate of successful reperfusion, PTCA in elderly TT candidates is associated with considerable mortality and morbidity. Further study is needed to establish the best option for the elderly
ISOTONIC STRENGTH AND RELATIVE ISOTONIC ENDURANCE

Summary.-No relationship was found between isotonic strength and relative isotonic endurance. Additional support was provided by the insignificant results in the analysis of the endurance performance of the three groups based on strength level. Implications for the use of relative isotonic endurance tests in future study of perseverance were discussed. The component of physical fitness known as muscular endurance has been the subject of numerous laboratory investigations. Tests of absolute and relative endurance (2, 4, 14, 15, 18) as well as repeated contractions (10, 13) have been used to measure isometric endurance. The bulk of the laboratory studies of isotonic endurance, however, have included measurement with a type of ergograph (5, 6, 7, 11, 17). The testing procedure with this apparatus has incl~lded a test of strength upon which the weight load for the endurance test was determined. The relative loading procedure for isotonic endurance has usually been based on an isometric strength test. Relationships between isometric strength and relative isotonic endurance have been defined. In light of a recent study by Carlson (3), the absolute value of such relationships is questionable. Acknowledging the observed differences between isometric and isotonic strength, the relationship between isotonic strength and relative isotonic endurance appears to be of greater importance. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between isotonic strength and relative isotonic endurance. In the ergographic studies by Clarke (5, 6, 7), a test of isometric strength was given to determine the strength of the muscle group to be tested, and the resistance used for the endurance test was a percentage of this strength. Clarke used three-eighths of the strength for the resistance in testing the endurance of the flexor muscles of the forearm and five-eighths of the strength in the studies of the flexor muscles of the arm. These percentages were selected because they induced exhaustion in a relatively short period of time. Different percentages have also been used. Walters, et al. (17) used one-third of the strength of the flexor muscles of the forearm of the preferred arm. McCraw and Burnham (12) used 50% of the isometric strength of the flexor muscles of the upper arm and extensor muscles of the forearm to test isotonic endurance of these muscle groups. Twenty-five per cent of the isometric strength of the extensor muscles of the lower leg and thigh was used by McCraw and Burnham to assess isotonic endurance of these muscle groups. Mathews and Kruse ('11) used
Use of Spin Labels and Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy to Characterize Membranes of Bovine Sperm: Effect of Butylated Hydroxytoluene and Cold Shock

Spin label probes were used in conjunction with measurements of metabolic rate and electron microscopy to characterize bovine sperm membranes. Aqueous compartments, membrane hydrocarbon zones and lipid : water interfaces were studied separately using appropriate spin labels. For sperm suspended in aqueous medium, the cold shock associated with rapid cooling from room temperature to 0/sup 0/ increased membrane permeability. This membrane damage was readily detected using spin labels but was not detected using thin section electron microscopy. This change was prevented by the addition of butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT). BHT provided partial protection against further damage caused by freezing sperm on solid CO/sub 2/. ESR techniques provide a rapid means to quantify the changes in sperm membranes occurring during the epididymal maturation of sperm and subsequent events within the female tract leading to fertilization. The technique also could be used to assess damage to sperm, ova or embryos during preparation for storage in cryoprotective diluents.
Correction: One-step growth of isoreticular luminescent metal–organic frameworks on cotton fibers

Correction for ‘One-step growth of isoreticular luminescent metal–organic frameworks on cotton fibers’ by R. R. Ozer et al., RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 15198–15204.
Nitric oxide stimulates proliferation and differentiation of fetal calvarial osteoblasts and dural cells.

BACKGROUND: Infant dura mater plays a critical role in calvarial development. This investigation examines the expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in the craniofacial skeleton and the influence of nitric oxide signaling on the growth and differentiation of fetal dural and calvarial bone cells. METHODS: Sections of fetal and adult calvaria were evaluated for endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by immunohistochemistry. Primary fetal (E18) murine dural cell and calvarial osteoblast cultures were treated with 1 microM or 10 microM DETA-NONOate, a nitric oxide donor compound, or 1 mM N-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. Controls were left untreated. Cell proliferation was measured at 48 hours, and mRNA transcripts for Runx2, alkaline phosphatase, and osteopontin were measured by reverse transcription and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction at 2 to 18 days. Experiments were performed in triplicate. RESULTS: Fetal, but not adult, dural cells express endothelial nitric oxide synthase. DETA-NONOate stimulated osteoblast mitogenesis by 16 percent (p < 0.05) but did not affect proliferation of dural cells. l-NMMA inhibited proliferation of dural cells and calvarial osteoblasts by 35 percent (p < 0.01) and 17 percent (p = 0.05), respectively. Exogenous nitric oxide increased dural cell transcription of Runx2, alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.03), and osteopontin (p = 0.09) and calvarial osteoblast transcription of Runx2 (p = 0.02) and osteopontin (p < 0.01). Fetal calvarial osteoblasts and dural cells treated with l-NMMA demonstrated reduced transcription of Runx2 and alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fetal dural cells and calvarial osteoblasts express endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Nitric oxide enhances proliferation and differentiation of fetal dural cells and calvarial osteoblasts. These results suggest that endothelial nitric oxide synthase-derived nitric oxide may play an important role in development of the fetal craniofacial skeleton.
Cloned cow controversy

Summary Mediawatch: Bernard Dixon looks at the reaction to the discovery of products from cloned animals in Britain.
Sol-gel processing of energetic materials

Abstract Traditional manufacturing of energetic materials involves processing of granular solids. One application is the production of detonators where powders of energetic material and a binder are typically mixed and compacted at high pressure to make pellets. Performance properties are strongly dependent on particle size distribution, surface area of its constituents, homogeneity of the mix, and void volume. The goal is to produce detonators with fast energy release rate that are insensitive to unintended initiation. Preparation of detonators from xerogel molding powders and aerogels, and comparison with materials produced by state-of-the-art technology are described.
The mechanism of enhanced intraphagocytic killing of bacteria by liposomes containing antibiotics.

Abstract Liposomes containing aminoglycosides have been shown to enhance the killing of Brucella abortus and Staphylococcus aureus inside bovine phagocytic cells. This study examined the mechanism by which liposomes containing aminoglycoside enhance the intracellular killing of bacteria. Liposomes with entrapped aminoglycoside were found to significantly enhance the intraphagocytic killing of bacteria in bovine phagocytic cells (in vitro) when compared to free drug. Liposomes with entrapped aminoglycoside were also found to deliver significantly higher levels of aminoglycoside into phagocytic cells when compared to free drug (gentamicin) or free drug and liposomes without entrapped antibiotic. Antibiotic delivered to adherent phagocytic cells could be detected 3 days after treatment of the cells with liposomes containing aminoglycoside. No antibiotic could be detected in the supernatants of phagocytic cell cultures 3 days after treatment with liposomes containing antibiotic was only observed when the intraphagocytic bacteria were sensitive to the antibiotic entrapped in the liposomes. The rate of phagocytosis of S. aureus by cells treated with cationic liposomes (no entrapped antibiotic) did not differ from the rate of phagocytosis of control cells not treated with cationic liposomes. This study shows that the enhanced intraphagocytic killing of bacteria in bovine phagocytic cells occurs by direct delivery of entrapped antibiotic into the phagocytic cell by the liposome delivery vehicle and not by non-specific enhancement of phagocytic cell function. Liposomes containing aminoglycoside appear to have no toxic effects on phagocytic cell function or viability in vitro.
Mothers' satisfaction with the cost of children's care: the role of practice settings and actual expenses.

Abstract This paper analyses mothers' satisfaction with the cost of children's care in six widely-varying ambulatory settings: fee-for-service solo and group practices, a prepaid group, public clinics, hospital outpatient departments, and an emergency room. Data are from a household survey in Washington, DC and represent 638 children. Findings indicate significantly higher satisfaction with cost in public clinics than in solo practice, fee-for-service groups, and the emergency room, adjusting for patient characteristics, attitudes and financial coverage. In fee-for-service settings, both provider charges and out-of-pocket costs had a nonlinear relation to satisfaction with cost; to a point, increasing costs and charges were associated with decreasing satisfaction, but thereafter higher costs and charges appeared to lead, other things equal, to higher satisfaction. Out-of-pocket costs had a significantly greater negative effect on poor mothers' satisfaction than on the more affluent. Implications for current policy trends are discussed.
A convergence study of solid models used in the generlised langevin theory for gas-solid processes

Abstract An increasingly exact series of solid models is developed for the Debye solid. These models are used in gas-solid simulation studies which are based on the generalized Langevin equation method. The convergence of gas-solid trapping thresholds is tested for various Debye temperatures of the solid for the new solid models.
Comparative in vitro metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene by recombinant zebrafish CYP1A and liver microsomes from β-naphthoflavone-treated rainbow trout

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a sensitive non-mammalian model used for studying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-induced chemical carcinogenesis. The susceptibility of zebrafish to PAH-induced carcinogenesis may be related to the ability of the zebrafish P450s to bioactivate these procarcinogens. As a part of our overall effort to identify the various P450 enzymes that are involved in the activation and detoxification of PAHs in zebrafish, therefore, we have examined the ability of recombinant zebrafish CYP1A (zCYP1A) expressed in yeast to metabolize BaP in vitro. Comparison studies also were conducted with liver microsomes from beta-naphthoflavone (BNF)-treated rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Results demonstrated that the trout liver microsomes were almost twice as active as zCYP1A in oxidizing BaP, with Vmax values of 1.7 and 0.94 nmol/min/nmol P450 for trout and zebrafish preparations, respectively. Like trout CYP1A1, cDNA-expressed zCYP1A was found to oxidize BaP to phenols, quinones and diols (BaP-7,8-diol and BaP-9,10-diol) in the presence of exogenous human microsomal epoxide hydrolase (hEH). BaP-7,8-diol is the precursor of the ultimate carcinogen, BaP-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BaPDE). The ability of zCYP1A to bioactivate BaP was confirmed by the formation of DNA adducts when calf thymus DNA was added to the incubation mixture. BaP-DNA binding was enhanced by the addition of hEH to the incubation mixture. HPLC analysis of the [33P]-postlabeled DNA adducts showed the formation of at least four adducts mediated by both zCYP1A and trout liver microsomes, and one of these adducts co-migrated with BaPDE-dG in HPLC analysis. The addition of hEH to the incubation mixture decreased the formation of BaPDE-dG by zCYP1A and by trout liver microsomes while increasing the formation of an unidentified DNA adduct in the case of zCYP1A. zCYP1A also mediated the binding of BaP to protein, providing further evidence that this enzyme is capable of oxidizing BaP to reactive metabolites that bind to macromolecules. It thus appears that zCYP1A may play an important role in BaP-induced carcinogenesis in the zebrafish model by catalyzing the sequential formation of the ultimate diol epoxide carcinogenic metabolite of BaP.
Electrotransport and deformation model of ion exchange membrane-based actuators

A continuum mechanical model of Nafion based metal-polymer actuators is presented. Global integral postulates are written for the conservation of mass, momentum, energy, and charge, Gauss' law, and the second law of thermodynamics. The global equations are then localized in the volume and on the material surfaces bounding the polymer. A finite element formulation is used to predict the evolution of the counter ion concentration, 'free' water content, electric potential, and stress/strain during actuation. The model includes stress relaxation phenomena due to water flow generated governed by Darcy's law.
Viral cross talk: intracellular inactivation of the hepatitis B virus during an unrelated viral infection of the liver

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is thought to be controlled by virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). We have recently shown that HBV-specific CTL can abolish HBV replication noncytopathically in the liver of transgenic mice by secreting tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) after antigen recognition. We now demonstrate that hepatocellular HBV replication is also abolished noncytopathically during lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, and we show that this process is mediated by TNF-alpha and IFN-alpha/beta produced by LCMV-infected hepatic macrophages. These results confirm the ability of these inflammatory cytokines to abolish HBV replication; they elucidate the mechanism likely to be responsible for clearance of HBV in chronically infected patients who become superinfected by other hepatotropic viruses; they suggest that pharmacological activation of intrahepatic macrophages may have therapeutic value in chronic HBV infection; and they raise the possibility that conceptually similar events may be operative in other viral infections as well.
Bad signals jam organelle traffic.

Defects in organelle biogenesis and trafficking underlie a newly described genetic disorder. These defects are traced to the gene encoding a scaffolding protein that coordinates signal transduction events on late endosomes (pages 38–45).
Effects of tin ion and nitrogen ion implantation on the oxidation of titanium

Abstract The high temperature oxidation of ion-implanted titanium was studied using the scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford back-scattering techniques. The specimens were implanted with either tin ions (Sn + ) or nitrogen ions (N 2 + ) or a combination of the two, to doses of between 10 15 and 10 17 ions cm −2 . The implantation energies were 200 keV for tin ions and 200 or 400 keV for nitrogen ions. The specimens, treated and untreated, were oxidized in air at 500 °C for 100 h. The combination of nitrogen and tin ions was found to increase the thickness of the nitride-oxide film on the titanium surface by four orders of magnitude and to increase the hardness significantly. Nitrogen ions alone produced a more uniform oxide layer but the thickness of the layer was unchanged. The implantation of tin ions alone led to a reduction in the oxidation of titanium by the formation of SnO 2 . The results are discussed in terms of well-established mechanisms of the oxidation of titanium, in which oxygen diffuses into the metal along anion vacancies of the rutile lattice.
Brain imaging during seizure: ictal brain SPECT.

The role of single photon computed tomography (SPECT) in presurgical localization of medically intractable complex partial epilepsy (CPE) in children is reviewed.99m Technetium Neurolite, a newer lipophylic agent with a high first pass brain extraction and little or no redistribution is injected during a seizure, while the child is monitored with a video recording and continuous EEG and SPECT imaging is performed in the next 1–3 hours with the images representing regional cerebral profusion at the time of injection. On SPECT studies performed with radiopharmaceutical injected during a seizure, ictal focus is generally hypervascular. Other findings on ictal brain SPECT include hypoperfusion of adjacent cerebral cortex and white matter, hyperperfusion of contralateral motor cortex, hyperperfusion of ipsilateral basal ganglia and thalamus, brain stem and contralateral cerebellum. Ictal brain SPECT is non-invasive, cost effective and highly sensitive for localization of epileptic focus in patients with intractable CPE.
They Don't Show Nothing I Didn't Know: Emergent Tensions Between Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Mathematics Pedagogy

This article describes data from the Community Mapping Project, a set of statistical activities and inquiry projects within a summer seminar for high school students. In designing the Community Mapping Project, we attempted to create conditions under which urban students themselves would come to recognize how mathematics is relevant to their lives and their communities. Using mixed methods, we analyzed the pre- and postassessments and final projects of 25 high school students to investigate what students learned from their experience. We also analyzed the data from video case studies to begin to understand how learning was organized. Our qualitative analysis revealed several tensions that emerged between the goals and norms of our instantiation of a culturally relevant pedagogy and the goals and norms of our mathematics pedagogy. We argue that how these tensions are navigated mediate what opportunity students have for learning statistics. This article provides some considerations and lessons learned that ...
An illustration of the potential for mapping MRI/MRS parameters with genetic over-expression profiles in human prostate cancer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR spectroscopy can probe a variety of physiological (e.g. blood vessel permeability) and metabolic characteristics of prostate cancer. However, little is known about the changes in gene expression that underlie the spectral and imaging features observed in prostate cancer. Tumor induced changes in vascular permeability and angiogenesis are thought to contribute to patterns of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI images of prostate cancer even though the genetic basis of tumor vasculogenesis is complex and the specific mechanisms underlying these DCEMRI features have not yet been determined. In order to identify the changes in gene expression that correspond to MRS and DCEMRI patterns in human prostate cancers, we have utilized tissue print micropeel techniques to generate “whole mount” molecular maps of radical prostatectomy specimens that correspond to pre-surgical MRI/MRS studies. These molecular maps include RNA expression profiles from both Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qrt-PCR) analysis, as well as immunohistochemical studies. Using these methods on patients with prostate cancer, we found robust over-expression of choline kinase a in the majority of primary tumors. We also observed overexpression of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a newly identified angiogenic factor, in a subset of DCEMRI positive prostate cancers. These studies set the stage for establishing MRI/MRS parameters as validated biomarkers for human prostate cancer.