cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-resolution high-contrast mid-infrared imaging of fresh biological samples with ultraviolet-localized photoacoustic microscopy (Conference Presentation)

Label-free mid-infrared (MIR) imaging provides rich chemical and structural information of biological tissues without staining. Conventionally, the long MIR wavelength severely limits the lateral resolution owing to optical diffraction; moreover, the strong MIR absorption of water ubiquitous in fresh biological samples results in high background and low contrast. Here, we present a novel approach, called ultraviolet-localized MIR photoacoustic microscopy (ULM-PAM), to achieve high-resolution and water-background–free MIR imaging of fresh biological samples. In our approach, a pulsed MIR laser thermally excites the sample at the focal spot, and a pulsed ultraviolet (UV) laser photoacoustically detects the resulting transient temperature rise owing to the Gruneisen relaxation effect, thereby reporting the intensity of the MIR absorption by the sample. The imaging resolution of our method is determined by the wavelength of the UV laser, which is one order of magnitude shorter than that of the mid-IR laser (2.5 μm to 12 μm). In addition, in the UV region from 200 nm to 230 nm, most important organic molecules in biological tissues, including proteins, lipids and nuclei acids, have strong absorption, while water is transparent. Therefore, our method can achieve high resolution and water-background free IR imaging of fresh biological samples. For cell cultures, our method achieved high-resolution and high-contrast infrared imaging of lipids, proteins. The capability of label-free histology of this method is also demonstrated in thick biological tissues, such as brain slices. Our approach provides convenient high-resolution and high-contrast MIR imaging, which can benefit diagnosis of fresh biological samples.
The Self-Conscious Emotions and the Role of Shame in Psychopathology

The self-conscious emotions according to the theory presented here require two important features which develop in the first 3 years of life. These are consciousness, defined here as self-awareness as measured by self-recognition in mirrors, the onset of personal pronouns like “me” or “mine,” and complex pretend play. These emerge between 15 and 24 months of age and give rise to self-conscious-exposed emotions such as embarrassment, envy, and empathy, as well as prosocial behaviors such as sharing and reciprocal play. Following these emotions and consciousness, a new set of emotions emerges, called self-conscious evaluative emotions, based upon children’s ability to incorporate standards, rules, and goals of the society (SRGs) and be able to evaluate their behavior in terms of the SRGs as success or failure. These cognitions also contain whether children’s focus is on their failure or not and, together with global or performance attributions, give rise to these self-conscious emotions. Shame, pride, and embarrassment in particular have been studied as to their relationship to the development of psychopathology. Shame, the most negative of these emotions, appears to mediate between trauma in the child’s life, including abusive parenting, and subsequent symptoms of psychopathology.
Minimally Invasive Tubular Approach for Occipital Condylar Biopsy and Resection: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background Patients with isolated occipital condyle lesions concerning for metastases rarely undergo surgical biopsies and are more commonly treated with empirical radiation with or without chemotherapy. This is likely related to the morbidity associated with open condylar approaches and the importance of surrounding structures. We present a minimally invasive technique to approach the occipital condyle using a tubular dilating retractor system. Case Description A 38-year-old woman with medical history of breast cancer presented with a 2-month history of headache localizing to the right occipital area and right tongue deviation. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a heterogeneously enhancing mass within the right occipital condyle. The patient was brought into the operating room and placed in prone position. A 2-cm paramedian incision was made on the right approximately 2.5 cm off midline at the level of C1. Sequential dilation using a tubular retractor system was performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Once the condylar cortex was identified and entered, the tumor was immediately visualized and resected. Operative time was 65 minutes and estimated blood loss was 5 mL. The patient was discharged to home on postoperative day 1. Conclusions This report, to our knowledge, presents the first case of a minimally invasive tubular retractor system–based approach for biopsy and resection of an occipital condylar metastasis causing occipital condyle syndrome. This approach allows for tissue diagnosis to precisely dictate medical management and minimizes the morbidity associated with traditional open surgical approaches.
Teaching a Synchronous Online Business Organizations Course to J.D. Students: A Case Study

Although distance learning, in one form or another, is no longer a new phenomenon, its employment by American law schools remains relatively recent. As such, there are few resources, and even less data available, to the legal educator who wishes to pursue this increasingly prevalent method of teaching. This article hopes to address this paucity, by contributing a case study of one particular experience at one particular school to the body of literature available. The first half of this article reviews the literature to date regarding distance learning as applied to legal education. This literature review should serve as a valuable resource for anyone researching or otherwise interested in the subject. The second half of this article features a personal case study in teaching an online, synchronous distance learning class at an accredited law school. In the summer of 2019, the course “Business Organizations” was offered to J.D. students at Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law in such a format for the first time. The course was completely synchronous, conducted primarily via group videoconferencing technology. As will be explained in the pages to follow, the experience exceeded expectations set for this undertaking on a number of fronts. In a nutshell, rather than serving as a second-best form of instruction, justifiable on grounds of convenience and efficiency, the course demonstrated that no sacrifice in educational quality necessarily accompanies online legal education. Moreover, the conclusion drawn from this experience is that online legal education has the potential to exceed traditional, in-person forms of legal education. Along the way, my philosophy of education, and my approach to teaching, will inevitably be revealed in bits and pieces. I hope this serves to enrich the article, rather than to detract from it.
2 – Precambrian Life

Publisher Summary The past 10 years have seen an explosion of information on the origin of life and evidence for the earliest life on planet earth. On the geologic side, this explosion has benefited from the applications of new or improved geochemical, isotopic, and microscopic techniques to Precambrian rocks. On the biologic side, the discovery of life in the deep subsurface, both in terrestrial habitats and in the deep ocean, has broadened our knowledge of where organisms are able to survive and has also influenced ideas on where life may have begun on Earth. Admittedly, the first organisms were neither plant nor animal, but it was from such simple bacterial or archaeal biological systems that more complex types of plants later evolved. In the past, geologic time was divided into two major eons: the Cryptozoic, now called the Precambrian, and the Phanerozoic (visible life). Unlike the Phanerozoic timescale, where divisions are based on rock units, the divisions of time in the Precambrian are based on absolute, that is, radiometric dates.
Guidelines for reporting randomized controlled trials in paediatric dentistry based on the CONSORT statement.

Background The significance of randomized controlled trials (RCT) depends on how thoroughly the results were reported. Reporting of RCTs should be accurate and transparent and encompasses design, implementation, analysis, and results of the trial. The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement and its extension were developed to guide the researchers to report clinical trials in a systematic manner. Despite this recommendation, the overall reporting quality of RCTs still remains suboptimal. Aim To describe the relevance and importance of CONSORT reporting guidelines and explain the items using examples derived from randomized trials published in Paediatric Dentistry. Methods This is a narrative review that illustrates the importance of reporting items in the CONSORT guidelines from relevant sources. RCTs published in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry between 2017 and 2020 were identified from PubMed and Scopus databases and through handsearching. An explanation has been provided for each of the 37 items in the 2010 CONSORT checklist and 17 items in the CONSORT extension for reporting abstracts. Conclusion This explanation and elaboration document would enable investigators to report trials in Paediatric Dentistry with accuracy and transparency as well as for reviewers and editors in evaluating the suitability of RCTs for publication.
The Rise of the Virtual Reality (VR) Marketplace: Exploring the Antecedents and Consequences of Consumer Attitudes toward V-Commerce

V-commerce is emerging as a promising technology for a new type of e-commerce application, which can address the critical need for integrating both social and technical aspects of online shopping. ...
Autoimmune regulation of chronic pain

Chronic pain is an unpleasant and debilitating condition that is often poorly managed by existing therapeutics. Reciprocal interactions between the nervous system and the immune system have been recognized as playing an essential role in the initiation and maintenance of pain. In this review, we discuss how neuroimmune signaling can contribute to peripheral and central sensitization and promote chronic pain through various autoimmune mechanisms. These pathogenic autoimmune mechanisms involve the production and release of autoreactive antibodies from B cells. Autoantibodies-ie, antibodies that recognize self-antigens-have been identified as potential molecules that can modulate the function of nociceptive neurons and thereby induce persistent pain. Autoantibodies can influence neuronal excitability by activating the complement pathway; by directly signaling at sensory neurons expressing Fc gamma receptors, the receptors for the Fc fragment of immunoglobulin G immune complexes; or by binding and disrupting ion channels expressed by nociceptors. Using examples primarily from rheumatoid arthritis, complex regional pain syndrome, and channelopathies from potassium channel complex autoimmunity, we suggest that autoantibody signaling at the central nervous system has therapeutic implications for designing novel disease-modifying treatments for chronic pain.
That's the Wonder of It": Affective Dimensions of Visual Rhetoric for Biodiversity Conservation"

In environmental communication, audience engagement is an essential prerequisite for achieving persuasive aims. This article responds to recent interest in visual storytelling and emotionalization – purposeful display and elicitation of emotions – as engagement techniques. A case study of the 2020 Global Biodiversity Festival – part online science festival, part fundraising event – provides evidence of how these techniques are employed in environmental communication for biodiversity conservation. Informed by scholarship on affect, emotion, visual rhetoric, and environmental communication, the case study analysis shows how visual representations of nature, mediated experiences of nature, and accompanying narration orient festival audiences toward specific ways of seeing and feeling that foreground emotional commitments and draw audiences into potentially transformative encounters. The visual rhetoric and affective dimensions of the festival’s website, virtual fi eld trips, and multimodal presentations focus attention, create moments of connection, and call audiences to action. The case study analysis also reveals how the festival, planned in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, treats this crisis as a kairotic moment for encouraging awareness, care, and pro-environmental behaviors.
Mask blank defect printability comparison using optical and SEM mask and wafer inspection and bright field actinic mask imaging

Despite significant enhancements in defect detection using optical and e-beam methodology, the smaller length scales and increasing challenges of future technology nodes motivate ongoing research into the need and associated cost of actinic inspection for EUV masks. This paper reports an extensive study of two EUV patterned masks, wherein the mask blank defectivity was characterized using optical (mask and wafer) methods and bright-field mask imaging (using the SHARP actinic microscope) of previously identified blank defects. We find that the bright field actinic imaging tool microscope captures and images many defects that are not seen by the automated optical inspection of patterned masks and printed wafers. In addition, actinic review reveals the impact of multilayer damage and depicts the printability profile which can be used as an added metric to define the patterned mask repair and defect compensation strategies.
Abstract 5000: The functional stem cell marker aldehyde dehydrogenase enhances pancreatic cancer stem cell isolation and correlates with clinical prognosis

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a highly aggressive cancer that is largely resistant to current therapies and portends a median survival for patients of 9-12 months. Resistance may be due to a subpopulation of cells that are chemoresistant and able to support tumor propagation, such as cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs have emerged as attractive therapeutic targets, but the development of effective therapies requires the isolation of highly purified cell populations. Surface antigen expression has been used to identify CSC in most systems, however, methods based on functional properties, such as Hoechst dye exclusion or aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, can enhance stem cell isolation from normal and malignant tissues. We compared CSCs from pancreatic adenocarcinomas isolated by cell surface phenotype, ALDH activity, or both. Initially, we studied ALDH expression in human pancreatic cancer cell lines (CAPAN-1, DAN-G, CFPAC-1) using the Aldefluor assay. We found that each line contained a small population of ALDH+ cells (0.9-6.5% of total cells) that demonstrated increased clonogenic growth potential both in vitro and in vivo compared to ALDH- cells. Next, we compared ALDH expression with the published pancreatic CSC phenotype (CD24+CD44+) in cell lines and low-passage xenografts derived from primary human tumor specimens. Interestingly, we found that the putative CSC populations were only partially overlapping since 7-18.2% of the ALDH+ cells were CD44+CD24+ and only 4.2-36.2% of the CD44+CD24+ cells expressed ALDH. We compared CD44+CD24+ and CD44+CD24+ALDH+ cells isolated from 5 unique human pancreatic cancer xenografts and found that the CD44+CD24+ALDH+ cells were more tumorgenic in NOD/SCID mice. We also evaluated ALDH expression in primary pathologic specimen from 268 patients with pancreatic cancer by immunohistochemistry and found small, intensely positive cells with round or oval nuclei near the base of cancerous glands or at the invasive front in 90 (34%) of those patients. Furthermore, the presence of these cells was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (14 vs. 18 mos, p=0.02). We have begun to evaluate the mechanism by which pancreatic CSCs may be involved in more aggressive disease and found that CD44+CD24+ALDH+ cells isolated from tumor xenografts have significantly lower expression of E-cadherin and higher expression of Slug, a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin, compared to ALDH+ or ALDH- cells. Therefore, ALDH appears to mark highly clonogenic pancreatic CSCs. Moreover, increased features associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition may play a role in the correlation of ALDH+ cells with long-term outcomes.
Role of subconcussion in repetitive mild traumatic brain injury

Research now suggests that head impacts commonly occur during contact sports in which visible signs or symptoms of neurological dysfunction may not develop despite those impacts having the potential for neurological injury. Recent biophysics studies utilizing helmet accelerometers have indicated that athletes at the collegiate and high school levels sustain a surprisingly high number of head impacts ranging from several hundred to well over 1000 during the course of a season. The associated cumulative impact burdens over the course of a career are equally important. Clinical studies have also identified athletes with no readily observable symptoms but who exhibit functional impairment as measured by neuropsychological testing and functional MRI. Such findings have been corroborated by diffusion tensor imaging studies demonstrating axonal injury in asymptomatic athletes at the end of a season. Recent autopsy data have shown that there are subsets of athletes in contact sports who do not have a history of known or identified concussions but nonetheless have neurodegenerative pathology consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Finally, emerging laboratory data have demonstrated significant axonal injury, blood-brain barrier permeability, and evidence of neuroinflammation, all in the absence of behavioral changes. Such data suggest that subconcussive level impacts can lead to significant neurological alterations, especially if the blows are repetitive. The authors propose "subconcussion" as a significant emerging concept requiring thorough consideration of the potential role it plays in accruing sufficient anatomical and/or physiological damage in athletes and military personnel, such that the effects of these injuries are clinically expressed either contemporaneously or later in life.
Methods and Tools for Information Systems Development

We accepted six papers for this year’s Methods and Tools for IS Development minitrack. These papers provide an excellent overview of the current research being done in this field. Submissions to the minitrack covered a number of emerging research areas in information systems development, including system survivability, enterprise application development, and the Unified Modeling Language. Three external reviewers and both minitrack chairs refereed each of the submitted papers. The six accepted papers are organized into two sessions:
Nomos and Narrative Before Nomos and Narrative

This chapter demonstrates that what we might think of as a particularly modern tendency to separate law from narrative, if only for the economies of specialization, has itself an ancient history, and shows how that tendency, while recurrent, was as recurrently resisted from within Jewish tradition. In particular, at those cultural turning points in which laws are extracted or codified from previous narrative settings, the chapter shows that they are also renarrativized so as to address, both ideologically and rhetorically, changed socio-historical settings. The Mishnah constructs a nomian world of "words of Torah" which is both legal and narrative in mutually authorizing ways.Keywords: Mishnah; narrative; nomos
Model Fungal Systems for Investigating Food Plant Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins, e.g., aflatoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone, patulin, ochratoxins, etc., trigger serious health risks to human and animals. Mycotoxin contamination also interferes with the safe production of crops worldwide, resulting in significantly negative impact on world economy. Aflatoxins are carcinogenic mycotoxins produced mainly by aspergilli, such as Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxins, when metabolically activated by hepatic cytochrome P450s (CYPs), trigger genotoxicity in mammals through the formation of reactive aflatoxin-8,9-exo-epoxide. The resulting 8,9-dihydro-8-(N-guanyl)-9-hydroxyaflatoxin adduct causes mutations (frameshift, GC to TA transversions) or DNA damage (chromosomal breaks, aberrations) and thus negatively affects human or animal health. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a useful system for investigating the mechanisms of toxicity of aflatoxins, where mammalian CYPs can be functionally expressed to metabolically activate aflatoxins. Using recombinant S. cerevisiae, the consequences of CYP polymorphisms on the differential aflatoxin toxicity, effects of CYP-inhibitory phytochemicals on aflatoxin activation, transcriptional responses of cells to aflatoxins, etc., have been investigated. Of note, the aflatoxicosis could be ameliorated by S. cerevisiae cell walls. Aflatoxins interact with S. cerevisiae cell wall components, such as b-D-glucans, thus adsorbing/removing aflatoxins from the contaminated sources. Lastly, S. cerevisiae strains, such as gene deletion mutants, could also serve as useful genetic tools for identifying molecular targets or mode of actions of antifungal agents. This facilitates expedited development of new, safe antifungal drugs/fungicides, resulting in the effective control of aflatoxin-producing aspergilli.
Primary structure of the bc1 complex of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Nucleotide sequence of the pet operon encoding the Rieske cytochrome b, and cytochrome c1 apoproteins.

The nucleotide sequence of the pet operon of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata strain SB1003 has been determined. This operon consists of the petA, petB and petC genes, which encode the Rieske FeS protein, cytochrome b and cytochrome c1, respectively, all components of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c2 oxidoreductase. The deduced amino acid sequences of the pet genes show homology to the corresponding proteins from other organisms, and particularly high homologies (over 90% for amino acid and nucleotide sequences) to the previously described fbc operon from a strain previously identified as Rhodopseudomonas spheroides GA. The amino acid sequences of the pet proteins are discussed with reference to the structure and function of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c2 oxidoreductase.
Improved rate and angle estimation through higher accuracy planar motion models

A large number of attitude estimation algorithms assume sensor placement along the axis of rotation. These models assume that all measured accelerations are due to gravity, while in reality this is not always the case. By expanding the system model to accommodate centrifugal and tangential accelerations the attitude can be more accurately estimated. This thesis introduces an approach to model accelerations not caused by gravity. This model is incorporated into a Kalman filter and then compared with the more conventional Kalman filter approach which assumes all system acceleration is due to gravity.
Sufficient Dimension Reduction via Inverse Regression

A family of dimension-reduction methods, the inverse regression (IR) family, is developed by minimizing a quadratic objective function. An optimal member of this family, the inverse regression estimator (IRE), is proposed, along with inference methods and a computational algorithm. The IRE has at least three desirable properties: (1) Its estimated basis of the central dimension reduction subspace is asymptotically efficient, (2) its test statistic for dimension has an asymptotic chi-squared distribution, and (3) it provides a chi-squared test of the conditional independence hypothesis that the response is independent of a selected subset of predictors given the remaining predictors. Current methods like sliced inverse regression belong to a suboptimal class of the IR family. Comparisons of these methods are reported through simulation studies. The approach developed here also allows a relatively straightforward derivation of the asymptotic null distribution of the test statistic for dimension used in slic...
Selective radioactivation and multiple coincidence spectrometry in the determination of trace elements in biological material: Measurement of manganese

Abstract The capacity of activation analysis to detect trace constituents in samples solely by radio-analytical means can be advanced dramatically by enhancing the specificity of both the activation and the detection methods. Coincidence spectrometric techniques frequently can resolve the radiations from complicated mixtures of radioisotopes by capitalizing on differentiating characteristics of the pertinent decay schemes. When isotopes with distinctive β-γ-decay chains are selected for detection, scintillation spectrometry may be employed. Then the γ-spectrum from a NaI(Tl) crystal can be recorded by a multichannel pulse-height analyzer that is gated by a coincidence circuit when it simultaneously receives signals from the γ-counter and from a β-scintillation spectrometer. When used in this way, the power of a two-crystal β-γ-detector to resolve a single β-γ-decay branch is limited by the γ-response of the β-sensing element, which thus records interfering γ-γ-cascades. A marked improvement in selective β-γ-discrimination is provided by a three-crystal coincidence geometry, where an additional plastic or anthracene crystal (which is so thin as to have negligible γ-sensitivity) is placed in front of the thicker crystal of the β-spectrometer to distinguish β- from γ-rays. When radiometric analysis is applied to neutron-activated sources, detection of certain nuclides with low-energy (n, γ) resonances (e.g. Mn 55 , Co 59 ) may be further enhanced relative to other isotopes without such resonances (e.g. Na 23 , Cl 37 ) by irradiating with resonance neutrons. In an example of neutron activation analysis of manganese, selective activation with a filtered reactor neutron spectrum and triple coincidence spectrometry were combined. The former enhanced the ratios of Mn 56 /Na 24 and Mn 56 /Cl 38 activation to about seven times and fifteen times, respectively, the values produced by thermal neutrons; while the latter suppressed by a factor of about 100 the interference due to Na 24 in the detection of Mn 56 by γ-spectrometry. In this way, manganese in blood plasma may be measured without recourse to radiochemical separations.
Choline Distribution and Metabolism in Pregnant Rats and Fetuses are Influenced by the Choline Content of the Maternal Diet

Choline supplementation of pregnant rats between d 12 and 17 of pregnancy permanently enhances the spatial memory of offspring ; however, the mechanism is unknown. We examined the effect of choline supplementation on metabolism of orally ingested choline by nonmated rats and pregnant rats and their fetuses. We studied the metabolism of an acute oral dose of 14 C-choline chloride in pregnant and nonmated rats with and without choline supplementation (25 mmol/L choline chloride in water) on d 12-17 of pregnancy. During the first 2 h after oral dosing, plasma radiolabeled choline was detectable, whereas plasma choline metabolites contributed little to total radioactivity at any time. The pattern of accumulation of label in placentas was similar in all groups. Fetal tissues (i.e., brain, liver and carcass remnant) contained primarily 14 C-phosphatidylcholine and 14 C-phosphorylcholine. Also, we examined the fetal tissue distribution of isotopically labeled (deuterated) choline derived from the diet and from the dietary choline supplement. The distribution patterns for radiolabeled choline metabolites in fetuses of supplemented dams accumulated significantly (P < 0.01) more of their total choline and its metabolites than fetuses of control dams during d 12-17 of gestation (50 vs. 20%). In fetuses from supplemented dams, betaine concentrations were greater than in fetuses from control dams in all organs assayed (by 36-57%). Phosphorylcholine concentrations in brain of fetuses from supplemented dams were also greater. These experiments identify potential metabolites of choline that might mediate the observed effects on brain development in the rats.
Coping with arthritis: Current status and critique

Our understanding of the complex role of coping in the psychological adjustment to arthritis has improved over the past decade. Studies have consistently demonstrated a relationship between certain coping strategies and psychological outcomes. However, unresolved problems in the methodology and theory concerning these studies cloud the picture, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn. There are general problems with the ways in which coping has been conceptualized and measured by researchers evaluating stress and coping, and there are problems more specific to the ways coping concepts and measures have been used to study patients with arthritis. A complete understanding of the relationship between coping and mental health in this population would have important theoretical and clinical implications. Such studies would serve as a model for investigations of stress and coping in patients with other illnesses, and would point to effective psychosocial interventions for improving the quality of life for this population.
On certain properties of random apollonian networks

In this work we analyze fundamental properties of Random Apollonian Networks [34,35], a popular random graph model which generates planar graphs with power law properties. Specifically, we analyze (a) the degree distribution, (b) the k largest degrees, (c) the k largest eigenvalues and (d) the diameter, where k is a constant.
The Effect of Fraud Assessment Documentation Structure on Auditors' Ability to Identify Control Weaknesses: The Moderating Role of Reviewer Experience

The current regulatory environment, brought on by recent high-profile audit failures, expands the auditor's role in detecting fraud. For example, auditors must now provide an opinion on clients' internal controls, addressing their effectiveness at preventing or detecting fraud. While the structure of workpaper documentation has been shown to affect audit workpaper preparers' assessments of overall fraud risk, prior research has not addressed the role their reviewers' experience plays in mitigating documentation structure effects. Our study matches audit workpaper preparers with reviewers to investigate whether reviewer task-specific experience moderates the effect of fraud assessment documentation structure on the audit review team's ability to identify the presence of significant control weaknesses. Consistent with expectations, we find that preparers who are required to document components of their fraud assessments inappropriately provided more favorable (and lower quality) assessments of significant control weaknesses than those using either a supporting or balanced documentation structure. More importantly, results indicate that reviewer task-specific experience moderated the effect of documentation structure on reviewers' identification of control weaknesses such that experienced reviewers compensated more for the effect of component documentation than reviewers with less experience. These results suggest that reviewer task-specific experience may help reduce the previously observed "flow-through" effect of preparer workpaper deficiencies on reviewer judgments and provide support for new regulations emphasizing the role of experience during the control assessment process.
Use of High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography for Monitoring Nucleotide Concentration in Human Blood: A Preliminary Study with Stored Blood Cell Suspensions

The development of high-pressure liquid chromatography has made available a new technique for monitoring nucleotide concentrations in biological materials sensitively, accurately, and rapidly. Because there appears to be a correlation between ATP concentrations and viability of stored blood, a preliminary study was carried out on blood cell suspensions to evaluate the technique for possible use in blood banks, clinical laboratories, and research on preservatives for blood.
Nickel induced crystallization of /spl alpha/-Si gate electrode at 500/spl deg/C and gate oxide reliability

In this paper, we present a study of the reliability of gate oxide during metal induced crystallization (MIC) of amorphous silicon (/spl alpha/-Si) gate electrode with nickel. MIC is attractive for low thermal budget thin film transistors (S.W. Lee and S.K. Joo, IEEE Electron Device Lett., vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 160-162, 1996) and many papers like Lee et al (ibid., vol. 17, no. 8, pp. 407-409, 1996) have reported using Ni MIC to crystallize and activate dopants in gate a-Si. Since Ni is a fast diffuser (R.M. Burger and R.P. Donovan, 1967) and deep trap (S.M. Sze, 1981) in silicon, it is important to study the effects of Ni MIC on gate oxide and overall capacitor reliability. In order to do that, we measured C-V, I-V and charge to breakdown (QBD) data for capacitors and compared with devices which did not have Ni. Based on these results, we found that Ni did not cause significant degradation of devices.
Effects of thresholding on a small-scale matched filter array

Impulse responses (IRs) from eight microphones were measured in a conference room for evaluation with matched filter array (MFA) processing. Since truncation of the filters can be applied to the MFA with little loss in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the effects of diffusion and specular reflections are studied. An amplitude threshold is applied to divide the IR's into specular reflections and diffusion. The results in terms of SNR and frequency response are shown. Specular reflections are required for MFA processing. For this array, using IR peaks above a 0.15 threshold gives 4.8 dB SNR, a 0.4 dB change, and a 2 dB change in frequency response. Diffusion is removed resulting in fewer stored coefficients, 77 peaks on average rather than all 1600 points.
A Four-Plex Real-Time PCR Assay, Based on rfbE, stx1, stx2, and eae Genes, for the Detection and Quantification of Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli O157 in Cattle Feces

Several real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays have been developed to detect and quantify Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7, but none have targeted the O-antigen specific gene (rfbEO157) in combination with the three major virulence genes, stx1, stx2, and eae. Our objectives were to develop and validate a four-plex, quantitative PCR (mqPCR) assay targeting rfbE(O157), stx1, stx2, and eae for the detection and quantification of STEC O157 in cattle feces, and compare the applicability of the assay to detect STEC O157 to a culture method and conventional PCR (cPCR) targeting the same four genes. Specificity of the mqPCR assay to differentially detect the four genes was confirmed with strains of O157 and non-O157 STEC with different profiles of target genes. In cattle feces spiked with pure cultures, detection limits were 2.8×10(4) and 2.8×10(0) colony-forming units/g before and after enrichment, respectively. Detection of STEC O157 in feedlot cattle fecal samples (n=278) was compared between mqPCR, cPCR, and a culture method. The mqPCR detected 48.9% (136/278) of samples as positive for E. coli O157. Of the 100 samples that were randomly picked from 136 mqPCR-positive samples, 35 and 48 tested positive by cPCR and culture method, respectively. Of the 100 samples randomly chosen from 142 mqPCR-negative samples, all were negative by cPCR, but 21 samples tested positive by the culture method. McNemar's chi-square tests indicated significant disagreement between the proportions of positive samples detected by the three methods. In conclusion, the mqPCR assay that targets four genes is a novel and more sensitive method than the cPCR or culture method to detect STEC O157 in cattle feces. However, the use of real-time PCR as a screening method to identify positive samples and then subjecting only positive samples to a culture method may underestimate the presence of STEC O157 in fecal samples.
Kinetic visual imagery.

Movement of the hand in total darkness by 7 sighted Ss gave rise to a sense of motion visually. This phenomenon was called kinetic visual imagery. The kinetic imagery was followed by the impression...
An essential role for ovarian inhibin in pineal gland‐mediated anestrus in Syrian hamsters

When transferred from long photoperiod (LP) to short photoperiod (SP), female Syrian hamsters exhibit depressions of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and follicular development, cessation of ovulation, and marked ovarian interstitial tissue hyperplasia. Pinealectomy prevents these effects of SP. The object of this study was to determine the role of inhibin in the regulation of FSH during SP-induced anestrus. Adult LSH/SsLak hamsters maintained in LP (LD 14:10 hr) were transferred to SP (LD 8:16 hr) on the day of estrus, and groups of animals killed at either 16.00 hr on proestrus or 08.00 hr on estrus during each of five consecutive 4-day estrus cycles after transfer. Groups of females that became anestrus in SP were killed either at 08.00 or 16.00 hr, 12 days after the last observed estrus discharge. Compared to LP controls, serum FSH levels on estrus increased significantly (P<0.01) during the first two cycles in SP before declining to concentrations that were significantly lower than control values (P<0.01). Serum inhibin levels increased significantly by the third, fourth, and five days of estrus in SP. Regression analysis revealed a significant inverse correlation between serum inhibin and FSH levels on estrus during SP exposure (P=0.021) but not on proestrus. Relative levels of inhibin alpha- and betaA-subunit mRNAs were lower in ovaries from SP proestrus and anestrus females killed at 16.00 hr as compared to those from proestrus LP controls; they were elevated in ovaries from SP estrus and anestrus females killed at 08.00 hr compared to those from estrus LP controls. The absence of antral follicles on estrus in the last cycles of SP and anestrus suggests that the increase in circulating inhibin and inhibin mRNAs may be derived from hyperplastic interstitium. These observations suggest that inhibin may play an essential role in suppressing FSH secretion during pineal gland-mediated anestrus in Syrian hamsters.
Facial dermatitis: Patch test results and final diagnoses

Background: Facial dermatitis may result from allergic or irritant contact dermatitis, from endogenous conditions such as atopic or seborrheic dermatitis, or a combination of contributing factors. Objective: To determine the final diagnoses in patients referred for evaluation of facial dermatitis, and the relevant allergens in those ultimately diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of all patients patch tested for evaluation of facial dermatitis in an Occupational and Contact Dermatitis referral clinic over a 2-year period from October 1995 to October 1997. Results: Of the 383 patients patch tested, 85 (22%) had facial dermatitis. Of these 85 patients, 55 (65%) had spotty or diffuse facial involvement, 21 (25%) had only eyelid involvement, and in 9 (10%) only the lips were involved. Final diagnoses were relatively equally distributed among three categories: one third had ACD, one third had ACD with other contributing factors, and one third had diagnoses other than ACD. Among patients with ACD, the most common relevant allergens were personal care products, preservatives, and fragrances. Conclusion: Allergic contact dermatitis is a frequent cause of facial dermatitis in a referral dermatology clinic. However, in up to two thirds of patients, other diagnoses represent either the primary process or a major component contributing to the eruption. Personal care products, preservatives, and fragrances represent the most common relevant allergens in those diagnosed with ACD. A significant number of relevant reactions would be missed if only the TRUE test standard series were used.
The role of epigenetic alterations in pancreatic cancer

The past several years have witnessed an explosive increase in our knowledge about epigenetic features in human cancers. It has become apparent that pancreatic cancer is an epigenetic disease, as it is a genetic disease, characterized by widespread and profound alterations in DNA methylation. The introduction of genome-wide screening techniques has accelerated the discovery of a growing list of genes with abnormal methylation patterns in pancreatic cancer, and some of these epigenetic events play a role in the neoplastic process. The detection and quantification of DNA methylation alterations in pancreatic juice is likely a promising tool for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The potential reversibility of epigenetic changes in genes involved in tumor progression makes them attractive therapeutic targets, but the efficacy of epigenetic therapies in pancreatic cancer, such as the use of DNA methylation inhibitors, remains undetermined. In this review, we briefly summarize recent research findings in the field of pancreatic cancer epigenetics and discuss their biological and clinical implications.
Growth of polygonal rings and wires of CuS on structured surfaces

Polygonal rings and microwires of covellite-type CuS were grown on micropillar arrays using chemical bath deposition and characterized by SEM, TEM, and XRD. A growth mechanism involving heterogeneous nucleation of CuS spheres at the micropillar tips, followed by their self-assembly into wires, is proposed.
Elevated Levels of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 in the Acute Phase of Kawasaki Syndrome

Background: Kawasaki syndrome (KS) is characterized by inflammation of coronary arteries and other medium-sized muscular arteries, leading to coronary aneurysms and thromboses. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a class of zinc-dependent, calcium-requiring enzymes capable of degrading extracellular matrices, are vital for extracellular remodeling. Elevated MMP-9 mRNA, protein and enzyme levels have previously been reported in adults with abdominal aortic aneurysm. Methods: Plasma or serum samples from KS patients (31) and febrile (9) and afebrile (17) controls were analyzed for MMP-9 enzyme and protein levels, as well as TIMP-1 protein levels, by gelatin zymography and ELISA. Results: Both MMP-9 enzyme and protein levels and TIMP-1 protein levels were significantly elevated in the acute phase of KS compared to their respective convalescent phase (mean MMP-9 enzyme: 114,754 pixels vs. 29,523 pixels; MMP-9 protein: 1,147 ng/mL vs. 193 ng/mL; TIMP-1 protein: 1,321 ng/mL vs. 651 ng/mL), as well as to febrile (MMP-9 enzyme: 114,754 pixels vs. 54,947 pixels; MMP-9 protein: 1,147 ng/mL vs. 428 ng/mL; TIMP-1 protein: 1,321 ng/mL vs. 600 ng/mL) and afebrile (MMP-9 enzyme: 114,754 pixels vs. 25,071 pixels; MMP-9 protein: 1,147 ng/mL vs. 110 ng/mL; TIMP-1 protein: 1,321 ng/mL vs. 552 ng/mL) controls. Conclusions: The markedly elevated levels of MMP-9 in the acute phase of KS may reflect vascular remodeling or an inflammatory response to a microbial agent. Furthermore, because MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in KS are significantly different from febrile controls, we are evaluating the usefulness of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 as a much needed diagnostic test for KS. [Supported by grants from RCMI program (G12RR/AI-03061), NCRR, NIH; American Heart Association (9960338Z); and Hawaii Community Foundation (990565)]
Perpendicular ferromagnetic resonance measurements of damping and Land e ́ g − factor in sputtered (Co 2 Mn) 1 − x Ge x thin films

X-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetometry, and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements were performed on sputtered thin films of the nominal Heusler alloy (Co${}_{2}$Mn)${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$Ge${}_{x}$ with varying Ge content and annealing temperatures. XRD indicates some degree of B2 alloy formation, with strong (110) texturing. FMR measurements were performed in a perpendicular geometry that minimized the contribution of two-magnon scattering to the linewidth. The FMR data indicate a significant increase in linewidth for samples that lack a well-defined (220) peak, presumably as a result of inhomogeneous line broadening. Samples annealed at 200 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C exhibit decreasing Landau--Lifshitz damping with increasing Ge content, while samples annealed at 245 and 300 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C have a nonlinear dependence of linewidth on frequency. The nonlinear component of the linewidth data was successfully fit with a generalized theory of slowly relaxing impurities, originally proposed by Van Vleck and Orbach. The modified theory includes the possibility of transverse coherence during the relaxation process. Magnetometry and FMR spectroscopy results were analyzed in the context of Malozemoff's generalized Slater--Pauling (GSP) theory, with the conclusion that the Ge sites support a significant negative-polarized spin density of several tens of percent. The GSP analysis results were consistent with a more conventional analysis of the spectroscopic $g$-factor that is appropriate for alloys. The proportionality of the strength of the slow-relaxer contribution to the damping suggests that the negatively polarized Ge atoms are acting as the slowly relaxing impurities in question.
Honeybee Robotics approach to technology development and infusion

Honeybee Robotics has benefited from multiple commercialization successes associated with the federal SBIR program1 2. In this paper, we will present a number of case studies on successful technology development and infusion, including development of 2003 Mars Exploration Rover Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT), 2007 NASA Mars Phoenix Lander Icy Soil Acquisition Deice (ISAD), 2011 Mars Science Laboratory Rover Sample manipulation System (SMS) and excavation systems for NASA Lunar Surface Systems and DoD. The paper addresses the commercial benefits of each of the technologies, and also describes how we identified opportunities in other federal organizations and commercial partners and what steps were required to successfully spin it off into other markets. We also describe a step-by-step approach to technology developed at Honeybee Robotics and describe the path required for infusing technology into space missions or different applications.
Transparent microarrays of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers as a multimodal tissue interface

The incorporation of nanostructured materials as functional elements of microscale devices can enhance the application of these systems for biological interfacing. Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) have been applied as highly spatially resolved electrodes in electrophysiological interfacing to tissue. Further, their high aspect ratio enables them to penetrate into cells of tissue matrices for intracellular molecular manipulation. To date, studies investigating the interactions of VACNFs with cellular processes have been limited by the use of opaque substrate materials (predominantly silicon) which interferes with optical imaging. In this paper, we discuss improved methods for fabrication of VACNF-based devices on transparent, fused silica substrates and provide data regarding the application of these devices for multimodal neuronal interfacing, including both electrophysiological and genetic manipulation of tissue.