cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of divided and full pupil configurations for line-scanning confocal microscopy in human skin and oral mucosa

Confocal point-scanning microscopy has been showing promise in the detection, diagnosing and mapping of skin lesions in clinical settings. The noninvasive technique allows provides optical sectioning and cellular resolution for in vivo diagnosis of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma and pre-operative and intra-operative mapping of margins. The imaging has also enabled more accurate "guided" biopsies while minimizing the otherwise large number of "blind" biopsies. Despite these translational advances, however, point-scanning technology remains relatively complex and expensive. Line-scanning technology may offer an alternative approach to accelerate translation to the clinic. Line-scanning, using fewer optical components, inexpensive linear-array detectors and custom electronics, may enable smaller, simpler and lower-cost confocal microscopes. A line is formed using a cylindrical lens and scanned through the back focal plane of the objective with a galvanometric scanner. A linear CCD is used for detection. Two pupil configurations were compared for performance in imaging human tissue. In the full-pupil configuration, illumination and detection is made through the full objective pupil. In the divided pupil approach, half the pupil is illuminated and the other half is used for detection. The divided pupil configuration loses spatial and axial resolution due to a diminished NA, but the sectioning capability and rejection of background is improved. Imaging in skin and oral mucosa illustrate the performance of the two configurations.
Meaningful Work: Improving Employment Outcomes for Transition-Age Youth With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Meaningful employment can have a significant impact on the lives of young adults with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Unfortunately, too few adolescents with EBD experience successful employment outcomes upon leaving high school. In this article, the authors review components of secondary educational programming that may contribute to improved employment outcomes for adolescents with EBD. Specifically, the authors present 4 skill areas (i.e., social, vocational, academic, and self-determination) and 4 support areas (i.e., community linkages, workplace supports, family involvement, and student involvement) that should receive attention when preparing adolescents for the world of work. Recommended strategies for implementing each component are presented.
Intracoronary IVUS for Evaluation of Atherosclerosis Progression

Serial imaging of the coronary arteries with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) enables monitoring progression of atherosclerotic plaque and characterization of the clinical and pharmacological factors that influence it. These studies have demonstrated the importance of targeting the major cardiovascular risk factors, with evidence of slowing progression and in some cases promoting disease regression. In addition, technological advances in intravascular imaging also permit characterization of individual plaque components, enabling more comprehensive evaluation of anti-atherosclerotic therapies.
Hormonal Control of a Low Km (Type II) Iodothyronine 5′-Deiodinase in Cultured NB41A3 Mouse Neuroblastoma Cells

The central nervous system manifests complex homeostatic. mechanisms for the maintenance of thyroid hormone economy. The present studies used the NB41A3 mouse neuroblastoma cell line as a model system to study the hormonal regulation of the enzymatic conversion of T4 to T3 in neural tissue. NB41A3 cells manifested a thiol-dependent 6-n-propyl- 2-thiouracil-insehsitive iodothyronine 5′-deiodihase (I5′D) with a Km for T4 of approximately 10 nM. I5′D activity was increased 2- to 4-fold in cells grown in thyroid hormone-depleted medium. Exposure of cells in situ to various thyroid hormones resulted in a rapid dose-dependent inhibition of enzyme activity with the following order of potency: rT3 = T4 = T3. The potent inhibitory effect of rT3 on 15′D activity could not be attributed to substrate competition with T4 in the reaction assay. The addition of dexamethasone (2 × 10−7 M) to the culture medium also inhibited 15′D activity by 46 ± 6% (±SE; n = 4 experiments; P < 0.02), whereas insulin and epinephrine were...
Rate of Growth and Acid Production of Streptococcus lactis

Summary By segregating the fast growing strains from those which grow more slowly in stock cultures of Streptococcus lactis , it has been shown that slow growth is associated with greater acid tolerance. The conclusion is drawn that such a relationship exists among strains of the same genetic constitution.
Light-induced absorption changes in Photosystem I at low temperatures

Abstract Light-induced absorption changes associated with the primary photochemical reaction and dark relaxation in Photosystem I were measured at various low temperatures. A possible temperature-dependent long-range electron tunneling process was suggested to account for the unique temperature dependence of the dark decay process. The kinetics of the light-induced absorption changes are in good agreement with the light-induced EPR changes reported earlier (Ke, B., Sugahara, K., Shaw, E.R., Hansen, R. E., Hamilton, W. D. and Beinert, H. (1974) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 368, 401–408) for the same Photosystem I subchloroplast fragments at comparable temperatures. All absorption changes between 400 and 725 nm at 86 °K have identical kinetics. The light-minus-dark difference spectrum is very similar to that of P -700 at room temperature, with an additional prominent positive change at 690 nm. Possible contributions by P -430 to the blue and red spectral changes were discussed. It was demonstrated that the intensity of the measuring beam has a drastic effect on the light-induced absorption changes of Photosystem I at low temperatures. Various pretreatments of the Photosystem I fragments such as those that photochemically (or chemically) oxidize the primary donor or photoreduce the primary acceptor abolish the subsequent photochemical reaction. Continuous illumination of the Photosystem I fragments before and during freezing has the same effect. In the temperature range of −20 to −60 °C, an unusual counter absorption change as well as a counter EPR change were observed.
Derivatives of the Matrix Exponential and Their Computation

Matrix exponentials and their derivatives play an important role in the perturbation analysis, control, and parameter estimation of linear dynamical systems. The well-known integral representation of the derivative of the matrix exponential exp(tA) in the direction V, namely @!^t"0exp((t - @t)A)V exp(@tA) [email protected], enables us to derive a number of new properties for it, along with spectral, series, and exact representations. Many of these results extend to arbitrary analytic functions of a matrix argument, for which we have also derived a simple relation between the gradients of their entries and the directional derivatives in the elementary directions. Based on these results, we construct and optimize two new algorithms for computing the directional derivative. We have also developed a new algorithm for computing the matrix exponential that is more efficient than direct Pade approximation, which is based on a rational representation of the exponential in terms of the hyperbolic function A coth(A). Finally, these results are illustrated by an application to a biologically important parameter estimation problem which arises in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Microresonant devices for power conversion

We present the concept of utilizing micro-electromechanical (MEM) energy storage for power conversion. A capacitor and inductor-free step-up converter based on mechanical resonance and silicon strain energy is introduced. In this circuit, a single MEM device is used to generate and supply high voltages, suitable for driving other MEM devices. A test converter using vertical polysilicon based resonators as energy storage elements is fabricated and tested, demonstrating the basic step-up function.
Lipids of cultured hepatoma cells: IV. Effect of serum and lipid upon cellular and media neutral lipids.

Minimal deviation hepatoma 7288C cells were cultured in a modified Swim's medium supplemented with decreasing levels of serum, lipid-free serum, lipid-free serum plus fatty acids, and other additives. Cellular and media neutral lipid classes were quantitated, the fatty acids of triglycerides and sterol esters analyzed, and the carbon number distribution of triglycerides determined. Cellular triglyceride biosynthesis virtually was inhibited when the medium was supplemented with bovine serum alone. This inhibition was not observed when the medium was supplemented with fetal calf serum alone or mixtures of fetal calf serum and bovine serum. Cells cultivated on medium supplemented with lipid-free serum plus palmitic or linoleic acids had much lower levels of free and esterified cholesterol. The fatty acid composition of cellular triglycerides and cholesterol esters differed dramatically from the corresponding media lipid classes. Except when linoleic acid was added to the medium, changes in the media serum and lipid levels had only marginal effects upon the fatty acid composition of cellular triglycerides and cholesterol esters. These data, in conjunction with earlier data that showed the media neutral lipid levels did not decrease during cell growth, indicate that these hepatoma cells utilize little or no serum triglycerides and cholesterol esters. Linoleic acid added to the medium dramatically reduced the level of 18∶1 acids in cellular triglycerides and cholesterol esters. Palmitic acid added to the medium did not change the fatty acid compositions significantly. Comparison of experimentally determined and calculated triglyceride carbon number percentages indicated a random distribution of fatty acids in this glyceride. The fatty acid composition of cellular triglycerides was similar to the composition of the cholesterol esters. The lack of characteristic and distinguishable compositions of these two classes that occur in most normal tissues suggests a loss of specificity in the lipid metabolism of this neoplasm at the class level.
Transactional events for ML

Transactional events (TE) are an approach to concurrent programming that enriches the first-class synchronous message-passing of Concurrent ML (CML) with a combinator that allows multiple messages to be passed as part of one all-or-nothing synchronization. Donnelly and Fluet (2006) designed and implemented TE as a Haskell library and demonstrated that it enables elegant solutions to programming patterns that are awkward or impossible in CML. However, both the definition and the implementation of TE relied fundamentally on the code in a synchronization not using mutable memory, an unreasonable assumption for mostly functional languages like ML where functional interfaces may have impure implementations.We present a definition and implementation of TE that supports ML-style references and nested synchronizations, both of which were previously unnecessary due to Haskell's more restrictive type system. As in prior work, we have a high-level semantics that makes nondeterministic choices such that synchronizations succeed whenever possible and a low-level semantics that uses search to implement the high-level semantics soundly and completely. The key design trade-off in the semantics is to allow updates to mutable memory without requiring the implementation to consider all possible thread interleavings. Our solution uses first-class heaps and allows interleavings only when a message is sent or received. We have used Coq to prove the high- and low-level semantics equivalent.We have implemented our approach by modifying the Objective Caml run-time system. By modifying the run-time system, rather than relying solely on a library, we can eliminate the potential for nonterminating computations within unsuccessful synchronizations to run forever.
Topographic and biomechanical differences between hyperopic and myopic laser in situ keratomileusis.

Purpose: To evaluate the size, shape, and uniformity of the videokeratographic functional optical zone (FOZ) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in 2 cohorts of patients with equivalent amounts of preoperative myopic or hyperopic astigmatism. Setting: Pepose Vision Institute, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Methods: Eyes with myopic or hyperopic astigmatism (n Z 27 in each group) that had LASIK with the Visx Star S3 laser were retrospectively selected to match for level of preoperative refractive error. Slit-scanning videokeratography was performed preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively and analyzed using custom software. The FOZ was calculated by analyzing refractive power maps using a region-growing algorithm. Difference maps were generated from slit images and compared for interval change in corneal elevation, tangential curvature, and refractive power. The difference maps were also averaged (mean difference maps) for each target population. A Zernike decomposition of corneal first-surface elevation was performed to compare postoperative values with baseline parameters. Results: The mean postoperative refractive sphere at 6 months was � 0.17 diopter (D) 60.66 (SD)andC0.25 60.85 D in the myopia group and hyperopia group, respectively, and the mean postoperative astigmatism, � 0.49 6 0.32 D and � 0.65 6 0.52 D, respectively (P Z .11). Based on the refractive power maps, the mean preoperative and postoperative myopic FOZ was 33.09 6 7.30 mm 2 and 30.94 6 5.43 mm 2 , respectively, and the mean hyperopic FOZ, 33.19 6 7.96 mm 2 and 37.99 66.88 mm 2 , respectively. After LASIK, there was an increase in magnitude of negative anterior corneal surface spherical-like Zernike values in the myopia group (P!.0001) and an increase in magnitude of positive spherical-like Zernike values in the hyperopia group. Postoperatively, significant induction of corneal surface horizontal coma was noted in hyperopic eyes (P!.0001). Hyperopic eyes, on average, had larger topographic FOZs after LASIK, but with less uniformity of curvature and power change than myopic eyes. Conclusions: Hyperopic LASIK, which involves more transition points along the ablation diameter, produced a less uniform topographic FOZ than typical myopic treatments. Less predictable biomechanical changes from the circumferential release of tension on collagen bundles after midperipheral hyperopic ablation and greater variation in beam centration and the angle of incidence may contribute to the greater variability in corneal curvature and power in hyperopic LASIK than in myopic LASIK. J Cataract Refract Surg 2005; 31:48–60 a 2005 ASCRS and ESCRS
Detection of the Carbon Monoxide Ion (CO+) in the Interstellar Medium and a Planetary Nebula

We report detection of the carbon monoxide ion (CO+) in the interstellar medium (Ml7SW) and a planetary nebula (NGC 7027). These detections are based on observations of three millimeter and submillimeter transitions in M17SW and one in NGC 7027. Chemical models suggest that CO+ should be most abundant where complex molecules are least likely to be present. In our search for CO+ we therefore minimized the chance of confusion while maximizing the probability of detection by observing regions whose chemistry is dominated by the effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Substance-Exposed Infants and Children: Forensic Approach

Infants and children exposed to illicit substances can be harmed directly by hazards in their home environment and indirectly by related issues of poor supervision and interpersonal violence among their caregivers. These children will present to health care providers with clinical symptoms that can be obvious or subtle. This article address the recognition and response to substance-exposed infants and children by reviewing the definition of a substance-exposed infant or child, differences in screening vs confirmatory drug testing modalities, and responses to consider once an infant or child is recognized as substance exposed.
Tangible display systems: direct interfaces for computer-based studies of surface appearance

When evaluating the surface appearance of real objects, observers engage in complex behaviors involving active manipulation and dynamic viewpoint changes that allow them to observe the changing patterns of surface reflections. We are developing a class of tangible display systems to provide these natural modes of interaction in computer-based studies of material perception. A first-generation tangible display was created from an off-the-shelf laptop computer containing an accelerometer and webcam as standard components. Using these devices, custom software estimated the orientation of the display and the user's viewing position. This information was integrated with a 3D rendering module so that rotating the display or moving in front of the screen would produce realistic changes in the appearance of virtual objects. In this paper, we consider the design of a second-generation system to improve the fidelity of the virtual surfaces rendered to the screen. With a high-quality display screen and enhanced tracking and rendering capabilities, a secondgeneration system will be better able to support a range of appearance perception applications.
Research Participation for Course Credit in Introduction to Psychology: Why Don't People Participate?:

Psychology courses often include an experiential component whereby instructors require or allow students to participate in research or an equitable alternative activity for course credit. We investigated self-reported reasons why students chose to not participate in research, in spite of the potential incentive of earning extra credit. Our sample of Introduction to Psychology students indicated time and scheduling conflicts and motivational issues as the 2 main reasons for not participating. We discuss implications for researchers and instructors.
BLOOD SAMPLING REDUCES ANNUAL SURVIVAL IN CLIFF SWALLOWS (PETROCHELIDON PYRRHONOTA)

ABSTRACT. Researchers commonly collect blood samples from wild birds, and most workers assume that blood sampling has no adverse effect on the birds' survival. Few studies, however, have done controlled comparisons among bled and non-bled individuals and estimated survival using modern statistical methodology. We used a data set on Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) that included 2,945 bled and 7,822 non-bled birds captured at the same times and sites in southwestern Nebraska from 1986 to 2006 to estimate annual survival and recapture probabilities of each group. Blood was collected with brachial venipuncture in amounts varying from 0.3% to 1.2% of the birds' body mass. Apparent survival of bled birds was lower than that of non-bled birds: bled birds experienced a 21–33% reduction in average survivorship, depending on amount of blood taken and whether the individuals were resident at a fumigated (parasite-free) or non-fumigated colony at the time of sampling. The percent reduction in annual surviva...
The American Colonial Environment and Religious Liberty

There is nothing inherent in Christianity itself which calls for a close relationship with the state. Primitive Christianity “demanded the complete separation of church and state,” asserting that each must be recognized as having its own distinct and independent mission to perform. For the first three hundred years of Christian history the church existed entirely apart from the state, and indeed had not even a legal status. Then came a time during which the church became little more than a branch of the state, and in this period it lost practically all independence of development, and was largely diverted from its proper work to serve political ends. It was as a result of this danger that the church developed, during the next period in its history, the doctrine of its independence of state control, and in the great investiture struggle, maintained it with success, against Roman emperors and German kings. Then the church having secured its independence of state control, and having perfected its organization to a high degree, and having grown strong and aggressive, it went a long step further and asserted the right of the church to control the state. But it needs no argument to prove that both the control of the church by the state and the control of the state by the church are equally foreign to the teaching of Christianity as such.
International Law in a World of Liberal States

International law and international politics cohabit the same conceptual space. Together they comprise the rules and the reality of 'the international system', an intellectual construct that lawyers, political scientists, and policymakers use to describe the world they study and seek to manipulate. As a distinguished group of international lawyers and a growing number of political scientists have recognized, it makes little sense to study one without the other. In keeping with this tradition, this article seeks to develop an integrated theory of international law and international relations. Previous efforts in this vein fall into several categories. Myres McDougal and Harold Lasswell, progenitors of the New Haven school, used a theory of domestic politics and domestic law to rethink the nature and definition of international law. The international legal process school, pioneered by scholars such as Abram Chayes and Louis Henkin, sought to explore and take account of the actual impact of international legal rules on international political processes, from crises to routine decision-making. The task was to determine to what extent law shapes 'how nations behave". Both of these approaches were developed in response to ongoing work in political science. The young discipline of international relations surged to respectability on the tide of Realism, proffering a hard-boiled code of conduct for the Cold War and disdaining the dangerous moralism of international law. International lawyers thus faced the 'Realist challenge*: the claim that law was simply irrelevant to international politics. McDougal and his disciples offered a theoretical response; international legal process scholars sought to establish more
Conjugate Vaccines against Group B Streptococcus Types IV and VII

Although rarely encountered, group B Streptococcus (GBS) types IV and VII have been isolated from infants and adults with invasive disease. This study was designed to determine the immunogenicity and efficacy in animals of conjugate vaccines prepared with GBS types IV and VII capsular polysaccharide (CPS). Despite the striking similarities in structure of these 2 carbohydrate antigens, high-titer rabbit antiserum to each conjugate vaccine was serotype specific. Active vaccination of female mice with the conjugate vaccines induced type-specific IgG and resulted in survival of >90% of newborn pups challenged with viable GBS of homologous serotype. If needed, types IV and VII CPS conjugate vaccines of the design described can be added to the formulation of a multivalent GBS vaccine.
Handle with Care: Benefits and Drawbacks of Volunteers in the Library

This "New and Noteworthy" book review column focuses on resources about volunteer management in school, public, academic, and special libraries.
Photolabeling of Glu-129 of the S-1 subunit of pertussis toxin with NAD.

UV irradiation was shown to induce efficient transfer of radiolabel from nicotinamide-labeled NAD to a recombinant protein (C180 peptide) containing the catalytic region of the S-1 subunit of pertussis toxin. Incorporation of label from [3H-nicotinamide]NAD was efficient (0.5 to 0.6 mol/mol of protein) relative to incorporation from [32P-adenylate]NAD (0.2 mol/mol of protein). Label from [3H-nicotinamide]NAD was specifically associated with Glu-129. Replacement of Glu-129 with glycine or aspartic acid made the protein refractory to photolabeling with [3H-nicotinamide]NAD, whereas replacement of a nearby glutamic acid, Glu-139, with serine did not. Photolabeling of the C180 peptide with NAD is similar to that observed with diphtheria toxin and exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in which the nicotinamide portion of NAD is transferred to Glu-148 and Glu-553, respectively, in the two toxins. These results implicate Glu-129 of the S-1 subunit as an active-site residue and a potentially important site for genetic modification of pertussis toxin for development of an acellular vaccine against Bordetella pertussis. Images
Factor structure of the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale: Motor examination section

The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) is widely used to assess Parkinson's disease (PD) disability but its metric properties have not been extensively studied. We investigated the factor structure and internal consistency of the Motor Examination section of the UPDRS in a sample of 294 consecutive patients with idiopathic PD who were assessed while in the "on" state. There was a high degree of internal consistency. Factor analysis revealed six clinically distinct factors, three bradykinesia measures (axial/gait, right and left), one rigidity measure, and two tremor measures (rest and postural). These factors accounted for 78% of the variance. Total Motor Examination scores and selected factors correlated well with other examiner-determined global ratings of PD disability (Hoehn and Yahr stage and Schwab-England Activities of Daily Living score). These results suggest that the Motor Examination section of the UPDRS provides a useful measure of PD function as well as severity measures of six clinical disability domains.
EFFECT OF VISUOMOTOR REHEARSAL WITH VIDEOTAPED MODELING ON RACQUETBALL PERFORMANCE OF BEGINNING PLAYERS

This investigation was designed to assess the effect of visuomotor behavior rehearsal (VMBR) with videotaped modeling on racquetball performance of beginning players. 24 male students in beginning racquetball class were randomly assigned to either VMBR with videotape modeling or relaxation and imagery (no modeling) condition for a 2-wk. training period. All subjects were pre- and posttested on forehand and backhand racquetball skill tests. Analysis indicated an effect for forehand shooting, with those given visuomotor behavior rehearsal with videotaped model exhibiting better performance than the relaxation and imagery group, but no effect for backhand shooting.
Implicit Uncertainty Propagation for Robust Collaborative Optimization

In this research we develop a mathematical construct for estimating uncertainties within the bilevel optimization framework of collaborative optimization. The collaborative optimization strategy employs decomposition techniques that decouple analysis tools in order to facilitate disciplinary autonomy and parallel execution. To ensure consistency of the physical artifact being designed, interdisciplinary consistency constraints are introduced at the system level. These constraints implicitly enforce multidisciplinary consistency when satisfied. The decomposition employed in collaborative optimization prevents the use of explicit propagation techniques for estimating uncertainties of system performance. In this investigation we develop and evaluate an implicit method for estimating system performance uncertainties within the collaborative optimization framework. The methodology accounts for both the uncertainty associated with design inputs and the uncertainty of performance predictions from other disciplinary simulation tools. These implicit uncertainty estimates are used as the basis for a new robust collaborative optimization (RCO) framework. The bilevel robust optimization strategy developed in this research provides for disciplinary autonomy in system design, while simultaneously accounting for performance uncertainties to ensure feasible robustness of the resulting system. The method is effective in locating a feasible robust optima in application studies involving a multidisciplinary aircraft concept sizing problem. The system-level consistency constraint formulation used in this investigation avoids the computational difficulties normally associated with convergence in collaborative optimization. The consistency constraints are formulated to have the inherent properties necessary for convergence of
Optimal VAr pricing and VAr placement using analytic hierarchical process

This paper proposes a new method to study reactive power pricing and new VAr source selection using the analytic hierarchical process (AHP), and presents a price structure for providing reactive power service and control based on the OPF approach. The cost of reactive power support service is determined based on capability and contribution to improvement of system performance such as security, reliability and economics, by calculating sensitivity of objective function with respect to reactive power support. For VAr planning purpose, an analytic hierarchical process model is devised which comprehensively considers the network topology and all types of benefits including operating cost, system voltage and loss for each candidate VAr source site. The proposed approach for calculating VAr pricing and selecting the new VAr sources was tested on an IEEE 30-bus system. The calculation results are analyzed by the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) method.
A new paradigm for determining one electron basis sets: core–valence basis sets for C, N and O

Using a new method, exponential parameters are developed to add to the Dunning type correlation consistent basis sets to describe core–valence correlation. Compared with existing core–valence basis sets, the new basis sets are larger, but have vastly improved convergence characteristics, especially for low-lying electronic states. The new method is very general in that it allows the explicit inclusion of electronic excited states as well as ionic states in the basis set determination.
Evaluating the Mathematics Interest Inventory Using Item Response Theory: Differential Item Functioning Across Gender and Ethnicities

As the United States has begun to lag behind other developed countries in performance on mathematics and science, researchers have sought to explain this with theories of teaching, knowledge, and m...
Robot-aided neurorehabilitation

The authors' goal is to apply robotics and automation technology to assist, enhance, quantify, and document neurorehabilitation. This paper reviews a clinical trial involving 20 stroke patients with a prototype robot-aided rehabilitation facility developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, (MIT) and tested at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, White Plains, NY. It also presents the authors' approach to analyze kinematic data collected in the robot-aided assessment procedure. In particular, they present evidence (1) that robot-aided therapy does not have adverse effects, (2) that patients tolerate the procedure, and (3) that peripheral manipulation of the impaired limb may influence brain recovery. These results are based on standard clinical assessment procedures. The authors also present one approach using kinematic data in a robot-aided assessment procedure.
Use of the wound healing trajectory as an outcome determinant for acute wound healing.

Accurate and clinically practical methods for measuring the progress of acute wound healing is necessary before interventions designed to optimize and even accelerate acute wound healing can be applied. Complete wound closure rates and operative wound closure severity are irrelevant to most acute wounds since most are closed at the time of primary tissue repair and remain closed throughout healing. Analogous to chronic wound closure, the rate of increase of incision tensile strength progressively decreases as time passes and 100% unwounded tissue strength is never achieved making the endpoint definition of "healed" vague. Conceptualizing acute wound healing in terms of its design elements with reintegration into a final outcome lends itself to the description of acute wound healing as a mathematical trajectory. Frequently such an equation is a rate expressing the change in an acute healing parameter, most often tensile strength, over time. Such an approach also normalizes misinterpretations in analysis or errors in theory developed by measuring healing parameters at fixed points in time. Distributions of fractional strength gain times (e.g., 85% normal strength) can be determined using statistical methodology similar that used for failure time of survival analysis. Preclinical studies show that acute wound healing trajectories can be shifted to the left from a "normal" or "impaired" curve to an accelerated or more "ideal" curve. A useful method for measuring acute wound healing outcomes is therefore required before the basic science of acute wound healing is inevitably applied to the problem of acute surgical wounds.
Gate last MOSFET with air spacer and self-aligned contacts for dense memories

Gate-last metal-gate/high-k technology will allow MOSFET scaling to unprecedented levels. When the gate length is small, the dominant capacitance in the MOSFET is the gate to contact-plug capacitance. This is especially so with SAC (self-aligned contact) technology popular with high density memories. This papers proposes a compact SAC gate-last air-spacer structure that yield small size, high speed, and low switching energy. The improvement over the conventional SAC device increases dramatically with scaling.
Arthroscopic meniscal repair evaluated by second-look arthroscopy:

Of 353 arthroscopic peripheral meniscal repairs performed using the "outside to inside" suturing technique with rasp preparation of the tear region, 74 repairs (50 medial and 24 lateral) were assessed by second-look arthroscopy and are the basis of this report. Results were graded as either healed, incompletely healed, or failed; these findings were correlated with clinical symptoms and associated ACL deficiency. Overall, asymptomatic healing occurred in 84%, with 65% healed and 19% incompletely healed. The failure rate was 16%. All failures were symptomatic while all healed and incompletely healed menisci were asymptomatic. Failure was associated with ACL deficiency in all cases. No failures occurred in either an ACL uninjured knee or an ACL reconstructed knee. Failure was also associated with tear location in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus. Eleven of 12 failures (92%) involved posterior medial meniscal tears with only 1 failure located posterolaterally. Visual evidence of healing required a 4 month time interval.
Regression Databases: Probabilistic Querying Using Sparse Learning Sets

We introduce Regression Databases (REDB) to formalize and automate probabilistic querying using sparse learning sets. The REDB data model involves observation data, learning set data, views definitions, and a regression model instance. The observation data is a collection of relational tuples over a set of attributes; the learning data set involves a subset of observation tuples, augmented with learned attributes, which are modeled as random variables; the views are expressed as linear combinations of observation and learned attributes; and the regression model involves functions that map observation tuples to probability distributions of the random variables, which are learned dynamically from the learning data set. The REDB query language extends relational algebra project-select queries with conditions on probabilities of first-order logical expressions, which in turn involve linear combinations of learned attributes and views, and arithmetic comparison operators. Such capability relies on the underlying regression model for the learned attributes. We show that REDB queries are computable by developing conceptual evaluation algorithms and by proving their correctness and termination.
Adult human endothelial cell enzymatic harvesting: Estimates of efficiency and comparison of crude and partially purified bacterial collagenase preparations by replicate microwell culture and fibronectin degradation measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Abstract Reliable enzymatic endothelial cell (EC) harvest methods are required for clinical EC seeding of vascular prostheses by methods analogous to those demonstrated in dogs. But crude collagenases used for EC harvest vary in efficacy and cytotoxicity, and purified collagenases reportedly give low EC yields. To compare different harvest methods, we studied growth curves of primary adult human saphenous vein EC (HSVEC) harvests plated in replicate microwell cultures. The EC yield, defined as attachment-capable ECs obtained per square centimeter of vein lumen, was estimated from the lowest number of ECs counted in lag phase before exponential growth began. With the use of morphometric studies of HSVs that were perfusion-fixed at their original dimensions, the baseline in situ density of ECs available for harvest from HSV was estimated at 1.3 × 10 5 EC/cm 2 . Crude (CBC) and partially purified bacterial collagenase (PBC) solutions at concentrations with equal levels of basement membrane lysis activity (BMLA) were compared by the replicate microwell method in a series of 21 harvests (six CBC, eight PBC, and seven enzyme-free control harvests). All 14 enzymatic harvests produced confluent EC cultures with no significant difference in mean harvest efficiency between CBC (12% of in situ EC number) and PBC (15%). However, PBC caused less degradation of human fibronectin (p
The stigma of obesity and discrimination in performance appraisal: a theoretical model

We propose a theoretical model to study the effect of obesity stigma on performance appraisal. The model draws from the appraisal, obesity, stigmatization, and prejudice literatures to examine three sets of factors: individual factors in the appraiser(s) and the obese appraisee; factors in performance appraisal; and contextual factors. According to the model, these factors make it easier or harder for obesity stigma to affect the performance appraisal of obese employees, potentially biasing the process and resulting in discrimination. While examining the interplay of forces that facilitate or inhibit the expression of obesity stigma in the affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses of appraisers, we introduce the concept of ‘aversive weightism’. This concept enhances understanding of the tensions between the ethos of objectivity in performance appraisal and the deeply rooted, often unconscious influences of societal prejudice and stigma against obesity. We conclude with implications for research and p...
Nonverbal Learning Disabilities: An Overview

Developmental right-hemisphere brain syndrome or nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) is receiving increased attention due to the growing awareness of the prevalence of its symptoms. Features of NLD are reviewed in terms of personal, social, and academic manifestations. Specifically, this article examines the neuropsychological and learning components associated with this syndrome and outlines effective academic and social interventions.
Resting Ca2+ influx does not contribute to anoxia-induced cell death in adult rat cardiac myocytes.

Calcium has been proposed as a primary influence on cell death during ischemic episodes in myocardial cells. One component of calcium entry into a cell is resting calcium influx. This basal movement of calcium is blocked by 100 µmol/L gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) in cardiac myocytes. Therefore, GdCl3 should be cardioprotective under anoxic conditions. To test this, cardiac myocytes isolated from adult male rats were subjected to anoxia (100% N2) in the presence or absence of 100 µmol/L GdCl3 in one of 2 ways. In the first method, cells were suspended in media and rendered anoxic for 0, 30, and 60 min, after which cell morphology and viability were scored. After 60 min of anoxia, rod-shaped cells accounted for 46% ± 4% of total cells (viability 81%); 10 min of reoxygenation markedly reduced rod-shaped cells to 27% (viability 72%). GdCl3 in the medium did not protect the cells (anoxic rods 49%, reoxygenated rods 30%, viability 77%). In the second method, cells were attached to a laminin substrate, rendered a...
Mechanics and Energetics of Muscular Contraction: Before Sliding Filaments and into the Modern Era

Muscle is first and foremost a machine that utilizes fuel to generate force and do work. This fact was emphasized in a very colorful way by Douglas (Doug) R. Wilkie, a professor in the department of physiology at University College London. In preparation for a lecture on muscle mechanics and energetics to engineers, Wilkie generated a notice of the lecture in terms that would be familiar to engineers. The notice of the lecture appeared in the publicity section of Nature in 1969. Muscle is indeed a motor with special properties. The topic of the mechanical and energetic properties of muscle is a venerable one dating back to the nineteenth century. The modern era began when the results of mechanical and energetic investigations started to be interpreted in terms of the sliding filament attached cross-bridge model of muscle contraction in the 1960s and early 1970s. Along the way empirical models of muscle contraction were developed only to be superseded by new results and new models. Muscle energetics evolved into a specialized field away from muscle chemistry and then came back when the energy liberation during muscle contraction was compared to the observed chemical changes. These so-called energy balance experiments led to surprising and sometimes confusing results. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century the mechanics and energetics field was dominated by one scientist, a scientist of great intellectual ability and strength of personality, Archibald Vivian (A. V.) Hill. Hill made many important discoveries but also he sometimes got it wrong.
Mitochondria and caspase-independent cell-death triggered by GCS-100, a novel carbohydrate-based therapeutic in multiple myeloma (MM) cells.

Abstract GCS-100 is a carbohydrate-based therapeutic in clinical development for the treatment of cancer. Here we show that GCS-100 directly targets MM cells and their bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. Treatment of various MM cell lines, including those resistant to conventional anti-MM agents such as, dexamethasone, melphalan, or doxorubicin, with GCS-100 triggers growth arrest and apoptosis. Examination of purified patient MM cells demonstrated similar results, without significant toxicity against normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Importantly, GCS-100 decreases viability of bortezomib-resistant MM patient cells. GCS-100 blocks MM cell growth induced by both adhesion to bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and related cytokine secretion, thereby inhibiting growth and survival in MM cells conferred by the BM microenvironment. GCS-100 overcomes drug-resistance conferred by anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and heat shock protein-27. Although GCS-100 induces MM cell death evidenced by morphological and DNA fragmentation analysis, no activation of caspases-8, -9 and -3 was noted at the IC50 dose. Conversely, the pan caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk failed to abrogate GCS-100-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, GCS-100 does not alter mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting a mitochondria- and caspase-independent cell death-signaling pathway. These data provided the rationale for combining GCS-100 with an agent that specifically triggers mitochondrial apoptotic signaling in MM cells. For example, combining a conventional agent dexamethasone, a known inducer of Smac release from mitochondria and activator of caspase-9/3 cascade, with GCS-100 shows additive anti-MM activity; and combining GCS-100 with an antagonist to mitochondrial peripheral benzodiazepine receptor PK-11195 shows synergistic anti-MM activity, associated with profound mitochondrial cell-death signaling and activation of caspase-9 and -3. Collectively, these findings lay the framework for clinical evaluation of GCS-100, either alone or in combination with dexamethasone or PK-11195, to overcome drug resistance and improve patient outcome in MM.
A point-spread-function-aware filtered backprojection algorithm for focal-plane-scanning optical projection tomography

Traditional optical projection tomography requires the use of low numerical aperture objectives in order to achieve a large depth of field and approximate parallel projection geometry. However, low NA objectives suffer from poor resolution, resulting in blur in the reconstructed image. In this paper, we present a modified filtered backprojection method suitable for focal-plane-scanning optical projection tomography (FPS-OPT), where each projection is obtained by scanning through focal planes during collection. We show that FPS-OPT has an exact inversion formula akin to a filtered backprojection, but that incorporates the system's point-spread-function to recover a deblurred 3D volume. With simulations, we demonstrate that FPS-OPT permits the use of high numerical aperture objectives that lead to more accurate images. We further illustrate the technique on experimentally acquired data from a fluorescently-labeled zebrafish larva, which shows that our approach reduces out-of-focus blur.
From Grapheme to Phonological Output: Performance of Adults Who Stutter on a Word Jumble Task

Purpose The purpose of the present study was to extend previous research by analyzing the ability of adults who stutter to use phonological working memory in conjunction with lexical access to perform a word jumble task. Method Forty English words consisting of 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-letters (n = 10 per letter length category) were randomly jumbled using a web-based application. During the experimental task, 26 participants were asked to silently manipulate the scrambled letters to form a real word. Each vocal response was coded for accuracy and speech reaction time (SRT). Results Adults who stutter attempted to solve fewer word jumble stimuli than adults who do not stutter at the 4-letter, 5-letter, and 6-letter lengths. Additionally, adults who stutter were significantly less accurate solving word jumble tasks at the 4-letter, 5-letter, and 6-letter lengths compared to adults who do not stutter. At the longest word length (6-letter), SRT was significantly slower for the adults who stutter than the fluent controls. Conclusion Results of the current study lend further support to the notion that differences in various aspects of phonological processing, including vision-to-sound conversions, sub-vocal stimulus manipulation, and/or lexical access are compromised in adults who stutter.
Improved Xylan Hydrolysis of Corn Stover by Deacetylation with High Solids Dilute Acid Pretreatment

To produce ethanol cost-effectively from herbaceous feedstocks such as corn stover, efficient xylan hydrolysis with monomeric xylose yields approaching 90% are necessary. Dilute acid pretreatment is well established as one of the pretreatment technologies for xylan hydrolysis; however, the accumulation of salts from neutralization, the production of toxic byproducts, and the release of acetic acid can inhibit enzymatic saccharification and fermentation, resulting in depressed ethanol yields. Successful removal of acetyl groups from native corn stover by alkali de-esterification could potentially increase monomeric xylose yields from pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, improve cellulose digestibility, and reduce the cytotoxicity of the fermentation broth. Results presented in this article show that alkaline extraction removed significant amounts of acetyl groups from corn stover, improved xylan hydrolysis in high solids dilute acid pretreatment by more than 50%, and improved xylan and glucan hydrolysis ...