cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aqueous NaCl and CsCl Solutions Confined in Crystalline Slit-Shaped Silica Nanopores of Varying Degree of Protonation

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to study the dynamics of aqueous electrolyte solutions confined in slit-shaped silica nanopores of various degrees of protonation. Five degrees of protonation were prepared by randomly removing surface hydrogen atoms from fully protonated crystalline silica surfaces. Aqueous electrolyte solutions containing NaCl or CsCl salt were simulated at ambient conditions. In all cases, the ionic concentration was 1 M. The results were quantified in terms of atomic density distributions within the pores, and the self-diffusion coefficient along the direction parallel to the pore surface. We found evidence for ion-specific properties that depend on ion–surface, water–ion, and only in some cases ion–ion correlations. The degree of protonation strongly affects the structure, distribution, and the dynamic behavior of confined water and electrolytes. Cl– ions adsorb on the surface at large degrees of protonation, and their behavior does not depend significantly on th...
Health care and the cross-section of US stock returns

Health care costs represent a large and growing component of business and consumer expenditures in the US. Medical inflation represents these costs, and it differs from aggregate inflation and other market factors with respect to its rate of growth, statistical properties and the extent to which it can be hedged by households and firms. Using multiple model specifications for the 25-year period from 1985 to 2009, we find medical inflation is robustly priced in the cross-section of US stock returns. It commands a risk premium of between 31 and 51 basis points per annum per unit change in beta. Medical inflation is also unique in that it represents the only inflationary component that robustly explains the cross-section of stock returns in this manner and is not subsumed by other common factors in the literature. These results quantify the health care industry’s unique and significant role in the US economy and stock market, further rationalizing the substantial attention this industry receives.
The effect of patent ductus arteriosus on flow velocity in the anterior cerebral arteries: Ductal steal in the premature newborn infant

Marked changes in blood flow velocity in the anterior cerebral arteries, measured by a Doppler technique, have been related to PDA in premature infants. Thus, 55 premature infants of birth weight less than 2,000 gm were studied. Ten developed PDA between days three and ten of life. A sharp decrease in diastolic flow velocity and an increase in pulse amplitude in the ACA was observed with the occurrence of PDA. Return of these values to normal occurred promptly following closure of the lesion. These changes in flow velocity and pulse amplitude in the ACA appear to be determined principally by changes in systemic diastolic pressure which accompany PDA. There was no consistent relationship between the changes in flow velocity and arterial PCO2 values. These data suggest that PDA may be involved in the genesis of ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebral injury in the premature newborn infant. Thus, the decrease in flow velocity appears to represent a "steal" of blood from the cerebral arteries, analogous to other documented steal phenomena observed in older patients. Major fluctuations of blood flow velocity in the ACA, with opening and closure of the PDA, and the increase in amplitude of each pulse with PDA may, in the presence of disturbed autoregulation, cause rupture of the capillaries of the germinal matrix and thus, IVH.
Causes and consequences of unequal seedling production in forest trees: a case study in red oaks

Inequality in reproductive success has important implications for ecological and evolutionary dynamics, but lifetime reproductive success is challenging to measure in long-lived species such as forest trees. While seed production is often used as a proxy for overall reproductive success, high mortality of seeds and the potential for trade-offs between seed number and quality draw this assumption into question. Parentage analyses of established seedlings can bring us one step closer to understanding the causes and consequences of variation in reproductive success. In this paper we demonstrate a new method for estimating individual seedling production and average percentage germination, using data from two mixed-species populations of red oaks (Quercus rubra, Q. velutina, Q. falcata, and Q. coccinea). We use these estimates to examine the distribution of female reproductive success and to test the relationship between seedling number and individual seed production, age, and growth rate. We show that both seed and seedling production are highly skewed, roughly conforming to zero-inflated lognormal distributions, rather than to the Poisson or negative-binomial distributions often assumed by population genetics analyses. While the number of established offspring is positively associated with mean annual seed production, a lower proportion of seeds from highly fecund individuals become seedlings. Our red oak populations also show evidence of trade-offs between growth rate and reproductive success. The high degree of inequality in seedling production shown here for red oaks, and by previous studies in other species, suggests that many trees may be more vulnerable to genetic drift than previously thought, if immigration in limited by fragmentation or other environmental changes.
Sierpinski fractals and GCDs

Abstract The Sierpinski triangle, carpet, and pyramid, along with the Menger sponge, are well known two-and three-dimensional fractals. The fact that these fractals are constructed in a similar fashion is made evident by showing that discrete versions of these all arise using inner products involving greatest common divisors and least common multiples on matrices involving base two and three addresses. These constructions admit generalization to arbitrary dimension and base.
The status of circumcision of newborns.

From the early 1940s until the mid-1970s, circumcision of newborn boys was accepted in the United States as a simple procedure that promoted hygiene and prevented genital disease. Educated middle-class parents almost always had their newborn sons circumcised. The opinion that circumcision prevented cancer of the penis and was associated with a lower incidence of cervical cancer in sexual partners was generally accepted. It helped prevent phimosis and associated local infection and resulted in genital cleanliness. These middle-class parents were willing to pay for the procedure (there were few insurance programs in the 1940s and 1950s). The infant sons of . . .
Echocardiographic Detection of Right Atrial Thromboembolism

Deep venous thrombosis may result in the clinical syndrome of pulmonary embolus. In rare instances, embolization has occurred, not directly to the pulmonary arterial tree, but to the right atrium or right ventricle. We report herein two cases of right atrial thromboembolization detected by two-dimensional echocardiography, and we review recently reported similar cases. The echocardiographic appearance of right-sided cardiac thromboembolism may be unique and allow precise noninvasive diagnosis. Mortality was five of five in patients receiving no specific therapy, four of eight in medically treated patients, and one of seven in surgically treated patients. From this review, it appears that there is a high mortality associated with this entity, which may be improved by rapid recognition and institution of specific therapy with anticoagulants, thrombolytic agents, or surgery. In select patients with low surgical risk, prompt exploration and removal of the mass may be indicated.
Quantum confinement, core level shifts, and dopant segregation in P-doped Si⟨110⟩ nanowires

We examine P-doped $\text{Si}⟨110⟩$ nanowires by employing a real-space pseudopotential method. We find the defect wave function becomes more localized along the nanowire axis and the donor ionization energy increases, owing to quantum confinement. It is more difficult to dope a P atom into a $\text{Si}⟨110⟩$ nanowire than to dope Si bulk because the formation energy increases with decreasing size. By comparing the formation energy for different P positions within a nanowire, we find that if a P atom at the nanowire surface can overcome the energy barrier close to the surface, there is a tendency for the dopant to reside within the nanowire core. We calculate P core levels shift as P changes position within the nanowire and provide a means for x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiments to determine the location of P atoms within a Si nanowire.
Bringing extra-solar planets into the introductory physics classroom

This paper describes a teaching activity for students using Doppler shifts of starlight to detect extra-solar planets.
Serotonin mediates a slow excitatory potential in mammalian celiac ganglia.

Abstract Neuropharmacological and histochemical evidence presented here indicates that serotonin (5-HT) is the transmitter mediating one of the postsynaptic potentials in the guinea pig celiac ganglion. Repetitive stimulation elicited in celiac neurons, in addition to the nicotinic fast excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP), a slow EPSP that was resistant to cholinergic antagonist. Application of 5-HT caused a depolarization with membrane characteristics similar to those of the slow EPSP, furthermore, the latter was reversibly suppressed by 5-HT. The slow depolarization evoked by either nerve stimulation or 5-HT was augmented by fluoxetine, a 5-HT reuptake blocker, and depressed by cyproheptadine, a 5-HT receptor blocker; in addition, tryptophan, a precursor of 5-HT, enhanced differentially the slow EPSP. Lastly, histochemical study revealed dense networks of 5-HT immunoreactivity nerve fibers encircling many ganglionic neurons.
A double-blind comparison of trebenzomine and thioridazine in the treatment of schizophrenia

Forty inpatient volunteers with diagnoses of schizophrenia were randomly assigned to treatment either with trebenzomine or thioridazine in a double-blind study of clinical antipsychotic efficacy following a 1-week placebo treatment. Psychopathology was rated using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). There was a significant difference in therapeutic response to the two drugs in that psychopathology decreased significantly for the thioridazine group, but not for the trebenzomine group. Serum prolactin was elevated during treatment with thioridazine, but not with trebenzomine. Side effects were more frequently reported for the thioridazine group. These results fail to confirm previous reports of clinical antipsychotic efficacy for trebenzomine.
Forest Canopy Cover and Height From MISR in Topographically Complex Southwestern US Landscapes Assessed With High Quality Reference Data

This study addresses the retrieval of spatially contiguous canopy cover and height estimates in southwestern US forests via inversion of a geometric-optical (GO) model against surface bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) estimates from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR). Model inversion can provide such maps if good estimates of the background bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) are avail- able. The study area is in the Sierra National Forest in the Sierra Nevada of California. Tree number density, mean crown radius, and fractional cover reference estimates were obtained via analysis of QuickBird 0.6 m spatial resolution panchromatic imagery using the CANopy Analysis with Panchromatic Imagery (CANAPI) algorithm, while RH50, RH75 and RH100 (50%, 75%, and 100% energy return) height data were obtained from the NASA Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS), a full waveform light detection and ranging (lidar) instrument. These canopy parameters were used to drive a modified version of the simple GO model (SGM), accurately reproducing patterns of MISR 672 nm band surface reflectance (mean RMSE = 0.011, mean R2 = 0.82, N = 1048). Cover and height maps were obtained through model inversion against MISR 672 nm reflectance estimates on a 250 m grid. The free parameters were tree number density and mean crown radius. RMSE values with respect to reference data for the cover and height retrievals were 0.05 and 6.65 m, respectively, with R2 of 0.54 and 0.49. MISR can thus provide maps of forest cover and height in areas of topographic variation although refinements are required to improve retrieval precision.
Future trends in patient-reported outcomes assessment for patients with advanced-stage lung cancer receiving targeted therapy.

Abstract Recent advances in cancer cell biology have led to the development of therapeutic agents that target pathways critical to the development and progression of disease. These so-called “targeted therapies” might offer patients a more tolerable alternative to traditional systemic chemotherapy that often achieves therapeutic benefit at the cost of debilitating side effects. Several targeted agents have been recently tested in clinical trials of advanced-stage lung cancer. As interest in these therapies grows, an understanding of their impact on the patient's well-being will be important. Patient-reported outcome measures such as formal assessments of health-related quality of life and disease symptoms provide a useful means for addressing the impact of therapy from the perspective of the patient. We summarize the most commonly used measures of health-related quality of life in clinical trials of advanced-stage lung cancer. Although existing measurement systems do provide adequate coverage of many important patient-related outcome issues, the advent of targeted therapies in advanced-stage lung cancer does expose several measurement gaps. We highlight some of these gaps by reviewing a representative sample of recently conducted clinical trials of targeted lung cancer therapy and offer insight as to how these gaps can be filled. We also briefly discuss a set of issues unique to patients receiving targeted therapy (eg, perceptions of treatment efficacy, treatment compliance, patient satisfaction, and treatment convenience) and consider a few methodologic concerns unique to patients with advanced cancer.
The relationship of cAMP levels and the rate of pool labelling of cAMP and related bases, nucleosides and nucleotides to the HeLa cell cycle.

Abstract Cellular cAMP levels as well as the rate of pool labelling of cAMP and related bases, nucleosides and nucleotides were determined in synchronized cultures of HeLa cells after pulse-labelling with [14C]adenine. The cAMP levels were found to be maximal in G 1 and minimal in G 2 and mitosis, as previously reported by others. The rate of labelling of the cAMP pools, however, was found to be maximal in G 2 and decreased to a minimum in G 1. This suggests that the rate of cAMP synthesis is highest when pool level is lowest and vice versa. A comparison of cAMP levels and the rate of 5′AMP pool labelling throughout the HeLa cell cycle indicated an inverse relationship. Such a relationship emphasizes the role of the cyclic 3′,5′-phosphodiesterase activity during the cell cycle. The kinetics of pool labelling of IMP, ATP, and hypoxanthine throughout the cell cycle suggested that the adenylate energy charge fluctuated as a function of the cell cycle. The apparent activation of the adenylate cyclase during G 2 and mitosis as reflected by the increased rate of cAMP pool labelling suggests that the super phosphorylation of H 1 histone during G 2-mitotic transition may be mediated by cAMP-dependent phosphokinases.
Effects of Core Coupling in Fiber Bundles on Imaging

We experimentally demonstrate that core coupling dramatically degrades the imaging performance of coherent fiber bundles. The coupling is wavelength and polarization dependent. We further show numerically that large core-clad index contrast lowers couplings between cores.
Differences in patellofemoral joint cartilage material properties and their significance to the etiology of cartilage surface fibrillation

Summary Objective To determine if differences in biomechanical properties and biochemical composition exist between human patellar articular cartilage and the opposing femoral articular cartilage. Design The biomechanical properties and biochemical composition of the articular cartilage of 17 knees from 13 donors were determined for four sites on the patella and three sites on the femur represting regions of contact at 30° and 90° of flexion. The material properties were determined by biphasic indentation testing, yielding the compressive aggregate modulus, H A , permeability, k, and Poisson's ratio, v s . The thickness of the cartilage at the indentation site, h, was also measured using a needle probe. Full-thickness samples of cartilage adjacent to each indentation site were used for wet weight, sulfated glycosaminoglycan content and hydroxyproline content determinations. Results The patellar cartilage was found to have a lower compressive aggregate modulus by 30% ( P P P =0.017) than that of the opposing femoral cartilage. The Poisson's ratios for both surfaces were found to be nearly zero. The water content of the patella was higher by 5% ( P =0.031) and the proteoglycan content lower by 19% ( P =0.030) than that of the femur. However, no differences were found between the collagen contents of the cartilages. Conclusions Significant differences were found between the intrinsic material properties of the patellar cartilage and those of the femoral-trochlear cartilage. This variability of cartilage material properties with the patellofemoral joint may help explain why patellar cartilage has been frequently observed clinically to exhibit earlier and more severe fibrillation changes than the opposing femoral cartilage.
Rapid thermal alloyed ohmic contact on InP

The results of a study of the electrical and metallurgical properties of thin metallic layers deposited on InP for use as an ohmic contact are presented. A rapid thermal annealing system was used to alloy AuGe/Ni/Au contacts ton-type ion implanted InP. Rutherford backscattering and contact resistivity measurement were used to evaluate the structural and electrical characteristics of these rapid thermal alloyed thin films. Varying degrees of mixing between the metals and the semiconductor were found depending on the temperature and temperature-time cycle. These results were compared to furnace and graphite strip-heater alloying techniques. A correlation between the interface structure and the contact resistance was found. Temperatures between 430 and 450° C and alloying time of 2 sec have produced the best electrical results, with specific contact resistance as low as 2*10−7 Ω cm2 on semi-insulating InP which was Siimplanted with a peak concentration about 2*1018 cm−3. The optimum alloy temperature is marked by the onset of substantial wrinkling of the contact surface, whereas essentially smooth surfaces are obtained at temperatures below optimum. The depth of the alloyed ohmic contact is controlled by the time of heating and could be less than 1000A.
Complexation of uranyl ion by tetrahexylmalonamides: an equilibrium modeling and infrared spectroscopic study

Abstract We investigated the extraction of uranyl nitrate from aqueous sodium nitrate with a series of tetrahexylmalonamides. The tetrahexylmalonamides considered were N , N , N ′, N ′-tetrahexylmalonamide (THMA), N , N , N ′, N ′-tetrahexyl-2-methylmalonamide (MeTHMA), and N , N , N ′, N ′-tetrahexyl-2,2-dimethylmalonamide (DiMeTHMA). This series allowed for a systematic determination of the effects of alkyl substitution of the methylene carbon. Equilibrium modeling of the extraction data indicates that at 1 M NaNO 3 , two extracted species are formed: UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L 2 and UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L 3 . The relative abundance of these two species depends on the nature of the tetrahexylmalonamide ligand. The UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L 2 species is dominant in the DiMeTHMA system, with very little formation of the UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L 3 species. In contrast, the UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L 3 species is more predominant in the MeTHMA case. The case of THMA lies in between. The greater propensity of MeTHMA versus THMA to bind in a 3:1 fashion to uranyl ion might reflect the greater basicity of the carbonyl oxygens in MeTHMA. The fact that DiMeTHMA binds primarily in 2:1 fashion suggests that steric constraints are more important in that ligand. As the nitrate concentration is increased, the ligand-to-metal ratios tend to decrease, i.e. the UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L 2 species tends to predominate, while the UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L 3 species becomes less important. In the case of THMA and MeTHMA, equilibrium modeling suggests the existence of a UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 L species at higher nitrate concentrations. FTIR spectral studies confirm that at least two uranyl–THMA complexes formed, one of which has been identified as UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 (THMA) by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The identity of the second species has not been definitively determined, but is most likely UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 (THMA) 2 .
Long-term expression of a reporter gene from latent herpes simplex virus in the rat hippocampus

Abstract A problem in utilizing herpes simplex virus (HSV) as a vector for expression of foreign genes in CNS neurons has been the inability to facilitate long-term expression of the engineered genes. Previously, we showed that the murine moloney leukemia virus LTR would drive β-galactosidase (β-gal) transcription for extended periods from the latent viral genome in sensory, but not motor neurons. In this communication we further evaluate the utility of the LTR promoter for use in long-term expression vectors. Following stereotactic injection of 8117/43 (an ICP4 minus, non-replicating virus with the LTR driving the β-gal gene, or KD6 (an ICP4 minus non-replicating virus not expressing β-gal) into the hippocampus of rats, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of viral DNA after 2 months indicated that latent infections were established. Assaying by both x -gal staining and reverse transcriptase PCR we demonstrate that (1) β-gal can be detected for at least 6 months in hippocampul neurons, and (2) although the number of β-gal transcripts in these cells drops considerably by 2 weeks, they can be detected during the period studied. These studies indicate that the LTR promoter is active and affords long-term expression in the CNS, albeit at comparatively low levels compared to those observed at acute times.
Applying a three-dimensional velocity model, waveform cross correlation, and cluster analysis to locate southern California seismicity from 1981 to 2005

We compute high-precision earthquake locations using southern California pick and waveform data from 1981 to 2005. Our latest results are significantly improved compared to our previous catalog by the following: (1) We locate events with respect to a new crustal P and S velocity model using three-dimensional ray tracing, (2) we examine six more years of waveform data and compute cross-correlation results for many more pairs than our last analysis, and (3) we compute locations within similar event clusters using a new method that applies a robust fitting method to obtain the best locations satisfying all the differential time constraints from the waveform cross correlation. These results build on the relocated catalogs of Hauksson and Shearer (2005) and Shearer et al. (2005) and provide additional insight regarding the fine-scale fault structure in southern California and the relationship between the San Andreas Fault (SAF) and nearby seismicity. In particular, we present results for two regions in which the seismicity near the southern SAF seems to align on dipping faults.
The Making of a Japanese Avant-Garde in Colonial Dairen, 1924–1937

In this article, I discuss how the Manchurian port city of Dairen became a cultural center for Japanese avant-garde literary and artistic production in the twenties and thirties. I examine the transnational flow of aesthetic and literary ideas between Tokyo and Dairen, and the economic and political factors enabling Japanese and Western avant-garde movements to flourish in this peripheral outpost of the Japanese empire. Notably, Dairen was the cradle of the Japanese surrealist movement in poetry, and later, provided a venue for an active group of surrealist artists. Though distanced from Tokyo, the central cultural and political locus of a rapidly expanding Japanese empire, Dairen served as an important crossroads in northeast Asia for trade, culture, and political ideology. Born out of Russian and Japanese imperialism, the free port of Dairen and its cosmopolitan cultural environment supported the complex historical conditions prompting a multi-faceted literary and aesthetic vision for the Japanese avant-garde.
An application of a modified constrained randomization process to a practice-based cluster randomized trial to improve colorectal cancer screening.

Background When designing cluster randomized trials, it is important for researchers to be familiar with strategies to achieve valid study designs given limited resources. Constrained randomization is a technique to help ensure balance on pre-specified baseline covariates.
Toxic effects in mice of corn cultures of Penicillium cyclopium and Penicillium frequentans.

Several isolates of P. frequentans and P. cyclopium obtained from corn kernels produced toxicity in mice when fed as corn cultures at a concentration of 50% of the diet. Autoclaved corn was inoculated with spores of each isolate and incubated at 23°C for 2 wk. The cultures were treated with chloroform to destroy the spores, dried at 105°F for 5 days, then ground for mixing with purified diet. Ten mice were fed each diet, and mice fed only the purified diet and groups fed 50% concentration of ground, uninoculated popcorn served as controls. Body weight gains were reduced, some deaths occurred, and microscopic lesions were induced either in the liver or kidney or both. The characteristic changes in P. frequentans-fed mice was the focal or generalized ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes. The cells appeared to fill with water and the cytoplasmic changes were accompanied by nuclear pycnosis. In mice fed the P. cyclopium diets, lesions were found in the liver and kidneys and consisted of cellular enlargement with nuclear hypertrophy. No specific information is available on the toxic metabolite(s) that may be responsible for these alterations.
Sunlight-assisted route to antimicrobial plasmonic aminoclay catalysts

We present a straightforward, environmentally-benign, one-pot photochemical route to generate alloyed AgAu bimetallic nanoparticle decorated aminoclays in water at room temperature. The protocol uses no reducing agent (e.g., NaBH4) nor is photocatalyst required. These hybrid materials show excellent promise as dual catalysts/antibacterial agents.
The Inadequacies of ''Science for All'' and the Necessity and Nature of a Socially Transformative Curriculum Approach for African American Science Education

“Science for All” is a mantra that has guided science education reform and practice for the past 20 years or so. Unfortunately, after 20 years of “Science for All” guided policy, research, professional development, and curricula African Americans continue to participate in the scientific enterprise in numbers that are staggeringly low. What is more, if current reform efforts were to realize the goal of “Science for All,” it remains uncertain that African American students would be well-served. This article challenges the idea that the type of science education advocated under the “Science for All” movement is good for African American students. It argues that African American students are uniquely situated historically and socially and would benefit greatly from a socially transformative approach to science education curricula designed to help them meet their unique sociohistorical needs. The article compares the curriculum approach presented by current reform against a socially transformative curriculum approach. It concludes with a description of research that could support the curricular approach advocated. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 301–316, 2011
Polling and Public Policy

This commentary distinguishes five reasons why one might want to conduct a survey concerning people's beliefs about death and the permissibility of harvesting organs: (1) simply to learn what people know and want; (2) to determine if current law and practice conform to the wishes of the population; (3) to determine the level of popular support for or opposition to policy changes; (4) to ascertain the causes and effects of popular beliefs and attitudes; and (5) to provide guidance in determining which laws and practices are ethical. The com- mentary expresses qualms about how well surveys in general can perform with respect to the fifth objective, and it provides specific reasons to doubt whether this survey is informative from the perspective of a moral philosopher concerned with the nature of death and the contours of a permissible system of organ pro- curement.
Marking past tense in second language acquisition

Marking past tense in second language acquisition, by R. Salaberry, London, Continuum, 2008, xiv + 289 pp., US$150 (hardback), ISBN 978-1-84706-238-3 One of the most widely researched topics in the...
Residual (Sur)Realism

We show how to construct multiple linear regression datasets with the property that the plot of residuals versus predicted values from the least squares fit of the correct model reveals a hidden image or message. In the full PDF version of this article, the abstract itself is one such plot.
Chemotactic and Anaphylatoxic Fragment Cleaved from the Fifth Component of Guinea Pig Complement

The fifth component of guinea pig complement, with a sedimentation coefficient 7.8S, is cleaved by sensitized sheep erythrocytes treated with the first four components of complement into two fragments with sedimentation coefficients of 7.4S and 1.5S. The smaller fragment, with a molecular weight of about 15,000, possesses chemotactic activity for rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes, as well as anaphylatoxic activity for guinea pig ileum.
Experiments in Nanomechanical Properties of Live Osteoblast Cells and Cell–Biomaterial Interface

Characterizing the mechanical characteristics of living cells and cell–biomaterial composite is an important area of research in bone tissue engineering. In this work, an in situ displacement-controlled nanoindentation technique (using Hysitron Triboscope) is developed to perform nanomechanical characterization of living cells (human osteoblasts) and cell–substrate constructs under physiological conditions (cell culture medium; 37 °C). In situ elastic moduli (E) of adsorbed proteins on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) under cell culture media were found to be ∼4 GPa as revealed by modulus mapping experiments. The TCPS substrates soaked in cell culture medium showed significant difference in surface nanomechanical properties (up to depths of ∼12 nm) as compared to properties obtained from deeper indentations. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed the cytoskeleton structures such as actin stress fiber networks on flat cells which are believed to impart the structural integrity to cell structure. Load-deformation response of cell was found to be purely elastic in nature, i.e., cell recovers its shape on unloading as indicated by linear loading and unloading curves obtained at 1000 nm indentation depth. The elastic response of cells is obtained during initial cell adhesion (ECell, 1 h, 1000 nm = 4.4–12.4 MPa), cell division (ECell, 2 days, 1000 nm = 1.3–3.0 MPa), and cell spreading (ECell, 2 days, 1000 nm = 6.9–11.6 MPa). Composite nanomechanical responses of cell–TCPS constructs were obtained by indentation at depths of 2000 nm and 3000 nm on cell-seeded TCPS. Elastic properties of cell–substrate composites were mostly dominated by stiff TCPS (EBulk = 5 GPa) lying underneath the cell.
The role of residual melt migration in producing compositional diversity in a suite of granitic rocks

Abstract We present a quantitative model for in situ crystallization within a solidification zone (or boundary layer) based on the trace and major element compositions of plutonic igneous rocks and related geochemical data. We developed the model to account for the characteristics of a suite of granitic rocks: nearly uniform mineral compositions in rocks that range widely in bulk composition (e.g., 58–76 wt.% SiO 2 ); linear variation and correlation of all major and trace elements analyzed except Ba; large and apparently random variations in Ba concentration. These characteristics cannot be explained by any standard petrogenetic model involving fractionation, mixing, or restite unmixing, but are successfully reproduced by our model of residual melt migration. We do not attempt to model the entire crystallization history of a pluton but, rather, only that interval during which melt migration processes have recognizable geochemical effects. For the granitic suite, the chemical signature of residual melt migration resulted from the change in Ba compatibility with the onset of orthoclase crystallization at a granite minimum. Our results demonstrate that plutonic rocks can develop large compositional variations, comparable to those expected to result from extreme differentiation within a large magma body, over short distances by melt migration under conditions of high permeability or slow crystallization rate within the solidification zone. Melt migration is probably a common process that could be overlooked in large plutons if sampling is sparse and if variations in some components that appear random are not considered. Our model equations yield estimates for parameters that describe the proportions of residual melt that crystallize within and migrate out of the solidification zone. Values of these parameters can be used to infer information about permeability and melt mobility within the solidification zone. The model parameters derived for the granitic suite have a roughly concentric spatial pattern in the pluton, suggesting that residual melt was trapped near the margins, accumulated in the interior, with a zone of enhanced melt mobility and possibly compositional convection in between. Our model may be of general usefulness because it requires no assumptions about magma chamber geometry or magma dynamics, it is applicable to magmas of any composition, and the equations could be formulated to include those variables best constrained by a particular suite of plutonic igneous rocks.
Haemin promotes rapid neurite outgrowth in cultured mouse neuroblastoma cells

MOUSE neuroblastoma cells grown in suspension culture are round and anaplastic, but when grown in culture attached to a surface and in the presence of various inducing agents such as dibutyryl cyclic AMP1, bromodeoxyuridine2, prostaglandin E1 (ref. 3), cytosine arabinoside4, papaverine5, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)6,7, hexamethylene bisacetamide6,7, or serum-free medium8,9, the cells will extend neurites and assume a morphology resembling that of the mature neurone. The mechanism of neurite outgowth is unknown. Neurite outgrowth develops slowly in the presence of the defined agonists, usually requiring one to several days to attain the optimum outgrowth. Thus, the possible importance of cell-cycle associated events and cell division can complicate the interpretation of experimental results. And, with serum deprivation, nonspecific alterations may result from the removal of numerous factors in the complex mixture comprising serum. Therefore, the availability of a rapidly acting agonist effective in the presence of the normal complement of serum would be a useful tool. We report here that haemin can rapidly and reversibly induce neurite outgrowth in cultured mouse neuroblastoma cells and suggest that haemin may have a wider role in cells than previously thought.
Endotoxin-induced myocardial depression in rats: effect of ibuprofen and SDZ 64-688, a platelet activating factor receptor antagonist.

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced myocardial dysfunction is mediated by cyclooxygenase-derived metabolites of arachidonic acid or platelet activating factor (PAF). Ether-anesthetized rats were injected iv with normal saline (NS; 2.5 ml/kg), ibuprofen (cyclooxygenase inhibitor; 15 mg/kg), or SDZ 64-688 (PAF receptor antagonist; 5 mg/kg). Thirty minutes later, the rats were injected iv with NS (5 ml/kg) or Escherichia coli 0111:B4 LPS (20 mg/kg). Two hours later, atria were harvested, connected to an isometric force transducer-amplifier-recorder apparatus, and maintained in vitro in oxygenated 37.5°C Krebs-Henseleit buffer. Force of contraction indexed to body weight (FOCI; g/kg) was significantly (P
A Haptic Display for Robotic Rehabilitation of Stroke

The effects of stroke are debilitating on the American population. Past studies of robot-aided motor training for survivors have proven to be effective in upper limb motor recovery. However, survivors also suffer from loss or impairment of sensation. Sensory impairment is an important predictor for motor recovery of stroke survivors. Studies have suggested that sensory inputs during robot-aided motor training might be critical for the creation and promotion of cortical reconstruction due to brain plasticity during post-stroke recovery. This paper presents a new haptic display for the handle of the inMotion2 robot in order to enhance cutaneous sensory inputs for stroke survivors during hand motion. The sensory enhancement is realized through pins attached to servomotors mounted inside the robot handle that vibrate and contact the middle and index fingers, the palm, and the thumb during motor training. Each servomotor is independently controlled using a computer via parallel port with a field programmable gate array (FPGA) board as the hardware interface.
The citrate cleavage pathway and lipogenesis in rat adipose tissue: replenishment of oxaloacetate.

Fatty acid synthesis via the citrate cleavage pathway requires the continual replenishment of oxaloacetate within the mitochondria, probably by carboxylation of pyru- vate. Malic enzyme, although present in adipose tissue, is com- pletely localized in the cytoplasm and has insufficient activity to support lipogenesis. Pyruvate carboxylase was found to be active in both the mitochondria and cytoplasm of epididymal adipose tissue cells; it was dependent on both ATP and biotin. Alterations in dietary conditions induced no significant changes in mitochondrial pyruvate carboxylase activity, but the soluble activity was depressed in fat-fed animals. The possible importance of the soluble activity in lipogenesis lies in its participation in a soluble malate transhydrogenation cycle with NAD malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme, whereby a continual supply of NADPH is produced. Conse- quently, the pyruvate carboxylase in adipose tissue both gen- erates mitochondrial oxaloacetate for the citrate cleavage pathway and supplies soluble NADPH for the conversion of acetyl-coA to fatty acid.
A Comparison of Friendship Quality and Social Functioning Among Children With Perinatally Acquired HIV, Children With Persistent Asthma, and Healthy Children of HIV-Positive Mothers

Objective To examine the friendships and social expectations of children with perinatally acquired HIV and compare them to children with moderate to severe persistent asthma and healthy children of HIV-positive mothers. Methods 70 children (ages 8–14 years) were recruited from pediatric allergy and immunology multidisciplinary clinics and hospital-based HIV-support programming. Children completed measures of friendship quality and interpersonal functioning. Caregivers completed a measure of child psychosocial functioning. Results Children with asthma, not HIV, demonstrated poorer indicators of friendship and the most negative social expectations of the three groups. Children with HIV maintained best friendships and rated themselves as socially well-adjusted. Conclusions Comprehensive multidisciplinary services and ancillary supports may have buffered against stressors and facilitated positive psychosocial outcomes in children with HIV. Children with asthma displayed higher disease activity, possibly contributing to poorer outcomes. Results suggest a need to better understand the protective factors that enhance social functioning in children with HIV.
Evaluation of Tongue as a Complementary Sample for the Diagnosis of Parvoviral Infection in Dogs and Cats

Diagnosis of canine parvovirus type 2 and feline panleukopenia virus infection in dogs and cats may be hampered by the severity of enteric lesions, secondary bacterial overgrowth, and rapid onset of autolysis. In contrast to small intestine, tongue epithelium is less sensitive to postmortem changes. Sections of tongue and small intestine from 11 dogs and 11 cats with a clinical history and gross and microscopic lesions compatible with canine and feline parvoviral infection were examined for parvoviral infection using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and direct fluorescent antibody testing (FA). Parvoviral DNA was detected by PCR in both small intestine and tongue of all but 1 dog. Nineteen of 22 animals (86%) with suspect or positive FA staining in the small intestine also had positive FA and IHC staining in the tongue. Three of 3 dogs (100%) whose carcasses had been frozen and thawed prior to necropsy had more consistently positive staining in tongue than in small intestine by FA and IHC. These data confirm tongue as an excellent complementary sample for parvoviral testing in dogs and cats, especially in cases in which postmortem autolysis has occurred.
Particle dispersion in the developing free shear layer. Part 2. Forced flow

An experimental investigation of the dispersion of small particles in a developing, high-Reynolds-number, turbulent, plane mixing layer is presented. Flow visualizations, laser attenuation and diffraction techniques as well as hot-wire anemometry are used to describe the evolution of the mean and instantaneous particle and gas flow fields. It is shown that the large scale turbulent motion existing in the mixing layer plays a central role in the dispersion of the particles. The mean particle concentration field is shown to be the result of a statistical distribution of streaks produced by the large-scale coherent component of the turbulent motion in the mixing layer. Furthermore, for every particle size, the spreading of the particle concentration thickness is found to occur at a smaller rate than the one characterizing the momentum of the turbulent carrier gas. Large particles are shown to initially disperse into the mixing layer less effectively than the small ones. However, when both downstream and cross-stream coordinates are non-dimensionalized with a characteristic length proportional to the square of the droplet diameter, a universal, particle-size independent dispersion field is found to exist.
A nanoscopic multivalent antigen-presenting carrier for sensitive detection and drug delivery to T Cells

Both monoclonal T cell-specific antibodies and multivalent major histocompatibility complex proteins are used as diagnostic reagents for T cell-mediated diseases. However, their widespread use as vehicles for drug delivery has been hindered by the lack of versatile methods that couple the targeting potential of these reagents with drugs of clinical relevance. To address this problem, we engineered a multivalent nanoscopic drug carrier that flexibly tethers to a variety of T-cell antigens. Our carriers bound their target T cells specifically and with enhanced sensitivities as compared with free antigen. Additionally, they consistently inhibited the proliferation of the target T cells in vitro and in vivo, whereas drug-free constructs elicited strong stimulation of the target populations. As a result of the flexibility of incorporating multivalent antigen and drug, these carriers have wide potential use as sensitive T-cell detection reagents as well as promising immunostimulatory or immunosuppressive tools.
Packet Classification Using Space-Efficient Pipelined Multibit Tries

We propose heuristics for the construction of variable-stride one-dimensional as well as fixed and variable-stride two- dimensional multibit tries. These multibit tries are suitable for the classification of Internet packets using a pipelined architecture. The variable-stride one-dimensional tries constructed by our heuristic require significantly less per-stage memory than what is required by optimal pipelined fixed-stride tries. In addition, the pipelined two-dimensional multibit tries constructed by our proposed heuristics are superior, for pipelined architectures, to two-dimensional multibit tries constructed by the best algorithms proposed for nonpipelined architectures.
Very-high radix combined division and square root with prescaling and selection by rounding

An algorithm for square root with prescaling is developed and combined with a similar scheme for division. An implementation is described, evaluated and compared with other combined div/sqrt implementations. >
A polyalgorithm for the automatic solution of nonlinear equations

This paper discusses the design of a polyalgorithm for the automatic solution of a non-linear equation F(x) = 0 for one variable. The polyalgorithm is part of NAPSS. The function F(x) is described by a computer program and is examined only by evaluation. The three main parts of the paper are: brief discussion of the objectives, description of the polyalgorithm and the testing made of it.
Profiling, Cajun Style: Racial and Demographic Profiling in Louisiana's War on Drugs

Few topics are more sensitive to police and minority ethnic groups than racial profiling. Because this is a relatively new area of inquiry, researchers lack a comprehensive methodology for conducti...