cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aesthetic Electronics: Designing, Sketching, and Fabricating Circuits through Digital Exploration

As interactive electronics become increasingly intimate and personal, the design of circuitry is correspondingly developing a more playful and creative aesthetic. Circuit sketching and design is a multidimensional activity which combines the arts, crafts, and engineering broadening participation of electronic creation to include makers of diverse backgrounds. In order to support this design ecology, we present Ellustrate, a digital design tool that enables the functional and aesthetic design of electronic circuits with multiple conductive and dielectric materials. Ellustrate guides users through the fabrication and debugging process, easing the task of practical circuit creation while supporting designers' aesthetic decisions throughout the circuit authoring workflow. In a formal user study, we demonstrate how Ellustrate enables a new electronic design conversation that combines electronics, materials, and visual aesthetic concerns.
Simulation of the effects of multiplexing in multi-pinhole SPECT using stacked Si-HPGe detectors

Small-animal pinhole single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) image quality is limited by a number of factors, including the system's detection efficiency. Efficiency can be improved upon by using multi-pinhole apertures, but when detector space is limited pinhole projections may overlap, or multiplex, which can cause artifacts in reconstruction. We are currently developing a SPECT system utilizing a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, but due to its limited size, in order to achieve reasonable magnification with multiple pinholes, projections on the HPGe are likely to have some amount of multiplexing. In this work we explore whether a stacked-detector configuration with both HPGe and a silicon detector, used with 1231 (27-32, 159 keY), where little or no multiplexing occurs in the Si projections, can help to compensate for the image degradation caused by the multiplexed HPGe projections. Simulations with varying pinhole configurations in conjunction with three different object phantoms (a hot-rod, cold-rod and cool-spot) are used to examine whether the additional projections from the Si detector help to overcome the artifacts from the multiplexing on the HPGe detector. The number of pinholes and the distance between pinholes are varied such that different amounts of multiplexing are seen on the HPGe detector. Reconstructed images using both Si and HPGe data are compared to those using HPGe data alone. Normalized mean square error provides a quantitative comparison of reconstructed images to the original phantoms and a means to evaluate the impact of the additional non-multiplexed data on image quality. For a qualitative comparison, the differential point response function is used to examine artifacts for each configuration. Results show that in cases of highly-multiplexed HPGe projections, the addition o
Thinking About Multiword Constructions: Usage-Based Approaches to Acquisition and Processing.

Usage-based approaches to language hold that we learn multiword expressions as patterns of language from language usage, and that knowledge of these patterns underlies fluent language processing. This paper explores these claims by focusing upon verb–argument constructions (VACs) such as “V(erb) about n(oun phrase).” These are productive constructions that bind syntax, lexis, and semantics. It presents (a) analyses of usage patterns of English VACs in terms of their grammatical form, semantics, lexical constituency, and distribution patterns in large corpora; (b) patterns of VAC usage in child-directed speech and child language acquisition; and (c) investigations of VAC free-association and psycholinguistic studies of online processing. We conclude that VACs are highly patterned in usage, that this patterning drives language acquisition, and that language processing is sensitive to the forms of the syntagmatic construction and their distributional statistics, the contingency of their association with meaning, and spreading activation and prototypicality effects in semantic reference. Language users have rich implicit knowledge of the statistics of multiword sequences.
Clinical benefit of panitumumab after cetuximab failure in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

e14178 Background: Panitumumab (Pmab) is a fully humanized monoclonal IgG-2 antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). It was approved by the FDA in September 2006 as 3rd line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer with disease progression on or following fluoropyrimidine (5-FU), oxaliplatin, and irinotecan chemotherapy regimens. Cetuximab (Cmab) is a chimeric monoclonal IgG-1 antibody and has been on the market since February 2004. It is unclear whether patients who have previously progressed on Cmab will benefit from therapy with Pmab. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 13 patients previously treated at OSUMC. The primary aim was to assess clinical benefit rate of Pmab in patients who failed Cmab. Patients were identified through our database from Sep 2006 until Dec 2011. Patient characteristics, length of treatment duration, response rate, and time elapsed from Cmab to Pmab were recorded. Clinical benefit (CR, PR, SD) was assessed by RECIST criteria. CEA was recorded. Results:...
FARC, 1982–2002: criminal foundation for insurgent defeat

Recent controversy during the conclusion of peace talks has renewed discussion as to the nature of the effort by Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of ...
Uncertainty Principles and Sparse Eigenvectors of Graphs

Analysis of signals defined over graphs has been of interest in the recent years. In this regard, many concepts from the classical signal processing theory have been extended to the graph case, including uncertainty principles that study the concentration of a signal on a graph and in its graph Fourier basis (GFB). This paper advances a new way to formulate the uncertainty principle for signals defined over graphs, by using a nonlocal measure based on the notion of sparsity. To be specific, the total number of nonzero elements of a graph signal and its corresponding graph Fourier transform (GFT) is considered. A theoretical lower bound for this total number is derived, and it is shown that a nonzero graph signal and its GFT cannot be arbitrarily sparse simultaneously. When the graph has repeated eigenvalues, the GFB is not unique. Since the derived lower bound depends on the selected GFB, a method that constructs a GFB with the minimal uncertainty bound is provided. In order to find signals that achieve the derived lower bound (i.e., the most compact on the graph and in the GFB), sparse eigenvectors of the graph are investigated. It is shown that a connected graph has a 2-sparse eigenvector (of the graph Laplacian) when there exist two nodes with the same neighbors. In this case, the uncertainty bound is very low, tight, and independent of the global structure of the graph. For several examples of classical and real-world graphs, it is shown that 2-sparse eigenvectors, in fact, exist.
Attitude Control of Rockets Using a Single Axis Control Jet

Complete attitude control of a rocket during both powered flight and coasting can be achieved with an auxiliary control-jet along a single body axis, providing the rocket is spun about its longitudinal axis at a modest rate. Then by timing the control-jet impulse to occur during the proper portion of each spin revolution, change of attitude angle in any direction can be achieved. Effect of main-engine thrust misalignment is mostly cancelled by the slow rocket spin, so that only modest impulses are needed from the control-jet to maintain attitude. The equations of motion describing this scheme are developed and electronic differential analyzer solutions which demonstrate system performance are presented. Transients are damped using a rate gyro or a linear accelerometer as a sensing device. Mechanization of the control method using an attitude reference gyro or a horizon scanner is described. Compressed air, hydrogen peroxide, and solid fuel hot gas sources for control-jet impulses are discussed. A proposed autopilot system with only one moving part, weighing approximately 5–10 lb, and capable of attitude controlling a 500–1000 lb rocket during and after powered flight in a vacuum appears feasible.
Lighting up superconducting stripes.

Cuprate superconductors display a plethora of complex phases as a function of temperature and carrier concentration, the understanding of which could provide clues into the mechanism of superconductivity. For example, when about one-eighth of the conduction electrons are removed from the copper oxygen planes in cuprates such as La2− x Ba x CuO4 (LBCO), the doped holes (missing electrons) organize into one-dimensional stripes ( 1 ). The bulk superconducting transition temperature ( T c) is greatly reduced, and just above T c, electrical transport perpendicular to the planes (along the c axis) becomes resistive, but parallel to the copper oxygen planes, resistivity remains zero for a range of temperatures ( 2 ). It was proposed a decade ago ( 3 ) that this anisotropic behavior is caused by pair density waves (PDWs); superconducting Cooper pairs exist along the stripes within the planes but cannot tunnel to the adjacent layers. On page 575 of this issue, Rajasekaran et al. ( 4 ) now report detection of this state in LBCO using nonlinear reflection of high-intensity terahertz (THz) light.
All-fiber dissipative soliton Raman laser for deep tissue multiphoton imaging

We propose and demonstrate an all-fiber Raman laser based on phosphosilicate fiber. It produces ∼5 ps chirped dissipative soliton pulses with energy up to 8 nJ, average power of 0.3 W at 1230 nm center wavelength.
Hair Cell Regeneration in the Inner Ear and Lateral Line

Abstract In vertebrates, the ability to perceive sound, motion, and gravity is mediated through specialized mechanosensory hair cells located in the inner ears of all vertebrates and in the lateral line system of aquatic vertebrates. Although the physical structures of hair cells and hair cell sensory epithelia are grossly similar in all vertebrates, only mammals have lost the ability to regenerate hair cells. Studies of the regenerative response in other vertebrates, in particular zebrafish, and of the development of the inner ear in mammals have identified common cellular and molecular processes that regulate hair cell formation. In particular, the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways and the transcription factor Atoh1 have important roles in hair cell formation under most circumstances. Attempts to induce regeneration in adult mammals through directly regulating these pathways are ongoing. Although some preliminary results are encouraging, additional work will be required to achieve functional recovery.
Running performance in a timed city run and body composition: A cross-sectional study in more than 3000 runners.

Abstract Objective The importance of body composition for running performance is unclear in the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether body composition influences running speed and whether it is a better predictor of running speed than body mass index (BMI). Methods The study included 1353 women (38.2 ± 12.1 y of age) and 1771 men (39.6 ± 12.1 y of age) who underwent, for the first time, a measurement of body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis between 1999 and 2016, before a timed run occurring annually in Geneva. The running distances and times were converted to average speed (km/h). Body composition was expressed as sex-specific quartiles, where quartile 1 (lowest values) was the reference quartile. The relationships between speed and BMI or body composition were analyzed by multivariate linear regressions. Results Multivariate regressions showed that the higher the fat mass index (FMI) quartile, the lower the running speed in women and men (all P 20 kg/m2) was associated with a poor running performance (r = –0.50, P Conclusions Running speed is negatively associated with BMI and FMI in both sexes. Body composition is a better predictor of running performance than BMI.
Human System Engineering

This chapter defines the concept of Human System Engineering and its application to the system engineering process. Including human engineering principals in the system architecting phase of system development ensures the human component is fully considered in the subsequent system design phase. The Human Viewpoint methodology identifies the context of system use, the types of human focused data required, and develops representations to display the data to stakeholders. The methodology is tightly coupled with Human System Integration processes and provides an early assessment of human limitations and constraints.
Toward Agentic HRD: A Translational Model of Albert Bandura’s Human Agency Theory:

The ProblemAlbert Bandura has refined a theory of human agency with three modes and four core properties within social cognitive theory. Human agency plays a critical role in one’s adaptation, self...
Craniofacial Injuries Seen With the Introduction of Bicycle-Share Electric Scooters in an Urban Setting.

Purpose Standing electric scooters (e-scooters) are rapidly becoming popular modes of transportation in many urban areas across the United States. However, this increase in popularity has resulted in an increase in traumatic injuries associated with these modes of expedient travel. The purpose of the present study was to determine the types of craniofacial trauma directly related to e-scooter use in a major urban center (Dallas, TX). Materials and Methods We performed a retrospective case series and examined the medical records of the patients who had presented to the emergency department (ED) for trauma related to e-scooter use. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables on patient presentation, including incident notes and patient interviews, demographic information, diagnostic tests, trauma (ie, location, type, severity), treatment (ie, type, admission, outpatient referral, follow-up data), and contributing factors (ie, reported or detected alcohol use, use of protective equipment). Results A total of 90 patients (56 males, 34 females; mean age, 31.8 years) had presented with scooter-related trauma to the ED during the first 7 months of scooters after their introduction to the metropolitan area. A total of 52 admissions (58% of all admissions) involved injuries of the head and face. The patients had presented with a myriad of craniofacial trauma, ranging from abrasions, lacerations, and concussions to intracranial hemorrhage and Le Fort II and III fractures. Of the 52 craniofacial injuries, 30 (58%) were considered severe (ie, fracture, internal hemorrhage, concussion, loss of consciousness), and 22 (42%) were considered minor (ie, lacerations, contusion, abrasion, dental). Alcohol use had been involved in 18% of all scooter-related trauma admissions, and no rider had reported wearing a helmet. Conclusions Injuries to the head and face were commonly found with e-scooter admissions in this sample, and the high prevalence of extremity injuries suggested that patients were breaking their fall during the crash. Craniofacial trauma related to e-scooter use could be significantly reduced by the wearing of a protective helmet.
Standard Errors in Educational Assessment: A Policy Analysis Perspective.

In many educational settings, educational gains are measured and evaluated rather than absolute levels of achievement. Gains might be estimated for individual students,teachers, schools, districts, and so forth. In some educational programs, schools are required to make "statistically significant" progress over the course of one school year. This would typically require and estimate of the standard error (SE for short) of the gain, which is a number representing the precision of the gain similar to the "margin of error" in polls. Because SEs can be used to define educational targets, it is important to understand precisely what a standard error is -- and this requires going beyond the simple textbook definition. Statistical methods are tools for understanding social processes, but there is no necessary connection between a statistical method and an empirical outcome. A policy analyst must ask how closely features of the statistical theory correspond to aspects of the measured outcomes for a given purpose. For example, how much does it matter if the assumption of random sampling is violated in certain ways? Can one assume that the children or educators at a particular school during a given year constitute a random sample of some population that is perhaps spread across time, space, as well as cultural and institutional dimensions?
Artificial Intelligence in the Intensive Care Unit.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to the monitoring and treatment of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is advancing rapidly from future possibility to everyday reality. Developments in computer science, spurred by advances in microprocessor power and storage capacity, have made possible the development of complex and powerful machine learning algorithms. Clinical studies are being published with increasing frequency describing the use of this technique in monitoring and caring for critically ill patients. These studies include work on the early diagnosis of sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), mortality prediction models, algorithms to guide fluid and pressor resuscitation, image analysis, alarm monitoring, and mechanical ventilation. The aim of this chapter is to provide the reader with a brief, and hopefully understandable, introduction to the principles of AI. Included are a brief description of machine learning techniques and a succinct analysis of recent studies applying these techniques to the monitoring of critically ill patients, placing an emphasis on mechanical ventilation.
Legal Outcomes of Suspected Maltreatment Cases Evaluated by a Child Abuse Pediatrician as Part of a Multidisciplinary Team Investigation

Child abuse pediatricians often carry the stigma that their sole role is to diagnose maltreatment. In reality, child abuse pediatricians use their clinical experience and current evidence-based medicine to make the best medical diagnoses for the children they evaluate. To better understand the legal conclusion of suspected maltreatment cases with medical examinations, this study sought to: (i) evaluate the percentage of children seen for suspected maltreatment that led to a clinical diagnosis of maltreatment, (ii) determine the number and type of criminal charges associated, and (iii) analyze the legal outcomes of cases as they proceeded through the judicial system. This study retrospectively reviewed the legal outcomes of 1698 children medically evaluated in 2013-2014 as part of an investigation by a multidisciplinary team at a children's advocacy center in a mid-sized city in Oklahoma. Data were collected from electronic medical records, the district attorney's office, and a public court docket. Of the original cohort, 477 (28.09%) children yielded a medical diagnosis of at least one type of maltreatment. Further analysis yielded 115 unique court cases involving 138 defendants and 151 children. A total of 286 charges were filed resulting in 190 convictions. While maltreatment allegations yield a high number of children that must be evaluated, a comprehensive medical evaluation helps determine which cases do not have sufficient medical findings for a diagnosis of maltreatment. The findings in this study indicate that a majority of suspected maltreatment cases seen by child abuse pediatricians did not result in criminal court outcomes.
Exploring heterologous prime-boost vaccination approaches to enhance influenza control in pigs

Influenza A viruses evolve rapidly to escape host immunity. In swine, this viral evolution has resulted in the emergence of multiple H1 and H3 influenza A virus (IAV) lineages in the United States (US) pig populations. The heterologous prime-boost vaccination strategy is a promising way to deal with diverse IAV infection in multiple animal models. However, whether or not this vaccination strategy is applicable to US swine to impart immunity against infection from North American strains of IAV is still unknown. We performed a vaccination-challenge study to evaluate the protective efficacy of using multivalent inactivated vaccine and/or a live attenuated IAV vaccine (LAIV) in pigs following multiple prime-boost vaccination protocols against a simultaneous H1N1 and H3N2 IAV infection. Our data show that pigs in the heterologous prime-boost vaccination group had more favorable outcomes consistent with a better response against virus challenge than non-vaccinated pigs. Additionally, delivering a multivalent heterologous inactivated vaccine boost to pigs following a single LAIV administration was also beneficial. We concluded the heterologous prime boost vaccination strategy may potentiate responses to suboptimal immunogens and holds the potential applicability to control IAV in the North American swine industry. However, more studies are needed to validate the application of this vaccination approach under field conditions.
Engrailed-2 is a cell autonomous regulator of neurogenesis in cultured hippocampal neural stem cells

Abnormalities in genes that regulate early brain development are known risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. Engrailed-2 (En2) is a homeodomain transcription factor with established roles in cerebellar patterning. En2 is highly expressed in the developing mid-hindbrain region, and En2 knockout (KO) mice exhibit major deficits in mid-hindbrain structures. However, En2 is also expressed in forebrain regions including the hippocampus, but its function is unknown. Previous studies have shown that the hippocampus of En2-KO mice exhibits reductions in its volume and cell numbers due to aberrant neurogenesis. Aberrant neurogenesis is due, in part, to noncell autonomous effects, specifically, reductions of innervating norepinephrine fibers from the locus coeruleus. In this study, we investigate possible cell autonomous roles of En2 in hippocampal neurogenesis. We examine proliferation, survival, and differentiation using cultures of hippocampal neurospheres of P7 wild-type (WT) and En2-KO hippocampal neural progenitor cells (NPCs). At 7 days, En2-KO neurospheres were larger on average than WT spheres and exhibited 2.5-fold greater proliferation and 2-fold increase in apoptotic cells, similar to in vivo KO phenotype. Further, En2-KO cultures exhibited 40% less cells with neurite projections, suggesting decreased differentiation. Lastly, reestablishing En2 expression in En2-KO NPCs rescued excess proliferation. These results indicate that En2 functions in hippocampal NPCs by inhibiting proliferation and promoting survival and differentiation in a cell autonomous manner. More broadly, this study suggests that En2 impacts brain structure and function in diverse regions outside of the mid-hindbrain.
Employing Mixed-Methods in Exploratory NGO Research: The Transnational NGO Interview Study

This paper provides an overview of the Transnational NGO Interview Study, a mixed-method research project that has produced a large dataset for use by NGO scholars and has resulted in many subsequent publications that showcase innovations in NGO research methods. It describes the numerous challenges that researchers confronted and how the research team developed solutions to address the problems that arose during the research process. The examination focuses on innovations in research design and methodology and draws examples from published research based on data from the study. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.
Growth of Magnetic Materials using Molecular Beam Epitaxy

A wide variety of magnetic materials and devices have been prepared by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The accurate growth of multilayers and superlattices involving magnetic phases has made possible experiments that have uncovered how magnetic order propagates at interfaces. This has uncovered new physical effects and made possible the study of new devices assembled with atomic accuracy. Keywords: molecular beam epitaxy; thin film; heterostructure; ferromagnet; antiferromagnet; oxide; magnetic tunnel junction
Recognition memory and theta–gamma interactions in the hippocampus

Neuronal oscillations and cross-frequency interactions in the rat hippocampus relate in important ways to memory processes and serve as a model for studying oscillatory activity in cognition more broadly. We report here that hippocampal synchrony (CA3-CA1 coherence) increased markedly in the low gamma range as rats were exploring novel objects, particularly those for which the rat subsequently showed good memory. The gamma synchrony varied across phases of the theta rhythm such that coherence was highest at the falling slope and trough of the theta wave. Further, the shape of the theta wave was more asymmetric and elongated at the falling slope during exploration of objects for which the rat subsequently showed good memory as compared to objects for which the rat subsequently showed poor memory. The results showed a strong association between event-related gamma synchrony in rat hippocampus and memory encoding for novel objects. In addition, a novel potential mechanism of cross-frequency interactions was observed whereby dynamic alterations in the shape of theta wave related to memory in correspondence with the strength of gamma synchrony. These findings add to our understanding of how theta and gamma oscillations interact in the hippocampus in the service of memory.
Gravlee Jet Washer effectiveness as performed by obstetric-gynecologic paramedical personnel.

Abstract The Gravlee Jet Washer has proved to be a safe and reliable technique for obtaining cell and tissue specimens for the detection of adenocarcinoma of the endometrium. The procedure was performed on a series of 141 patients by obstetric/gynecologic paramedical personnel with a success rate of 92.2 per cent. There were 11 cases of adenocarcinoma diagnosed during the study, and 9 of these were either diagnosed or detected by the jet wash. Cervical canal stenosis prevented performance of the technique in the 2 failures. The jet wash was ineffective in detecting uterine sarcomas. The diagnostic scheme was completed in from 5 to 7 minutes in almost all patients. Only a few patients required additional physician attendance during the procedure. Patient cost was therefore reduced, physician time was minimal, and the procedure was well accepted by the patients.
A numerical study of the stagnating compact toroid and its applicability as a radiation source

Using a compact toroid (CT) as a radiation source is one of the many applications being pursued by the MARAUDER CT program at the Phillips Laboratory. CT radiation production can be achieved via the stagnation of a high velocity plasma ring against a stationary object. A computational analysis of this process is underway using the 21/2-dimensional RMHD code MACH2. Preliminary simulations reveal that the stagnation process results in an inelastic collison between the CT and the wall. Estimates indicate a kinetic to radiation energy conversion of approximately 20% aiding in significant radiation output.
EPISODIC SUSPENDED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND ELEVATED POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CONCENTRATIONS IN A SMALL, MOUNTAINOUS RIVER IN COASTAL CALIFORNIA

Suspended sediment and organic contaminants were measured during a period of 2 years in the San Lorenzo River, central California, which discharges into the Pacific Ocean within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, in an effort to quantify the potential environmental effects of storm events from a steep, mountainous coastal urban watershed. Most suspended sediment transport occurred during flooding caused by winter storms; 56% of the total sediment load for the 2-year study was transported by the river during one storm event in January 2010. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can exceed regulatory criteria during high-flow events in the San Lorenzo River, and total annual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon load was on the order of 10kg in water year 2010. These results highlight the importance of episodic sediment and contaminant transport in steep, mountainous coastal watersheds and emphasize the importance of understanding physical processes and quantifying chemical constituents in discharge from coastal watersheds on event-scale terms. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Can the University Aid Industry

The writer believes that a distinct advance has been made within the last few years in the relations between the university and industry. It is hoped and believed that this tendency to cooperate will continue and will be of great advantage to both parties to the transaction.
Fabrication of Three—Dimensional Objects Using Laser Lithography

There is no established technique for the 3-dimensional (3-D) pattern formation, and many structures cannot be formed using the conventional CAD/CAM technology. We have constructed a simpler economical system for the 3-D pattern formation by using an ultraviolet laser and light-sensitive resins. In this technique, the CAD data designed by a computer are sliced horizontally. Using the sliced data, the laser is moved in a 2-D direction and the light-sensitive resin is irradiated. Then solidified thin plates are stacked to form a pattern. Using this technique, such complicated patterns as holes, screws and hollow objects, can be formed by one process. Since it is not necessary to maintain the cutting tools and the cutting scraps, a completely automated process can be achieved.
Dendritic Cells: Novel Players in Fibrosis and Scleroderma

Dendritic cells are professional antigen-presenting cells that are most studied for their function in mediating T-cell tolerance and T-cell activation. In addition, recent evidence indicates that dendritic cells can regulate the vasculature and function of fibroblast-type cells. The potential contribution of dendritic cells to scleroderma and fibrosis is not well-understood. In this article, we review recent studies as well as describe our own ongoing work that points toward a role for dendritic cells in scleroderma and fibrosis.
Quantum chemistry of sol-gel silica clusters☆

Abstract Quantum calculations of rings and chains containing up to six hydrolized silica tetrahedra have been made using intermediate neglect of differential overlap (INDO) molecular orbital theory. Differences in molecular energies between rings and chains appears to be responsible for limiting the growth of particles in the sol prior to gelation. Changes in the structure and molecular energies of a 4-membered silicon ring with adsorption and desorption of H2O indicates a possible mechanism for the observed dilotometric behavior of porous Type VI sol-gel silica.
Administration of aerosolized antibiotics in cystic fibrosis patients

High rates of colonization and the challenge of managing Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have necessitated a search for safe and effective antibiotics. Currently, therapy with an aminoglycoside in combination with a β-lactam or a quinolone antibiotic is the standard. Unfortunately, it is difficult to deliver high doses of these antibiotics via the IV route without significant systemic adverse events (AEs) (eg, ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity). Recently, a reformulation of the aminoglycoside antibiotic tobramycin has become available in a preservative-free, pH-adjusted solution for inhalation by jet nebulizer. A 96-week series of clinical studies including 520 patients, aged ≥ 6 years, with moderate-to-severe CF has evaluated the long-term safety and effectiveness of this formulation. Patients received tobramycin solution for inhalation (TSI) or placebo, which was administered in alternating cycles of 28-days-on and 28-days-off therapy, plus their usual CF care for 6 months with open-label follow-up extended to 2 years. Most AEs declined in frequency with increasing TSI exposure. Patients receiving TSI spent 25 to 33% fewer days in the hospital. Following the initiation of TSI treatment, patients experienced significant increases in FEV1. FEV1 values were maintained above baseline for the duration of the study series. Antibiotic susceptibility of the bacterial isolates did not predict clinical response. TSI was safe, well-tolerated, and effective for long-term treatment (96 weeks) of P aeruginosa colonization and infection in CF patients.
Induction of nuclear aberrations by smokeless tobacco in epithelial cells of human oral mucosa

Cytologic and cytogenetic studies were performed to assess the prevalence of somatic cell genetic damage in 48 young adults equally divided to represent users and nonusers of smokeless tobacco. Exposure was ascertained by measuring saliva cotinine using capillary gas chromatography. Squamous epithelial cells sampled from the oral mucosa demonstrated significant cytologic alterations associated with tobacco exposure. The frequency of micronucleated cells was significantly (P less than .01) higher in the labial mucosa of exposed (2.22%) compared to unexposed (0.27%) individuals. The frequency of micronuclei varied widely between exposed subjects but was higher in heavily (2.48%) compared to lightly (1.29%) exposed individuals as measured by saliva cotinine levels. Morphologic classification of epithelial cell nuclei showed that the frequency of cells with normal nuclear structure was significantly (P less than .01) reduce in exposed individuals. Analysis of oral epithelial cells of five additional nonusers of smokeless tobacco but wearers of orthodontic appliances to stimulate abrasion demonstrated no difference from the nonexposed control group. Unlike the case with cigarette smokers, peripheral lymphocyte sister-chromatid exchange frequency was not affected by exposure to smokeless tobacco. The oral cytology data, however, support an interpretation of exposure-dependent nuclear alterations, including micronuclei, in the oral epithelium associated with the use of smokeless tobacco. Altogether, results suggest that use of smokeless tobacco may cause genetic damage to cells in the oral epithelium.
Pathogenesis of Acute Ischemic Coronary Syndromes

Understanding of the pathogenesis of acute ischemic coronary syndromes has lead to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic modalities offering the possibility of improved clinical outcomes. This article details the importance of the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, invlammaiton and plaque rupture and thronbosis in the development of the clinical manifestations of an acute ischemic coronary syndrome.
Biosynthesis of dimethyl selenide from sodium selenite in rat liver and kidney cell-free systems

Abstract A pathway for the synthesis of dimethyl seledine from sodium selenite was studied in rat liver and kidney fractions under anaerobic conditions in the presence of GSH, a NADPH-generating system, and S -adenosylmethionine. Chromatography of liver or kidney soluble fraction on Sephadex G-75 yielded a Fraction C (30 000 molecular weight) which synthesized dimethyl selenide, but at a low rate. Addition of proteins eluting at the void volume (Fraction A) to Fraction C restored full activity. Fractionation of Fraction A on DEAE-cellulose revealed that its ability to stimulate Fraction C was associated with two fractions, one containing glutathione reductase and the other a NADPH-dependent disulfide reductase. It was concluded that Fraction C contains a methyltransferase acting on small amounts of hydrogen selenide produced non-enzymically by the reaction of selenite with GSH, and that stimulation by Fraction A results partly from the NADPH-linked formation of hydrogen selenide catalyzed by glutathione reductase present in Fraction A. Washed liver microsomal fraction incubated with selenite plus 20 mM GSH also synthesized dimethyl selenide, but addition of soluble fraction stimulated activity. A synergistic effect was obtained when liver soluble fraction was added to microsomal fraction in the presence of a physiological level of GSH (2 mM), whereas at 20 mM GSH the effect was merely additive. The microsomal component of the liver system was labile, had maximal activity around pH 7.5, and was exceedingly sensitive to NaAsO 2 (93% inhibition by 10 −6 M arsenite in the presence of a 20 000-fold excess of GSH). The microsomal activity apparently results from a Se -methyltransferase, possibly a dithiol protein, that methylates hydrogen selenide produced enzymically by the soluble fraction or non-enzymically when a sufficiently high concentration of GSH is used.
Simulation of Management Strategies for the Blacklegged Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) and the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi

A computer model (LYMESIM) was developed to simulate the effects of management technologies on populations of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, and the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner in eastern North America. Technologies considered in this study were area-wide acaricide, acaricide self-treatment of white-footed mice and white-tailed deer, vegetation reduction, and white-tailed deer density reduction. Computer simulations were run with normal weather patterns for coastal Connecticut and New York. Results showed that area-wide acaricide, vegetation reduction, or a combination of these technologies would be useful for short-term seasonal management of ticks and disease in small recreational or residential sites. Acaricide self-treatment of deer appears to be the most cost-effective technology for use in long-term management programs in large areas. Simulation results also suggested that deer density reduction should be considered as a management strategy component. Integrated management strategies are presented that could be used in pilot tests and operational tick and tick-borne disease programs.
Enhancement of endothelium-dependent vasodilation by low-dose nitroglycerin in patients with congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND Since organic nitroesters and endothelium-derived nitric oxide mediate vasodilation through a final common pathway, that is, by activation of soluble guanylate cyclase in vascular smooth muscle, nitroglycerin (NTG) could specifically enhance the endothelium-dependent vasodilatory response to acetylcholine (Ach) in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and endothelial cell dysfunction. Accordingly, the net effects of an intra-arterial infusion of NTG (10(-9) mol/L) on endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation were assessed in the forearm circulation of patients with CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS The forearm blood flow responses to intra-arterial administration of graded concentrations of Ach (10(-7) to 10(-5) mol/L) were determined by venous occlusion plethysmography (mL/min per 100 mL) in 18 patients with CHF and 5 age-matched normal subjects before and during intra-arterial infusion of NTG (10(-9) mol/L) for 20 minutes. In eight patients, the duration of the infusion of NTG (n = 5) or vehicle control solution (n = 3) was extended to 12 hours with measurement of the forearm blood flow responses to Ach at 20 minutes, 4 hours, and 12 hours. In five additional patients, forearm blood flow response to intra-arterial administration of two doses of phentolamine (0.05 and 0.5 mg) were determined before and during a 20-minute NTG infusion. Regional administration of NTG 10(-9) mol/L did not change resting forearm blood flow in either normal subjects or patients with CHF. Before administration of NTG 10(-9) mol/L, intra-arterial infusions of Ach 10(-7), 10(-5) and 10(-5) mol/L increased forearm blood flow to 14.7 +/- 6.2, 20.2 +/- 4.7, and 38.4 +/- 7.9 mL/min per 100 mL in normal subjects and to 4.1 +/- 0.8, 5.0 +/- 1.1, and 10.6 +/- 2.3 mL/min per 100 mL in patients with CHF. After administration of NTG 10(-9) mol/L for 20 minutes, the vasodilatory response to Ach significantly increased to 5.6 +/- 1.0, 6.9 +/- 1.6, and 17.7 +/- 3.4 mL/min per 100 mL in patients with CHF but did not change in normal subjects. The enhanced forearm blood flow responses to administration of Ach observed after 20 minutes of NTG administration in patients with CHF were sustained throughout a 12-hour NTG infusion. In contrast, regional administration of NTG did not change the vasodilatory responses to phentolamine. CONCLUSIONS NTG, when administered intra-arterially for 20 minutes at a dose that does not affect resting forearm blood flow, specifically increased the vasodilatory response to intra-arterial administration of Ach in patients with CHF but not in normal subjects. The vasodilatory response to Ach was consistently enhanced by low-dose NTG throughout a 12-hour period. The vasodilating effects of organic nitroesters on the peripheral vasculature of patients with CHF may result in part from an interaction with the vascular endothelium.
CnC-Hadoop: a graphical coordination language for distributed multiscale parallelism

The information-technology platform is being radically transformed with the widespread adoption of the cloud computing model supported by data centers containing large numbers of multicore servers. While cloud computing platforms can potentially enable a rich variety of distributed applications, the need to exploit multiscale parallelism at the inter-node and intra-node level poses significantly new challenges for software. Recent advances in the Google MapReduce and Hadoop frameworks have led to simplified programming models for a restricted class of distributed batch-processing applications. However, these frameworks do not support richer distributed application structures beyond map-reduce, and do not offer any solutions for exploiting shared-memory multicore parallelism at the intra-node level.
A survival and reproduction trade-off is resolved in accordance with resource availability by virgin female mosquitoes.

The first 2–4 days after an Anopheles gambiae female mosquito emerges are critical to her survival and reproductive success. Yet, the order of behavioural events (mating, sugar feeding, blood feeding) during this time has received little attention. We discovered that among female cohorts sampled from emergence, sugar feeding had a higher probability than blood feeding of occurring first, and mating rarely occurred before a meal was taken. The night after emergence, 48% of females fed on sugar in mesocosms, and 25% fed on human blood; in the absence of sugar, 49% of females fed on human blood. After 5 days, 39% of the sugar-supplied females had blood-fed and mated, and were fructose negative, whereas only 8% of the sugar-denied females had both blood-fed and mated by this time. The model that best explained the transitions suggests that females made use of two distinct behavioural pathways, the most common one being to sugar-feed, then mate, and then seek blood. Other females sought blood first, then mated, and forwent a sugar meal. Lipid levels were higher in females with access to sugar than in females without access to sugar, particularly for those in later gonotrophic stages, while glycogen levels in the sugar-supplied group were higher throughout. In single-night experiments with females having had access to sucrose since emergence, those given a blood meal 1 day before spending a night with males had higher insemination rates than those not receiving the blood meal. These results indicate that the trade-off between survival and immediate reproduction is resolved by young adult females in accordance with availability of resources and gonotrophic state.
Towards a better understanding of childhood asthma.

Objective: To explore the ways asthma may be defined in childhood and consider the current evidence to support these possible definitions. Methodology The relationship of symptoms, atopy, bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and airway inflammation in defining childhood asthma is reviewed. Results While none of the four proposed methods of defining asthma can stand alone as the ‘gold standard], in childhood asthma, all four, namely clinical symptoms, atopy, BHR and airway inflammation, are intimately related. The degree of atopy and BHR, and the presence of airway inflammation, should be viewed as significant risk factors for persistent wheezing in childhood. Conclusion At present the clinical diagnosis of asthma in childhood remains largely based on symptoms but it is likely that, with further research, the group of children who are now labelled as having asthma will be subdivided into different subgroups with implications for both treatment and outcome.
The Co‐Crystal Approach to Improve the Exposure of a Water‐Insoluble Compound: AMG 517 Sorbic Acid Co‐Crystal Characterization and Pharmacokinetics

Co-crystals are relatively novel in the pharmaceutical field and are not reported extensively. AMG 517 is an insoluble small molecule VR1 (vanilloid receptor 1) antagonist. In animal studies, good exposure of AMG 517 is seen from a 10% (w/v) Pluronic F108 in OraPlus suspension. Investigation of the suspension formulation revealed that AMG 517 forms a co-crystal with sorbic acid, a preservative in OraPlus. This co-crystal of AMG 517 was isolated by coslurrying AMG 517 and sorbic acid; studied by DSC and XRD; and identified by solution NMR, TGA, and HPLC to be a 1:1 association of AMG 517 and sorbic acid. Single crystal structure analysis revealed a 1:1 co-crystal of AMG 517 and sorbic acid, held together by two hydrogen bonds and other noncovalent, nonionic forces. The co-crystal has better aqueous solubility initially as compared to AMG 517 free base but does revert back to a form of the free base hydrate during prolonged slurry in FaSIF (fasted simulated intestinal fluid). Pharmacokinetic evaluation of the co-crystal in rats using 10% (w/v) Pluronic F108 in OraPlus suspensions revealed that a 30 mg/kg dose in suspension had comparable exposure to a 500 mg/kg dose of the free base.
Resonance Raman spectroscopy in biochemistry and biology.

Resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy provides detailed information on the vibrational and electronic properties of biochemical and biological chromophores. The analysis of RR spectra, using for example model compounds or a group frequency approach, enables us to form an accurate structural picture of the chromophore in its natural biological site. Moreover, the insight gained into the electronic states of a biological chromophore can be crucial to our understanding of its function. Thus the RR technique represents a powerful means of eliciting precise structural and electronic data from a coloured species and of focusing upon key aspects of its function. It has even been possible to obtain RR spectra from some natural chromophores in vivo, giving spectra detailed and informative enough to please a spectroscopist from a system complex enough to satisfy a biologist.
Protoplasmic streaming during the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum

Abstract It has been reported that protoplasmic streaming stops during the synchronous mitosis exhibited by growing plasmodia of P. polycephalum . Our data reveal that at no time during the mitotic cycle did streaming stop. However, during a 3–5 min period at anaphase the percent of each oscillation period accounted for by an outward flow was precisely equal in duration to the corresponding inward flow. At all other periods the duration of outward flow exceeded that of inward flow. Plasmodial migration or locomotion was briefly arrested at telophase, although shuttle streaming persisted.
Antimicrobial food packaging materials

Abstract This article looks at the underlying chemistry of various types of additives, and antimicrobial films, which potentially could be used by the food-packaging industry, and the associated research work which seeks to make this technology commercially usable.